Bass

Bass is overhauled to make his gameplay inherently different from Mega Man's. He shares Mega Man's ability to copy abilities from other robots, but their gameplay styles are different, as he focuses more on speed and has better mobility options than Mega Man. While Mega Man can slide to reach into smaller gaps for secrets or alternative routes, Bass can dash and do a double jump. He can also dash-jump to increase the distance of the jump. Similar to Mega Man's ability to fuse with Rush, Bass can perform that ability as well with the Treble Boost and become Super Bass, being able to fly and shoot in three directions at the same time. This allows him to pass through platforming sections more easily, as he can combine a dash into his jump or use Treble Boost to outright skip some sections. The Bass Buster was also modified to make him different from Mega Man, and instead of being able to charge, he fires quick, weak shots repeatedly and angle it vertically and diagonally, and he can also turn around during his rapid fire; however, he cannot move while firing or fire through walls like Mega Man.

Despite being extremely powerful, Bass' faults that usually lead to his downfall are his arrogance and overconfidence. According to Proto Man, it's because he has "nothing to fight for". The reason that he's continuously defeated by Mega Man is because of his selfish motive, which is simply to prove himself as the strongest, as opposed to Mega Man's desire to "fight for everyone's future" and bring peace to the world.

Bass is presented as an extremely smug, bad-tempered, egotistical, rebellious, fiercely independent and arrogant individual who believes that he's the strongest above all else. Bass is very prideful and thinks quite highly of himself, labeling everyone else around him as inferior "junk robots". He has always been shown to hold a rivalry with Mega Man, but aside from him, Bass happens to have hatred for every robot that was created by Dr. Wily (with the possible exception of Treble, Reggae, and, needless to say, himself), since he feels that they're standing in the way of his goal to destroy Mega Man and become the strongest. Bass looks down on them, believing himself to be superior to them in every way, shape, and form.

However, a notable aspect of his personality he showed in Mega Man & Bass was that he seemed to have some degree of respect for humans, since they created robots. Duo says that there is goodness in Bass (even going so far as to say that he has "justice energy"), which the latter ignored, saying that he only wants to fight, claiming that his only concern is who the strongest happens to be. Despite his rivalry with Mega Man, he is willing to work alongside him if it is to his benefits, as evidenced by Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters and his aiding Mega Man in defeating Rockman Shadow's forces. The latter instance also implied that the aftermath of the battle left Bass with some respect for Mega Man. There's a possibility that Duo's claim of there being goodness in Bass is true, since he was able to use the Evil Energy Capsules in Mega Man 8 without dying. During the events of Mega Man & Bass, he even began to show some form of concern for King.

Bass appears to care for Treble and vice versa, Bass always welcomes the fierce Treble despite the confidence in his own abilities, his robotic wolf-like companion seems to understand all his commands and is very loyal to him, even bringing Bass a cure for Roboenza when he was infected.

When a group of futuristic robots calling themselves the Dimensions lead by a dark version of Mega man known as Mega man Shadow, attacks Symphony City, Wily sends Bass to investigate as his base was nearby. Bass teams up with Mega Man who had also been sent by Dr. Light to investigate along the way.

After Bass defeats the Grey Devil in Mega man Shadow's robot factory, Mega man Shadow tells Bass he will tell him who he is once he defeats his men. Bass defeats the Dimensions and Mega man Shadow reveals that he is another robot like Quint that Wily created when he traveled to the future. Mega man Shadow offers Bass a chance to join him to destroy the real Mega man together, thereby finally making Bass the strongest robot, but Bass rejects the offer because he doesn't want to be ordered around by someone who resembles Mega man, preferring to do things is his own, which includes destroying Mega man Shadow. The two fight and Bass defeats the dark Mega man. Dying, Mega man Shadow tells him and Mega man he was a prototype of Quint that was abandoned, and that in his future he upgraded himself and increased his strength and devastated the world. As nothing could stop him in the future, he traveled back in time to find someone who could defeat him.

Mega man Shadow tells Bass that seeking strength is not the way for robots to live, as even if Bass defeats his enemies, another will always appear until he ends up dead like him. Bass admits that is a good lesson, and he and Mega man bury Mega Man Shadow. Bass tells Mega man that he will spare him for now, but to not forget that he (Bass) is the strongest robot alive. In the credits, he is seen napping with Treble, and in one last picture alongside Treble and Reggae (a cybernetic duck), Mega man Shadow and Mega man and his family.

Bass is wearing a black armor with gold coating. On his chest is a triangular blue crystal. It has purple streaks running down from his distinguished red eyes and spreading down his cheeks. His black helmet features large fins that resemble a cobra, giving him a slightly taller appearance than Megaman and a blue jewel in the shape of a cross on the top front of his helmet, he has white gloves, black gauntlets, black shinguards and white boots.

Bass without his helmet reveals that he has dark, wild purple hair featuring a widow's peak

Dr. Wily told Bass that if he joins King II, then the two of them will be unstoppable. Before Bass could answer, however, Proto Man arrives and destroys the plans. Angered, Dr. Wily orders Bass to destroy Proto Man, but he refuses. Proto Man then asks Bass if he would rather destroy Mega Man with his own power. After that, he decides to give Bass a lecture, saying that he will never defeat Mega Man because he has "nothing to fight for". Bass then gets angry about it, telling Proto Man to get lost, in which he does. After that, Bass scoffs at Proto Man, saying that he doesn't need a reason to fight, and will continue fighting to destroy Mega Man.

Shortly afterwards, Dr. Wily appears on the monitor, scolding King for helping an enemy, and telling him to finish Bass off. King refuses, and then Dr. Wily uses a device to increase his "brainwashing" (and supposedly enhancing King's power in the process). King's armor then changes from gold to a violet coloring, and then he breaks through the wall and enters the next room. Bass follows him, only to find King fusing with the giant blue machines that he fought while he was at King's fortress. Bass engages King in combat once more and defeats him once again. After that, King tells Bass to get out of the castle quickly before it explodes while he's in it. Bass, in a rare display of humanity, shows concern for King, asking about his safety. King told Bass that he would make it out of the castle somehow, but after Bass leaves. Bass quickly warps out of the castle, leaving King behind. During King's "last" words, before he's supposedly destroyed, he says that he and Bass could have probably been good friends. After that, the castle explodes, seemingly killing King and burying him under rubble.

After his victory over King, Bass decides to go to Dr. Wily's newly built laboratory to challenge him out of anger of being deceived and betrayed. Bass once again manages to overcome all obstacles in his path, including a Boss Rush, and eventually came face to face with the doctor himself. Dr. Wily then thanks Bass for getting rid of King, and then told him that he was going to put a restraining bolt on him before he goes haywire like King did. The two of them engage one another in combat, and Dr. Wily is eventually defeated, and starts bowing to Bass, pleading for mercy. Bass then holds Wily at gunpoint, demanding an explanation for creating King. According to Dr. Wily, he created King to test Bass' abilities. He supposedly designed King with the intention of creating the most powerful robot in the world, and since Bass destroyed him, he has proven himself as the strongest.

A robot calling himself King attacked and took over the recently built Wily Castle, declaring he was the strongest robot and that robots were superior to humans, thus he wanted to create a nation of robots without humans. Mega Man ​​is sent by Dr. Light to stop King, and Bass, who took offense to King's claims of being the strongest robot, embarks on yet another mission to destroy King himself before Mega Man can, so that he could prove that he's the strongest, and to get Wily's Castle back.

After Bass defeats the eight top robots and uses their Special Weapons to open the Crystal Gate to King's castle, Bass goes through it and destroys all obstacles in his way, and eventually comes across King himself. King congratulates Bass for making it that far into the castle, and then engages Bass in combat. King, wielding a shield with reflective abilities, used that to absorb Bass' blasts and send them right back at him in the form of a powerful laser beam. Because of this device, King was seemingly unstoppable. That is, until Proto Man appeared and used his powerful "Big Bang Strike" ability. Due to the fact that Proto Man used nearly all of his power on that attack, it was too much energy for King's shield to absorb, which led into it getting destroyed, as well as King getting hit and weakened by it in the process. No longer in possession of that shield, Bass' attacks actually began to do some damage, and he ended up defeating King.

King then questions Bass, asking why he's fighting for "lowly beings" like the humans, and tells him that robots are more advanced than them. Bass then tells him not to forget that humans are the ones who created robots. After that, King asks Bass to finish him off, but first teleports an unconscious Proto Man out of the fortress. Bass then asks King who created him, and King answers him by telling him that Dr. Wily was his creator, which shocks Bass.

Bass is first seen at the very beginning of the game in the first cutscene, alongside Treble, fighting against Mega Man and Rush in the city, wanting to settle the score with Mega Man right now. After Mega Man questions his reasons for fighting, Bass would respond by attempting to shoot him, prompting Mega Man to dodge the attack and return fire, knocking Bass into an elevator shaft and causing him to be tied up in steel cables. The battle was soon interrupted by Roll when she requested Mega Man back up to her flying ship, prompting him to leave (which is not what Bass wanted, but he couldn't do while restrained). Bass eventually frees himself by tearing off the steel cables, dropping a falling elevator cabin and forcing him to shoot it down with a buster shot to save himself. As Mega Man leaves, Bass silently vowing his revenge.

The next and last time Bass would show up again is near the end of the game, appearing out of nowhere in the middle of Wily Tower's third stage to challenge Mega Man once again. Although Mega Man had warned him not to do so, Bass uses a source of Evil Energy to power up his attacks and assume a stronger form of his Treble Boost. Here, he has no weakness. Mega Man manages to defeat him once again and Bass, injured from the battle, vows never to give up trying to defeat Mega Man, before teleporting out. Mega Man then asks himself why doesn't Bass understand that just fighting for the sake of self-validation will not get him anywhere.

Bass is encountered again for the third time at the first stage of Dr. Wily's castle, where he's once again fought as a Miniboss. The two of them have a battle, and Mega Man manages to defeat him. Bass then swears revenge, saying that he'll be back. He, of course, stays true to his word, as he is encountered for a fourth time at the very next Wily Castle stage. This time, he performs a fusion with Treble, and tries to destroy Mega Man with the very enhancements that he stole, which were meant for Mega Man and Rush. After a hard fight, Bass is once again defeated, and warps away. He and Treble aren't seen again until the ending, where they save Dr. Wily before Mega Man could kill him, with Bass stating that, "He who hesitates is lost." The credit sequence shows Bass and Treble one last time at the edge of a cliff, eyeing Mega Man as he walks away from the castle explosion.

Bass is first encountered at the end of the Opening Stage and is fought as the main boss, suddenly attacking Mega Man out of nowhere. According to himself, he and Treble were trying to stop Dr. Wily, and he picked that fight with Mega Man to see if he lived up to his reputation. If Mega Man defeats him, or fights him to a draw, then he'll tell Mega Man that he's as good as everyone says, and that he might not need his help. If Mega Man loses too much health, then Bass will scoff at Mega Man, telling him that he's too weak to battle Wily.

Later on, Bass and Treble are seen again at Shade Man's stage, seemingly injured from battle. Bass then starts putting himself down, saying that he feels stupid to have been beaten so easily, and that he should probably leave Wily to Mega Man. Mega Man responds by telling him that "[they're] a team", and that Dr. Light will be glad to fix him up. Bass and Treble then warp away to Dr. Light's lab to get repaired. Sometime later, after the repairs were finished, Mega Man comes back to the lab to find that it's been trashed, and that the culprit behind it was none other than Bass, much to his shock. Dr. Light then informs him that Bass stole all the parts for the "new enhancements" as well. Shortly afterward, Dr. Wily appears on the monitor and reveals that Bass and Treble are indeed his creations, and that he used Bass to get closer to Mega Man, so that he could earn his trust, and then steal the Super Adapter blueprints so that Wily could use that enhancement for Bass and Treble. Enraged by Bass' betrayal and the discovery that Dr. Wily fooled him, Mega Man assaults his castle in revenge.

You: Do you know Zero? Bass: Zero? Hmmm... that name sounds familiar... where did I hear it? Oh wait, I know! Do you refer to the girly looking robot that the Doctor's been working on? Well, sort of. I had only got the chance to see him on his capsule, but the old coot says this "Zero" guy is his ultimate creation. But that is nonsense! I am his ultimate creation, and no blonde haired robot is gonna take that title away from me! I am the only robot he needs! This Zero guy may look "strong", but is he strong? I want to fight him and show my dominance over him like I did with King. His name is "Zero", so I hope he doesn't fight like one. You: There's people who like to ship you with Megaman, what you think of that? Bass: Eh?! Excuse me?! I beg your pardon here bud, but... WHAT DO YOU MEAN WITH THAT?! Do people like to imagine me on a romantic relationship with him?! That... that is just down right a degenerate thing to do!!! He is my enemy to death! Why I would be in love with him?! Ugh... that just made me nauseous.... You: People also like to ship you with Megaman's sister Roll. Your thoughts? Bass: Oh come on, now people are just doing this to mock me right? I have no feelings towards that girl. I barely even interact with her! What the hell?.