#I can't even say this is upbringing trauma bc I grew up with parents who both are notorious for impulse purchases and even make fun of it

[vimbry]

stumbles out of the paypal window covered in blood

[major-wren]

Headcanons for Sonic characters' living situations (family/upbringing/housing)

We don't see most sonic characters homes or relatives anymore post-Archie comics, which tbh I actually like bc I like them to stay simplistic adventurer characters in main-line canon, but here's a bit of a masterpost for what I like to imagine in headcanon world lol

Even tho it's headcanons, I like to base them off of canon information (one off dialogue, old comics, less played games), so ull probably learn a lot about their actual canon homes through this read if that interests you team

Im splitting this into two posts! Click here for team dark, read below the cut for team sonic-

Team Sonic homes & upbringing

Sonic

I really really do not have any interest in Sonic being a tragic orphan lol. No interest in the Longclaw tragedy or him being alone his whole childhood. I think most can kinda agree that the tragic orphan main character trope is kinda overdone anyway, and honestly I just don't think it's accurate to his personality at all, at least not how I see him. My headcanon is that he had a pretty normal childhood, despite his super speed, and that the reason he didn't cause a commotion out adventuring at an even younger age than he already did is because he canonically grew up on Christmas island, so he couldn't get to the mainland since he can't swim. On TailsTube Tails said that the mainland is mostly urban cityscapes populated by humans (I assume with further away, more forested areas like windmill village and north glade further away from the human cities) and that the animal people mostly live on or at least come from tropical islands surrounding the main land (that are more tropical and similar looking to the early games with their palm trees and sunflowers).

I think Christmas island is probably tucked out of the way, and that Sonic grew up with a mom and dad and maybe even a little sister. I just think Sonic is such a big brother type, he had to get it from somewhere, he just fell into it so naturally with Tails like it was no big deal to him to have some little guy following him around tryna copy him, like maybe he was used to it. I bet his little sister is a lot younger though, like a bigger age difference than Sonic has with Tails, so by the time she was more self aware he was already off adventuring. I think before he left though, he was a massive trouble maker, always trying to find something exciting to get up to and burn energy with. I bet he had a skateboard and would be constantly hurtling around the island crashing into other peoples' stuff, so everyone knew him well. That kind of small town childhood where every mom and pop shop owner knows you by name and gives you a free little treat while you're out grocery shopping with your parents. I think everyone was shocked by his super speed at first but got used to it because, tbh, judging from other characters, although it's rare it doesn't seem that insanely crazy for animal folks to be born with some sort of special ability or crazy fur or eye color. I think the only reason Tails got bullied for his is just because it's so much more visually jarring and really seemed to be more of a deformity than a special ability until he realized he could fly.

I think Sonic would befriend someone who managed to get a proper ship that can make the distance to the mainland, and would end up begging his parents to go off and adventure, to finally stretch his legs and find the limits to his speed while he sees the world. In Sonic's world, and even Blaze's dimension, I don't think this is uncommon. Supposedly Amy ran off to adventure, Cream's mom Vanilla lets her go and adventure so long as Germerl or a team sonic member is watching her, and Marine from Blaze's world was also intent on adventuring no matter what anyone said. I don't really like when people try to say that this is like,, trauma inducing or something, because that's just how adventure cartoons and games are. Like, little kids go off and adventure the world in pokemon too and stuff, that's just normal for them or even an exciting opportunity that others envy them for, so, yknow, that's how I see it for sonic's world, too. He wasn't abandoned by his parents or anything he just wanted to go adventure and see the world outside his tiny island.

Obviously once he was off the island, at some point he ran into eggman and couldn't stand by and watch him do evil, jumped into action, and kickstarted their rivalry. Remember, he didn't start out doing cosmic universe saving conquests, originally he was just roughing up eggman to save little woodland critters! And during this cat and mouse game he met Tails, Amy, and Knuckles, with this rivalry obviously becoming more serious when Metal Sonic was introduced later on (Metal was introduced 2 years after Sonic's first adventure, so I like to think that at least 2 years really did pass in their time and so he's a proper teenager by then and ready to take on the challenge).

I really like to emphasize Sonic's adventuring sprit, and so I think he started out with the money his parents gave him to rent out motel/inn rooms or yknow those little rooms people will rent our of their homes for some extra money. Probably a few of the nights inbetween he may have used a hammock and camped out for fun, he does like to enjoy some quiet time in nature every now and then after all. I think by the time Metal Sonic comes in and Sonic's position as hero becomes a bit officiated, he's probably run out of the money his parents gave him at that point but doesn't wanna abandon his duty against Eggman now and his new friendships, and has found that he really loves this freedom and exploring. But now he's a proper hero, maybe not worldwide but definitely in these forested areas I mentioned earlier that are distant from the urban cities at the center of the mainland. So people probably take him in and let him sleep in their guest rooms or on their couch with Tails for free on the days they don't feel like camping out, yknow as thanks for keeping eggman at bay and saving woodland critters and kidnapped victims like Amy. Eventually in time Tails finishes building a Lab in Emerald Town with Sonic's help and that became their home base.

So I think Sonic lives all over the place, that he mostly sleeps at Tails' lab and has his own room there, but that he also still travels a ton inbetween adventures (because it's so easy for him to do, run for 10 seconds and you've skipped 5 towns) and likes to still stay at strangers' houses to hear their stories and sight-see, or will stay at whatever hotel or inn, or maybe even still set up a hammock if it's a night with good weather.

What about his family though? Oh he totally visits them as often as he can, but since it's a small island that hasn't made any connections to the mainland yet, they don't have a ferry system and are too far out to build a big bridge without promise of business to justify it. He hates the water so much and hates the boat rides there, so that's why it's reduced to yearly visits, but they still send letters back and forth all the time, with his parents sending pictures and updating him on his little sister, and Sonic sending back all the details of his adventures and new friends. I'm sure by the time he's become a big hero, like by sonic adventure 1, at that point the news of his heroism reaches his parents before his letters can, and they always make sure to write in how proud they are.

And don't worry!! Tails isn't left out by any means, he goes with Sonic to celebrate holidays at his family's house every year, and his parents make sure that he feels like he's a part of the family too, because he is! Besides, Sonic really appreciates the company for the boat-rides there and back, if we've learned anything from Sonic X, it's that he's not particularly a huge fan of long boat rides. Tails is Sonic's little bro through and through, and his little sister is simply thrilled to have two adventuring hero big brothers. Sonic's parents love to have Tails too because it gives them a chance to embarass Sonic with all the stories of how he would try to impress his little sister with radical skateboard tricks or setting a new record for running a lap around the island, but would always end up hurting himself somehow. Still, it made her laugh, and makes Tails laugh at the stories now even years later, so there's no real loss.

Tails

We all know the story of how Tails was bullied by the others in his village for either his second tail or his advanced skills in technology, depending on the media. Sonic was the one to scare the bullies off while running by one day, and Tails ended up following him and joining in on his adventure, so there's not much room for my own headcanons since he already has a past and home in canon (the lab/workshop he built in Emerald city). It's never said where his parents are in all of this, at least not in the cartoons, games, or IDW comics. It's unclear whether they simply were never there, possibly neglected him and therefore did not care when he left, or if they let him leave to adventure the same way Cream's mom lets her. The headcanon I ended up coming up with is that in Tails village it has a 'it takes a village to raise a kid' mentality, and although kids still lived with their parents, they were cared for by everyone in the village, and that it was predominantly foxes living there. Because of this, I think if Tails wasn't claimed by his parents and instead lived in a group home or orphanage, it wouldn't be too bad since he'd have the whole village of adults looking after him, but: This would also make it easy for him to kind of feel like he doesn't have much tying him to his home, just kind of generally cared for and not having a direct link or loyalty to a specific home. I also think that his village being majority foxes would cause them to be more closed minded toward any differences, like his second tail. So when Sonic comes by, and shows off how he's backpacking the mainland alone and embracing not having anything tying him down, Tails is totally star struck and wants to follow in his footsteps. They of course go on exciting adventures together and Sonic becomes his big bro, with the adventures slowly becoming more intense as they grow older and rise to the challenges and make connections to adventuring types all over the world (and beyond, into the future and other dimensions and other planets).

Obviously he needs a place to store his equipment though, when his skills expand and demand more than the tools and materials he keeps stored in a bag on the Tornado. What was a single bag and the tornado ends up blowing up into a full blown workshop, multiple mechas, basically a whole industry with his logo showing up even on common household items. I think that's how he makes money too to stay independent, through selling inventions or being commissioned for repairs or designs.

Also in the IDW comics, there's a small side moment where Tails asks Sonic to play games with him, and there's a panel showing them playing games on a couch, so it's clear that Tails' workshop does have a living area with the typical furniture and comforts.

As said earlier he visits Sonic's family every year whenever they can make the time for a trip and be sure they won't be needed for anything important (this becomes easier when the freedom fighters or the resistance/restoration is formed, depending on whichever continuation you follow, regardless it allows them to go off for a little vacation/home visit more often). Tails is nervous at first but after a few visits becomes excited to go see them again and feels like a part of the family, and a holiday without him just doesn't feel right at Sonic's family's house. Whenever he's there he definitely helps with any home repairs they may need as thanks, and eventually helps them with setting up a way to do video calls. Even with video calls, Sonic still likes to send letters back and forth too, it became a way to really sit down and digest all the big events that happen to him, like a way to help process it all while also chronicling all the good moments with his friends. Still he appreciates the video calls Tails set up, but since he never keeps any tech on him, they have to be scheduled so he can make sure he can go have a sit-down at Tails' lab to be there to answer the call and have a chat (this means Tails is always there for the video calls too!).

At first at Sonic's family's house his bedroom had been left untouched and still has his silly race-car bed and stack of comic books and stuff, and it isn't until he literally can't fit in it anymore that it's replaced, and when it is they make sure to put a second bed in the room for Tails too since they always visit together.

Amy

Amy seemed to seek independence from a really young age. It's implied in Sonic X that her parents really upheld gender roles and expected her to stay at home and stay away from rough housing with her hammer. It was her fortune cards that told her to leave home, that she'd find her hero out in the world, and so that's how she ended up chasing Sonic around. I really like that Amy still found fun in femininity despite her parents' influence on her, that she knows she can simultaneously weild her massive hammer and bark orders while still expecting to be treated delicately and wear her cute outfits.

Since Amy isn't included on a lot of Sonic's early adventures with Knuckles and Tails, I tend to fill this gap with her having to return home because she doesn't really have anywhere to stay except for her parents' home, unlike the boys, so she can't tag along, as much as she'd like to. By Sonic Adventure 1 though, we see her independently grocery shopping and such, so it can be assumed that she moved out of her parents house the moment she was able to, probably saving up all her money to get away, and likely not being especially fond of or attached to her parents because of their conflicting thoughts on gender roles and adventuring, although not exactly hating them either. I like to headcanon that she moved into a human city maybe because its just easier to be independent there, that the animal-people communities have a focus on family and community and build their own eco-huts, but since she was goin' it alone it was easier to move into a pre-built apartment in the city. I bet, too, that she was excited to live right next to Twinkle Park. I also like to headcanon that shes specifically living in a tiny apartment right above a bakery, and that she works there a little bit to pay her rent living above it, like Kiki's delivery service. Obviously she regroups with the boys now that she's able to and joins in as a permanent fixture to the adventures.

Later on when she's older (I like to think her outfit reflects her age, that she was a child when she had the green skirt, a teenager with the big red skirt with lace edge, and an adult when she's got the red dress we see her in now) she finally moves back into an animal folk community and builds her own eco-hut. She has people over for tea often and bakes little treats to go with it. Just like the annual comic, I think she draws the mini-comics of her friends, and has been drawing their adventures and funny moments for a long long time. She definitely seems like the type to draw diary comics, or at least any kind of diary. Even though she settles down in one of the animal folk villages, I think she still makes trips into the city to go shopping with Rouge or to drag Sonic to Twinkle Park (he pretends to hate it but actually loves the arcade section with dancing games and the thrill rides, and soon they start making it into a trip with even more friends). There's a moment in the IDW comics where she takes everyone on a camping trip, and it's shown she has a cute car too, so I think she goes out and does stuff often, having little planned out trips with friends.

Amy realizes that her cards were never telling her of a hero that'd save her, they were sending her on her quest to become a hero by spreading love and protecting compassion, just like what she said in Sonic Fronteirs. I think her speech to Shadow, the way she protected Gamma, the way she looks out for Sonic and holds together the alliances and friendships he sparks, I think that's her role in the group and I think it's reflected in the way she lives, the way she builds a home wherever her friends need to be, and the way she's one of the only ones shown to have a car to help connect friends, always the one planning the get-togethers like her picnic in Sonic Prime and camping trip in IDW.

Knuckles

Okay honestly I don't have a lot in mind for Knuckles but there's no fucking way he actually just sleeps on the steps in front of the master emerald I refuse to believe it I refuse-

So obviously in my headcanon Knuckles is not homeless/shelterless. Yea sometimes he probably posts up in a hammock around angel island, same as Sonic's habits, maybe sometimes he does fall asleep in front of the master emerald by accident, but I like to believe he has a little home to keep things in and rest his head and hide out from the rain, even if he's not materialistic.

Remember when he popped up out of a sewer manhole in Sonic Adventure 2? I like to emphasize his whole thing of like, climbing up rock-walls and digging underground with his knuckle claw things lol. So building off of that, I think there's a hidden hatch somewhere and that the master emerald's temple is actually hollowed out inside underground for the protector to make a home of. That way he literally lives beneath the master emerald. I'm sure he has a little spot to cook food and a bed and maybe a makeshift boxing area and that's his home darn it give him a home. Beyond that he doesn't have any belongings inside because mostly he spends time all over the island looking after the chao, exploring, uncovering new engravings and structures, etc etc.

Also, honestly, I feel like it'd be nice if he had a few more hobbies. Especially if he was like, keeping some of his culture alive through crafting/making art, like weaving or carving small sculptures or stuff like that yknow? He doesn't like to hold on to too many items though because clutter makes him feel overwhelmed so he exclusively makes them as gifts for others. When he gifted Amy a small accessory he made Amy tried to gift back an accessory of her own that she knitted but she soon learned that it was better to just visit Knuckles and craft together side by side while enjoying the weather.