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This page is about the Reploid Iris. For others, see Iris (disambiguation).
"I wanted to live together, in a world where only Reploids exist... with you."
―Iris's last words., Mega Man X4

Iris (アイリス Airisu) was a Reploid from the Mega Man X series that worked as a Navigator for Maverick Hunters. She was also Zero's love interest and the younger twin sister of Colonel.

Characteristics[]

Appearance[]

Iris appears as a young-looking female brunette Reploid with green eyes and very long thick hair, comparable to Zero's length, partially tied in a ponytail with a blue hair tie with yellow spots. Her armor consists of a blue and red scheme with yellow accents and is modeled into the form of a dress, her limbs being white, her boots white, and her hands appearing to have segmented knuckles. In Mega Man X4, her boots gain a black outline and have a defined lavender color with the addition of a red beret on her head. In Mega Man Xtreme 2, Iris appears to be much younger than her previous appearance (as Xtreme 2 chronologically predates X4), and along with lacking her beret, she has a small section on her upper chest with the insignia of Repliforce.

After taking Colonel's core into her body in Mega Man X4, she appears as a Ride Armor-like being with a purple color scheme and a pair of wings. It is unconfirmed as to whether she entered a Ride Armor vehicle or became a similar being herself. However, she reverts to her original form after her defeat, suggesting that she was inside an armor.

Personality[]

Iris was a kind-hearted Reploid who desired peace for all. As the programming of Iris and Colonel was over 50% identical, they were very close and tended to protect each other no matter what.[2]

As a Navigator, she showed great concern for the safety of the Maverick Hunters, especially Zero. She was greatly distraught by the war between Repliforce and the Maverick Hunters, and often pled for the fighting to stop. Regardless, she sided with the Maverick Hunters for most of the conflict, supporting Zero. However, she drew the line at the death of her brother Colonel, and turned on Zero because of it. She echoes Repliforce's beliefs to Zero before her death, wishing they could live together in a society of only Reploids; it is unknown if she had always desired this or had recently adopted this dream.

Like her brother, she speaks with an Australian accent in the English versions of Mega Man X4.

History[]

Creation[]

See also: Iris -another-

Repliforce scientists attempted to develop an ultimate fighting Reploid with both a high fighting spirit and peace loving heart, similar to X, but the differences were ultimately considered irreconcilable and the project was considered a failure. The scientists then decided to split them up into two Reploids, resulting in the creation of Iris and her brother Colonel. Her half was of the peaceful arbitrator, and Colonel's was of the strong-willed fighter.

Mega Man Xtreme 2[]

The Erasure incident was Iris' first mission as a Navigator for the Maverick Hunters. She took the roles of both Navigator and item development by making power-ups out of the Maverick's DNA Souls. In the Extreme Mode ending, Zero feels bad that her first mission was a tough one and believes that Colonel will blame him for it.

Mega Man X4[]

Zerovscolonel

Iris pleading with Zero and Colonel to stop fighting.

For reasons unknown, the massive dragon-like Maverick Eregion kidnapped Iris from the Repliforce command center. He then brought her to a large metropolitan city located underneath the aerial city of Sky Lagoon. And while under the influence of Magma Dragoon, he wreaked havoc on Sky Lagoon, drawing the attention of the Maverick Hunters. During this time, Dragoon would damage the core of Sky Lagoon beyond repair, while making it seem as if Eregion did it on his own. This caused the Sky Lagoon to fall on the populated city below, causing millions of deaths. Although Iris was injured, she survived thanks to the timely intervention of Zero at the ruins of the city. Repliforce field commander Colonel then arrived on the scene, thanking Zero for rescuing her. However, the Hunters suspected that Repliforce might have been involved in the disaster because of their proximity to the area at the time of the Maverick attack, and demanded that they disarm and come in for questioning. Colonel stubbornly refused to do so, and as a result the Repliforce were labeled as Mavericks, which lead to Repliforce launching a violent campaign for independence known as the Great Repliforce War.

After the Repliforce was labeled Maverick after the Sky Lagoon incident, both X and Zero were assigned different missions to gather information about Repliforce's coup and to cut off their support lines. Iris assisted Zero on his missions as being his operator, similar to during the Erasure incident. However, Iris herself was part of Repliforce while her brother, Colonel, was Repliforce's second-in-command and therefore an imminent target for the Maverick Hunters. When the two of them battled in the Memorial Hall, it was Iris who stopped the two Reploids from terminating each other by begging her own brother to stop, since Zero had previously saved her life after the Sky Lagoon had crashed. Colonel, who had always regarded Zero as a friendly rival, backed off. Zero, on the other hand, stated that someone had to stop Repliforce at all costs, much to the grief of Iris.

Zero Iris

Zero loses himself in pain after Iris's death.

When Repliforce's coup began, Zero rushed to the Space Port to stop the ascension of the military troops to the newly constructed space station of Repliforce, Final Weapon. There, he fought Colonel again, this time killing him. After that, Zero traveled to Final Weapon itself after discovering that Iris was missing from the Maverick Hunter HQ. He eventually encountered Iris, who was blinded by the grief of losing her brother and anger for Zero killing him. She had salvaged Colonel's core from his remains, merging it with her own programming, thus turning her into the ultimate Reploid she and Colonel were originally planned to be, and Zero was forced to battle her. Even though Zero didn't mean to cause harm to her, Iris was out of control due to the incompatibility between her programming and Colonel's, which was also damaging her. When Zero destroyed the Ride Armor around her, the damage to Iris became irreparable. Zero hurried to Iris's body, and while Iris lay dying in Zero's arms, she whispered to him that she did all this because even though she knew it was nothing more but a fantasy, she wanted to live in a world only for Reploids together with Zero. Iris looked up at Zero, smiled, then fell silent. Zero tried to get Iris to wake up, but fails and has an emotional breakdown, questioning himself as to what he is even fighting for.

Sigma would later antagonize Zero further, by revealing his involvement in the whole ordeal. He even goes as far as to taunt him by saying "Iris is waiting for you!" before their battle.

After Final Weapon is destroyed by General, Zero flies back to Earth in an escape shuttle, but he is tortured by the thought of being unable to save his friends.

Mega Man X5[]

Iris is referenced by Spiral Pegasus if he was encountered by Zero after the Eurasia colony crashed or was destroyed, being taken by the Maverick Virus and hallucinating Iris was still his navigator.

She is also referenced as a memory in Zero's ending, where an image of her is seen by Zero as he lays dying and all he can do is quietly apologize to her.

Strategy[]

As a normal Reploid, Iris is an unassuming yet skilled Navigator for the Maverick Hunters. However, when Iris incorporated Colonel's Core Crystal into herself, she became an ultimate Reploid resembling a winged Ride Armor,[3] being as powerful as her developers originally intended. However, the programs of the siblings enter in conflict, running out of control.[2]

As the ultimate combat Reploid, Iris pursues the player around the arena. When her armor is struck, it takes no damage and instead releases Floating Mines to counterattack. However, once the mines reach capacity, the Core Crystal separates from the armor and can be damaged. The Core Crystal itself accompanies Iris, firing lasers just as powerful as her own, and it must be defeated to stop her rampage. Its weakness is Ryuenjin.

MMX4 Iris FloatingMine Floating Mine (浮動機雷 Fudō Kirai)[4]
Iris releases two airborne explosives each time she is struck, which home in on the player to detonate. They can be destroyed by any attack. Once Iris has been hit eight times (releasing sixteen mines), the Core Crystal appears.
Damage: 4
MMX4 Iris Laser2 Laser (レーザー Rēzā)[4]
Iris retreats to a corner to fire a laser horizontally across the arena. If the Core Crystal is present, it follows below the player to fire a laser vertically as well.
Damage: 8

Dialogue[]

Mega Man Xtreme 2[]

Opening Stage[]

Iris: You are now on Laguz Island where the Erasure Incidents have happened. What's the situation there?
X: I have found some Reploids that are out of commission, and the others have become Mavericks.
Zero: Iris, we will begin to check the surrounding area. Can you offer us support?
Iris: Okay. But please don't get too wild and bite off more than you can chew.
Zero: Don't worry, Iris.

After Opening Stage[]

Iris: X! Zero! We've just received...
Zero: What is it, Iris!?
???: Is it you...? ... Who has broken into my island?
X: Who are you!?
???: I'm a Soul Eraser. I erase the souls of evil Mavericks.
Zero: That can't be! What do you really do!?
???: It takes courage to ask someone like me a question like that. Interesting... Well then, let's play a little game. There are eight guardians on this island. Retire all of them, and then I will battle you.
X: These silly games are pointless.
Zero: It seems that retiring eight might be easier than persuading one.
???: You're very quick, Zero. My name is Gareth. Don't forget it!
Iris: Gareth... I can't find any data on such a Reploid in our database. Plus, we have found unfamiliar items...
Zero: We have also found DNA data, that was draining out of the enemies.
Iris: They seem to have been resurrecting enemies by somehow utilizing DNA.
Zero: They are erasing the Reploids' DNA in order to create items?
Iris: It seems so. A Reploid's DNA is like that of a human's soul. From now on, let's call it a DNA Soul. We may be able to create something useful from Mavericks' DNA Souls.
Zero: We can't leave Maverick's souls alone.
X: We must also find the souls of the erased Reploids... Let's gather the DNA Souls!

After Berkana & Gareth[]

X: Are you all right? Zero?
Zero: Yeah, I am. Hey, look at that!
X: The DNA Soul are returning! The hollow Reploids will come to life!
Zero: Probably... Everything is over, now.
Iris: X! Zero! The hollow Reploids are coming to life one by one!
Zero: Iris, rescue the Reploids in cooperation.
X: Let's go Zero! We have to express our thanks to Iris.
Zero: Right. She was very helpful. I feel sorry that her first job as a Maverick Hunter was like this. The Colonel will blame me.
X: The Colonel? But I believe the experience will be helpful when she returns to the Reploid Force. Anyway, let's go back. We're done here.

Mega Man X4[]

Before Eregion[]

Zero: Iris! What are you doing here? Are you OK!?
Iris: Zero... Did you come to save me?
Zero: Yes. Hang on!
Iris: A huge Maverick appeared and...
Zero: Stay here Iris. I'll handle it!

After Sky Lagoon[]

Zero: Iris! ...What are you doing here?
Iris: My brother Colonel started the coup!
Zero: I know...
Iris: Please don't fight against him! This must be some kind of mistake!
Zero: They've occupied several cities already. As a hunter, I must stop them!
Iris: Zero...
Zero: I must go now!

After 4 Mavericks[]

Iris: I've got a message from Repliforce...
Colonel: Zero! I'll be at the Memorial Hall! Be there!
Iris: Don't go Zero! Don't fight him!
Zero: This is a matter of personal pride now. There's no avoiding this... I must go.

After 8 Mavericks[]

Iris: Repliforce is at the space harbor...
Zero: I have to go.
Iris: No! ...Please wait Zero! I don't want to see you two fight...
Zero: Someone has to stop your brother. I'm leaving...

Pre-Battle[]

Zero: Iris!
Iris: So you fought with my brother...
Zero: I'm sorry...
Iris: Then it's over. Everything...
Zero: Wait Iris! Listen to me!
Iris: Good bye Zero...
Zero: Iris!

Post-Battle[]

Zero: Iris! ... Iris...
Iris: Zero...
Zero: Hang in there, Iris.
Iris: Please... stay away from Repliforce... Let's live together in a world where only Reploids exist.
Zero: Iris, there's no world just for Reploids. It's only a fantasy.
Iris: Yes... I know... But I wanted to believe it! ... I wanted to live in a world where only Reploids exist...... with you.
Zero: ... Iris!
Zero: Iris! Iris! .... Iris...
Zero: Nooo!! This isn't happening!! There's no reason for me to go on! What... What am I fighting for!?

In-Battle Quotes[]

Action Japanese Translation Audio (JP) English Audio (EN)
Pre-battle 行きます。(Ikimasu.) Here I come. Okay, I'll do it.
Pre-battle ごめんなさい・・ゼロ。(Gomennasai... Zero.) I'm sorry... Zero. Forgive me, Zero!
Pre-battle 兄さん・・私を守って!(Nii-san... watashi o mamotte!) Brother... protect me! Stay with me brother!
Unused さようなら、ゼロ。(Sayonara, Zero.) Goodbye, Zero.

Other appearances[]

  • Iris appeared alongside Double in one of the battles from the X Challenge in Mega Man X Legacy Collection, allowing players to fight against her as X for the first time. She is weak to X's Rising Fire, and her core cannot be harmed with uncharged shots. If the player defeats Double first, Iris will periodically summon Colonel to perform attacks for the remainder of the battle.
  • Iris appeared in Battle Memory from Rockman Xover.
  • Iris appeared as an event character in the Japanese version of Zombie Cafe.
  • Iris appeared as an event character in Dragon Poker, available for a limited time in the game's shop alongside a Life Energy orb and other contents.
  • Iris appeared as an event character in Tower of Saviors.
  • Iris appeared as a playable character and boss in the Rockman X DiVE event from the Taiwanese version of Shironeko Project. Swimsuit Iris also appeared as a skin for Iris and as an extra boss.

Mega Man X DiVE[]

Iris is a S rank Hunter Program. Her Active Skills are Floating Mines and Peaceful Wish. Her Mega Man Xtreme 2 outfit is available with a different color as a premium skin.

Iris has five alternate S rank versions named Swimsuit Iris, Valentines Day Iris, Iris -another-, Zinogre Iris and DiVE Armor Iris.

Swimsuit Iris is a summer event version included in 2020. Her Active Skills are Beach Ball and Core Crystal. Swimsuit Iris has an alternate color available as a skin.

Valentines Day Iris is a Valentine's Day event version included on February 2021. Her Active Skills are Heart Beam and Valentine's Gift.

Zinogre Iris is a Monster Hunter Rise collaboration version included in January 2022. This form is the result of the data from Iris and a Zinogre being mixed.[5] Her Active Skills are Zinogre Roar and Cross Electrocution.

DiVE Armor Iris is a DiVE Festival-exclusive armor first introduced in January 2023. It is a special combat armor designed by RiCO for Iris. Her Active Skills are Halo Slash and Blinking Slash.

Rockman Online[]

In the cancelled Korean MORPG, Iris appears working as a Navigator (along with Alia) for the UCA (United Continent Association) in the games first teaser trailer. As this games story is said to take place in the far future where the characters from both the Mega Man and Mega Man X series have long since passed away, this Iris (much like the other series robots and Reploids appearing in the game) is a copy/recreation, embedded with the DNA Soul of the original.[6]

Project X Zone[]

Iris appears in the crossover RPG as an event character. She makes her only direct appearance in Chapter 29, "An Unbeatable Love" (負けない、愛 Makenai Ai in the Japanese version).

With X and Zero shocked to see Iris alive and well, X recognizes her as the younger sister of Colonel, and "the girl from that Repliforce incident", which suggests that the events of this chapter take place after Mega Man X4.[7]

She still wishes to live in a world only composed of Reploids together with Zero, but he reminds Iris that such a world is nothing more than an illusion. He is then asked by her if a Reploid-only world is meant to be his purpose and desire, part of the reason why Iris is present. Afterwards, Zero suffers an emotional breakdown, pondering about whether or not a Reploid-only world was really the reason he was fighting for, with Vile taunting him for an A-Class Hunter getting emotional over Iris's wish, claiming that he and Zero are, in truth, the same. X reminds him of how he promised to stop the former if he ever doubted their ideal, and expresses how he didn't want the latter to feel like that before himself. Zero becomes paralyzed with anguish and is unable to move.

Confused about Iris at first, the other characters present then realize that Zero is in trouble, and X asks for their help to protect him from danger, while attempting to defeat Vile at the same time. The game splits the winning conditions down to two options: reach Zero by the ninth turn to heal him or defeat Vile, otherwise a game over will be declared. Until then, X's unit is paralyzed and unable to fight.

After any of the other party members reach Zero and heal him, he eventually recovers from his emotional breakdown and recalls his duty as a Hunter, and tells Iris that a Reploid-only world is impossible. Aura from .hack appears and states that Iris and her feelings are not supposed to be present, hence causing her to fade away. Before she vanishes however, she gently suggests to Zero that she is happy to see his conviction didn't change, and encourages him to never give up before bidding him farewell. His resolve restored, Zero confidently declares he will rejoin her someday.

Iris is mentioned again by X in Chapter 37, where the latter comments about Vile using her back in The World, as well as how he hurt Zero emotionally.

TEPPEN[]

Iris appeared as Unit Cards and as part of the illustration from Action Cards.

Set Image No. Name Color Type Rarity
X's base set The glorious civilization may be gone, but the war continues unabated X 007 Iris Green Unit (Machine) Epic
Only faint vestiges of memory remain, yet they are precisely what inspire those who hold them to press ever forward. X 011 Sibling Memories Green Action Common
Core set Card COR 067 Iris Green Unit (Machine) Epic
Card COR 082 Emergency Aid Green Action Rare
Haunted by Memories Card HBM 030 Iris Green Unit (Machine) Common
Card HBM 047 Beautiful Romance Green Action Epic
Card HBM 072 Loss of Meaning Purple Action Epic
A Dark Agenda Card ADA 027 Iris Green Unit (Machine) Common
Card ADA 040 Tragic Rampage Green Action Common
Turnabout Festival Card TF 018 Going Out With a Bang Red Action Epic
Card TF 022 Iris Green Unit (Machine) Common

She was later added as an Extra Skin for the Green type hero Felyne, added in the 2024 expansion The Desperate Jailbreak, with the same properties and Hero Art effects as Felyne, but her own voice acting, animations, names for Hero Arts, and an orchestral remix of her Mega Man X4 boss theme, simply titled "Theme of Iris -TEPPEN Version-".

Unlike X, Zero, and a number of the cards depicting her, Iris as an EX Skin is not substantially redesigned to look more visibly mechanical. Her third Hero Art, Despair-Stained Love, has an animation in which she clutches Colonel's core before entering her Ride Armor form. Unlike in X4, where the Ride Armor materializes on her body piece-by-piece, she is shown resting in the opened-up torso of the armor before it, the arms, and the helmet close around her all at once.

Other media[]

Archie Comics[]

For unknown reasons, Iris was not cloned by Sigma-1 during the events of Worlds Unite, a fact that Zero commented on during the battle between the Maverick Hunters and their allies and Sigma's Maverick Army. Though he and his comrades recognized a number of fallen enemies amongst Sigma's minions, Zero noted that neither Iris nor Colonel were among them.

Rockman X4 manga[]

Iris stops the fight

Iris interrupts the battle between her brother and Zero.

"If I see someone suffering in front of me, regardless of whether they are an enemy or friend, I will wholeheartedly help."
―Iris
RX4WhatFightingFor

Zero experiences the tragic and deadly cost of war firsthand.

In the manga, Iris works for the Repliforce, as a nurse, helping people no matter what side they are on. Just like in the game, she is injured during Eregion's attack on a major city, and Zero saves her life. However, her brother Colonel takes her with him after refusing to disarm and come in for questioning when Repliforce was suspected in the attack on the city. After Zero is injured during his battle with Jet Stingray, Iris nurses him back to health.

Zero explains that although he does not always agree with the actions of humanity and their government, he will never side with Repliforce's coup d'etat, and will use violence if necessary to stop her brother. Iris is very worried about this, as she feels one of them will get hurt, perhaps fatally. Iris explains her philosophy that war only brings pain, and that she will help wounded Reploids regardless of whether they are fighting for the Hunters or the Repliforce in the current war.

Later, when Zero and Colonel do finally fight, she interrupts their fight before they can slay each other by firing a shot into the air, getting their attention. She reminds Colonel of how he always talked about how beautiful the tree they are standing under is, and how it helps him with his fighting spirit. She then tells him not to betray that principle, but Colonel refuses to listen. She then threatens to kill herself with her gun if they don't stop, but Colonel still tries to attack Zero, only relenting at the last second when Zero drops his saber.

After Zero fights and defeats Cyber Peacock in cyberspace, computer terminals blow up near Iris and she is knocked unconscious, infected with the virus and in critical condition. Zero later recovers the vaccine for the virus and gives it to Iris while she is in a stasis pod so she can recover at a Repliforce base. However, Colonel goes to the base and once again attacks Zero. Holding nothing back, Zero cuts off Colonel's right arm with his saber, which causes Iris's right arm to completely corrode, because of the significant mental programming bond they share with each other as Reploid siblings. Despite all this, Colonel refuses to surrender, and charges at Zero one last time, at which time Zero reluctantly kills him by slicing him in half with his saber.

Iris is jolted from her stasis slumber and senses her brother's death in horror, and breaks out of the pod. She crawls to her brother's body in anguish, at which time she is suddenly merged with him and transformed into a winged Ride Armor type Reploid. She frantically says that it is "dark", and asks where her brother and Zero are, specifically imploring Zero to save her, all the while slaughtering the Repliforce solders in the base in an uncontrolled frenzy. Zero destroys her armor and pulls Iris out of it, and Iris says she enjoyed the time they spent together in spite of her brother's death. She then dies in Zero's arms, just as in the game, causing Zero to scream in anguish and question his ideals.

Gallery[]

Mega Man X series[]

Other appearances[]

Video[]

Trivia[]

  • In Mega Man Xtreme 2's instruction manual, Iris' name is erroneously spelled as "Aillis".
  • Iris's presence as a trainee Navigator in Mega Man Xtreme 2 was due to the development team feeling sorry for her in the events of Mega Man X4, as detailed in Mega Man X Official Complete Works. The game also hints towards her feelings for Zero, and vice-versa, with the two having dialogue specific to Zero's game alone.
  • Iris's bio in Mega Man X Legacy Collection is: "When Zero saves her life during the Sky Lagoon incident, she finds herself falling for him." This is somewhat contradicted by her appearance in Mega Man Xtreme 2, where Zero-specific scenes imply Iris already has strong feelings for him.
  • Iris is the only boss in the X Challenge with two alternate animations upon defeat. If Double was defeated first, Iris's body will be caught by Colonel before he teleports away. If she is defeated first, her body will notably remain intact but unconscious, and she will stay that way for the rest of the fight.
  • Iris's final words to Zero in X4 would later be repeated by Mega Man Zero 2 antagonist Elpizo upon obtaining the Dark Elf's power, the main differences being that he intended to exterminate humanity to achieve this "paradise" and didn't intend for Zero to be part of it.
  • Iris's design featured blue eyes in Mega Man X4, but every following appearance depicts her with green eyes.
  • Iris's death scene in X4 was later redubbed by Lucas Gilbertson (Zero's voice actor in Mega Man X8, Mega Man X: Command Mission and Maverick Hunter X) and Ashley Schroeder. The redubbed version is not an official production by Capcom, and Schroeder does not replicate the accent Michelle Gazepis voiced her with originally.
    • Similarly, Iris was dubbed by Carol-Anne Day (Marino's voice actress) in a redub of Zero's first fight with Colonel. Just like before, the redubbed version is not an official production by Capcom and Day does not replicate the accent Michelle Gazepis voiced her with originally.
  • During the battle with Iris, she will eject Colonel's core on her own if Zero takes heavy damage and the core is not present.
  • Iris's Japanese VA, Yūko Mizutani, also voiced the Katanas and Akatanas from the Namco X series.
  • Iris is the only playable character introduced in Rockman X DiVE thus far who does not use recycled audio.
    • Although Iris was implemented as a playable character on June 11, 2020, the plan to record new dialogue for her was delayed by complications related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, Yūko Mizutani, Iris's original voice actress, passed away on May 17, 2016, necessitating a recast. The update notes that recorded dialogue for Iris wil be implemented at a later date.[8]
      • The new voice actress for Iris voice in Rockman X DiVE is from Aya Endō, being added to the game on July 9, 2020.
  • Concerning Mega Man's rock n' roll themes, she shares the eponymous name of The Goo Goo Dolls' smash hit song Iris, whose themes are brooding yet melancholy and of struggle of fitting in and finding love at the cost of upsetting "social harmony"; of considerable thought is the release dates of Mega Man X4 and the recording and production period of Iris, as both occurred around 1997, a year before Iris's official release date in 1998.

References[]


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