Met (Mega Man)
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| Metool | |
|---|---|
| Game series | Mega Man series |
| First game | Mega Man |
| Creator(s) | Keiji Inafune |
| In-Universe Information | |
| Classification | Mechaniloid |
The Met (short for the Metall, Metool, and Mettaur variants of the name) is the flagship enemy of the Mega Man video game series. They are also commonly referred to as "hard hats".
Contents |
[edit] Overview
The Met is a tiny construction robot wearing a disproportionately-sized hard hat with a "plus" sign marked on it. Mets usually wait below their helmet, as it is invincible to nearly all of Mega Man's weapons, and then stand when he gets too close, shooting at the Blue Bomber. The Met typically fires three shots in three directions; however, this has changed over time. This is normally the only time they may be damaged. Usually a single shot is enough to destroy a Met, though there are exceptions. The name of the Met/Metool is apparently formed from the "-met" of "helmet", due to the fact it is wearing one, or is a play with the words "metal" and "tool".
In more recent Mega Man games (in particular, Mega Man X: Command Mission and the MegaMan Battle Network series), mets either complement their mouth-fired projectiles or replace them entirely with a pickaxe. When struck to the ground, the pickaxe releases a shockwave of varying damage and/or status effects depending on the breed of met that releases it. In Mega Man 6, Mega Man can destroy Met's whenever they are under their shields with a fully charged shot in his Rush Power Adapter. In Mega Man X8, X, Zero, and Axl have found a way to penetrate the Mets' defenses without getting close to them.
It wasn't until the U.S. version of Mega Man Battle Network and Mega Man Anniversary Collection that Mettaur became the universal term for these robots in America. Mettaur is a mistranslation from メットール mettōru which is the Japanese spelling of Metool.
Curiously, in the first three games in the Mega Man Zero series, the player would have to use a certain Cyber Elf to turn enemies into Mets, while their appearance in Mega Man Zero 4 serves as a normal enemy (located exclusively in levels that are described as 100 year old ruins) instead of a special Cyber Elf event. If Zero kills a Met with the Z-Knuckle, he can use the Met's hat as a shield.
- Currently the Mega Man Legends series is the only series that does not have any mettaurs/metools/mets in it, although the Shekuten Reaverbots come close in terms of behavior.
[edit] Variations
There are many different types of Met (ten variations appeared in the original series), some of which can withstand more punishment than others:
[edit] Standard Met
Appearing in nearly every game, the average Met hides in its hat until Mega Man gets close to it. It will then pop up and spray three shots in a wide arc. Some variants are stationary, while others will charge you after firing. A single shot will destroy it. It is also found that Mets remove their helmets when they are relaxed.
[edit] Peeping Met
The first type of Met ever produced, though not the one most gamers are familiar with. It hides beneath its hat, occasionally flipping it upward briefly and sending out its trademark volley of three shots. A variant of this type shoots a single shot aimed directly at Mega Man. One hit is enough to defeat this type. In Mega Man Powered Up, it is possible to flip them over using certain methods such as riding an Oil Slider into them while their hats are down.
A sub-type of this met exists as a hovering orb that appears as two "helmets" attached together. It is capable of firing in eight directions.
[edit] Fission Met
Appearing in Mega Man 5 on the NES, the Fission Met will split into three tiny, bouncing miniatures of itself when shot. The miniatures do not themselves fire at you and are incapable of hiding beneath their hats. A variation of these Mets, called Remettaurs, appear in Megaman ZX
[edit] Spinning Met
Well-known from Mega Man 4, the Spinning Met is unique in that it can absorb three hits before being destroyed, instead of just one. It pops its hat up as Mega Man approaches and spins on its feet, firing three slow shots in a row straight ahead.
[edit] Giant Met 1
In the Doc Robot version of the Needle Man stage in Mega Man 3, there are two Giant Mets that Mega Man must destroy. These fire three large shots at a wide arc, and when they are close to the ground, they spit out Standard Mets that charge at the player. Unlike the second Giant Met found later in Mega Man 4, the cross portion of the helmet is this Giant Met's weak point.
[edit] Giant Met 2
The boss of the 1st stage of Wily's fortress in Mega Man 4. Like other Mets, it can only be hit with its hat up. When its hat is up, it tries to jump and squash Mega Man, leaving an earthquake and when Mega Man touches ground, he's immobilized. Four smaller Mets drop down and escape the screen. The cycle continues until he gets defeated. Unlike the first Giant Met, this Giant Met's weak point is his body when the helmet is raised. Some players having played Mega Man 3 have been confused about how to defeat this boss as they always go for the cross on the helmet (the weak point of the Giant Mets in Mega Man 3).
[edit] Swimming Met
The Swimming Met is an ordinary Met with flippers (and occasionally a snorkel). They may fire either the standard triple shot or a single shot aimed at Mega Man. One hit will destroy it.
[edit] Astro Met
Appearing only in Star Man's stage in Mega Man 5, the Astro Mets are Mets wearing rocket packs and pressure suits. They cannot shield themselves as other Mets do, but they can move and hover at will.
[edit] Cannon Met
Found most commonly in Napalm Man's stage in Mega Man 5, this is a Met manning a cannon. Attacking the cannon or the Met will damage them both as they seem to share hit points. Giant versions of this enemy appear as minibosses in the final stages of Mega Man IV on the Game Boy.
[edit] Charge Met
The Train Met appears in Charge Man's Stage and Dark Man's fortress in Mega Man 5. These Mets and the mini-trains they ride are invulnerable until you come into proximity, at which time they charge. You can use a Charge Shot to take them out and avoid being hit.
[edit] Met Machine
The Met Machine appears in Mega Man 6. While not itself a Met, this machine endlessly produces a variant of Standard Mets that can hop short distances.
[edit] Picket Man
The Picket Man appears in Guts Man's stage in the original game and the PSP remake, where they appear in Dr. Wily's third stage in New Style mode as well (similar robots appear in Flame Mammoth's stage in Mega Man X and its PSP remake, although they do not look much like Mets). Its head resembles a traditional Met, but in addition, they have a rather fat full-sized torso and limbs. They attack by throwing pickaxes rather than with the traditional three-way shot. In Mega Man Powered Up, it is possible to knock off their shields with certain weapons. Mega Man fights another variation in Mega Man 3 called Picket Man Bull. In Mega Man III for the Game Boy, there's yet another incarnation of this enemy: the jackhammer-like Picket Man Dada.
[edit] Cactuspy
A Met that appears in Mega Man Powered Up. It wears a cactus helmet that fires spikes at the player similar to the Hari Harry enemies in Mega Man 3. In addition to being flipped over with certain weapons, using a Fire Storm on it while it is guarding will burn off the cactus, revealing a traditional, yet burnt Met helmet in its place, and rendering the Cactuspy able to blow smoke harmlessly in place of shooting spikes.
[edit] Other variations
In addition, some of Wily's robots are "dummy" machines that use a Met as a (relatively) intelligent pilot, like the Mettonger Z of Mega Man 6. Furthermore, Mets themselves have sometimes been minibosses or guardians; this type is always ludicrously outsized and attacks with giant-size versions of its own shots (Mega Man 3, Needle Man's stage the second time through), calls on regular Mets as backup, and even shakes the floor to stun Mega Man (Mega Man 4, Wily's Fort). Even in Mega Man Legends, a Reaverbot called Shekuten strikingly resembles the behaviors similar to the Mets. [1]
[edit] X series Mets
The X series also has its fair share of Mets as well as the original Series. These Mets behave in the similar fashion of the classic series Mets but variations were made to these Mets as well.
[edit] Mettool C-15
These Mets are the standard met that appears in X1, X8, and Command Mission. They behave in the same function as normal Mets. They put their helmets down to protect them from the player's attacks then attack the player when he or she turns around.
[edit] Gartunka Robot
Appearing in primarily in Morph Moth's stage in X2, this robot is not actually a Met, but bits of previous enemies from X1, including Metools. As it takes damage, parts fall off. The first part loses the Met hat, and the second part loses what remains of the Met's head.
[edit] Planty
This type of Met was programmed to cultivate forests and make them flourish with life by deploying the soil enriching type mechaniloid, Iworm. Instead of having a helmet, they have a bush for a head and they use this to camouflage themselves from enemy eyes.
[edit] Met Army
These type of mets have many appearances in X4-X8 and Command Mission. There are different types: the Metool Solder, the Metool Commander, and the Metool GM. They all act like normal Mets, except they are designed differently.
[edit] Met Counter
These Mets appear only in Command Mission. They have the ability to block both shot and combat attacks and return the damage twofold. They are red in color instead of yellow.
[edit] Met Nurse
These Mets also only appear in Command Mission, they have the ability to heal their comrades in battle, but are rather weak to fight. They can still block shots like normal Mets however.
[edit] Met Giant
This Met is gigantic in size, similar to the fortress boss of Mega Man 4. This Met however hides in its helmet and usually runs away when encountered. He will, however, get enraged and attack if the player steals from it. It only appears in Command Mission.
[edit] Gold and Silver Mets
These Mets act like normal Metools, but are just gold and silver in color. Once again these Mets are only found in Command Mission. Gold Mets are produced from Gold Blader mechaniloids.
[edit] Scrap Met
These Mets are found in X7, and they are composed of junk and instead of shots, they will create a junk force field and even throw trash at the player. They can be destroyed rather easily.
[edit] Cone Met
These Mets act as traffic cones in another level of X7. They hop around and try to disturb the player as he or she rides through a level. They are also quite easily defeated.
[edit] Dark Met
These Mets are only found in X8, they have the ability to function in total darkness. They have red eyes instead of white and their armor is black in color.
[edit] Trivia
- Because Mets are so well known for their indestructible helmets (which seems to be able to stand up to lighting/blizzard storms and giant beam cannons), most comic writers[citation needed] have raised the question "Why doesn't Wily just make his Robot Masters out of that same material?" This topic is constantly the center of debate in most sprite comics. Some fans of the series have theorized that the met armor is simply too expensive to use on any other robot.[citation needed]
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