| For his anime appearance, see Burai (anime). |
- "I'll only say this once. I have no intention of working with you. ...At the most, you will only be a tool of mine to use."
- ―Solo, Mega Man Star Force 3
Solo (ソロ Soro) is a character in the Mega Man Star Force series. He was introduced in Mega Man Star Force 2 as the last descendant of the ancient civilization of Mu. While normally a solitary individual, he was later joined by a Wizard named Laplace. He can EM Wave Change into Rogue and is registered under Project-TC as Transcode 002.
Personality[]
One of Solo's defining characteristics is an outright hatred to the idea of friendship and loyalty - the farthest he will allow any relationship to proceed is to a mimicry of craftsman and tool. He does not seem to mind the idea of doing work to benefit another, so long as it benefits him as well.
In the third game, Solo is not quite as hateful towards Mega Man as he was in his first appearance, even going so far as to work directly together side-by-side. He has taken up a partner, a combat Wizard named Laplace; however, Laplace is mostly silent, speaking in static that only Solo understands, and acts more like a pet than a partner. Mega Man points out that while Solo rejects all bonds with humans, he feels a deep connection to his own culture and Laplace along with it, proving that he sees Laplace as much more than just a tool. But despite this attachment, Solo, for some reason, replaces his Mu Star Carrier with the upgraded Hunter-VG.
Appearance[]
Solo exhibits what is seen as a very unnatural appearance to modern Electopia, though he seems to be recognizable as close to Geo in age. His hair is long, white, and unkempt, which contrasts sharply with his tanned skin. Further increasing his ominous presence are his red eyes (described as having the capability to suck the heat from the surroundings) and a facial marking like a red bolt of lightning trailing down his cheek from his left eye. Solo's garb is limited to one bodysuit, primarily colored black with linear cyan patterns proceeding from around his stomach to the tips of his feet; the sleeves, however, are brown and end in orange cuffs, and woven across the chest is the crest of Mu in yellow. He also sports a pair of earrings evocative of ancient south Netopian culture, akin to Mayan or Aztec.
Power and abilities[]
Unlike many in the cast, Solo is a trained warrior in his own right, being able to wield Laplace without the need of EM Wave Change. His Wave Change itself is unique in that he does not need an EM Being partner - it apparently is derived from his Mu blood, which also gives him the ability to see and use waves. He proves to be a natural at fighting as Rogue, providing Mega Man with a great challenge during each of his appearances.
- Kamikakushi - This strange, dark sphere was presented to Solo by Hollow. It contains the ability to summon what appear to be miniature black holes that serve as portals to the strange zone known as the Un-Dimension. Solo has been shown to use it as a means of travel. It is unknown what happened to the Kamikakushi after the second game, as Solo no longer uses it.
- Ancient Star Carrier - An ancient, handheld device that bears a striking resemblance to the modern Star Carrier, which was invented by Tom Dubius. Solo uses this to Wave Change into Rogue. It is unknown for how long he has owned this piece of equipment.
- Hunter-VG - Sometime following the events of Mega Man Star Force 2, Solo received a Hunter-VG, which he now uses to EM Wave Change instead of his original Star Carrier - this Hunter-VG gave him the Trans-Code: 002.
- Laplace - Laplace can take form of a sword when not aiding Rogue in true Wizard form. It has proven to be far more useful than Rogue's old form, not in part because Solo may use it without needing to Wave Change.
History[]
Game history[]
Mega Man Star Force 2[]
Solo's hatred of strong relationships stems from his childhood, when he was tormented maliciously for his odd appearance by large groups. As he grew up, he discovered that, while they were stronger in groups, when people were caught off-guard and alone, they became weak and helpless, which inspired him to grow in personal strength to the exclusion of all other factors. The power for his EM Wave Change ability is supposedly drawn from the "lonely voids in people's hearts".
Also a key driving motive of Solo's is his Mu heritage - he has known for quite some time that he is Mu's sole survivor, though the calamity that befell the tribes of Mu remains unknown to him. In his quest to restore the nation of Mu to greatness, he ends up hunting down Mu technology, which in turn leads him to cross paths with Dr. Vega and her associates. Noting that they have the same goal (to revive the source of Mu itself - Le Mu), Vega suggested they work together, and Solo acquiesced, deciding it would be more efficient.
Solo first encountered Geo at the Grizzly Peak Resort, and warned him not to get involved too far with the UMAs for his own sake.
Later, Vega sent Solo out on assignment to retrieve a number of artifacts from a museum exhibit on the Lost Tribes of Mu, and had Hollow offer him the "Kamikakushi". Solo's immediate response was to refuse the gift, though he accepted it upon hearing that it was an old piece of Mu technology with access to the "Un-Dimension" and could act as a storage vehicle. When Solo struck the museum, his efforts were thwarted by Mega Man and Harp Note.
Furious at his failure, and especially at the loss of the OOPArt, Solo began to hunt down Mega Man. Solo launches an assault on the entire town of Echo Ridge with the Kamikakushi - knowing it'll draw Mega Man out. Solo appeared from a Kamikakushi-born black hole in the sky and demanded the OOPArt. Even tossing off a disparaging remark about how unbelievable it was that he could best Hyde. When Mega Man wondered if he's one of Hyde's friends, Solo snapped at him and ordered him to shut his mouth: he doesn't need friends, and he doesn't need Mega Man's presumptions. Mega Man and Omega-Xis unwilling to hand over the Oopart, Solo brings out an Ancient Star Carrier. Solo revealed he has no need for EM Bodies to help him in a fight. Immediately following this, he enacted EM Wave Change, claiming it to be through sheer will - this is the power he was born with.
Solo attempts to cast off Geo's friends into the Un-Dimension. In his attempt to save his friends, Mega Man squared off against Rogue, but was soundly beaten. Rogue disparaged him some more and forced his friends further into the Un-Dimension. Mega Man demanded he bring them back. Rogue attempts to show that Mega Man's friends were preventing him from becoming strong, but was proven wrong when Mega Man's bond with his friends invoked the OOPart power. He declared Mega Man to be the kind of person he can't stand - thus began their first true battle. Following his first loss, an injured Rogue prepared for a continued struggle when Hollow recalled him. Solo decided to follow his orders and promised they will meet again. He revealed his name is Solo, and that he (Mega Man) should remember it, for he would be defeated by the owner of the name.
After returning, Solo makes his report. Hyde, despite his stated desire to not be rude, made a few disparaging comments about Solo's power - Vega calmed the enraged Solo and pointed out that the OOPArt was an exceedingly dangerous weapon and had actually destroyed its own tribe. Hyde made the suggestion that Solo not be allowed to work further on his own, which Solo objected violently to, declaring Mega Man to be his opponent alone. Vega allowed Hyde to proceed with his own plan, told Solo to not to become angry - he is entirely free to work alone, just as he has always done; she does, however, wish that he accompany them and subscribe to their methods.
Following the failure of Hyde's plan and the revelation that Mega Man had mastered the OOPArt, Solo only scoffed at his associates. Hollow, warned Solo to remain calm as he wasn't sure that Solo had the power to defeat him. Vega stepped in and offered the Indie Proof, which will grant him the power to rival it. Solo rejected the "help". Vega said it was a shame, since he's the only one of them that could actually use it. She then revealed knowledge of an ancient tribe of people who still believe in Mu, asking Solo to handle the mission. He gave his assent, and as he left, Vega points out that Mu had a bond with that land that he might find interesting. Solo makes no remark and leaves.
He appeared in the country of Whazzap before an amnesiac Bud (under the identity of "Budicus", the herald of Mu), an intention to slay at what was obviously a lie. Mega Man intervened and fought him - Rogue lost again to Mega Man, who now has actualized the power of the OOPArt. After his return in defeat, Vega again proffered the Indie Proof; this time, however, Hollow explained that only one who has no bond to any other could use such an item, and Solo, galled into action, accepted the item. Unfortunately, his body his had trouble becoming accustomed to the power of the Indie Proof, and he spent a great deal of time in agony.
When Rogue awoke and appeared in Wilshire Hills, his power had ascended to a higher level thanks to the Indie Proof - in their newest battle, Mega Man couldn't damage him in the slightest. The only thing preventing Rogue from killing Mega Man was a timely intervention by Harp Note.
Harp Note led Mega Man to the center of the Bermuda Maze, the resting place of Mu, where he defeats Hollow, only for Rogue to appear again. In a hasty attempt to save him, Harp Note blasted Mega Man away to safety. Rogue is annoyed at Harp Note for her actions, proclaiming that they "make him sick." The two battle off-screen while Mega Man returns to the fight. By the time Mega Man returns to the battleground, Harp Note lies unconscious on the ground while Rogue stands victorious.
Rogue criticizes Mega Man for his close relationship with Harp Note, questioning Mega Man's value without the support of his friends or Brother Bands. Rogue's emphasizes that the weaker individuals must band together to compensate for their own shortcomings in battle while Mega Man defends the importance of his friendships, asserting that his allies are his greatest strength, empowering him to confront powerful enemies such as Rogue.
Despite Mega Man's arguments, Rogue remains unconvinced. Rogue states his disdain for Mega Man's ideals, claiming that the hero's presence is irritating to him and that he fundamentally opposes everything Mega Man represents. Mega Man and Rogue reveal their backgrounds and during this exchange, Mega Man questions Rogue about his animosity toward him, as well as his hatred of link power.
Rogue opens up about the deep-seated hatred rooted in his past experiences as the last survivor of Mu. He explains that he’d been facing targeting and violence from an unidentified group that labeled him a "monster" due to his background and as a consequence of these experiences, struggles with loneliness, aggression, and mistrust. He attributes his hyper-independence and his relentless pursuit of power to the belief that becoming stronger is essential for self-protection. It’s implied that this mindset has led Rogue to choose solitude as a means of coping with the exclusion he’s faced.
Mega Man opens up about his hardships, particularly the loss of his father, and reflects on how the support of Sonia was instrumental in helping him regain the strength to trust again. He emphasizes the importance of connections with friends and family, highlighting how these relationships offer comfort, leading to Mega Man see insight about Rogue’s perspective on relationships, coming to understand the vital role of compassion and empathy in the healing process.
Mega Man declares that once again he must prove to Rogue that it is a mistake to underestimate the power of connections and relationships. He wants to demonstrate the strength that comes from his BrotherBand and, most importantly, the connections he has with his friends. When Mega Man and Rogue fight this time, however, Mega Man had not only reinstated his BrotherBand with Harp Note, they had reinforced it, giving Mega Man the power to not only match Rogue EX but to defeat him. At a pinch, Rogue reveals he now has the Rogue Sword but it was still no match against Mega Man.
Mega Man, now tired from the fight, acknowledges that Solo is a formidable warrior, even stronger than himself. However, he believes that the deep connections he values will ultimately prevail over Solo's solitary lifestyle. Rogue tries to claim that the outcome of the battle and Mega Man's words means nothing to him, though the Indie Proof shield shatters. The battle ends exhausting the both of them, allowing Dark Phantom the opportunity to step in and retrieve the OOPArt from Mega Man's fallen body.
When Dr. Vega launches her bid to gain control of the continent of Mu, Rogue does not warm up to the idea of Vega establishing herself as queen. He breaks off from the Neo Mu Empire (which now consists primarily of Vega and Hollow). As Mega Man approaches the Great Shrine of Le Mu, Rogue and Hollow again appear. Mega Man gets caught up in their fight and Hollow attempts to suck them into the Un-Dimension. Rogue, stating he has no intention of letting Mega Man provide any help or partnership, frees Mega Man by punching him free.
In the Un-Dimension, Rogue cleaves the upper portion of Hollow's robe off, revealing a startlingly human face beneath it. Before anything else can be done, Hollow is called to Vega, leaving Rogue within the Un-Dimension. Rogue does not remain trapped, as he manages to leave just in time to escape from the crumbling country.
In the ending, Solo is revealed as having brought Mega Man to his hometown of Echo Ridge, excusing himself from commitment to his action by claiming Mega Man's "unconscious body was blocking [his] way out."
Another ending occurs if the game was beaten with all the Title Screen stars: Instead of taking Mega Man to Echo Ridge, he brings Mega Man to Whazzap Ruins. Rogue challenges him to "settle the score". After Mega Man comes out victorious, Solo claims Link Power is still worthless and to take his revenge another day.
Mega Man Star Force 3[]
During Ace's first briefing with the Satella Police Commandos, he hinted at another person the Satella Police had been hounding after in the hopes of getting him to join. Even had one of their officers injured in an attempt of getting them.
Solo makes his first appearance as Rogue, interrupting a confrontation between Mega Man and Jack Corvus by casting his new sword at Jack as an attempt at his life. Rogue demands that Jack Corvus take him to his leader. Jack, who had no such desire (and remembering King's strict warnings about the Mu survivor), disappears. Mega Man attempts to thank Rogue, only to be quickly cut off, with Rogue calling him naive and informing him that nothing had changed: the only reason he wasn't concerning himself with Mega Man was because he was more concerned with Dealer - he again asserted he had no intention of working with him, and told him to inform the Satella Police as well.
When Geo reports back to Ace, it's revealed that Solo was supposed to be the final member of the Commandos; Almost immediately after, Solo made a personal appearance at the National WAZA HQ - the Satella Police quickly ask him again to join the Commandos. At proceeded heckling, Solo seemed to give in, stating he would join if he was captured - the Satella Police summons they're Wizard, only for Solo's Wizard partner, Laplace, to quickly take them out. The Police tries again and Solo fight back, this time using a transformed Laplace as his sword. He then scoffed at the Satella Police, announcing he "wanted nothing to do with such weak cockroaches", and threatening "game over" to anyone foolish enough to continue hounding him. He then addresses Mega Man, informing him that he had his own trump card to use on Dealer, and that he shouldn't get in the way - he revealed that Dealer have taken Mu technology, and thus needed to be destroyed.
He reappeared not long after, audaciously lounging in the midst of Geo's classroom, waiting for the increasingly crazed Jack Corvus, who planned on attacking Geo at school. However, the electronic classroom doors had all been sealed as a result of the large amounts of Noise, prompting Solo to seek the nearest Wave Station as the fastest way to the roof. After verifying the location of the Wave Station on the first floor, he uses Laplace to blast a hole through the floor down to the Teacher's Lounge, and then another through the wall of the Lounge into the main hallway - the vast Noise presence prevented anyone but him and Mega Man from proceeding to the roof. After Pulsing In, the two warriors discovered the presence of strange Noise Waves preventing their progress. Within these Waves were strange creatures made of Noise that Rogue had encountered sometime previously, and which had nearly killed him - much to his displeasure, Rogue informed Mega Man they needed to work together, with Mega Man clearing away the excess volatile Noise to allow Rogue the chance to strike at the beast. They fought four such battles. Clearly incensed at this incident, and likewise at Mega Man's optimistic attitude regarding the upcoming contest with Jack Corvus, Rogue immediately dropped all pretenses of charity and teamwork, proceeding to attack Mega Man. It resulted in Rogue's loss; Rogue disappears, his interest and ability to capture Jack Corvus now insufficient to prompt action.
Shorn of leads - his interest in Jack Corvus being primarily that the hotheaded Dealer member was the most likely to leave a trail leading to the organization - Solo could be found waiting by the bed of hibiscus in front of Alohaha Castle.
During the Commandos' assault on Dealer's Secret Shelter, as Mega Man made his way through the final zone of the Crimson Machine, he discovered the Master Control system to be the piece of Mu tech Solo had described - and also to hold the most powerful defensive system of all. Left completely without mercy, Mega Man was undoubtedly surprised when the system shut itself down; as he Transed Out of the system and proceeded to the interior sanctum of the shelter, Rogue silently recalled Laplace from where it had been embedded headlong into the hardware of the Machine, his primary goal accomplished.
Rogue made his next appearance in the bowels of Meteor G, where his sole act was to slay Corvus and Virgo, who had turned on Jack and Queen Tia. With the last remaining members of dealer downed, his self-appointed mission to destroy Dealer fulfilled, he left for Earth - he did, however, accede to Mega Man's request that he bear Jack and Queen Tia home. Though he threatened to abandon them if they slowed him down.
As Mega Man's fight with the Crimson Dragon concluded, Kelvin Stelar sent out a massive call to every Hunter-VG on Earth, asking for every human on Earth to set the same Purpose -bringing Geo home. Solo, alongside Queen Tia and Jack, had ended up in Echo Ridge, also heard the call - startlingly, he assents to Jack's proposal for the three of them to use Dealer's Orbital Base to locate Mega Man, citing the fact that their battle had not been brought to a conclusive end.
During the post-game, Solo reappears during Mega Man's hunt of the enigmatic Sirius, administrator of the Black Hole Server. While Rogue too had designs on Sirius, his and Mega Man's plans diverged on a crucial detail: Rogue's plan revolved around retrieving the "Mu Metal", something that Sirius had stolen and which Rogue planned alloying to his sword, enhancing it. However, in order to safely retrieve the Mu Metal, they would have to wait 2 days for its cycle to force it free of Sirius' body - which would be long enough for the Server to consume Planet FM. Mega Man was not quite as aversive to Rogue's attitude as he had been in their past encounters: he instead cited Rogue's bond to Mu as the source of his motivation, changing the conflict's nature into a contest of whether Mega Man's bonds to his Brother Cepheus and his planet or Rogue's bonds to Mu were stronger. Almost as if caught off guard, Rogue denied Mega Man's interpretation of events, instead claiming he was going to destroy Mega Man simply because it would be fun.
It ended in another loss for Rogue, though it changed his outlook - he now views Mega Man with grudging respect, acknowledging his ability to make decisions like a man as the one capable of protecting his bonds. That said, Rogue also stated that words would never bring them together - he quickly allowed Mega Man passage to the Black Hole Server, though his departure left Mega Man wondering if he did the right thing.
Once the player obtains all the Title Screen stars and fulfill certain conditions, Rogue's strongest form can be fought. Now fueled with the power of Noise, he becomes Rogue ZZ. He's found in the Meteor G Control Cyber Core.
Anime history[]
In Shooting Star Rockman Tribe, Solo only goes by Rogue. As an opposite to his game counterpart, his goal is to stop the OOParts from being collected and prevent the summon of Le Mu.
Concept and Creation[]
- A piece of Solo's concept art show him wearing a chain and pendant, similar to Geo. [1]
- Early concepts initially had Arthur C. Eos as Solo's rival, but this was unused once Ace's character was established.[2]
- Rogue's early design concepts featured Incan-inspired crowns on his helmet.[3]
- Solo's character sheet shows that hair is modeled after a shooting star and is meant to generally look like one regardless of which direction he is facing.[4]
Etymology[]
In both English and many Romance languages, the word "solo" means "alone", mirroring the fact that Solo despises human bonds. "SOLO" is also an acronym for Solar Orbiter.
Solo's name potentially carries a coincidental double meaning, referencing the sun. While "solo" derives from Latin (solus), words for "sun" in Romance languages like French ("soleil") and Italian ("sole") stem from the Latin (sol). All of which traces back to the Proto-Indo-European root sóh₂wl̥ (sāwel-).[5] The word "solitary" also traces its roots back to "solus". Given the Mega Man Star Force franchise's tendency to name characters after celestial bodies, Solo's name may be alluding to the sun. This connection exists despite "solo" and "solar" having distinct, though similarly rooted, etymological paths.
Coincidentally, if we take the above into context, Solo's name potentially traces back etymology-wise to the Greek "helios" (ἥλιος), meaning "sun"; or "Helium" (Ἥλιος), the Greek personification of the Sun. This etymological connection between Latin 'sol' and Greek 'helios' is due to their shared descent from the common Proto-Indo-European root for "sun", (sāwel-).[5]
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- The Kamikakushi that Solo is offered by Dr. Vega is actually based on being spirited away in Japanese folklore.
- In Star Force 3, the use of the Humor Word ability depicts Solo upset over someone having erased his Game Save on Burger Quest. It’s revealed to be of Laplace's doing.
- His name is mistakenly written as "Geo Solo" on the Star Force 3 USA website.
- In Star Force 2, Solo Wallpaper for the Star Carrier can be found in the Alternate Wilshire Hills by examining a dying Hertz.
- The Budicus statue was designed to resemble both Bud and Solo.[6]
References[]
- ↑ "Megaman Star Force Official Complete Works", Pg. 166, "Mega Man Star Force 2 Boss Characters"
- ↑ "Mega Ma Star Force Official Complete Works, Pg. 65, "The Making of Ace"
- ↑ "Mega Man Star Force Official Works", "Chapter 2: Mega Man Star Force 1+2 Archives", Pg. 171, "'Star Force 2' Boss Character and Early Designs and Rough Sketches (1)"
- ↑ "Megaman Star Force Official Complete Works: Chapter 2 'Megaman Star Force 1 & 2' Archives", Pg. 166
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Solo." Online Etymology Dictionary. Douglas Harper. Web. [Accessed July 28, 2025]. "Solitary." Online Etymology Dictionary. Douglas Harper. Web. [Accessed July 28, 2025]. "Sōlus." Latin Lexicon. Web. [Accessed July 28, 2025]. "Soleil." Wiktionary. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. [Accessed July 28, 2025]. "Sol." Online Etymology Dictionary. Douglas Harper. Web. [Accessed July 28, 2025]. "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/sóh₂wl̥." Wiktionary. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. [Accessed July 28, 2025]. "sāwel-." The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020. ahdictionary.com. Web. [Accessed July 28, 2025]. https://ahdictionary.com/word/indoeurop.html#IR094600 "Helio-." Online Etymology Dictionary. Douglas Harper. Web. [Accessed July 28, 2025]. "Helios." Wiktionary. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. [Accessed July 28, 2025].
- ↑ Mega Man Star Force Official Complete Works pg.159