Originally developed as the final game in the sub-series, Mega Man X5 was supposed to be the grand finale to a story arc that history rooted in the Famicom. Where X3 stated that X & Zero we’re destined to fight and X4 formally brought Dr. Wily into the sub-series’ story, X5 brought it all to a conclusion. While X5 would ultimately be followed up by three more games, the final product still feels like the end of an era.
Mega Man X5 is littered with countless references to classic Mega Man and the original X games. It’s very much a love letter to the franchise Rockman has become by that point. As the intended final entry in the series, Mega Man X5 features three multiple endings to cap off the story– one of which even directly leads into the events of Mega Man Legends, tying everything Rockman together. Unfortunately, seeing all three endings Mega Man X has on tap requires a fair bit of RNG.
Easily the game’s most controversial mechanic, Mega Man X5 features an RNG system tied directly to Zero’s survival. Whether or not the Enigma destroys the Colony is truly left up to chance, and its failure can directly lead into a scenario where Zero is no longer playable & players are stuck with an X they haven’t used all game. Still, it’s this very RNG that makes Mega Man X5’s story as tense as it is. Losing Zero is a realistic consequence, and a rather morbid one at that.
As the original finale to the sub-series, Mega Man X5 has the best endings in the franchise– bringing a landmark gaming story arc to a close. Of course, seeing each ending requires more than a single playthrough, so get ready to commit to one of the densest Mega Man X games ever made.
3 Zero’s Ending
Zero only has one ending in Mega Man X5, as him turning Maverick and losing his playable status is the trigger for X’s bad ending. To avoid Zero going Maverick, RNG either needs to ensure the Enigma destroys the Colony or that Zero’s suicide mission plays out as best it can. Should Zero remain intact come the final set of stages, he’ll be able to fight X and later Sigma.
X and Zero’s battle is noticeably sadder with Zero in control, the focus given to the personal character drama between them. It’s also far more novel to fight X, who actually uses several of his X4 abilities– indicating he’s perpetually holding back during regular gameplay. After defeating X, Zero challenges Sigma alone.
Zero is able to defeat Sigma, but he takes significant damage in the process. X stumbles upon Zero’s decapitated body, but is shot by Sigma in the process. With the last of his strength, Zero fires a blast at Sigma that seemingly kills him once and for all. As Zero lay dying, his senses start to malfunction.
Zero flashes back to his first encounter with Sigma, Dr. Wily, and even Iris– his love interest from Mega Man X4 he was forced to kill. Zero’s ending closes out with his life slowly and simply fading away.
2 X’s Good Ending
X’s good ending fills in the gaps of Zero’s ending while also serving as a reversal. The ending is achieved if Zero doesn’t go Maverick and players head through the final stages as X. X tries to arrest Zero, the two fight to the death, and X fights Sigma in Zero’s place. After the fight with Sigma, there’s some overlap with Zero’s ending.
Zero is seen half dead (realistically because of X this time) and X is still shot by Sigma, but the rest of the ending is seen from X’s perspective while also continuing past this point. Dr. Light’s Cyber-Elf finds X’s nearly destroyed body and rebuilds him. When X awakens, he returns to his job as a Maverick Hunter, now determined to honor Zero.
X notably wields Zero’s Z-Saber, bringing it with him into his next mission. While Mega Man X6 would set itself three weeks after X5’s good ending, the ending was written with Mega Man Zero in mind. X5 & Zero 1 were actually in production at the same time, and the intent was for X5 to connect into Zero 1.
X would have turned evil in Zero 1’s original draft, but the game was ultimately rewritten so the antagonistic X was a copy. This works out nicely, however, as the good X is the one who gives Zero his Z-Saber back at the beginning of Zero 1.
1 X’s Bad Ending
X’s bad ending is arguably the easiest to get as players simply need every single thing to go wrong in their playthrough. Take advantage of the bad RNG by firing the Enigma immediately, more or less guaranteeing failure. Once Zero turns Maverick, he’ll be out of commission and players will be taking control of X for the rest of the game.
X’s fight with Zero in his bad ending is far more emotional than their good ending battle, with friends forced to fight against their will. Or in Zero’s case, because of his nature. It’s a sad reframing of X and Zero’s relationship, but X is forced to put Zero down. X actually kills Zero in this case, heading into the fight against Sigma alone.
X manages to defeat Sigma, but is left near-dead. Dr. Light finds X like he does in the good ending, but Zero’s death spurs Dr. Light to rebuild X without any memories of Zero. Without the weight of Zero’s death on his shoulders, X turns his attention to creating his own personal utopia: Elysium.
While this is often seen as evidence that the bad ending was meant to lead into Zero 1, Elysium is a direct reference to the world of Mega Man Legends. Thematically, X’s motivation in the bad ending simply shows where Copy X’s idea for Neo Arcadia came from. It’s in X’s nature to want to create a paradise. By any means necessary.
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