Sonic X, Episode 3.11: Station Break-In

Sonic X, Episode 3.11: Station Break-In

Japanese Title: Space Station Metal Plant

U.S. Air Date: November 19th, 2005

Japanese Air Date: April 9th, 2020

The tenth episode of "Sonic X's" third season begins with a dramatic image. Eggman comes to the Metarex Space Fortress, a moon sized battle ship that contains the last two Chaos Emeralds. He realizes the station's defenses are impenetrable and also that the Blue Typhoon has arrived at the same time. Eggman and Sonic decide to form an unsteady truce, the heroes' waiting for the villain's inevitable betrayal. Shadow Chaos Controls himself, Rouge, and Chris aboard the ship. Eggman, Sonic and Knuckles, Amy and Cosmo enter in smaller ships. Eggman makes his move then, leading to an action-packed shuffle within the bowels of the space station. 

I'll admit, scenarios where heroes and villains are forced to team-up are always compelling to me. Obviously, Sonic and Eggman don't trust each other. The minute Eggman presents them with a proposal, the good guys admit it has to be a trap. Yet their mutual enemy is so powerful that they are forced into this uneasy situation. A degree of suspense forms as you wait for the betrayal to come, as you wonder if the heroes will notice in time. It adds a lot more drama and tension to what would otherwise be a very basic premise: Sonic and the gang fighting their way into a Metarex strong-hold.

There's also some fun in watching Eggman's forthcoming treachery. He places devices on the X-Tornado and Amy's personal cruiser. (Something she acquired at some point, presumably because this show loves to shove in spaceships.) I would've assumed they were just bombs but Eggman has something more villainous in mind. The devices allow him to control the other ships, giving him a chance to grab the Chaos Emeralds. Because "Sonic X" is the kind of show it is, this duplicity takes the form of goofy comedy and not him running the ships into walls afterwards. Decoe and Bocoe grab the Emeralds with fishing rods and much ridiculous cackling ensues. But it's still fun to watch. 

Obviously, Eggman grabbing the emeralds while flying through the innards of a giant space fortress results in Sonic superheroically snatching them back. TMS ponied up the cash to make sure this sequence looks as cool as it sounds. Sonic leaping around the tight corridors move a little more fluidly than is typical. There's a lot more detail in the scenes of characters talking or interacting. Eggman dangling from a robotic arm or Amy giving Sonic a big hug look really nice. The entire sequence is also more dramatically lit than this show normally. The dark, sparsely lit interiors of the space station lead to lots of cool shadows. 

And the scenes devoted to the other cool Shadow features some nice animation too. Shadow and Rouge rip through some Metarex sentries that look like dinosaurs with vice grips for heads. Yet Shadow's scenes are a little more character-centric than the rest of the episode. Chris tags along on this mission specifically because he wants to get closer to his most broody hedgehog bro. He presents Shadow with his limiter rings, which seems to stir some memories in him. Later, a mention of the name Maria really jogs Shadow. I'm glad the show isn't going to belabor this idea of Shadow's amnesia too much longer. He's much more interesting when he knows his past and it informs his current actions. 

But like I said, this is mostly an action centric episode. There's not too much room for character moments. Tails spends the entire twenty minutes on the Blue Typhoon and Cosmo does little beside sit in the back of Amy's ship. There are two minor, cute little moments involving some of the show's ladies. Amy bursting through the ship's walls, specifically so she can be with Sonic, is adorable. I've seen some people complain about Amy's characterization in season three. She's definitely a little bitchier – and that's not a flaw, that's flavor – but her obsessive pursuit of Sonic has been consistent. Rouge, meanwhile, barely thanks Shadow after he saves her from those pincher dinos. I guess when she doesn't have a hot girlfriend to be her moral compass, Rouge really does hyper-focus on her desire to acquire pretty jewels. But Rouge's moral ambiguity is why we love her. It's why I love her anyway. 

Considering this is the space opera season of "Sonic X," it was really only a matter of time before an episode paid homage to "Star Wars." The Metarex Space Fortress is explicitly described as being the size of a moon, which already brings the Death Star to mind. The scenes of our heroes flying fighter jet-like ships through the tunnels and corridors of the station recall the iconic ending of "A New Hope." The episode ends by setting up a battle between Sonic and a big, imposing villain in dark armor, a distinctive helmet, and a flowing cape who wields a glowing sword. The fight looks like it'll take place on a platform above a space station's glowing interior, which brings "The Empire Strikes Back" to mind. Also, someone inside a jet tries spinning and it's a good trick. Whether these count as rip-offs or intentional homages is a matter of opinion but it all feels pretty deliberate to me. 

It's a pretty good episode! The action is above average and the narrative unfolds in a compelling way. By ending on such an exciting cliffhanger, it leaves the viewer wanting to see more. It also feels like the season is really done screwing around and moving towards the big deal events now. I guess we'll see but this one worked for me. [7/10]

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 49

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Issue 49

Publication Date: April 27th, 2022

A while ago, the people at IDW promised that the road to issue 50 of their "Sonic the Hedgehog" comic would be paved with epic events. That the landmark issue would be an exciting climax to everything that had happened in the book's first four years, that we'd see all the plot threads come together in satisfying and innovative ways. This, unsurprisingly, turned out to be mostly bullshit. It looks like the much-hyped event in issue 50 is just going to be a showdown between Sonic/Tails and Surge/Kit, something that feels like it should've happened three months ago. Dr. Starline's latest scheme still feels a little shapeless, Surge and Kit still haven't come into their own as characters, and Eggman has been kind of a non-player in the last few months. This is most apparent in issue 49, out today, which doesn't connect with any of the above plot points. Instead, it's all about Belle, the real centerpiece of the comic's "third season." (Which definitely feels like it has run longer than a season is suppose to at this point.)

The story – untitled in the comic itself but apparently entitled "Wound Up” – begins with Sonic and Belle running some tests at Tails' workshop. Helpful MotoBug – now given the adorable name of Motobud – has allowed Belle and Tails to reverse engineer a program to turn Eggman's Badniks into harmless little machines. The test is a success but something unusual happens that night. Sonic is awoken by Motobud scratching at the door, driven by a mysterious signal to escape. Belle appears and is being effected by the same signal. After successfully blocking whatever is hijacking Belle's brain, our heroes soon discover that every Badnik in the area is being commanded to march out towards the woods. It seems an Eggman-approved city has been erected overnight in the woods and Badniks everywhere are being summoned to it. The trio speed towards this fortress, Belle finally getting a chance to confront her maker. 

During the long-winded Metal Virus arc, I noted more than once that IDW's "Sonic" had unexpectedly become a horror series. This is a vibe that the book has surprisingly returned to a few times since then. Such as in the early parts of the "Test Run" arc and now in this issue. Most of "Wound Up" deals with Sonic and Tails' friend becoming violent for seemingly no reason at first. Belle, when under the influence of the signal, stares ahead blankly with ominously glowing eyes. There's a panel where her head swivels around on her shoulders, the way you'd expect an evil ventriloquist dummy in a horror movie to do. There's also a moment where she lunges right at Sonic's eye with the Exacto knife in her finger. While this issue never gets that slasher-y again after that, there's still a moody, sinister quality to this story that I really like. 

Of course, Belle's very first appearance implied the "evil puppet" angle that her design brings to mind before revealing that she's adorable and harmless. From that moment on, as more of her tragic backstory and her connection to Eggman was fleshed out, I always felt there was a high probability of Belle going over to the dark side. Ultimately, I'm glad the comic waited as long as it did to bring us this much-expected Evil Belle scene. Because now we are really invested in the little puppet girl. To see her innocent persona corrupted, and to know it's not her fault, really raises the stakes of this sequence. I honestly wish Tails didn't slap a signal blocking Zeti Zapper on her as quickly as he does. I would've liked to have seen the comic play with this premise a little more. 

In the second half of the story, our concern turns towards Motobud. The little guy is also affected by the signal, not acting like himself and driven ceaselessly towards the strange city. Luckily, we also care about Motobud by this point. First off, let's just pause a moment to acknowledge the simple elegance of naming this character Motobud. Because he's both a MotoBug and Belle's bud! Brilliant. (Belle has also stuck a little flower in place of his one antenna, to visually distinguish him from any other MotoBug and make "bud" a double-pun.) Over just the course of a few issues, I've gotten really attached to Motobud. And so has Belle. When she cuts a cord inside him in hopes of saving him from the brainwashing, but possibly deleting his personality in the process, it's a genuinely suspenseful moment. I guess giving an emotionally vulnerable character like Belle what amounts to a dog and then immediately endangering it is a cheap way to create pathos in a story. But I'm a sap for cute dogs/dog-like creatures so this worked one hundred percent on me. Please, Evan, don't hurt Motobud. He is a precious baby and must be protected at all cost. 

"Wound Up" is not done tugging on our heartstrings yet. After deactivating Motobud, Belle finds a little note folded up inside his shell. It turns out to be a letter from Mr. Tinker, that he wrote to Belle and had Motobud sneak out right before Dr. Starline brought back the Dr. Eggman personality. Now, from a narrative perspective, this is definitely kind of a bullshit plot point. Belle probably should’ve discovered this letter a while ago. Practically speaking, it’s hard to believe that there was a piece of paper just kind of stuck inside Motobud and nobody noticed. Or that it hadn't jostled loose before now. If Motobud's whole purpose was to deliver this letter to Belle, why hadn't he done so before now? And I'm also not sure how Mr. Tinker could become so attached to Belle before being captured by Starline. There's a lot of stuff that must've happened off-panel for this particular plot point to make sense. 

But the above paragraph is me being a pedantic, nitpicking dork. Belle discovers the letter at this moment because this is the most meaningful time for her to do so. It's really easy to imagine Ian Flynn writing this exact same scene but having the letter deliver some plot relevant information, something the heroes need to know to save the day. Evan Stanley, meanwhile, plays this scene solely for emotions. The letter has Mr. Tinker grappling with the realization that he must be a supervillain. He apologizes for what he's done and what he will do. Moreover, he refers to Belle as his daughter, says that watching her grow up made him proud, and that he'll always love her. Belle feels defeated in this moment, as the letter finally confirms to her that the man she's been searching for is gone. That everything she's done has been for nothing. Sonic confirms to her that she's already made a difference, that she already has friends. And that gives Belle the strength she needs to keep going forward. 

It's a touching moment, because it continues to show that Belle's self-worth problems haven't just gone away as she's been accepted by the Restoration. That the circumstances of her birth still weigh on her and that her unfulfilled relationship with her creator will continue to be a source of lingering anxiety. This is a strife that anybody who has some unresolved issues with a parent or still feels the effects of a fucked-up childhood – which is most people, I feel like – can relate to. It goes to show how much Stanley has grown as a writer that Belle's continued angst has rarely felt like whining or gotten annoying. We feel really bad for this little wooden girl. Some of us relate to her. We want to see her figure out her problems, resolve her issues, and become a happier and more fully formed individual. This scene is another step towards her realizing her own self-worth. And that Sonic is the one who gives her a pep talk, that he's the one to stand up and support a friend in a moment of need, is probably the most graceful use of this book's title character since it started. 

Ultimately, this is an issue that really hooked me and makes me want to come back next month to read the conclusion. It's got such a great set-up. We know nothing about were this city came from or why the Badniks are gathering around it. We can presume this has something to do with Eggman or Starline or both. I expect it'll all come to a head next time. But this issue's focus on Belle has me most intrigued to see her finally confront her “father” and receive some true absolution there. I guess the point I'm making here is this issue really grabbed me and got me more excited for #50 than all of “Impostor Syndrome” has managed to do so far. 

Stanley's artwork is wonderful too. Special notice has to go to the inking and shading on this issue, which goes a long way to making those night scenes so delightfully moody. This issue also features a brief interview with Thomas Rothlisberger in the back. They ask him what kind of animal he would be in the “Sonic” universe and responds that he'd be a turtle. “Thomas the Turtle. What could possibly go wrong?” Which seems like a pretty deliberate jab at a certain reptile. Anyway, this is probably my favorite “Sonic” related comic IDW has published thus far this year. It really worked for me. I hope this sets a precedent for the big anniversary issue next time. [8/10]

Sonic X, Episode 3.10: An Underground Odyssey

Sonic X, Episode 3.10: An Underground Odyssey 

Japanese Title: Secret of the Underground Canyon

U.S. Air Date: November 12th, 2005

Japanese Air Date: April 8th, 2020

The Blue Typhoon team has detected another Chaos Emerald on another conquered planet. The power source doesn't seem to be anywhere on the planet's surface, so the heroes begin to search underground. Soon, Tails and Cosmo stumble into an underground tunnel, Tails injuring himself in the process. They come across a Metarex laboratory, where the robotic aliens have been using the White Chaos Emerald to create their synthetic emeralds. Tails and Cosmo grab the plot device and make a run for it, the Metarex guards on their tails. Sonic and the others soon come to their aide... But everything may not be exactly as it appears. 

"An Underground Odyssey" – I actually like that title better than the Japanese one – begins with an extensive flashback to Cosmo's childhood. We learn a lot about the plant girl in these scenes. That she never actually knew her home world, growing up on a ship that fled the planet after its destruction. That she had an older sister and that their "mother" seemed to be a stationary tree in the center of the ship. It's good world-building and even hints at some twists we'll get to further into the story, when Cosmo's sister makes references to her race needing to atone for their "sins." Intriguing! 

Mostly though, this episode is devoted to setting up Tails and Cosmo's relationship. Going into "Sonic X," one of the few things I knew about the show is that Tails eventually falls in love with this weird grass chick. I expected the show to foreshadow that connection sooner but, up to this point, Tails and Cosmo have had very little interaction. This episode shoves the two into an isolated, stressful event together. Honestly, it kind of works though. Cosmo puts a bandage on Tails' head and that's truly one of the first things they've ever done for each other. Right away, their relationship is based on care and protection. 

And these two have more in common than I previously realized. This episode picks up the idea mentioned last time, about Cosmo's need for revenge for her species. While holding the Chaos Emerald, she gets teary-eyed, saying the hatred she feels towards the Metarex makes her unworthy to hold something so beautiful. Saying "revenge is hollow" is one thing. Having a character feel guilty for wanting revenge is a much more interesting, complex idea. It characterizes empathy as a defining element of Cosmo's personality. I criticized it last time but I'm actually glad the show waited to explore this idea more now, instead of in the previous episode. This premise needed the proper room to breathe.

It also goes hand-in-hand with Cosmo's lack of self-esteem in general. She still blames herself for the genocide of her race. That lingering survivor's guilt causes her to doubt everything she does. Cosmo simply doesn't believe she's good enough... And that is what connects her the most with Tails. All season, Amy has been negging Tails for referring to himself as "captain." His desire to prove himself and lack of confidence has always been Tails' defining characteristic and it's one "Sonic X" hasn't focused on often. This episode brings that back up – via a brief exchange where Tails mentions his own doubts – and Cosmo immediately leaps to support him. See, these two have complimenting inferiority complexes. They both need someone to support them and it looks like they've found it. That's pretty cute. 

Of course, there's some irony in Tails and Cosmo not believing in themselves. Both youths have more than proved their worth by this point. Cosmo can summon big-ass vines and outpace Vector. Tails, of course, is a super-genius inventor and pilot. I've often complained that "Sonic" media goes too far in one direction or another with Tails. He's either Sonic's totally devoted sidekick, not defined much outside of his admiration for the hedgehog, or he's a hypercompetent action hero. By emphasizing his genius, "Sonic X" has leaned more on the latter than the former. Here, Tails has to stand up to Metarex soldiers by himself. He tosses an electric cable into one's mouth and head-butts another later. What makes this physical strength more compelling is that Tails underestimates himself. And maybe that's the best compromise between the "SatAM's" toddler Tails and Ian Flynn's action hero Tails. 

Though Tails has good reason to be cautious around the Metarex. The show has been mostly consistent in portraying even low-level Metarex soldiers as serious threats. The Viper units seen here – who are samurai up-top and lamia down back – are too much for Tails to handle. Luckily, he's got a gang of ass-kicking friends on his side. It's a little comical when Sonic and the others swoop in and turn the tide of the battle. We even get a ridiculous moment of Chris Thorndyke posing with a laser blaster, like he's a pint-sized James Bond or something. The episode tries to turn this into some sort of moral about friendship, as Tails says that's what really makes our heroes right... Though that's undermined by an "everybody laughs" ending that mocks Knuckles again. Kind of hard to take a message of "friendship is an extremely powerful force" seriously when you follow it up with "also sometimes your friends are dumb-asses that should be laughed at."

This episode also expands more on Chaos Emerald lore, at least how it exists in this universe. First off, considering what a power source they are, it certainly makes sense that the Metarex would attempt to replicate the Chaos Emeralds. If that's a plot point the show is going to explore, that makes the ice planet episode's ending a little less bullshitty. Secondly, this episode continues to emphasize the idea that the Chaos Emeralds respond to emotion. I guess this concept has been more-or-less a consistent factor since "Sonic Adventure" introduced it. But I still don't like it. Emotions are chaotic, I guess, but it's not really the first connection I'd think of. I prefer the Archie Comics' version of the Chaos Emeralds, neutral power sources that can be tapped into by just about anyone. That feels more characteristic of the unpredictable, chaotic nature of the universe that birthed them. 

Despite my nitpicks, this is the best episode of "Sonic X" I've seen in a while. In fact, it might be one of the best episodes of the entire series, for the way it really digs into Cosmo's emotional trauma and the subtle beginnings of her bond with Tails. It even ends with a pretty good twist, suggesting that even darker times are ahead. Season three has been wildly inconsistent so far but hopefully things will be a little more in this mode than the last few episodes I've covered before this one. [7/10]

Sonic X, Episode 3.09: Ship of Doom

Sonic X, Episode 3.09: Ship of Doom

Japanese Title: Metarex Battleship Attack!

U.S. Air Date: November 5th, 2005

Japanese Air Date: April 7th, 2020

At the end of the previous episode, Shadow teleported back onto Eggman's ship and collapsed. In this episode, we learn that the so-called Ultimate Lifeform has amnesia, which Eggman decides to use to his advantage. All villainous plans are put on hold when Metarex Hellship, a living battleship, is specifically ordered by Black Oak to murder Sonic and Eggman. After seemingly destroying Eggman's ship, the living vessel goes after the Blue Typhoon. Upon seeing the machine, Cosmo realizes that Hellship is the same Metarex responsible for the death of her family. 

I don't know who decided this was the way it had to be but, somehow, it became a foregone conclusion that Shadow's brush with death at the end of "Sonic Adventure 2" left him with memory loss. That's how it was in a hundred fanfics. That's how it was in "Sonic Heroes." And that's how it is in "Sonic X." This is weird to me, as having a mysterious past and being manipulated by Eggman already happened in his first appearance. Why would you want to repeat that storyline? Maybe Sega demanded Shadow's origins be kept vague, until his own video game revealed the truth about his half-alien heritage. (Though that doesn't explained why fans adopted this idea so readily.) The Archie Comics skipped this and was better for it. Either way, I guess we're just stuck with amnesiac Shadow again for a little while longer. 

Shadow is definitely back. But it goes to show how committed "X" is to depicting the Metarex as imposing foes that even Shadow's supposed ultimate superiority is little match for them. Hellship – unsurprisingly bowdlerized in the English dub to the still pretty metal Scarship – is still more-or-less impervious to Shadow's attack. The talking battleship also has slightly more personality than most of the other Metarex warriors we've met so far. He rambles on again about bringing order to the universe and is undyingly loyal to Black Oak. I wish the show would dig into this a little more. Does the Metarex empire interpret "order" as "the complete death of all life?" Or are they more about subjugating lifeform to their rule and massive casualties are just the easiest way to do that? If the former, it makes sense that their ranks would be filled largely with extremist true believers. 

Of course, another reason Hellship is only allowed to show so much personality is because... He's a ship. You don't really expect much charisma from a talking spaceship, even one that has a big angry face built into his hull like this guy. I suspect this character exists largely so the mechanical designer can, once again, indulge his fetish for flying battleships. It seems there have been a much higher number of battleship-like space vessels on this show than you'd expect from a "Sonic" adaptation. Hellship isn't even the only one in this episode, as he's introduced massacring a fleet of ships built out of asteroids. (That look more like potatoes.) I have not been exposed to too much of Yasuhiro Moriki's other work, so I don't know if this is a reoccurring trademark of his. But I'm still going to guess that "Battleship Yamato" was a big deal for this dude. 

Shadow's defeat at the hands hull of the Hellship is not the only sign the ship is a serious threat. Immediately afterwards, the vessel bombards Eggman's ship with missiles and laser weapons until it finally explodes. Of course, there's no way in hell that this cartoon was going to actually murder Eggman, even if that would've been a hell of a way to raise the stakes. Not even our heroes seem to take the idea very seriously, assuming Shadow at the very least must've survived the blast. Inevitably, it's revealed that Eggman did survive. The method of his escape, like it always is in situations like these, is incredibly underwhelming. I was going to make an Annie Wilkes joke about how Eggman didn't avoid the cockadoodie missile but apparently I've made that same reference three times prior so I'll restrain myself. But my point stands.

Recently, I was bitching about how “Sonic X” isn't just fast-and-loose with the rules of space but outright ignores them, at least for the furries. That continues in this episode. Shadow, Sonic, and Knuckles continue to survive in the vacuum of space without any sort of protection. Even Amy feels fine out in the endless void. I know this is the pickiest of nitpicks to have with a cartoon show about a blue hedgehog who runs fast. But it really becomes really noticeable when are heroes are spin-dashing around the Hellship like it's not problem at all. The battle gets even more implausible when Shadow uses Chaos Control to straight-up freeze the Hellship in time for ninety seconds. (Allowing the heroes to push it through a wormhole just as it's about to self-destruct.) I guess that's an established ability of his by now but it sure feels like a cheat. 

Probably the most interesting element of this episode is the one that gets the least attention. Upon realizing that the Hellship is pursuing them, Cosmo decides she's going to destroy it as revenge for her family and species. I really wouldn't expect someone like Cosmo to swear vengeance upon anybody but, considering what she's lived through, I'm not shocked. However, Cosmo has the least to do in this episode. She suggests the Blue Typhoon flees when the Hellship first comes it way. Otherwise, all her thoughts on the matter occur through simple dialogue exchange. After the ship's destruction, she talks briefly about the hollowness of revenge. How this doesn't bring her family or planet back. But that's the sole line on the topic. This episode really half-assed the frequently well-trotted moral about the futility of revenge. If they wanted to explore that idea more, they shouldn't have made the Hellship just another disposable Baddie of the Week.

Overall, it's a pretty middle-of-the-road episode. It's got a cool villain but the action is kind of goofy, the narrative holds few surprises, and all the characters are just sort of in a holding pattern until the story can really start to move forward. About the only truly memorable element here is the absurd way the Sonic Team bests Hellship, which I won't describe for anyone who wants to be surprised by that. Otherwise, it already feels like season three is starting to spin its wheels a little bit. [6/10]

Sonic X, Episode 3.08: Trick Sand

Sonic X, Episode 3.08: Trick Sand

Japanese Title: Shadow Rebirth

U.S. Air Date: October 29th, 2005

Japanese Air Date: April 6th, 2020

From the moment he "died" at the end of "Sonic Adventure 2," fans were eagerly anticipating the return of Shadow the Hedgehog. In the time between the release of "Adventure 2" and Shadow's official return in "Sonic Heroes," there was sooo much fanfiction devoted to bringing the black hedgehog back to life. Usually involving amnesia or Shadow coming back as a hero. Obviously, Sega suspected the edgy anti-hero would be the game's breakout character, which is why they wrote a "death" that could be so easily weaseled out of. Unsurprisingly, Shadow's inevitable resurrection would follow a path not dissimilar to a lot of those fanfics. 

Since season three of "Sonic X" would air after Shadow's return would became a foregone conclusion, but still felt the need to faithfully adapt the game, the show also had to deal with Shadow's return. The eighth episode of season three would finally return the fan favorite to the show. The Japanese title would be upfront with this, naming the episode "Shadow Rebirth," while the U.S. title went with a goofy pun revolving around the Metarex villain of the week. 

Since "Sonic X" has gone off on its own weird tangent at this point, it does not adapt "Sonic Heroes." Instead, this episode starts with the Blue Typhoon detecting a Chaos Emerald on a distant planet called Hobidon. They immediately warp there and discover a dead world, with a crashed space station embedded in the ground. While Chris and Cosmo try and figure out what happened here, Sonic, Amy, and Knuckles search for the emerald. What they find is a house filled with traps and a villain with an insidious power. Meanwhile, Rouge makes a shocking discovery of her own aboard Eggman's ship: Turns out the doctor has (an unconscious) Shadow on-ice aboard his craft and has been working unsuccessfully to revive him. 

The episode begins by recapping Shadow's sacrifice during season two, which is then revealed to be a dream Chris Thorndyke is having. Chris has held into Shadow's inhibitor ring all these years. He's still attached to Shadow and thinks of him often. Ya know, this is an idea "Sonic X" has run with that I've never bought. Chris' fixation on Sonic makes sense, because of his fucked-up relationships with authority figures. Chris' longing for Shadow never made much sense to me, considering he tried to kill the kid a few times before his heel-face turn. Unlike his attachment to Sonic, the show has never really delved into Chris' crush on Shadow. It's something we just have to accept, to make these plot points plausible. It's a pivotal part of this episode. Maybe Chris just has a hedgehog fetish... 

But that's not really what I want to talk about. As a lifelong horror nerd, I've repeatedly bemoaned the lack of creepy "Sonic" media. "Sonic X" dipped its toes into the spooky side of things during an infamous season one episode but has mostly played things pretty straight... Until now! (Which is maybe not surprising considering how much darker season three is anyway.) "Trick Sand," at least for its first half, is essentially a haunted house episode. Sonic, Amy, and Knuckles step into a spooky abandoned building. They discover traps and secret passageways. They are cornered and attacked by an otherworldly villain. The episode repeatedly returns to the image of a creepy, giant starring eye. This Halloween-y tone is set up early, as even Sonic is off-put by the setting. An early scene has him freaking out while crossing a rickety bridge over a stagnate body of water. 

If this episode has an "old dark house movie in space" premise, it definitely pays homage to the greatest "old dark house movie in space." Outside the spooky old castle is that crashed space station. It's circular design obviously recalls a number of fictional space station but the episode lingers on its rusty, ruined curves. Chris and Cosmo step inside and discover a remnant of a dead civilization. In the form of a rickety old recording – itself a common horror trope – depicting a strange alien warning anyone watching this about the Metarex and explaining what happened. The alien on the footage looks more like Kimba the White Lion than the space jockey but "Alien" still seems to be a pretty obvious influence here. No Xenomorphs appear in this episode but the villain does take the form of a set of ravenous jaws at one point. 

Let's talk about that villain. Instead of just being another blocky giant robot with a new superpower, this week's Metarex baddy has a more interesting gimmick. Metarex Deserd is, in fact, made up of a collection of nanobots. He's a shape-shifting grey goo that can take on any number of forms. The Metarex are already harder to kill than most of the adversaries Sonic has faced on this show. Such an implacable power makes Deserd – whose name is presumably a mangled translation of "Desert"–  one of the more interesting one-off villains to appear in this season. I even like the way he speaks in a booming voice, mocking his enemies as he lashes out at them. 

Unfortunately, "Trick Sand's" appeal dissolves the minute it shifts from trying to be spooky to trying to be action-packed. It looked like this was going to be another episode where Chris zaps a new pair of fancy shoes at Sonic and he saves the day with them. This time, it's a pair of rocket shoes that can travel along a "bridge" of Power Rings. This leads to a very goofy looking image of Sonic rocketing through a golden tunnel. This does not save the day though and instead it's up to the recently resurrected Shadow to resolve things. That is even less satisfying than Sonic's doozy new sneakers saving the day, as Shadow has nothing to do with most of the episode! It doesn't help that the animation in the action scene is kind of wonky. The second half of this episode feels "off" in a number of ways. 

This episode also builds on another lingering plot point. After Rouge finds Shadow in a stasis tube inside Eggman's ship, the doctor walks in on her. He reveals that he's known she's been on the ship the entire time and even tries to integrate her into his plan. I, personally, don't believe this. Eggman got so fucked up by Rouge's last few plans that I think he's just trying to save face by saying "uh yeah, I, uh, totally knew the whole time." The show has been humiliating Eggman so relentlessly here of late that it's hard to buy him as some sort of devious schemer. Which the weirdly serious scene of him talking with Rouge seems designed to do. But at least that goofy subplot is resolved and Rouge will no longer have to make Bokkun uncomfortable. Unless she wants to, as Rouge can do whatever she wants. 

By the way, the scene of Chris and Cosmo discovering the footage of the planet's precious residents really has no effect on the plot! It's just there for ambiance. The Tezuka-inspired alien – referred to as a Hobidon in the info card – is pretty memorable though. I'm not surprised there's a decent amount of fan-art out there of this character. Even though he's only on-screen for a minute and is, in fact, dead long before the events of the story happen. Anyway, this episode starts off really strong before falling apart at the end. I still enjoyed those haunted house vibes though. [6/10]

Sonic X, Episode 3.07: Galactic Gumshoes

Sonic X, Episode 3.07: Galactic Gumshoes

Japanese Title: Chaotix, Go Into Space!

U.S. Air Date: October 22nd, 2005

Japanese Air Date: April 3rd, 2020

I guess the "Sonic X" staff decided the show needed more Sega characters, which definitely presented some interesting narrative challenges. On Earth, Chris' grandfather learns that Chris prevented living matter from passing through the portal but that inanimate objects can safely teleport. They send a heaping helping of Chris' junk to Sonic's home world. Vanilla discovers this and hires the Chaotix to deliver Chris' stuff to him. Luckily, Grandpa Chuck sends a spaceship through the portal too. As the Chaotix approach the Blue Typhoon, they are mistaken for Metarex invaders. A series of comedic misunderstandings follow. 

Before we go any further, there's something else I need to bitch about. Last episode, I commented on how Sonic can survive in orbit above a planet and even crash-land to the planet's surface with no issue. This, it turns out, is not a mistake. In this episode, a bored Sonic goes running around on the outside of the Typhoon as it flies through space. Knuckles chases after him, also without the benefit of a space suit. Before I could finish thinking "Maybe the ship has an artificial atmosphere around it or something," Sonic goes careening off into the vacuum of space. He neither freezes to death nor do his lungs explode. Knuckles then straps on a jet pack and goes after him, also showing no ill effects from being buck-ass nude while drifting around in outer fucking space. 

At first, I was ready to fan-wank an explanation. Maybe Sonic absorbing so many Power Rings over the years have made him super resilient to any adverse environment. Maybe standing next to the Master Emerald his entire life has left Knuckles similarly indestructible. But it's not just the superheroes. Later, Espio runs along the outside of the Chaotix ship without a suit. Sonic smashes a window on their ship into the Chaotix's control room, and all the furries just stand around talking. Meanwhile, when Chris Thorndyke enters via the same path, he is wearing a space suit. That had to have been a deliberate choice. I can only conclude that, in "Sonic X," it is canon that everyone from Sonic's world can withstand the vacuum of space with no problems at all. But considering all these characters also talks easily in the empty void of space, maybe there is oxygen in the "Sonic X" version of the cosmos. 

I know, I know. I'm overthinking it. Let's talk about something less scientifically implausible. This episode is pretty funny! The humor here is based around an always fertile idea for jokes: The misunderstanding. Unaware that the Chaotix have a spaceship, the Sonic Team naturally assume it is their enemies pursuing them. They attack Vector the minute they see him. This causes the Chaotix to assume that our heroes have a bad case of Space Madness and have become unreasonably violent. So Espio sneaks in while cloaked, spooks Amy, and gets beaten. Charmy puts on armor, gets mistaken for a Metarex, and then is also beaten. It's not until after Tails spots the Chaotix's shack atop the ship that he realizes who the intruders actually are. 

All this silliness got a sensible chuckle out of me. It helps that the comedic timing is really on-point in this episode. While Vector and the others contemplate how they're going to get into outer space, a space ship suddenly falls directly behind them. Later, after convincing himself that Vanilla wants him to reunite her with Cream, the crocodile calmly and quickly scoops the bunny up in a bag. What a hilarious kidnapping! In general, there's a nice sense of absurdity here. Such as when Vector decides the best way to wake Espio up from meditation is grinding some black pepper on his nose. Or the contrivance of Amy painting a wall just as a cloaked Espio enters the scene. 

In the past, I've expressed a dislike for the post-"Sonic Heroes" characterization of the Chaotix as detectives. It's true that I still think that is dumb. I still feel the same way about Espio being a ninja and Charmy being a little kid. But I guess I've gotten used to it, or at least the way "Sonic X" handles this version of these characters. Here, the Chaotix become endlessly degraded straight men. The entire episode is devoted to these guys, who mostly take themselves very seriously, being humiliated in one way or another. Whether that's by Sonic's friends beating them or Cosmo outpacing Vector. Or by themselves, like when Vector takes his own romantic fantasies of Vanilla a little too literally. It turns out, a wannabe detective and a ninja make good foils for wacky shit happening around them. 

There's also a little bit of pathos in this otherwise very silly episode. Vanilla misses her daughter. Vector interprets that feeling as Vanilla needing to be reunited with her daughter. He acts on her behalf, scooping Cream up and taking him with her. Similarly, Chris Thorndyke's parents are worried about him teleporting half-way across the galaxy on his own. Their solution is to warp a bunch of useless shit his way, because they are billionaires who value things more than people. That makes it meaningful when Chris pokes his head into the conversation at the end, between Vector and Cream. Parents care about their kids and sometimes they assume they always know better, without ever asking their children their opinions. Chris definitely knows what it feels like to have distant parents who would rather do what they think is right, instead of what is right for their child. In the end, they all compromise by Cream faxing Vanilla a picture of herself every once in a while. And hopefully Vanilla gave Vector a blowie or something. 

One other thing about this episode: Space is, according to the people who have actually been there, an inhospitable place. Even living on a space station brings with it a lot of difficulty. But following its depiction of space as a place where cartoon animals can hang out and chat, "Sonic X" depicts life aboard the Blue Typhoon as pretty cozy. Before their cosmic freefall, Sonic and Knuckles are depicted as calmly playing chess. Later, in the middle of battering the Chaotix, the crew break for teatime. Cream has even prepared cake for everyone, prompting Amy and Cosmo to ask for the recipe. I guess the kitchen is well stocked on this trip! Damn, I want to live on an intergalactic cruise ship, fight giant murder robots, and have a cartoon rabbit preschooler make me desert every day. 

By the way, the Chaotix's ship is red and pointy. The Blue Typhoon is also revealed to have external arms in this episode. That makes me wonder if "Outlaw Star" wasn't another influence on the show's mechanical designer, Yasuhiro Moriki. (Whose other credits include "Silent Mobius" and "Martian Successor Nadesico.") Or maybe colorful, jagged spaceships with spindly arms are just a common troupe in Japanese sci-fi. "Galactic Gumshoes" ends by teasing the reintroduction of another important Sega "Sonic" character, which means that only 99% of this episode is goofy filler. But if "Sonic X's" must have filler episodes, I'd rather they be absurd larks like this than boring action-fests like "A Chilling Discovery." [7/10]

Sonic X, Episode 3.06: Desperately Seeking Sonic

Sonic X, Episode 3.06: Desperately Seeking Sonic

Japanese Title: The Maiden's Jungle Trap

U.S. Air Date: October 15th, 2005

Japanese Air Date: April 2nd, 2020

We open again in outer space, as the Blue Typhoon floats over a green planet. They are attacked by a pair of Metarex soldiers. The Sonic Hammer is deployed to destroy the bigger machine... Which ends up stranding Sonic on the jungle planet below. By an extraordinary coincidence, Sonic lands right on Eggman, who is also on the planet looking for a Chaos Emerald. Tails and Knuckles fly out in the Tornado, looking for Sonic, but Amy insists on looking on her own. Cream and Cosmo come along, looking for the Planet Egg, and fall into a series of traps set by the surviving Metarex. 

Before we really get into the guts of this review, we have to discuss something: Sonic is invulnerable. In the opening scene, he's running around on the outside of the Typhoon in outer space, before he gets fired again out of the ship's canon. Sonic surviving out in the vacuum of space is nothing new. He's been doing that since the second game. (I guess you could bullshit this by saying they're in the upper atmosphere or something but... Come on.) What's even more ridiculous is, after being fired out of a cannon and destroying a robot, Sonic survives re-entry and falling to the planet's surface. He lands atop Eggman's machine, after falling hundreds of feet, and just shrugs it off! He also survived falling from space in the first episode of this season but I attributed that to lingering Super Sonic powers. But I guess the "X" version of Sonic is just fucking indestructible. No wonder he's so hard to beat in a fight! 

Anyway, that's not the main point of this episode. In fact, Sonic's not even the main star of this one. Instead, the script here focuses on the female cast members. Amy, Cream, and Cosmo are the ones who really motivate the story here. I always enjoy it when shows or comics do that, even if this episode isn't exactly devoted to feminine empowerment. Amy's main motivation, after all, is being reunited with Sonic. And the trio fall into multiple traps here, which necessitates multiple scenes of their skirts flopping down. But there's definitely some novelty in seeing the often sidelined ladies get an episode to themselves. Cream even gets to kick a little ass, when she tosses Cheese at the mandrill-resembling Metarex Kingape. 

And the female cast member this episode is most interested in is Cosmo. Since Chris' psychological trauma is mostly resolved, I'm glad this show introduced another mentally fucked-up character for me to analyze. Cosmo is clearly suffering from some PTSD, as she has a flashback to the Metarex attacking her planet here. She feels personally responsible for her planet dying and repeatedly fixates on her failures here. Luckily, Amy's single-minded pursuit of Sonic inspires Cosmo to focus on going out and seizing her problems with both hands. This still gets the plant girl in trouble, as she repeatedly runs headlong into nearly identical traps here. But at least she's building confidence in the face of an ego-crushing tragedy. That's good progress. 

Then again, I can slightly forgive Cosmo for repeatedly falling into Kingape's traps. Up to this point, the Metarex have been a loosely defined threat. Aside from brief references to them wanting to bring order to the universe, we haven't gotten much insight into their motivations. All the Metarex baddies have been more-or-less identical in personality. They are singularly driven by their desire to conquer. Yet here we have something new: a Metarex-of-the-Week with an actual personality. Kingape is somewhat cowardly, realizing he's not much of a physical threat to our heroes. That's why he focuses on these easily detected traps. He seems to think he's pretty clever and even tries to talk his way out of an ass-kicking at the end, right before Sonic murders him. It's nothing new but some much needed variety. 

This episode is, in general, able to get away with some goofy plot turns because it's mostly played for laughs. Once again, "Sonic X" has pretty good comedic timing. When Tails and Knuckles are getting ready to fly off, Amy demands to come along. Knuckles then makes a mildly sexist comment, causing Amy to retort in anger... After which Knuckles demands they fly off quickly. Amy's feminine rage is used for another gag later on, when she easily smashed her way out of the gazebo Kingape has imprisoned them with. Of course, when she's reunited with Sonic at the end, she has to stop in the middle of a fight and give him kisses, much to his chagrin. I know some people hate "Sonic X" playing up Amy's manic side but I guess I've gotten used to it, because all of these gags made me chuckle. And I guess I've always found Amy more interesting when her violent, obsessive side is emphasized. There's also a pretty funny bit at the end where Eggman, Decoe and Bocoe get flattened. 

Eggman does actually get to do something in this episode, though it's probably my least favorite part of this half-hour. He shows up at the end in a giant bee robot to steal the Chao Emerald. Things get even more convoluted when Cosmo uses the Planet Egg to summon a bunch of crushing vines, which she then can't control. And what's the payoff of this contrived series of events? Chris flies in and gives Sonic another pair of fancy shoes... His Soap shoes, which he then uses to grind along the vines and saves the day. This sequence is gorgeously animated and it's not hard to figure out why. Soap shoes were a real brand and one Sega partnered with around this time. In other words: The day is saved in this episode thanks to product placement. And I'm betting Soap or whoever wanted to make sure their product looked cool, which is why the animation gets a noticeable upgrade in this sequence. 

Despite some pretty big flaws, I did enjoy this episode. The humor made me laugh a couple of times. Cosmo remains the new season's most interesting character. The villain is something a little different than what we've been getting lately. And the episode ends with another Chaos Emerald being acquired, so it's not another filler episode. All in all, I think that's worth at least a [7/10.]

REVIEW: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022)

Despite my best efforts to keep my expectations measured, I went into “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” hyped. The first movie was for the normies. It was the safe kids movie designed to gently nudge people into the full-blown weirdness that is the “Sonic” franchise. From the moment the second movie confirmed that Tails and Knuckles would be costarring alongside Sonic, I got the feeling that the sequel would be focusing more on the shit we care about and less on Sonic’s cop friend debating his future career opportunities. In retrospect, I probably — definitely — expected too much from this sequel. “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” isn’t that movie but it is still a reasonably entertaining children’s film. 

Since the end of the first film, Sonic has continued to live in Green Hills, Montana. At night, he sneaks out and uses his super speed to fight crime, to mixed results. After being left alone at home, while Tom and Maddie are on vacation, Sonic gets a real chance to test his mettle. Dr. Robotnik has returned, escaping the mushroom world he was stranded on last time. And he has a partner. Knuckles the Echidna is a proud warrior with the same sort of powers as Sonic, determined to settle a centuries old rivalry between tribes. When Tails — a young fox also from Sonic’s world — arrives, a race is soon on. Robotnik is after the Master Emerald, a legendary relic that can grant incredible powers to whoever wields it. Sonic and Tails want to make sure he doesn’t succeed, soon pulling the gullible Knuckles along with them. 

As I have said before, a movie with Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles in it is something I’ve been dreaming about almost literally my entire life. This means “Sonic 2” put me in a weird place as an analytical movie fan. Throughout this motion picture, I had to repeatedly remind myself that this movie isn’t for me. This isn’t the “Sonic” I would write. This is a breezy flick for kids to enjoy and their parents not to be too annoyed by. There are fart jokes. There are easily understood pop culture references, via Ben Schwartz’ constantly quipping Sonic. There is an extended dance number set to a top twenty pop hit, a sequence that felt especially gratuitous to me. These are not things I, personally, want to see in a “Sonic” movie. I don’t necessarily hate their inclusion. Schwartz is funny and the dance scene has a couple laughs. But moments such as these definitely had me second-guessing whether I was having a really good time or not, 

Then again, “Sonic 2” shouldn’t be measured against the half-mad imaginings of a life-long “Sonic” nerd. This is both a video game adaptation and a kids’ flick about a cuddly, sarcastic CGI animal. By those metrics, “Sonic 2” succeeds by just being fairly narratively coherent and having actual character arcs for its protagonist. In the first movie, Sonic was just trying to find his place in this mixed-up, crazy world, learning along the way that his friends are who he fights for. In the sequel, the hedgehog is learning to be a superhero responsibility. The opening, mad cap chase scene, where Sonic foils a high speed pursuit, wrecks as much chaos as it mends. All throughout the film, Sonic is waiting for the moment to prove himself. Considering the cinematic Sonic is more of an impulsive kid than any other version, this is a strong arc to graft to him. 

The first film mined a lot of cuteness, and even something like pathos, out of Movie Sonic’s status as a lonely kid. The sequel expands on that some. Sonic’s not so lonely now, as he’s got a home, surrogate dad and mom, and even a suitably cute dog. Yet he’s still in search of some peers his own age, other cartoon animals he can relate to. Naturally, Tails and Knuckles provide just that. The sequel provides the inevitable cheer moment, when the Sega-created trio stand together as heroes. And, yeah, I internally cheered for that too. Yet the scenes of Sonic acting as a mentor to Tails or a friend to Knuckles are almost more satisfying. Our little blue son is growing up and watching that happen is pretty sweet.

And what of those beloved “Sonic” cast members that are now movie stars? How does the film handle Miles “Tails” Prower? Pretty well, I’m happy to say. His backstory is different, owing to the changes the movies have made to established “Sonic” lore. His personality is intact though. Tails is still the flying, boy genius able to invent almost anything the ridiculous plot requires. Despite his superhuman skills, he still doesn’t believe in himself much and looks up to Sonic as a big brother figure. The two CGI critters have an amusing chemistry together and it leads to more than one simply adorable moment. With regular Tails voiceover actress Colleen O'Shaughnessey returning to the role, it really does feel like Tails stepped right out of the cartoon or games. 

Knuckles, meanwhile, got the celebrity voiceover upgrade, with Idris Elba playing the echidna. Elba mostly does a decent job, though he sounds a little bored or out-of-his-element sometimes. I was writing recently about how Knuckles' personality has evolved over the years. The movie strikes a balance between the gruff brawler of the earlier games and his more recent status as simple-minded comic relief. He's still a physical rival to Sonic, imbued with similar (and still unexplained) powers to the movie-verse's hedgehog. He's also pretty gullible, which the screenwriters have turned into an overly literal mindset that reminded me a lot of Dave Bautista's Drax the Destroyer. Like that Marvel superhero, Knuckles is a proud warrior guy hyper-focused on his goal that eventually is accepted into the hero's improvised family. It's a transition that happens perhaps a little too quickly, over the course of about two scenes, but I was mostly pretty satisfied with how Knuckles was handled. 

Different as their backstories may be, I think "Sonic 2" mostly does right by its characters. The biggest issue facing the "Sonic" sequel, and maybe the entire film series going forward, is one of tonal identity. The first movie fit comfortably into the "live-action kids comedy starring a CGI cartoon character" genre, albeit with bigger action set-pieces and more callbacks to the source material. The second film is torn between this tone, heavy on the comedy and superfluous subplots starring fleshy humans, and something more akin to the aforementioned Marvel movies. "Sonic 2" devising its own mythology, separate from the games and comics. (And quite different, in a way that didn't entirely sit well with the pedantic nerd side of me.) The film's backstory is full of eons-old rivalries between warring factions, trying to control a massive source of power that change the nature of reality. We even get a fairly epic exposition dump, brought to life through stunning traditional animation. As "Sonic 2" goes on, the stakes get higher... Yet the film still seems reluctant to leave its small town setting behind, making sure the world-endangering theatrics never feel too severe. At some point, the people who make these movies are going to have to decide if "Sonic" is a goofy comedy, akin to "Alvin and the Chipmunks" or "The Smurfs," or if they're Paramount's attempt to forge their own universe of epic superhero movies. 

This uncomfortable divide is most apparent in the role the film's live action cast plays. James Marsden's Tom is ported off to Hawaii for most of the movie, which you would think would be an excuse to remove this largely superfluous character from a story that doesn't need him. But you don't pay a sort-of movie star like Marsden the big bucks and not use him. So Tom and his wife Maddie weave their way back into the story eventually. Okay, I guess it's possible someone out there was invested in the trials and tribulations of Doughnut Lord and Pretzel Lady. This doesn't explain why a lengthy chunk of the movie, halfway into its two hour run time, is devoted to Maddie's sister being angry at her fiancée and going on a BrideZilla rampage. It's agonizing, as if “Sonic 2” randomly switched reels with “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” for several minutes. Why is precious screen time devoted to the comic relief antics of a boisterous bride? 

This is not the only unnecessary, and frankly annoying, digression involving the live action cast. Tom's dim-witted deputy Wade gets far too much screen time, another symptom of the sequel's refusal to expand pass Green Hills for too long. But one cast member at least does the extra leg-work. Jim Carrey, sporting Robotnik's traditional bald head and giant mustache this time, hams it up to his usually extreme levels. While you can debate how accurate a Robotnik that makes him, it's absolutely entertaining to watch. Carrey makes sure there's never much of a wait between funny moments, stretching and contorting his face and body in a gloriously ridiculous fashion. My favorite moments is when he mimes playing his leg as a guitar or his liberal application of the phrase “hater.” The movie also smartly brings Lee Majdoub back as Agent Stone, Robotnik's loyal henchman. He has several cute scenes with Carrey that will make the shippers loose their minds. 

A lot of the complaints I've had here won't matter to most people. For the most part, “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” is an entertaining mixture of humor and action sequences. I still don't know if Jeff Fowler has much of a visual eye as a director, as most of the movie is pretty pedestrian looking. However, he is good at engineering a decent action scene. A snowboarding sequence down a mountain side escalates nicely. When Sonic and Knuckles finally fight it out, it's a well done confrontation. One of my favorite scenes in the film has Sonic overcoming his fear of water. (Yes, it's canon that this version of the hedgehog can't swim either. I knew you'd all be disappointed if I didn't mention that.) The last act definitely sets out to top the original's finale, in terms of special effects and collateral damage, and I would say it succeeds.

Ultimately, “Sonic 2” is at its best when skillfully integrating elements from the original games into its silly plot. An extended set piece in the second half directly references the most difficult stage from the original game, with explicit shout-outs to many of the level's elements. I really enjoyed that. Of course, it's far from the only shout-out in the movie. The game mechanic of Sonic loosing his rings when injured is amusingly recreated here. The “Sanic” homage in the first movie is joined here by a number of other in-jokes for the memers in the audience. I'm trying very hard not to include any spoilers here so I'll just say the climax included some appearances from “Sonic” characters and conventions that I expected but at least two that caught me off-guard.

In my first write-up on the “Sonic 2” trailer, I said that the lowered expectations from that abysmal first trailer actually worked in the first movie's favor. We all expected it to be bad and, when it turned out to be decent, it was a pleasant surprise. The sequel has the exact opposite problem: We liked the first one, the sequel's trailers were all great, so I was actually excited for part two. Inevitably, this caused me to come away from the movie a little disappointed. Which isn't to say I didn't like it. It's a fun movie and mostly well-assembled. The “Sonic” franchise is set to continue, which this film's closing minutes eagerly sets up. I'll probably dig it more on a second viewing but, for now, I'm genuinely not sure if I liked it slightly more than the first or slightly less. I guess I should probably just be grateful that a movie starring Tails the Fox and Knuckles the Echidna exists at all. But, obviously, a nitpicking nerd like me can't help my contrary nature. “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” gets a mildly disappointed [7/10].