Description[]
Mega Man vs. NieR: Automata. To hunt down machines, it takes a powerful android swords master perfected from a long line of others.
Introduction[]
Boomstick: If there’s one thing I’ve learned, there are two things awesome within the realm of video games; androids, and swordsmen, and I’m happy to say, there are instances of these two coming together!
Wiz: Like Zero, the Maverick Hunter from Mega Man X
Boomstick: And 2B, the YoRHa Android from NieR: Automata. He’s Wiz and I’m Boomstick.
Wiz: And it’s our job to analyse their weapons, armour and skills to find out who would win a Death Battle.
Zero[]
Wiz: For decades, the conflict between Dr. Light and Dr. Wily raged on.
Boomstick: On one side, for Dr. Wily, was the Robot Masters, dozens upon dozens of super powerful machines working to take over the world. And for Dr. Light, a single robot named Mega Man, who, at every turn, defeated all other Robot Masters and foiled Wily’s plans. Seems like a pretty even conflict to me.
Wiz: But dozens upon dozens of failures only fuelled Wily’s ambition more, until one day, he poured his blood, sweat and tears into his ultimate creation; a machine that would surpass Mega Man is every way. He named this creation, Zero.
- Background
- Age: Over 300
- Height: 5’6
- Built to destroy Mega Man
- Maverick Hunter
- Veteran from the Elf Wars
- Carrier of the Maverick Virus
- Eventually became armour for a teenage boy
Boomstick: But there was a problem; because of some sort of glitch, Zero was completely uncontrollable, so Wily did what any guy with a broken machine would do; rent a storage locker and put it in there never to be seen again.
Wiz: Well, he actually put him in a stasis container, but yeah, the purpose was pretty much the same. For over 100 years, Zero remained in that tube until he was uncovered by the Maverick Hunters’ leader Sigma.
Boomstick: From there, things got pretty weird. For some reason, Zero’s capsule contained the Maverick Virus, a robotic disease that merged with Sigma’s programming, turning him against humanity.
Popup: The Maverick Virus possibly originated from an alien robotic virus, with some of it being sealed in Zero’s capsule.
Wiz: And this also seemed to drain the Maverick virus from Zero’s own programming. So whilst Stigma took to supporting the Mavericks he once hunted, Zero joined the Maverick Hunters as a Special 0 Unit Hunter.
- Arsenal
- Z-Sabre
- Z-Buster
- Soul Sabre
- Durga Glaive
- V-Hanger
- Basho Fan
- Titan Breaker
- Σ Blade
Boomstick: All with the proper equipment of course, and Zero’s most notable example is the Z-Buster, a hand mounted cannon that can either fire rapid shots or charged up for a more powerful blast. But when he wants to get up close and personal, he pulls out the Z-Sabre, a laser sword that can cut any hostile robot down to size with a couple of swings.
Wiz: Zero also has access to spears, hammers, knives and even fans, all of which make deadly melee weapons.
Boomstick: Where did he get all those?
- Learning System
- Access new abilities
- Taken from defeated foes
- Techniques
- Soul Body
- ZERO Shift
- Dark Hold
- Falling Phoenix Crusher
- Phantasm Zero
Wiz: From his Learning System. Similarly to the original Mega Man, Zero is able to take on traits from powerful opponents he has defeated. He can project double images of himself with Soul Body, stop time with Dark Hold, nullify attack power with ZERO Shift and bathe an entire area with powerful blasts with Falling Phoenix Crusher.
Popup: Zero does not specifically take on these abilities, but rather adapts and changes them for his own purposes.
- Transformations
- Black Zero
- Power increased 100%
- Speed increased x4
- Absolute Zero
- Power increased 100%
- Speed increased 50%
- Flight, claws
- Black Zero
Boomstick: And if he needs to boost his power even more, he can transform into Black Zero, which increases his speed and power and gives him a resistance to power.
Popup: The Form System is omitted from the battle as it is dependent on player choice due to specific requirements needed to obtain them in missions.
Wiz: But he can take this further with his second transformation, Absolute Zero.
Boomstick: Not only is the name badass, but with it he gains the ability to fly and use deadly claws in place of his other weapons and abilities.
- Feats
- Stronger than Mega Man who lifted 60,000 tons
- Defeated dozens of Mavericks
- Lasted over 300 years
- Dodged Sunflower's laser
- Survived destruction of Eurasia colony
- Defeated Sigma, Vile, Copy X, Omega
Wiz: Zero is a master of hunting Mavericks, and he has the feats to prove it. He’s taken down dozens of giant machines and Mavericks and survived the impact of the Eurasia Colony.
Boomstick: That was no big deal, it was just an impact estimated to as powerful as the goddamn meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs! That’s about 100 teratons of TNT.
Wiz: And we shouldn’t forget that Zero was designed to be specifically better than the original Mega Man, who was able to move at Mach 300 against Quick Man and lift a 60 thousand ton castle.
Boomstick: So Zero’s even better than that, the exact limits we do not actually know, but definitely by a lot.
Wiz: Zero was definitely Wily’s ultimate creation, but like any robot in the Mega Man series, he can only take so much damage before he shuts down.
Boomstick: But Zero has proved time and time again that any Maverick he sets his sights on has little option but to accept total annihilation.
2B[]
Wiz: It is the year 11945 AD, and humanity has been wiped out. With the Earth without its apex species, machines created by aliens ascended upon the planet, intent on conquest. To combat this menace, humanity, before they went fully extinct, created the YoRHa Androids to combat them. So began the Machine Wars, endless conflicts between androids and machines.
Boomstick: And one of these androids was No. 2 Type. B, aka, 2B. (Wolf whistle). Damn, she looks good for an android, and I can reckon why she’s called 2B...
- Background
- Full Title: YoRHa No. 2 Type B
- Height: 5’6
- YoRHa Android
- 14th Machine War participant
- Accompanied by 9S
- Actually 2E
- Has nothing to do with Nier
Wiz: Yes, because of the phrase ‘to be or not to be.’
Boomstick: No, I meant...oh never mind, nerds taking the fun out of everything…
Wiz: Shakespearian sayings and innuendo’s aside, like any other android 2B was created for a specific purpose amongst the ranks of YoRHa, and that was for battle.
Popup: It is later revealed that 2B is in fact 2E, an android made to kill 9S if he ever discovered the truth of YoRHa and humanity’s extinction.
Boomstick: In other words, kicking ass! And thanks to her superhuman strength and speed, she made that look easy.
Wiz: At the eve of the 14th Machine War, 2B was paired up with 9S, an information gathering machine, to counter machine threats on the Earth’s surface.
- Arsenal and Abilities
- Small Swords
- Large Swords
- Spears
- Combat Bracers
- Evasion
Boomstick: 2B has a lot of different weaponry at hand, but all weapons fall under at least one of the four following weapon categories; Small Swords, Large Swords, Spears and Combat Bracers. In case you don’t know, the last category is basically oversized knuckle dusters. What’s more, 2B doesn’t need her hands to wield these; she can use her mind!
Popup: The different weapons in these categories have different kinds of effects, but for simplicity’s sake, we’re going to focus on the singular weapon types.
Wiz: 2B is also adept at dodging enemy attacks, even if they are enemy laser beams, and after doing so, can strike back with a series of strikes that make her appear as though she is teleporting in rapid succession.
Boomstick: But what’s a good melee fighter without at least one method of long range weaponry. For 2B, this comes in the form of Pods, small robotic helpers that fly after 2B.
- Pods
- Pod A: Gatling Gun
- Pod B: Energy Arc
- Pod C: Homing Missiles
- Pod Programmes
- Laser
- Mirage
- Hammer
- Blade
- Spear
- Shield
- Slow
Wiz: Possessing up to three different Pods with a different method of long range attacks, 2B can fire barrages of shots at enemies, sweep them with laser beams, or fire off homing missiles. In addition, 2B can equip a different Pod Programme ability to each Pod; these can range from summoning spears from the ground, projecting a spinning blade, scanning for items, fire off a large laser or even slow down time in a certain vicinity.
Popup: 2B can have only one Pod activate at a time.
- Flight Units
- Height: Est. 10’
- Length: Est. 30’
- Flight suits
- Weaponry
- Laser Beams
- Gatling Cannons
- Missiles
- Laser Blade
Boomstick: But there’s one more addition to 2B’s arsenal, and boy is it beautiful. Whenever the need arises, 2B can call upon a Flight Unit, an flight suit equipped with the weaponry of her different pods, along with a laser blade for up close and personal attacks and scores of missiles to raze swarms of flying machines.
Wiz: Flight Units are estimated to travel at speeds of Mach 40,000, thanks to calculations from DaFritzi on the VS wiki.
- Feats
- Comparable to A2 who survived an explosion of 9.4 megatons of TNT
- Kept pace with A2
- Fought through armies of machines
- Wielded an Engel’s arm
- Survived numerous battles
- Dodged lasers
- Defeated Engels, Adam, So-Shi, Eve
Boomstick: Damn, that is fast! And it’s possible that 2B is fast enough even without the Flight Unit. She’s comparable to A2, a prototype model, who we’ve already covered in Akame vs. A2. Long story short, she’s able to dodge attacks from such Flight Units, and speaking of which, A2 was able to survive an explosion yield of 9.4 megatons of TNT from another calculation of DaFritzi, so there’s the likelihood that 2B can also survive such a blast, being a newer model and all.
Wiz: And 2B is capable of harming A2 with her own physical might. All this proves that 2B is definitely an exceptionally powerful android, having taken down legions of machines and even other androids infected by a logical virus.
Boomstick: Speaking of which, the same logical virus was ultimately the downfall of 2B. As she slowly went insane, the android A2 put her out of her misery. But before all that, she proved she was amongst the best androids of YoRHa.
Interlude[]
Wiz: Alright, the combatants are set, time to end this debate once and for all.
Boomstick: It's time for a Death Battle!
The Battle[]
On the end of a broken bridge jutting out from an abandoned factory was embedded a sword, and in front of it stood 2B with her Pod hovering around her.
Pod: Analysis; the wreckage and bloodstains in the forest below imply that there was a battle over the possession of this sword from YoRHa's supply drop. The winner is currently impossible to identify, and the same applies to the loser.
2B pulled the sword out of the ground and gave it a couple of experimental swings.
2B: Well, it looks like neither got there hands on this weapon, so I'll take this as a win.
She turned around to leave and walked a distance away, before the Pod beeped.
Pod: Alert; incoming hostile.
2B: What?
She turned around and there was a flash of light as an android landed with a deafening boom into the end of the bridge in front of 2B. Zero's eyes opened and flashed as he got to his feet. He drew out his Z-Sabre.
Zero: Target spotted, prepare yourself.
2B summoned her newly obtained sword to her hand.
2B: Fine. Have it your way.
FIGHT!
Both androids charged at each other in the space of a second, their blades clashing together. They pushed off against each other, sending the other skidding back several steps, before they closed the distance a second time and both unleashed a barrage of slashes at their opponent, the connections between the blades producing sparks. This barrage ended when 2B thrust her sword downwards, making Zero dodge back as it was embedded into the ground, before 2B wrenched it upwards out of the concrete ground, nearly slicing Zero as he leapt back further to avoid the move.
Landing, Zero thrust his Z-Buster forward and fired off several shots before charging up a more powerful one, firing them all at 2B. In response, 2B slashed with her sword to deflect the weak shots before using her Evade ability to dodge the more powerful shot. Rematerializing, she commanded her Pod to open fire with a barrage of bullet-like energy shots. Zero dodged the series of shots by zig-zagging side to side as he closed the distance between them, firing off more of his shots at he did. 2B switched her Pod to instead fire a long laser beam, which intercepted the shots and dispelled them as she swept it at Zero. In response, Zero summersaulted over the laser and bore down on 2B with the Z-Sabre. The attack was blocked by 2B crossing two of her small swords into an X to block the attack. She pushed with the blade lock, leaving Zero suspended in mid-air at his attack being blocked.
2B: Pod!
Pod: Firing laser.
Sure enough, the Pod unleashed a sheering hot laser directly at Zero. However, Zero reacted by activating Soul Body to send out a duplicate of himself that struck the pod with its Z-Sabre, knocking away both it and its laser blast. 2B leapt back to avoid the laser as it seared the ground, leaving a black scorch mark on the ground.
2B: Hey, watch it!
She glowered at Zero as he sheathed his Z-Sabre and brought out the V Hanger set of daggers.
Zero: Gotta admit, you're one tough customer.
2B allowed herself a quick smirk as she replaced one of her short swords with a larger model.
2B: Then I would recommend not to hold back.
What followed next was a series of afterimages flashing all across the broken bridge as Zero and 2B unleashed rapid slashes at the other, too fast for the eye to track. At certain moments, there were breaks in the afterimages, showing the clashes between the two androids and the numerous weapons that they switched through; at one point, Zero leapt sideward over the sweeping attack from 2B's massive blade before stabbing out with his V-Daggers, which were deflected by 2B's smaller sword. Next, Zero leapt forward in a spinning slash, which 2B Evaded out of her way of, appearing behind Zero and commanding her Pod to activate its spinning blade program and advance on Zero, who brought out his Basho Fan who block the numerous slashes, and at the end of the program summoned his Titan breaker to his hand and bring it crashing down near 2B, the impact sending her flying back.
2B rolled over from the impact, stopping just short of flying off the edge of the broken bridge and commanded her Pod to fire out energy bullets at Zero, who activated his ZERO Shift and charged forward with his Durga Glaive, the power of the ZERO Shift meaning the low attack power of the energy bullets did absolutely no harm to him. Seeing this, 2B switched her Pod out and had her new one fire out missiles at Zero. In response, Zero leapt into the air and spun his Glaive to slice apart the missiles in mid-air before bearing down at 2B with a downwards stab. But the attack passed through thin air as 2B used her Evade ability to avoid it and unleash a series of slashes across Zero's body, ending with him being knocked back, scraping across the ground. Her opponent downed for the moment, 2B sent a series of spears from her Pod's program up from the ground and towards Zero in a line. Seeing the approaching danger, Zero lashed out with his Z-Sabre, slicing the spears in half, before dashing towards 2B, who summoned her combat bracers and sending them at Zero, who swiftly sliced them in half as he suddenly closed the distance, appearing in front of 2B.
Her eyes widened behind her blindfold and she activated her Slow Program, bringing time to a crawl around her, including Zero. 2B drew her sword back.
2B: Right then, time to-
Zero: Nice try!
2B let out a cry of surprise as Zero's Dark Hold activated and he slashed the Z-Sabre downwards, slicing off 2B's drawn back hand. 2B let out a scream of pain and leapt backwards off the edge of the broken bridge to avoid Zero's follow up slice. Zero peered over the edge as he scanned for 2B, but instead picked up something bigger.
Zero: What the-?
He leapt back suddenly as 2B, in her Flight Unit flew up and obliterated the end of the bridge Zero had been standing on a second ago. 2B looked down at her bleeding stump before glowing at Zero. The latter took a step back, and dashed away as the Flight Unit's energy blades obliterated the bridge as it pursued after Zero, also firing off energy shots that Zero zig-zagged to avoid. Eventually, Zero came to the factory from which the bridge jutted out from. With no hesitation, he ran up its side and up to the top as the Flight Unit barreled through the wall he had just ran up, coming out the other side as Zero reached the top of the factory's roof. 2B circled back around to face him.
2B: Not so tough anymore are you?
With that, 2B unleashed a barrage of missiles at Zero, obliterating the entire factory and reducing it to smouldering rubble. But before it collapsed, Zero entered Absolute Zero, his winged form, and flew above the destruction.
Zero: You haven't seen anything yet!
Absolute Zero flew with immense speed at 2B, who lashed out with her Flight Unit's energy blade, only for it to be knocked aside by Zero, before he dashed past her, slashing across her side as he did and drawing blood. 2B cried out in anger and whipped around to slash again, only for Zero to fly underneath and come flying back up, smashing through the tip of the wing. Now that he was above 2B, Zero bore down on her, intending to rip her in half with his claws in one final attack.
But then 2B smirked and unleashed a barrage of missiles upwards, engulfing Zero is a storm of explosions as they struck him.
2B: Now stay dead!
And those were her last words as Zero, now in his Black form and wielding the Σ Blade, bore down on her as he naturally fell, slashing her and the entire Flight Unit in half with a single decisive blow.
He landed on what was left of the bridge and sheathed the Σ Blade as the remains of 2B and her Flight Unit exploded overhead.
Zero: Mission accomplished!
KO!
2B's blindfold fluttered away as Zero teleported back to his base.
Outcome[]
Boomstick: No! Not the waifu! Take 9S instead, he’s super boring!
Wiz: Both Zero and 2B were exceptional robotic warriors, with years of experience under their belts, and their abilities and weaponry could counter the others pretty much to a T. However, this battle of even feats could not last.
Popup: For example, Zero’s Dark Hold could counter 2B’s Slow.
Boomstick: I’ll say! Zero was definitely the tougher of the two able to survive an explosion of 100 teratons of TNT, which is far more than the 9.4 megatons of TNT that 2B withstood, plus Zero seemed to hold strength by scaling him to the inferior Mega Man, who lifted 60,000 ton castle.
Popup: 2B’s Flight Unit was able to lift an arm of an Engel which may have weighed several hundred tons; however, it was done through her Pod’s hacking ability and telekinesis.
Wiz: Next up, speed; 2B’s Flight Unit could reach speeds of Mach 40,000 and that scaling her to A2’s feats of dodging the same crafts means she could likely do the same. But Zero once again had her beat; being able to dodge Optic Sunflower’s light speed laser puts him at Mach 870,000. That’s 21 times faster than 2B, and certainly fast enough to dodge her light-speed lasers.
Boomstick: Ultimately, nothing 2B could throw at Zero would do a lick of good.
Wiz: Exactly, and to definitively prove this, even if 2B rammed Zero full speed with her Flight Unit, it wouldn’t have done much. By comparing the weight of the flight units to the lightest air craft in the world based on outward appearance, and then timing that by its speed of Mach 40,000, then the impact power would only equal 255 million tons of TNT, 400 thousand times less than what Zero has been shown to be able to survive.
Boomstick: And with Zero’s Z-Sabre, or better yet his Σ Blade, he could definitely deliver the fatal blows needed to put down 2B, considering they’re freaking laser swords! Good thing they were both androids, because the outcome would have been gory to mankind.
Wiz: The winner is Zero.
Next Time[]
A battle of scythes
And signs of sins
Trivia[]
- Connections: Both are both robotic warriors who wield large variety of melee weapon to hunt down and eliminate dangerous machines; Maverick Reploids and Alien Machines, respectively. In addition, they have been built based on previous models of their kind; Mega Man and A2 respectively. Both are partnered up with rookie members of their occupation; Mega Man X and 9S, respectively.
- Animation Style: 2D
- OST Idea: 'Two Zero', which combines the numbers in both combatants names which generates a binary formation reminiscent of a robot's programs