⤷ ゛Reunitedˎˊ˗

Invisigal's Confession Invisigal then reveals the truth about her connection to Robert's downfall as Mecha Man. Before joining the Phoenix Program, Invisigal had been working with Shroud. At the time, she was suffering from worsening asthma and relied on a device provided by Shroud to improve her lung capacity. However, the device left her indebted to him. Shroud offered to clear her debt if she completed one final task for him. Using her ability to turn invisible, Invisigal was instructed to infiltrate Robert's Mecha Man suit and attach a bomb to its back. Invisigal carried out the plan and attached the bomb to Robert's suit. However, before Robert left the area, she changed her mind and abandoned Shroud's plan. She returned to her car and watched from a distance as Robert's suit exploded. The explosion resulted in Robert's injuries, his months-long coma, and the destruction of the Mecha Man suit. Shortly afterward, Shroud disabled the device that was helping Invisigal breathe, leaving her with her worsening asthma. This ultimately contributed to her joining the Phoenix Program. Invisigal admits that she had been the person responsible for the attack that destroyed Robert's career as Mecha Man. Robert can then decide whether to forgive her or reject her. Forgive: Robert tells Invisigal that she committed those actions when she was a villain and that they are in the past. He acknowledges that the fact that the attack was directed at him does not change his decision to forgive her. Invisigal is stunned that Robert could forgive her and insists that he is not thinking clearly. Reject: Robert refuses to forgive Invisigal for what she did, leaving her visibly hurt by his response. Before disappearing, Invisigal admits that she wishes Robert would look at her the same way he looks at Blonde Blazer. Depending on Robert's response, the scene can lead into a romantic choice involving Invisigal:

Lean In: Robert reciprocates Invisigal's advances and kisses her. If Robert is dating Blazer, this locks him into the Invisigal romance route and also affects Shroud's dialogue during Synergy. Lean Out: Robert pulls away from Invisigal, ending the romantic possibility between them. This also affects Shroud's dialogue during Synergy. The Sardine Weighed down by the revelations surrounding Invisigal and still deeply concerned about Chase's condition, Robert goes to The Sardine. There, Robert comes face-to-face with Shroud and his gang, including the former Z-Team member Robert had previously cut from the Phoenix Program. Shroud and his associates capture and torture Robert, demanding that he hand over the Astral Pulse. However, Shroud and Robert soon realize that Invisigal had taken the Astral Pulse for herself rather than delivering it to either of them. Before the situation can escalate further, Blonde Blazer arrives and intervenes, forcing Shroud and his gang to retreat. She takes Robert to the billboard overlooking the Hollywood sign, where the two discuss everything they have learned about the Astral Pulse, Invisigal, and Shroud. Their conversation is suddenly interrupted by explosions throughout Los Angeles as the Red Ring launches a city-wide riot. Realizing the severity of the situation, Robert and Blazer return to SDN to respond to the crisis. Episode 8: Synergy The Red Ring Uprising The episode begins in the SDN break room, where Mr. Whisky prepares coffee for himself, Galen, and Robert, secretly mixing alcohol into one of the mugs before serving them. As Robert settles at his desk, Galen informs him that a number of augmented villains have broken containment at a refinery. Blonde Blazer orders all available heroes in the area to be dispatched, only to learn that there are no heroes currently available nearby. She therefore asks Robert to handle the situation while she leaves to assist the other heroes. Royd offers to help Robert manage the situation. Once Robert logs into his computer, he discovers that only Prism, Punch Up, and Golem initially arrived for work due to the late-night emergency call. More members of Team Z gradually return and join the response. Robert is soon overwhelmed by multiple emergency alerts appearing on his computer. He notices either Waterboy or Phenomaman and encourages them to join Team Z to help handle the crisis. Once the additional member joins, Robert begins coordinating the team through the city-wide emergency. However, the situation escalates when either Coupé or Sonar, depending on who Robert cut from the Phoenix Program in Episode 3, joins the Red Ring and begins causing widespread destruction. Robert must simultaneously dispatch the available heroes to stop Coupé or Sonar while managing the other emergency calls throughout Los Angeles. If Robert struggles to contain the situation, Blonde Blazer eventually joins Team Z's efforts. The outcome of the dispatch determines whether Robert and the Z-Team successfully stop Coupé or Sonar before they can cause catastrophic damage to Los Angeles. Robert's decision regarding Invisigal in Episode 7 also affects the dispatch. If he cut her from the Phoenix Program, she does not participate. If he defended her, she remains part of the team, although the Z-Team suffers reduced morale. Regardless of the outcome, the SDN building eventually loses power and everyone is ordered to evacuate. Robert and Royd remember that Chase is still in the infirmary and split up to search for him. Robert reaches the infirmary and discovers that Chase is still alive. Relieved, he leaves Beef sitting on Chase's lap before returning to Royd. Robert finds Royd fighting Invisigal in the room where the Mecha Man armor was previously stored before being moved to the recreation room. Royd considers Invisigal a traitor and restrains one of her wrists against a table. Royd then gives Robert the Astral Pulse that Invisigal had been keeping. Invisigal insists that they need her help, warning them that they do not understand what is coming. Her warning proves correct as the Red Ring begins surrounding the SDN building. Royd tells Robert to keep watch over Invisigal while he attempts to restore the building's power. He gives Robert a taser for protection before leaving. Robert sits across from Invisigal and confronts her about hiding the truth about the Astral Pulse. Invisigal explains that she was trying to protect him, but Robert remains frustrated that she did not tell him the truth. Robert eventually gets up to check the security cameras and discovers that Thumbstick is nearby. Robert can either release Invisigal or leave her behind while he deals with Thumbstick himself, although both choices ultimately result in Thumbstick being defeated. Robert later notices Royd being attacked by Red Ring members. Realizing that he needs to help, Robert makes his way to the Mecha Man armor and enters it. He replaces the prototype Astral Pulse with the real Pulse that Royd recovered from Invisigal and activates the Mecha Man armor once again. Robert returns to Royd, but the two are immediately confronted by Toxic and Armstrong, who demand that Robert surrender the Astral Pulse. Robert refuses. The Fall of Shroud Shroud then arrives in his massive Spider Armor. Shroud reveals the history between himself and Robert's father, explaining his connection to the Astral Pulse and his plans to use its power to enhance his own abilities and make more accurate predictions about the future. Robert engages Shroud in a one-on-one battle. During the fight, Blonde Blazer arrives and is seemingly captured by Shroud almost immediately. However, Shroud soon discovers that the apparent Blazer is actually an illusion created by Prism. The real Blonde Blazer then attacks alongside the rest of Team Z. Robert, Blonde Blazer, Phenomaman, Flambae, and Prism focus on Shroud while the remaining members of the Z-Team hold back the Red Ring. Robert and Blonde Blazer are briefly distracted when either Coupé or Sonar joins the battle, forcing them to deal with the former Z-Team member before they can return to the fight. Invisigal eventually joins the battle as well, helping the Z-Team defeat the remaining Red Ring members. Despite the combined efforts of the Z-Team, Shroud proves overwhelmingly powerful and manages to defeat nearly the entire team. At the last moment, Chase arrives and uses his powers to severely damage Shroud's Spider Armor. Chase is revealed to be wearing Blonde Blazer's amulet. If Robert did not pursue the Blonde Blazer romance route, it is revealed that Blonde Blazer's true identity is Mandy, an ordinary brunette who uses the magical amulet to grant herself her superhuman abilities. With the amulet's power combined with his incredible speed, Chase becomes Star Blazer, allowing him to turn the tide of the battle. The Z-Team ultimately destroys Shroud's Spider Armor, with Robert delivering the finishing blow in a reference to either Mortal Kombat or Dragon Ball, depending on the player's choice. However, Shroud survives the destruction of his armor. The Final Choice Shroud emerges from the wreckage holding Beef hostage. The Z-Team is surrounded by the remaining Red Ring members, and Shroud demands that Robert surrender the Astral Pulse. Shroud reveals that he knows about the faulty prototype Pulse Royd and Robert had been developing and anticipates that Robert may attempt to deceive him by giving him the fake Pulse. Robert has three possible choices:

Give Shroud the Real Pulse: Robert hands over the real Astral Pulse. Shroud immediately installs it into himself, gaining its power and empowering the Red Ring members through it. Give Shroud the Fake Pulse: Shroud immediately recognizes that Robert has given him the prototype. He threatens to hurt Beef, causing Robert to panic and surrender the real Pulse. Shroud then installs it and gains the Pulse's power. Give Shroud Both Pulses: Robert gives Shroud both the real and prototype Pulses. When Shroud questions the decision, Robert explains that the best way to outsmart someone who can predict the future is to have no idea what he is doing himself. Because Robert no longer knows which Pulse is real, Shroud cannot predict which one he should choose. Shroud makes his choice and installs one of the Pulses. If he chose correctly, Shroud and the Red Ring are immediately empowered. If he chose the prototype, however, the power surge lasts only briefly before Shroud and the Red Ring members begin violently vomiting, revealing that Shroud chose the wrong Pulse. Shroud attempts to recover before trying to shoot Robert. The outcome then depends on Robert's relationship with Invisigal and how he treated her throughout the game. True Hero Invisigal

If Invisigal has become a true hero, she jumps in front of Robert and takes the bullet for him. With Shroud now out of ammunition, Robert tackles him and repeatedly punches him in a fit of rage. Robert can then either spare Shroud or choke him to death. Regardless of Robert's decision, he then returns to Invisigal and attempts to comfort her and help her to her feet. Anti-Hero Invisigal

If Invisigal has remained an anti-hero, she attacks Shroud herself, stabbing him in the throat and killing him before Robert can intervene. This removes Robert's choice to spare or kill Shroud. Invisigal then winks at Robert before throwing him the real Astral Pulse and disappearing. Meanwhile, the Z-Team continues fighting the remaining Red Ring members and eventually manages to subdue them as the police arrive. Aftermath Morning arrives as SDN personnel and heroes begin cleaning up the destruction throughout Los Angeles while the captured Red Ring members are transported to prison. If Invisigal remained an anti-hero, she does not appear during the aftermath. If she became a true hero, she is found injured and transported to an ambulance on a stretcher while the Z-Team cheers her on. If Robert has developed a romantic relationship with her, Invisigal kisses him before being taken away. Chase and the Z-Team later appear on the news, where Chase discusses the outcome of the confrontation with Shroud, with his comments depending on whether Robert spared or killed him. Coupé or Sonar is also about to be arrested for their actions during the Red Ring uprising. If Robert successfully stopped them before they destroyed Los Angeles, the Z-Team attempts to convince the police that they are members of SDN. Robert is then given the choice to either forgive Coupé or Sonar and vouch for their innocence or allow the police to arrest them. If Robert failed to stop them and Los Angeles was destroyed, he does not receive this choice and they are automatically arrested. Blonde Blazer, now revealed as Mandy, later speaks with Robert. She implies that she is willing to give up her powers in order to keep Chase alive. If Robert killed Shroud, Mandy asks him how it felt to finally achieve revenge before informing him that he is suspended from SDN pending an investigation into Shroud's death. Depending on the progress of Robert's relationship with Mandy, she may kiss him. Chase then comments on Robert's relationship decisions, either telling him that he was right about Invisigal or sarcastically telling him that he had warned Robert about her. The game ends with Mr. Whisky offering to take a group photograph of Robert and the Z-Team, bringing the story to a close. Endings The events of the final confrontation with Shroud can result in one of six different endings for Robert and the Z-Team. The ending is primarily determined by Robert's decisions throughout the game, particularly his relationship with Invisigal, his relationship with Blonde Blazer, and how he chooses to handle Shroud during the final confrontation. The endings are generally divided between three positive and three negative outcomes. While the Perfect Partners Ending is sometimes referred to by fans as the "true ending", particularly due to the popularity of the Robert and Invisigal romance, there is currently no officially established canon ending. Each ending represents a different possible conclusion to Robert's journey as he transitions from the disgraced former Mecha Man into a leader capable of bringing together the dysfunctional members of the Phoenix Program. Perfect Partners Ending The Perfect Partners Ending is one of the three positive endings and is primarily achieved by successfully guiding Invisigal toward becoming a genuine hero while pursuing a romantic relationship with her. During the final confrontation, Shroud fires at Robert, prompting Invisigal to dive in front of him and take the bullet. Despite being seriously wounded, she survives the attack. Robert remains at her side as she is transported away by ambulance, where the two share a passionate kiss. The Z-Team is ultimately celebrated for their actions in protecting Los Angeles, with their efforts proving that the Phoenix Program's former villains are capable of becoming legitimate heroes. Robert and Invisigal ultimately become partners both romantically and as crime-fighters. Their relationship represents the culmination of Robert's attempts to convince Invisigal that her past as a villain does not have to determine who she becomes. Rather than abandoning her after learning that she was responsible for destroying his original Mecha Man suit, Robert chooses to forgive her and help her become the person she wants to be. This ending is particularly popular among fans due to the development of Robert and Invisigal's relationship throughout the game, and is sometimes considered the "true ending" by the fandom. However, this is a fan interpretation, as the game does not officially designate any of its six endings as canon. Power Couple Ending The Power Couple Ending is another positive outcome, achieved when Robert successfully mentors Invisigal into becoming a hero but ultimately pursues a romantic relationship with Blonde Blazer. Like the Perfect Partners Ending, Invisigal proves her heroism during the final confrontation by taking the bullet intended for Robert and surviving. Her willingness to sacrifice herself for Robert demonstrates that she has genuinely changed from the villain she once believed herself destined to become. Unlike the Perfect Partners Ending, however, Robert does not enter a relationship with Invisigal. Instead, his relationship with Blonde Blazer develops into a romantic partnership. Following the events of the finale, Blonde Blazer reveals her true identity as Mandy and remains closely connected with Robert. Robert and Mandy ultimately become a power couple, working together while continuing to oversee the SDN and the Z-Team. Invisigal remains an important member of the team and retains her friendship with Robert despite their relationship remaining platonic. Her survival and heroic actions demonstrate that Robert's mentorship succeeded even without the two becoming romantically involved. Mentor's Legacy Ending The Mentor's Legacy Ending is the third positive ending and occurs when Robert does not pursue either of his romantic options while still consistently making positive decisions throughout the game. Invisigal still proves her heroism by saving Robert during the final confrontation, demonstrating that the lessons Robert attempted to teach her throughout the game ultimately paid off. However, there is no romantic conclusion for Robert. Instead, the ending focuses on the Z-Team as a collective and the relationships Robert has built with its members. Robert finishes the story as a respected leader and mentor rather than as someone's romantic partner. The former villains of the Phoenix Program have grown into a genuine team under his leadership, while Robert has successfully established himself as a hero in his own right despite no longer possessing the original Mecha Man legacy. The ending therefore places the emphasis on Robert's growth as a mentor. His greatest accomplishment is not finding a romantic partner, but helping the Z-Team discover that they can become better people and legitimate heroes. Corrupted Love Ending The Corrupted Love Ending is one of the three negative endings and occurs when Invisigal's anger and resentment ultimately overwhelm the heroic ideals Robert attempted to instill in her. During the final confrontation, Invisigal kills Shroud rather than allowing Robert to determine his fate. Her actions represent a rejection of the moral boundaries Robert attempted to establish throughout his mentorship. Despite this, Robert and Invisigal remain together romantically. Their relationship consequently becomes a dark "Bonnie and Clyde"-style partnership. While they remain devoted to one another, their relationship is now built around violence and moral compromise rather than the hopeful partnership seen in the Perfect Partners Ending. The Z-Team's reputation is also damaged by Invisigal's actions. Robert's attempt to turn a group of former villains into legitimate heroes has been undermined by one of his closest teammates reverting to lethal violence. The ending therefore presents a twisted version of the Perfect Partners Ending: Robert gets the relationship he wanted with Invisigal, but at the cost of the ideals he spent the game trying to teach her. Hollow Victory Ending The Hollow Victory Ending occurs when Invisigal kills Shroud despite Robert's attempts to stop her, while Robert ultimately pursues a romantic relationship with Blonde Blazer. Unlike the Power Couple Ending, Invisigal's actions prevent her from fully completing her transition from villain to hero. She has proven that she cares about Robert, but her willingness to murder Shroud demonstrates that she has not completely escaped the violent instincts of her past. Robert nevertheless ends the game with Mandy, establishing the romantic relationship he pursued throughout the story. The result is deliberately bittersweet. Robert gets the relationship he wanted with Blonde Blazer, but he must live with the knowledge that the person he attempted to mentor has fallen back into violence. The ending consequently contrasts Robert's personal happiness with the failure of his mentorship. He "gets the girl," but the Z-Team has lost part of the progress it made under his leadership. Total Failure Ending The Total Failure Ending is generally regarded as the worst of the six outcomes. In this ending, Invisigal kills Shroud, Robert does not pursue a romantic relationship with either Invisigal or Blonde Blazer, and the Z-Team is left fractured by the events surrounding the final battle. Robert ultimately ends the story alone in the SDN office, reflecting on everything that went wrong with the Phoenix Program. Rather than becoming the mentor who successfully transforms a group of former villains into heroes, Robert is left questioning whether his efforts accomplished anything at all. His relationship with Invisigal has collapsed, his romantic relationships have gone nowhere, and the team he worked so hard to unite has been damaged. The ending serves as the darkest conclusion to Robert's character arc. He began the game struggling with the failure of his identity as Mecha Man and searching for a way to rebuild his life. By the end, he has become a capable dispatcher and leader, but the failure of his relationships and the Phoenix Program leaves him questioning whether that growth was enough. The Six Outcomes The six endings ultimately represent different conclusions to Robert's central struggle between revenge, heroism, mentorship, and personal relationships. Ending Invisigal's fate Robert's romance Robert's outcome Perfect Partners Becomes a true hero Invisigal Robert and Invisigal become partners Power Couple Becomes a true hero Blonde Blazer/Mandy Robert and Mandy lead SDN together Mentor's Legacy Becomes a true hero Neither Robert becomes a respected mentor and leader Corrupted Love Kills Shroud Invisigal Robert and Invisigal remain together despite their moral corruption Hollow Victory Kills Shroud Blonde Blazer/Mandy Robert gets Mandy but loses faith in Invisigal's redemption Total Failure Kills Shroud Neither Robert ends alone with a fractured Z-Team Ultimately, none of the six endings is officially established as the canon conclusion. The different outcomes instead allow the player to determine what Robert ultimately values most: love, redemption, leadership, revenge, or simply becoming the hero his father and Chase believed he could be. Powers and Abilities Powers Mecha Man Armor Capabilities: Robert Robertson doesn't possess any innate powers; instead, he uses the mecha armor, which grants him super strength, durability, endurance, and a variety of weapons and projectiles. Superhuman Strength: Mecha Man's strength while inside the suit is greatly amplified. He can easily fight against more than 3 superpowered villains and manage to make Toxic heavily injured from a single stomp/punt. Superhuman Durability: Mecha Man can withstand immense conditions, including superhuman blows, acid-based attacks, falling from very high altitude, bullets, and electric-based attacks. Enhanced Speed: Mecha Man moves faster than an average human through the use of the jetpack. He easily catches up to Toxic while he was sent flying after getting hit. Flight: Mecha Man is capable of flying with the use of the jetpacks. Weapon Summoning: Mecha Man can summon many weapons from his armor. This includes plasma weapons, projectiles, and is not limited to a variety of different explosives. Energy Projection: Mecha Man can channel and project energy with his armor. Energy Beam Emission: Mecha Man can project a beam of energy at specific targets, enough to damage Shroud's spider armor. Barrier Generation: Mecha Man can generate an energy barrier around himself, which grants protection and deflects firearms shooting at it for a limited time. Abilities Master Hacker: Robert Robertson has shown skills in hijacking and fixing a broken bidet, and being able to disable the sensors of an art museum, and subsequently fixing it. Additionally, he can easily hack into CCTVs and bypass the security system. Master Tactician: Robert Robertson is a brilliant tactician and leader, proven when he can easily lead Z Team and fully gain their trust. Because of this, the team's shift turned out to be successful thanks to Robert's leadership. Expert Engineer: Robert Robertson has enough technical knowledge to repair his own suit if it's not destroyed. Expert Combatant: Despite only being a regular human underneath his suit, Robert is a very skilled hand-to-hand combatant and maintains a high level of physical conditioning despite his lack of powers and repeated injuries. He is able to take on several goons at once and can even go toe-to-toe with supervillains. Pain Resistance: Robert Robertson is shown to have a superior pain tolerance compared to an average person, shrugging off dislocated limbs and broken bones with ease. Relationships Blonde Blazer Robert’s manager, employer, and potential girlfriend is someone he’s friendly with and not above teasing for being corny. He first meets Blonde Blazer shortly after announcing his retirement, when she saves him from a group of thieves. The two share mutual respect, both being accomplished superheroes in their own right. With Track Star’s recommendation, Blazer personally invites Robert to become a dispatcher at SDN, believing he still has much to offer, and promises to repair his suit in return. Throughout the game, Blazer offers advice and insight, leaving decisions about the Z-Team to Robert and respecting his choices. Robert is one of the few people Blazer opens up to, sharing her thoughts and feelings about superhero work and her relationships. A romance can develop between them from their first meeting, with Blazer gradually admitting to mutual feelings after ending things with her previous boyfriend, Phenomaman. Regardless of romance, she cares deeply for Robert, watching over him when Chase is incapacitated and risking her life to save him when he’s abducted. During the Red Rings’ siege on Los Angeles, she aids him in his showdown with Shroud. In the end, she praises Robert’s contributions to the Z-Team, proud of his achievements. If romantically involved, Robert asks her out again before they kiss; if he’s with Invisigal, she feels sad but accepts it, encouraging him to make her happy. Z-Team (Phoenix Program) As their dispatcher, Robert takes on the task of mentoring a group of ex-supervillains, guiding them toward using their skills for the good of society. Even with his reputation as a retired hero, they’re slow to trust him at first. Things start to change after he delivers a heartfelt speech about the meaning of the Phoenix Program and the importance of making the most of their second chance. Soon, they’re inviting him to The Sardine and working together on a plan to recover the Astral Pulse at the housewarming party Invisigal organizes. In a gesture of trust, Robert may choose to reveal that he is Mecha Man. Ultimately, he’s proud that they’ve become more than just a team—they’re a tight-knit, quirky family who can hash out their issues with only minimal chaos. Invisigal - She is his subordinate, protégé, and potential girlfriend. Robert first meets Invisigal when she spies on him while he’s getting dressed, much to Blonde Blazer’s disappointment. Their relationship starts off rocky after a failed mission where Invisigal disobeys orders, leading to her punching Robert when he calls out her reckless actions. Things improve after a successful mission under Robert’s guidance, and she develops strong feelings for him, which the player can choose to reciprocate. Over time, they begin to work well together, with Invisigal helping Robert open up to the Z-Team about his identity and formulating a plan to recover the Astral Pulse. However, tensions rise again when Invisigal tries to steal the Astral Pulse alone, resulting in Chase being injured while rescuing her. This forces Robert to decide whether to remove her from the team or defend her actions to the Z-Team. Eventually, a remorseful Invisigal admits to feeling inferior as a hero and incapable of doing good, prompting Robert to comfort her—until she also confesses to bombing Mecha Man, leaving him shocked. Depending on Robert’s earlier responses to her flirting, Invisigal may forcefully kiss him, and the player can choose whether he reciprocates or rejects her before she disappears. Later, during the Battle of Los Angeles, Invisigal returns to assist Robert and the Z-Team in their final showdown with Shroud. Based on Robert’s treatment of her, she either betrays Shroud to protect Robert or kills Shroud before leaving the team. If she remains a hero, Robert is proud of her growth and sees her off with the rest of the team as she’s taken away in an ambulance. If in a relationship, she passionately kisses him goodbye. Flambae - Long before joining SDN, Mecha Man and Flambae had a rocky history—Flambae lost his fingers to Mecha Man back when he was a villain, and later, as a hero, either had a tooth knocked out or his eyebrows singed. At SDN, Flambae often made life difficult for Robert both on and off the clock, even threatening to burn him if his identity as Mecha Man was revealed. Still, despite their past, Flambae occasionally tried to be friendlier—spotting Robert on the bench press, showing up to his housewarming (though greeting him with a punch if the secret came out), and letting go of some of his hatred. If Robert gave Shroud both pulses after the final battle, Flambae watched with pride as Robert defended his choice, recognizing that Robert’s philosophy had turned the Z-Team into more than just a team. By the credits, their relationship was fully mended, with Flambae casually throwing an arm around Robert. Coupé - Robert’s relationship with Coupé depends on whether he keeps her on or cuts her from the Z-Team. If he cuts her, she becomes angry and ends up recruited by The Red Ring, leading to a fight against Robert and Blonde Blazer where she vents her frustration about being dropped in favor of Sonar and her disgust for the Z-Team. If the player defeats her in the final dispatch and chooses to have Robert forgive her, she’s grateful to be welcomed back. If he keeps her, she drunkenly offers her assassination skills to him and starts taking her role very personally. When she’s downed, Robert tells her she is “needed,” a word she’s never heard applied to her before, and it comforts her as she commits herself fully to the team. Punch Up - At first, Punch Up and the Z-Team show open contempt and disrespect toward Robert during his first shift. By the next shift, however, Punch Up starts to appreciate Robert’s instincts and dedication to the team, even if his attitude toward Robert remains abrasive. In a bar fight, Punch Up accidentally lands a punch to Robert’s groin, quickly apologizing before resuming his rampage. If Robert decides to cut Coupé from the team, Punch Up reacts with fury, spamming Robert’s computer with pornographic pop-ups and storming out midshift, though he eventually comes to accept the decision. Golem - Golem and Robert don’t have a deliberately hostile relationship, but Golem clearly dislikes being scolded by Robert for things caused by his large size. Even so, Golem still follows Robert’s commands and even saves his life by stepping in front of Flambae when he tries to burn Robert after his superhero identity is revealed—though Golem does it as a favor for buying him two drinks. Malevola - Malevola isn’t shy about telling Rob exactly what’s on her mind. She’s against the idea of cutting someone just to set a standard and hangs onto that grudge when the team meets to discuss Invisigal’s consequences. Still, she’s openly friendly—sometimes even flirty—with Robert after his speech about his identity. If Robert ends up cutting Sonar from the team, Malevola is furious at first, going so far as to bug his computer with a bat-screech audio file and walking out midshift, but eventually she comes to accept his decision. Sonar - Robert’s relationship with Sonar depends on whether he keeps him on the Z-Team or cuts him. If he cuts Sonar, Sonar feels hurt and ends up joining The Red Ring, leading to a showdown with Blonde Blazer where he claims he’s stronger without the Z-Team. If the player defeats him in the final dispatch and chooses to have Robert forgive him, Sonar is relieved to be welcomed back. If Robert keeps Sonar, he expresses his gratitude—something unusual for his typical ego. If Robert reveals he’s Mecha Man, Sonar becomes curious about Robert’s finances alongside his role as Mecha Man. Phenomaman - A potential Z-Team member over Waterboy, Robert first meets Phenomaman when he arrives to pick up Blonde Blazer for their date in Tokyo, which ends in a break-up that Phenomaman doesn’t take well. Blonde Blazer asks Robert to help cheer him up, leading Robert to try teaching Phenomaman how to handle human emotions. Whether Phenomaman joins the roster in episode 4 or 8, Robert finds him useful but sometimes frustrating, given his struggles with understanding human interaction and reading the room. Waterboy - Waterboy, a potential Z-Team recruit from Phenomaman, is one of the rare few who knew Robert's superhero identity before it was revealed. Naturally, he admires Robert as a hero and often seeks his advice as a mentor. If he joins the Z-Team in episode 4, Robert gives him one-on-one talks to boost his confidence. Even if Waterboy joins later in episode 8, Robert still encourages him, assuring he has what it takes to save the city. Chase Chase, the youngest member of the Brave Brigades, became close friends with Robert’s father, Robert “Robbie” Robertson II. Because of their friendship and Chase’s youth, Robbie often left Robert in Chase’s care while he was busy with work, leading the two to develop a brotherly bond. At one point, Chase saved Robert from being killed by Robbie’s Mecha Man suit, leaving Robert scarred. After Robbie was murdered by Shroud, Chase reached out to Robert, but Robert kept his distance, and they lost touch for years. When Robert’s time as Mecha Man abruptly ended, Chase recommended him to Blonde Blazer for a dispatcher role, reuniting them. Working together as dispatchers, Chase acted as Robert’s mentor, helped with the Z-Team, and even babysat Beef. After a drunken argument with Invisigal, Chase returned to Robert’s apartment to apologize, explaining his doubts about her. In that moment, Invisigal was caught stealing the Astral Pulse and left to die, prompting Chase to save her with his powers, though the side effects caused him to collapse, devastating Robert. While Chase was hospitalized, Robert shared his regrets with Blazer, nearly brought to tears over almost losing him. During the battle of Los Angeles, when the power went out at the SDN branch, Robert rushed to check on Chase, relieved to find him alive before preparing for the Red Rings. Later, during Robert’s showdown with Shroud, Blazer lent Chase her amulet, fully restoring him and boosting his powers, allowing him to save Robert at the last second. After Shroud’s defeat, Chase celebrated alongside Robert and the team. Beef Robert’s beloved chihuahua, Beef, is his constant companion. When he’s not busy at work, Robert spends his free time playing with Beef or taking him for walks. Eventually, unwilling to leave Beef home alone, he starts bringing him to work, leaving him in Chase’s care. After Robert is injured during a prototype test, a drunken Robert shares his worries with Beef, who amusingly farts on him. Later, with Chase incapacitated, Robert leaves Beef at Chase’s bedside. During the Z-Team’s battle with Shroud at the SDN branch, they destroy Shroud’s mecha suit, but Shroud shocks them by taking Beef hostage. Threatening to kill the dog, Shroud forces Robert to surrender the Astral Pulse to keep Beef safe. Shroud Robert’s arch-nemesis is Shroud. After Shroud murdered Robert’s father, Robert vowed revenge and went after him, only to fall into a trap set by Shroud. Though Shroud defeated Mecha Man, he failed to secure the Astral Pulse and began keeping tabs on Robert until Invisigal stole it. Shroud snatched the case but found it empty, prompting him to abduct Robert. During interrogation, Shroud revealed Invisigal had taken the Pulse for herself. When Shroud unleashed the Red Rings on Los Angeles, he donned his mecha suit and taunted Robert, triggering their final showdown. The Z-Team struggled against Shroud’s predictive attacks until Track Blazer arrived, evening the fight and damaging Shroud’s suit. Furious, Shroud took Beef hostage, forcing Robert to consider handing over the Astral Pulse. Shroud taunted him about his feelings, especially for Invisigal, claiming she was his mole. If Robert had supported Invisigal’s growth as a hero, she shielded him from being shot, enraging Robert into beating Shroud senseless. Wounded, Shroud pleaded before Robert decided to either spare or kill him. Sparing him left Shroud smiling weakly as authorities took him away; killing him saw Robert strangle him in vengeance. Alternatively, if Robert mistrusted Invisigal, Shroud ordered her to kill Robert—only for her to stab Shroud in the neck, stunning Robert and stealing his moment. Robert “Robbie” Robertson II Robert had a complicated relationship with his father. Though he admired him, he also had mixed feelings, describing his childhood as filled with “tough love.” Once, he was nearly killed by Robbie’s Mecha Man suit, but instead of checking on him, Robbie coldly told him to get up. Robert often cried when left alone at home with Chase, as Robbie spent most of his time away, focused on his superhero career. Despite the rough upbringing, Robert still loved his father and vowed to avenge his death by defeating Shroud. Robert's Mother Robert’s mother isn’t directly mentioned in Dispatch, and she’s noticeably absent from the glimpses we get of his early life. Other than a joking comment from Toxic, who suggests she might have dropped Robert on his head as a kid, nothing else is revealed about her identity, what happened to her, or her role in raising him so far. Robert's character may be inspired certain trends and characters of the superhero genre. His name could be a reference to the alliterative names of Marvel Comics characters. Mecha Man is likely based on Iron Man, albeit a financially struggling version without enough money to maintain or upgrade his mech suit. His real name, Robert Robertson, could be a reference to the actor Robert Downey Jr. , who portrayed Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Both him and most iterations of Peter Parker from the Spider-Man series assumed their roles of superheroes at a young age. Robert's financial ruin can also be compared to Parker's, since both of them struggled with maintaining a civil identity while operating as a superhero at the same time. His character might be inspired by Rick Flag from the Suicide Squad series, as both of them are normal humans without powers, sharing a similar outlook on life. Both are in charge of a group of superpowered misfits, beginning on rocky terms only to develop trust over time. Robert shares many similarities with Spike Spiegel, the lead character in the anime series Cowboy Bebop. Both are skilled in hand-to-hand combat, while relying on technological constructs for their role in the world. Their burdens heavily shape the narrative of their respective media. Robert's character was also influenced by the co-founder of AdHoc Studio and writer of Dispatch, Pierre Shorette. Beef, Robert's dog, is an overweight Chihuahua based on Shorette's real pet. [2] The half-Korean aspect present in early development reflects Shorette's own ethnicity. During early development, Robert was planned to be ethnically half-Korean. However, this aspect of Robert's character was removed later into development to avoid similarities with Mark Grayson from the Invincible series. [3][4] A half-Korean depiction of Robert can still be seen on the cover of the fourth issue of the Dispatch digital comic. Prior to casting Aaron Paul, AdHoc studio contemplated giving Robert's role to Rahul Kohli.[5] There are two moments in episode 5 that seem to imply that Robert may or may not be bisexual. His teasing exchange with Flambae about jealousy and dinner suggests openness to same‑sex intimacy, but it’s framed as a joke. His innuendo with Invisigal about “blowing” people doubles as a sexual pun, reinforcing the possibility of attraction across genders. Robert's SDN Employee ID number is 5318008. Robert is one of only three characters in Dispatch to have a scene told from his perspective, along with Invisigal and Mr. Whiskey. Robert is double jointed. Blonde Blazer, Prism (Optional) and Malevola (Optional) are the only characters during the events of Dispatch that Robert shows this off to. Notes The news report in the first episode states that the first Mecha Man debuted over 50 years ago, while Chase, who is 39, was shown as part of the Brave Brigades and looking rather young compared to other heroes. Before his dad died 15 years ago, Robert notes that Chase would sometimes babysit him, suggesting he was still young at the time. Chase is also shown babysitting a young Robert in 2003.