Sonic Underground, Episode 1.09: The Last Resort

Sonic Underground, Episode 1.09: The Last Resort

Original Air Date: September 9th, 1999

When I was reviewing my way through "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog" not too long ago, I noted that three of the "Sonic" cartoons – "AoStH," "Underground" and "Sonic X's" English dub – had episodes entitled "The Last Resort." The prophecy is fulfilled, at least partially. It's absolutely a coincidence that the title would be reused, as the pun was just irresistible, I guess. But it is interesting that this episode and the "AoStH" have two minor elements in common: A premise of a vacation resort not being all it appears and a newly introduced supporting character who wears "cool" sunglasses.

The episode begins with Sonic and his siblings looking for the "Royalcy" of Mobius. I have no idea what the fuck that means either – a Google search only points towards a hip-hop artist – but it's apparently a big vault. And it doesn't matter cause it's just a trap set by Sleet and Dingo. While on the run, the triplets come upon a seemingly unspoiled valley. A guy named Stripes runs the place and describes it as a vacation resort, untouched by Robotnik. Sonic is suspicious but Sonia, smitten with Stripes, wants to stay. Stripes is reporting to Robotnik but he's reluctant to rat out the triplets. Soon, after the villagers discover the new guests are part of the Resistance, he has to confront his feelings.

We're only eleven episodes into this retrospective and "Sonic Underground" is already starting to repeat itself. "The Last Resort" touches on ideas that were present in "Mobodoon" and "Tangled Webs." As in the former, it concerns an idyllic village that is still stuck in the royal days of Mobius, Robotnik seemingly having passed it by. As in "Tangled Webs," it concerns an otherwise good person being forced to work with Robotnik. The executions are different enough, I guess, that it's okay the show revisited these ideas... Though maybe whoever made these decisions still should've saved "The Last Resort" a little later in "Underground's" run.

Regardless, "The Last Resort" is a little better than those other episodes. Unlike in "Mobodoon," the village that seems too good to be true actually is. And Stripes' dilemma is more complicated than Cyrus', as he's not just being blackmailed. Stripes believes that resisting Robotnik's tyranny makes the dictator's actions worst. That the Resistance is just exacerbating an already bad situation by fighting back. The villagers feel the same way and actively pester Manic after he reveals he's a freedom fighter. (Seemingly exploring an idea I was hoping to see in "The Deepest Fear.") This does seem realistic, that some people lay down for a fascists regime just because they think it's safer to obey.

"The Last Resort," most surprisingly, even includes a relevant political message. After Stripes reports back to Robotnik that two of the triplets are in the village – hoping to protect Sonia – the military forces still sweep through the town. Stripes is still about to be Roboticized before he's rescued. Having learn that fascists only protect other fascists, the town folks fight back and join the Resistance. They're still sort of assholes but at least they come around before the end. Considering this show just did an episode about how rich people shouldn't pay taxes and homeless children are terrible, I'm surprised to see a moral like this that actually makes sense.

Once again, calling an episode of "Sonic Underground" good comes with a great big asterisk. The dumbest thing about this one is Sonia and Stripes' relationship. The two immediately hit it off, seemingly just because Stripes' village allows Sonia some much missed luxuries. When she learns that Stripes is pro-fascist, as long as it doesn't affect him, Sonia has a dilemma. She launches into a (terrible, of course) song about how conflicted she feels, how she's pulled between her love of freedom and her feelings for Stripes... Ya know, this guy she just met a few hours ago and is only attracted to because he's charming and gives her access to a bubble bath.

That's just the way it is with this show. Even the episodes with some half-interesting ideas still have shallow writing and a fucking dreadful song. (This one is a calypso number, for some fucking reason, and tries to rhyme "road" with "known.") And incredibly awkward animation too. A sequence where Sonic is playing tennis with himself is hideously framed and ends with Sonic speeding off as a disembodied head. There are several scene transitions which begin by zooming into Sonic's pupil, which is so weird looking. Like every character on this show, Stripes has a terrible design. The human style hair atop his feline looks so fucking awkward. His overdone outfit includes a cape, a vest, a tunic, red spandex, and sunglasses. Are you Renn Fair or Malibu beach, fucker? Pick a century and stick with it.

Despite the overwhelming "Underground"-ness of it all, I still have to give "The Last Resort" the softest of recommendations. It actually grapples with the complexities of this series' conflict and adds more depth to its world. Sonic, Sonia, and Manic are still annoying static – Manic is still shoplifting – and everything is dumb and ugly. But at least some visible thought was put into this one. That counts for something. [6/10]