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Sonic the Hedgehog 056 (Archie)

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SonictheHedgehog Archie US 056.jpg
Sonic the Hedgehog #056
"Sonic the Hedgehog"
Cover date: March 1998
Release Date RRP Code Rating
Comic
US
1997-12-17[1] $1.75 ?
Comic
CA
1997 $1.85 ?
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Sonic the Hedgehog #56 is the fifty-sixth issue of the ongoing Sonic the Hedgehog comic series published by Archie Comics. The issue would be reprinted in Sonic the Hedgehog Archives Volume 15 and Sonic Legacy Series Book 4.

Official solicitation

Stories

Immortality is Forever... Life is Finite

Continued from Knuckles the Echidna issue 9.

Sonic the Hedgehog, Knuckles the Echidna, and Miles "Tails" Prower find themselves trapped in a strange zone, piled on top of one another, and atop a large rock floating aimlessly. Knuckles remarks that this is the second time this year that a Chaos Emerald-powered villain has managed to get the best of him, the other being a now de-depowered Enerjak. As Sonic tries to get Knuckles to focus on the present, the rock they're standing on suddenly begins trembling. Tails claims that the rock may in fact be alive, but Knuckles ridicules such a notion; on cue the rock tries to eat them. Sonic's solution is to pull a tornado spin, grinding the rock to dust and leaving the trio without a platform. Suddenly, the solitary guardian Athair appears in the distance, seemingly wanting the trio to come towards him. Sonic utilizes a figure eight spin to propel himself and his sidekick towards the guardian, but as they approach, Athair is replaced by a black vortex. Prefering anything to their current predicament, they choose to enter it.

Back on Angel Island, Mammoth Mogul makes a mocking remark of admiration for the bravery exhibited by the Freedom Fighters and the Chaotix, whom made the mistake of trying to take him head on. Having achieved a Super transformation of his own, the now self-proclaimed "Master Mogul" effortlessly casts away his defeated opponents via telekinetic transportation. He contemplates over how best to use Sonic, Tails and Knuckles, the only three he figures could even pose as a potential threat, as brainwashed pawns in his impending domination of Mobius. Deciding quickly to eliminate all of the trio's leftover allies, he sets out to find the heroes in hiding.

Not far away, the remainder of the allied forces, consisting of Princess Sally, Rotor Walrus, Charmy Bee, Hershey Cat, fire ant leader Deo Volente, and members of the Dingo Regime, express their frustration with having to withdraw into hiding, and try to sort together a contingency plan. This debate is interrupted by Mogul, who again declares himself utterly unstoppable as he blasts away at their hiding place. Barely escaping, they scatter. As he prepares his finishing blow, a portal opens behind him, and Sonic and Knuckles emerge each carrying Power Rings. They swiftly attack a perplexed Mogul.

Quickly recovering, Mogul promptly demonstrates how the energy of the Chaos Emeralds within him is more than a match for the superficial bio enhancement offered by Power Rings. He blasts away mercilessly with a series of energy attacks, to an onlooking Sally's horror. But to his surprise, his final attack is not lethal, but rather Sonic and Knuckles appear to be absorbing it utilizing his energy blasts instead to initiate Super transformations of their own: Super Sonic and Hyper Knuckles.

Angrier and more confused than ever, Mogul ponders over how such transformations are even possible without the physical presence of Chaos Emeralds. He then spots the probable source of this unlikely development: Athair. Hinting that the two have a history of encounters, Mogul directs a staff blast towards Athair, only to find that the creature he has directed his rage towards is only an illusion. Sonic and Knuckles exploit this opening and deliver a series of crushing blows, cracking his armor and revealing the Chaos Emerald shard affixed to his chest.

Briefly explaining that the emerald on his staff is a ruse and that the real one on his chest is what grants him such power and immortalitiy, Mogul then proceeds to use that power to take control of Angel Island's flight path. As Sonic and Knuckles are knocked back, Sally states that she's thankful to find that the two are alive and well, but questions where Tails has gone. Neither Sonic nor Knuckles know the answer, they assume he got lost on the way back. Mogul promptly interrupts the exchange of information, suggesting they not worry about the lost fox and instead worry about their own doomed selves. His proclamation is countered by another attack from a hooded and caped figure carrying Power Rings of his own. The cloaked figure doesn't even try dodging Mogul's counterattack, instead absorbing the energy, just as Sonic and Knuckles did. Calling himself "Captain Super Fox-Man", he then figures he may as well go by the name given to him by his benefactors: Turbo Tails. Sonic and Knuckles are absolutely stunned by the newfound power of their little teammate. Mogul is not so surprised, recognizing that the benefactors of which Tails speaks are in fact the Ancient Walkers and that Tails himself is the long-prophesied "Chosen One".

An observing Rotor realizes that Tails' tales of having an adventure in Downunda were real, and now sees why Tails was perceived by Mogul to be as great a threat as Sonic and Knuckles. Mogul acknowledges this fact, adding that the trio are fated to become the era's greatest champions, singling out Tails again, then vows to Athair (who is watching above) that he will not allow prophecy to become history. More driven than ever, he boasts that while the trio are indeed titans, he is a god, with a mastery of Chaos powers that eclipses even Dimitri's. Astutely, Tails picks up on the mention of Dimitri and brings forth the Chaos Syphon, which he promptly turns on the deranged mammoth. A pained Mogul then wonders just who is responsible for the device's presence, whether it's Athair or the Walkers. Still insisting that his plans for conquest cannot fail, his concentration breaks, freeing the folks he had mentally captured in the first confrontation. Observing remotely from Haven, Locke, Knuckles' father, and Sabre, Knuclkes' grandfather, are concerned that even the combined forces of the allies, three super beings and a Chaos Syphon may not be enough to stop Mogul, but he applauds whomever strategized it, and contemplates making an additional move of his own.

Determined not to fail, Mogul once again employs the chaos energies in an effort to find and destroy Athair and the Walkers. This desperate action leads him to the island's Chaos Chamber, where two more emeralds lie. He resolves to absorb their energy as well, knocking Tails, Sonic and Knuckles back as they try to stop him. As Mogul approaches the emeralds, a still-watching Locke and Sabre recognize that this is their one chance to use their own chaos abilities and spring a trap on the mad mammoth. The battle site is bathed in a sudden brilliant flash of light, and the crisis is over.

Dawn settles over a battle-scarred Echidnaopolis, where the heroes contemplate over what just happened. They assume that their super forms protected them in the chaotic explosion, and they consider the possibility of a third party's influence. Archimedes (knowing much more than he's letting on) states that this is a logical assumption, while Knuckles adds that he believes something other than their super forms also protected them during the battle's climax. Resolving that the unanswered questions will one day be answered, Knuckles turns his attention to the weapon that Mogul used to achieve his supreme status in the first place, the Sword of Acorns. Upholding the vow he made to Princess Sally, Knuckles kneels and presents the fabled sword to her at long last.

Some time later, while the Freedom Fighters prepare to depart, Sonic and Knuckles make amends for their previous fights, finally acknowledging that they should have been on the same side the whole time. Admitting that they both really like being heroes, Knuckles then questions whether their kind are even needed in this changed world. Sonic says that while Dr. Robotnik is gone, his sub-bosses are causing problems on their own, and offers Knuckles the chance to tag along in a quest to dethrone them all. Revealing that Mogul is now contained within a single, giant Master Emerald that is keeping the island aloft, Knuckles declines. He feels that the rapidly changing Angel Island, and its new valuable emerald still need his protection. Sonic meets up with Tails, expresses his pride and jealousy of Tails for being the "Chosen One", and offers the little fox the chance to tag along on his impending exploits.

Other features

  • Sonic Fan Art
    • Four pieces of fan art.
  • The "Find Your Name in Print Page"
  • Sonic-Grams

Production credits

"Immortality is Forever... Life is Finite"
Cover and staff
Source: Page xx

Variants

References


Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie comics)
SonictheHedgehog Archie US 001.jpg

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