Sonic Underground, Episode 1.18: When in Rome...

Sonic Underground, Episode 1.18: When in Rome...

Original Air Date: September 22nd, 1999

"When in Rome...” – the city of Rome doesn't exist on Mobius but just go with it – begins with Sonic and his siblings having another close shave with Robotnik's forces. Feeling like they aren't making any progress, Sonic insists they meet with the Oracle again. The Oracle sends them on a wacky trip backwards in time to Mobius' past... Without their medallions. Stuck in a city/time period roughly analogous to Ancient Rome, Sonic and his siblings must defeat a local tyrant relying only upon their skills. 

In the past, I've commented that removing a superhero's powers usually makes for a compelling superhero story. Ya know, it's that whole idea that it's not the suit or super-strength that makes the hero, but his skills and ethics. Writer Len Janssen is attempting something like this here, by sending Sonic, Sonia, and Manic on an adventure sans medallions. But there's a problem: Even though this show has always depicted Sonic's speed as being an innate ability of his, he seemingly looses his fastness without his medallion here. Instead, Sonic spends most of the episode helping a minotaur/centaur thing feel more "cool" and confident. What the fuck? Did any kid tuning into a "Sonic" cartoon in 1999 want to see that? By sticking us in a wildly different location and giving us a slow Sonic, "When in Rome..." just emphasizes how disconnected "Underground" is from what Sonic is supposed to be. 

The episode's premise isn't just distant from what this franchise is supposed to be. I'm not sure it even makes sense for "Sonic Underground." I guess the triplets are tossed backwards in time... Yet the architecture is still quasi-futuristic looking. The part of Roman centurions are still played by SWATBots. (Though adding a cape and a Roman helmet actually makes their designs a little cooler.) This unnamed city is ruled over by Emperor Sleetus and his dumb muscle, Dingotus. Yes, it's Sleet and Dingo in Roman cosplay. Are these meant to be Sleet and Dingo's identical ancestors? Because they are so similar that this feels less like a time travel thing and more like an alternate universe thing.

As annoying as these issues are, they aren't what really bother me about this episode. "Sonic Underground" is a show that continues to mistake being vague for being intriguingly mysterious. Sonic show up at the Oracle's place asking for answers. He sends them on this time displaced side-quest instead, promising answers when they get back. So what does he tell these young heroes, after they've proved their mettle, I guess? He reiterates the prophecy that we've known since the first episode. (That the siblings will eventually reunite with their mom, form the Council of Four, and then defeat Robotnik.) He then hands them a fucking snow globe that includes some sort of cryptic hint about the future. 

Fuck you, Oracle! This is the thing that annoys the shit out of me about this show: The Oracle has the answers! He just refuses to share them! Queen Alena is free and seemingly aware of where her children are at all times! The only thing that's preventing the "Council of Four" from forming right now is that the Oracle says it isn't time, for vaguely defined reasons. Meanwhile, Robotnik is still in power, still fucking up the environment and roboticizing people. (Which, I'll repeat, is irreversible in this show.) The world is suffering because the Oracle wants to teach these three teenagers a lesson in responsibly or some shit. The entire premise of this series revolves around the whims of this wannabe Yoda chode. 

It's not good storytelling because the whole situation is so contrived, that all immersion is broken. In the past, I've compared "Sonic Underground's" preference for mystery-spouting mentors to Ken Penders' "Knuckles" stories... But this is actually worse than Penders, because at least Knuckles' world and personality were growing while the Brotherhood of Guardians jerked him around behind the scenes. The "Sonic Underground" characters are static and never evolve. Their motivation – they made a vow their mother would be found – can never change. So the entire endeavor feels hollow, pointless, and incredibly annoying. 

I'm reluctant to blame the writers, because I know the bullshit amount of pressure DiC was putting on them. Yet, at a certain point, you have to lay blame on the creative staff. Len Janssen continuously shows a misunderstanding of things throughout this episode. He thinks characters saying shit like "don't have a moose," "major yes," or Sonia correcting someone's grammar makes them seem cool or endearing, instead of fucking dorky. He thinks the triplets dethroning Emperor Sleetus and re-instating Emperor Augustine – trading one monarch for another – is an act of heroism. He thinks a mino-centaur wearing sunglasses and talking with a shaky John Wayne voice is entertaining. I'm sorry, Len, this is not your best work. 

Of course, all of "Sonic Underground" is built around perverse misunderstandings of what is cool or interesting. Look, once again, at the musical number for evidence of this. Being without their medallions/instruments does not keep Sonic and the gang from performing. While in a prison cell, Manic starts drumming bones on a skull. Sonic uses a stick threaded with some strings as a guitar. Sonia... Also drums with a bone. Despite the lack of electrical instruments, the siblings perform a quasi-hip-hop/funk track. It's cringe-y as fuck, as you'd expect. This sequence also features Sonia doing a weirdly sensual dance and Sonic playing his stick-guitar – which becomes an actual guitar in this one moment – with his mouth, Hendrix-style. Considering this "guitar" is literally a stick he found in a dirt floor, that is not sanitary. 

It's another baffling, frustrating, obnoxious episode of "Sonic Underground." "When in Rome..." is really only notable for one thing. Upon arriving in ancient not-Rome, Manic rescues a girl from being trampled by Dingotus' chariot. The chariot is pulled by a weird reptilian horse creature that somewhat resembles the Streaking Pasha, the weird reptilian horse creatures from the "Knuckles" comics. Whether this was an intentional nod to the comics or just a coincidence is unknown, though I'm leaning towards the latter. Especially since Dingo just calls it a "horse," and not a "Streaking Pasha," because even the "Sonic Underground" writers aren't as dorky as Ken Penders. [4/10]