Sonic X, Episode 2.09: Sonic’s Big Break

Sonic X, Episode 2.09: Sonic’s Big Break

Japanese Title: Escape from Prison Island

Japanese Air Date: November 30th, 2003

U.S. Air Date: November 13th, 2004

Damn, this episode's Japanese title is way better than the English one. "Sonic's Big Break" is a dumb pun that barely relates to this episode's plot. "Escape from Prison Island" is cool and evocative and actually descriptive of the plot. Which is: Sonic is stuck on Prison Island. Two separate rescue attempts — one from Chris and Mr. Tanaka and another from Tails and Amy — are on their way. Coincidentally, Eggman, Shadow, and Rouge attack the island at the same time. Three Chaos Emeralds are stored there and Eggman needs a complete set to power a new super weapon: The Eclipse Cannon. Shenanigans ensue. 

I guess "Sonic X" is just going to run with the idea that Sonic and Shadow look identical, even though they actually don't. Over the course of this episode, two more people assume the broody hedgehog is the blue-y hedgehog. It takes Chris several minutes to realize Shadow isn't Sonic, which he presumably notices because of his steadfast belief Sonic would never turn to a life of crime. Earlier, Amy leaps out of the X-Tornado and gives Shadow a hug, before realizing this is not her crush. You'd think Amy, who presumably has several shrines to Sonic in her home, would notice the obvious physical differences between him and Shadow. I'm sorry, I'm going to keep making fun of this stupid plot point until the show drops it. 

At least the dumb mistaken identity plot furthers emphasizes the contrast between Sonic and Shadow. During the raid of Prison Island, Shadow installs a time bomb Eggman has built. When Sonic realizes the entire island is about to explode, he flees from his fight with Shadow, focusing on rescuing anyone who still hasn't evacuated. Around the same time, Shadow gets a phone call from Rouge, who has accidentally locked herself in the prison vault. Shadow initially doesn't give a shit about this, only agreeing to rescue Route after she points out she has the three emeralds. The two hedgehogs may mirror each other — they even copy each others' moves during a fight — but Sonic is motivated by empathy. Shadow is motivated only by vengeance. 

But there is a way to touch his thorny, prickish heart. When Chris realizes Shadow isn't Sonic, he hugs the hedgehog right before he Chaos Controls to Rouge's location. At first, Shadow doesn't give a shit about this whining humanoid, ready to let him die. Yet something in Chris Thorndyke's effeminate face reminds him of Maria. This event is obviously a way to force Chris Thorndyke into the established "Sonic Adventure 2" plot but, if Chris gives Shadow a reason to explore his motivation and gooey secret feelings, it might be worth it. 

That is not the only hint towards Shadow's murder-filled backstory. While kept on Prison Island — which Sonic insists was all part of a plan to lure out Shadow, though I'm not sure how — Sonic is kept inside a high-tech cell. It's pretty cool, being inside a impenetrable glass bubble in the water under the island. This is a clever way to imprison Sonic since see the title of this blog. Yet Sonic is clearly not the first resident of this cell. The walls are covered with insanity scrawl, formulas and equations of some sort. The word "Shadow" is clearly visible among the writing. By sheer coincidence, Sonic is imprisoned inside the same cell that clearly held Gerald Robotnik, some fifty years before. (I guess we are to assume that Prison Island hasn't updated its high-tech maximum security sector in half a century. But don't think about it too hard.)

All of this is the stuff I liked about this episode. Which is good, since a lot of this installment is devoted to underwhelming action sequences. The episode begins with the clearly unhinged warden of the prison talking about how impregnable the fortress is. This obviously sets up both our heroes and villains breaking in and decimating the place with ease. What follows is lots of mediocre animation, as Eggman blows up G.U.N. units and gets into a dogfight with Tails. Every explosion in this episode, for some reason, is animated via shitty CGI. Which looks about as good as you'd expect. The other action is equally middling. Sonic and Shadow stiffly trade kicks, punches, and parries. Rouge clips a Flying Dog — which is a very silly name for G.U.N.'s airborne death-ship — with a few kicks. Seriously, are all earthly armors completely useless against furries? Does Sonic's home world have super-strong gravity or something? 

Yet even with the unimpressive fight scenes, I still kind of liked this episode. "Sonic X" is doing a much better job of making "Sonic Adventure 2" its own thing than it did with the first game. (Most notably in the complete exclusion of Knuckles from the story so far.) Part of that process includes inserting some of this show's trademark absurd humor. While still dressed as the Green Hornet and Kato, for no particular reason, Mr. Tanaka and Chris venture towards Prison Island. In order to avoid detection, they do so in a swan-shaped paddle boat. When the prison guards see this very unusual sight, they don't worry about it. And that's after noting people use such boats on romantic dates and seeing that an adult man and a pre-teen boy are sitting inside. Nothing to report here, just a pedophile on a nice date! Also, Decoe and Bocoe tell Eggman Rouge is a liar, Tails attempts to poke the villain with the X-Tornado's nose, and Sonic callously dismisses Amy's attempt at flirting. Funny stuff!

This episode ends with the weirdly guitar-shaped island detonating into a massive mushroom cloud. This means two things: Tanaka, and everyone else I guess, assume Chris is dead, as they don't know Shadow Chaos Controlled him to safety at the last minute. And that whoever owns the prison sure is going to be pissed. They have a high-profile break-in/escape two nights ago and then the entire island explodes! That's going to look bad on the monthly summary. Anyway, I'm continuing to enjoy this show's riff on the video game, even if the animation department is continuing to cut some corners. [7/10]