Sonic Universe: Issue 70

Sonic Universe: Issue 70
Publication Date: November 2014

Do you think Ian Flynn planned this whole “Dark Trilogy” thing out? I mean, I know he says he plans shit out a year or so in advance. But, it seems to me, the “Shadow Fall,” “Great Chaos Caper,” and “Total Eclipse” arcs linking together was probably a happy accident. After all, the middle chapter doesn’t really connect that much with the other two. Either way, “Sonic Universe” would never do anything this ambitious again. Which is for the best, as this title always thrived on variety.

You know this is the story where Knuckles cuts his Emerald into pieces cause it’s subtitled “Last Resort.” The echidna and Shadow resume their brawl after crawling out of a river. Once the island starts quaking, Knuckles realizes Eclipse has absconded with the Master Emerald. After getting yelled at by Rouge, both boys put their differences aside to pursue the Darkling. As the alien comes close to leaving the island, and Shadow and Knuckles get more exhausted, the Guardian realizes he only has one option left.

The last part of “Total Eclipse” is, first and foremost, devoted to action. Shadow and Knuckles continue their fight in the opening pages, yelling and screaming at each other when they aren’t trading punches and blows. The back half of the book is devoted to a three way fight with Eclipse. Eclipse shows off his wisp power-ups, including some sort of sound cannon, but it doesn’t add much variety to the conflict. All three combatants are completely worn out and so is the reader. You can only look at cartoon characters punch each other so long before getting bored.

The things that are unrelated to the title brawl prove more entertaining. Eclipse’s journey to the Launch Pad Zone is delayed by the various booby traps hidden in the island, which Rouge and Relic activate from a secret location. This is a fun call back to the “Sonic 3” instructional manual, which referenced traps being hidden all over the island. It allows Flynn to tease out the mysterious past of Angel Island, as Relic notes the technology is clearly older than even the echidna civilization. (Not that Ian would ever get around to expounding on this, assuming Sega would have even allowed it.) Mostly, this subplot is amusing because of Eclipse’s increasingly exasperated reaction to these inconveniences.

It’s all leading up to the big, climatic moment. Knuckles realizes that to protect the Master Emerald, he must destroy it. He shatters the Emerald with some sort of super punch, the shards immediately teleporting around the globe. This might have been a shocking moment if the cover didn’t spoil it. Oh, also, if the Master Emerald being shattered and splattered all over the planet wasn’t Knuckles’ plot line in three separate video games. The Island is kept floating due to the world being broken up, meaning there’s little urgency to Knux retrieving the shards. So his big sacrifice is more for show than anything else. If he had just done this in the first issue, the entire arc would’ve been resolved then and there.

Truthfully, I’m left feeling like this entire arc has been a waste of time. What are the lasting ramifications of “Total Eclipse?” Mostly, Knuckles is sent on another fucking fetch quest, one he’s gone on several times before in the games. Other than that, what has been resolved? Eclipse escapes at the end, foiled but alive, so he’s still out there plotting nefarious deeds. (Though what deeds exactly, we’ll never know. Flynn never got back around to the character before the comic’s cancellation.) G.U.N. has not gained anything. Snively’s obviously evil schemes go undiscovered. Knux has learned nothing new about himself or his duty. I guess Shadow and Knux have a little more respect for each other now but that’s about it. Aside from creating another plot point the comic can stretch out for two more years, “Total Eclipse” added little to the world.

Once again, the only thing I really like are the cute shenanigans of Relic and Team Dark. When Omega snaps Rouge’s shoulders back in place, Relic just about faints. Later, her enthusiasm at the ancient tech gets a snippy response from Rouge, a funny moment. At the end, once the action is over, Relic tells Knuckles she’s staying on the Island. Further proof these two dorks are an adorable couple. Oh, there’s also a funny moment when Knuckles recognizes Snively as a former Eggman lackey, chasing the cowardly henchman away. That made me chuckle.

Honestly, I wish Flynn had just written a Knuckles/Relic storyline, as that’s clearly where his interest lies. I would’ve happily read four issues of these two nerds flirting and getting into some adventure together. Instead, Flynn had to get in his own way again by piling on pointless fight scenes, more teases for plot points that will never be resolved, and an insistence on tying everything back to this dumb-ass “Sonic Unleashed” overarching plot. What a waste. At least “Sonic Universe” will be focusing its attention elsewhere for a while. [5/10]