Little is known about the Protomen, other than the band is based in Nashville, Tennessee. Because the band often responds to interviews and questions in-character, their own descriptions of their history are delivered with the dramatic flair of their storyline concept and their comments can not always be taken at face value. Their code-names are largely references to pop culture films, song titles, and fictional characters.
The band is composed mostly of MTSU recording program graduates, and first came to be so they could meet class deadlines and the need to record for [their] grades. They produced their first album over two years in various Murfreesboro studios, using analog rather than digital production. Most of the band had graduated and moved to Nashville by 2005.
Group member Commander has stated that their first album was deliberately designed to sound like "distorted pencil sharpeners about 90% of the time" and "was made specifically to go against everything our recording teachers and fellow students were trying to feed us about making everything sound pristine and 'perfect.'. The tracks were mixed on analog tape.
In a 2009 interview, lead vocalist Panther stated, "We basically gathered up all of our good friends from the local rock bands of Murfreesboro, tied ourselves together, and tried to walk. And somehow it worked. At the time, we noticed a void in rock and roll. A hole that could only really be filled with grown men and women painting up like robots and playing some fierce and furious rock music based on a 1980's video game. We were fairly certain no one else was going to fill that hole. But, by god, it's filled now. You can thank us later."
The band has strong ties to the Murfreesboro and Nashville independent music scene, and some members are integrated into several bands simultaneously.
Unrest in the House of Light
The Protomen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Many times before you sleep
This time listen carefully
And I will tell you once again
But this time understand that what I'm telling you,
Every single word is true.
There was another who came before you
He was a hero and your brother and my son.
He fought the darkness, and the darkness won.
And he fought bravely, and he died bravely
But he was forsaken by the ones he wished to save.
And when he died he died in vain.
You need to know.
You are not him.
A time is coming, and I must warn you
Though it's something that you may not understand
They can't be saved by just one man.
And I am sorry, because I was wrong
And I'd take away the weight his shoulders had to bear.
Because when he fell I was the only one that cared.
You need to know.
You are not him.
His fight's not yours.
Megaman broke away from his father's hold, ran to the window and looked out over the city. His eyes filled with tears. His heart hurt under the weight of what he'd just been told. How could his father do nothing? How could Dr. Light not avenge the death of Protoman?
That story's finished. That story's ended.
Understand there's nothing more that we can do.
And I will not risk losing you.
For if you leave now, you will be fighting
for a people that refuse to comprehend
They have chosen their own end.
So you will stay here. You will obey me.
And I will keep grieving for the son I sent to death.
You are all that I have left.
You need to know.
You are not him.
This fight's not yours.
Megaman tore past Dr. Light. He threw the doors open at the end of the hallway and disappeared into the stairway. Light called after him:
You cannot win!
The lyrics of Unrest in the House of Light by The Protomen tell a poignant story of a father and his son, who is also a hero named Megaman. Dr. Light starts by telling Megaman a story he has heard many times before, but this time he asks him to listen carefully and understand that everything he is about to say is true. Dr. Light tells Megaman that he had an elder brother who was also a hero and his son, who fought valiantly but was ultimately defeated by the darkness. He explains how his elder brother was betrayed by those he sought to save and died in vain. Dr. Light then warns Megaman of a coming time and admits that he was wrong to put such a great burden on his son's shoulders. He implores Megaman to know that he is not his elder brother, and the fight is not his to carry.
Megaman, devastated by his father's words, runs to the window of the house and looks out over the city with tears in his eyes. He is hurt by the weight of what he has been told and cannot understand why Dr. Light could do nothing to avenge his dead brother, Protoman. However, Dr. Light tells Megaman that the story is over and there is nothing more that they can do, and he cannot afford to lose him. He asks Megaman to stay and obey him, for he is his only family left. In the end, Dr. Light reminds Megaman that he is not his elder brother and that the fight is not his to carry.
The lyrics of this song are a warning against the dangers of letting one's legacy dictate their choices in life. Dr. Light's insistence on putting the weight of Protoman's legacy on Megaman's shoulders is a recipe for disaster, and he realizes his mistake too late. In contrast, Megaman's desire to make things right and avenge his brother runs counter to Dr. Light's desire to protect what he has left, leading to a clash of ideals.
Line by Line Meaning
You have heard me tell this story
Many times before you sleep
This time listen carefully
This story is important, and Dr. Light hopes Megaman will understand it better if he listens more closely this time.
And I will tell you once again
But this time understand that what I'm telling you,
Every single word is true.
You need to know.
Dr. Light is emphasizing how crucial this information is for Megaman to understand and trust.
There was another who came before you
He was a hero and your brother and my son.
He fought the darkness, and the darkness won.
And he fought bravely, and he died bravely
But he was forsaken by the ones he wished to save.
And when he died he died in vain.
You need to know.
You are not him.
Dr. Light reveals that Megaman has a tragic family history, and that Protoman was once in Megaman's position but couldn't save everyone. Dr. Light wants Megaman to understand that he's a different person and to not put the same pressure on himself.
A time is coming, and I must warn you
Though it's something that you may not understand
They can't be saved by just one man.
And I am sorry, because I was wrong
And I'd take away the weight his shoulders had to bear.
Because when he fell I was the only one that cared.
You need to know.
You are not him.
His fight's not yours.
Dr. Light admits his past mistakes and reassures Megaman that he doesn't have to carry the same burden as Protoman. He advises Megaman that he can't do everything alone, and it's okay to ask for help.
That story's finished. That story's ended.
Understand there's nothing more that we can do.
And I will not risk losing you.
For if you leave now, you will be fighting
for a people that refuse to comprehend
They have chosen their own end.
So you will stay here. You will obey me.
And I will keep grieving for the son I sent to death.
You are all that I have left.
You need to know.
You are not him.
This fight's not yours.
Dr. Light reveals that there's no changing the past and that Megaman can't save everyone alone. He asks Megaman to stay out of danger, telling him that it isn't worth the risk. He also admits that he cares deeply for Megaman.
You cannot win!
Dr. Light's final words to Megaman warning him that he will face defeat if he decides to fight alone.
Contributed by Blake N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
DrTofu83
The point is that both were bound to fail, despite being different. Protoman was a creation of pride and desperation, giving his life for humanity and realizing that humanity, simply, didn't care. So he fell from grace and became Breakman, Wily's right hand.
Megaman was a creation of regret and love, but while Joe died to attempt saving the city, Megaman literally froze because of a broken heart when he saw humanity forcing him to kill his brother, that Light was right in a fashion, he was wrong, but Light was also wrong because he literally made two sons just to suffer and die into an uncaring world.
He loved so much that, upon realizing he was living in a world trampling love and turning hope into madness, his own heart broke and fled, uncaring of people begging him because they were dying.
Because, when the people bemoaned being "the dead", cannon fodder for Wily, he could only remember the same people bossing him to kill his own brother and kill Wily while they were doing absolutely nothing.
Since in Act III is unlikely Light will build a third robot, the only way for Act III to end up with a good ending is getting the female character in the single (Roll?) find a way to mend Megaman's heart and give him the ability to inspire heroes.
dand1253
Worse still, you could argue that Dr. Light accidentally made things worse by creating Protoman. The hero he built for the people of the City was a high-tech robot designed to defeat Wily's forces, and presented to them as a nigh-messianic figure -- in other words, Protoman was an exemplar that the people could not hope to live up to, making them even more apathetic than before. And when he fell, the people fell with him. Yeah, the Protomen universe just kind of hates poor Tom like that.
Scott Memelord
@Aaron O'Dyzzeeus
Cept Megaman wasn't meant to fight. So technically speaking he chose to become that knockoff.
St. Michael's Knight
@Dinoman972 He is. Dr. Thomas Light, the father of death
Aaron O'Dyzzeeus
If the people fell with Protoman then Protoman is the actual messianic figure and Megaman is a cheap knockoff engineered to satiate the people's laziness.
Hayao Kakizaki
Protoman doesn't hate Tom. He hates humanity for expecting a savior and not a leader to rally behind. They want someone to fight for them, not with them.
Dinoman972
@Prince Black Elf Pretty sure Tom is Dr. Light, though.
sheodagana
There was another, who came before you He was a hero, and your brother, and my son He fought the darkness, and the darkness won. Lump in my throat, everytime.
Hayden Smith
"You need to know...You are not him...This fight's not yours...YOU CANNOT WIN." Still gets to me.
Joseph Schultz
Man, the story they painted with their music is so unkind to Dr. Light. The dude just suffers and suffers. It's a definite sob-story and one that I'm quite proud to have cried over.
Good stuff, Protomen. Good stuff.
Lupus Albus
Is Light the last hero left in man? Is that why he suffers so?