The Protomen (album)

Untitled

The Protomen is the debut album release by indie rock band The Protomen. It is a rock opera loosely based on the Mega Man video game series, and the first volume of a planned series of albums on this theme. The follow-up, Act II, is currently in production.

Plot Summary

While the plot of the album is adapted from the Mega Man games, it takes substantial liberties with the original storyline, functioning as a dystopic reworking of the games' thinly developed narrative.

The album begins with a description of a dystopia ruled by Doctor Wily and his army of robots (Hope Rides Alone). Doctor Light apparently works for Wily's government, but by night he builds a robot to lead a rebellion against Wily -- Proto Man. When Proto Man is finished, he is sent to fight Wily's forces and liberate mankind -- however, after defeating many of Wily's robots Proto Man is weakened, and the robot army launches a final assault. The human masses, too frightened of Wily to assist Proto Man, allow him to die.

Years later, Light has built a new robot, Mega Man, whom he treats as his son. To dissuade Mega Man from attempting to rebel against Wily, Light tells Mega Man Protoman's story, and explains that the people have "chosen their own end" -- they will not fight to save themselves (Unrest in The House of Light). Mega Man angrily defies Light (The Will of One) and sets out to defeat Wily on his own (Vengeance). After crushing many of Wily's robots, however, Mega Man discovers that Proto Man never died -- he now defends Wily, who has repaired him. Proto Man declares that mankind does not deserve to be saved (The Stand), and Mega Man is forced to fight him to get to Wily (Sons of Fate). Encouraged by human onlookers, Mega Man kills his "brother", but refuses to attack Wily -- instead, enraged and horrified by the fight, Mega Man abandons the humans as Wily orders his robots to murder the crowd.

Track listing

1. I: Hope Rides Alone
2. IIa: Funeral For a Son
3. IIb: Unrest in the House of Light
4. III: The Will of One
5. IV: Vengeance
6. V: The Stand (Man or Machine)
7. VI: Sons of Fate
8. EPILOGUE: Due Vendetta