Heads or Tails

Heads or Tails is the first and pilot episode in the first season of Sonic the Hedgehog. The episode introduces the planet Mobius, Knothole Village and the several key Freedom Fighters of the series—Sonic, Tails, Rotor Walrus, Bunnie Rabbot, Princess Sally Acorn and Antoine D'Coolette. In this pilot episode, the design for Princess Sally is different—there is a shorter ponytail hairstyle and colors used are slightly different.

Plot Synopsis

Dr. Robotnik, having returned from a trip back to Robotropolis, consults with Snively on how to rid Mobius of Sonic. A plan is hatched, where Tails would be kidnapped, forcing Sonic into Robotnik's lair. When Tails is alone, a Buzz Bomber is sent to harass him, but Sonic and Rotor end the confrontation, foiling Robotnik's plan.

The three return to Knothole Village after the incident to find Sally, Bunnie and Antoine working on a catapult defense system for the area, but due to the catapults using wooden cotter pins, are failing. Sally, accusing Sonic of not working to help the project, asks him to retrieve six metal cotter pins to use. Stowing Tails and a Power Ring in his backpack, Sonic heads off to Robotropolis.

After finding some cotter pins in a pile of scrap metal, Sonic encounters Muttski, his pet dog, who has been roboticized. Though the dog momentarily recognizes Sonic and is friendly, he quickly becomes hostile again, forcing Sonic and Tails to flee. After encountering some SWATbots, the two hide in an air shaft above Robotnik's main control room.

During this, Robotnik gives a speech to more SWATbots about a new plan: by using a new herbicide created for the Buzz Bombers, the forest will be sprayed to reveal the location of Knothole Village. With this, Robotnik will be able to capture Princess Sally. Sonic and Tails fall out of the air duct, and use the Power Ring to escape from the city.

After informing the citizens of Knothole Village of the impending plan, the catapults (with the new cotter pins) are mobilized to defend the area. However, the attack range of the catapults are relatively small, so Sonic volunteers to lure the Buzz Bombers into the area. When they enter the right area, they are assaulted with water balloons, frying their systems and saving Knothole.

Script

[Scene opens over Robotropolis through the clouds.]

Swatbot: ETA, Planet Mobius, 30 seconds.

[A small vessel flies through the city. The vessel is being piloted by a Swatbot with Dr. Robotnik and his pet Cluck]

Swatbot: 5 seconds, Doctor Robotnik.

[Robotnik gleefully pets Cluck.]

Robotnik: Aaah, home, Cluck. I do miss the beauty of this place when I'm away.

[The vessel arrives at Robotnik's lair, landing on a platform. Snively walks up as the vessel lands, checking his hair, with the vessel deploying a ramp to the platform. Robotnik leaves his vessel via the ramp.]

Snively: Good morning, Dr. Robotnik. Exciting trip?

[Robotnik walks past Snively with Cluck.]

Robotnik: Absolutely.

[Snively nods at Robotnik approaches the entrance to his lair, with Snively behind him, guarded by two Swatbots. Cluck looks at Snively disapprovingly, causing Snively to bring out a remote making Cluck's right eye spring out. He presses the remote again returning him to normal.]

Robotnik: Well, what is it Cluck? Does he need another head adjustment?

[Robotnik takes Cluck and starts rotating his head. He responds with joy. Robotnik continues he trek to the enterance, with the Swatbots acknowledging him as he passes by with the door opening. Snively follows, acknowledging the Swatbots, but the door closes on him, knocking him back. The Swatbots laugh, but when Snively brings out a remote, they go back to their guard.]

[Scene switches to Robotnik's control room. Robotnik is sitting in his chair in the middle of the vast room with Snively at his feet.]

Robotnik: Any hint of that troublesome hedgehog?

Snively: Not exactly, Doctor Robotnik.

Robotnik: What do you mean, 'not exactly'? Either there is, or isn't.

Snively: Well I...you see, I...but I...err..

[One of the screens infront of Robotnik and Snively activate, showing Tails picking flowers.]

Snively: Emergency, Doctor Robotnik. Monitor ten.

[Robotnik looks closely at the monitor from his seat.]

Robotnik: Heh, isn't that one of those pathetic little Freedom Fighters?

Snively: Affirmative, sir. His name is Tails, and he is usually accompanied by Sonic.

[Robotnik sits back in his chair]

Robotnik: Take him. Perhaps his cries will flush out that hedgehog.

[Scene switches to outside the Great Forest. Tails continues to pick flowers in a clear patch. He takes a big whiff of the flowers he is holding. ]

Tails: Princess Sally will love these. I can't wait to give them to her.

[He takes another sniff, but has a large sneeze, knocking him backwards into a tree. He rolls back and lands on his head. Looking through his tails, he sees a buzzbomber approach. Using his tails, he flies away.]

[Elsewhere, Rotor is rummaging through his backpack, humming to himself. He takes out a hammer.]

Rotor: Mmm, nope. [A wrench] Uh, uh. [A screwdriver] Nope. [A fish, which he gleefully eats.]

Sonic: Are you ready, Rotor?

Rotor: Ready!

[Sonic enters the scene infront of Rotor to a spotlit area with an electric guitar. He plays a long riff and spindashes aside to another spotlit area, playing a solo on the guitar.

Sonic: ♫ Hey hey, Sal. Don't you call me a fool, 'cause baby you know I'm way past cool. Way past cool! ♫

[He returns back to Rotor and plays another riff.]

Sonic: Way past cool, huh? How do you like the entrance? You know, the way I come flying in, hit the ole' Axl Rose pose right on the down beat.

Rotor: Sally won't like it. It's too hard rock, it's gotta be softer.

[Sonic takes his guitar and slams it on the ground.]

Sonic: Softer?! What do you mean softer?! Oh, I hate softer! Softer is for pillow, for ice cream. Music has got to move, gotta be pedal-to-the-metal, [Rotor eats another fish] it's gotta...

Rotor: Balance.

Sonic: Balance, schmalance, nuh-uh, no way, man. Balance makes me wanna hurl. Ugh. [He imitates nausea, but stops] Chunkage contained.

Tails: Sonic!!

[Tails is seen flying towards Rotor and Sonic, with the buzzbomber in pursuit.]

Sonic: Thought you said Tails was picking flowers.

Rotor: He was, two minutes ago.

[Sonic tosses his guitar to Rotor and dashes off toward Tails.]

[In Robotnik's lair, Robotnik and Cluck are staring at the monitor, showing the buzzbomber pursuing Tails.]

Robotnik: The fowl little beast is our's, Cluck. Ha ha, yesss.

[The monitor shows the buzzbomber firing at Tails, however, Sonic is quickly approaching the pair from behind.]

Robotnik: It worked! There's the hedgehog.

[The buzzbomber fires its laser ahead. Robotnik responds in fury.]

Robotnik: Bomber One! The hedgehog is directly behind you! Forget the small one! Get Sonic! Get him!

[Bomber One continues to fire its laser at Tails, but Sonic quickly snatches Tails before the laser can him him. The laser rebounds off a large stone and hits Bomber One.]

Sonic: Hang tight, Tails! We're juicing warp seven!

[Sonic boosts his speed with Tails on his back. Bomber One, on the other hand, falls to the ground and skids in the dirt, his stinger falls off.]

Rotor: Hey, Sonic, over here!

[Sonic and Tails return to Rotor, who is standing on a tree stub. A floating robot with one large eye (a spy camera robot) approaches the group, Rotor jumps off the stub and behind Sonic. The eye opens as Robotnik listens to Sonic and Sonic talks into the robot's eye.]

Sonic: Little news, buttly[?] Robotnik. Read the ole' lips, you are history. Done. Through. Outta here, 'cause the Freedom Fighters are up and on the job!.

Rotor: Word there!

Tails: Hi mom!

[Sonic is about to leave.]

Robotnik: Wait. Mark my words, hedgehog, before this day is done, you and the power rings will be right in the palm of my hand.

[Sonic looks at Tails.]

Sonic: Should we hold our breath guys?

Tails: No way.

Rotor: No way, uh uh.

Sonic: Let's juice.

[Sonic with Tails and Rotor, dash away from the robot.]

[Inside the Great Forest, Sonic weaves through trees and stops at a cliff. Tails and Rotor, on his back, wake up.]

Sonic: Wake up, guys! The hedgehog has landed.

Tails: Wow! How fast did we go Sonic?

Sonic: We were scootin' and rootin', bro.

Tails: Aww, no way! Scootin' and rootin'?!

[Rotor is leaning on a tree holding his head.]

Rotor: Yeah...scootin' and rootin'.

[Sonic pulls a vine on a tree, causing the side of the tree they are near to move aside, revealing a tunnel.]

Tails: Can I ride with you Sonic?

[Sonic picks up Tails.]

Sonic: You want to ride with me?

Tails: Yeah, yeah, yeah!

[He puts Tails down.]

Sonic: Sorry bud, no can do. [He picks him back up] Just kidding! Let's juice!

[They rush into the tree tunnel, going down a very bumpy and twirly wooden slide that leads them to another part of the forest. They land in a pile of hay.]

Rotor: Incoming! Cannonball!

[Rotor follows up behind and lands in the pile of hay on-top of Tails and Sonic.]

Rotor: Sorry about that, guys.

Sonic: You're sorry?!

[In the forest, Knothole Village is shown. There are many houses in trees and boxes are all over the area. Bunnie Rabbot tosses a large log from a catapult. Antoine D'Coolette motions toward a log beside him]

Antoine: Very good, Bunnie. Now, up we go with the new one here.

[Bunnie walks up to the log in discontent.]

Bunnie: Why, Antoine, and I do declare, what would I ever do without all your help?

Antoine: *sigh* It's nothing really.

Bunnie: Do tell. Sally, did y'all why these silly throwing arms keep breaking?

[Sally is working on a mobile computer.]

Sally: We're working on it, Bunnie. [She talks to the computer while working on it] Search databank for entry: variable: catapult. Allow for an extra one-thousand pound capacity, and begin creation.

Computer: Working.

[Antoine sneaks up on Sally.]

Antoine: Oooh, you're really beautiful when you work, Princess Sally.

Sally: Antoine...don't call me Princess. Out here, the only royalty is Mother Nature.

[Antoine takes Sally's arm and kisses it continuously.]

Antoine: To me, you are, and always will be, royalty.

[Rotor is on one of the catapults, scratching his head while looking at it. He takes a closer look at it.]

[Back at the computer, Sally continues to work on the catapult schematics. The computer beeps.]

Sally: Yes!

Rotor: Uh huh!

[Sally runs up to Rotor.]

Sally/Rotor: The cotter pins!

Rotor: They're made of wood!

Sally: So when we increase our payload weight, they break!

Rotor: They've got to be metal.

[A sonic boom is heard as Sonic rushes toward the group.]

Antoine: Thought I detected a foul odor...

[Sonic zooms past Antoine, causing him to spin around. Sonic returns to Antoine as he stops spinning, now in a dizzy state.]

Sonic: Eh eh eh! You look at a little green! Actually, you look better green, you should keep it.

[He rushes over to Sally, who stares at him with crossed arms.]

Sonic: Uh oh, Sal. What's wrong?

Sally: I thought you were going to help?

Sonic: But what about yesterday?

Sally: What about it?

Sonic: Didn't I help yesterday?

Sally: ...nope.

Sonic: No?!

Sally: Is that an echo?

Sonic: Well, what about the day before yesterday?

Sally: Sonic! Are you going to help us?

Sonic: I was, I can, I am!

Sally: Thank you.

Sonic: I was built for speed and born for danger, [He moves around Sally] and speed is my middle name and danger is my game!

Sally: This is not a game, Sonic. We need metal cotter pins for the catapults.

Sonic: Cotter pins? What's a cotter pin?

[Sally picks up a cotter pin.]

Sonic: I knew that! Cotter pins. Come on Rotor! We gotta do the ring thing!

[Rotor walks over and hops on Sonic's back. Sally gasps as Sonic charges up and rushes away. She sighs.]

[In the forest, Sonic is staring at his reflection in a pond with Tails and Rotor behind him.]

Tails: Is it time yet?

Rotor: Any second now.

[The water starts bubbling, Sonic walks back.]

Tails: Here it comes!

[The water glows gold and a power ring pops up. Rotor takes Tails and holds him toward the ring, Tails grabs it.]

Tails: I got it! Hey Sonic...

[Tails puts the ring in Sonic's backpack.]

Tails How come you're the only guy who can use the power rings?

Sonic: My Uncle Chuck invented them so I can bring down dorks like Robotnik.

Tails: I hate cranky old Robotnik!

Sonic: Heh, yeah. Don't we all.

Rotor: Yeah.

[Sonic dashes through the forest and stops at a clearing.]

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