Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Episode 1.06: Sonic Breakout

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Episode 1.06: Sonic Breakout

Original Air Date: November 2nd, 1993

"Sonic Breakout" does not feature Sonic as a ball bouncing off a paddle, against easily collapsible bricks, but I'm honestly surprised Sega never threw a game like that together. Instead, it begins with Tails eager to pick up the new issue of Crack-Up Magazine, one of those comic books that are actually funny. The issue mocks Robotnik, which naturally enraged the doctor. He kidnaps the artist and locks him in his brand new prison. Sonic intentionally gets himself captured so he can free the guy but Robotnik has built a cell specifically to hold Sonic. Will our hedgehog hero be able to escape this prison? What do you think?

"Sonic Breakout" is the earliest episode of "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog" that I've covered in quite a while. Even though it was the forty-second episode to air, it was the sixth produced. I don't know why this episode was held back so long by the syndicators but you can tell it was an early one. In fact, it's maybe the most stock-parts episode yet. This honestly feels more like a pilot than the actual pilot does. Most of its runtime is devoted to Sonic outsmarting Scratch and Grounder in humiliating ways, usually via disguises. Robotnik's tubby appearance is often mocked. The humor is wacky and dumb but not nearly as wacky and dumb as the series would become. Even though there's an annoying supporting character in the form of artist Sketch Lampoon, Sonic and Robotnik's rivalry is still the main focus here. It's an episode all about how cool Sonic is and how ridiculous his enemies are. It feels prototypical in that regard.

Considering how common genre parodies are on this show, I half-expected "Sonic Breakout" to be "AoStH's" prison flick. No, there's no sadistic wardens, inevitable riots, or uncomfortable shower scenes. Instead, the episode just attempts to mine some minor dramatic tension out of Sonic being captured. The idea of our hedgehog getting caught on purpose, as part of a wily scheme, but then finding he's in over his head is a good premise. However, this show being what it is, there's never any doubt Sonic will escape. Naturally, the script cheats in this regard, as Sonic produces an additional copy of Crack-Up to distract Scratch and Grounder and fools a computer targeting system with a poster of himself. 

Just as I'm surprised Sega has never produced an actual Sonic Breakout game, the hedgehog getting captured and trying to escape an impenetrable prison is another good premise for a video game. I guess that would cut down on the series' trademark speed but it would create lots of opportunities for Sonic to swerve around traps. That's what this episode does and it creates a (perhaps unintentional) resemblance to the first game's Scrap Brain Zone. There's all sorts of crushers, stompers, and big spiked balls. This episode also repeatedly compares Robotnik to Humpty-Dumpty, even showing him cracked open like an egg. This was years before Americans started calling him Eggman, so it's a bit of a surprise. 

But it's not funny. Even by the lackadaisical standards of this show, "Sonic Breakout" feels surprisingly joke free. Yeah, Sonic puts on goofy costumes and tricks Scratch and Grounder. He infuriates Robotnik with his wacky antics. Yet these events happen so often that it's hard to say if they even register as humor. Only two instances seem to count as actual jokes to me. Sonic's speediness overwhelms the computer Robotnik has built to operate the prison and track the hedgehog. The computer then drolly comments that he's going to retire to become a cash register, har har. Lastly, the final scene sees Robotnik falling into the exact same pose Crack-Up featured him in. Which would be a nice touch of dramatic irony if everything about this episode didn't seem so tired and lazily executed. 

If I'm struggling to find anything interesting to say about this episode, it's because it's just not that interesting. However, I will say this: Another way you can tell this is an early episode is that Robotnik is still depicted as a would-be dictator. (Instead of as whatever type of bad guy the writers needed him to be this week.) And like all fascists, Robotnik seeks to censor the free press. A cartoon mocking his appearance drives him into such a rage, that he throws the artist into jail. That's some real Kim Jong-un shit right there, though Robotnik makes the guy draw his life story instead of torturing him or feeding him to dogs. This furthers my belief that "AoStH" depicts Robotnik as a tyrant attempting to take over all of Mobius, instead of operating after a "SatAM"-style victory.

Also, this episode's animation is not great. There's several moments were characters awkwardly twitch for a few seconds. For a show about a hyper-fast character, it's also a strangely stationary half-hour. Sonic spends most of the show chained up, so there's less running than usual. (The Sonic Sez segment also features an anti-graffiti message, seven years before Sega would make a video game all about how graffiti is fucking cool.) It's a really phoned-in episode that makes me feel nothing but boredom, I guess is what I'm saying. I'm surprised I managed to squeeze 898 words out of this one. [4/10]

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Episode 1.44: Untouchable Sonic

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Episode 1.44: Untouchable Sonic

Original Air Date: November 1st, 1993

After the ambitious Quest for the Chaos Emeralds four-parter, "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog" would immediately get back to business as usual. While zooming around the globe, Sonic and Tails run into Mobius Corners, a small town where the local residents seem very afraid. Stopping into the local diner, they soon learn Robotnik has been running a protection racket with robots as his enforcers. Sonic immediately cleans out the goons and Robotnik sends Scratch and Grounder in to continue the scheme. Aligned with Burt Who – the town's cook, mayor, and sheriff – and his waitress Roxy, Sonic naturally takes the fight right back to Robotnik. 

In theory, "Untouchable Sonic" is a parody of gangster stories. The title is, after all, taken by Elliot Ness' mob-stomping cop squad and the TV show and movie they inspired. Unlike the previous episode goofing on westerns, this one never commits to the theme. Aside from the barebones protection racket plot, and Scratch and Grounder and Robotnik's other robo-goons wearing colorful fedoras and suits, the episode utilizes none of the other tropes of the classic crime movie genre. Otherwise, the show degrades towards its usual antics, of Sonic putting on disguises and fooling his goofball opponents, immediately. There's not even a cheesy Edward G. Robison voice in there somewhere, which really surprised me. 

There might be a cultural reason why "AoStH" whiffed so hard on the gangster element. The Sonic Sez segment carries an anti-gang message, which points towards the general cultural fear around kids joining gangs in the early nineties. (Which was probably as much a low-key racist moral panic about gangsta rap as it was anything else.) The attitude of the day was that gangs were nothing to make light of. Which begs the question of why the writers wanted to spoof "The Untouchables" anyway... Other than laziness and boomer nostalgia, which is usually the answer this show brings to mind.

Of course, that Sonic Sez segment is hideously tone-deaf. It involves Scratch and Grounder trying to intimidate some protection money out of people before Sonic monologues to the camera about how you'll go to jail if you join a gang so stay in school instead, kids. (This is, by my count, the third "Stay in school!" moral Sonic has delivered.) That doesn't really address the difficult cultural/economic circumstances that led most inner-city kids towards crime. Not that the "gangs" of the early 90s in anyway resembled the gangster movie stereotypes of the 30s and 40s. So the whole thing just comes off as horribly confused and wrong-headed.

But anyway... Aside from just being an incredibly half-assed homage, there's another reason "Untouchable Sonic" doesn't really work: You never care about the town Robotnik is exploiting. The only characters we actually meet in the town are Burt Who and Roxy. Burt is little more than a walking joke, as his last name and multiple professions set-up several easy gags. We learn absolutely nothing about Roxy, making the kiss she shares with Sonic at the end even more baffling. (This show really made Sonic into a bit of a man-whore, didn't it?) We learn so little about the town and its residents, giving us little reason to be invested in their struggle against Robotnik. I know this is just a twenty-one minute cartoon but I've seen shows in the same area pull off the more before. 

The biggest question "Untouchable Sonic" left me with is one I've asked before: What the hell kind of villain is Robotnik supposed to be anyway? Here, he acts as a simple gangster, using thugs to drain small-town people out of petty cash. This is certainly at-odds with his previous depictions as a would-be dictator, mad scientist, evil businessman, or time-traveling supervillain. I guess the obvious answer here is that the writers saw Robotnik as an all-purpose bad guy that could be slotted into any sort of villainous plot. But it certainly is weird to see him collecting magical relics or building physics-bending doom weapons in one episode and intimidating small business owners in the next. 

But "AoStH" was a weird show. Another weird element here is the introduction of two Badniks from the first game. Roller and Ball Hog are the initial enforcers Robotnik uses in Mobius Corners. They barely resemble their video game counterparts. They both wear suits, of course. Though he snorts like a pig, Ball Hog has a bird beak on his face. Roller looks more reptilian than the weird armadillo thing he's supposed to be in the game. Aside from Ball Hog pulling a bomb out of his jacket and Roller rolling into a ball for a split second, they might as well be original characters. (Their voices and behavior also resembles Bebop and Rocksteady more than a little.) Still, it is sort of neat when recognizable video game elements crop up on this show. 

"Untouchable Sonic" is also notable for re-using footage from the pilot... But not in the way you're probably expecting. Considering the pilot really isn't that different from the show it birthed, you'd expect the writers to integrate that footage into a story. Instead, the pilot scenes are shown as something Scratch and Grounder are watching on TV. How are we supposed to interpret that? Does this mean there's a scripted television program on Mobius inspired by Sonic's battles against Robotnik? Or was this simply news program footage of a previous adventure? If so, why do Scratch and Grounder spend a solid two minutes watching a previous humiliation of their boss? I'm kind of guessing that the episode was just running a bit short, so the writers or animators or whoever padded it out with some pre-existing footage. But it raises so many questions that this dumb-ass show is not prepared to answer!

Anyway, I've rambled on way too long about this one. "Untouchable Sonic" is a typical lazy, half-assed episode of this show, notable only for its weird quirks and not for any of its actual creative qualities. It's bad. Don't watch it. [5/10]

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Episode 1.51: Prehistoric Sonic

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Episode 1.51: Prehistoric Sonic

Original Air Date: October 29th, 1993

Here we are at the final part of the Quest for the Chaos Emeralds saga. While I'm not sure I saw much of this storyline as a kid, I can definitely recall seeing the grand finale. As I've said in the past, even as a little kid, I was somewhat dismissive of "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog." I watched it and liked it but that's because Sonic was in it. I was a pretentious child, so obviously I preferred the serious storytelling of "SatAM." But "Prehistoric Sonic" made an impression on me and, at the time, I remember wishing more "Sonic" media had this kind of scope and ingenuity. (Though I didn't verbalize like that, on account of being five.)

So let's summarize this bitch: Sonic and Tails are back on the beach, where a quartet of literal bikini beach bunnies are using Sonic as a volleyball. (Weird kink, Sonic, but okay.) Dr. Caninestein appears with his latest time machine modification –  its a skateboard now –  and tells Sonic to go back to prehistoric days. That's where the Chaos Emerald of Life is located. Robotnik, having escaped the last trap Sonic stuck him in, arrives at the same time. After the required fight with dinosaurs and appeasing a volcano god, Robotnik successfully retrieves the stone. With the power to bring anything to life, he defeats Sonic long enough to get a head start. Heading back through time, Robotnik gathers the other three Emeralds. In the present, he unites the stones and becomes a god-like entity. While their enemy is seemingly unstoppable, Sonic and Tails devises a clever plan to even the playing field a little. 

In the final part of Quest for the Chaos Emeralds, "AoStH" achieves something I never would've thought possible: It becomes genuinely kind of epic. After uniting the stones, Robotnik becomes a disturbingly buff giant with freakish fingernails, a previously unnoted benefit of combining the Emeralds. He immediately has all of Mobius worshipping him as a god and tosses Sonic and Tails back to the beginning of time. Only Sonic and Tails retrieving past versions of themselves, forming a ten strong super team, is enough to defeat him. If you don't worry about the logic of this or the paradoxes it causes –  the various Sonics touch each other in a huddle, so I guess the "Timecop" rules don't apply here –  that's pretty badass. I never would've guessed a show that's usually dumb and lazy could conjure up a comic book spectacle like of this level. Considering "SatAM" used its own time travel arc just to explore its own backstory, I'm not sure any other "Sonic" cartoon could've pulled off a plot of this scope. 

In fact, several moments throughout "Prehistoric Sonic" feel so serious, I almost can't believe it. Robotnik has to sacrifice something of value to a volcano god in order to earn the Soul Stone Chaos Emerald of Life. (This is not a steal from Marvel, as the comic book Soul Stone has a way more convoluted origin than what they did in the movie. So who ripped off who is the question, I guess.) He viciously tosses in Scratch and Grounder without a moment's thought. After creating some magma men to fight Sonic, Robotnik even says the word "kill!" Later, while grabbing the Emerald of Invincibility, Scratch and Grounder physically threaten Gwendolyn with death. How is this the same show that did a whole episode about hot dog people? 

As serious as "Prehistoric Sonic" gets, the show's trademark goofiness is still present. Writer Jeffrey Scott casually breaks the rules he previously established. Robotnik does not need to be king to use the Invincibility Emerald, as he just snatches it off Arfur and uses it freely. Robotnikhotep does not crumble into dust after Robotnik takes the Immortality Emerald, allowing Sonic to unravel the mummy. Enemies do not collapse against the High Supreme Robotnik when physically attacking him, as they previously did. (Then again, considering Robotnik's not wearing Arfur's crown, maybe the invincibility stone isn't working correctly. But I'm not giving this show that much credit.) And Sonic can just do whatever the fuck he wants. After Robotnik throws him and Tails into the volcano, spin-dashes upward through the air, as if flying. How can he do that? Because "Fuck you, physics!" But I don't know why Sonic and Tails were worried about the lava, as Scratch and Grounder later crawl out of the volcano, unharmed. 

I am, of course, thinking about it way too hard. In fact, "AoStH's" complete disregard of logic and reason works in its favor this time. Upon arriving in prehistoric days, Robotnik and his gang encounter dinosaurs. Because dinosaurs are awesome. Robotnik then uses his Robo-Transmogrifier to turn a T-Rex and a pterodactyl into robots. Because robot dinosaurs are the only thing awesome-er than regular dinosaurs. Sonic later rides upon the Robo-Rex's back, spinning him into a giant, Sonic-style Buzzsaw. Sure, it doesn't make sense but who cares? The Rule of Cool wins here. I love the idea that anything Sonic touches instantly gets Sonic-like properties. Other touches in the episode also amuse. Such as a clan of caveman teddy bears - cave bears, if you will - or the Big Bang being triggered by an enormous stick of dynamite. This show really should have used its elastic cartoon logic for outrageous over-the-top fun like this more often.

You'll notice that the above is a lot to squeeze into twenty-one minutes. And it is. By the time the gang of Sonics and Tailses arrive in the present, there's only a few minutes left to whoop the Supreme High Robotnik's supreme high ass. After the other Sonics promise to return the Chaos Emeralds to their prior owners, and destroy the time machine afterwards, the episode abruptly ends. We need time for the Sonic Sez segment on electrical safety, after all. The fact that Scott could've squeeze all that plot into one episode is pretty impressive actually. But I wish DiC or Bohbot or whoever could've allowed one more episode for this story arc, to really give the climax the proper amount of time it needs. Any story where normal heroes defeat a god-like opponent unavoidably ends up feeling a little anticlimactic. But this showdown definitely would've benefited from a little more breathing room. 

It's also interesting that, out of all the superpowers the show could've assigned the final Chaos Emerald, that they went with the Power of Life. Unassisted time travel or reality warping abilities probably would've made more sense. Yet would those powers be as attractive to Robotnik? Throughout this show, and really in every incarnation, Robotnik is obsessed with creating life. He wants to make robots that are better than flesh-and-bone creatures. This is part of his desire to recreate the world in his tyrannical vision, to make everything loyal to him. (And, in "AoStH," absolutely stems from the lack-of-control he felt during his abusive childhood.) The ability to turn literally anything into a living, breathing weapon or slave is perhaps his ultimate desire. And this is why he hates Sonic, whose naturally chaotic nature makes him unwilling to obey rules, so much. But for one brief moment, Robotnik achieves that goal, of being a god-like entity capable of absolute rule, that can bend anyone or anything to his twisted will.

I'm certain Jeffrey Scott or anybody else working on "AoStH" didn't think it through that much. "Prehistoric Sonic," epic as it is, is still undeniably sloppy. Yet I still admire the show for pulling this off at all. I'm not done watching the show yet but I'm certain this will be "AoStH" high-point. When Ian Flynn was cannibalizing this show for the comic's reboot, I really wish he could've pulled ideas from this story arc. Comics is where a story of this ambition and scope truly could've flourished. As it stands now, "Prehistoric Sonic" is a highly entertaining and shockingly ambitious climax to a highly uneven four-parter. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 38

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 38

Publication Date: March 24th, 2021

I commented on this in my last IDW "Sonic" where I'm not just enjoying reading it, I'm actively curious about where it'll head next. Issue 37 ended on a really interesting point, having set up some wild ideas. I'm happy to say that issue 38 happily plays off that set-up. This story arc is going in some truly unexpected directions and it feels like it's been a while since I've said that about a "Sonic" book. 

"Test Run Part 2" picks up where we left off last time. Sonic, Tails, and Amy are still trapped inside the ever-expanding pocket dimension Eggman has built for themselves. After breaking the boundaries of this artificial environment, the trio believes they've found a way out... But instead enter into another obviously created environment. When Cubot and Orbot inform Eggman of this, he's actually pleased. He decides to really use the situation to his full advantage. Meanwhile, Tangle and Belle sneak into the control room of the base and the little puppet makes an unnerving discovery. 

Once again, this comic book continues to play out as something I didn't expect: A "Sonic" horror story. After Sonic, Tails, and Amy cross a portal into the second layer of the pocket dimension, they are faced with a seemingly mundane town. Yet the streets are empty. Everything about the place is disquietingly artificial. When the trio enter a seemingly ideal suburban home, they find it populated with lifeless dolls. Lots of films and TV shows have subverted the "constructed community" aspect of suburban life for uncanny creepiness. But I really didn't expect a "Sonic" comic to go down that path. 

And rather effectively too. When Sonic and friends enter the home, there's a panel of them slowly creaking a door open. The blankly staring test dummies are always bathed in shadows, to emphasize their uncanny quality. You can't tell me this stuff wasn't meant to be spooky. Stanley adds to this already unreal situation by later piling on the delightful surrealism. The heroes encounter a badnik, a giant Caterkiller with a mouthful of mandibles... In a bathtub. Just going for a swim, I guess. It's weird and funny and suitably dream-like. This continues when Eggman starts communicating with Sonic via the toaster and other mundane kitchen tools. Or weirder badniks, mashed together from different machines, appear. Stanley decided to embrace the oddness of this situation and it's really working for me. 

These issues, so far, are kind of a reversal of what I experienced with Stanley's last story arc. "Chao Chases and Badnik Bases" didn't have much in the way of new ideas but was redeemed by some truly lovable character writing. "Test Run" is inserting far-out and fun ideas into the comic while the characters - at least among the Sega cast - have been fairly simplistic. Sonic is the sarcastic, speedy hero. Tails is the smart one, who unfurls an especially loquacious ream of technobabble early on. Amy is Sonic's girly sidekick, who takes time to comment on how tacky Eggman's interior design is. They are reduced to archetypes, which works fine for this story. Though they definitely feel less complex than when Flynn writes them. 

This is only true of the game-based characters, which can't help but make me wonder if Sega had something to do with this choice. Belle and Tangle's interaction continues to be a lot richer. Belle discovers the truth that we, the reader, have known from the minute we met her. She's a badnik. Seeing the Eggman symbol on the base wall unnerves her. After accidentally falling into the path of some Egg Pawns, they simply nod and keep going. The comic is still reluctant to actually have Belle name Eggman as her creator. (Which may or may not be foreshadowing some sort of twist, though that's seeming increasingly unlikely.) 

Belle is so distraught about learning this information that she even tells Tangle she'll allow herself to be smashed, if that's what badniks deserve. Tangle, being a true bro, doesn't even worry about it. And this is why I love Tangle so much. She is accepting and loving, always seeing someone's best side. It's why she was such a cute pairing with Whisper, someone with a lot of baggage and guilt. Tangle doesn't give a shit about any of that stuff. If you're a good friend to her, she'll be a good friend to you. I'm intrigued to see if this growing bond with Belle will be tested in future issues. 

Stanley does the art for the Belle/Tangle scenes herself. Stanley's strength for expressions and detail is put to good use her. Part of why Belle's emotional moments work so well is because you really grasp her feelings from how Stanley draws her. Colorist Bracardi Curry makes his line art debut with the Sonic/Tails/Amy scenes. Curry, thus far, hasn't really distinguished himself. His work is very similar to a couple other "Sonic" artists and I assumed it was one of them at first. It's still good. The lines are clean, the faces are good, the action is coherent. But Curry doesn't seem to have developed a distinct style just yet. 

Once again, I'm left wanting more. Stanley has cooked up a genuinely novel situation for Sonic and friends to fight their way out of, and I want to see where that'll go. Meanwhile, the conflict that I've suspected will be built around Belle seems to be formulating. Good stuff! Honestly, a mix of unpredictable surrealism and involving character work is a balance this comic should utilize more often. [8/10]

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Episode 1.50: Robotnik's Pyramid Scheme

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Episode 1.50: Robotnik's Pyramid Scheme

Original Air Date: October 28, 1993

In case you were wondering how much my younger self fit the socially withdrawn nerd stereotype, I too was an Egypt kid. While it never burned as bright as many of my other fixations and fascinations, I always thought ancient Egyptian culture and mythology was pretty cool and spent a lot of time reading about it as a kid. I may or may not have even kept an ankh keychain on my backpack in fifth grade. Regardless of what this says about my social standing among my peers, I think lots of kids go through an Egypt phase. Which may be why the third episode of "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog's" Quest for the Chaos Emeralds arc was set in ancient Egypt... Sort of. 

In a surprising bit of continuity, this episode begins right where the last one left off: Robotnik, Scratch, and Grounder dropped into a Roman coliseum while still locked in their medieval stocks. They escape quickly, jump in the time machine, and head back to ancient Mobigypt. There, Robotnik attempts to interrupt Sonic's ancestor, Masonic the humble bricklayer, from falling in love with a female hedgehog named Penelope. His very existence threatened, Sonic goes back in time with Dr. Caninestein's new time traveling boogie board. Once insuring that his great^x100 grandfather scores, Sonic gets down to the business of stopping Robotnik from retrieving the Chaos Emerald of Immortality. 

This is why I said this episode was sort of set in ancient Egypt. Much like the King Arthur episode, "AoStH" presents a goofy, Sonic-ified funny animal version of our Earthly past. (Humans and animal people do not seem to have integrated at this point in Mobius history, as Robotnik and his ancestors are the only people present.) Aside from the trappings of pyramids, mummies, and eyeliner, there's no attempt to blend actual Egyptian history into Sonic's world. Sonic's ancestor being named "Masonic" is a cute pun but off by a couple hundred years. While Scratch later dresses as the properly Egyptian Horus, Grounder is dressed like a Lamassu, a creature from Sumerian mythology. There's a gag about a flying carpet, which is an Arabian thing. At one point, Robotnik's chariot spouts spikes from its wheels, a "Ben-Hur" reference. "Ben-Hur," by the way, is set around the crucifixion of Christ, about a thousand years after ancient Egypt as we think of it. Masonic and Penelope – a Greek name – get married in a very Christian-like ceremony. Not that I'd expect accuracy from this show – chili dog stands also existed in ancient Mobigypt – but writer Jeffrey Scott really didn't do his research. 

I will give Scott credit for introducing the Grandfather Paradox into this dumbass kids show. At the episode's beginning, Caninestein warns Sonic that his ancestors are disappearing, Marty McFly-style. After Sonic goes back in time, he accidentally cockblocks his great^x100 grandfather and briefly fades out of existence. Which is a pretty wild theoretical concept for Scott to introduce to kids. The show kind of looks like it might be going down the "Futurama" route, since Sonic sets his eyes on Penelope first and he looks almost identical to Masonic. (Jaleel White voices both, only pitching his voice up slightly for Masonic.) That probably would've blown the kids' minds too much, so Scott is satisfied playing with events in the past affecting events in the future. 

If the idea of Sonic's ancestors absolutely having to get together to ensure the future is safe gives you predeterminism vibes, we're not done yet. While dropped into Ancient Rome, Robotnik encounters his identical ancestor, Julius Robotnik. (Who, in a good gag, is also a huge asshole.) Obviously, Masonic and Sonic are almost indistinguishable. The tomb of Robotnikhotep not only contains Robotnik's mummified ancestor but a mummified counterpart for Sonic too. The final gag of the episode reveals a blue hedgehog fought in a World War I-like setting as well. Is the entirety of Mobius history made up of mustachioed, rotund men and fast blue hedgehogs fighting? Was Julius Robotnik dethroned by a rebelling slave named Sonicacus? Is Sonic and Robotnik's rivalry simply the latest chapter of a conflict that has been playing out for thousands of years? All signs seem to point to "yes." Scott does not explore the ramifications of this reveal but it is certainly an interesting one. 

These are not the only far-out ideas "Robotnik's Pyramid Scheme" causally throws around. Previously, I stated two Chaos Emeralds having the power of Invincibility and Immortality seemed a little redundant. This episode depicts the immortal Robotnikhotep as physically impossible to harm, similar to the effects of the Invincibility Emerald. Yet he's also clarified as living forever, untouchable even to age, which seems to be the distinction. Interestingly enough, the episode also depicts immortality as a curse. Upon handing Robotnik the emerald, Robotnikhotep thanks him before crumbling into dust. The joke here seems to be that Robotnikhotep has spent entirely being pestered by the unnamed Sonic mummy, and is thus thankful for the escape of oblivion. But it's a pretty dark idea to introduce into a kids show, that death is good and living forever sucks. 

As if this episode wasn't random enough, Scott also chooses this setting to introduce more elements from the original "Sonic" game. The interior of Robotnikhotep's pyramid is patterned after "Sonic 1's" Marble Zone. Huge stone weights and giant spikes platforms fall from the ceilings of the pyramid's stone tunnels. At one point, Sonic and friends must push a stone block onto a river of lava and float atop it. (This further muddles the historical setting, as the Marble Zone was based on Greek architecture.) Later, Sonic's mummy lookalike gives him a magical blue shield to protect him against Robotnik, similar to the classic shield power-up. Lastly, there's even a moment where Scratch and Grounder have to grab gold rings... Is this, the fiftieth episode, the first time "AoStH" has referenced the Power Rings, that most iconic of classic "Sonic" elements? What took 'em so long?

Lastly, I must note that this episode is also pretty horny. After all, ensuring Sonic's ancestor gets laid is a prominent plot point. By now, it's clear that each of these episodes will start with Sonic trying to score some strange on the beach. While attempting to impress a Miss Possum lookalike in a bikini, Dr. Caninestein appears to distract Sonic, which the hedgehog is pretty pissed about. In Ancient Mobigypt, Scratch dresses in drag in an attempt to seduce Masonic. He even asks the hedgehog is he wants to "lay some bricks," an innuendo suggestive enough to get this scene cut from the Toon Disney reruns. And because this show can never be not-freaky, a minor character's feet is tickled with a feather and Robotnik and friends are later mummified. I swear, I'm not a pervert, this show is.

While it's hard to say if "Robotnik's Pyramid Scheme" is a funny episode or not, it's certainly too bizarre and interesting to be dismissed either. If nothing else, it's a big step-up from "The Hedgehog of the "Hound" Table." Will the Quest for the Chaos Emeralds conclude in a suitably epic/gonzo fashion? Hurry back soon to find out. [7/10]

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Episode 1.49: Hedgehog of the "Hound" Table

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Episode 1.49: Hedgehog of the "Hound" Table

Original Air Date: October 27th, 1993

While I definitely remember watching parts of "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog's" Quest for the Chaos Emeralds four-parter, I can't say I vividly recall watching each part. In fact, I can only remember seeing the final two installments specifically. After watching the second part, "Hedgehog of the "Hound" Table," I'm fairly certain I didn't see this one as a kid. Because I was one of those moody, overly serious children fascinated with Arthurian legend. (Owe this to my father letting me watch "Excalibur" when I was way too young.) In fact, I even combined my two childhood favorites. A long-running "Sonic" fan-comic/fiction I created as a kid – that I will definitely never show you – involved an O.C. being a descendent of King Arthur and carrying around Excalibur. If I had known there was an official piece of "Sonic" media crossing over these two characters, I probably would've been excited... And horribly disappointed, because this episode isn't very good. 

"Hedgehog of the "Hound" Table" begins with Robotnik successfully arriving in medieval Mobius, the location of the Chaos Emerald of Invincibility. He immediately tracks down MerLynx the Magician, the owner of the stone. While he's able to strongarm the wizard into giving him the rock immediately, the Emerald's effects only take hold if the user is king. Robotnik soon shakes down King Arfur, making himself king and truly invincible. Sonic arrives to ruin his day but an unkillable Robotnik with magic on his side turns out to be a greater threat than our speedy hedgehog hero expected. 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, "Hedgehog of the "Hound" Table" is not an especially inspired or faithful take on the King Arthur story. In fact, it has pretty much nothing to do with the classic tale. Arfur – that's a pun but I thought everyone was just mispronouncing his name at first – is a coward who spends most of the episode hiding in his castle. The closest thing we get to Guinevere is a Princess Gwendolyn, who is Arfur's daughter, not his queen. The other knights appear in one scene and do pretty much nothing. Despite being referenced in the title, we never actually see the "hound" table. Lancelot, Morgan Le Fey, Percival et all are nowhere to be seen. It's clear Jeffrey Scott just wanted to stick Sonic in a castle and knights setting and used the most famous names he could think of for puns. I guess it's not shocking that this stupid kids cartoon doesn't riff more on the Camelot tragedy but it sure seems like a waste. 

At the very least, "Hedgehog of the "Hound" Table" does present Sonic with a greater challenge than usual. He just can't bash an invincible Robotnik into submission. Sonic is actually challenged for the first time in a while and even looses a fight half-way through the episode. When MerLynx's magic is used to turn his feet to stone, taking away his speed, Sonic is especially screwed. Of course, he overcomes this. With Gwendolyn's help, he escapes the castle and later outsmarts Scratch and Grounder with ease. (A moment where he yanks a hose out of Scratch's chest and slides away on the oil spill is mildly disturbing.) I always like it when Sonic is forced to outthink his opponents and not just out-run or out-snark them. 

Otherwise, this episode relies on uninspired slapstick to fill out its runtime. Upon arriving in medieval times, Robotnik and his robo-henchmen are transmogrified into various mundane objects by MerLynx's magic. While the idea of someone going into the past and blasting through the warriors of the time with modern technology is kind of funny, Robotnik's domination of the knights produces no laughs here. A moment involving Scratch being bathed in molten oatmeal seems especially desperate. And the episode even managed to sneak in a chili dog, despite its antiquated setting. 

Most annoyingly, "Hedgehog of the "Hound" Table" can't even be consistent with the rules established in its own episode. Even though he knew three other Chaos Emeralds were out there, and Robotnik still had a time machine, this episode also begins with Sonic on the beach. Once again, he tries to get laid but his chosen beach honey disappoints him. (She turns out to be a tentacled octopus gal, which I guess is too freaky for Sonic.) Dr. Caninestein has to re-convince Sonic to go back in time again. It's weird that the second part repeats itself like that. Worst yet is a gag where Tails grabs the Chaos Emerald of Invincibility long enough to become a beefy robot smasher... Despite it being clarified earlier in the episode that the stone only works if you're king! I get that it's just a quick gag but you can't just break rules you put in place a few minutes earlier! That's some ripe bullshit. I'm genuinely angry about this. 

(This episode also portrays humans as members of King Arfur's court, which is consistent with this show's universe. I'm also a bit surprise, considering how horny he clearly is, that Sonic never tries to make a move on the stuttering Gwendolyn. I guess heroics come first...)

So, yeah, it's not a very good episode. At least the animation upgrade we saw in "Black Bot the Pirate" is retained here. The scene where Sonic is first struggling with his stone feet is especially expressive. Perhaps the previous episode being half-decent got my expectations up too high. This episode is far more typical of the level of quality I associate with this series. [5/10]

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Episode 1.48: Black Bot the Pirate

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Episode 1.48: Black Bot the Pirate

Original Air Date: October 26th, 1993

As you've heard me bitch about already, "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog" was not a show that was heavy on continuity. Supporting characters rarely reoccurred and individual episodes never had lasting effects. Which is why you can watch the show in almost any order and it'll still make sense. (Though the syndication package still managed to fuck that up...) However, there is an exception to this rule. I've characterized the "AoStH" writers as unambitious and I think the general quality of the show proves that. But they must've had some ambitions because, about halfway through the show's run, they would create a four-part story arc. "The Quest for the Chaos Emeralds" is wider in scope and slightly more serious than this show usually is. While "Adventures" rarely lingered in my childhood memory, this four-parter definitely stuck out to my young brain. And so it did to many other viewers, as "The Quest" is generally regarded as the high-point of the entire series. 

"Black Bot the Pirate" begins sometime after Robotnik has captured Dr. Caninestein, a brilliant physicist who has cracked the code of time travel. Robotnik forces him to build a time machine, which the villain intends to use to track down the four magical Chaos Emerald. Each possessing an incredible ability. If Robotnik possesses all four, he'll be unstoppable. After the tyrant goes back in time, Caninestein quickly builds a pair of light-speed sneakers for Sonic. He finds them on the beach, where Sonic attempts – and fails – to pick up a shapely Breezie look-a-like. Our hedgehog hero and Tails head back in time to the days of Blackbeard the Pirate, where Robotnik is already starting to close in on the first emerald's location. 

Time travel is one of those standard sci-if premises that is almost always fun to play around with. Whether you use it to explore a distant future or to fuck around with reality-bending paradoxes, time travel opens up the story in big ways. Lots of time, shows just use it to drop characters into various historical settings. And ya know what? That's fine too. Considering how fast and loose "AoStH" is with logic, there's really no reason the show couldn't have had Sonic fighting pirates at any point. Yet dropping the hedgehog onto the high seas, and having him tangle with Blackbeard and hunt buried treasure, is a totally cromulent premise for an episode. Considering most of these "Adventures" boiled down to "what if we introduce a new, annoying character?," this is still a welcomed change of pace. 

As the title indicates, this storyline would also introduce the Chaos Emeralds into "AoStH" lore. The legendary stones have been part of the "Sonic" lore since the very first game, even if they really wouldn't become plot relevant until the third one. Something consistent about the emeralds is that they aren't consistent at all. Even across the video games, the exact number and color of the emeralds varies. "AoStH" kept them all green, changed their shapes, and narrowed it down to four. More importantly, writer Jeffrey Scott gave each emerald its own magical property. The emerald at the center of this story grants invisibility to its user. The others possess the powers of invulnerability, immortality (which seems slightly redundant), and what is described as "power over life itself." 

(If this sounds similar to a certain Marvel Comics plot device, that's probably not a coincidence. The Infinity Stones had been part of the Marvel Universe since the seventies and the story arc revolving around their collection and utilization played out in the early nineties. I have no idea if Jeffrey Scott was a comic nerd but he previously worked on superhero shows like "SuperFriends," "The Plastic Man Comedy/Adventure Show," and "Spider-Man." It's fair to assume he was at least aware of the medium. The Infinity Stones plot would've been recent comic history around the time he got hired to work on "Sonic." So it seems like a likely intentional reference/steal to me.) 

Obviously, introducing a quest to gather magical rocks that grant god-like powers is a little heavier than your usual "AoStH" episode. This episode also has Robotnik wielding a Roboticizer-like ray gun, which he uses to turn Blackbeard and a whale into mechanical minions. (Sort of weird he had that up his sleeve and has never used it to conquer Mobius, right?) Yes, "Black Bot the Pirate" is a little more seriously plotted than most episodes of this show. The Invisibility Emerald being invisible is a clever idea. As is the way Robotnik finds the unseeable hedgehog and Sonic's answer to seemingly being stranded in the past. The animation also takes a step-up here, as the characters' movements are far more fluid and expressive than they usually are. Long John Baldry even manages to make Robotnik, a character we've seen humiliated countless times by now, sound like an intimidating villain here. 

Despite all the obvious ways "Black Bot the Pirate" is different from your typical "AoStH" episode, this is still a goofy comedy show. The first half of the episode is devoted to the characters screwing around on a pirate ship. Blackbeard wields nun-chucks in one scene. The physical comedy is pretty lame, as usual, though a bit where Tails quickly paints Grounder to resemble Sonic made me grin a little. Despite its time-spanning plot and world-in-the-balance stakes, the episode still has time to include Sonic tricking the baddies by wearing a disguise. (As well as most of the cast's stock catchphrases, though I guess there weren't any chili dog stands back in Blackbeard's day.) There's also an unlikely moment of Sonic re-programming the robot whale he and Tails are stuck in, so there's just nothing this hedgehog can't do. 

Still, I guess ambition is worth something. Even if it's exactly what you'd expect from this show, "Blackbot the Pirate" is also so atypical for this series that I kind of have to give it a positive score. We'll see how my much my opinion changes as I work my way through the rest of this story arc. [6/10]

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Episode 1.37: The Magic Hassle

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Episode 1.37: The Magic Hassle

Original Air Date: October 25th, 1993

I guess the "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog" staff must have found Wes Weasly among the more amusing guest characters, as they would bring him back for a third time in "The Magic Hassle." In it, the Mobius Mint decides to honor Sonic by putting his face on the twelve dollar bill. This enrages Robotnik, who decides to rob the mint and replace the Sonic bills with ones featuring his beautiful mug. At the same time, Wes Weasly barges in and introduces his new collection of literally magical products. Robotnik is not impressed but Coconuts, sick of bathroom duty and hopeful to impress Robotnik, decides to buy some. Manic, physics-defying shenanigans ensue. 

Sonic the Hedgehog, regardless of which of the myriad versions you're talking about, has always existed in what TVTropes calls a "fantasy kitchen sink." That refers to a setting where the author throws in basically any fantastical plot element they want. The franchise has always freely mixed science fiction and fantasy, as Robotnik's advanced robotics have stood alongside reality-bending Chaos Emeralds from the first game onward. All the ensuing cartoons, comics, and many of the future games have freely mixed sorcery and science. "The Magic Hassle" is a great example of this. Here, we have a robot monkey using old-timey magic to try and stop a super fast hedgehog for his mad scientist boss. You can't get more fantasy-kitchen-sink-y than that. 

But the oddball ways this franchise, and this show specifically, have remixed various ideas is not what most interested me about this episode. Instead, it's the plight of poor Coconuts that tugs at my heart. Once again, the robotic monkey is a perfect stand-in for the common man, the oft-abused worker trapped in a system he can't escape. His boss sticks him with the humiliating task of cleaning toilets. Despite living in the hell of cleaning up after Robotnik's megaton shits, Coconuts is still desperate to please his master. He holds onto the naïve hope that, if he just does better, he'll eventually rise up the ladder. 

While everyone, including himself, blames Coconuts for his failures, he is instead a victim of circumstance. He actually comes really close to stopping Sonic a few times in this episode, successfully turning him into stone at one point. (This is the third time Sonic's been turned to stone, for some reason.) The mistakes of others, duplicitous partners, and pure bad luck snatches victory away from Coconuts every time. By the final scene, he's so beaten down by failure that he happily goes back to cleaning up crap. Thus, we see how the power-brokers of the world take advantage of the workers' lack of self-worth and broken circumstances (which the powerful created) to keep them trapped in the cycle of servitude. 

Wes Weasly adds another layer to this. Weasly's previous characterization as a conman doesn't exactly hold up here, as most of the products he sells work exactly as advertised. Yet, the minute he sees Coconuts, he still refers to him as a sucker. That's because Weasly knows Coconuts is doomed to failure, regardless of the quality of his tools. The products Weasly sells, and Coconuts happily buys, will do nothing to alleviate the worker's misery. The world of commerce promises relief but does nothing to change the circumstances making us feel bad in the first place. This seems to suggest a moral of "if something seems too good to be true, it probably is." Instead, the "Sonic Says" segment points towards "Hey kids, save your money instead of spending it on stupid shit." Yet the "Sonic Sez" version of Coconuts promises to spend his money on a new plunger, so even he can't imagine a better life for himself. 

One of the gizmos Wes sells Coconuts is a ray that emits bad luck. It makes sense that this would be on Coconuts' mind, as Sonic's luck is supernaturally good in this episode. I mean that literally. One of the magical devices Wes sells summons ghosts to terrorize the target. When this spirit is conjured up, it turns out he's a huge fan of Sonic and happily turns on his summoners. Earlier, by pure chance, Coconuts's vanishing spell causes everything to go wrong for the robots. Even after Tails is successfully zapped with bad luck rays, it doesn't slow Sonic down much. A hero who is always lucky, no matter how improbable, is a solid comedic set-up. It was a big part of the "Coyote and Roadrunner" cartoons that so clearly inspired this show. But "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog" doesn't have the wit or timing of classic "Looney Tunes," so it's not nearly as funny as it could be. But at least they tried.

Lastly, this episode caused another question to spring into my brain: What kind of villain is Robotnik anyway? "AoStH" has never been consistent about this. He's been depicted as simply a mad scientist, a crooked land developer, a successful dictator already in control of big chunks of the planet, or merely a would-be dictator trying to conquer the world. In "The Magic Hassle," he's reduced to bank robber. He doesn't break into the mint just to deface the Sonic dollars but also to steal all the money inside. He says this'll fund his experiments for years to come. Which raises some questions about how Robotnik has been raising his money previously. Obviously, I'm overthinking it. (You might have noticed that overthinking it is how I'm coping with reviewing this show.) But the writers could've been a little more coherent with things. 

Oh yeah, so is the episode any good? Eh. Coconuts' constant drudgery makes him a more compelling protagonist than usual. Yet the writer still isn't sharp or clever enough to generate much in the way of actual laughs. That wouldn't be much of a review, which is why I have to ramble on incoherently as I did above. Ya know you love it. Anyway, I give "The Magic Hassle" a [6/10]. 

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Episode 1.29: Robotnik Jr.

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Episode 1.29: Robotnik Jr.

Original Air Date: October 22nd, 1993

We're thirty-six reviews into this thing and I haven't once mentioned Bohbot Entertainment. That's the company that syndicated "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog" during its original nineties US run. Their logo – the name of the company on a sparkling marquee flashing across the screen – used to proceed every "AoStH" episode. I had managed to forget about this totally, because most copies of the show on the internet no longer feature this logo. However, for whatever reason, the version of "Robotnik Jr." I just watched does feature the Bohbot Entertainment logo. And it caused a wave of nostalgia to wash over me. 

Turns out, Bohbot distributed a number of garbage and not-so-garbage shows I watched as a kid. For every minor cult classic they had a hand in – like "Mighty Max," "Jumanji," or "Extreme Ghostbusters" – they also released a totally forgotten trash show like "Skysurfer Strike Force" or "Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders." Nevertheless, I do recall their block of action cartoons, it aired on Sunday morning around here, with some fondness. That's how I saw "Double Dragons," "Ultraforce," "King Arthur and the Knights of Justice," "Street Sharks," "Extreme Dinosaurs" and many more. None of these shows were that good but they distracted me for a few hours from my depressing childhood. While I'm certain I saw the Bohbot logo attached to many shows, "Sonic" is the one I most associate it with. So its presence triggers some specific recollections in me. 

Sorry for that rambling, unrelated introduction. Let's get on with the actual review. After another disappointing attempt from Scratch and Grounder to catch Sonic, involving the unfortunately named "Super Sonic Sucking Ray," Robotnik decides to build better help. He makes a son, a small robotic duplicate, that he dubs Robotnik Jr. A smart-ass juvenile delinquent, Junior is a chip off the old block and helps in the attempts to smash Sonic. However, after the hedgehog saves him from a jealous Scratch and Grounder, Junior has a change of heart. 

Because of the fucked-up order these aired in, we've already met post-reform Junior. Considering how low-key fascinating Robotnik's disturbing relationship with his own mother is, I was really hoping we'd get a glimpse of something similar in his relationship with his robotic son. Instead, the episode turns the doctor and his quasi-offspring into a parody of traditional father/son bonding. Whenever Junior acts out, via spray painting his dad's ass or pelting him with spitballs, Robotnik is not annoyed but proud. When Junior hot wires his Egg-O-Matic, he's overwhelmed with glee. Their camping trip involves asphalting a park. It's only when Junior begins spending time with goody-goody Sonic that dad gets concerned, an admittedly pretty funny spin on the old "hanging out with the wrong crowd" worry. These reversals aren't exactly biting parodies of the hang-ups of male parenting but they are cleverer than what I expected. 

Mildly interesting as their relationship is, the episode still can't make Junior that compelling a character. When being a little shit around his dad, he's just a little shit and no more interesting than any of the other minor villains in this show. His change-of-heart could've provided some weight, a sudden moral awakening at dad's evil acts. Instead, Sonic rescues Junior from Scratch and Grounder and, in the next scene, he's as good as he once was bad. Like a switch was flipped. Then again, what can we expect from a twenty-one minute cartoon that has to pack in twenty lame gags and a moral? ("Peer pressure is bad" being that moral, by the way.)

I wish there was more focus on Scratch and Grounder's jealousy of Junior. It's already established that the two bots see Robotnik as their dad and are desperate to receive his approval. When Junior comes along, he's immediately loved and accepted, no matter how shitty his behavior is. That must enraged Scratch and Grounder, who have had to struggle to get even a nod from their "dad." It makes absolute sense that they'd try and kill Junior by kicking him into a cement mixer. Yet the episode never focuses on their feelings or the ramifications of their actions. I mean, no shit. Fratricide is too dark for any kids show and this is a little-to-no-effort expended comedy program. But I was hoping "AoStH" would accidentally stumble onto something interesting there. No dice. 

Even though it's not that good, this episode did make me laugh twice. At one point, there's a sudden scene transition involving Robotnik's mustache spinning around the screen. That caught me off-guard. Robotnik switching gears suddenly from "let's kill Sonic" to "let's go camping" also got a snort out of me. Of minor historical interest is the scene were Sonic has to inhale bubbles underwater to keep from drowning, an element taken from the game. This occurs in close vicinity to the word "labyrinth," so it's another likely reference to the first game's infamous aquatic stage. (Sonic doesn't swim in this episode, instead super-spinning through the water. Doesn't count!) The "Sonic Sez" also features Sonic eating a hot dog with no chili, a most disturbing sight indeed. 

For those brief moments of amusement, "Robotnik Jr." gets a [6/10], even if it probably deserves a five instead. 

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Episode 1.39: Tails Prevails

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Episode 1.39: Tails Prevails

Original Air Date: October 29th, 1993

This is my thirty-fourth or fifth review of "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog." Which means I am officially at the half-way point. Yes, it only took me about ten months to get here. I guess that is what happens when you take most of s year off. But it's okay, as I'm now zipping through these reviews at not-quite-Sonic speed. Hopefully, I'll be done with this tedious project and moving onto the next tedious "Sonic" related project in no time at all. Surely, my spirit won't break now, will it?

"Tails Prevails" occurs on the eve of a rarely acknowledged annual occurrence: Sonic's birthday. Feeling like he has to buy his best buddy a special gift, he decides to get a few odd jobs. This doesn't quite work out, so he instead heads to the local junkyard and builds Sonic a flying hover bike. As you do. Tails' sudden display of mechanical know-how draws the attention of two eccentric inventors: Professor Von Schlemmer and Robotnik. The evil doctor impersonates the good (I guess) professor and tricks Tails into building a Sonic-smashing machine. 

I recently learned that Sega's official stance is that money doesn't exist in the "Sonic"-world, which makes no fucking sense and directly contradicts previous "Sonic" games. Sega just likes to make up arbitrarily, dumb-ass rules and then change their minds again when nobody is looking! But money definitely exists in the world of "AoStH" and, in "Tails Prevails," Tails learns that having to earn it sucks. He attempts to leaf-blow leaves out of yards by spinning his propeller tails, but accidentally creates a tornado instead. (A sequence that features Tails saying he has to "blow them harder," before he shouts "Faster!" and "I can't stop!" Did the "PINGAS!" people ever watch this episode?) Later, he attempts to make it as a paper boy but smashes some windows instead. It's true, Tails: having a job, and having to answer to a boss, both sucks and blows. 

These relatively mundane sequences of Tails being a cog in the crushing machine of capitalism – which even features cute Tails-centric scene transition – stand in contrast to how surreal the rest of the episode is. The setting for the majority of "Tails Prevails" is Sky City. That would be a community who live inside giant square cities that float in the sky and are connected by various ladders and shoots. That alone is an unusual sight but the residents of Sky City are even stranger. During the scenes where Tails is working, we see funny animal people living there. Directly after the newspaper delivery scene, a group of bizarre aliens exit the homes. Later, when Sonic's birthday party is interrupted by air-propelled chattering teeth, we see cartoony humans gathering. I guess the "AoStH" version of Mobius truly is a multicultural society, where all sorts of hideous cartoon creatures co-exist together. 

What makes this episode even more unusual is that it features several elements from the "Sonic" video games... Years before they became standard parts of the franchise! Sky City vaguely resembles the Sky Sanctuary stage from "Sonic & Knuckles," in that both are floating structures up in the sky. (It's also a little like the Sky Chase/Flying Fortress part of "Sonic 2," though even more vaguely.) While Tails being a tinkerer and inventor has always been a low-key part of his personality, it didn't become prominent until the "Sonic Adventure" era. Considering both the cartoon and the comic characterized Tails mostly as Sonic's sidekick during this time, I'm willing to bet that this is a complete coincidence. 

Even this is not the strangest thing about "Tails Prevails." No, what's most unusual about episode is that it's... Pretty good? There's three jokes here that genuinely made me laugh out loud. In the first scene, Tails says there's three days before Sonic's birthday, right before the sun promptly sets, causing him to revise his statement to two days. While infiltrating Robotnik's lab at the end, Sonic sneaks in through a pipe... Before exiting a bathroom, covered in green slime. He then looks directly at the audience and refuses to elaborate. It's rare to see this show make Sonic the butt of the joke like that. Lastly, while Sonic and Robotnik are fighting in their various flying machines, Robotnik shoots some laser guns. Sonic then makes finger guns and successfully shoots his own lasers. That's the kind of unexpected, freewheeling absurdity this show really needed more of. 

While random pop culture references are nothing unusual for this series, this episode features three that caught me off-guard. Sonic piloting his hover-bike through the tunnels of Sky City is sort of reminiscent of "Star Wars," which becomes more explicit when Robotnik quotes Darth Vader. (That flying scene is also pretty well animated for this show.) Later, Tails parrots "Star Trek's" Scotty, about how he's "giving' it all she's got, Cap'n!" And while I'm not certain if this is intentional, a moment where the characters are shouting each other's names reminded me of one of my favorite jokes from "Rocky Horror Picture Show." 

Even stranger yet, Von Schlemmer shows up in this episode and it didn't immediately make it worst! In fact, Von Schlemmer is fairly inoffensive in this episode and the scene where Robotnik disguises himself as the professor simply by taking a photo of him is even sort of amusingly random. Also, Scratch and Grounder immediately recognize Sonic in one of his disguises here, another unexpected event. Am I just developing Stockholm Syndrome after watching over thirty of these things or did Bob Forward actually bring his A-game when writing this one? (There's also less Scratch and Grounder in this episode than usual, which probably didn't hurt.)

I'm not sure how to answer that question yet but something is clear: "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog's" constant, aggressive wackiness works a lot better when it's contrasted with some mundane elements. Which is the real reason, I think, why "Tails Prevails" made me laugh. I guess Sonic and his pals should've gotten mundane, boring jobs. [7/10]