TailsTube #10 – HAPPY NEW YEAR!

TailsTube #10 – HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Original Release Date: December 31st, 2024

Since the promotional machine for "Sonic the Hedgehog 3" already produced a Christmas special starring the blue dude with 'tude and his pals, I suppose the team behind "TailsTube" decided to dedicate the last episode of 2024 to that other December tradition: New Year's Eve. Now, normally, this is the part of the review where I would meander off-topic to discuss the history of New Year's traditions or try and figure out why Sonic and his weird mutant animal friends celebrate this holiday, in order to pad out the review add depth to my writing and enlighten the minds of the world. But I don't want to do that this time. Mainly, because New Years celebrations are the most basic of all calendar events and present in almost every culture throughout history. It seems to be a natural part of conscious existence to mark the end of one year and the start of the next, as both a time of reflection on what happened in the last spin around the sun and to hope for renewal and good luck on our next rotation. The only question that is truly raised by Tails ringing in the New Year is... I guess Sonic's version of Earth must use the same twelve month, January-to-December calendar we do over here in reality. This is slightly improbable, considering different human cultures can't agree on when the New Year starts and ends. The Archie comics provided Mobius with their own calendar, a common sense but of world-building. However, that's a small nit to pick, even by my fastidious standards. Though this episode does reference the Big Ball dropping in Times Square, begging the question of who the "Sonic" version of Dick Clark is and what his fursona might be.

This episode of "TailsTube" plays out in real time, a clock counting down to midnight as Tails talks directly to his streaming audience. This made me realize that every episode of "TailsTube" proceeds in this fashion, as a natural side-effect of mimicking the V-Tuber live-streaming format. I guess I simply never noticed before. As the New Year creeps closer, Tails decides to call up some of his friends. He asks them about their Resolutions for the new year, another human ritual I guess we just have to swallow exists in this world too. Amy, Rouge the Bat, Knuckles, and Shadow pop up on the mic for a few seconds before Sonic speeds into Tails' workshop to celebrate the calendar flipping over. A good time is had by all, except for Orbot, who momentarily pops up on camera before Tails hangs up on him. Because fuck that guy, amirite? 

From the beginning of writing about "TailsTube," I have felt the need to point out that most episodes are essentially advertisements for some new piece of "Sonic" media that Sega has coming out. Very hypocritically, that always makes me feel a little cheated. As if I signed up to be told a story and was getting a sales-pitch instead. This is despite the fact that I was raised on a drip-feed of commercials-posing-as-cartoons, continuing to have nostalgia and a built-in fondness for such programs. Including, obviously, the "Sonic the Hedgehog" series. What is every "Sonic" comic and cartoon if not an advertisement reminding you to run out and buy the "Sonic" video games? I suppose there is a balance to be had. Either way, I'll give Tyson Hesse and everyone else behind "TailsTube" lately: The more recent episodes have not felt so blatantly commercial in their goals. Episode 10 is mostly devoted to simply spending some time with this cast of cartoon characters that we've all grown too attached to. While you can debate the merits of feeling like, ya know, fictional characters and internet personalities are your friends – or, more accurately, the merits of content creators and companies deliberately chasing that reaction – but I'm not gonna lie to you guys. I like it. It's a fun way to waste four minutes. 

Within that four minutes, “TailsTubes” manages to squeeze in a surprising number of phone calls with his various pals and buddies. I've got to give some serious props to Cindy Robinson, for making Amy Rose actually sound like she's been caught off-guard at a party here. The patient little pause she does when Tails asks what her resolution is. Her short segment does a good job of showing the two sides of the character, as Amy very sweetly dedicates herself to helping people and friends more in the new year... While also grumbling at Sonic. Awww, she really is like the Team Mom, isn't she? Meanwhile, Karen Strassman as Rouge starts her conversation by calling Tails a “little man,” a choice of words that would definitely cause a certain reaction to some corners of the fandom. Strassman also shows some range, playing Rouge as her usual flirty, purring, constantly teasing self before Tails reprimands her for planning on stealing more jewels in the new year. Rouge gruffly tells him to “go to bed,” which is both funny and also one of the rare times we've seen Rouge get grumpy. Oh no, I like grumpy Rouge too! 

Moving on quickly, Tails' conversation with Knuckles reveals that the echidna is eager to explore the world beyond his island. After Sonic races back to Tails' workshop, the fox also expresses a desire to see more of his world. Now that is interesting. Knuckles' sense of duty forces him to maintain his vigil at the Master Emerald. Tails, meanwhile, has always lived in Sonic's shadow. (Not to be confused with Shadow, who has an amusingly curt appearance here.) I'm sure this is all merely a set-up for the theme of TailsTube's third “season,” which promises to be “On the Road.” However, I do like the idea of Tails and Knuckles being united in their desire to get out of their comfort zone a little. Might this be a chance for some world-building as well? I don't know, let's not get our hopes up. 

A reoccurring gag throughout this episode – maybe you would call it a “running” gag – is Sonic racing around the world to interrupt every phone call Tails makes, giving the hedgehog a steady presence throughout these four minutes despite technically only being in the room with Tails at the very end. As far as jokes go, it's a decent one. I like how he shows up on Angel Island, gasping for breath. While it would've been funnier if it simply went unexplained how Sonic managed to reached the floating island, Tails clarifies that he must've taken the Tornado. Him startling Knuckles is also a decent joke. But, hey, how does Sonic know where Rouge lives? I don't think the bat's place of permanent residence has ever come up before but Sonic is familiar enough with it that he can just zoom right on in. Not that I'm implying anything! 

The main element of “TailsTube” that draws the fans in, I believe, is the tendency for little in-jokes and references to be hidden in the background. Episode ten was a big one for this. While Tails is talking to Amy at her party, we see some familiar silhouettes behind her. Big and Cream both got invites. As did the Wolf Avatar from “Sonic Forces,” marking the first time Amy has answered his phone calls in a couple of years. Most excitedly, a very recognizable fluffy tail is seen walking behind our host here. Yes, this minor YouTube episode represents the first time Tangle the Lemur has appeared in a piece of moving visual Sega media. Discounting “Sonic: Speed Battle” anyway, which exists in mobile game limbo as far as canon goes. Might this mean that Tangle could appear on a future episode of “TailsTube?” I would safely say the odds of that are low. However, this episode finally revealed the name of the Purple-Haired Lady long speculated about as “Professor Victoria,” before she graduated to actually being interviewed in the next installment. So maybe Tangle's chances are better than I assume. 

Also, if you squint a little harder, you can see where something about the “Year of Shadow” has been written on Tails blackboard, hastily marked out, and replaced with the “Year of Sonic.” Awww, is somebody a bit jealous? Dude, the franchise is named after you, so maybe reel it in! Also also, the animation they cooked up of a Sonic sprite slowly lowering towards an Egg-Prison as a stand-in for the Big Ball was clever. Anyway, episode ten of “TailsTube” is probably not the most important or groundbreaking installment in a series that is already inessential even during its best moments. (I mean, I guess from technically giving Tangle her first animated appearance.) But I did find it to be awfully enjoyable. And isn't that what matters the most? My personal enjoyment being fulfilled? [7/10]

TailsTube #9 – Scary Story Spooktacular

TailsTube #9 – Scary Story Spooktacular 

Original Air Date: October 31st, 2024

Years ago, but not so many years ago that I wasn't already updating this fucking blog, I had an idea for a "Sonic the Hedgehog" fanfiction. I've mentioned before how I dabbled in fanfic way back in the day and have, simply for the fun of it, considered dipping my toes back in from time to time. Probably during one of my many ruminations over the lack of properly scary "Sonic" content, a glorious pun emerged in my brain: Tails from the Crypt. The idea of mashing up the "Sonic" cast and universe with the E.C. Comics approach of grisly horror and pun-cracking hosts seemed irresistible to me. I'm a long time fan of HBO's salacious television adaptation of those old comics, which became a minor pop culture fad in the nineties thanks to its lovably goofy animatronic Crypt Keeper. I love the horror anthology format, of getting a different and self-contained story every week. This has nothing to do with Sonic the Hedgehog, much less Miles "Tails" Prower... But it could. 

Though "Tales from the Crypt," "Vault of Horror," "The Haunt of Fear," and all of Entertaining Comics' other ghoulish titles were a scapegoat for juvenile delinquency back in the fifties, the formula for those comics actually upheld a stable moral viewpoint. The stories almost always involved someone committing a crime, a murder, a burglary, a betrayal, an infidelity. Through the course of the vividly illustrated tale, they would be gorily punished for their misdeeds, often via ghostly vengeance, ironic comeuppance, or zombies. The Crypt Keeper would take us to the back cover with some goofy puns, the impressionable reader getting their beastly thrills while also learning an evergreen message: Crime does not pay. What's done in the dark will come to the light. He who smelt it, dealt it. You get the idea. 

What if we applied this same approach to a collection of short "Sonic" ElseWorld tales? What if Rouge compromised whatever moral integrity she has left to grab an especially shiny jewel, only to fall victim to the horrible curse that comes with it? What if Eggman finally captured Sonic the Hedgehog and executed him, only to find life empty and meaningless without his archenemy to challenge him? Prompting the doctor to go full-Frankenstein, resurrecting the hedgehog as a grotesque combination of stitched-together flesh and robotics that ends up sealing the Eggman's doom? What if Shadow sought more power and awoke his inner Black Hands to a degree he couldn't control, turning into a hideous half-alien monstrosity? What if the Werehog or Lah the Ghost were actually scary? Shit like that. I'll probably never actually write this but it's a fun idea. 

I bring all of this up because, improbable as it seems, it would appear that someone at Sega also touched upon the catchiness of "Tails from the Crypt" as a pun. The ninth episode of "TailsTube" went up on October 31st of last year. Yes, this is another example of a "Sonic" Halloween special that I've long since sought. Subtitled "Scary Story Spooktactular," the episode sees Tails gathering his friends together for a seasonally appropriate ritual: Trying to scare each other with some ghostly stories around a camp fire. Rouge tells a creepified take on Shadow's origins, Knuckles gets existentially spooky in here, and the broadcast concludes with Tails delivering a ghost story relevant to the franchise's history. Tyson Hesse did the script for this one and he has Tails truly relishing his role as creepy M.C. of the evening, filling his dialogue with spoopy puns, which truly removes any doubt in my mind about whether "Tales from the Crypt" was on the writer's mind here. 

Unlike the episodes of "TailsTube" immediately before it, I don't get the impression that the "Scary Story Spooktactular" is meant to promote a new game or set of fortune telling cards. I suppose Rouge regaling us with a retelling of Shadow's creation is another reminder that "Sonic X Shadow Generations" was available by this point and you, the viewer, should go out and buy it. However, the main attraction of this episode returns "TailsTube" to its original purpose and lore-dumping about some aspect of this fictional universe. The second half of the episode is devoted to Tails telling a ghost story about a greedy king and his men pursuing a magical necklace inside a creepy temple. The king is so consumed by his greed that he doesn't noticed that his men are falling around him. Upon finally grabbing the object of his avarice, he is cursed to spend eternity as a spectre with a weirdly colorful tongue. Yes, boils and ghouls, you got it: This is the secret origin of King Boom Boo. 

I can't say I've personally ever wondered about where the altogether ooky "Sonic Adventure 2" boss came from. There have been a lot of "Sonic the Hedgehog" stages with a lot of boss battles, not all of which are that memorable. King Boom Boo could've been easily forgotten but the novelty of Knuckles doing some ghostbusting – and a memorable episode of "Sonic X," probably more importantly – has made this blue-lipped spectre with a Pride flag for a tongue an unfrequently reoccurring element of the series. King Boom Boo's previously unexplored origin was a bit of "Sonic" lore no one had elaborated upon previously. It also revolves around a minor enough character that I doubt Sega cared if Hesse gave him a proper backstory. In other words, this episode of "TalesTube" actually found a corner of the hedgehog-verse that some light could be shined on, fleshing out the world a tiny bit more. 

I'm not going to go so far as to say that the presentation of this ghost story, nor Rouge's reinvention of Shadow's birth, are scary. However, they are properly paced like a horror story, or perhaps a classic folktale, with a repetitive structure that builds towards a ghastly reveal. Moreover, the episode busts out some extremely fun artwork to accompany these segments. We actually see King Boom Boo's squat, already rather ghost-like human form as Tails explains the story. The Shadow segment has some eye-catching black-on-red visuals that are striking. Compared to the last few "TailsTubes" that felt truly tossed together and lazy, some identifiable work actually went into this episode. In fact, there's a new backdrop behind the gang too, featuring skeletons and Jack-o'-lanterns and creepy trees and strings of obscuring mist. The Halloween ambiance practically seeps out of the screen while watching this one. 

Y'all should know by now that nothing else is required for a program to win me over other than some October seasoning. However, I've noted in the past that "TailsTube" feels the most like an actual TV show when it focuses on the wacky banter and interplay between its cast members. This episode has a lot of that. Rouge's flirts with everyone, Knuckles' sheepishness about the supernatural comes up, Shadow grouses, Tails hams it up. Knuckles' attempt at a ghost story is a riff on the "Baby shoes: Never worn" bit that regularly goes viral on the Twittergrams, before the echidna makes the morbid one-liners into an example of his childish, idiotic logic. Ya know what all this shit reminds me of? The "Sonic Boom" vibes are heavy, baby, and I think I really missed them. Seeing these characters bounce off each other in an otherwise mundane setting with a fun gimmick is such a pleasant way to spend time with the "Sonic" gang. If this had been an episode of "Boom," we would've gotten some deranged ranting from Sticks but also this five minutes bit of YouTube animation probably looks as good as any episodes of that show, so let's call it even. 

How exactly Halloween exists in the "Sonic" world is up for debate. While the holiday is never mentioned by name, "trick or treat" is dropped alongside all the seasonal decorations, more than confirming its existence. This "TailsTube" also features a running gag of sorts about "jump scares." Those are low effort attempts to get a physical reaction out of a viewer by a mediocre horror movie or game, involving a quiet build-up and then a sudden and loud shock. In moderation, the jump scare is as valuable as any other tool in the storyteller's box but it tends to be abused by the hackiest of talents. The loudness of the jump scare sacrifices any mounting sense of dread or creepiness, those elements that make a horror movie a true classic. This has made the jump scare loathed by hardcore horror nerds, considered the lowest form of spookery by most. It would seem Shadow agrees, as he decisively refers to the term throughout this installment... Which raises the question of how the hell Shadow knows what a jump scare is. Are there middling horror flicks on Sonic's world? Who is the furry equivalent to Michael Chaves and, more over, what kind of cartoon animal would he be? 

Is this destined to be my favorite episode of "TailsTube?" Unless Sega celebrates Pride Month next week by having both Tangle and Whisper on the show and then having them French. Actually, if that came to pass, this would still probably be my favorite. Unless they were kissing in a pumpkin patch. Aside from me being an easy mark for this kind of spooky scary ambiance, this is a highly entertaining episode in its own right. Honestly, my only real complaint is that Sonic doesn't wolf-out for the hell of it. I guess that would conflict with "TailsTube's" canon status. (And would also require a new model to be rigged up or whatever.) I don't even like the Werehog that much but seems like a missed opportunity not to at least mention it! Anyway, this one gets my rubber stamp of approval. Happy Halloween, you guys. [7/10]

Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings - Episode 3: To the ARK

Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings - Episode 3: To the ARK

Original Release Date: October 10th, 2024

The three episodes of "Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings" were released weekly in the lead-up to the eponymous remaster/bonus game dropping on October 25th. Yes, the Year of Shadow would essentially climax very close to Halloween, confirming once and for all that Shadow is the most goth of all the "Sonic the Hedgehog" characters. Could they have slipped in a little more weird alien body horror transformations so I could officially consider this a Halloween special? Anyway, four whole days after "To the ARK" was released, a compilation of all three episodes of "Dark Beginnings" would also drop. This gave the impression that such a format was probably how the entire animation was meant to be seen originally. It's harder to build hype when putting out one fourteen short than it is with the weekly drip-feed of episodes. Either way, "Dark Beginnings" ultimately being more of a single little movie than a TV series means it can be logged on Letterboxd, for the handful of people who are both "Sonic" nerds and hardcore cinema devotees. There are dozens of us, probably. 

Because your friends are more important than your employees, "To the ARK" begins with Rouge and Omega helping Shadow break into a GUN base so he can high-jack a rocket ship. After blowing up quite a lot of GUN's robots and vehicles, our hypothetically ultimate protagonist reaches the space shuttle he is seeking. As he launches off towards the ARK, GUN plans on shooting him out of the sky... Before Commander Tower intervenes, calling off the attack, and saying that he understands where Shadow is coming from. Shadow flies towards the ARK, and the threat that dwells there, and remembers his time with Maria before we cut to black. If you want to see the rest of the story, buy the video game, kid. 

Having seen all of "Dark Beginnings" now, the purpose of this cartoon emerges. In the ramp-up to the new game and movie coming out, Sega wanted to remind anyone who had forgotten how fucking cool Shadow the Hedgehog is. That's why most of this three-parter was devoted to the grumpy hedgie getting into lots of fights and blowing tons of shit up. One assumes that this is why Sega hired Christopher Luc and Kevin Molina-Ortiz to direct this thing. Those guys do kick-ass action and that's what they deliver. And you don't need me to tell that, simply as a display for some rad as fuck action animation, "Dark Beginnings" is a massive success. A good chunk of this episode is devoted to Shadow fighting the Blue Falcon. Not the Hanna-Barbera superhero, sadly, but the weird hovercraft thing from the "Shadow" video game. He Chaos-Controls around the industrial launch base, exploding hordes of missiles with his superpowers, and eventually taking down the vehicle personally. Yeah, it's cool as shit looking, with lots of fast-paced animation, weaving camera angles, expressive colors, and high-impact blows. 

The intent of nearly fourteen minutes of Shadow kicking ass and taking names is clear: To wash the bad taste of any middlingly received solo games and remind players that Shadow the Hedgehog is a bad-ass with a sensitive side. Obviously, the overwhelming majority of "Sonic" fans probably don't need to be reminded of this but, if "Dark Beginnings'" flashy as hell animation convinced one extra person to buy "Sonic X Shadow Generations," it probably did its job. The unstoppable super-hero who is gruff and doesn't give a shit, but is driven by a secret pain motivated by the loss of a loved one years ago, is a well known character type. However, there is apparently one thing Shadow isn't willing to do: After thoroughly disabling the Blue Falcon, he makes sure to personally activate the eject feature for the pilot. I don't know if this reflects a personal code on the hedgehog's behalf or if he simply feels it unnecessary to murder a G.U.N. officer just doing his job. It is a reminder that these characters are for little kids and probably shouldn't murder indiscriminately.

Considering the people working on this series would've been aware of the upcoming DC Comics crossover, it can't help but feel like another parallel to Batman. Shadow may be the best there is at what he does but what he does is only a little bit not-so-nice. He does not carry a licence to kill in his wallet and he's never murdered three men with a pencil, a fucking pencil. He's the dark and brooding defender of the world who still believes in the sanctity of human life, old chum. I do wish that "Dark Beginnings" had a little more time, in-between all its bitchin' action scenes, to delve into this idea a little more. The death of Maria floats over the entire series. Her loss will haunt Shadow forever. If his unwillingness to blow up faceless mooks and rip Eggman's throat out with his gloved hands was a reflection of this trauma, an insistence not to out other people through the same pain he's experienced, that sure would've been nice. Instead, it's one little moment in a six minute episode much more concerned with blowing shit up than the consequences of said shit blowing up. I bet the wife and daughter of that G.U.N. pilot will be thankful to the Ultimate Lifeform for sparring their husband/dad's life, assuming his injector seat didn't crash land into a mine field or a pool full of sharks.

I would've liked to have seen a little more insight into Shadow's code of honor but Ian Flynn has other concerns with this last episode. You gotta fill in those plot holes, man. Shadow working with G.U.N. is a well established factoid now, portrayed in the comics and video games. This is despite, ya know, that being the organization that killed his favorite person ever. The implication has always been that Shadow working with G.U.N. represents the fulfillment of his character arc. He's moved on from his pain, wants to help the world, and working with totally-not-S.H.I.E.L.D. is the best way to do that. As far as I know, this has never been exactly stated though. Moreover, why would G.U.N. want Shadow's help, considering he's blown up plenty of their shit in the past and continues to do so, as this cartoon depicts? 

As it is with Hollywood, turns out there is nothing more important than who you know. "Dark Beginnings" reminds us that Shadow and Commander Tower go way back. That they grew up together. Turns out, this makes the head huncho at G.U.N. totally fine with their top agent sometimes going on destructive rampages against them. I guess G.U.N. doesn't have much in the way of authority oversight so Abe and Shadow kind of knowing each other is enough for everyone to overlook all the senseless destruction. This still doesn't quite explain why Shadow would partner up with these assholes but it at least shows there's some sort of link there. 

That halfway explains why Shadow gets a pass for destroying expensive G.U.N. and God knows what else. What is Rouge and Omega's excuse, for aiding and abetting a rogue agent in his misadventures? Commander Tower actually points this out to Rouge specifically. She brings him a thumb drive full of Eggman secrets of some sort to compensate. Mostly, I think her batting her big beautiful eyelashes at her boss, playfully calling him "Abe," puffing up her lips and pushing out the 22Fs, is the real reason for him to forgive her. Okay but Omega has noticeably less sex appeal than Rouge. He definitely helps blow up G.U.N. robots in this episode, including a really cool shot of him employing a big-ass Gatling gun. I guess Tower is reluctant to confront the eight foot tall, heavily-armed murder bot about his indiscretions. What I'm saying here is that G.U.N. doesn't give a shit and let's their agents do whatever, no matter the cost to themselves and others. Your typical black ops organization, in other words. 

But there I go picking at nits again. Sorry, I can't help myself sometimes. The real point of "To the ARK" is not to display some sick fight scenes or give us a peek at the inner workings of G.U.N. higher-ups. Not unlike the various "TailsTube" episodes, "Dark Beginnings" is basically a commercial. It's meant to remind us to run out and buy that new video game. This is most apparent in how "Dark Beginnings" is also a prequel to "Shadow Generations," leading right into the start of the game. In other words, there's no room here to tell a complete story. "Dark Beginnings" doesn't truly have an ending, stopping at the point when Shadow is about to reach the ARK. Unable to tell a complete narrative, the last part of "Dark Beginnings" attempts to create some sense of emotional resolution instead. While on the rocket ride, Shadow thinks back to Maria. He gets sad and wistful for a minute before shaking it off. What this moment does is reveal that a lot of Shadow's tough guy personality is a put on. Inside, he's still a hurt kid still reeling from the sudden death of his older sister figure. It is a nice little moment that does bring things full circle to some degree, re-centering the story once again around Shadow's most important bond. 

If you missed the significance of that, "Dark Beginnings" also includes, in its last few minutes, a weepy pop ballad. I got flashbacks to all those would-be Disney animated movies from the nineties that included a pop version of a song over the end credits in the hopes of getting an Oscar nomination. "Without You" by Casey Lee Williams – apparently best known for one of those internet animated series that look like anime but aren't – skips the synth sparkles but otherwise hits all the clichés of the Oscar Bait Song. It is full of straining emotion, sweeping instruments, and vocals that reach for the heavens in terms of the feeling they hope to convey. The lyrics describe Shadow's difficulty in moving on from Maria's loss. It goes right for the heart and wants to see you cry. I find the song a little overwrought, to say the least, but it does go a long way to making "Dark Beginnings" feel more like a real movie than an ad. They are plucking those heart strings hard. 

While the lack of something like a real ending is an inevitable consequence of "Dark Beginnings" being a lead-in to a new video game, it doesn't kill the buzz the rest of this series gave me too much. If you watch the 14 minute compilation, you get an extra scene of Black Doom brooding aboard the ARK after the credits, an inessential addition. Playing through "Sonic X Shadow Generations" also reveals and additional scene, of Shadow and Maria hugging it out some more. That one feels a bit more like an actual ending, despite still not wrapping up any of the narrative threads. It's hard to give "Dark Beginnings" anything but the highest recommendations based simply on its gorgeous animation. Out of all the new "Sonic" animation to come out of the Youtube channel, I don't think this tops "Sonic Frontiers Prologue: Divergence" as my fave but it's definitely a real piece of art nevertheless. Why can't all "Sonic" media be this damn pretty and be willing to get a little sadder more often? Hopefully Luc and Molina-Ortiz get invited back to do more stuff like this during the, I don't know, The Year of Cream or whatever promotional stunt Sega does next. [8/10]

Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings - Episode 2: Finding the Way

Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings 

Episode 2: Finding the Way

Original Release Date: October 3rd, 2024

While I will admit to a certain cynicism concerning the typical fandom reaction to any and every new "Sonic the Hedgehog" character, the fact is that this series is especially good at designing new cast members. I don't mean solely visually, though an eye-catching design does seem to be enough to get most fans hyped. (Hence the aforementioned cynicism.) While you can complain about how many of the "Sonic" characters are truly essential, the artists and writers are very good about finding roles that were previously unfilled and sticking them together in compelling ways. Shadow's whole thing is that he's a loner, right? Rouge is a morally neutral jewel thief, far more interested in her next score than anything else, yes? These two should *not* be team players. Team Dark, however, has become an pivotal part of the "Sonic" universe. Somehow, when you combine the angsty super-being and the tricky femme fatale with a destruction obsessed kill-droid, it just works. The three personalities play off each other perfectly. The government of Sonic's world deciding to cram three people who would otherwise be supervillains and decide to let them focus their antisocial personality traits on the enemy is some succinct world building. There's a reason "The Dirty Dozen" is a classic and has spawned so many Thunderbolts and Suicide Squads. There's something irresistible about a bunch of assholes and crooks being very much forced to work together for the greater good. Let's us have our villainous cake and eat some moral relatively too or something. 

Anyway, I bring this up because the second episode of "Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings" reunites the star attraction with the other two members of Team Dark. Not that Shadow was intentionally seeking them out. Following his dream/vision last episode, Shadow is looking for a space craft to reach the ARK. He headed to the nearest Eggman base to find one. By a massive coincidence, this is the same base that Rouge and Omega are currently attacking for some reason. She claims it's just a supplies depot, with no rocket ships in sight, but does agree to help Shadow out... Assuming he comes to Sonic's birthday party with her. In-between conversation points, the trio murder a shit ton of Egg Drones and Shadow reflects on a memory of Maria comforting him when he was feeling bad for himself. 

Last time, I criticized "Dark Beginnings'" script for being a bit too on-the-nose. Ian Flynn has the sole writing credit on this entire mini-series but I don't know if that means he had relative creative control or was working within ideas and storyboards provided beforehand. The dialogue sees the characters rather flatly explaining what they are feeling and doing. A ten year old Abraham Tower rushes out of a room and makes sure to sneer that Shadow is a freak on the way out. Inside, the Lifeform Ultimatized for Self-Pity describes his existential angst over actually being genetically engineered from alien DNA. In a good example of telling rather than showing, he describes how this information makes him feels and awkwardly includes the word "larva." Maria, in turn, knows exactly what to say to make the broody test tube baby feel better. Her words not only specifically address what Shadow is feeling in that moment but also echo into the future. Maria just happened to say that Shadow will someday meet other people he can trust, exactly as the episode cuts to him racing off to encounter Rouge and Omega. Damn, that little girl was optimistic about getting off that space station! 

This tendency towards dialogue that is obvious, if not a touch overwrought, continues into the next scene as well. Shadow's explanation to Rouge about what he's doing here is a rather flat and basic description of everything that happened before. While I'm enough of a nit-picky, overly critical dork to be bugged by this, it doesn't truly distract from the emotions "Dark Beginnings" is invoking here. Here's why I think Shadow's story resonates with so many people: It shows the power of kindness. Shadow was born to be a weapon. He was programmed to be an avatar of Gerald Robotnik's planet-consuming need for vengeance. When we first met him, he was defined by nothing but his impressive superpowers and humorless, antihero attitude. 

Despite that... Maria was kind to him once. She could have been like Abe Tower and bullied Shadow, fearing him for not being a "normal" child of God. Instead, she reached out to Shadow and was gentle, empathetic, and nice to him. Maria's life was always destined to be short, even if G.U.N. agents are crappier aim. As the subtitles remind us, she's been gone fifty years by the time of the current day. Despite that, those simple acts of sympathy still resonate. A little girl who died half a century ago was nice to Shadow the Hedgehog and that was enough to make him realize and understand that he is capable of more than destruction, able to pursue goals beyond revenge. The foundation of such a method is love. That Maria's actions causes Shadow to completely change his direction in life, to be the hero Maria saw in him and not the weapon everyone else wanted him to be, proves that love ripples further than hate or revenge ever could. The idea that a simple act of kindness can change a life – and, in effect, change the world – is a touching thought that feels like a fundamental truth about the universe. 

As much as the emotion element of this episode resonates with me, I don't think that will be the main thing most people take away from “Finding the Way.” As with the first episode, the main thing that is immediately memorable about this four minute installment is how fuckin' cool it looks. The intense visual presentation is evident right from the get-go. The scenes on the ARK are moodily lit, the twitching Black Arms larva being weirdly expressive. As soon as Shadow races across the screen, the action rarely stops moving. In fact, the battle with the Egg Drones is so fast-paced and stylized that you almost have to watch it twice in order to catch everything that happens. Shadow weaves in and out of the laser blasts and weapons at a rocket's pace, striking back with such intensity that the image seems to shatter. When Rouge and Omega shows up, the action gets even more explosive. Rouge flies up into the air, poses before the moon – some real “Batman '89” vibes there – before striking down at a giant-sized drone with an earth-splitting kick. It's so fuckin' cool and it looks amazing.

It's very satisfying watching Rouge the Bat kick ass. I feel like it doesn't matter how often she shows up, the bat is always an underutilized member of the “Sonic” supporting cast. Rouge has such a grace about her, all of her movements being laced with sensuality. This means she has chemistry with everyone, Shadow included. What could have been a totally plot-driven dialogue exchange, where they discuss what's going on and how to push forward, becomes an amusing flirty discussion. The way her eyes bulge out when Shadow scoops her out of harm's way, how she bats her lashes and rolls her head when talking him into going to Sonic's birthday party: It shows such an immediate and charming personality. To the point where, when she looks over her shoulder at Shadow and asks “Interested in raiding a G.U.N. Base?” I had a Pavlovian reaction of “I'm interested in raiding that ass!” I probably shouldn't have told you that. Anyway, Rouge rocks and she makes this episode better than it already was. 

Karen Strassman has been voicing Rouge since 2010, meaning she's got a good grip on the character by this point. Strassman definitely makes Rouge sound cute and flirty, while maintaining an edge of professionalism, that suits the character well. However, as I mentioned last time, I do find the Japanese voice cast a little smoother sounding. Rumi Ochiai, the Japanese voice of Rouge since the “Sonic X” days, sounds a little less ditzy, a little less Valley Girl, and that goes a long way towards fitting the character's femme fatale attitude. Roger Craig Smith shows up as Omega here and I'm really not crazy about his take. Doesn't sound robot-y enough, ya know? Taiten Kusunoki – check out this dude's head shot – makes the kill-bot sound both more mechanical and also more expressive, a good balance. Kirk Thornton has more quiet moments in this episode, so I think he's a little less gratingly tough. 

It's clear that Flynn is telling a direct story here, one designed to expound on Shadow's past while also pushing him towards the events of the video game re-release this entire venture is meant to promote. At the same time, assuming this script truly does reflect Ian Flynn's vision more than anyone else, “Finding the Way” can't help but reflect the author's quirks. In this four minute episode that is extremely heavy on the action, Ian still finds some time to plug a plot hole. For years, fans have speculated on why Shadow the Hedgehog – not exactly the most social of guys and not somebody who generally considers himself a friend of Sonic the Hedgehog – would show up at his birthday party. While it's funny to assume he was doing some sort of information gathering, the truth is Rouge just blackmailed him into doing it. Dude just can't help himself. He has an obsessive compulsion for finding weird gaps in story logic and cooking up solutions to them. 

The script also makes sure to remind us that Abraham Tower grew up on the ARK, a tidbit I always forget about that. Is there any particular reason he has heterochromia? All those years of staring at glowing glass tubes full of weird alien weapons or off-spring or something. Anyway, this rocks. It looks fucking amazing and it also has a nice amount of heart, expanding on the emotional boundaries of this universe while also giving us all the things we want to see. Aw darn, there's only more left? We could've gotten a little more! [9/10]

TailsTube #6: Surprise Gift Exchange Bonanza

TailsTube #6: Surprise Gift Exchange Bonanza 

Original Release Date: December 21st, 2023

As 2023 came to a close, another holiday season was looming. Sega had already released their big "Sonic the Hedgehog" titles for that year. However, I guess they just like Christmas and decided to stick a holly-jolly "TailsTube" installment up on their YouTube. Of course, that raises the same question I ask any time there's a "Sonic the Hedgehog" holiday special: Why do they have Christmas? I guess since it's now established lore that Sonic and friends exist on a world alongside regular meat-sack humans, the question is largely answered. One can assume that human history progressed more or less the same in this alternate universe, winter festivals and the cultural dominance of Christianity coming about in the same way. "Sonic and the Secret Rings," by establishing that djinn exists, suggests Islam is part of this world too. Did Eggman's ancestor participate in the Crusades? The mind conjures image of human missionaries boating out to South Island and attempting to convert the local pagan populace of upright animals. Does that mean there are hardcore Christians among Sonic's population? Vanilla seems like the good church going type. Are there other adherents, faiths, and weird outgrowths? Hedgehog Mormons? Does ninja Espio practice Shinto beliefs? The question now is not if the new Pope will be Catholic but if he'll even be human. Is Jewish convert Knuckles circumcised or not? And how many times? 

Ah man, I love it when I get to do that! Speculating wildly off of the tiniest indications of a wider culture in this series! As much fun as it is to imagine how religions work on Sonic's world, episode six of "TailsTube" truly suggests there's no heaven, no religion too. Many of the signifiers of Christmas are present in this episode. Tails' workshop is decked out with holly, wreaths, colorful lights, and hot cocoa. References are made throughout to well-known carols and the central premise of the episode recalls a Secret Santa party. However, the word "Christmas" is never spoken. Only that much dreaded phrase "happy holidays." This is not a "Christmas party" but a "surprise gift exchange bonanza." The obvious reason for this – Sega does not want to align their mascots with any one religion or culture and the Japanese view Christmas as secular anyway – does not provide an in-universe explanation. So maybe Sonic and all his friends are godless heathens who only worship the hollow joys of materialism. It's a good thing that his progress isn't the only thing Sonic can save though...

But I digress. "TailsTube" episode six has Tails gathering a bunch of his friends into his workshop for a cozy celebration. Sonic, Knuckles, and Amy are there but Shadow, Rouge and Omega show up too. The gift exchanging ritual goes smoothly enough but clashing personalities means the party soon descends into chaos anyway. Everyone except Tails runs off, leaving the fox alone when Eggman decides to crash the party and engage in some Ho-Ho-Homicide. With no one to wreck, the doctor is disappointed and ends up sharing a nice little moment with his archenemy's little buddy. Awwww, isn't that nice? 

One of the nicest things about gift giving occasions is that it reflects the personalities of both people involved. Obviously, unless you are a totally selfish jerk-ass, you want your gift to reflect the intended's interests and passions. Inevitably though, what you get someone else shows your personality as well. You aren't truly giving that person a gift. You are getting a gift for the version of that person that exists in your head. Your gift shows what you think of that person too. This is something noticeable in this "TailsTube" broadcast. Knuckles gets Omega a rock, proving his humble roots but also appealing to the kill-droid's desire to smash stuff. Amy gets Sonic a heart-shaped picture frame with a photo of herself inside, reflecting her always naïve hope that Sonic holds her as dearly as she does him. Sonic gets Knuckles a gift certificate to a chili dog restaurant because he's a fast-paced guy on the run who doesn't have time to look at an Amazon wish list. He did put thought into it though and Knux ends up finding it a very practical gift. As for Rouge, she gives a gift to the person who is most important in her life: Herself. It's a simple setup for a story but it allows for many chances to consider who these characters are as people. 

That leads to another element of Christmas parties that this little five minute bit of animation gets right. Any time you are passing gifts around, it's going to be sweet. People are going to be touched that you thought of them, that you took some time and energy out of your day simply to get a little present for them. This message – about how, really, it is about the giving – is sweetly shown in the last third, when Tails defers Eggman's wrath by giving him a present, melting his evil heart. Stoic Shadow isn't immune to this either, in the easily predicted but still cute final scene. Ultimately, that's why we gather together as groups during the coldest, most desolate time of year to remind one another that we do care, that we are worthy of consideration to each other, that we are carried in other people's thoughts and hearts. To show that this sense of togetherness is always present, the script includes shout-outs to Jewel, the Restoration, and Sage as well. See, the "Sonic" family is wide and vast but always connected by wuv.

However, parties such as these can be awkward as fuck too. That is also nicely captured. Omega, myopic in his focus on destroying enemy Badniks, gifts Amy a crushed MotoBug, as he can't imagine anyone having any other interests. After receiving Amy's picture frame, Sonic immediately removes the photo of her and replaces it with that time him and Tails drew a face on Eggman's bald head. Amy's reaction, to bite her lip and let the botched romantic moment pass, very much feels like something out of a "Sonic Boom" episode. As does Eggman being embarrassed that he forgot a gift and quickly throwing something together for Tails. Once you throw in the unpredictable elements of a Secret Santa party – amusingly shown, in "Sonic" series tradition, as an on-screen slot machine winding down – such awkwardness is unavoidable. I like that both sides of that coin are present here. 

This episode also marks the first time Team Dark has appeared on "TailsTube." I'm so used to Shadow, Rouge, and Omega existing as characters I read about in comics and my brain providing voices for them, that it always throws me for a little loop when I remember Omega and Shadow sounds like that in canon. However, Rouge is always on-point. By which I mean, it is in her nature to flirt with absolutely everyone, all the time. She teases Knuckles throughout, calls him "handsome," and eventually leads him on a very easily predicted chase. The way she giggles mischievously as they ran off together makes this ritual feel like elaborate foreplay more than ever. However, the busty bat also flirts with Shadow, saying it would be a "crisis" if he wasn't there, in typically cooing manner. She can't help herself and that's why we love the slutty chiroptera so much. 

There's more unique backgrounds and art in this episode, what with the shots of everyone interacting with presents that they wouldn't normally be touching. Maybe that required the budget to be mixed around for this episode, explaining what the actual characters seem to move less than they ordinarily do in this show. It might just be me but it seemed their lips don't always move in time with their dialogue. Aww, shucks, what could be more perfect for the Christmas holiday than pinching a few pennies? Anyway, this is cute and I enjoyed it. As I type this, it's spring time in my corner of the world but I'll get ahead of the curb and go ahead and wish everyone an early Merry Christmas, a happy Hanukkah, a crazy Kwanza, a tip top Tet, and a solemn and dignified Ramadan. [7/10]

Team Sonic Racing: Overdrive

Team Sonic Racing: Overdrive

Original Release Date: March 16th, 2019 / April 25th, 2019

You'd think the critical and commercial success of "Sonic Mania" would have prompted Sega and Sonic Team to pivot towards similar ideas. At the very least, it should've gotten a direct sequel. Instead, the galaxy brained developers at Sega kept the series going on much the same direction it's been operating in for years. 3D mainline titles of hotly debated merit every few years and a smattering of spin-off titles that make little impact in-between. I know I'm obviously bias but you'd think somebody would realize that a "Mania 2" would have a lot more commercial value than another racing game. Because the "Sonic" franchise has been cranking racing centric spin-offs for years and they've never drawn much attention outside of the die hard fan base. Did "Sonic R" make a massive impact on the series' popularity? Is "Sonic Drift" anyone's favorite game? Did the "Sega All-Stars Racing" duology revolutionize gaming? They made three of the hoverboard racing games and, I guess, they are beloved by some... But did that entire sub-series match the performance of a single "Mario Kart?" Of course not.

I get the association. Sonic runs fast. Racing titles are a natural extension of that. Instead of doing something different – like, say, focusing on how Sonic is fast without a race car – these spin-offs will always be in the shadow of Nintendo's beloved go-kart series. At least Sega had the good sense to delay "Sonic Team Racing's" long enough to insure the game was actually playable. Despite that, this particular title seems to have been even more forgettable than the other "Sonic" racing games. Maybe in a decade, some young "Sonic" nerds will emerge that consider this game an all-time classic. That seems to happen with every otherwise forgotten game in this franchise. As of right now, however, it seems like "Team Sonic Racing" came and went without leaving any impression at all. Another forgettable entry in the sprawling "Sonic" empire that will only be recalled by the most obsessive of fans. 

"Sonic Mania" was influential in one way, however. It made somebody in Sega's advertising department realized what a powerful tool YouTube was for getting the news out there. "Sonic Mania Adventures" must've been a massive success because the company has followed that same strategy – release a cool animated short or two to promote the new game, usually directed by Tyson Hesse – for just about every title that would follow. This is presumably why "Team Sonic Racing: Overdrive" would drop on the "Sonic" YouTube channel, over the course of spring of 2019. This series copied "Mania Adventures" by being released in monthly installments, though only two of them. The existence of this cartoon is another clue that Sega had high hopes for this instantly forgotten racing game. It does give me something else to talk about so might as well get on with it.

"Team Sonic Racing" has a thin plot, of an alien tanuki organizing a race and inviting all of Sonic's friends to compete in souped-up cars he's made for each of them. "Overdrive" does not get into any of this, however. Donal Peepants does not appear in this cartoon. Instead, the series is merely devoted to the various "Sonic" cast members competing, while Eggman attempts to sabotage the race with various underhanded methods. Such as distracting people with a side-of-the-road merch cart or having an Egg Pawn dress as a cat and frolic in the middle of the track. Rivalries, partnerships, and challenges arise during the race as Sonic and friends go for the gold and Eggman inevitably heads towards humiliation. 

"Sonic Mania Adventures" was clearly a labor of love, beautifully animated by a team of artists fulfilling a life long dream with this assignment. "Overdrive" is, obviously, a much more mercenary effort. This is most obviously evident in the quality of the animation. The characters move a lot more stiffly here, with only occasional flashes of the playful expressiveness and fully formed body language we saw in "Mania Adventures." One gets the impression that Hesse and his team were given a lot more free reign to go nuts with their previous cartoon. With this one, it feels like they were commanded to stay on-model as much as possible. In other words, this two-parter looks a lot more bland than Neko Productions' previous "Sonic" series. That is very apparent in the decision to render the cars through what I think is some sort of cell-shaped CGI animation. This kind of thing is standard with mechanical designs in animation these days and – as someone who grew up watching "G Gundam," "Teknoman," and "The New Adventures of Gigantor" – I hate it. Get some people in here who know how to draw some fucking robots and airplanes and racecars and shit. 

Now, those handful of moments when you can tell this was storyboarded by Tyson Hesse are still obviously the highlights. After punching a bomb away from Sonic, Knuckles skids across the track and bounced back into his car, now covered in bruises and lumps... But smiling as enthusiastically as before. After getting one over on Rouge, the echidna makes mocking goo-goo eyes at her. Blankly staring Chao going demonic or a little smirk between Sonic and Shadow make it clear that some love and effort was put into this. Despite standing alongside less attractive moments, like Eggman opening his mouth really wide in surprise or Shadow simply Chaos-Controlling out of his car when it's clear he's lost. 

In general, the jokes that are based more on the characters interacting, playing off their well known personas, produce far sharper gags than drawn-out attempts at wackiness. Big the Cat gets a, uh, big appearance here. An extended sequence is devoted to him attempting to cross the street and reach a merch cart full of Froggy themed items. This moment feels like it takes up more than half of the first episode and it's simply not that funny. Maybe I find Big's unchanging reaction to everything a lot less amusing than some people. Generally speaking, I'd much rather have repeated scenes of Sonic and Knuckles making goofy faces at each other than more extended gags like this. I feel the same way about Eggman's schemes throughout the entire two-parter, the villain feeling like nothing but a cartoonish foe to provide some degree of conflict to this series. 

That gets at a core issue with "Team Sonic Racing: Overdrive." What's the story here? Why are these guys racing? What do they hope to prove by winning first place? Why does Eggman want to stymy their success so? Friendly competition is justification enough, sometimes. It's not like the "Mario Kart" put much thought into why sworn enemies like Mario and Bowser are having a race together. The idea here is probably, if you want to find out why any of this shit is happening, go out and buy the video game. That excuse only goes so far, when Eggman is a playable character in the game and this cartoon doesn't mention Dingaling Pap and his intergalactic car company at all. I know this is only a ten minute cartoon, cut into two shorter parts, and we can't expect it to have too much story. Still, it would have been nice to have slightly more set-up here than "Sonic and friends are having a race." Surely more could have been done with that idea than a mere series of simple gags. 

I suppose this is me, once again, expecting way too much from a glorified video game commercial. "Sonic Mania Adventures" was a fully formed work and you could feel how much love and effort went into it. The artists, animators, musicians, and everyone else clearly wanted that series to be great. I get the impression that the only stated goal for "Overdrive" was to make viewers aware of the new game coming out. Story was sidelined in order to showcase gameplay. That racers can get power-ups from Wisp or use them are projectiles against other players – in a way extremely similar to the different colored shells from the "Mario Kart" games – is heavily featured here. The cars were animated in the fashion they were, probably, to guarantee fidelity to the in-game models. Because one of the selling points for the game was all these "Sonic" cast members getting bitchin' new wheels. I suppose we should be happy that "Overdrive" managed to have the small amount of laughs and creativity in that it did, considering this was clearly a much more rushed and limited production than the previous straight-to-Youtube "Sonic" animated series. 

The same team that made "Sonic Mania Adventures" such a great show getting to play with beloved characters like Shadow and Rouge probably should've been a much bigger deal. Alas, such a promise was shackled to an instantly forgotten spin-off title that was, by most reviewers' estimation, totally serviceable and functional. Given that circumstances, it shouldn't be a surprise that "Overdrive" is of similar quality. It's... Fine. Doesn't look great but doesn't look bad either. Made me chuckle or grin once or twice. A perfectly cromulent "Sonic" cartoon that doesn't annoy or offend me in any particular way but also doesn't impress me too much either. When compared to "Sonic Mania Adventures," one of my favorite things to feature the blue hedgehog in years, it feels like a massive stepdown. Taken on its own, "Team Sonic Racing: Overdrive" is a mildly cute time killer that I won't remember much about in a week. As clear cut a [6/10] as I've yet seen. Knowing more could have been done here makes me want to rate it lower though. 

Sonic Prime, Episode 2.08: Ghost of a Chance

Sonic Prime, Episode 2.08: Ghost of a Chance

Original Release Date: July 13th, 2023

And now we reach the final episode of “Sonic Prime's” latest season. If you're an old person, like me, you might remember the days when you actually had wait a week to see the new episodes of your favorite TV show. Ideally, your excitement would grow as the season progressed, climaxing with a riveting season finale that would bring everything together in the most satisfying of ways, while also leaving you eagerly anticipating the next season that would hopefully follow. Netflix completely obliterated this tradition with their “binge” model of dropping every episode of a season once. Of course, enough time has passed now that the weaknesses of the binge model are well known, to the point that most streaming services prefer a weekly release schedule now. 

In addition to causing a new show to just disappear into the slush pit of endless content after the hype passes, the binge model also has another side effect: It makes season finales matter way less. When you can just tear through an entire season in one day, all the excitement that could've build up simply doesn't exist. It's hard to have much investment in the journey a season of television takes you on when you can tear through the whole thing in a few hours. And I do mean “a few.” Since it's only eight episodes long, you could watch all of “Sonic Prime: Season Two” in about four hours. That's not even enough time to watch any two “Lord of the Rings” movies! 

Anyway, all of that aside, let's get into “Ghost of a Chance.” Sonic and Shadow stand up to the Chaos Council as they invade Ghost Hill. While the hedgehogs fight off the invaders, Nine works on reassembling the Paradox Prism. Somehow, the Chaos Council channel shard energy into their Eggforcers and other weapons, making them super powerful. Nine then does something similar, giving the super-powerful boost needed to fight off the bad guys. Even then doesn't work, as the Chaos Council summons a “Prismatic Titan” in the form of an enormous Eggman. This forces Sonic and Nine to go even further with charging him up. That's when the blue hedgehog and the multi-tailed fox get into a bit of a disagreement. 

When Nine first talking about injecting Sonic with shard energy, I was fully expecting “Sonic Prime” to introduce Super Sonic into its story. It's just become something of a cliché that every bit of “Sonic” media, during the most perilous battle, has to have Sonic go Super Saiyan to crush the gigantic threat he must fight off. “Prime” doesn't do that exactly. Instead, it introduces its own super form. Sonic gains pink eyes and a prismatic trail of color behind him. The catchy name of this super-form seems to be “Prismatic Sonic.” He moves so fast that he can converse with himself, speeding around in the blink of an eye. That's a neat effect and all, even if a new super-form is probably the last thing Sonic needs. 

And I mean that question even in the context of this single episode too. Does Sonic need a super form to defeat the Chaos Council? We are repeatedly told the energized Eggforcers and the Prismatic Titan are serious new threats. Yet, all throughout this episode, up to that point, Sonic and Shadow where tearing them apart with ease. “Prime” continues to showcase elaborately choreographed action scenes. When the heroes can destroy all the enemies with relative ease, however, the kind of tension and suspense that are necessary for an action scene to really be successful are never created. This becomes even more true once Sonic gets a power upgrade, meaning he can blow through these even bigger threats with similarly relative ease. “Prime” goes through all the motions of a compelling action story here but never really sells any of them. Everything is just too easy for Sonic.

I know this is not the first time I've made that point. I've had that criticism for “Prime” consistently across season two. Here's another criticism that continues to stand with each episode: The Chaos Council aren't very creative as villains! Once again, when granted near-limitless power by the magical MacGuffin they've been pursuing this entire series, what do they do? They make their disposable robot soldiers a little more powerful. When that doesn't work, they create a giant Eggman out of shard energy or some shit. It shows such a total lack of imagination, from these guys and from “Prime's” writers and show runners. I know CGI cartoons only can only afford to create so many models but surely they could've thought of something better than this?

All of this is aside from my criticisms that the Chaos Council just aren't very effective villains either. Deep, Don't, and Done-It continue to be humiliated through this episode. But, whatever, that's an old issue by now. These guys suck on an individual level, even though the show continues to tell us they are a threat on a collective level. That's not really what's on my mind here. As I said, Mr. Dr. Eggman creates a giant prismatic version of Eggman to attack the heroes. How did the Chaos Council know what the original version of Eggman looks like, if they are the only Eggmen who exist in their universe? The exact relationship the Council has with Eggman Prime has never been established and this moment just further muddles the water. (The Council also doesn't know who Shadow is, which I guess makes sense. Though the exact bafflement they have over a second hedgehog seems a bit much.)

Last time, I mentioned that the show was clearly setting up some sort of conflict between Sonic and Nine. That comes to the front here. The obvious disagreement – that Sonic wants to restore Green Hills while Nine wants to recreate an ideal world on the Grim – nicely doesn't play out as cartoonish squabbling. Instead, both characters have good points. I even like the way Sonic is genuinely held at fault a bit, with the way Nine doesn't appreciate how he's seen only as a replacement for the “real” Tails, not his own person. Yet I wanted more, you know? At this point in the season, a good moment like this can't help but feel too-little too-late. 

And so “Prime's” second season ends in as frustrating a place as it began. We are sixteen episodes into this series and most of my complaints about it remain. The series has already been picked up for a third season, so we'll see a resolution to the cliffhanger here at some point in the near future. Maybe if “Prime” leans into Sonic and Nine's schism in the future, the show could finally come into its own. Yet I'm doubtful of that happening, at this point. I just don't know if I can ever get into this one, even as a lifelong “Sonic” fan. [6/10]