Large, mechanical chickens--built by the mad genius, Dr. Wily--that serve as a last line of defense outside Wood Man's forest lair. It takes five shots from Mega Man's arm cannon, on the 'Normal' difficulty setting, to destroy a Cook in the NES version of Mega Man 2, and ten shots of the 'Difficult' setting. Landing those five or ten shots before a Cook nails you is no easy task; it is a far better strategy to time your movements so that they jump over Mega Man's head as they rush towards you.

ABILITIES:
Cooks have a top running speed of 35 mph. They can leap as far as 18 feet horizontally and 10 feet vertically with a running start. Their relatively light weight, and the spring shock absorbers built into their legs, significantly reduce the structural strain that continuous jumping subjects their bodies to. While their spindly appearance suggests fragility, Cooks are actually very solid constructs and well-armored; they're so tough that the weapons Air Shooter (Air Man), Metal Blade (Metal Man), and Bubble Lead (Bubble Man) bounce harmlessly off their metallic hides. A Cook's beak and talons are sharp enough to cut steel and they use them to slash their targets into ribbons. These machines are programmed to only destroy other robots, namely Mega Man, but a single kick would easily disembowel a human. Under normal operating conditions, its internal nuclear cell will power a Cook for about one year before it needs to be replaced. Because they were designed to operate outdoors, in a woodland environment where it often rains, the exterior of a Cook's body has a special coating that prevents rust and corrosion.

WEAKNESSES:
Cooks may be fast, but their speed comes at the expense of control; these robots are comparable to a fast car with horrible handling. If they miss their target during the initial assault, (which they often do, as the artificial intelligence Dr. Wily programmed them with is rudimentary at best), the time it takes them to decelerate, turn around, and line themselves up to make another pass can cost them the battle. These mechanical poultry can only do damage at close range, this places them at a disadvantage against enemies with firearms that can strike at them from a distance. While their bodies were designed to absorb the shocks that come from constant jumping, there is a limit to how much stress their frames can take; over time, repeated, minor shocks can have a cumulative effect on a Cook's internal systems and cause the robot to malfunction. While their armor is tough, it can't withstand the sheer power of a hit from the Crash Bomber (Crash Man) or fully-charged Atomic Fire (Heat Man).




Materials:
Cardboard from a cereal box, Kleenex, newsprint, white/hot glue, wire twist ties, paper clips, screws, white/hot glue, permanent marker, and acrylic paint.

Dimensions:
(Please note that, due to the range of motion made possible by the various joints, the dimensions of this figure will change depending on how it's positioned.
11.6 cm/4.6 in. x 8.7 cm/3.4 in. (highest point x widest point)

Articulation:
Eight points. Hips, knees, ankles, lower neck (at body), and upper neck (at head).

Time:
Three days. Construction took place on November 28, 29, and December 1, 2006.