Sonic X, Episode 1.21: Fast Friends

Sonic X, Episode 1.21: Fast Friends

Japanese Title: Speed Match! Sonic vs. Sam

Japanese Air Date: August 24th, 2003

U.S. Air Date: February 21st, 2004

Even though there's only five episodes left in season one, "Sonic X" isn't so worried about the overarching Chaos Emerald plot. Yep, it's another goofy episode. Everyone at the Thorndyke mansion is awoken in the middle of the night when Sam Speed pulls into the driveway in his experimental rocket car. He's been loaned the jet engine as part of a ridiculous ploy by White House Press Secretary Jerome Wise to promote the President. Sam expects Sonic to race him across the country, to a point in a desert somewhere and back. The winner gets his photo taken with the President. Sonic, being an anti-authoritarian rebel, is not interested in participating. That's when Wise gets Eggman to convince him otherwise. Soon, Sonic and Sam at the starting line and the race begins.

Every single "Sonic" cartoon, it seems, has had an episode themed around a race. "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog" had at least two and I fully expect "Sonic Boom" and "Sonic Prime" to follow this lead. Here's "Sonic X's" obligatory entry into the Sonic Racing subgenre. Race premises are naturally exciting and make sense, when your lead character is defined by his ability to go fast. It makes even more sense here, as Sonic's rivalry with Sam Speed — another character defined by going fast — has been set-up since the first episode. Even if it could've been placed at a better point in the story, this does seem like an episode the series would've had to get to eventually for that reason.

While I've found myself mostly won over by "Sonic X's" original characters, even whiny little Chris Thorndyke to a degree, Sam Speed is a much harder sell. The character has mostly functioned as a plot device, swooping in inexplicably when the non-super-fast -hedgehog members of the cast need to get some place immediately. When not doing that, he's mostly being an annoying comic relief character, defined by his misbegotten inflated ego. This episode gives me even more reasons to genuinely dislike Sam Speed: He's a dirty fucking cheater! The rocker car is bad at making turns, so he picked a race path that includes a row of buildings he can just drive through. Later, he tricks Sonic into climbing into the car and throwing him off with a built-in spring. What a bastard!

Making Sam Speed such an underhanded asshole actually works in this episode's favor. After all, Sonic can be pretty egotistical and snarky too. Setting him against someone with these attributes who is also a dirty cheater makes Sonic seem like the underdog. Which makes his inevitable victory — because of course Sonic is going to win a speed-based challenge — all the more satisfying. That Sonic makes it look like a too-close-to-call finish, before the instant replay reveals that he easily won and was just fuckin' around, is even better. It's like he was trying to teach Sam Speed a lesson and the racer does seem to be humbled afterwards. Sonic is a total Chad.

While the race is the main attraction of the episode, it's honestly not the most interesting part. Presidential aide Jerome Wise continues to be an amusingly fucked-up character. When the President calls to say he won't be able to attend a race, on account of having actual global duties to see to, Wise realizes he'll shake the winner's hand... And then imagines an elaborate fantasy where he's elected president. Wise is so committed to this race that he, uh, commits treason to make sure it happens. He calls up Eggman, officially declared a terrorist and enemy of the state by this point, to talk him into forcing Sonic into the race. Amusingly, this is not just a wacky joke — I mean, it is but — as Wise gets fired in the final scene for this act. Dude is lucky he's not immediately scooped up by the NSA and thrown in Guantánamo. Also, he has a romantic fixation on some lady named Vivian, a joke which is amusingly not explained further.

While attempting to convince Eggman, Jerome bribes him with "cream puffs" and make big, googly, starry eyes at him. Yes, this is another episode full of weirdo comedic beats. Eggman's scheme to get Sonic into the race... Involves sending Bokkun to deliver a manic robot with giant lips that is obsessed with kissing?! Later, a sumo wrestler-themed robot is sent to stop Sonic's progress. The sumo-bot shouts a bunch of dumb catchphrases before being tossed into the air and landing on the Egg Fort II. Ya know, for a show that is outwardly not as bizarre as "AoStH" or "Sonic Underground," I'm continuously impressed by its ability to make me silently mutter "what the fuck."

Oh, and one more thing: Nobody in the Thorndyke mansion is told this race is happening, which is why they are so surprised when Sam pulls up in a rocket car at five in the minute. This is despite Chris' parents apparently being sponsors of the race. Which leads me to assume that Chris' own parents did not tell him about this huge public event they are directly involved in. He's even surprised when he sees them on TV! Chris might be a whiny bitch but the clear fact that his parents, at best, frequently forget he exists and, at worst, actively dislike him is making me feel sorry for the poor little rich boy. No wonder Chris is so fixated on Sonic, another ultra-powerful role model who is often indifferent, if not annoyed, by his presence. At least Sonic gives him positive reaffirmations occasionally, as opposed to his completely non-present parents.

It's another silly episode that still manages to use the characters' established personalities in fun ways and amusingly explores how Sonic affects life here on Earth. "Sonic X" is not the show I expected it to be: It's actually something wackier and weirder. And I applaud that! I'm sure humor like this is utterly insufferable in the dub but the subtitled version is just droll enough to make it work. [7/10]