You know, It is widely taken that the Link between Megaman X and Megaman Zero was X6. However, I feel that The first X game could be the link, and that X2 - X8 are an alternate timeline.

Evidence for

1) The Zero(e?)s are similar, Perhaps the white corroded away.
2) If X actually destroyed sigma in X1, he had a bit more time to "go crazy"(I know the ending, don't worry)
3)Zero was in a poor state of disrepair for the start of Z1, missing the lower half and an arm, the same way he was in X1
Note) Just because there is a Model A doesn't mean that there wasn't an Axl in the alternate timeline

Evidence Against

1) X6 actually acknowlegded the existence of Z1
2) Zero was upright in Z1, either he was tilted upwards, or he came frome the pod.
3) He got the Z-saber in X2
4) Z1 was thought up way after X1.

I personally think that it is the first X game that caused Zero to become more famous (nonexistance generally doesn't net you fame...), but it really could go either way on the storyline part of it.

model A does not stand for axl but *POSIBLE SPOILER* albert.

Oh, right. I forgot about that, but the theory still has merit to it. The Axl thing was just a defense against a possible opposition.

In all honesty, I was pointing out a possibility as to the situation. I was also curious as to what you guys thought the case was. ._.

Actually, the Remastered Tracks for MZ3 had some vocal dramas on them detailing various parts of the Elf War and other background stuff from the games. In it, Zero and X are very clearly fighting against Omega in one of the tracks. I'd have to go back and listen to it again, but I -think- they even yelled out "Final Strike" or something like that, akin to the attack that could be used in X8 with two characters to basically destroy all on screen enemies. Zero then goes on to do what he has to do and as we learn he did in MZ3. I won't say if you haven't played yet, but there's a good part of me that says I should, given you have had plenty of time to find and play the game.

Personally, given that info, the one ending in X6 is just a dead end, short of explaining why they took Zero out at some point in time. Plus, with how things are set, the events that led to Zero's position could happen at any time after the games. They never really give a time line, as far as I know. I don't know japanese well enough to translate on the fly.

As for the state of disrepair... well, anything that's left alone with out any maintance for a long period of time would, eventually, start to decay.

Plus, Wire, the Model A is Axl. The Biomerge form is very solidly Axl's design, and the abilities are too. This was known almost since they released the first screen shots for ZXA.

I don't think he was talking about design and abilities...

*spoiler*

right, the model is actualy called albert, and was made by a guy named albert to.
even IF they made it to copy axl's skills in the X games, the model itself is not axl.

*end spoiler*

also, if you want to go with actual cannon for the X games, then you need to ignore MM: maverick hunter X, the gameboy X games and anything past 5, because fatsume did not make the plot of X6-7-8 and command mission. X5's endings also almost all fit into the timeline, because in all endings, zero bites the dust.(if you ignore the MMZ cannon were zero fights with X against the elfwars, and that he defeated sigma with X.)