#based on that one panel with surge and sonic

[sparkly-caroline]

Been obsessed with drawing these two together lately, chat

(Based on a panel from IDW Sonic)

[aldermos]

I've seen a few posts on my dash about the idea of Amy's attempt to fix Surge only resulting in Surge somehow making her worse (aka corrupting her), and I feel there could be potential behind that scenario. What about you?

🙏 OKOK so I've seen a couple & i absolutely love the idea I won't even lie

(hc) but i very much think of Amy as stubbornly good and firm in her beliefs (shes based herself all on heroism, esp with the resistance and all 😭). Surge would definitely struggle to change Amy for the worse; especially since i consider Surge to be the weaker one of the two when it comes to morals and alike.

I personally dig the hc scenario where Surge is slowly melting away her anger and hatred (w/ Amy being doting and patient SLOW BURN 100K WORDS 30+ CHAPS until they inevitably hold hands) but this is more wishful thinking, i definitely see the canon panning out with them hating each other (especially after the whole forest fire)

+ the panel from the recent IDW issue where Amy is like we aren't forcing you to be part of the resistance or anything and Surge is like 'huh 🤔' IDK IDK i think Surge cracks first

HOWEVER, Amy letting loose and being a delinquent of sorts after giving up 'fixing' Surge, is something i would love to see for the fun of it.

It might be super ooc but imagine Amy just becomes tired of being a hero and cracks THEN decides the next best thing now is fighting random bots or ppls w/ Surge 😭 and the resistance is just like wtf 😭 LMAO (also imagine a tag team surge / amy vs sonic, it will never happen but it's both funny and interesting to think about)

Regardless, there's a bunch of potential dynamics with this. I'm liking the dynamic Surge brings w/ the resistance (like Whisper and her, it's so good especially if we mix in Tangle) (consider: whispangle jump surge) THERE'S so much potential for fights, connections, verbal arguments... the drama is crazy.

Sorry, this is a bit long. But thank you for the ask, i really hope the canon timeline will give us more of their dynamic 🙏

(TLDR: i do believe corrupt amy has potential, but i personally lean towards redemption surge 🙏)

[playertwotails]

Okay so I just read the new Sonic IDW issue #56 and there's so much about this issue I love but there are some particular panels I wanna talk about.

Putting it under the cut for spoilers. Also cause it's a long post cause I have thoughts.

SO first off Sonic is just having a bad time this whole arc, dude cannot catch a break lately I swear.

Like poor guy is having the worst week. Stating the obvious, but like he's in so much pain here and idk how many volts Surge just pumped into him but I'm gonna assume it was probably enough to kill anyone who's not Sonic. (Yay for plot armor lol). But seriously he should probably be dead but he's also got like basically over maxed stats in constitution so he can take hits that'd kill others but that doesn't mean it's not gonna hurt like hell.

Also look at Tails he's so worried and tries to dive after him but just wasn't quite fast enough. Plus look how Sonic landed...facing Tails when he first started falling he was face down. Meaning he had turned around mid fall and tried to reach out to grab hold of Tails' hand. The last thing he saw then before getting hit with fuck you levels of volts was Tails' terrified face just above him.

Which also means that Tails just saw all that up close. He was probably hovering just over Sonic based on the panel where he tried to catch him but couldn't do anything to help without also getting hit with Surges electricity too. So Tails more than likely just had to hover there and watch all that happen.

Side note: I also find it very interesting that it was a combination of his biggest fear and Tails' that resulted in this. Like yeah that was the whole point of Surge and Kit, they were made to prey on each of their biggest fears. But the fact that it was only Sonic that took the worst of the hits from the both I feel like says something. And the fact that Tails kept being able to talk down Kit (water) from attacking while Sonic couldn't do the same with Surge (lightning). Idk what but there's something there to look into and think about.

Moving back to the panels though:

When Tails can finally reach Sonic after the bath from hell he is freaking out and concerned. He's scared for Sonic to the point he can't even form a complete sentence just pure panic mode is on. And Sonic, who's in all kinds of pain right now, sees Tails freaking out and being worried about him and immediately makes a joke to try and calm Tails down.

Sonic just ignores how awful he feels to try and reassure his little brother. Cause he knows what Tails just saw and wants/needs him to calm down and Sonic does that the only way he knows how, joking around with Tails.

Now these next panels make me go absolutely feral

Sonic sees Tails get hit on the head from a huge rock and knocked out and his panic protective big brother mode instincts get kicked into overdrive. Sonic is clearly freaking out I mean he's even stuttering with the stress and panic of it all. Aka he is in 'no thoughts just panic and run' mode.

(I'm guessing too that the wisps are way too drained to do anything at all after all that, heck some of them aren't even floating)

Also he's repeating to himself over and over "I've got this". He's just trying so hard to get them all out of there and with Tails, seemingly down for the count, Sonic only has himself to save his little brother, the wisps, and himself. He has to "got this" or they're all done for. So he has to keep reassuring himself that he can save them cause there is no other option and no one else there to help.

To top it all off he's not at 100%, he just had a fight with Metal, then Surge, then some spicy bath water, then about to be Metal again and now he's fighting a collapsing building cause of Kit. He hasn't had a breather in like days now in this arc.

But then the next panels happen:

Look at Sonic's grip in that first panel, he's only got two fingers still griping when he's first grabbed it, barely, with his whole hand. He's about to slip but he's trying to hard to hold on with just those two fingers he's shaking cause he refuses to let anything bad happen to Tails on his watch. (Plus you know also his own life and the wisps, but he would 100% sacrifice himself in a heartbeat if that would do anything to save the rest of them)

Which makes me love Tails' iron grip shooting up and grabbing hold right next to his shaking hand so much. Just like the symbolism of it all just to begin with, Sonic can do a lot of things but when he literally, and figuratively, is losing his grip of the situation Tails has got them. Tails just once again swooping in last second to save Sonic is such a little badass moment, these last few issues have just been feeding Tails fans with good content I swear. They really let Tails keep being the one to save Sonic and show off how much Sonic needs him just as much as Tails need Sonic.

Just that quote from Ian Flynn again "sonic needs tails and that’s a cosmic truth"

Tails reassuring Sonic that "we've got this" is such a sweet moment. After all that panic Sonic just went through trying to save them he gets the reassurance that Tails has his back just as much as he has Tails'.

Also look at Sonic's face when he's looking at Tails he loves his little brother so much.

That little "yeah" he says too really just feels like a loaded statement other than just agreeing with Tails. I think he has that split moment of "what ifs" going through his head when he says that. Like yeah they're safe thanks to the fact Tails woke up. But what if he didn't, Sonic knows he wasn't gonna be able to save them on his own in this situation.

Now Sonic trusts and relies on Tails but in moments of panic when Tails in danger and protective older brother instincts kick in I think Sonic does also forget just how capable Tails is. Not that Sonic thinks less of Tails in any way, that's not what I mean at all, just that he gets to focused on keeping Tails safe he forgets Tails is very capable in pretty much every situation.

These last panels though are so good too:

I think that a combination of everything with this whole situation is why Sonic looks beyond pissed in this panel.

Eggman's old ally tortured, experimented on, and brainwashed a bunch of kids. The same guy that tried to kidnap Tails.

Surge had a mental breakdown and might be dead for all Sonic knows thanks in part to Eggman's machine which gave her a power high and basically overloaded her.

Eggman attacked them the second she was no longer a threat even with a truce that was supposed to last till they were out of there.

Because of that Kit destroys the building with all of them inside and Tails gets knocked out and almost killed right along side Sonic all cause Eggman couldn't keep his end of the bargain.

I think next time Sonic see's Eggman he's not gonna play so nice and quipy like he normally does. This may have been the straw that breaks the camels back with his attitude towards Eggman. Sonic won't kill him but he's not gonna pull punches either from now on.

And Tails looks so concerned after that glare Sonic gave. He knows Sonic better than anyone else and knows how mad he actually is. Even though Sonic is down playing his anger with is words afterwards a bit, seemingly letting it go, Tails knows him well enough to pick up on the fact that Sonic's still angry. And yeah Sonic backs off and leaves but even walking away he looks pissed off. (Tails just looks tired walking away and the wisps look traumatized, bless them they need a nap after being trapped and used like that)

Any way that's just my thoughts on the new issue. Let me know what ya'll think.

[roughandtumble-r]

Issue 71 came out a week ago, so I'll jump right into it!

Tails and Amy have just found Belle tied up in a closet aboard the Restoration's ship where their extreme gear was being held, and she reveals that it was Clean Sweep's security as well as Clutch who tied her up because of something she wasn't supposed to see.

Also, something I was wondering about while I was reading this part is why Belle didn't remember or recognize who Clutch was despite them being in the same place during the Chao Races and Badnik Bases arc, so I looked back at a couple of it's issues and found that the closest interaction they ever had was this one panel in Issue 35...

...so I guess it makes sense that Amy would remember who Clutch is, but Belle wouldn't.

Anyway, another competition has started in the Clean Sweepstakes, and Sonic arrives to cause a scene as he's been doing, but Mimic shows up disguised as a second Phantom Rider and knocks Lanolin out of the arena before making everyone else fight each other, and amidst the chaos, he sneaks up behind Sonic and removes his disguise, revealing his identity to Tangle and Whisper, Surge and Kit, and the Babylon Rogues.

Mimic later goes and tells Clutch about Sonic being the Phantom Rider, but only Tangle and Whisper finding out about his identity while Lanolin wasn't there puts them in a difficult position where they want to tell her but also don't because they know Sonic is probably doing it for a good reason, and Whisper reveals that she was recording the whole event with her mask and noticed that there were in fact two different Phantom Riders at the scene.

And that's about it for Issue 71!

We also got covers and solicits for Issue 74, which is set to come out in October, as well as both the Knuckles 30th Anniversary Special and this year's annual, which are set to come out in September and October...

With everyone trying to discover the Phantom Rider's identity, will Sonic, Tails and Amy be able to fly under the radar and find the info they need to topple Clean Sweep Inc.? Some secrets should stay buried, so if they fail, they will be trapped forever! Is this really it, or will our heroes find a way out of Clutch's, well, clutches? Sonic and his friends are racing to the finish of the Phantom Riders arc, which concludes with the double-sized issue #75, and things are about to get dire... Hang on tight!

There's trouble brewing on Angel Island and there's only one hero who can stop it... Join Knuckles for an all-new Classic adventure to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the world's most famous echidna! This is an addition to Knuckles' history that you won't want to miss!

The Sonic the Hedgehog Annual is back for 2024! Join Sonic and his friends in four exciting stories as they adventure together across the world in this 40-page anthology!

[kamenrideryeets]

Surge the Tenrec singlehandedly utterly obliterated the Sonic fandom. She became everyone’s new blorbo the minute she appeared in the comics. She spawned massive waves of AUs based solely around herself, including like 10 from me alone. She became the one canon Sonic character who would utter a great deal of meme lines. She could say “I am hilarious and you will make memes out of every panel I’m in,” and it would be in-character. She CANONICALLY became an UNDERAGE DRUG ADDICT by use of Eggman’s glorified bong, which itself became an instrument of angst used to launch 25 different AUs, including my own. Then, after she blew her own brain out in order to KILL SONIC “for a few seconds,” and Kit said what we were all thinking, the two of them left, refusing to elaborate or even establish what Surge’s own mental state will be going forward. And one issue later, the only person who remembers their existence in-universe is Whisper, who we THOUGHT had just been there as a plot device for Surge’s bong and wouldn’t be affected in the long run. But Whisper WAS affected, and THAT leads to her BREAKING UP WITH TANGLE, leaving Surge as the last lesbian standing. Even before all this, even without her story, Surge launched a massive fleet of gay crack ships, and enabled EVERYONE who made jokes about Sonic falling in love with anyone who punched him. She dethroned Tangle as the most butch and scrappy Sonic girl, and Whisper as the most traumatized character. Her existence dethroned the Metal Virus as the darkest Sonic story ever. Her arc may or may not have been a thin veil for the writers to openly rage against Sega’s iron-fisted mandates. Her actions and words turned a significant portion of the fandom AGAINST THE PROTAGONIST, not just in the situation, but AS A CHARACTER. Surge has sparked an ONGOING WAR over whether Sonic’s “anarcho-pacifism” is a character flaw, a personality trait, or just bad writing, AND over whether the writers or Sega are to blame. And the fans will likely never fully recover from ANY of this, NOR WILL SEGA ATTEMPT TO LET IDW RECTIFY THE ISSUES IT ALL CAUSED.

It will be YEARS before another arc or character in Sonic, comics or otherwise, is able to replicate the high Surge the Tenrec gave the fandom, IF EVER.

AND THIS ISN’T EVEN INCLUDING KIT, HIS OWN IMPACT, AND THEIR DYNAMIC.

And even as the comic moves on without them, they linger in our minds, prompting fanfics and AUs. Just like how Surge and Kit will never be truly free from the programming Starline gave them, WE, the Sonic fandom, will never be truly free from the brainROT Surge and Kit gave US. 

[abs9lution]

theory - prior to impostor syndrome ☆

so there's always been the burning question: what were surge and kit like before starline messed with them? how did starline encounter them in the first place?

below will be my theory on how they met each other.

to start this off, after the events of the metal virus, kit and surge's families were among the many lost or missing. they were both searching for their families, desperate to find them again. while searching, they ran into each other and decided to stick together.

since kit had some computer knowledge/skills, he tried to use the internet database in an attempt to search. and that was when surge and kit caught wind of starline, finding him out. they managed to discover that starline had been the one behind the virus and that he had helped eggman.

after doing a bit more research, surge and kit created a plan. they’d track down starline, incapacitate him, then bring him to the restoration so that he could be interrogated. little did they know, sonic and the others already knew about starline.

one night, when it was time for their plan to come into action, they tracked down starline into an alleyway… not knowing that it was an ambush. starline had noticed that he was being tracked/stalked online by them, and so he had been there, waiting.

after he had noticed he was being tracked, he had decided to research them and had found out that their families were missing, and so it was then and there that he had decided they'd be perfect test subjects for his experiments. nobody would notice they were gone.

as soon as surge and kit realized it was an ambush, it was too late. starline injected kit with something that knocked him out first. surge managed to throw a few punches before she, too, went out.

when they were both unconscious, starline dragged them to his base, and soon began what would be a long and traumatic chain of events for surge and kit.

and that's my current theory !!! i hope you enjoyed reading it :)

(quick note: all of the comic panels shown don't really have anything to do with the theory and were just put there for fun! the art right above this was made by the talented @spiritsonic)

[molinaskies]

(I promise this isn't a bot it's actually me Luescris 😭😭)

God every time you add info to what happened in #56 it hurts me worse every time I can NOT stop thinking about how awful that must've been for Sonic. He was clinically DEAD. He DIED. For like 30 seconds. Even with the seemingly horrified look on his face you could even tell. Usually in art when death is depicted there's no pupils and it looks all squiggly and all that. And that's exactly what Sonic's eyes looked like there

But also for the last Anon ask, the third panel is in fact Sonic's mouth, he's like actively yelling with pain there, but I bet it was drowned out with everything else that was happening and just-

Man man man it hurts and I'm still so flabbergasted it happened. My big question is that is Surge dead too?? Like she can regenerate so I have a feeling she'll be back but that'd exactly how it was framed in those panels, I genuinely can't tell if that was her passing out hhhfhhf

Yeah sorry this was long I just have so many thoughts about this issue dhajsgssg

Here’s the whole list, at this point:

- core analysis (sonic broke)

- sonic’s drowning (literally)

- relating to sonic’s pain

- what’s happening in those triangles? (My last ask)

Hey, Luescris! DW, I know it’s you. Hope you can get your tumblr fixed soon! Thanks for the ask (I like long ones lol)

Thank you for clarifying what we’re seeing!

Honestly, regarding your big question, I don’t think she’s dead. Not even a little bit. They writing would have let Kit react differently if she was. HOWEVER, I think the way she collapses is designed to make Sonic think, for even a second, that she’s dead. This is the moment, for me, that Sonic finally gets it. He sees the gravity of the situation and he’s fucked up about it.

That said, I personally don’t think Sonic’s “dead” in that panel. In shock (metaphorically and literally)? Yes, but not dead. There’s too much emotion in his face for him to be dead. Too much fear, too much terror.

(Plus idk if my heart can take it LOL).

Even still, I 100% see both sides. It’s really hard to say definitively, based on how it’s presented. I like your point of “30 seconds” because that’s supported by a literal page break. Sonic doesn’t react until the reader needs to physically flip the page, and that incorporates an artificial passing of time. The same thing happens when Sonic almost falls when trying to get himself, Tails, and the wisps away from ground zero.

Page 1

Page 2

The fact that Sonic doesn’t make complete contact with the metal shows that something is wrong, and the reader needs to flip the page to find out what. The same thing happens with Surge’s collapse and Sonic’s recovery.

All I know is that Sonic is a little fucking fried (emotionally… please forgive the pun LOL)

[darkjanet2]

Sonic Adventure 2: Sonadow

Chapter 18: Shadow's Pain, Sonic's Comforting

The team separated in the ARK to find different ways of stopping the energy before it impacted the Earth. Amy was left behind and told to play Bejeweled Blitz on the computer with a disappointed and bored look on her face. She wanted to help them and be useful, but Eggman forced her to play computer games because she had no power or battle tactics. 

‘Man, this isn’t fair. Why can’t I help and join the team? I felt like I did nothing!’ Amy groaned as she laid her down on the computer desk, ‘Why do they have to keep me out when they need me most?’

*ARK Base*

Tails opened the panels to reveal the wires inside. He started his analysis of all the circuits in front of him while looking for anything that could stop the blast. Rouge watched in awe of his genius mind.

“Wow, Tails, you are really good at this…” said Rouge in an impressed tone as she crossed her arms over her chest.

“Thanks! This is just what I always dreamed of doing… I wonder how Sonic would react if he knew how much I had to learn from him to get to this point.” He thought for a moment as his mind went back to the days when they were kids and they played together. Tails carefully cut the wire, his hands steady and precise. The room held its breath as everyone watched, hoping that this would be the solution they needed. As the wire was severed, a surge of electricity sparked and crackled, causing the lights to flicker momentarily.

Suddenly, a low hum resonated throughout the base, signaling that something had changed. Tails cautiously glanced at the control panel, his eyes widening in disbelief. The countdown had stopped. The imminent threat of destruction had been averted. Tails breathed a sigh of relief and Rouge patted his shoulder.

“Well done, Tails! You saved the day!” Rouge exclaimed, giving Tails a huge smile.

“Thank you, Rouge! It really means a lot to me! But we have to look for Sonic and the others now,” he said quickly as he jumped to his feet and walked towards the door. “Right behind you!” Rouge replied with a nod before following him out the door.

*At the Security System*

Eggman was cutting the circuit wires to turn off the energy, which worked perfectly. Now all the danger from that explosion would be nullified and the planet wouldn't suffer any damage from the force. “Perfect! Everything should work fine now,” he said triumphantly, “Just one more thing to add to my list of inventions to improve upon!” 

He communicated Tails with a walkie-talkie to let him know the plan was working. 

“Tails, everything’s working. How does it go?” he asked. A few seconds later Tails’ voice came through, “Everything’s good. We’re still trying to locate the others. We’ll try to communicate again in a bit.”

 After hearing that, Eggman frowned slightly; he hoped Tails had found Sonic before the energy ran out. “Roger. I’ll be counting on you,” he replied as he began to communicate with Rouge, “Alright, Rouge, once I've finished, you'll have to go to the core and drain the liquid energy for Sonic and Knuckles so they can proceed.”

“Roger,” she answered before turning to leave the room. Eggman turned towards the main computer, where he had already placed the new data. “There we go. All ready to go to work! And I hope to see your face soon enough,” said Eggman.

*At the Core System*

As Rouge hurried towards the Core System, her footsteps echoed through the dimly lit corridor. The air was heavy with anticipation as she approached her destination. The Core System, the heart of Dr. Eggman's operation, was a massive, pulsating chamber filled with intricate machinery and glowing energy conduits.

As she entered the Core System, the sound of humming machinery surrounded her. The room was bathed in an eerie blue glow, casting elongated shadows on the walls. Rouge's eyes darted around, searching for any signs of buttons and switches.

She spotted two transparent containment chambers at the center of the chamber. Inside each, she found the control panels, buttons, and switches. Determination surged within Rouge as she moved closer to the chambers.

With her gloved hand, Rouge reached out to a control panel nearby. She examined the complex interface, analyzing the intricate codes and symbols. She knew she had to drain the liquid energy from the chambers, allowing Sonic and Knuckles to enter the ARK base.

Her fingers danced across the buttons and switches, her movements precise and deliberate. As the liquid energy started to drain out from the chambers, Rouge watched as Sonic and Knuckles began to proceed to the base.

"Nice work, Rouge," complimented Sonic.

"Thanks. Now go ahead and find your way, we're going to need their energy to shut down the system," said Rouge.

Sonic nodded, "Copy that." Sonic turned to Knuckles, "Let's go." Knuckles nodded.

*At the Fuse System*

Sonic and Knuckles had arrived at the Fuse System

Sonic and Knuckles stood in awe as they entered the Fuse System, a massive chamber filled with intricate machinery and pulsating energy. The room hummed with power, and the air crackled with anticipation. The duo knew that this was a crucial moment in their mission to shut down the ARK base.

As they approached the central control console, Sonic couldn't help but crack a confident smile. "Alright, Knuckles, let's do this!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with determination.

Knuckles nodded, his fists clenched tightly. "No problem, Sonic. We've faced tougher challenges than this before," he replied, his voice resonating with unwavering resolve.

Together, they assessed the control console, its array of buttons, levers, and switches stretching out before them. The console emitted a soft glow, guiding their eyes to the areas that needed their attention.

Sonic's nimble fingers flew across the buttons, intuitively deciphering the intricate sequence required to shut down the Fuse System. Knuckles, with his immense strength, positioned himself strategically, ready to pull any necessary levers or switches with precision.

As they worked in perfect sync, the Fuse System began to respond. Sparks erupted from the machinery, and the room trembled with the impending release of power. Sonic and Knuckles remained focused, undeterred by the intensity of the situation.

With each successful maneuver, the energy in the room shifted, gradually reducing the Fuse System's potency. Sonic's speed and Knuckles' brute force were a formidable combination, their teamwork proving to be their greatest asset.

As the final moments approached, the chamber seemed to hold its breath. The energy crackled and surged one last time before gradually subsiding. The once thunderous room now fell into an eerie silence, signifying the successful shutdown of the Fuse System.

Sonic and Knuckles exchanged triumphant looks, their smiles wide and contagious. "We did it!" Sonic exclaimed, his voice echoing through the chamber. "Now let's regroup with Rouge and ensure the ARK base is fully deactivated."

Together, they hurriedly made their way back to Rouge and others, the satisfaction of their accomplishment fueling their steps. The journey ahead may still be challenging, but with their combined skills and determination, Sonic, Knuckles, and Rouge were ready to face whatever lay ahead in their mission to save the day. 

*Meanwhile the Main Control Room*

"Looks like ARK is stable," said Orbot. 

"That's good," Cubot said. "But there seems to be a small problem. We haven't received word from them since they left the control room about five minutes ago."

"What small problem?" asked Orbot curiously. 

"The Energy Wave has taken its toll. There's very little power left in the core, and all the systems are shutting down. We have no choice but to destroy the core now," said Cubot.

"You're right, but we need Shadow to help us do that. Do you think he'll notice?" asked Orbot.

"I'm not sure. But even if he doesn't, the core will eventually self-destruct," Cubot replied.

Orbot nodded, a frown appearing on his face. Suddenly, a door opened to reveal Sonic, and the others entered the room. Cubot looked at them in surprise, wondering what they were up to. Sonic strode forward, his emerald eyes fixed on Orbot as he spoke.

"Hey, Orbot, how's it going?" asked Sonic.

"The ARK's is stable, but we don't have much power left. You have to help us get rid of this core before it self-destructs," Cubot replied.

"How are we going to do that?" Sonic asked.

Orbot gestured toward the core monitor screen, which showed the core's status: "The core is still powering down, but it isn't completely done yet," he explained. "We've only got about 19 minutes before it shuts down completely."

"Okay. What do we need to do to make sure that happens?" questioned Sonic.

"Well, we could try to remove the core," suggested Orbot.

Cubot nodded in agreement. "Yes. We need Shadow to help us out,” he said.

Sonic glanced over at Knuckles. His friend was staring at the screen with an intense look of concentration. "What do you think, Knux? Can you take care of the core and use the Emerald?"

Knuckles thought for a second and then replied, "Yeah, I think I can."

Amy entered the room with a scorned look on her face feeling useless for playing Bejeweled Blitz for a long hour. She hated being left behind.

"So, Amy, have you finished your game?" asked Eggman.

"Why do let me play this stupid game when I was trying to help? I could have been more useful than just sitting here and doing nothing! Besides, everyone else is supposed to be helping, too! Why am I only getting treated like this?!" complained Amy.

Eggman shrugged indifferently. "Because you're not an actual member of our organization, remember? It doesn't matter what you do outside of work." 

Amy growled.

"We have no time to waste. You have to get Shadow," said Orbot.

"Okay, I'll go talk to him," said Sonic.

"Are you sure, Sonic?" asked Tails.

"I'll go with you," said Amy.

"No, Amy. You stay here," said Sonic firmly.

"But--" 

"No, Ames. I've got this. You stay back with them, alright?" Sonic pleaded.

Amy frowned, but she reluctantly nodded. Sonic stepped out of the control room, leaving Amy alone with Orbot and others. He walked past the corridor leading away from the main chamber, heading deeper into the facility. He came to a halt and opened the door to see Shadow staring at the window with his crossed arms over his chest. Sonic entered the room and tried to talk to Shadow.

"Shadow,"  he called out.

Shadow didn't turn around, he could see the reflection of Sonic in the window. "Go away, Sonic," he muttered.

"Come on, bro. You know I won't leave you alone if you aren't talking to me," said Sonic.

Sonic walked toward Shadow, hoping that his counterpart would understand what he was about to say. He stopped a few feet away, unsure of how to begin. He took a deep breath and looked Shadow in the eyes, his expression serious. 

"I know you've had some disagreements in the past, but I need your help. I need you to believe me. Shadow, we're a team," Sonic said, his voice filled with concern. "We've been through too much together to let something like this tear us apart."

Shadow finally turned to face Sonic, his crimson eyes burning with a mix of anger and pain. "You don't understand, Sonic. You can't possibly comprehend the weight that I carry."

Sonic took a step closer, his emerald eyes reflecting his determination. "Then help me understand, Shadow. Talk to me. Tell me what's eating you."

Shadow clenched his fists, the tension in the room growing thicker. "I've spent my whole life fighting against the darkness within me. I've embraced my past, my pain, and turned it into strength. But lately, it feels like I'm losing that battle. I can feel the darkness creeping back, consuming me from within."

Sonic listened intently, his heart aching for his friend. "Shadow, you're not alone in this. We're here for you, every step of the way."

Sonic clenched his fists. "Tell me what happened during the invasion, Shadow. Wasn't there some kind of plan to end it all?"

Shadow closed his eyes, his head bowed, his brow furrowed. "It's none of your concern, hedgehog. And why bother do I have to help you? Just go and fix things by yourself."

Shadow walked past Sonic, bumped into his shoulder, and pushed past him as he headed toward the exit. But Sonic stopped him, reaching out and grabbing his wrist.

"Shadow… please," Sonic pleaded.

Shadow released Sonic's grasp, "Let go of me!"

As Sonic's grip tightened on Shadow's wrist, both hedgehogs locked eyes, their expressions filled with frustration and hurt. The room seemed to buzz with tension, their emotions palpable.

"Shadow, you can't just walk away," Sonic said, his voice tinged with desperation. "Please, we have to the best of help."

"Why the hell should I trust you?!" Shadow shouted angrily, wrenching his arm free from Sonic's grasp.

"Because you promised! What about the promise made to Maria and her wish?! Don't you want to fulfill it!? Do you, Shadow?!" yelled Sonic.

Shadow growled angrily, baring his fangs as he glared at Sonic, and threw himself at the blue speedster. 

"Don't you dare say her name!" roared Shadow. "I don't need to hear your voice saying her name again! I told you that I wasn't interested in stupid friendship! But you wouldn't listen!"

Sonic reacted with his emotional pain, and Shadow continued.

"I just...  I just can't stand it anymore. All these years the one thing I wanted was to protect her, I wanted her to live! She pushed me to the pod, locked in. I was trying to save her, but I failed! I couldn't save her! I couldn't fucking save her!  All because I couldn't even save her, then she was murdered! I was so helpless that day....and yet she still wanted me to promise to protect humanity..." Shadow shed those tears from his eyes, and Sonic's eyes welled up the tears.

"Even if  I could have saved her, I couldn't have prevented her death!  And now I have to live with the fact that it was because of me that she died!" Shadow gritted his teeth, his tears flowed freely down Sonic's face.

"I... I couldn't save her and now she's gone. She's gone, she's gone! Oh, God..." Shadow sobbed.

Sonic stood up and hugged Shadow, the ebony hedgehog clinging onto him desperately, burying his face in his shoulder. Sonic rubbed his back, whispering words of comfort.

"Shhh. I know, I know. It's alright, bro. I've got you. I'm right here. Nothing bad's gonna happen. I promise. Everything's gonna be fine," whispered Sonic, soothing Shadow to calm down.

'He had so much pain in his past. Maria lost her life because he was unable to protect her,' thought Sonic. 

Sonic hugged Shadow deeply while stroking his back, letting him know that he was there for him. Eventually, he felt Shadow relax slightly against him. After he calmed down, Shadow wiped his tears away with the backs of his hands.

"Better?" he asked.

"Yeah. Sorry for being riled up," apologized Shadow.

Sonic shook his head. "Don't be. It's okay to cry. Nobody blames you or thinks less of you for it. They know you're hurting inside. Just don't blame yourself."

Shadow gave him a slight nod. "Sonic?"

"Yeah?" he responded.

Shadow stared at him for a moment and Sonic wondered what was going on with him. 

"What?" asked Sonic innocently.

Shadow kissed Sonic on the lips, and Sonic's eyes widened. Then he closed his eyes and kissed him back passionately. Sonic's heart raced as he felt Shadow's lips against his own. He felt a warmth spread from his chest and knew that he had finally found the one he had been searching for. His hands moved to Shadow's waist and he deepened the kiss. His heart pounded as he explored Shadow's mouth, feeling the intensity of their connection and the love they shared. 

'He kissed me again. Just like back in the jungle,' thought Sonic.

Shadow pressed his lips to his and his hands explored his body eagerly. He felt a thrill of excitement as his strong fingers caressed his athletic body. He pulled him closer, deepening the kiss as he explored further. His touch ignited a passion within Sonic, and he felt a warmth coursing through his veins. He wanted him, and the intensity of his desire was almost overwhelming. Sonic wrapped his arms around his neck, responding eagerly to his touch.

Shadow laid the azure hedgehog down on the floor, and smiled down at him lovingly. He leaned down and gently kissed Sonic's neck, eliciting soft moans and gasps from the blue hedgehog. Shadow continued kissing along Sonic's neck, making his way lower until he reached his collarbone, raked his fangs across the sensitive skin beneath it, and then licked the spot. Sonic shuddered and let out a low moan, his hands gripping his shoulders tightly. Shadow felt a thrill of satisfaction course through him as Sonic leaned into the touch, and he continued his attentions, finding the spot that made Sonic squirm and moan with pleasure. 

[thebwarch]

I still think Lanolin (In the Sonic IDW comics) is mad suspicious and if she’s going to betray the peeps or escalate things past where they’re comfortable, it’s gonna happen in this arc.

A quick entrance for non-comic readers, but Lanolin here has been around for a good long whiiile. She was at first a background character that has only gained more and more spotlight leading up to the current arc where she’s a main focus. She’s a part of the Resistance fighting against the Eggman Empire.

For a few arcs now that’s just kinda been it. Just helping the resistance and stressed at base camp.

And for the longest while some panels of her just came off as... strange. Most notably that first one in this chain. That lighting, that expression? But it seemed to just past issue after issue without really coming to anything. People thought she might Be Mimic (she can’t be ofc, there’s signs of that) or she might be mind controlled by Starline and leaking information. But nothing ever came up.

So now in the most recent issue, she’s a part of an attack team taking the fight into one of Eggman’s Bases. She’s jazzed, she’s ready to fight. Maybe a little TOO ready to fight.

I used to think that she was going to betray the Gang and pull a lever somewhere to drop them right into Eggman’s clutches,

But now my going theory is more with the leadup in this current issue she’s possibly just going to take things too far, and Sonic and co. will have to stop her from potentially killing Eggman. “You inspired me to do more,”

Semi-notably, Lanolin’s initial idea was to take her, Whisper and Tangle on the mission.

Sonic isn’t visibly *unwanted* and she’s happy to have him along, but it wasn’t her idea, her input. She could view it that she can fight off Tangle and Whisper from stopping her, but not Sonic. But she can’t also turn down Sonic’s presence without arousing suspicion.

The thing that makes me think they might not be heading down this road is they’ve just simply done this already a few times, with Whisper, Surge, and Shadow wanting Eggman’s head and not being happy with Sonic’s Peaceful Solutions.

Althooooough, it might be that Lanolin has an ally in Whisper who would be willing to team up to potentially kill Eggman.

Lanolin has been devastated time and time again and again by Eggman controlling, killing, and hurting her friends and family. The entire world almost turned into *zombies* because of his actions. She’d have more than enough reason to want to return the favor.

As an afterword, this is just a pet crackpot theory and I can also totally see being wrong and she’s just another part of the resistance that will work with everyone else in harmony~ But wouldn’t it be COOL to have a turncoat who’s been around this long and is this inconspicuous?

[omegafan101]

You know what? It’s been a while since I shared my thoughts on the IDW comics, and I wanna get back into that. Let’s talk about Issue 55!

Right away this cover art is fucking GREAT! Might be some of the best in the series. I’m a big fan.

First off, the Egg Walkers back! Cool! The Egg Mobile is nice and all back Eggman tromping around in a big legged version of the thing has always been fun.

Secondly, love that Metal just rushed in to attack Sonic immediately without Eggman’s orders. Weather it’s just Metal’s prime programming to kill Sonic, or his own free will beginning to creep through is up in the air. And I like that.

Really faked me out here, thought for sure we’d have the classic horror trope with Surge jumping down right before Eggman fully realizes where she is. But Eggman being quick witted enough to realize where she is and shooting that close to her is way better!

Also Eggman having a gun will never not be funny to me. Sure it just shoots lasers but god the image of Eggman holding a pistol is metal and hilarious at the same time.

I’m so god damn happy with what Ian and Evan have been doing with Eggman this arc. The fact that this is the second time in 6 issues that he has grabbed and attacked a character with his bare hands is amazing and really paints him as the threat he’s meant to be. Eggman being physically stronger than he looks, while still needing to rely more on his machines, is just a fantasic bit of characterization.

God I love the way the ENTIRE panel is washed in color whenever Surge uses the wisp powers. It’s absolutely stunning and is a FANTASTIC showcase of her power.

HOT DAMN CHAOS DRIVES ARE BEING ACKNOWLEDGED!

You know after two mini-series of “Starline manipulates people for his plan, they find out, he almost dies, Starline manipulates people for his plan, they found out, he DOES die,” it’s great to be reminded, post-mortem, Starline is an absolute genius and could have been a genuine terrible threat to the world had he not been so focused on one upping Eggman.

I love how Sonic and Eggman aren’t working together yet here, but are smart enough to know that both of them are enemies to Surge and coming at her from both sides like this before confronting each other is a good play. Also Metal looks AWESOME!

I continue to feel so bad for Surge it hurts. The crippling paranoia and anxiety over both her own safety and Kit’s is heart breaking and really makes me want to see her come out okay in the end, which unfortunately I don’t think will happen at this point.

I have nothing of value to say here i just like the image of Eggman drinking water like a professional athlete.

I gotta say it’s a little jarring to see Eggman so quickly accept Sonic’s help after he was so stubbornly against it in Sonic Frontiers, but I guess he just knows that he’s in a completely modified base that he’s unfamiliar with, has no form of transport anymore, and his only form of defense is Metal Sonic who would probably struggle against Sonic and Tails at the same time.

Plus I really can’t blame the writing team for it since they were almost certainly writing this before Frontiers came out and only Ian knew what was going on in that story and he didn’t work on this issue.

And there it is folks, that sweet, horrid realization that Surge isn’t just some brute who Starline hired, but a horrific creation of Starline who doesn’t know anything else than to hate Sonic. God this arc is creepy.

And once again a reminder that Starline is an evil genius on the same level as Eggman, just blinded by his own ego. Eggman admitting himself that Starline was brilliant but only AFTER he’s dead is great to see. I adore a villain who respects their enemies abilities and Eggman is prime for that.

Kit continues to look creepy and Sure is doing the Vegeta pose.

But enough about that I wanna talk about how calm Surge looks in those first couple panels. Or at the very least not angry like she usually is. Surge has been fighting running around and fighting non stop since Issue 50 and she’s clearly scared of the fact that Sonic and Eggman are working together. She’s tired, she’s scared, and she doesn’t know what else to do but to fight Sonic.

And oh BOY this last page is pretty!!! I cannot stress enough how amazing the art of this series is, it’s astounding!

Conclusion

Surge and Kit continue to be really fun and compelling villains and I’m so glad they’ve been added. Feels like we’re getting close to the end of this first major arc involving them, but whatever happens next issue I hope that the two of them can continue to appear in later comics down the line. Giving Sonic more of a rogues gallery is always neat to me, even if Eggman deserves more of the spotlight.

8/10

[bunnymajo]

Was planning on doing a comic of Kit giving Surge a gift (based on another Bumblekast scenario) but I don’t think I’ll have enough time to complete before xmas so I guess I’ll convert it into a short fanfic.

Here’s the comic script I had planned though up to a certain point, it was the first time I’d actually done a planned script like this haha (I usually just make it up as I go) so I wanted to show it off before I convert it :P

Panel 1: Kit sits in the middle of the floor, multiple half done projects surround him while he sits with his head in his hands. 

One project is a half knit sweater

Another is a pinata that looks like sonic’s head

Another is a handpainted mug with “live laugh love” half etched in the side

Another is a broken taiko drum

Kit: “What in the world am I going to get her…”

Panel 2: 

[insert flashback box] Kit & Surge stand in a panel, Kit looks at Surge smiling but scared

Kit: Surge! Wh-wha-what did you want for the holidays  ma’am?

Surge’s expression is a confused disgust

Surge: Why?

Panel 3:

A close up of Kit’s face, blushing and more nervous, avoiding eye contact, sweating

Kit:I-It’s, you know, tradition and I-I thought it’d be nice… (the text for ‘nice’ gets smaller)

Panel 4: 

Surge’s expression is the same, if not more exaggerated than in panel 2.

A thought bubble starts processing but she can’t think of anything 

Surge: Ehh…you’re my support unit aren’t you? You should just know what I want.

She blows him off but looks proud of herself that she gave a good answer and walks away

Panel 5: 

Kit: *mentally* NOOO!! 

Kit: (more sweating) haha…right…

Panel 6: [flashback ended]

Closeup of Kit again

Kit: Surge just gets whatever she wants whenever she wants. She’s so impulsive too, one thing she wants one week she hates the second, How am I supposed to shop for her? 

Behind Kit are memories of Surge stealing things from various stores (CDs, clothes, , food)

Panel 7 & 8: 

Kit is rolling around on the floor trying to figure out what to do. He rolls in front of the handmade sweater

Panel 9: profile view of kit facing the sweater, he grips it in his hands

Kit:  Even if I made something, she’d never accept it… Is it even worthy of her…why can’t I shake this need to give her something so badly? I wish I could just get rid of it…

Panel 10: [flashback to various canon events of the comic]

Panel 11: Kit’s brows furrow, looking determined

Kit: No. Surge deserves something nice for once, and I’m gonna give it to her.

[my-name-is-jefferooni]

The new issue is, uh… Well. It’s an issue.

I don’t mean this in a bad way on the production half of things, because I can tell everyone works their asses off just to pump out all this quality art and decent writing. Like. Look at me and tell me those backgrounds and panel placing and coloring did not take weeks to get finished. Tell me that right fucking now.

However, I’m especially pissed at the morals in this issue. To jump right to the point, since Surge is here, Sonic’s morals have to be questioned front and center AGAIN. It is a joy to see someone finally seeing the flaws in Sonic’s whole “Oh, well since I say you can do whatever tf you want, you can do whatever tf you want. As long as you don’t cause property damage UWU” However, it’s getting very irritating seeing how this is the very literal case for Surge. She is the ONLY ONE (Along with Kit) who sees the glaring flaws in this philosophy, the ONLY ONE who dares to challenge Sonic’s ideals.

When Sonic starts getting ahead of himself and says “Hey, why not introduce Surge to Whisper for real this time?” And when Amy gives him a look, Surge immediately cuts in to say, “Oh yeah! Why not? Everyone loves you and your judgement, so why tf not?” And then when they get to the Diamond Cutters base, and when Sonic offers a chance for Surge to join, Tangle says “I do believe in Sonic’s ideals…”

LIKE. HELLO??? TANGLE????? DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU EVEN ARE ANYMORE????? ARE YOU EVEN THE REAL TANGLE?????? SINCE WHEN WOULD YOU EVER SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT!?!?!?

It’s extremely annoying to see Sonic get all this glory and all this support for preaching his words like Jesus Christ. Many people have made the connection already multiple times, and I am in no way going to gloss over it. Sonic treats his words like they’re a way of life, like they’re verses in a fucking Bible. Yes, people should be free to think and do how they want, but if that’s the case, then you gotta let people choose to be angry and be terrorists and be murders! Because according to you yourself, that is what they have the choice to do! That’s what they have the freedom to do!

Now I will state that Surge and Kit have been told what to do for as long as they know. They have no memories of their past, so all they knew up until Starline’s death was the constant “Do this” or “Do that!” Just on and off manipulation, over and over again, never stopping, never ending… That’s all they knew. So when given the chance to have real functioning lives, it’s very reasonable to see them immediately rebel against everything the rest of the world stands for. Kit is literally made to follow Surge’s every demand and her every move, so he doesn’t have much say here, but Surge has all the brain freedom to do what she pleases, and the first thing she chooses once free of Starline is to rebel against literally anything good. And that is Surge’s own decision! That is her choice! Sonic saying she can be whoever and do whatever is basically a one-way golden ticket to Doomsday!

And then Sonic turns around, and claims that the only path to true freedom is to be peaceful??? I’m sorry, does this guy know what he’s saying? Does he know the rough definition of freedom? Does his know what his face-hole is spewing right now?

Look. I love Sonic in these comics. He’s fun, he’s outgoing, he’s nice, and the fact he has questionable ideals in the first place shows a lot of flaws that we don’t get to see in the games! But he shouldn’t be going around preaching these beliefs like he’s fucking God! It’s like he’s trying to rewrite the Bible over here!

So when everyone is just so incredibly FINE with it and doesn’t even think to question a single thing he says… It’s incredibly backwards. It makes Sonic seem like this deity, like this all-powerful being that’s equal to God in every way shape and form! It makes everyone else seem like sheep! Which is shockingly ironic because the only actual literal sheep here doesn’t even say anything about Sonic’s morals and just lets the chaos happen. Lanolin doesn’t give two flying fucks about Sonic’s morals and that’s hilarious to me. But compared to everyone else? It’s extremely sad seeing how so far only her, Metal, Whisper and Surge/Kit have been thinking on this.

My advice? Give everyone else the freedom to think as well! Make people question Sonic, give them a few panels to ask him what he really means, let them ask him for clarifications or something! Don’t just let them all sit by and watch him cosplay as Jesus fucking Christ!

At the beginning, seeing Surge step up and question Sonic’s morals was amazing! It was revolutionary! A spectacle to behold! But now everyone just wants it to be commonplace in Mobius, (Yes I’m calling it Mobius and no I am not over the fact that Mazuri exists in the IDW comics) and I know I am not alone!

So if anyone on the comic teams sees this, know that you are doing a very good job, but there are quite a few holes in this part of the plot and it desperately needs to be addressed.

So sorry to @spiritsonic for tagging you because I know you’re very very busy but I do hope this gets to you and some story adjustments can be made for future issues. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR WRITING STYLE AT ALL, I JUST THINK THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IN UNIVERSE.

Thank you so so SO MUCH for reading this, I really appreciate your time. Have a good day/night!

[ninjapotatohead]

So, there's some IDW discourse going on right now (what else is new?) regarding the character Surge the Tenrec and her scuffle with Metal Sonic. The outcome of that ordeal... is actually NOT what I'm hear to talk about, because I've already given my thoughts on that whole can of worms. This latest issue of Imposter Syndrome left a bad taste for a lot of folks, but not because of Surge herself (or the eye-rollingly forced and out-of-place SA2 reference, even though that is another in a long list of annoying writing habits Flynn just gets a free pass on for some reason), believe it or not.

No instead, my heavy gripes lie with this Eggman panel riiiight here.

(Yep, I'm bringing this image up again)

I can't even begin to describe just how terrible this line is; it's as though it exemplifies pretty much every single thing I (and many others) loathe about comics like these; both official AND fan-made.

This line doesn't read like a mad genius being faced with a new adversary, but it instead reads like almost every poorly-written Sonic fanfiction by some younger fan who can't go more than a paragraph without hyping up their self-insert character at the expense of characters they don't like. Surely, you know the ones I'm talking about.

But okay, one of the bigger reasons this line is so genuinely awful can be summed up in just two words:

"Since when?"

No, seriously; since when has Sonic ever "shown respect" for Eggman's machines? As @darklightheart once said, Sonic destroys the doctor's machines on a daily basis because the dude simply doesn't take the doctor's schemes sitting down.

Even if I went on to stretch my reasoning super-thin, the only Eggman robots that Sonic has ever shown any modicum of respect for are Gamma, Omega, and G-Merl... and that's some serious reaching.

Gamma was sent to the Egg Carrier's Bridge to essentially turn the hedgehog into Swiss cheese, but we're clearly shown that Sonic is more than capable of handling Gamma. He surely would've destroyed Gamma... if Amy didn't intervene due to Gamma having helped Amy escape from captivity. The only reason Sonic didn't turn Gamma to scrap was because of Amy's interjection and because Sonic, in his mind, knew that Amy's not bullshitting him. Definitely not because he feels any which way towards Gamma.

Even if you play through Gamma's campaign where he's just about to end Sonic then and there, again, Amy prevents that from happening.

Sonic and Gamma (apart from beating the shit out of each other) simply don't interact, so how could Sonic feel anything special about Gamma, let alone respect for him?

And what can really be said about G-Merl? Even in the loosest sense of the word, saying that Sonic "respects" G-Merl is still a bit of a stretch. All throughout Advance 3, G-Merl was basically "The Dragon" to Eggman. Even at the end, Super Sonic defeats G-Merl (who's final form is blown to bits), and nowhere is it ever stated that Sonic simply let G-Merl live through their entire final battle (unless Ian wants to make some BS claim that that's exactly what happened based on nothing). G-Merl just washes up on the beach, much like Emerl before him. And even after this, Sonic and G-Merl never interact with each other, even in Flynn's own work. Even when they do interact with each other in the comics, there's... not a whole lot of "respect" to be had.

And then, there was Omega. And you already know by this point that Sonic and Omega don't really interact either. Only time in the games where they've really had a conversation with each other is in Colours DS, and even then, Sonic just sorta treats him like he would anybody else from what I can tell. (If @aquillis-main can enlighten me any further as to if Sonic and Omega have any meaningful interactions amongst themselves in Colours DS, I'm all ears).

Even if we take this into account, and even if we stretch our definitions of the word "respect" so that these examples all support this (genuinely awful) Eggman line, that's only 3... out of probably millions. All this to say that Sonic's never once been any less callous and taunting when wrecking Eggman's stuff than Surge is here, so Ian's attempts at hyping her up falls flat in every which way.

And, because I know someone is going to say "It's probably a joke on Eggman's part."

1) Shut the hell up

2) Even if it was meant to be a sarcastic quip that's meant to be funny... the joke simply fails miserably; not only has Flynn been writing Sonic as what I call "Diet Spider-Man", but Eggman acknowledging it in-universe just makes things worse. Like I said before, it reads like a bad Sonic fanfiction that uses the characters like glorified mouthpieces to take jabs at characters they don't like. And that's how this terrible line is not a sign of good things to come from the IDWverse.

Okay, rant over

[tenebraevesper]

Sonic the Hedgehog Analyzer, Issue #5: The Fate of Dr. Eggman (Part 1)

Welcome to The Fate of Dr. Eggman Arc, where we will finally learn what exactly happened to Dr. Eggman and how Sonic and his friends are going to deal with him.

We are immediately thrown into action as Sonic and Espio take care of several Badniks. Sonic had been investigating whether Dr. Eggman was behind the recent attacks, learning that Team Chaotix has something of a lead on what is going on. However, it is kept a little vague, as Espio explains that Dr. Eggman had no contingency plan in case he lost in Sonic Forces, which leaves Sonic (and the reader) wondering what exactly is going on.

Now, I’ll just take a moment here and say that I love Team Chaotix - Vector, Espio and, yes, even Charmy - and that they’re really fun characters to read about. They may be broke, by that doesn’t detract from being the world’s greatest detectives (or the only detectives Sonic knows of).

Speaking of detectives, they actually did find Dr. Eggman, but...

Yeah, as it turns out, Dr. Eggman remembers absolutely nothing about what had happened in Sonic Forces, having a severe case of amnesia. Instead, he introduces himself as Mr. Tinker, having taken on the personality of a friendly man who loves to fix stuff. However, Sonic is not sold on this new personality, being quite suspicious of this being just an act.

Sonic decides to question him about his past, but Mr. Tinker has no clue what Sonic is talking about. Vector and Espio then confirm that Mr. Tinker isn’t faking his amnesia and that he legit doesn’t remember being Dr. Eggman. Sonic remains miffed, remembering all the crimes Dr. Eggman had done (like blowing up the moon in Sonic Adventure 2) and remains suspicious Mr. Tinker.

The conversation leads up to a debate that became quite a conundrum among IDW!Sonic readers - what is Sonic supposed to do with Dr. Eggman/Mr. Tinker? As a matter of fact, that’s why Team Chaotix has reached out for him, as they themselves have no idea whether they should even punish a guy who doesn’t even remember what he had done. Espio notes that justice needs to be served, but Mr. Tinker isn’t the same person as Dr. Eggman, leaving him musing.

They’re approached by the head of the village, who explains how they found an amnesiac Dr. Eggman and did lock him up, only for the latter to reinforce his own cell door. They questioned him about his memories, but there was no sign of the old villain everyone knew. Therefore, they let him live in the village, with Mr. Tinker repairing everything the villagers brought him. He literally calls Mr. Tinker a blessing to their village and vouches for him to let him stay instead of leaving him rot in a prison cell.

Sonic is still unsure what to do about this situation, being clearly stressed out on what he’s supposed to do with Mr. Tinker. While Vector offers to keep an eye on him, Sonic wants to make a set decision. They’re interrupted by Badniks, with Sonic figuring they’ve come to save Amnesiac!Eggman, only to see the latter cowering in fear and begging Sonic to defend the village.

Sonic, being the hero he is, accepts with zero argument. After Sonic and Team Chaotix smash the Badniks (and we get a panel of whoever took over Eggman’s base complaining about Sonic’ and the Chaotix’s interference), they realize that Dr. Eggman is indeed a changed person, one who has fully settled in as Mr. Tinker.

In the end, Sonic decides to allow Mr. Tinker to live his life peacefully. Now, this becomes a problem later on, but I will only focus on Sonic’s decision in this Issue alone.

I know that there had been a huge disagreement between people regarding Sonic showing mercy to the villains and giving them second chances, the prime example being Dr. Eggman/Mr. Tinker (something Shadow, Espio and Surge will call him out on later). Sonic knows exactly what Dr. Eggman had done; he had personally battled him countless times, saving the world over and over again from the mad scientist. 

Therefore, when Dr. Eggman is found, he’s called in to deliver a judgement. However, instead of finding the same man who caused him so much grief, he finds a man who has no memory of his past, whose accumulated hatred has been erased and who is using his brilliance to help other people. Now, Sonic has to decide whether he can judge and punish Eggman for his crimes despite the fact that he is literally a different person now, really struggling with coming to a conclusion.

Some people would say that Sonic should place Dr. Eggman/Mr. Tinker into jail and throw away the key. Some even suggested that he should just kill the man and be over with it (SEGA mandates forbid against killing off any of the video game characters, but that’s for a different discussion). In any case, the common consensus was that Sonic’s decision here was wrong, that he’s too merciful and that letting Dr. Eggman/Mr. Tinker off the hook seemingly excuses all of his past crimes. Hell, they would even argue how Sonic had no issue killing off past enemies (like Erazor Djinn, whom he trapped in the lamp and then dropped into lava), so why can’t he do the same with Dr. Eggman?

As for me, I completely understand Sonic’s point of view. Hear me out.

We see in this comic that Sonic is a bit more compassionate than he was before, showing mercy to his arch-enemy, and I’m completely fine with this. Sonic did never strike me as someone who’d just willy-nilly punish (or kill) whichever enemy he comes across. He has shown several times that he’s more than willing to forgive his enemies, especially if he sees them as misguided (like in the case of Merlina). As explained in Issue #50 (which I’ll get to eventually, don’t worry), he gives everyone the freedom of choice to turn their life around. However, if they decide to cause chaos, he’ll be there to stop them, and that is fine. I don’t mind the way how Sonic has been written here.

He had been told by Team Chaotix that Dr. Eggman has turned over a new leaf, the village head has also vouched for him and Mr. Tinker himself showed that his evil side is gone. In Sonic’s mind, if everyone agrees that Mr. Tinker is indeed a new person and that it would be better for him to use his skills to do good, then why not? Let him actually do good.

We can still see that Sonic has his doubts and we know that there’s no way Mr. Tinker is going to remain like this forever, but for now, this is how it is. I believe that Sonic’s decision was perfectly reasonable regarding the position he was put in (not to mention the fact that there’s no way he could’ve predicted what would happen in the future).

However, this doesn’t mean that I’ll be now putting Sonic on a pedestal for his decision, because there is still another side to this argument I also agree on and will cover in the next Issue. I just want to note here that I don’t see Sonic as some kind of paragon of good and that whatever he does or says is 100% correct and that no one is allowed to argue against him. As a matter of fact, even if I agree with his decisions, I have no trouble contesting them. Sonic himself said in Sonic & The Black Knight that, even if he has to play the villain in the eyes of other people, he’ll always do the right thing.

Now, speaking of challenging Sonic views, we are introduced to a very familiar duo, that being Rouge and, more importantly, Shadow the Hedgehog!

This should be fun. (￢‿￢ )

Now, excuse me while I go fangirl over my favorite Sonic!Character.

Links:

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#Sonic the Hedgehog Analyzer (Masterlist)  

[therobotmonster]

(Who wants a sneak peek at something I’ll be running hopefully soon?)

The robot before you is a 7 foot tall metal and plastic box atop a pair of combination foot/treads. It features a pair of powerful coil-like arms ending with metallic claws. A screen affixed to its frame projects a monochrome animated display of an animated dog's head. A brightly-lit panel on its chest shows the "Toxsi" logo, and the six buttons on its chest each correspond to a soda flavor. A friendly, synthesized voice announces "A Toxsi a day keeps the horror away!"

Vendtrons are the foot soldiers of the Cola War, operating as roving merchants who double as soldiers. They keep the flow of War Cola going while simultaneously keeping resources flowing back to their creators. Heavily populated areas will typically have a permanent vendtron presence, while more distant communities receive periodic visits.

A vendtron's barter software recognizes local currency and non-perishable trade goods with uncanny accuracy. They are remarkable appraisers, but will only "give change" in pop-tops, pre-war coinage, soda, or branded merch. As such, they tend to carry a variety of treasure inside their body cavities, on top of the precious cola they peddle.

Raiders looking to pick vendtrons off for an easy score, however, will find themselves on the wrong end of their formidable weaponry. Every Vendtron is armed with crushing claws and a "pop gun" that fires their core merchandise at bone-crushing (and can-exploding) speed. Those that survive the fight find themselves blacklisted and hunted thanks to the Vendtron’s instant radio communication.

Vendtrons are typically only hostile when attacked, but may be directed by their owners for any purpose a robot might be. Moreover, Vendtrons are highly territorial, and will attack rival vendtrons on site. Depending on how the Cola War is going at the time, they may also attack non-robots wearing a rival company's merchandise.

Stat block below the fold.

Vendtron

Large construct (robot), lawful neutral Armor Class: 17 (natural armor) Hit Points:  96(12d10+36) Speed: 30 ft.

STR 20 (+5)  DEX 9 (-1)  CON 16 (+3)  INT 6 (-2)  WIS 8 (-1)  CHA 12 (+1)

Skills: Insight +3, Perception +1 Damage Vulnerabilities: Lightning Damage Resistances: Slashing, bludgeoning, piercing (from non-magical, non-adamantine weapons) Damage Immunities: Poison, Radiation, Psychic Senses: Radiation Detection 60 ft, passive perception 11 Languages: Common, Synthix, and 2 others suitable to the local area. Challenge: 5 (1800 XP)

Barter Module.  A vendtron accurately recognizes the value of real currency and trade goods based on a 1-round examination. A vendtron has advantage on any checks to detect counterfeit goods, theft, or dishonest barter.

Sales Network. All Ventrons of the same type in a given area are connected via radio network and may communicate freely at will.

Clumsy. Vendtrons make Dex saves with disadvantage and treat stairs as difficult terrain.

Actions:

Mutliattack::The Vendtron makes two slam attacks, two pop gun attacks, or one of each.

Slam: Melee Weapon Attack: +8 vs AC, reach 10. Hit: 2d8+5 bludgeoning damage.

Pop Gun: Ranged Weapon Attack: +8 vs AC, range 60. Hit: 1d8+5 bludgeoning damage and target is pushed 10 ft. back.

Brand Weapon (Recharge 5, 6): Ranged Spell Attack. 30 ft. Cone. Each creature in the area must succeed at a DC 14 Dex save. The effect of the weapon is by Vendtron type:

New Nuka - "Ice Cold Dispenser" Coolant-Blast, 6d6 Cold damage, save for half.> 

Toxsi - "Toxsi Challenger" By-Product Disposal Spray, 6d6 Acid damage, save for half.> 

The Fizzicist - "Quantum Fizz" Microwave Cannon, 6d6 Radiant damage, save for half.> 

Spite - "Slimon Surge" Slime Launcher, targets that fail their save are restrained in a slick yet sticky citrus slime. Each target may attempt the save again at the end of their turn until they escape.>

 A, B & C Root Beer - "Root Burn" Flamethrower. 6d6 fire damage, save for half.> 

ICBM Cream Soda -  "A-Raid Siren" Sonic Cannon, 6d6 thunder damage, save for half.>>>

Gadgets and Gizmos:. A Vendtron's robotic hoozits and thingamabobs allow it to emulate the effects of the following spells at will: detect magic, detect poison and disease, identify, light, mending, remote access. It will only utilize these abilities in the execution of it's job functions..

[x--daughters-of-darkness--x]

HALESTORM: Behind-The-Scenes Footage From Making Of 'Back From The Dead' Video

HALESTORM has shared behind-the-scenes footage from the making of the official video for the band's new single, "Back From The Dead". The track is taken from the group's upcoming fifth full-length album, due in 2022. Directed by Dustin Haney (Noah Cyrus, Luke Combs) and produced by Revolution Pictures, the clip features frontwoman Lzzy Hale and the rest of the band in a morgue and cemetery somewhere between life and death.

Lzzy says: "'Back From The Dead' is about survival, not in a physical sense, even though I know we all have been touched by death especially these last few years. This song is personal and written from a mental health perspective. I wanted to give myself and the world a hard rock song we could shout out loud as the gates opened again. I was on the edge of this world getting completely lost in oblivion, but even though it was the harder of two choices, I didn't just let the darkness and depression in my mind dig me an early grave. I didn't just sit and let it take me. I've erased my name from my headstone, so save your prayers, I'm back! I hope this song, as I pass it on to you, reminds YOU of your strength individually and that you are not alone."

She continues: "The video was so much fun to film! Dustin Haney is an amazing director. Dustin and his team really helped bring my words to life and the video is one of the most cinematic pieces we've done in years! I hope this song, as I pass it on…reminds YOU of YOUR individual strength and that you are not Alone. Raise your horns!"

By breaking rules, bucking trends, and busting down doors, HALESTORM has surged through rock 'n' roll on a singular path without compromise or apology. Along the way, the Pennsylvania-bred and Nashville-based quartet — Lzzy Hale (vocals, guitar), Arejay Hale (drums), Joe Hottinger (guitar) and Josh Smith (bass) — has collected a Grammy Award, scored successive number ones at radio, garnered multiple gold and platinum certifications, and performed to sold out crowds on five continents.

Going against the grain again in 2021, the band weathered the flames of chaos in 2020 and returned stronger than ever with their most empowering and undeniable anthems to date.

"Throughout the pandemic, I was writing a lot of melancholic and hopeless songs about the ups and downs of the world," admits Lzzy. "I've been in this group longer than I haven't been in it. We've always had shows. Even when I was 13 years old, we had a couple of bowling alley gigs once a month. This was the first time I didn't know if we would ever play again. However, I started to use music in the same way I did as a teenager—to get myself through this situation that was plaguing us all. I sidestepped and said, 'Let's keep our heads up, get our attitude back, be a light in the dark for a second, and celebrate the fact we're surviving and there's hope for the future.' So, we started to write songs that were a reminder to ourselves of who we are and what we're capable of. That became the mission statement."

In a way, it's always been the mission statement…

Since roaring to life in 1998, HALESTORM has uplifted audiences with a combination of sonic ass-kicking, provocative songwriting, and unshakable hooks. The four-piece received a Grammy Award in the category of "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" for "Love Bites (So Do I)". The song also minted them as the first female-fronted band to hit #1 on the Active Rock radio charts. Thus far, their discography spans two gold albums "Halestorm" and "The Strange Case Of..." , a platinum single "I Miss The Misery", and two gold singles "Here's To Us" and "I Get Off". Between surpassing one billion cumulative streams worldwide, they've notched two consecutive Top 10 debuts on the Billboard Top 200 with "Into The Wild Life" (2015) and "Vicious" (2018). The latter represented a critical high watermark with Rolling Stone citing it as "a muscular, adventurous, and especially relevant rock record." In its wake, "Uncomfortable" emerged as their fourth #1 at rock radio and earned their second Grammy Award nomination, while Loudwire christened HALESTORM "Rock Artist Of The Decade" in 2019. Not to mention, they have supported everyone from HEAVEN & HELL and Alice Cooper to Joan Jett on the road.

Even as the world went dormant during 2020, Lzzy remained prolific. She lent her voice to collaborations with everyone from Dee Snider of TWISTED SISTER, IN THIS MOMENT, APOCALYPTICA, and Mark Morton of LAMB OF GOD to EVANESCENCE, Cory Marks, and Mongolian phenomenon THE HU. Additionally, she joined forces with a trio of legends — Corey Taylor of SLIPKNOT, Scott Ian of ANTHRAX and original SLAYER drummer Dave Lombardo — for the theme song to Netflix's "Thunder Force". Plus, the group contributed a cover of THE WHO's "Long Live Rock" to the documentary of the same name. Expanding her presence across television, she hosted the AXS TV "A Year In Music" series, joined the cast of Hit Parader's "No Cover" as a judge, provided the singing voice for Bella Thorne in the Prime Video hit "Paradise City" and launched her own show "Raise Your Horns" on Rolling Live. On the channel, she appeared in Mike Garson's David Bowie tribute with a performance of "Moonage Daydream" alongside Broadway star Lena Hall. She also participated in the platform's Ronnie James Dio tribute, supporting the Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund.

At the same time, she remained a huge proponent of encouraging the dialogue around mental health. She participated in a Grammy Mental Health panel and empowered the next generation of rock musicians as the keynote speaker at the Little Kids Rock Modern Band Summit. She also made history as Gibson Guitars' first-ever female ambassador.

"I've learned a lot about myself through all of these different projects," she admits. "I said 'yes' to various adventures, and it made me a better artist."

Working out of her home studio in Nashville, Lzzy and the band channeled this renewed spirit into the music at the onset of 2021. Collaborating with Scott Stevens of THE EXIES, the musicians hit their stride and cooked up the single 'Back From The Dead'. Dramatic distortion and drums rumble as she screams, "I'm back from the dead!" HALESTORM come out swinging as punchy verses give way to a call-and-response chorus shocked to life with a searing solo and thunderous groove.

"We needed a reintroduction," she exclaims. "We needed something that simply said, 'Hey, we're back'. The live show is the time we feel as truly alive as we can be. When you walk out on stage with your guitar strapped on, your guys are next to you, and you have an audience looking at you, it's everything. We're celebrating the fact we're all back together again. Whatever it is that was trying to destroy that part of myself and my bandmates that our fans need couldn't do it. It failed miserably. We're fucking back."

From the moment the band graced the stage at a secret Nashville gig, they were indeed "back," albeit louder, heavier, and emboldened by an unbelievable year. Amped up to jump back in, their tour schedule took shape with festival dates followed by a co-headline run with EVANESCENCE in the fall.

Readying their fifth full-length album, they're delivering the soundtrack for a world ready to roar again.

"We've lost a lot of people, but we can start healing again," she leaves off. "I appreciate the little things even more. I don't only feel this confidence in myself, but also in every one of my band members. We're not the same people, none of us could ever be. HALESTORM is my source of my joy. It's my connection. It's the closest thing to my religion. We're moving forward. With this next album, I hope we're able to create a greater sense of community. We have a beautiful opportunity. When you listen to it, I want you to feel like you can walk through any fire."