Character Analysis: Vile

In case you were wondering

  • The following analysis is primarily focused on Vile as he was portrayed in the Mega Man X video games. Supplementary material such as the various Rockman X manga and Rockman X: The Novel, whether it be for feats or arsenal, will also be included.

Background

  • Alternate names: VAVA, Vile MK-II, Vile V

  • Former SA-Class Maverick Hunter of the 17th Elite Unit

  • Likes: Ride Armors, causing death and destruction, (probably) bourbon whiskey, torturing Mega Man X

  • Dislikes: Mega Man X, taking orders, Mega Man X, (probably) mud, Mega Man X

  • Plays the piano


In the year 20XX, Dr. Light began making his greatest creation; a robot with the ability to think and feel of their own free will, like a human. This robot was named X, and Light dreamed that X's technology would someday give all robots the ability to learn and grow like living beings. However, nearing the end of his lifespan and knowing the potential dangers X could pose, Light sealed him away and prepared a stasis capsule to perform system tests on his AI, which would take approximately 30 years to complete. Cue a century later, and X is rediscovered by the scientist Dr. Cain, who was astounded by the technology shown by the robot. He later used X as a blueprint to develop the next generation of robots known as “Reploids”. However, these new Reploids weren’t as well tested as X’s AI, and either through a malfunction or a virus, more and more Reploids began acting violently. These dangerous Reploids were labeled "Mavericks", and as Maverick incidents increased, Dr. Cain was forced to found the peacekeeping Maverick Hunters. One of these Maverick Hunters was Vile.


Vile was a high ranking Maverick Hunter, led by fellow hunter Sigma under the 17th Elite Unit. However, whether it be through a malfunction in his programming or his natural personality, Vile had an unyielding passion for causing destruction wherever he went, completely disregarding innocent life in the process, even disobeying orders. Vile’s ideals clashed with X, who he eventually grew immense hatred towards, either due to the Reploid’s pacifistic nature or Vile's own insecurities of everyone’s constant appreciation towards him. Eventually, Vile’s violent nature caught up to him, and he was later imprisoned for his crimes. However, much to his surprise, Vile was visited and set free by his own commander, Sigma, who had gone Maverick. Sigma presented Vile an opportunity to join his forces, as he needed a general who could go Maverick of their own accord, and gave Vile one single order: to battle and defeat X, his rival.


Viewing Sigma’s rebellion as an excuse to finally prove himself superior to X, Vile joined his army as a top ranking general. Vile tracked down X in the destroyed central highway and did battle with him, nearly killing him until Zero interfered. Vile retreated, and it wouldn’t be until X’s various other power ups and battles with Sigma’s Maverick forces that they would meet again. Despite this, Vile still had the power necessary to battle and nearly kill both X and Zero combined. It wouldn’t be until an unfortunate sacrifice from Zero and a grueling battle with X that Vile finally met his end, unable to prove himself superior to the manbot he hated so much. 


However, Vile would be constantly revived by several other means, coming into conflict with X and the rest of the Maverick Hunters time and time again. No matter how many times he’s put down, Vile will always come back, and he will never rest until the demon inside validates his own existence in the one way he knows how: by destroying X.

Experience and Skill

While not much is known about Vile’s training or background in the games, Rockman X: The Novel reveals that he was originally built for combat, and he spent most of his time fighting and brutalizing Mavericks. Across most versions of the story, Vile was skilled enough in his expertise to be ranked a SA-Class Maverick Hunter and be in the 17th Elite Unit. He’s consistently shown to be a match for top tier Maverick Hunters like X and Zero, and in Vile Mode, he managed to defeat all of Sigma’s 8 Maverick generals on his own, each with their own unique abilities and fighting styles, showing he’s quite well at adapting to the current situation.

Bodies

Original Body

Vile’s original body that appears in Mega Man X and Maverick Hunter X. While his weakest body overall, it’s still a powerhouse in its own right, capable of fighting on par with both Zero and First Armor X, even at the same time. In Vile Mode, after defeating Chill Penguin and Storm Eagle, this body comes equipped with Frozen Castle, which adds a thin layer of ice to his body to reduce damage by half, and Speed Devil, which reduces resistance to increase his speed.

Vile MK-II

Vile’s new body that appears in Mega Man X3. After his defeat at the hands of X, Vile’s remains were salvaged by the Reploid scientist Dr. Doppler. The good doctor rebuilt Vile in this upgraded body, making the already dangerous Maverick even stronger and faster than before. Clad in a new blue look and improved weaponry, Vile was capable of matching X in battle once again, even after the latter’s increased power.

Vile V

Vile’s latest body that appears in Mega Man X8. The circumstances about this specific revival is never clarified, but it’s likely he’s been around in this body for a while, given Zero calls him a wanted criminal. While he works with the New Generation Reploids throughout the game, he's never directly suggested to be one, making it unclear if he shares their abilities. Aside from a slick green look (best color), Vile gains increased physicality, flight, and an even stronger arsenal, capable of matching the current Maverick Hunter trio who’ve grown exponentially in strength across multiple games.

Abilities

Teleportation

Vile is capable of teleporting to different locations instantly, most prominently shown in Maverick Hunter X where he uses this ability to go to the various different Maverick stages. He’s also used this ability in Mega Man X8 to retreat from battles.

Fire Stream

Vile V fires a small fireball that deals damage before it erupts into a column of flames upon hitting the ground, which travels to the opponent for a short while before erupting to an even greater height.

Electrokinesis

Vile V charges up and fires six bolts of electricity omnidirectionally, covering the area and dealing massive damage upon contact. He can move these bolts around the battlefield to ensure he hits his opponent, with only small gaps in the electricity disappearing to give a brief window to dodge.

Arsenal

Due to Vile’s different appearances and equipment between games and other media, I’ll be dividing his arsenal up between what he uses in boss fights, in the various Rockman X manga, and in Vile Mode.

Boss Fight Weapons

Jet Thrusters

Vile’s original body has jet thrusters that allow for an extra boost in maneuverability in the battlefield, acting as his own version of X’s dash ability. He can use this to propel himself momentarily into the air for extra height, acting as his own equivalent to X’s dash jump.

Shoulder Cannon

In all of his bodies, Vile comes equipped with a shoulder cannon to his right, which has many different applications. In his original body, it can fire a small electric ball that paralyzes enemies upon contact. While it deals no damage, it’s nearly impossible to break free from, leaving opponents open for a follow up attack. These shots also split into two when they hit the ground to cover greater range and can be fired three times in a row. He can even charge it up to fire a blue laser that covers the screen. 


Vile MK-II’s shoulder cannon has a spread shot version of the paralyzation shot attack to give higher chances of landing on his foe. It also comes equipped with a flamethrower that’s potent enough to light up a building, and it can fire out energy blasts that ricochet around the battlefield. Vile V’s shoulder cannon can shoot out seemingly electric bolts of energy at an opponent. He can fire this up to 9 times in a row, make them home in on opponents, fire three of these simultaneously in a spread shot version, or fire a big orb that splits into 8 smaller homing projectiles for greater coverage.

Head Bombs

A set of bombs Vile fires from his knees that split into floor crawling fireballs upon detonating.

Machine Gun

Vile MK-II has a machine gun on his left shoulder which fires 6 bullets in a row that he can aim.

Flame Round

Vile MK-II fires a grenade from his knee that erupts into a pillar of fire upon detonation. The pillar moves across the floor and even the walls before dissipating.

Jetpack

Vile V has a jetpack on his back that enables him to fly around the battlefield for better mobility.

Bindholders

Vile V can summon two Bindholders into the battlefield, which can trap foes in their grasp and deal rapid damage.

Manga Weapons

Homing Missiles

Vile MK-II can fire 3 missiles that home in on targets, fast enough to catch up to X in his Third Armor.

Shield

Vile MK-II comes equipped with a shield on his back that he can use to block attacks, such as X’s Tornado Fang.

Vile Mode Weapons

Vulcans

Missiles

Rocket Punches

Cannons

Lasers

Cutters

Napalms

Balls

Flamethrowers

Sub Tanks

Vile can collect Sub Tanks in hidden areas and use them for his own benefit. These act as the next generation version of the Classic timeline’s E Tanks, restoring Vile's health until it is empty. If Vile’s health is restored to full before the Sub Tank is empty, the Tank will keep some leftover energy to be used for later. Vile can continuously fill up his Sub Tank if he’s at full health by picking up health items scattered around or by defeating enemies. He can carry up to 4 Sub Tanks on his person.

Vehicles

Ride Armor (MMX)

Vile’s first Ride Armor shown throughout the series. His typical moves while piloting it involve a quick dash with rapid punches and dashing in front of an opponent to punch right in front of them. The armor is nearly indestructible, surviving multiple buster and even charged shots from X without slowing down. It’s only until Zero’s charged shot that any major damage is dealt, forcing Vile to retreat.


An upgraded version of this Ride Armor appears in Sigma’s fortress. This time, Vile can defeat Zero within seconds and easily overpower First Armor X, forcing Zero to self-destruct in order to destroy it.

Ride Armor (Vile Mode)

Vile’s custom Ride Armor shown throughout Maverick Hunter X, most prominently in Vile’s story mode. This armor is pretty much identical to the above one, with the main differences being that it’s equipped with a rapid fire machine gun that gives Vile great firing range, as well as being able to operate fine underwater. However, Vile can only pilot the armor for 32 seconds before it self-destructs (because Capcom won’t let us have fun), and the time limit decreases the more damage the armor takes. That said, Vile can replenish his timer by collecting weapon energy from destroyed enemies.

Ride Armor DRA-00

The Ride Armor type DRA-00 was developed for general purpose in the Hunter Base, but Vile found his own that specializes in combat. It comes with three spikes on its fist for greater physical power, enough that it shakes the room Vile and X fight in by hitting the wall. Besides that, it’s not very different from his first Ride Armor.

Goliath

According to Vile, the Goliath is the most advanced Ride Armor in the series at this point, and it shows in its capabilities. It has 4 spikes on its arms for even greater striking power, but has more capabilities beyond that. It has a technique called Light Shot, where it charges up (momentarily becoming impervious to damage) and fires a large energy ball surrounded by 2 smaller ones. It can also shoot out up to three pods that use harpoons to form a metal barrier to trap his enemies. 

Devil Bear

The most recent Ride Armor Vile has used. It is unique in that it seemingly acts independently of Vile, as he’s not directly piloting it when it attacks. The Devil Bear can perform rapid fire punches and hover in the air for a short time thanks to jet boosters on its back.

Hovercycle

A small hovercycle Vile uses to transport himself around.

Resistances

The Reploids of 21XX were all created around X's design, which by extension, makes them based on a more technologically advanced version of Rock's design. While Vile has not specifically resisted every hax ability X has utilized, several other Mavericks across the series all have, and a good amount of these are also carried over resistances that the original Mega Man possessed. Given this, and Vile's general superiority to X's baseline across the board, it should be feasible that he resists anything X and Rock can normally. The same goes for other Reploids in the series such as Zero and Grey.

Feats

Overall

  • Was ranked a SA-Class Maverick Hunter of the 17th Elite Unit

  • Nearly killed X and Zero several times

  • Defeated Sigma’s Maverick lineup in Vile Mode

  • Has cheated death numerous times

Strength

Speed

Durability

Scaling

X

Vile has shown to be a comparable threat to X multiple times throughout the series, with his Ride Armor in particular being far stronger than anything X was capable of during the first Mega Man X game. Additionally, while non-canonical, Maverick Hunter X's Vile Mode shows that he was capable of defeating both First Armor X and Zero at once, with the duo barely being able to scrape by after Vile had them dead to rights.

Zero

During the encounter at Sigma’s fortress, Vile defeats Zero in his Ride Armor, with his self-destruct being needed in order to destroy the mech. Despite this, Vile managed to survive said explosion unharmed. Even after Zero gets stronger throughout the series, Vile is shown to be a consistent match for him.

Lumine

While he reasonably isn't as strong as Lumine himself, Vile was still a decent threat to X and co. all the way up to the final stage of Mega Man X8, with the Maverick Hunter trio defeating Vile for the final time only rooms away from where they'd ultimately do battle with Lumine. As such, it should be reasonable for Vile to get scaling to Lumine's best feat, even if he’d be downscaled a bit.

The General

Vile is capable of matching X and Zero in Mega Man X8, years after the duo’s encounter with The General, whom they emerged victorious against.

Mavericks

Vile is a match for the Maverick Hunter trio, who have defeated dozens of Mavericks throughout the series. He’s also defeated the Mavericks of the first game in Vile Mode.

Rock

X, who Vile is equal to as established above, was designed to be superior to the original Mega Man in every way, and thus should upscale from all of his feats.

Duo

While Rock believed Duo held back during their original clash, it’s later shown that Rock is on his level, if not superior, given he managed to defeat Wily Machine 8, which incapacitated Duo in a single shot. Additionally, Wily likely would’ve built Zero to far surpass Duo's capabilities, meaning Vile would get the scaling regardless.

Robot Masters

(these are my favorites :>)

Vile = X > Rock > Robot Masters.

Weaknesses

In spite of everything, Vile does have his fair share of downsides. Without outside support or equipment like his Sub-Tanks, Vile lacks any methods of repairing damage done to him. If he runs out of juice from Sub-Tanks, he’s left having to just tank every hit and deal with it. He’s also heavily reliant on his ranged weaponry to gain an advantage, so if anyone can close the gap, he doesn’t have much defenses. His Ride Armors have the opposite issue, almost focusing too much on close range combat, so anyone who’s good at a ranged game can hit it from afar and dodge its easily telegraphed attacks. Finally, like most villains, Vile is a very reckless and cocky fighter, which has backfired on him in his very own story mode. Instead of killing X immediately despite having his life right in his grasp, he opted to torture him, which gave both X and Zero enough time to land a well placed charged shot and destroy his current body.


He also really wants to try bourbon but cannot, very sadge.

Potential Opponents

Omega Red

Living uncontrollable weapons repeatedly reactivated and resurrected to cause havoc to their mortal enemies, often going above and beyond their orders to do so. Their bodies are built and upgraded constantly to be deadlier than before, including with special futuristic materials. They share a sense of nihilistic pride, to the point where they'll die happy if their enemy dies with them, and is proven the weaker.


This one is neat. Omega Red is a fun antagonist for the X-Men and the idea of a powerful ranged arsenal VS a powerful close quarters arsenal has a lot of appeal to me. This might just be X-Men brain rot talking right now doe (go watch ‘97).

Ridley

Purple (ignore Ridley in the TN-) psychotic killers based on live-action sci-fi movie villains from the 70’s (Bubba Zanetti and Xenomorph) who adore death and destruction with a personal connection to the protagonist, being responsible for molding their path at the beginning of their games with unwinnable boss fights. They work under the big bad of the series not for monetary gain, but to commit their own personal fulfillment for violent acts. Also return from death a lot.


Very solidly my favorite matchup for Vile and Ridley. Theme works for both quite well, but the big appeal, much like Omega Red, is the fight dynamic. Ridley’s fights with Samus show he can keep up with someone notably smaller and more mobile than him, which means you can frame a fight with these two like an actual Samus VS Ridley boss battle, which especially helps given Vile’s huge arsenal. The Ride Armor could also be cool to implement here with it tearing apart Ridley before the latter gains the upper hand. One of my favorite fight ideas is having Vile use either his flamethrower or one of his cyclone weapons to burn/tear away at Ridley’s skin before revealing Metal Ridley underneath. Overall really cool, might do a blog on this at some point.




Hey hey Rina here and many thanks for reading this! I was on a Mega Man X brain rot and wanted to get something out of it while it lasted. Many thanks to Maddie and Greymerlion for proofreading this blog for me before I posted.


As for what’s next, I have some ideas, but nothing solid for what’s next. So I guess just wait and see for now. See y’all next time!

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