Zero's connections with the original "Mega Man" characters have been the subject of speculations within fans. As it is believed that Dr. Wily created Zero in the image of Protoman or the possibility that he was responsible for multiple deaths offscreen as it is unknown what happened to the original "Mega Man" cast, explaining their absence in the "X" storyline. In 2018, Capcom left clues about how Wily dies when creating Zero but the idea of Zero killing the "Mega Man" characters was negated.