In the Megaman universe, 11 altercations have unfolded due to Dr. Wiley’s perseverance in taking over the world. While it may seem that the world Megaman lives in is in constant turmoil, one must remember that the series takes place in the year 200X-20XX , meaning those 11 attempts on mankind’s freedom are spread over the course of 100 years. So unless each war lasts 10 years (which Megaman ensures it does not), there are bound to be substantial time periods of peace. So what exactly is it that goes on in Megaman’s life outside of battle? What do the robot masters do when their integrated personality chips haven’t been tampered with by Dr. Wiley? There was just too much uncertainty in my mind. So I suited up, took a trip to the 8-bit world and headed over to Monsteropolis to find out for myself.
Interview with Cutman (from the inaugural attack of Wiley)
Me: What was life like before Dr.Wiley perverted your personality chip?
Cutman : Well Dr. Light had done a pretty good job of winning the public favor with his robots, one of the reasons Wiley’s first attack was so detrimental to Monsteropolis . We all did what we were designed to do with a smile on our face. Me and my duplicates were responsible for all things that needed cutting. We were barbers, lawnmowers , grand opening ribbon cutters and we cut anything else people wanted us to cut, besides people of course.
Me: How come you could never cut people?
Cutman : It was part of the precaution that Light had taken so that us robots couldn’t be used for evil. It was the first thing Wiley had to disable before he could re-program our personality chips to drive us to malicious intent.
Me: what was it like readapting to life after Megaman retrieved you chip and light rebuilt you all?
Cutman : It was easy for me to put aside my past actions. I’m a robot and was programmed to be evil; I don’t have any real will of my own so the evil me was a completely different person than the current me and I don’t think I should be blamed for what I did. The people however had a completely different idea. Before the first Wiley incident we used to be able to live in peoples’ houses, eat dinner with people, and generally be a part of their family. After the attack it was rare that they even let us help them with anything. Instead they would take us apart, destroy us, and throw our parts out in their lawns to rust. It was only due to the people’s inability to function without us that they eventually accepted us back into their lives.
I managed to find one other robot monster, Grenademan , he was no Cutman .
Me: What does a humanized grenade launcher do in civilian life?
Grenademan : I’M GRENADEMAN !
Me: I understand that, but how is it adapting to a life as a helper to the citizens?
Grenademan : I’M GRENADEMAN !
Me: Is there anythi…
Grenademan : I’M GRENADEMAN !
I finally make my way to Dr. Light’s facilities. It is in disrepair and seems abandoned except for a faint blue glow coming from the hole in the front door.
Me: Can I ask you some questions Megaman ?
Megaman : Is that you, Dr. Light?
Me: Nope, my name is Jon Lewis. What are you doing here? Where is everyone?
Megaman : They were all against me. After I killed the robot masters, they had no need for a combat droid. They hated me. (breaks into sobs)
Me: It’s over, Megaman , it’s over!
Megaman : Nothing is over! Nothing! You can’t just turn it off! It wasn’t my war. You asked me, I didn’t ask you! I did everything to win, but someone didn’t let us win.
Me: It was hard but it’s in the past.
Megaman : For you! Civilian life means nothing to me. There I had a code of honor. Here there’s nothing!
Me: You’re the only elite robot master slayer, don’t end it like this.
Megaman : I can’t get it out of my head.