Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Episode 1.54: Robotnikland

Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Episode 1.54: Robotnikland

Original Air Date: November 25th, 1993

Whether you call him Eggman or Robotnik, his motivations usually remain the same across all "Sonic" media. The villain wants to subjugate the world to his will, usually via the application of robotics. Yet an odd quirk reoccurs throughout several versions of Robotnik, including the various games, comics, and the Japanese anime. He wants to build something called "Robotnikland" or "Eggman Land." What is that exactly? While the term is sometimes synonymous with his empire in general, it seems Eggman Land is an evil amusement park based on the doctor's image. This is a ridiculous idea – that Ian Flynn tried to normalize somewhat by also making Eggman Land a factory/command base – but ya know what? Conquering the world and then building an evil amusement park based on yourself is prime supervillain stuff. 

"Robotnikland" had been part of the character's motivations from early on, so it seems likely the "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog" writers drew from that when creating the eponymous episode. Robotnik converts an amusement park named Mobius Land to reflect his own sick goals. Sonic is feeling a bit lonely on his birthday, unaware that Tails is planning a surprise party, so he leaps at the invitation to the park. When he gets there, he discovers that Mobius Land has become Robotnikland, a park designed specifically to torment him. While Sonic turns the table on his rotund capturer, Tails and friends seek to free him. 

The most fascinating moment in "Robotnikland" actually has nothing to do with the amusement park premise. It's the very first scene, a peek at the horrific domesticity of the Robotnik household. Scratch and Grounder are preparing breakfast for their boss, as he smiles while reading a newspaper and sipping coffee. (And, for some reason, wearing a fez.) When Scratch presents him with pancakes instead of eggs, Robotnik smashes him over the head with the food and beats him with the server dish. Scratch collapses to the ground... And gushes blood. Okay, so I guess it's ostensibly maple syrup from the pancakes. But the visual is undeniably morbid and I'm absolutely sure that was intentional. Something as simple as being presented with a different breakfast being met with horrible violence can't help but remind me of an abusive relationship. Robotnik's punishment of Grounder is more cartoonish but, by then, the parallels are already established. It's a moment that's meant to be funny in a goofy slapstick way and instead becomes funny in a "this is kind of fucked-up" way. 

This scene sets up a mood of cruelty throughout the rest of the episode. After Sonic makes his way to the park, he quickly turns the tables on Scratch and Grounder. After they are trapped by mechanical animals, he teases and mocks them before sitting back and watching them be beaten. Later, after Sonic successfully takes over the park, Robotnik and his sidekicks are subjected to increasingly surreal torments. This includes a nightmarish dark ride where the baddies are terrorized by ghostly visions and Scratch's shadow has its head chopped off. Once again, "AoStH's" grotesque slapstick rises to the level of sadistic, Sonic laughing with glee as his enemies are tortured.

If it wasn't apparent by now, "Robotnikland" is an unusually violent and shrill episode of this typically violent and shrill series. The last few minutes just get louder and wackier and denser as the bad guys are terrorized more. Yet the signs that this is going to be an especially obnoxious episode occurs early. Robotnik traps Sonic in a massive pinball machine, a sequence which necessitates even more flashing colors, loud sounds, and bad animation than usual. What makes the pinball scene interesting, and not just annoying, is that this is not the first time "Sonic" media featured a scene like this. A similar sequence was in an episode of "SatAM" and the kids book that loosely adapted it. I can only assume this is a sequence Sega of America insisted early "Sonic" products feature, which is why it showed up so much. (This also means this episode has more pinball in it then the episode ostensibly adapting "Sonic Spinball.") 

"Robotnikland" is an episode with so much weird stuff in it that it becomes interesting. But interesting isn't the same thing as good. There was a strong premise here. Turning the amusement park, a source of fun, into a source of terror is always a good contrast to play with. "Robotnikland" does indeed veer towards horror, in that dark ride scene and an uncanny moment where Grounder wears a spooky mask. Moreover, Sonic is trapped in the park, its walls too strong to spin dash through. But "Violence Voyager" this ain't. Sonic could've been vulnerable. He begins the episode feeling a little lonely, a little letdown on his birthday, and then ends up stuck in a place made just to fuck with him. Yet this poses no challenge to the hedgehog. He immediately goes God-mode and turns every attraction against the bad guys. I wish this show would understand that every thing, even comedy, works better when the hero is at a disadvantage. 

Still, weaknesses and all, this is too odd an episode not for me to sort of like it. The guests Tails invite to Sonic's party include some familiar faces from past episodes. That would be Dr. Caninestein, Chester Cheetah, the hideous Wes Weasly customer from the "Spinball" episode, a few other guys nobody gives a shit about, Miss Possum from "Magnificent Sonic," and one of the Beach Bunnies from "Prehistoric Sonic." (Since the last two are wearing very little clothing, one assumes Sonic is getting a far more special birthday present later in the evening.) Also, this episode features some unfortunate culturally insensitive gags. Such as some brainwashed zombies – another really random moment – doing a stereotypical Egyptian walk set to stereotypical Egyptian music or Scratch having a bone through his nose while dressed as an African native. 

This is another episode from Jeffrey Scott, whose episodes are rarely forgettable, even if that might be for the wrong reasons. While not on the level of previous surreal shit-fests like "Boogey-Mania" or "Too Tall Tails," "Robotnikland" is still a memorably fucked-up dose of Sonic insanity. [6/10]