Axis

Axis Model 014, usually referred to as Axis, is the boss of the Steamworks. He is the final model of Chujin Ketsukane's failed line of robots built to eventually go to war against humanity. As it stands, he protects only the Steamworks.

Profile

Appearance

Axis is a robot built with gray metal. He has a large box-shaped head with two pink, unevenly sized eyes and a horizontal line of four bolts or holes resembling a mouth on the front. His head has vertical antennae tipped with a small round light on each side and a large lightbulb and a curled exhaust pipe on the top. He has a round torso with a black heart symbol in the direction of a human SOUL on his chest with four bolts or holes surrounding it. He has another four bolts or holes in the same arrangement on the back, as well as a light yellow gear attached behind him on his right side. He has exhaust pipes sticking out sideways from each shoulder and light yellow gloves hovering independently of his body; his shoulder pipes emit smoke clouds that float into his wrists, implying a connection. He has a single leg with a wheel on the bottom.

Axis is able to change the shape of his eyes to express his emotions, which is only seen in the cutscene after sparing him on the Pacifist Route. He says he blushes a bright gray in the Neutral Route but is seen blushing pink during the Pacifist Route credits.

Genocide Route

After being shot by Clover at the beginning of the route in the Steamworks, Axis is permanently damaged. His left eye is shattered and the casing around it is removed. His right hand loses several digits. His left antenna is damaged and its lightbulb is missing. Additionally, the lightbulb on the center of his head cracks and no longer emits light.

Personality

Axis is programmed to be dedicated to the security of the Steamworks. Once he catches sight of an intruder, he becomes single-minded in his pursuit of them. Despite his physical agility, his effectiveness as a guard is greatly hampered by his gullibility and slow wit. He inadvertently allows Clover and Ceroba Ketsukane to escape his capture several times and easily falls for obvious tricks. In the Genocide Route, Axis becomes less clumsy and far more serious, evading Clover's pursuit all throughout the Steamworks.

Beneath his unsophisticated surface, Axis is a sapient being shown to experience complex emotions. He is short-tempered, passionate, and sometimes egotistical. He is quite foul-mouthed, though a profanity filter censors his cursing due to the fact that, although Axis is the only bot that tries, all robots are forbidden from cursing. Axis greatly misses Chujin due to Chujin's kindness. Axis is also capable of experiencing loneliness and romantic love; after he mentions he is lonely, Clover and Ceroba built a companion robot to distract him with, which he becomes besotted with, declaring them his spouse. In the Genocide Route, Axis expresses remorse over killing the previous fallen human and helps protect the Steamworks bots at risk to himself. He expresses fear towards Clover and remorse for Clover's actions, as he blames himself for their rampage.

Axis, being a robot, has several restrictions. He cannot go against his programming, even when it causes him distress. After a recharge, he is reset to his "factory state" and has to scan people to remember them. This is made irrelevant after introducing him to Daisy, as he can then function on love alone and no longer needs to recharge. After Clover knocks him out of his programmed fixation on capturing them, he regrets his previous actions, behaves far more calmly and friendly towards them, and, despite the fact that they are still an intruder, grants them permission to enter the Steamworks.

Etymology

Axis's name is a pun on "access."

Main Story

History

Axis was created by Chujin when he worked at the Steamworks. He was pitched as a guard bot, though the final goal of the AXIS project was to go beyond simple security and use them go to war against humanity. Unlike other bots in the Steamworks, who are part of some sort of hivemind, Axis does not operate under this control.

Chujin presented many failed prototypes to Asgore, which self-destructed in various humiliating ways. When showing Model 08 to Asgore, it malfunctioned. Sparks flew from the machine, setting a patch of Asgore's flowerbed ablaze. Though the fire was quickly put out, Asgore told Chujin to not return.

While Chujin was still working on Axis, Integrity arrived in the Underground. They got into a fight with Dalv, who was playing with Kanako Ketsukane at the time, before fleeing to Waterfall. Chujin felt it was his responsibility to order Axis to hunt down this human, prioritizing giving this order over comforting Kanako. Axis was swift to get the job done, immediately making his way to Waterfall. He then killed the human due to an error in his programming. This is indicated within the Genocide Route to be something that Axis did not willingly carry out. Chujin took the human SOUL for experimentation and told Axis to hide the evidence. Axis was returned to the Steamworks. His memory was wiped of the attack and Chujin expressed a desire to keep improving on him.

Various robot parts from earlier Axis models are found in Chujin's study. This could possibly insinuate that Asgore's dismissal was Chujin's firing and he continued working on Axis past Model 08 in his home in secret. However, his firing may also have been some time after this incident, since Chujin expresses finality in the tape where he discusses his firing, possibly implying that he gave up on the Axis project because of his firing, and it is unknown how Axis Model 014 would be registered in Vendy's systems if he was not built in the Steamworks.

A while after Chujin was fired, the Steamworks shut down and were replaced by the CORE, so Axis was powered down for a long time. The other iterations of Axis have ceased to function by the time Clover enters the Steamworks.

Neutral Route

Turning on the generator at the beginning of the Steamworks gives Axis power. He breaks out of his locker and can be later seen on the catwalks for a moment spying on Clover.

Clover first encounters Axis in the second building of the Steamworks. Axis comes out of a door and notes their various crimes, including being a human. Axis opens a trapdoor to detain Clover in a room that they very easily escape.

Axis reappears in the first building at the other end of the lake and starts a chase sequence. If Axis catches Clover during this, they are sent to a security station they can, once more, easily escape by entering a vent in the room to try the chase again. When Clover outruns him, he smashes into a couple of servers and Clover escapes into the next room. Axis appears here and attempts to attack Clover with energy orbs as they run down the long hallway. At the end of the section, he corners Clover and attempts to attack them, but Flowey destroys his hands, incapacitating him and forcing him to retreat.

Axis reappears in the Chemistry Lab after Clover melts the lock on the sealed door with the Hydrochloric Acid. He appears with a vial of his own and asks to use it on Clover. No matter if Clover accepts this or not, he shatters the vial on accident. The spilled acid eats away at the floor under him, which he falls through.

Axis's body if killed on a Neutral Route.

He is absent until Clover deactivates the Steamworks robots and reaches the Furnace. There, Axis momentarily appears deactivated before he actives his backup power. He attempts to attack Clover, but he is stopped by his programming not seeing Clover as a threat. He gives Clover a trash can lid so he can recognize them as a threat and initiates battle. If his battery is drained, he appears calmer, as his programmed "murderous rage" is disabled. Clover then has the change to compliment him three times to spare him. After this, he talks about the future of the Steamworks and its bots. He can then be found in the locker room in the beginning of the Steamworks as an overworld NPC, where he talks more about the other bots and wishes Clover a good journey.

If Clover chooses to kill Axis during the battle, he attempts to contact Chujin for repairs before dying. Axis's body is not destroyed like other robots. Instead, he remains shut down in the Furnace. Axis grants EXP, the only robot to do so.

Pacifist Route

Clover first encounters Axis in the same room as the Neutral Route. Ceroba tries to talk him down by telling him that Chujin was her husband, but is caught off guard when Axis tells her Chujin made him and is captured the same as in the Neutral Route.

Ceroba's presence results in several minor changes in dialogue. She is the one to incapacitate Axis, rather than Flowey, at the end of the chase scene. The path is later derailed because of Ceroba having access to Chujin's credentials, and they enter the Factory Wing. Axis reappears on the Factory third floor. He attempts to apprehend Clover and Ceroba, but trips on a wire, causing the lights to go out and forcing him to search for them with his eyes brightened as flashlights. He patrols the area until Clover and Ceroba figure out the code to reach the next level. Ceroba distracts Axis with small talk for a moment before her and Clover flee.

Axis is absent until Clover and Ceroba reach the Furnace, where his encounter and battle are mostly the same, albeit with some dialogue changes. If Clover chooses to spare Axis, the ACT option 'Compliment' is replaced with 'Plan B' in which Clover presents Axis with Daisy. This results in Axis becoming infatuated with the robot, ending the fight.

Axis and Daisy can later be found by Axis's locker. He talks about Daisy and the future of the Steamworks. He wishes Clover well.

Genocide Route

During the Genocide Route, the majority of Clover and Axis' roles are reversed, with Axis as a victim of Clover's murderous rampage. Clover first encounters Axis in the same room as the other routes, though the cutscene quickly goes off track. Axis scans Clover and immediately realizes the high threat they are. He bypasses his empathy and, recognizing that Clover is seeking justice for the five humans, taunts them about their deaths. He tries to initiate a battle, but Clover cuts this off by shooting him several times in the overworld. This unblocks his memories of the blue SOUL human. He states his need to evacuate the other robots and he escapes through the trapdoor that Clover is normally sent down before they get the chance to finish him.

During the chase scene, Axis runs away while Clover pursues, and he is absent from the long hallway afterwards. The Guardener encounter is completely skipped; it is replaced with a cutscene where Axis warns her to hide. In his encounter at the Chemistry Lab, he only speaks from behind the door, pleading with Clover to stop their rampage and says that he can explain everything, believing that he is the reason Clover is attacking the robots. After Clover shoots the door, he states that brute force will fail and that the Steamworks inhabitants are survivors.

Axis makes his final appearance at the Furnace, where he expresses that he saved all the robots he could and he is satisfied with the fact that Clover will leave unsatisfied. He remarks that while he may die, he will no longer run away from Clover. He protects himself with the trash can lid that is given to Clover in the Neutral and Pacifist Routes. He challenges Clover and their battle begins.

Axis is impervious to Clover's attacks due to the lid, and Clover has no choice but to wait it out. Throughout the battle, Clover's SOUL, while in the menu, gains a shaking effect, which gradually becomes more intense as more turns pass. Eventually, Axis tries to explain himself to Clover while they continuously interrupt him by shooting at him, which he continues to block. He says that his limited will left him no choice before finally revealing that he was forced to kill the blue SOUL human. Clover fully heals themself and levels up to LV 15, much to Axis's confusion. Clover unlocks their SOUL ability, turns their SOUL around, and fires a charged shot that instantly destroys the lid. Axis begs for forgiveness while Clover charges their SOUL again and levels up to LV 19. They then launch a massive laser that cuts right through Axis, cutting him in half.

If Clover aborts the Genocide Route by not exhausting Steamworks' kill counter, then spares Axis, he informs Clover how much he hates them.

In Battle

Attacks

Neutral/Pacifist Route

During Axis's battle, he equips Clover with a trashcan lid so they count as a threat. Clover needs to use this lid as a shield to block his attacks. Clover will be in one of two positions during every attack. The first is at the bottom of the board, where Clover can only move left or right. Most of these attacks consist of throwing objects from the top of the board. If they hit the ground, Clover takes damage. The second is at the center of the board, where they can rotate around the center. Most of these attacks are aimed for the center and damage Clover if they reach the center without being blocked.

Whenever the Tick O'Bar reaches maximum capacity, Axis fires a large energy orb at Clover, which they can reflect to hit him. If they miss him or the orb hits the bottom, Clover will not take damage and this attack will repeat next turn. Once hit, the fight moves to the next phase.

Phase 1

• Bottom: Energy orbs fall straight down from the Bullet Board; the turn ends when Clover blocks one. This is only used in the intro.
• Bottom: Energy orbs fall diagonally from the top of the top of the Bullet Board, bouncing every time they hit a wall.

Phase 2

• Center: Energy orbs periodically shoot towards the center.
• Center: Two hands appear outside the Bullet Board. After a brief animation, the hands start firing a laser, which start sweeping clockwise around the center, then change to counter-clockwise, and finally clockwise again.

Phase 3

• Bottom: Energy orbs fall straight from the top of the board, while a blue laser repeatedly sweeps vertically from one edge of the board to the other.
• Center: Energy orbs move towards the SOUL, while a orange laser repeatedly sweeps horizontally from one edge of the board to the other.

Phase 4

• Bottom: Steam spheres rise from the bottom of the board, just like the steam puzzles earlier in the Steamworks. Dodging the steam increases the Tick O'Bar.
• Bottom: Bombs are lobbed from both sides of the board.

Phase 5

• Bottom: Energy orbs fall from the top of board, while two lasers, one orange and one blue, form a cross in the center of the board and slowly rotate.
• Center: Bombs are lobbed from the borders of the boards towards it.

Phase 6

• Center: Six energy orbs appear in a hexagonal formation, flashing red in succession. After a moment, they start moving towards the SOUL in the order they flashed.
• Center: Three small sparkles appear around the board. After that, one at a time, turrets appear in the order the glimpses appeared and shoot 3 blasts before disappearing.

Phase 7

• Center: Three small sparkles followed by shooting turrets appear once again, but this time, the turrets move along one side of the board while shooting 5 blasts.
• Center: Energy orbs move towards the center while horizontal blue lasers continuously appear from the top of the board.

Phase 8

• Center: Energy orbs slowly move towards the center.
• Center: Turrets surround the board, with one of them slightly shaking. After a moment, that turret unloads 5 blasts.

Genocide Route

As Axis is holding the trash lid, he cannot be hit and this fight's special SOUL mode is not seen. This is the same in a Genocide Route aborted by failing to reach the Steamworks kill count, the only difference being the ending.

• Sets of three energy orbs spawn outside the Bullet Board. After a moment, they enter it, bouncing every time they hit a wall until disappearing.
• Two lasers, one orange and other blue, sweep from opposite directions towards the other side of the board. They may come horizontally or vertically.
• Orange and blue lasers sweep vertically and horizontally while sets of three orbs spawn either vertically and horizontally, bouncing in those directions.
• Bombs are lobbed from outside the board before exploding in a cross pattern.
• Energy orbs are spawned from outside the board, while bombs are also lobbed from outside the board.
• Bombs are lobbed from outside the board while orange and blue lasers sweep horizontally and vertically.
• Sets of three turrets circle around the SOUL before freezing, firing three blasts, and disappearing.
• A grid of turrets, three on top and three on the left, spawns outside the board. Two on each side randomly flash red three times. The last flash indicates which turrets will fire. This repeats several times.
• Four homing energy orbs spawn outside the board and pursue the SOUL until the attack ends.
• A single homing energy orb spawns and pursues the SOUL, while blue lasers sweep horizontally and vertically.

Strategy

Neutral/Pacifist Route

The fight display has two meters: Tick O'Bar and battery. Clover can fill the Tick O'Bar by blocking attacks. When it is full, Axis fires a large energy orb at Clover, which they can reflect to hit him. If they miss, this attack repeats until they successfully hit him. Alternatively, Clover may FIGHT Axis directly while the Tick O'Bar is full for the same effect. This does deal damage, but only attacking when the bar is full has no risk of affecting the Pacifist status of the run unless they do not spare him at the end. Even if planning to spare Axis, attacking in this state can be useful if using the Glass Ammo or if aiming the orb is too difficult. (The Coffee Bean Ammo is not useful in this case, as Axis skips a turn if Clover shoots him this way, using up the turn of SP the ammo gives.) A successful hit drains his battery, resets the Tick O'Bar, and moves the fight to the next phase. Draining his entire battery allows him to be spared.

In phases 5 and 6, Clover instead has to aim the large energy orb at two generators to either side of Axis. During these phases, Axis cannot be damaged, and shooting him is no longer a substitute for aiming the orb.

Only the left and right arrow keys function in this battle, even when spinning around the center. This is the same if using a controller; spinning the analog stick around when in the center does not work.

Once Axis is shut down, Clover can spare him by using Compliment on the Neutral Route or Plan B on the Pacifist Route.

Genocide Route

By using the trashcan lid, Axis is impervious to Clover's attacks for most of the battle. Their only option is to wait it out. Regardless of their actions, the fight will end after Axis's tenth attack. This means that Clover is able to regularly heal, though lower health items are preferable as higher health ones will be needed for a later fight.

Axis cannot be spared as Clover automatically charges up the shot from their SOUL to kill him after ten turns. However, if the route is aborted by failing to exhaust Steamworks's kill counter, Axis instead cools off after ten turns, making him spareable. This also means once the Steamworks’s kill counter has been exhausted, the Genocide Route can no longer be aborted.

Flavor Text

Neutral/Pacifist Route

• Axis Model 014, ready to attack! [Encounter]
• Today means the Surface. [Check]
• You feel the furnace's heat waves engulf you. [Neutral]
• Death by metal & magic. [Neutral]
• Smells like an unfortunate BBQ. [Neutral]
• The air thickens. [Neutral]
• Axis is having trouble charging up his next attack. [Neutral]
• Axis seems on edge. [Neutral]
• Axis thinks this music is a bit intense for his tastes. [Neutral]
• Axis blows into one of his vents to clean some dust. You don't know how. [Neutral]
• Axis is flipping through the Royal Guard guide book... in his mind. [Neutral]
• Axis pinches the end of one of his gloves and releases the air. He finds it amusing. [Neutral]
• Axis is staring at you blankly until you do something. [Neutral, after battery is drained]
• Axis feels something... [Neutral, after Compliment #1]
• The feeling grows! [Neutral, after Compliment #2]
• You ready your trusty shield for whatever awaits. [Brace]
• You criticize Axis' attack strategy. Steam shoots out of his hearing ducts. [Scrutinize]
• You say something rude to Axis. He "HONESTLY DOES NOT APPRECIATE IT." [Scrutinize]
• You tell Axis he's not great at his job. If he could frown, he would. [Scrutinize]
• You pull on your shirt repeatedly in hopes to beat the heat. Your effort fails. [Cool]
• (You commend Axis' vigilance.) [Compliment #1]
• (You tell Axis his steel frame is unwavering.) [Compliment #2]
• (You tell Axis his energy magic is the most impressive you've seen.) [Compliment #3]
• (You ask Ceroba to present your metallic creation.) [Plan B]
• AXIS ACTION MESSAGE 2 [Scrutinize, unused]

Genocide Route

• Axis Model 014, ready to defend. [Encounter]
• . . . [Neutral]
• In your way. [Neutral]
• Outlast his efforts. [Neutral]
• Finish the job. [Neutral]
• Can't hold out forever. [Neutral]
• One is all it will take. Keep going. [Neutral]
• They are responsible. [Neutral]
• Finish what you started. [Neutral]
• A road ahead. [Neutral]
• Axis has cooled off. [Neutral, after 9 turns, Aborted Genocide only]
• You pressure Axis' defense but he stands firm. [Push]
• You tell Axis that his time is up. [Taunt]
  • He chooses not to respond. [Taunt's second line, unused]
• You grip your sidearm with enmity... [Toughen]
  • Something stirs inside. [Toughen's second line, unused]
• Axis geno flavor 9. [Neutral, unused]

Quotes

Neutral/Pacifist Route

Pre-Battle (Neutral)

• [MAIN POWER SOURCE NOT FOUND_]
• [INITIATING EMERGENCY BACKUP POWER_]
• H-H-HUMA-N.
• Y-YOU HAVE ANGERED ME GREATLY.
• I HAVE HAD IT WITH YOU DOING NOTHING AS I FAIL OVER AND OVER.
• DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT WAS TO GET THE ACID OUT OF MY STEEL?
• I HAD TO PUT MYSELF IN A WASHING MACHINE. IT WAS QUITE DIZZYING.
• THOUGH I DO FEEL, AS THE KIDS SAY: "FRESH AS HELL."
• ...
• ANYWAY.
• IF YOU CANNOT TELL, I AM [ticked] OFF AND OUT OF NON-LETHAL OPTIONS.
• THAT, AND THIS FURNACE HAS A NICE "TIME TO DIE" AESTHETIC TO IT.
• SO PREPARE YOURSELF. I AM ATTACKING NOW.
• WHAT.
• MY PROGRAMMING IS PREVENTING ME FROM ATTACK.
• IT SAYS YOU ARE NOT A CURRENT THREAT OR RESISTING ARREST.
• UGH, [forget] THIS.
• HERE, I WILL MAKE YOU A THREAT.
• HOLD THIS, IT SUITS YOU.
• THERE. NOW YOU HAVE A DRAWN "WEAPON."
• LOOPHOLES ARE WONDERFUL, ARE THEY NOT?
• YOUR CRIMES END HERE, HUMAN.

Pre-Battle (Pacifist)

• [MAIN POWER SOURCE NOT FOUND_]
• [INITIATING EMERGENCY BACKUP POWER_]
• [Ceroba] What was that?
• [Ceroba] Did I just hear Axis!?
• H-H-HUMA-N.
• Y-YOU TRIED TO SHUT ME DOWN.
• I HAVE HAD IT WITH YOU AND YOUR FRIEND THWARTING MY PLANS.
• I AM THIS CLOSE TO DIRECTING ALL MY STEAM INTO MY RUDE FINGER.
• AND YES, I AM YELLING.
• MY TYPOGRAPHY BOX JUST LACKS THE EXCLAMATION POINT CHARACTER.
• A SHAME, BUT AT LEAST I HAVE QUESTION MARKS?????????
• [Ceroba] Hey Clover!
• [Ceroba] I don't think we can outrun this guy any longer!
• [Ceroba] Please try to find a peaceful way to outwit him!
• [Ceroba] I'm sorry but I don't want Chujin's creation smashed to bits!
• OUTWIT? MAYBE.
• OUT-GUN? NEVER.
• I AM [ticked] OFF AND OUT OF NON-LETHAL OPTIONS.
• SO PREPARE YOURSELF. I AM ATTACKING NOW.
• WHAT.
• MY PROGRAMMING IS PREVENTING ME FROM ATTACK.
• IT SAYS YOU ARE NOT A CURRENT THREAT OR RESISTING ARREST.
• UGH, [forget] THIS.
• HERE, I WILL MAKE YOU A THREAT.
• HOLD THIS, IT SUITS YOU.
• THERE. NOW YOU HAVE A DRAWN "WEAPON."
• LOOPHOLES ARE WONDERFUL, ARE THEY NOT?
• NOW, TIME TO DIE.

Battle

• [End of first turn]
  • WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT LID?
  • IT WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE USEFUL.
  • THAT IS CHEATING.
• [Hit once]
  • ZzzZZKKZ DPPP-D_-A - _
  • WHAT WAS THAT? WHAT DID I SAY?
  • "ZzzZZKKZ DPPP-D_-A - _" IS NOT A WORD.
  • WHY DID I SAY THAT?
• [Hit twice]
  • BZZT_Zz PRpP /
  • I DID IT AGAIN. HOW.
  • WAIT. THIS IS YOUR DOING. OF COURSE IT IS.
  • DO NOT SHOCK ME AGAIN, OKAY?
• [Hit three times]
  • AZ_a_D?f F . .
  • I A-AM ST_ARTING TO REGRET GIVING YOU THAT LID.
  • COULD YOU PLEASE DROP IT?
  • JUST KICK IT INTO THE FIERY PIT BELOW US. SIMPLE.
• [Hit four times]
  • ZBsssZ t-t-D ? d
  • THAT IS ENOUGH.
  • UNBEKNOWNST TO YOU, I BROUGHT A BACKUP PLAN.
  • PORTABLE GENERATORS = INFINITE BATTERY.
  • GOOD LUCK.
  • [Ceroba] Clover! I'm almost through!
  • [Ceroba] Whatever you're doing, it seems to be working!
  • [Ceroba] Keep at it until he's out of juice!
  • UM. I CAN HEAR YOU.
  • YOU TWO THINK YOU ARE SOOO SMART.
  • HA, I DO NOT RUN ON "juice."
  • IN FACT, I DO NOT RUN AT ALL.
  • I ROLL.
  • OBVIOUSLY.
  • [Ceroba] ...
• [After hitting one generator]
  • SERIOUSLY???
  • I AM REACHING UNHEARD LEVELS OF [ticked].
  • LEVEL 7 AT LEAST. YOUR FAULT.
• [screw] YOU [screw] YOU [screw] YOU [screw] YOU [screw] YOU- [After hitting both generators]
• [Hit five times]
  • DoPDzzzZ_//
  • GAH.
  • YOU WOULD NOT LIKE ME AT LOW BATTERY.
  • I AM WARNING YOU TO NOT DRAIN MY BATTERY.
  • [Ceroba] And there we go!
  • [Ceroba] Good job holding your own while I was occupied.
  • [Ceroba] Axis seems pretty dazed, one more shock should do him in!
  • [Ceroba] Let's end this!
• ZzzzzBBZzzzz AooaaaA- _- . . [Hit six times]
• [Downed]
  • * . . . [Unused]
  • *BEEP BEEP*
  • SHUTTING OFF STRENUOUS EMOTIONS TO SAVE POWER.
  • AH.
  • WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?
  • I DON'T FEEL AN UTTER MURDEROUS RAGE ANYMORE.
  • I... DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MYSELF.
  • SUPPOSE I WILL STARE AT YOU BLANKLY UNTIL YOU DO SOMETHING.
• ... [Not moving]
• I... WHAT? [Compliment #1]
• [Compliment #2]
  • WELL... I MEAN, YEAH.
  • THANK YOU, I GUESS.
• [Compliment #3]
  • COME ON, YOU DO NOT MEAN THAT.
  • (You do.)
  • YOU DO?
  • WHOA. HEY. I FEEL FUNNY.
  • I FEEL... GOOD.
  • THANK YOU FOR CONFIRMING MY NARCISSISM, HUMAN.
  • NOTE: THAT WAS A "JOKE."
• [Plan B]
  • [Ceroba] Of course! Hey Axis!
  • WHAT.
  • [Ceroba] How do you feel about second dates?
  • LIKE A CALENDER?
  • I...
  • WHAT IS THIS?
  • THIS FEELING?
  • [Ceroba] Uh oh!
  • SOULMATE LOCATED.
  • PERFECTION PERSONIFIED.
  • WHERE HAS THIS BEAUTY BEEN ALL MY LIFE?
  • [Ceroba] Holy...
  • THE SHIMMER. THE COMPLEXION.
  • THE... C U R V E S
  • [Ceroba] OKAY that's enough!
  • [Ceroba] Clover, let's uh... let's wrap this up.
• [Fatally hit]
  • BzZT-Z// z. ._ .
  • . . . W-wW-
  • -WHA_T HAS H/APPENeD TO M..E?
  • D-D-DAMAGE CRITICAL_
  • Se-EK R/ePAI'RS IM EDIATELY_
  • I S_EE . . .
  • CALLInG MR. ChUJIN_
  • CREaTOR. .. ?
  • CALLInG MR. ChUJIN_
  • CRE_TO R, I NEED ASSIST//ANCE_
  • CALLInG MR. Ch , . _
  • /CrEAt.. ,..
  • CAL-L , , i n g _
  • CRe. ...
  • .
  • creator.

Post-Battle (Spared, Neutral)

• I APOLOGIZE FOR TORMENTING YOU AND CALLING YOU NAMES.
• MY CODED PROTOCOL BLINDED ME FROM SOMETHING...
• SOMETHING CALLED... "BASIC DECENCY."
• IT IS NOT EASY TO HAVE NO CONTROL OVER EMOTIONS, YOU KNOW.
• TO BE HONEST...
• WHEN I LOOK AT YOU, I GROW A LITTLE ENVIOUS.
• HUMANS AND MONSTERS, WHILE DIFFERENT, DO SHARE ONE THING.
• INDIVIDUALITY.
• YOU HAVE THE FREEDOM TO BE UNIQUE. TO CHOOSE.
• BOTS LIKE ME ARE JUST ONE MODEL AMONG MANY.
• THOUGH, THAT DOES NOT SEEM LIKE SUCH THE CASE ANYMORE.
• THE STEAMWORKS HAVE SEEN BETTER DAYS, ALONG WITH ITS BOTS.
• BUT I BELIEVE WE CAN MAKE IT WORK.
• IF WE LEFT THIS PLACE, WE WOULD ONLY CAUSE ISSUES AND BE SHUT DOWN.
• BUT HERE, WE DO HAVE A FORM OF FREEDOM.
• THE FREEDOM TO BE FLAWED.
• ALL THAT TO SAY, I WOULD NOT INVITE ANY OTHER HUMANS HERE.
• SOMEONE WILL JUMP THEM.
• BACKUP BATTERY EXTREMELY LOW. PLEASE RECHARGE.
• OH, SUPPOSE I SHOULD GO DO THAT.
• RECHARGING WILL RESTORE ME BACK TO MY FACTORY STATE BUT...
• ADDED "HATTED HUMAN" TO "AUTHORIZED" LIST.
• THERE. NOW I WILL NOT ATTEMPT APPREHENSION NEXT TIME WE MEET.
• HAVE A PLEASANT JOURNEY, HUMAN.
• OH, ONE MORE THING.
• LEAVE THE POWER ON WHEN YOU EXIT, WILL YOU?
• I LIKE LIVING.
• THANKS.

Post-Battle (Spared, Pacifist)

• THIS EMOTION, IT FEELS SO NICE.
• I MUST THANK YOU FOR OPENING MY EYES.
• I HAD NO IDEA SUCH WONDROUS SIGHTS EXISTED.
• [Ceroba] Glad we could finally reach a level of civility.
• CAN I KEEP THEM???
• [Ceroba] Whoa, slow down!
• [Ceroba] Here...
• [Ceroba] (Do you wanna know a secret?)
• YES I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW A SECRET.
• [Ceroba] (They told me that they like you but will only go out if it's casual.)
• [Ceroba] (Get to know them a little first, you know?)
• [Ceroba] (Ask what their name is or something.)
• OKAY.
• [Ceroba] Alright, good! Give it a shot!
• HELLO MY NAME IS AXIS WHAT IS YOUR NAME?
• . . .
• HA HA YOU ARE SO FUNNY WANT TO GET MARRIED???
• [Ceroba] Hey, remember what we talked about!
• . . .
• THEY SAID YES.
• [Ceroba] What?
• I AM HONESTLY JUST AS SURPRISED AS YOU.
• THIS ROCKS.
• [Ceroba] Okay, then I'm happy for you.
• [Ceroba] ...
• [Ceroba] Well, not to rain on the parade but Clover and I have to go.
• GO WHERE?
• [Ceroba] Hotland. Just a business trip.
• WELL I WISH YOU A PLEASANT JOURNEY THEN.
• BACKUP BATTERY EXTREMELY LOW. PLEASE RECHARGE.
• OH, SUPPOSE I SHOULD GO DO THAT.
• RECHARGING WILL RESTORE ME BACK TO MY FACTORY STATE BUT...
• ADDED "HATTED HUMAN" AND "TALL LADY" TO "AUTHORIZED" LIST.
• THERE. NOW I WILL NOT ATTEMPT APPREHENSION NEXT TIME WE MEET.
• [Ceroba] Thank you, Axis.
• [Ceroba] You have a good life.
• I WILL TRY.
• OH, ONE MORE THING.
• [Ceroba] Hm?
• YOU SAID YOUR HUSBAND WAS MY CREATOR?
• WOULD YOU TELL HIM THAT I MISS HIM?
• HE WAS ALWAYS VERY KIND TO ME.
• [Ceroba] I...
• [Ceroba] Yeah... I'll tell him.
• THANK YOU.
• GOODBYE.
• [Aborted Pacifist]
  • [Ceroba] ...
  • [Ceroba] About Hotland.
  • [Ceroba] The truth is...
  • [Ceroba] I...
  • [Ceroba] I can't go.
  • [Ceroba] You didn't destroy Axis and I thank you but...
  • [Ceroba] Your SOUL...
  • [Ceroba] I was sure it was...
  • [Ceroba] ...
  • [Ceroba] Nevermind. There's no explaining it.
  • [Ceroba] I'm sorry...
  • [Ceroba] Goodbye, Clover.
  • [Flowey] Aaaand there it is!
  • [Flowey] She was totally using you, pal.
  • [Flowey] Hey, cheer up!
  • [Flowey] Self-defense. That's all it was.
  • [Flowey] ...
  • [Flowey] You know what? This is good, actually!
  • [Flowey] You're finally free to get back on track!
  • [Flowey] No more third parties, no more side quests.
  • [Flowey] Just you and me, buddy!
  • [Flowey] Just you and me.

Post-Battle (Killed, Aborted Pacifist)

• [Ceroba] Clover... You...
• [Ceroba] How could you...
• [Ceroba] This wasn't the plan!!
• [Ceroba] Chujin poured his all into Axis and you just-
• [Ceroba] ...
• [Ceroba] And now... your SOUL...
• [Ceroba] It's...
• [Ceroba] I was certain. I thought you were pure...
• [Ceroba] The mission... It's over.
• [Ceroba] This is your fault.
• [Ceroba] I never want to see you again.
• [Flowey] Aaaand there it is!
• [Flowey] She was totally using you, pal.
• [Flowey] As soon as you act in self-defense for once, she freaks!
• [Flowey] But you know what? This is good!
• [Flowey] You're finally free to get back on track.
• [Flowey] No more third parties, no more side quests.
• [Flowey] Just you and me, buddy!
• [Flowey] Just you and me.

Genocide Route

Pre-Battle

• I. ..
• I DID ALL I C0ULD.
• I wAS OnLY ABLE TO sAVE A FEW buT...
• NoW_ I KN0W YOU WILL LE4VE ThIS PLaCE UNSATISFIED.
• . . .
• TH3 SAME FaTE ThEY mET MAY AWAiT ME,
• BuT I WILL N0 LONG,ER RUN FRom YOU.
• ThAT CANN0N OF DE4TH YOU WIeLD iS STR0NG.. .
• BUT AS you CAN SEE, . .
• I H4VE DRaWN A "WEAP0n" OF MY OWN_.
• NoW.. . AS THE K1DS SAY,
• COME AT ME.

Battle

• [Last turn]
  • HoW L0NG ARE wE GOInG TO DO THIS?
  • My SHIELD iS IMPERVI0US TO YOuR BULL3TS.
  • SO yOU_SHOULD G1VE uP.
  • AND AnYWAY, ,,
  • AS I SAID bEF0RE..
  • I CAN eXAPLAIN EV3RYTHING to YOU.
  • Y0U SEE, I DO nOT HAvE THE FrE3DOMS YoU HAVE.
  • MY PR0GRAMMING. ..
  • I H4D no_CHOICE.
  • I WAS FORCED TO NEUTRALIZE THAT HUMAN.
  • W-WAIT.
  • WHAT'S GOING ON?
  • HOLD ON. PLEASE.
  • I AM SORRY.
  • I DIDN'T WANT TO

Post-Battle

• [Flowey] ...
• [Flowey] ...
• [Flowey] What... was that?
• [Flowey] Clover... what...
• [Flowey] Um, okay. No, this is fine.
• [Flowey] This can be very useful against the Ki
• [Flowey] Wait, where are you going?
• [Flowey] I'm still talking!

Aborted Genocide Route

Pre-Battle

• CoULDN'T GET us ALL, HUH?
• IT SE3MS MaNY BOTS EvADED Y0U.
• NoW_ I KN0W YOU WILL LE4VE ThIS PLaCE UNSATISFIED.
• BUT AS yOU CAN SEE, I AM STILL H3RE.
• WeLL, ,,
• I DECIdED I WILL N0 LONG,ER RUN FRom YOU.
• ThAT CANN0N OF DE4TH YOU WIeLD iS STR0NG.. .
• BUT I H4VE DRaWN A "WEAP0n" OF MY OWN_.
• SO. ..
• WhY NOT TRY Y0UR LUCK?

Battle

• HoW L0NG ARE wE GOInG TO DO THIS? [Turn 6]
• [Turn 7]
  • I DID nOT THiNK BOTS COuLD GET TIR3D.
  • BUT HeRE I AM. TIRED AS [heck].
• STILL_ GoiNG,. . [Turn 8]
• [Turn 9]
  • "hey axis please do another sick attack."
  • OK BuT JUST BEC4USE Y0U ASKED NIcELY.
• [Last turn]
  • OK.
  • OK. .. .
  • LET M3 CATCH mY STEAM.
  • . . .
  • I THINK. .
  • IT is TIME FOR A BrEAK.. . . .
• [Fatally Hit is the same as a Neutral Route]

Post-Battle (Spared)

• . . .
• YOu.. . ARE LeTTING ME GO?
• UH. WEIRD DeCISION.
• JuST SO YOU KNoW.. .
• Y0U STILL [freaking] SUCK.
• FEEL FREE TO TRIP aND FALL TO YOuR DEATH ON THE WaY OUT.

Game Over Quotes

Neutral/Pacifist Route

• Brush yourself off, Clover! It's time to put the "ax" in Axis!
• Clearly Axis wasn't built to last. You can take him out, I'm sure of it!
• This bot's done nothing but bully you around! Give him a taste of his own metallic medicine!

Genocide Route

• I can't help but feel like this is karma, heh. But I GUESS I should still revive you...
• This piece of junk did you in? Heh, thought you were better than that.
• You should've dealt with this bot a long time ago. But no, had to play the big bad action hero!

Concept and Development

Axis was designed by TeleviQ. The scene in the Neutral Route where Axis struggles to open the vial of Hydrochloric Acid was inspired by developer art of him unable to open a pickle jar. The developers expressed some disappointment at community members not seeing him as part of the main cast.

Axis was first teased along with the rest of the main cast on the development team's February 2021 Devlog. A promotional artwork posted by the developers on their June 2022 Devlog has several fliers teasing the Feisty Five. One of these fliers simply has attached a phone number and the binary code "01001110 01000101 01000100 00100000 01000111 01000110". The code translates to "NED GF". Since Axis is the only character who has spoken in binary, this was presumably hinting towards him.

Gallery

Sprites

• 

  Axis covered in shadow.
• 

  Axis on an angle.
• 

  Axis being happy.
• 

  Axis being very confused.
• 

  Axis being lovestruck.
• 

  Axis's Genocide Route talk sprite.
• 

  An unused sprite of Axis being angry.
• 

  An unused sprite of Axis being unamused.
• 

  Axis's Genocide Route overworld sprite.
• 

  Axis covered in shadow, seen just before his chase.
• 

  Axis's hurt sprite.
• 

  Axis blocking a hit during the Genocide Route battle.
• 

  Shieldless Axis during the Genocide Route battle.
• 

  Axis after cooling off at the end of an aborted Genocide Route battle.
• 

  Axis lovestruck during the Pacifist Route battle upon seeing Daisy.
• 

  Axis's corrupted sprite in the first phase of Flowey's battle, if he was killed on a Neutral Route.
• 

  The generators in the Axis battle.
• 

  A mockup of Axis's sprites.

Artwork

• 

  The album cover for END OF THE LINE_ on most streaming services, drawn by Figburn.
• 

  Official Axis Valentine's Day artwork of Axis and Daisy.
• 

  Artwork of Ceroba and Clover cornered by Axis.
• 

  An early Axis concept.
• 

  Concepts for Axis.
• 

  Another of that Axis concept.
• 

  A sketch of Axis.
• 

  A more finalized sketch of Axis.
• 

  Axis artwork.
• 

  A reference sheet of a nearly finalized Axis.
• 

  A mockup for the second Axis chase.
• 

  A sketch of Axis opening a pickle jar that inspired the Neutral Route Acid scene.

Trivia

• When decoded from binary, Axis' mail (titled "MAIL???") translates to "I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO SEND LETTERS. HELP ME."
• If Clover attempts to backtrack after being caught in Axis's first chase, a cutscene will be triggered where Axis can be seen wandering around before spotting Clover and sending them back to the security station.
• In the second half of the chase sequence, turning around and heading to the start of the room to move out of Axis's reach, then selecting Talk will softlock the game. Selecting Talk while within Axis's reach will simply freeze Clover in place until he hits them.
• On the Genocide Route, it is optional to chase down Axis. While Clover can catch up to him if they move with enough precision, this does not do anything.
  • Once Axis starts to flee during the chase sequence, if Clover leaves the room by going back instead of pursuing Axis, the chase sequence does not occur again.
• The generators in his battle have the Delta Rune emblem on them.
• The generators' explosion animation and sound effect are identical to that which appears as a running gag in Deltarune.
• Axis does not have Check flavor text in the Genocide Route. Using Check only shows his attack and defense stats. This is the only battle for which this is the case.
• Before his Pacifist Route battle, Axis explains how his typography box lacks support for exclamation marks (!), but supports question marks (?). However, as he runs away from Clover in the Genocide Route, he uses an exclamation mark.
• Strangely, the trashcan lid is still present on the trashcan after killing Axis on the Genocide Route despite the lid being destroyed by Clover's charged shot.
• When killed on an aborted Genocide Route, Axis's overworld sprite is the same as if he was killed in a Neutral Route, missing the parts that Clover damaged by shooting. This was likely an oversight.
  • When killed this way, Axis still uses the Neutral Route variant of his attacks during Flowey’s boss fight; Clover is equipped with the trashcan lid despite Axis using the lid for himself.
• Axis has an E-Diary.
• Unused text from the robot control station on a Genocide Route states that it is recently used. Additionally, just before entering the room, Clover stops being able to encounter robots. This would imply that Axis used the control station to shut down the other robots.
• In the Pacifist Route, Axis is already thinking about having children.

Version History

Version Tag	Changes
v1.1	Axis's first chase is no longer bugged; he now correctly slows down every time he catches Clover.