Eir

Eir (stylized as EIR) is a Metal Attacker debuting in Blaster Master Zero 2, piloted by Kanna and supported by Kenwood and Yacopu. Its designation is NORA MA-06.

Design

Eir is designed as a high-speed close-range combat unit, with two small wheels in front and two large ones in the back, attached to a pair of high-powered "legs" that let Eir leap into the sky. Inti Creates describes Eir as "Originally made for special rescue operations."

The angular cockpit shape with ear-like flaps and a bulbous "tail" on the end give Eir the aesthetics of a rabbit.

Abilities

“	Jason: It seems that EIR...specializes in close-range combat! Wow, I had no idea there was an MA like this! Eve: Even though it's supposed to be a "tank"... Eve: ...But, hehe, that's not what this conversation is about, is it? As you said, it focuses on close and mid-range attacks, so try to keep your distance. A weapon you can use while mobile would be best.”
	— "Eir" Eve Chat (during the Eir boss fight)

Eir's specs and abilities are never fully elaborated, but its boss fight does demonstrate a number of abilities.

Compared to most MAs, Eir has a much higher degree of acceleration which Kanna utilizes to smash through opponents. Its jump power is strong enough to allow it to jump off-screen from flat ground, though Kanna typically uses much shorter jumps while actively engaging adversaries with its armaments. Unlike SOPHIA III and its derivatives, Eir is not equipped with a forward-facing main cannon --- rather, it supplements its high maneuverability with a complement of sub-weapons:

• Eir's signature sub-weapon is a drill that sprouts from the bottom of the MA and can kick up energized debris while in contact with terrain. Kanna can use it to charge along the ground, impale enemies from above, or actuate corkscrew flowers native to Planet Stranga.
• Eir is also equipped with an area-denial sub-weapon that shoots slow-moving energy bulbs. When a bulb hits terrain, it blooms into a large energy flower which persists for several seconds, harming combatants other than Eir. Both bulbs and blooms are more powerful than the usual attacks which Gaia-SOPHIA's armor is designed to absorb, dealing 2 damage to this battle tank.
  • In-flight projectiles can be neutralized by G-SOPHIA's weaponry and will often yield Capsules on destruction.
• Eir can fire the "tail" pod on its back rearward as a spiked sphere which absorbs projectiles and explodes on contact with a wall --- Kanna only uses this sub-weapon as a defensive measure whenever Eir is taking heavy damage from a ranged attacker on the ground.
  • A new pod is seemingly created near-instantly after the destruction of the last pod, allowing this attack to be used more than once despite Eir only carrying one "tail".

WARNING The Hostility Of CLASSIFIED INFORMATION This article contains spoilers for the endgame of Blaster Master Zero 3.

Despite the fact that Eir's armament does not change much between the events of 2 and 3's True Ending path, the additional tactics and support options offered by the machine and its crew speak of the pilot's growth.

• Eir will now sometimes grind along the ground with the Drill Smasher, scattering rocks as it goes
• Yacopu will now provide support after Eir takes enough damage, transforming the arena into a flower field where Kanna's siblings will rain fruits from the sky.
  • The watermelons are actually bombs, and will explode on contact
  • The fruits can be destroyed for Life and Energy capsules, but be careful not to let Eir collect them. If Eir grabs three, it will surround itself in an invincible gold aura, jump offscreen, then turn giant as it comes back down.
    • While giant, Eir has increased attack and defense. Contact damage is more punishing, and its grenades have increased size, durability, and explosion radius.

Story

Pre-game

Eir and Kenwood are deployed across space to find a pilot, and land on Planet Stranga. Due to the planet's overabundance of non-sentient plant life, the support droid had great difficulty in finding a pilot. At the end of his rope, he pulled at a plant one day and Kanna more or less sprouted from the ground. Since then, Kenwood has taken to raising Kanna as an effective pilot and well-behaved lady. Kanna is up to standard on the former, not so much the latter.

Some time before Jason lands on Stranga, the Eir crew is accosted by a "silver...purplish...super fast...ship", in Kanna's own words. While they easily resolve the encounter, this causes Kanna to logically(?) assume that other MAs and their pilots are hostile.

Blaster Master Zero 2

Gaia-SOPHIA and its crew run into Eir while traversing Planet Stranga in search of an access key. Kanna stubbornly believes the visitors are in league with her previous assailant and refuses to let Jason explain otherwise, leading to a skirmish between G-SOPHIA and Eir which ultimately leaves the latter MA temporarily immobilized and disarmed. With Eir no longer capable of fighting for the near future, Kanna has no choice but to listen to Jason and Eve's explanation.

After the two crews come to a mutual understanding and Kanna demands three kinds of fruit, Kenwood hands over a part that grants the Drill Smasher sub-weapon, allowing Gaia-SOPHIA to execute Eir's aerial drill attack and punch through hard rocks in order to reach the desired fruit. Once Jason and company return to the now-friendly Eir with all three fruit, Kanna uses Yacopu to synthesize medicine for Eve before divulging the coordinates of Planetoid E-3, where the area's access key resides. (As story elements are disabled when not playing as Jason, defeating Eir as Copen or Empress immediately grants both Drill Smasher and the map for Planetoid E-3.)

Blaster Master Zero 3

In seeking a cure for Eve's mutant cells, Jason travels to Planet Stranga to ask Kanna for help. The pilot of Eir accepts, guiding them towards the Nu-Nasae Herb and occasionally clearing the way with its Drill Smasher. Unfortunately, Eir gets accosted several times by a plant known as Serani-Torami, and Jason is forced to deal with the plant in lieu of waiting days for it to wilt. Eventually, Eir and Gaia-SOPHIA SV find the herb, but it's wilted from exerting itself to fend off Metal Cerbeboss. Kanna and Eir stay behind to tend to it as Jason goes off to fight the boss mutant.

WARNING The Hostility Of CLASSIFIED INFORMATION This article contains spoilers for the endgame of Blaster Master Zero 3.

Later, as Kane traverses through Area ???, Kanna and Eir appear to get in his way per Jason's request. This time, they've got full support from Kanna's kin, making it a bit rougher for Kane and Metal Attacker, though they triumph anyway and force the Stranga crew to retreat.

Trivia

• Like the rest of the extraterrestrial MAs, Eir is named after a deity: Eir is a Norse goddess associated with medical skill, referencing Kanna's proficiency in creating medicine.

Sources

• https://twitter.com/IntiCreatesEN/status/1110670356216496128