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[[Image:Buffalo sentence 1 parse tree.svg|right|320px|thumb|Simplified parse tree<br/>
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[[File:SaconEggCarrier 06.jpg|thumb|right|Concept art showing the ''Sonic Adventure'' Egg Carrier's two forms.]]
  
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PN = [[noun#Proper nouns and common nouns|proper noun]]<br/>
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In the ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' universe, the '''Egg Carrier''' (エッグキャリア) is a formidable flying fortress frequently utilized as a mobile base of operations by [[Dr. Eggman]]. It is perhaps the most iconic in a long series of Eggman aerial strongholds, stretching all the way back to [[Sky Base]] in ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit)]]''. Multiple individual skyships have held the name "Egg Carrier"; the most prominent of which is [[Egg Carrier (Sonic Adventure)|the original]], where it featured as an [[Adventure Field]] in ''[[Sonic Adventure]]''.
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N = [[noun]]<br/>
 
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V = [[verb]]<br/>
 
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NP = [[noun phrase]]<br/>
 
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RC = [[relative clause]]<br/>
 
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VP = [[verb phrase]]<br/>
 
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S = [[sentence (linguistics)|sentence]]
 
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]]
 
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[[Image:Buffalo sentence diagram.svg|right|thumb|Traditional [[sentence diagram]].]]
 
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[[Image:American bison k5680-1.jpg|thumb|[[American Bison|American Bison]], commonly called a "buffalo".]]
 
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[[Image:Buffalo, New York from I-190 North entering downtown.jpg|thumb|[[Buffalo, New York]].]]
 
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"'''Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.'''" is a [[grammar|grammatically correct]] [[sentence (linguistics)|sentence]] used as an example of how [[homonym]]s and [[homophone]]s can be used to create complicated constructs. It has been discussed in literature since [[1972]] when the sentence was used by [[William J. Rapaport]], currently an associate professor at the [[University at Buffalo, The State University of New York|University at Buffalo]].<ref>Rapaport, William J. [[22 September]] [[2006]]. "[http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/~rapaport/buffalobuffalo.html A History of the Sentence "Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo."]".  Accessed [[23 September]] [[2006]]. ([http://web.archive.org/web/20070320205923/http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/~rapaport/buffalobuffalo.html archived copy])</ref>  It was posted to [[Linguist List]] by Rapaport in [[1992]].<ref name="Linguistlist">Rapaport, William J. [[19 February]] [[1992]].  "[http://www.linguistlist.org/issues/3/3-175.html#1 Message 1: Re: 3.154 Parsing Challenges]".  Accessed [[14 September]] [[2006]].</ref>  It was also featured in [[Steven Pinker]]'s [[1994]] book ''[[The Language Instinct]]''.
 
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Sentences of this type, although not in such a refined form, have been known for a long time.  A classic example is the [[proverb]] "Don't trouble trouble until trouble troubles you".
 
  
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==Sentence construction==
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==Game appearances==
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===''Sonic Adventure''===
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:''Main article: [[Egg Carrier (Sonic Adventure)]]''
  
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The sentence is unpunctuated and uses three different readings of the word "buffalo".  In order of their first use, these are
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A massive floating skyship of grey and red steel, emblazoned with Eggman's face-symbol, the Egg Carrier of ''Sonic Adventure'' causes panic amongst the [[humans|human]] citizens when it appears in the skies above [[Station Square]]. It is one of the game's three overworld [[Adventure Field]]s, allowing access to the [[Action Stage]]s of [[Sky Deck]] and [[Hot Shelter]]. Two [[Tornado]] missions, [[Sky Chase Act 1]] and [[Sky Chase Act 2|2]], also depict [[Sonic]] and [[Tails]]' approach to the flying fortress. The Egg Carrier is capable of transforming into two forms; the second form extended the wings, making it impossible to get to the bridge without going through the [[Sky Deck]] first.
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* '''c.''' The city of [[Buffalo, New York]] (or any other [[Buffalo#Places|place named "Buffalo"]]), which is used as an [[adjective]] in the sentence and is followed by the animal;
 
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* '''a.''' The [[animal]] [[bison|buffalo]], in the plural (equivalent to "buffaloes"), in order to avoid [[article (grammar)|article]]s (a [[noun]]);
 
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* '''v.''' The [[verb]] "[[wiktionary:buffalo#Transitive verb|buffalo]]" meaning to bully, confuse, deceive, or intimidate.
 
  
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Marking each "buffalo" with its use as shown above gives
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At the end of ''Sonic Adventure'', the original Egg Carrier ends up splash-landed in the sea a few miles off the coast of [[Mystic Ruins]]. Surprisingly, Eggman arrives at the final boss battle against [[Perfect Chaos]] with an identical ''second'' Egg Carrier, allegedly built for the precise contingency that [[Chaos]] might rebel. However, the second carrier is functional on-screen for only seconds before Perfect Chaos swats it out of the sky with an aquatic ionization beam. The ship crashes into the flooded ruins of [[Station Square]] and is consumed in an explosion.
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:Buffalo<sup>c</sup> buffalo<sup>a</sup> Buffalo<sup>c</sup> buffalo<sup>a</sup> buffalo<sup>v</sup> buffalo<sup>v</sup> Buffalo<sup>c</sup> buffalo<sup>a</sup>.
 
  
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Thus, the sentence when [[parsing|parsed]] reads as a description of the [[pecking order]] in the [[social hierarchy]] of buffaloes living in Buffalo:
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<gallery>
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:[Those] (Buffalo buffalo) [whom] (Buffalo buffalo buffalo) buffalo (Buffalo buffalo).
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Image:ec controlroom.png|Egg Carrier control room in ''Sonic Adventure''. Under the chair in the photo is a switch that changes the form of the ship.
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:[Those] buffalo(es) from Buffalo [that are intimidated by] buffalo(es) from Buffalo intimidate buffalo(es) from Buffalo.
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Image:ec mainhall.png|Egg Carrier main hall in ''Sonic Adventure''. [[Hot Shelter]] and various minigames are accessible from here.
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:Bison from Buffalo, New York who are intimidated by other bison in their community also happen to intimidate other bison in their community.
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Image:ec pool.png|Egg Carrier pool in ''Sonic Adventure: DX''. Drain the water as [[Knuckles]] to play the [[Sky Deck]] stage.
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Image:Eggcarrier.png|The Egg Carrier's deck, where [[Chaos 6]] is fought in ''Sonic Adventure''.
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</gallery>
  
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It may be revealing to read the sentence replacing all instances of the animal buffalo with "people" and the verb buffalo with "intimidate".  The sentence then reads
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:See also: [[Sonic Adventure#Egg Carrier Sketches|Game Development:Sonic Adventure/Development]] ''(More Egg carrier concept art and screenshots)''
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: "Buffalo people [whom] Buffalo people intimidate [also happen to] intimidate Buffalo people."
 
  
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Preserving the meaning more closely, substituting the synonym "bison" for "buffalo" (animal), "bully" for "buffalo" (verb) and leaving "Buffalo" to mean the city, yields
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===''Sonic Heroes''===
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:'Buffalo bison Buffalo bison bully bully Buffalo bison', or:
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[[Image:Finalfortress.PNG|thumb|right|200px|Final Fortress in ''Sonic Heroes''.]]
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:'Buffalo bison whom other Buffalo bison bully themselves bully Buffalo bison'.
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:''Main article: [[Final Fortress]]''
  
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To Further understand the structure of the sentence, one can replace "Buffalo buffalo" with any number of noun phrases. Rather than referring to "Buffalo buffalo" intimidating other "Buffalo buffalo", one can use noun phrases like "Alley cats", "Junkyard dogs", and "Sewer rats". The sentence then reads
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While the flagship of the [[Eggman Fleet]] in ''[[Sonic Heroes]]'' is never referred to as an Egg Carrier in the game, a near identical ship in ''[[Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood]]'' is named Egg Carrier. In ''Sonic Heroes'', this ship is the setting of the stage [[Final Fortress]].
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: "Alley cats Junkyard dogs intimidate intimidate Sewer rats."
 
  
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This has the same sentence structure and meaning as 'Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo'.
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The battleship is used by [[Metal Sonic]] to facilitate his transformation from [[Neo Metal Sonic]] to [[Metal Madness]] and [[Metal Overlord]]. Not only does it house the prison cell from which [[Team Chaotix]] free Eggman, but it also contains an armoury filled with [[Shadow Androids]] (later destroyed by [[E-123 Omega]]). At the end of the game the ship is damaged but still functional.
  
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Other than the confusion caused by the homophones, the sentence is difficult to parse for several reasons:
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===''Sonic the Hedgehog'' (2006)===
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#The use of "buffalo" as a verb is not particularly common and itself has several meanings.
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The new model Egg Carrier in ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)]]'' is slightly smaller and sleeker than previous iterations. While there are no game stages set on board, it features prominently in many of the game's cutscenes, frequently seen menacing [[Soleanna]] with fiery destruction. Sonic also pursues the speeding craft on foot during the [[Mach Speed]] section of [[Wave Ocean]]. And while there is no full level, the last boss within Sonic's story, the [[Egg-Wyvern]], ''is'' fought on the underside of the Carrier. After the battle, Eggman's skyship explodes in spectacular fashion during a cutscene as Sonic rescues [[Elise]] from the disintegrating craft.
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#The construction in the plural makes the verb "buffalo", like the city, rather than "buffaloes".
 
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#The choice of "buffalo" rather than "buffaloes" as the plural form of the noun makes it identical to the verb.
 
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#There are no grammatical cues from syntactically significant words such as articles (again possible because of the plural construction) or "that".
 
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#The absence of punctuation makes it difficult to read the flow of the sentence.
 
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#Consequently, it is a [[garden path sentence]], i.e., it cannot be parsed by reading one word at a time without backtracking.
 
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#The statement includes a [[predicate logic|universal predicate]] about a class and also introduces a later class (the buffalo that are intimidated by intimidated buffalo) that may, but need not, be distinct from the first class.
 
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#Parsing is ambiguous if capitalization is ignored. Using another adjectival sense of 'buffalo' ('cunning', derived from the sense 'to confuse'), the following alternative parsing is obtained: 'Buffalo bison [that] bison bully, [also happen to] bully cunning Buffalo bison' (that is, the head of the verb phrase occurs one 'buffalo' earlier).
 
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#The relative clause is [[Center embedding|center embedded]], a construction which is hard to parse.
 
  
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It can be extended to
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<gallery>
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:Buffalo<sup>c</sup> buffalo<sup>a</sup> Buffalo<sup>c</sup> buffalo<sup>a</sup> buffalo<sup>v</sup> buffalo<sup>v</sup> Buffalo<sup>c</sup> buffalo<sup>a</sup> Buffalo<sup>c</sup> buffalo<sup>a</sup> buffalo<sup>v</sup>
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Image:06_EggCarrier concept.jpg|Concept
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...in which the subject and object of the central verb 'balance'.
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Image:S2006-E32005-05.jpg|Model
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</gallery>
  
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Indeed, for any n ≥ 1, the sentence buffalo<sup>n</sup> is grammatically correct (according to [[Noam Chomsky|Chomskyan]] theories of grammar).<ref>Tom Tymoczko and Jim Henle, Sweet Reason: A Field Guide to Modern Logic, 2004, pages 99-100.</ref> The shortest is 'Buffalo!', meaning either 'bully (someone)!', or 'look, there are buffalo, here!', or 'behold, the city of Buffalo!'
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===''Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood''===
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[[Image:SonicChronicles-EggCarrier.png|thumb|The Egg Carrier, as seen in Sonic Chronicles.]]
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The Egg Carrier plays a minor role in ''[[Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood]]'', appearing only in the opening cinematic which depicts the [[GUN]] attack on [[Metropolis (Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood)|Metropolis]]. Here the ship looks exactly the same as ''Sonic Heroes''<nowiki>'</nowiki> [[Final Fortress]] (although Eggman describes it as "''my new Egg Carrier''", so it may not be the same vehicle despite the identical design). Tails sabotages the Carrier and it crashes into Metropolis, devastating the city in a giant explosion and presumably destroying the skyship.
  
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==See also==
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==In other media==
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* [[James while John had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect on the teacher]]
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The Egg Carrier also appeared in ''[[Sonic X]]'', one of Eggman's many flying battleships.
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* [[Lion-Eating Poet in the Stone Den]]
 
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* [[Latin_mnemonics#Examples_and_analysis|Malo malo malo malo]]
 
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* [[List of linguistic example sentences]]
 
  
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==Notes==
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<gallery>
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<div class="references-small"><references /></div>
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Image:ecarrier.jpg|Egg Carrier card.
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</gallery>
  
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==External links==
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==References==
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{{Spoken Wikipedia|buffalo8.ogg|2006-12-09}}
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<references/>
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{{Illustrated Wikipedia|Buffalo buffalo WikiWorld.png}}
 
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{{wiktionary|buffalo}}
 
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*"[http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/001817.html Buffaloing buffalo]" at Language Log, [[20 January]] [[2005]]
 
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*Easdown, David.  {{PDF|[http://www.maths.usyd.edu.au/u/pubs/publist/preprints/2006/easdown-13.pdf Teaching mathematics: the gulf between semantics (meaning) and syntax (form)]|273&nbsp;[[Kibibyte|KiB]]<!-- application/pdf, 279859 bytes -->}} .
 
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*[[The Emory Wheel]], Andrew Swerlick [http://www.emorywheel.com/pdfs/issues/2-5-08.pdf What a Herd of Confused Bison from Upstate New York Can Teach Us About Our Difficulties With the English Language]
 
  
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[[Category:English phrases]]
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{{Locations}}
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[[Category:Psycholinguistics]]
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[[Category:Locations]]
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[[Category:Language games]]
 
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[[Category:Professional humor]]
 
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[[de:Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo]]
 
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[[la:Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo]]
 
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[[pl:Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo]]
 
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[[pt:Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo]]
 
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[[sv:Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo]]
 
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[[th:Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo]]
 

Revision as of 12:23, 15 March 2020

Concept art showing the Sonic Adventure Egg Carrier's two forms.

In the Sonic the Hedgehog universe, the Egg Carrier (エッグキャリア) is a formidable flying fortress frequently utilized as a mobile base of operations by Dr. Eggman. It is perhaps the most iconic in a long series of Eggman aerial strongholds, stretching all the way back to Sky Base in Sonic the Hedgehog (8-bit). Multiple individual skyships have held the name "Egg Carrier"; the most prominent of which is the original, where it featured as an Adventure Field in Sonic Adventure.

Game appearances

Sonic Adventure

Main article: Egg Carrier (Sonic Adventure)

A massive floating skyship of grey and red steel, emblazoned with Eggman's face-symbol, the Egg Carrier of Sonic Adventure causes panic amongst the human citizens when it appears in the skies above Station Square. It is one of the game's three overworld Adventure Fields, allowing access to the Action Stages of Sky Deck and Hot Shelter. Two Tornado missions, Sky Chase Act 1 and 2, also depict Sonic and Tails' approach to the flying fortress. The Egg Carrier is capable of transforming into two forms; the second form extended the wings, making it impossible to get to the bridge without going through the Sky Deck first.

At the end of Sonic Adventure, the original Egg Carrier ends up splash-landed in the sea a few miles off the coast of Mystic Ruins. Surprisingly, Eggman arrives at the final boss battle against Perfect Chaos with an identical second Egg Carrier, allegedly built for the precise contingency that Chaos might rebel. However, the second carrier is functional on-screen for only seconds before Perfect Chaos swats it out of the sky with an aquatic ionization beam. The ship crashes into the flooded ruins of Station Square and is consumed in an explosion.

  • Egg Carrier control room in Sonic Adventure. Under the chair in the photo is a switch that changes the form of the ship.

  • Egg Carrier main hall in Sonic Adventure. Hot Shelter and various minigames are accessible from here.

  • Egg Carrier pool in Sonic Adventure: DX. Drain the water as Knuckles to play the Sky Deck stage.

  • The Egg Carrier's deck, where Chaos 6 is fought in Sonic Adventure.

See also: Game Development:Sonic Adventure/Development (More Egg carrier concept art and screenshots)

Sonic Heroes

Final Fortress in Sonic Heroes.
Main article: Final Fortress

While the flagship of the Eggman Fleet in Sonic Heroes is never referred to as an Egg Carrier in the game, a near identical ship in Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood is named Egg Carrier. In Sonic Heroes, this ship is the setting of the stage Final Fortress.

The battleship is used by Metal Sonic to facilitate his transformation from Neo Metal Sonic to Metal Madness and Metal Overlord. Not only does it house the prison cell from which Team Chaotix free Eggman, but it also contains an armoury filled with Shadow Androids (later destroyed by E-123 Omega). At the end of the game the ship is damaged but still functional.

Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)

The new model Egg Carrier in Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) is slightly smaller and sleeker than previous iterations. While there are no game stages set on board, it features prominently in many of the game's cutscenes, frequently seen menacing Soleanna with fiery destruction. Sonic also pursues the speeding craft on foot during the Mach Speed section of Wave Ocean. And while there is no full level, the last boss within Sonic's story, the Egg-Wyvern, is fought on the underside of the Carrier. After the battle, Eggman's skyship explodes in spectacular fashion during a cutscene as Sonic rescues Elise from the disintegrating craft.

  • Concept

  • Model

Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood

The Egg Carrier, as seen in Sonic Chronicles.

The Egg Carrier plays a minor role in Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, appearing only in the opening cinematic which depicts the GUN attack on Metropolis. Here the ship looks exactly the same as Sonic Heroes' Final Fortress (although Eggman describes it as "my new Egg Carrier", so it may not be the same vehicle despite the identical design). Tails sabotages the Carrier and it crashes into Metropolis, devastating the city in a giant explosion and presumably destroying the skyship.

In other media

The Egg Carrier also appeared in Sonic X, one of Eggman's many flying battleships.

  • Egg Carrier card.

References


Locations in the Sonic the Hedgehog game series
Islands   Christmas Island | South Island | West Side Island | Angel Island | Cocoa Island | Flicky Island | Prison Island | Onyx Island | Southern Island | Starfall Islands | Northstar Islands
Landmarks / Buildings   Never Lake | Mt. Mobius | Emerald Shrine | Super Labyrinth | Tails' Workshop | Babylon Garden | Gaia Gate
Regions / Nations   Eggman Empire | Station Square | Mystic Ruins | United Federation | Central City | Soleanna | Monopole | City | Mystic Jungle
Vessels   Death Egg | Death Egg II | Egg Carrier | Space Colony ARK | Eggman Fleet
Planets / Planetoids   Mobius | Little Planet | Black Comet | Interstellar Amusement Park | Lost Hex
Dimensions   Special Stage | Maginaryworld | Sol Dimension | Arabian Nights | Twilight Cage | World of Camelot | White Space | Dreamscape
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