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"Ah ha ha ha! I can't help it! X was no match for High Max, but you... Ha hah. I can't stop laughing!"
―Isoc, Mega Man X6

Isoc (アイゾック Aizokku) is an enigmatic character from Mega Man X6. He first appears after the Opening Stage, warning the populace of the Nightmare and encouraging Reploids to join the Nightmare Investigators in hunting the Zero Nightmare. In reality, Isoc is secretly the face for Gate, the one responsible for the Nightmare.

Characteristics[]

Isoc is a Reploid with an elderly appearance. His beard and hair are both cylindrical in shape, and he has sharp eyebrows that point upwards. His eyes are completely red with black outlines. He has black and brown armor, and he wears a long lab coat similar to Gate's but with grey metal shoulder pads.

Isoc is a skilled researcher and a charismatic public speaker. He loyally assisted Gate in decrypting Zero's DNA program and manipulating public perception of the Nightmare, serving him like a master. He was extremely confident in High Max's abilities, even suggesting Gate simply use High Max to rule the world, and was shocked when the Maverick Hunters bested him. He held great hatred for X and an odd fascination with Zero, claiming that he knew the latter "inside and out."

History[]

Mega Man X6[]

After X's first encounter with High Max, Isoc gives a speech directed at all Reploids on Earth. He blames the Nightmare on the "ghost of Zero", and announces that High Max and the Nightmare Investigators will research the areas most affected by the phenomenon. He also makes a call for volunteers, attempting to rally the broken world in suppressing the Nightmare together. X is infuriated that Isoc blames this chaos on Zero despite his valiant sacrifice, and the Maverick Hunters begin their own investigation of the situation.

After the first Investigator is destroyed by the Maverick Hunters, Isoc notifies his boss, Gate. Isoc suggests they use High Max to take over the world, but Gate dismisses the idea and tells Isoc to continue experimenting on the Nightmare and supervising the Maverick Hunters. He also asks Isoc about his own search for Zero, accusing him of being obsessed with Zero but allowing him to do as he pleases, as he has no more need for his DNA.

IsocZeroConfrontationMMX6

Isoc confronts Zero.

If X or Zero defeats High Max, Isoc may react in one of two ways. For X, Isoc shows his hatred and frustration, threatening to destroy X himself before retreating. For Zero, Isoc is enthralled by Zero's superiority and laughs maniacally. Zero then tries to attack Isoc, but he stops him with an energy field before taunting him and retreating. Following this development, Gate personally contacts the Maverick Hunters and invites them to storm his laboratory.

After Gate's death and Sigma's awakening, the Hunters discover Isoc's dormant body. Mysteriously, his Reploid soul seems to have vanished, leaving him a husk, similar to the Erasure incident. If Zero is present, he hears a mysterious voice calling him the ultimate robot. The Maverick Hunters realize they have no time to worry about Isoc, and immediately leave to exterminate Sigma. Isoc is not seen again for the rest of the game, and his ultimate fate is unknown.

Quotes[]

Isoc: Attention all Reploids on Earth! As you all know, these are chaotic, disturbing times. The "Nightmare" is upon us. It shows Reploids a kind of "dream" for human beings... no. It's a "Nightmare". The Nightmare makes Reploids confused. In the worst case, they may malfunction or delete themselves. Due to the Colony incident, there are few Reploids or humans are left on the Earth... We won't accept sacrifice anymore! This would bring us to the Earth Crisis. Taking the matter seriously, we have sent investigators to the 8 suspected areas to uncover the mystery of this Nightmare phenomena. It's said that the Nightmare phenomena are cause by... a ghost of Zero... known as an ace Maverick Hunter...
X: What!? What are you talking about!
Alia: Wait, X. Let him finish his story.
X: Ugh...
Isoc: Now, I'd like to call on volunteers! Unite with us, and help our cause! Work for these eight investigators!! Our goal is to wipe out the Nightmare... and to delete Zero's ghost! Come together for our future!! This High Max will lead the mission. We guarantee your safety if you join us. Both Maverick Hunters and Reploids now suffer. Let's preserve our future together! We're waiting for you! Everyone!

X: ... How dare...! He talks about Zero that way... Zero gave his life to save us!

High Max: No! I can't believe this. I'm superior to him in every respect, the speed, the power and the body... An old robot like you can't beat me... This can't be true!!
Isoc: Ummmm. High Max is down... Kugh! We'd better withdraw for now!
X: Wait! You can't escape!
Isoc: You ancient piece of junk, it's not over! I'll destroy you myself! For the time being, farewell!
Signas: X! Cool down! We don't want to lose you. You may be damaged in the battle. Return to the Hunter Base, now!

X: Darn! So close... But I must be cautious... Roger that! I'll be back.

Isoc: Hee hee hee. Ha ha ha ha ha!
Zero: What makes you laugh?
Isoc: Ah ha ha ha! I can't help it! X was no match for High Max, but you... Ha hah. I can't stop laughing!
Zero: ... Are you out of your mind? I just destroyed one of your own... What is so funny? Anyway, you're the last one... I'll crush you now!
Isoc: Nuh ha ha ha ha! ... Did you say something, boy?
Zero: Guhwaaaaah!! Wh... what!? I... I... can't move... Kugh.
Isoc: Zero... I know you inside out... Hmm. Since I found out you're alive, I can capture you at any time. But first I must bring High Max back.
Zero: W... wait! You're... escaping? Da... Darn M... My body...
Isoc: Hmm. What can you do as you are now? I won't escape. I'll see you soon. I promise!
Signas: Are you all right? Zero! We'll send a rescue team immediately! High Max won't be a threat for a while. So you can come back to the Hunter Base at once!
Alia: It's some kind of force field. It seems to take time to release it. Can you move if it isn't released?
Zero: I hate to admit it, but I can't...

Alia: Aw? The force field... It seems to have a timing device. It might be released in due course. But it's strange... Why did he try so hard to trap Zero? What was his intention?

Other appearances[]

  • Isoc appeared in the trailer from the cancelled game Rockman Online. His role in the game is unknown.
  • Isoc is a unit card in TEPPEN.

Other media[]

Rockman X Giga Mission[]

Isoc appeared as a major antagonist in the Carddass series Rockman X Giga Mission, set prior to Isoc's work with Gate in Mega Man X6. Having studied Dr. Doppler's work on the Limited parasite and upgraded it into a new lifeform called the Extreme, Isoc resurrected four Extreme Mavericks and even created a new Nightmare Police - Saktira CC and Pranara DD - to search for Zero. He watches the story unfold through drones, and once Zero reappears from Nichts, Isoc laughs madly, having accomplished his goal.

Gallery[]

Production Notes[]

Designer Comments
"I was thinking about a certain scientist while designing this character. The horizontal piece on his head is supposed to be hair. I also gave him a beard and something that looks like a necktie." - Haruki Suetsugu[1][2]

Etymology[]

  • The name "Isoc" (アイゾック Aizokku) appears to be a variation of "Isaac" (アイザック Aizakku), which means "laugh" in Hebrew.

Trivia[]

  • Like Serges in Mega Man X2, there is a prominent theory that Isoc is a robotic avatar of Dr. Wily. This is made evident by how Isoc is interested in Zero and hates X. Additionally, if Zero defeats High Max, Isoc will be pleased that Zero was able to defeat a robot X could not, and claims he knows Zero inside out. When Zero finds his dead body in Gate's lab, he hears a voice telling him he is the strongest robot. Isoc's cylindrical, outstretched hair also bears a resemblance to Dr. Wily's hair.
    • Isoc shares many traits with Serges, such as being a secondary antagonist who is a scientist, and his design as an elderly Reploid with pure red eyes with black outlines.
    • Additionally, Isoc's Japanese voice actor, Takeshi Aono, is the same actor that voiced Dr. Wily in Mega Man 8, Mega Man X4, and other games. Haruki Suetsugu's comment on how he was "thinking about a [certain] scientist" while designing him also supports this theory.[1][2]
    • This could explain Zero's comeback, since Zero's vague explanation to X claimed that he "hid himself while he was repairing himself". However, when Zero finds the Light Capsule from Infinity Mijinion's stage, he asks Dr. Light if he was the one who saved him, who says his survival was a "miracle". The actual explanation could be that Isoc is the one who repaired Zero; this explanation also occurs in the non-canon Rockman X Giga Mission story.
  • Another prominent theory suggests Wily made himself into a stream of consciousness that transfers bodies after his death, or is a being similar to the Sigma Virus and Cyber-elves. If Wily exists in a similar state and has lent assistance to the villains of the Mega Man X series, it would explain how Serges was able to build a new body for Zero despite remaining unanalyzable, how Wily possibly built Sigma a body, and how Isoc possesses such knowledge of Zero as to achieve paralysis.
    • Assisting the theory is that Dr. Light has done something similar to himself. In X5, Dr. Light is shown to essentially have uploaded/recreated his consciousness as an AI (as opposed to being presented as pre-recorded messages in X1-X4 and X7), and it is plausible Wily could have done something similar.
  • Countering the theory of "Wily = Isoc", it is also possible that Isoc was obsessed with Zero because he was impressed with the DNA data he and Gate managed to analyze. As he had never seen data so powerful before, he began developing this specific obsession for Zero. However, this might have been an act to hide his true identity.
  • Isoc is one of a handful of Mavericks not to be featured in the Worlds Unite crossover event from Archie Comics. His absence makes somewhat more sense than that of High Max, given that Isoc was never shown to be a combatant.

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 「ある科学者!?をイメージしてデザインしました。頭の横長いパーツは髪の毛で、口ヒゲやネクタイのようなパーツもつけちます。」(末次)
    [Translation] "I designed it with the image of a certain scientist. The long horizontal parts of the head are hair, and I attached him with parts that look like mustache and necktie." - Haruki Suetsugu, R20 Rockman & Rockman X Official Complete Works, Capcom, 2008 Mar 01, pg 165
  2. 2.0 2.1 Mega Man X Official Complete Works, UDON Entertainment Corp. 2009. pg.57. Retrieved on March 22, 2011.


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