Sonic X, Episode 3.26: So Long Sonic

Sonic X, Episode 3.26: So Long Sonic

Japanese Title: The Place Where Planets Are Born

U.S. Air Date: May 6th, 2006

Japanese Air Date: April 30th, 2020

After many words written about it, and much time spent watching it, here we are at the final episode of "Sonic X." Unlike the season two finale, which clearly left the door open for more adventures, the last episode of season three ends on as definitive a conclusion as I think we could expect. Its popularity overseas might have granted "Sonic X" an additional collection of episodes but another reprieve would not follow. This was the end and everybody knew it. So let's strap in and gotta-go-fast one last time. 

We begin back on Sonic’s home world, which has been restored to its former glory. After a few scenes that establish that normal life has resumed, we flash-back to the previous episode’s events. Dark Oak was destroyed but all the energy from the Planet Eggs being released still threatened the entire universe. Only quick action from Shadow saved all life in existence. Yet Cosmo’s fate was still sealed, leaving Tails traumatized. In the present, Eggman cooks up a way to send Chris Thorndyke back home. And that’s where we close the book on this corner of the “Sonic” franchise…. 

Because the previous episode was so hyper-focused on Cosmo’s sacrifice and Tails’ reaction to that, it ended kind of abruptly. That worked fine for me, as the emotions were more important than the action. But I’m glad this final episode does flashback a little bit, to show us more of the immediate aftermath of Dark Oak’s defeat. It's a nice touch that the danger and tension doesn't immediately evaporate after the baddie is dead. That his universe-endangering actions have wider consequences. Cutting right to Sonic’s world being back to normal – as the first scene of this episode does – made it feel like a chapter was skipped. So I’m glad we see Super Shadow Chaos Control all the Planet Eggs back to their rightful place. 

And speaking of Shadow... The superpowered hedgehogs initially attempt to Chaos Control the Planet Eggs together. Yet the effort seems to be exhausting Sonic. That's when Shadow punches Sonic in the gut, knocking him out, and decides to do it on his own. The so-called Ultimate Lifeform disappears after that, everyone being unsure if he's even still alive. After Cosmo's heroic sacrifice last time, it's a little much for this episode to suggest Shadow does the same thing. Not to mention his ambiguous fate here resembles the end of his "Sonic Adventure 2" storyline. I guess saving the world and then peacing out so dramatically that people think he might be dead is just Shadow's thing. (By the way, he's not dead, as a brief clip later shows the familiarly shaped shadow of Shadow standing over Molly's gravestone.) 

While this episode has the kind of universe-saving dramatics you'd expect from the final episode of a sci-fi/action-adventure anime, "The Place Where Planets Are Born" is mostly pretty low-key. The episode takes its time to revisit some supporting characters, as we see Vanilla visiting the Chaotix and Vector flirting with her. Amy and Cream are shown bonding over food, with Ella being name-dropped. Knuckles and Chris get a nice, friendly conversation about the immorality of land ownership. By now, "Sonic X" has invested enough effort in these characters, and the viewer is rightly attached to them, that it's nice just to spend time with these guys. A last episode having a slower paced, hang-out vibe is honestly appreciated after the epic sci-fi plotting of this season. 

Of course, not everyone is so relaxed. In fact, Vector even cautiously asks Vanilla how everyone is doing since returning. Naturally, Tails is who he's really talking about. In the flashback, we see the little fox weeping uncontrollably. When Sonic grimly hands him the sole remaining part of Cosmo – a small white seed – he hugs his friend and sobs some more. Blowing your girlfriend up to save the universe is a hard ask for anyone, especially a little kid. Yet, in the present scenes, Tails seems to be back to normal. He's shown working in his garage, tinkering away at the X-Tornado. The final shot of the episode, and the entire series, is of a small sprout coming up from Cosmo's seed. Which, perhaps, suggests the two might be reunited someday and puts something of a happy ending on these dour events. But I would've liked to have seen a little more of Tails healing, getting used to and growing with his grief, then cutting right from the initial trauma to him being in the recovery stage. I guess that would've been a bit much for the last episode of the entire show to carry. 

A little more time devoted to how Tails is feeling would've been nice. Or perhaps a peek at Chris' friends and family would've been fitting, considering what a big role they played in the first two seasons. Yet "Sonic X" is still wrapping up the space opera plot that took over the show in its final season. Weirdly, Dark Oak is allowed a little catharsis in his final moments. As he's dying, we see the villain, as Lucas, reaching out to Cosmo's superform. Which heavily resembles her mom. Suggesting, once again, that this entire universe-threatening scheme has been the result of petty squabbling between ex-lovers. While this moment suggests there might been some humanity left in Dark Oak, a later scene has Sonic talking mysteriously with the villain's voice under a tree. The omniscient voice asks if it was really worth it, considering humanity (or "beasts," as Dark Oak puts it) are destined to destroy themselves. Sonic assures him it is, that he'll always keep running. And that's a nice scene and all but I think I would've rather spent a little more time with our heroes than with the thoroughly dead bad guy. 

Though he's taken something of a backseat during this season, I still maintain that Chris Thorndyke is as much the main character of "Sonic X" as the blue hedgehog. This holds true for the final episode, which is heavily focused on bringing Chris' character arc full circle. When Eggman announces that he's built a capsule/teleporter thingy to take the boy home, but he only has a few minutes to use it (because of cosmic alignment chicanery), Chris doesn't hesitate. He chooses to go home, to spend his life with his friends and family, rather than cling to Sonic forever. That's quite a difference from Chris in season two, who was so attached to Sonic, he was willing to strand him on Earth. He still cries as he blasts off, sharing one last meaningful look with Sonic and promising he'll return some day. But he's grown up a lot, turning from a whiny and damaged child into a pretty well-adjusted young adult. I'm glad the show took some time in its last episode to revisit the topic of Chris' mental well being.

Aside from Chris going back to Earth – which forms some nice symmetry with the first episode, where Sonic goes to Earth – this episode doesn't wrap things up on a definitive note. In fact, "Sonic X" goes for an "And the adventure continues" ending. The minute Chris is off the planet, the status quo seems to restore itself. Eggman immediately goes about causing trouble again. Sonic launches into action against his archenemy. Tails decides to help out Sonic. Knuckles is angry. Amy vows to protect and chase Sonic. Rouge is morally ambiguous and fighting for neither side exactly. There's even dramatic freeze frames on everyone's face, with their names at the bottom of the screen. Everybody immediately reverts back to their basic, archetypal roles. This could be seen as disappointing, as all of these characters showed a little more depth than this over the three seasons. The "Sonic" cast can be one-dimensional mascots but, luckily, people are eager to grow them beyond that point. Yet it works in this context, of ending the series on a safe and secure note. It lets the viewer know that, even though "Sonic X" is finished, all these lovable cast members are still out there, doing the things they've always done.

And what's something "Sonic X" has always done? Screwing around with a bunch of wacky bullshit! Yes, the final episode of "Sonic X" is rift with goofy comic relief. The appearance of the Chaotix means there's several fourth wall breaking gags, with Vector and Charmy actively chastising Espio for breaking character at one point. Decoe and Bocoe get several lines of goofy dialogue to themselves. Bokkun is happy to be back to delivering exploding TV monitors again. 

The most inexplicable – and therefore my favorite – moment occurs when Eggman... Randomly tells Rouge she has big boobs??! Much like Sonic shouting "Shit!" in the second episode, this is one of those "Sonic X" moments so unbelievable crass, I can hardly accept it actually happens. What makes this even funnier is that it's totally unprompted and contributes nothing else to the episode! I really wonder if the horny freaks who made this cartoon wanted to slip in one more blatant homage to Rouge's tits at some point and decided to just let 'er rip in the last episode. Obviously, this moment was cut from the dub but 4Kids can never take the sweet memory of it away from me.

I'm not quite done talking about "Sonic X" just yet. I have a few odds-and-ends to discuss before posting my final thoughts on the entire program. I'll save the closing discussion on the program as a whole until a later date. Taking "So Long, Sonic" on its own, it's a fairly satisfying, funny, and sometimes even sweet finale. Not a lot of shows aimed at this age bracket would decide to close on a slower paced, character-orientated episode. I appreciate "Sonic X" for going in that direction and enjoyed spending time with this episode, as I have the entire series. Oh, and this finale does answer the most important lingering question of all: What's in Bokkun's locket that Rouge was using to blackmail him? It's a picture of Cream, implying the robot has a crush on the little rabbit. Let that perplexing, confusing question be this program's final legacy. [7/10]