"I'll make you understand! You will know that I am the one who holds the key to the future!"

―Vile, Mega Man Maverick Hunter X

Vile is an antagonist and playable character in Mega Man Maverick Hunter X. Once a high class Maverick Hunter in the 17th Elite Unit, Vile was imprisoned for his destructive behavior, and later set free from confinement by Sigma to wreak havoc and challenge X.

Personality[]

Because of an irregularity in his central processing core, Vile has developed an almost pathological passion for destruction, hunting down and destroying every target with a crazed obsession, no matter the collateral damage. Due to his behavior, Vile was incarcerated by his superiors on suspicion of being a Maverick.^[1] When Sigma freed him, he only ordered him to challenge X, knowing his strength as a violent powerhouse rather than a military leader.

Vile is a very arrogant and violent individual. Though he used to be a member of the Maverick Hunters, he never once considered himself one, being a lone wolf who dislikes the thought of having friends or superiors to help him.^[2][3] He also had a habit of not accepting orders from anyone except himself, which often resulted in fierce arguments with his commanders. Some Hunters still respected Vile for his strength despite his hostility.^[4] Even when freed from containment by Sigma, he showed little gratitude and continued to disrespect him.^[5]

Vile is very bitter towards X and devotes his existence to destroying and humiliating him, and proving that he is the stronger of the two. He claims to hate X for his mercy and gentleness, but his grudge may truly stem from jealousy or insecurity, as Vile is confused and frustrated by others' constant appreciation of X.^[6] While he claimed he wanted to change the world instead of X, he later admits that he just wanted to outdo X and didn't care about the world.^[7][8] His hatred of X was strong enough that after seemingly defeating him in Vile Mode, he proceeded to abuse his rival in various ways, such as repeatedly shooting his downed nemesis on the highway as well as repeatedly kicking and stomping on him, angrily demanding to unveil his true power.^[9] Despite his hatred of X, however, Vile does have a begrudging sense of respect towards him, as he admits that he had indeed grown stronger since their last encounter^[10] Zero, on the other hand, has his respect and Vile acknowledges his formidable strength, though he is confused about why Zero aligns himself with X.^[11]

History[]

The Day of Σ[]

Shortly before Sigma declared war on humanity, Vile was arrested by the Hunters for unknown reasons and seen being taken to a cell in Hunter Base. Zero reasoned that he "must have caused a ruckus again," and it is presumed that Vile disobeyed orders from superior officers and/or threatened the safety of his comrades and innocent bystanders while hunting Mavericks.

Later, while the Maverick Hunters were busy dealing with yet another berserk Mechaniloid, Sigma killed the guards at Vile's cell and released him from prison. He told Vile that he needed someone who could easily go Maverick of their own accord, and gave him a single order: challenge X. Regardless of Vile's decision to join Sigma's forces, he took the opportunity to flee. X and Zero were called back to Hunter Base to investigate the aftermath of the event, arriving too late.

Mega Man Maverick Hunter X[]

X Mode[]

Vile "joined" Sigma's rebellion and helped attack the Central Highway aboard the Death Rogumer, although he implies that he had no genuine interest in Sigma's rebellion and merely used it as an excuse to torment X.^[12] At first it seemed X was able to defeat him, but Vile was just tricking him into letting his guard down and used the opportunity to grab him with his Ride Armor. Vile then gloated that he would destroy X and eventually Sigma as well in order to change the world. Zero then came to X's rescue, blasting the arm off Vile's Ride Armor and forcing him to retreat on the Death Rogumer. Vile was irritated by Zero's loyalty to such a weak B-Class Hunter.

Vile was next seen in the third stage of the Sigma Palace, having already defeated Zero and laying him in a hallway as a bait for X. Once X approached Zero's body, Vile ambushed him in a new Ride Armor and grabbed him. He briefly considered what to do with X, not wanting to help Sigma's plans too much, but this pause gave Zero enough time to recuperate and jump onto the Ride Armor.^[13] With his Ride Armor now destroyed by Zero's sacrifice, Vile fought X one-on-one and was defeated. In the last moments before his death, he expressed rage and disbelief that X was able to defeat him.

Vile Mode[]

In the non-canon Vile Mode, Vile took a different path. Instead of joining Sigma's rebellion, Vile decided to prove to Sigma that he was better than X on his own. He attacked X on Central Highway, wounding him enough that Zero grabbed X and teleported away instead of risking more damage. Vile was nevertheless frustrated by everyone's insistence on X being special.

Afterwards, Sigma contacted Vile over what he intended to do now that the rebellion was in full swing, but Vile simply tells Sigma to "enjoy the show" as he decides to defeat Sigma's lieutenants as a show of his own strength. Once all eight commanders are defeated, Sigma, amused at Vile's insistence of his own power and superiority compared to X, invites Vile to use his own strength to breach his fortress.

Vile infiltrated the Sigma Palace, running into X and Zero in the third area. The two were well-aware of the chaos Vile had been sowing, but were surprised to learn that Vile wasn't actually working for Sigma. Nonetheless, Vile confirmed only one thing for the pair, that he was an enemy of X. Vile seemed to win the two-on-one battle despite the disadvantage, weakening X and Zero until neither could stand. He then took the opportunity to kick X around the room, gleefully rubbing his face in the dirt and taunting him to show his "true power." Before he can finish X, however, his leg is suddenly grabbed by Zero, who holds Vile long enough for X to fire a Charge Shot at Vile.

An unknown amount of time later, Sigma approaches the injured Vile, and asks what he planned to do once they actually met; oppose Sigma as a Maverick Hunter, or serve him as a Maverick. This prompts Vile to realise he had never bothered to think of it and had been merely fighting to surpass X no matter the cost. Without a word, Sigma ordered his servants to retrieve Vile. Meanwhile, Vile came to terms with his actions: by defeating X once, he had validated his own existence and that was all that mattered. He then ceased to function, leaving him frozen on the floor with his arm outstretched.

Strategy[]

Ride Armor[]

While Vile is invincible with his Ride Armor in the original Mega Man X, in Maverick Hunter X he can be harmed and in fact must be defeated in order to complete the Central Highway stage. He only takes damage when shot directly; any hits on the Ride Armor itself are deflected. The Hadoken can't hit him due to his head being out of range, but a fully charged shot from the Arm Parts obtained from Zero will be lethal.

• Jump^[14] - Vile jumps, attempting to land on X with his Ride Armor.
• Punch^[15] - Vile punches with his Ride Armor.
• Cannon^[16] - Vile fires a paralyzer shot from his shoulder cannon which splits in two when it hits the ground (similar to Peace Out Roller). Does no damage on contact, but holds X in place.
• Dash Attack^[15] - Vile briefly charges his Ride Armor before dashing forwards at high speeds. Only in Hard Mode.

Vile[]

Vile is encountered in the third Sigma Palace stage, and unlike the original Mega Man X, the Ride Armor battle doesn't repeat as Vile captures X as soon as he appears, with X being freed when Zero destroys the Ride Armor. Despite being angry for Zero's loss, as X isn't defeated by Vile before the actual battle, his health will not recover during the scene. Vile's attacks include some of his weapons from Vile Mode, and also some unique ones such as his dash and laser. He is weak to Rolling Shield.

• Dash Attack^[15] - Vile dashes, attempting to hit X while shrouded in energy.
• Cherry Blast^[16] - Vile fires a salvo of bullets from his fingers.
• Bumpity Boom^[16] - Vile jumps over X and drops a bomb from his knee, releasing a large flame when it hits the ground.
• Cannon^[16] - Vile fires several paralyzer shots from his shoulder cannon which split in two when they hit the ground (similar to Peace Out Roller). Does no damage on contact, but holds X in place.
• Laser^[16] - Vile charges up before firing a unique blue laser from his shoulder cannon straight forward.

Damage data charts[]

Quotes[]

Boss Dialogues[]

In-battle quotes[]

Merchandise[]

D-Arts line released an action figure of Vile from Maverick Hunter X. The figure include a glass of bourbon, a reference to the manga Rockman X by Yoshihiro Iwamoto, who also drew the promotional images for D-Art Vile. It also features an extra cannon that is able to be attached to the left side of his backpack as an original design made for the figure.

Quotes[]

Mega Man Maverick Hunter X[]

• "X... Why does it have to be you?"
• "Come to reprimand me in person, did you?"
• "To defeat X?"
• "Hahahahaha. What on Earth are you talking about? What could that worrywart Hunter possibly do for us?"
• "So, in order to take advantage of this POWER of his, you plan on going Maverick?"
• "And you want ME to help you?"
• "You're insane."
• "Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'M the one that's gonna change the world!"
• "Hmm... Incite rebellion... Split up the hunter's forces... That's the way to get to X."
• "But Sigma, I may be the wild card you hadn't counted on!"
• "I'll show you how strong I am!"
• "I'm ready to give it a shot!"
• "'Rebellion'? Ha ha ha ha. I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just here to cause trouble for you. I hate you!"
• "I hope you're ready, X!"
• "You underestimated me. I hate that about you... X! There's nothing you can do! I'll defeat you and Sigma! Then I'll change the world!"
• "Zero! Why would someone as powerful as you align yourself with X? He's just a B-Class Hunter! Nothing more!"
• "X... Ha ha ha ha. How do you like being Sigma's puppet?"
• "Rebellion? I couldn't care less! I just hate you, that's all!"
• "Now, let's see which of us is truly the better Reploid!"
• "Sigma was wrong! You're not the Reploid with the power to change the world! I am! Me! Vile! Gha ha ha ha hah!"
• "Zero! If you're going to take that B-Class Hunter's side, then I'll have to destroy you, too!"
• "X, X, X! Why does everyone like that guy!? Whatever. When the time comes, they'll all know the truth."
• "Sigma! I have my own way of dealing with things. You just sit back and enjoy the show."
• "You'll find out who really has the potential you talk about..."
• "Hunter? Ha! I've never once entertained such thoughts."
• "Same thing I always do... Crush anyone and anything who gets on my bad side!"
• "I should ask you the same question. What are you accomplishing by acting as Sigma's cheerleader?"
• "Any plan involving X is wrong! I'll put a stop to it!"
• "Ha ha ha... All you do is follow orders. You really think you can take me on?"
• "Pity?! Don't pity me! You don't know anything about me!"
• "I'll tell you one thing... I don't like working for others."
• "I don't care if a pitiful fool like you likes me or not!"
• "If you think so, then you must know... You know which Reploid can usher in the future for us..."
• "But what?! Do you actually believe X is the one? No way!"
• "In that case, get out of my way and let me pass."
• "If you say so... I won't let you or Sigma stand in my way!"
• "We're in agreement there. I have no reason to fight you either."
• "I've always hated you, Storm Eagle! You and that smug face of yours!"
• "Justice? Gimme a break, Flame Mammoth. I'll fight you if that's what you want. Bring it on..."
• "Hmpf! Your underlings were a cinch to beat. They couldn't have been much good to you anyway."
• "I'll make you understand! You'll know that I am the one who holds the key to the future!"
• "Ha ha ha. You're no different than Zero! You worried about Sigma when you should have been worried about me!"
• "Hm... I guess my destroying you here was all a part of Sigma's plan. I don't usually like following other people's plans."
• "Zero! You're harder to destroy than I thought!"
• "Yeah? I was just taking care of a few loose ends."
• "Friends? I don't have any. Not now... Not ever."
• "I only know one thing for sure, X... You are my enemy!"
• "X... I'll admit, you HAVE grown stronger. But..."
• "You'll hardly be able to change the world if you're dead!"
• "What's the MATTER, X!? Aren't you gonna show me your TRUE power!?"
• "Wimp to the very end, huh? End of the line, X!"
• "NO! NOT A CHARGED SHOT!"
• "Sig...ma... I fought X... but I still don't understand. Why him!? What... What's so special about HIM!?"
• "What did I plan to do? Heheheh... Thinking about it now, I'm not actually sure."
• "I don't care what happens to this world! By defeating X, I validated my own existence, and that's all that matters to me now!"
• "My name... is Vile! I am... I... ..."

Gallery[]

Alternate Artwork of Vile

Bust artwork of Vile

Concept art of Vile

D-Arts promotional artwork of twin-cannon Vile.

D-Arts promotional art by Iwamoto Yoshihiro.

D-Arts Vile with a glass of Bourbon.

Videos[]

Megaman Maverick Hunter X -PSP- Vile Mode - Sigma Palace 3 & Ending 100%

Vile Mode - Maverick Hunter X: Sigma Stage 3 and ending.

Trivia[]

• As a boss in X Mode, Vile's in-game model displays the Maverick symbol on his helmet instead of his red V, meant to represent his tenuous loyalty to Sigma.^[17] However, this change is not reflected in artwork or mugshots.
• Despite being unable to dash as a playable character in Vile Mode, Vile dashes frequently during his boss battle in X Mode.
• In the Japanese version of Maverick Hunter X, Vile says "I am the joker!" (「俺がジョーカーだ！」 "Ore ga jōkā da!"). In Japan, a joker card is also called "baba" (ババ, "baba"), a pun of VAVA, Vile's Japanese name. In addition, his remark has multiple meanings, "the true joker who will force X into a corner is me, not the other Mavericks" or "the true joker who can change the world is me, not X".
  • Even in Project X Zone, this line is treated as his symbolic phrase, and can be played as one of the special voices in "Crosspedia".
• Vile's head-up display (HUD) is briefly displayed during the ending to Vile Mode, which was depicted as having a red tone.
• Interestingly, Vile does not initiate any of his story's boss conversations, never speaking to his opponent(s) unless spoken to.
• Unlike his original appearance in Mega Man X, his shoulder cannon is relocated and connected to his backpack, a redesign which is previously used for Vile V. This is later used for Vile's action figure in D-Arts line and his appearance as a Hunter Program in Mega Man X DiVE.
• While Vile is arrested and in custody during animated FMVs and The Day of Σ, his shoulder cannon is absent. This implies that it can be disconnected from his back and is not actually part of his body.
• In his boss fight, Vile is very weak to Zero's buster parts. If X uses Zero's buster parts on Vile after the game has been completed, X can make short work of him with two correctly aimed shots at full charge. Using Dr. Light's Buster Parts at full charge will only do up to half the damage as compared to Zero's.
• One of the promotional artworks for Vile's D-Arts figure has him putting his foot on X while standing over both X and Zero. This is a reference to his Vile Mode ending in Maverick Hunter X where he, in an insane rage, abused X's weakened body.
• The phrase "Not a CHARGED SHOT!" in Vile's ending could perhaps be a reference to Vile's damage data in the original version of Mega Man X, where he is the only boss to be weakest against a charged X-Buster compared to the rest of the bosses' damage data against it.
  • Similarly during Vile's fight with X and Zero, X will protect himself with Rolling Shield, send out Homing Torpedo, or summon a charged Storm Tornado. This could be a reference to the Special Weapons that deal the most damage to Vile during his second encounter in the original game.

References[]