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Metal Sonic

From Sonic Retro

Revision as of 19:41, 26 January 2010 by Frozen Nitrogen (talk | contribs) (Transformations)

Template:CharacterSheet The original Metal Sonic was a robot created by Doctor Eggman (aka Doctor Ivo Robotnik) in order to kidnap Amy Rose and lure Sonic into a trap. He debuted in Sonic CD, and was destroyed or damaged during a race with Sonic in Stardust Speedway Zone. Metal Sonic has since appeared in Sonic Triple Trouble, Knuckles' Chaotix, Sonic R, Sonic the Fighters, Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Rivals, and Sonic Rivals 2. Potentially his largest storyline role was as the main villain in Sonic Heroes, where Metal Sonic kidnapped his creator to lure Sonic & Co. into a trap to show he was finally more powerful than Sonic.

Robotic Sonics with a different design - such as the silver model in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (16-bit)'s Death Egg Zone, or the bulkier version in Sonic & Knuckles's Sky Sanctuary Zone, could be called Metal Sonic, but as these are generally believed to be completly different robots altogether, they are more commonly referred to as Mecha Sonic.

Personality

Prior to Sonic Heroes, Metal Sonic just seems to be a mindless servant to Doctor Eggman. However, it is revealed in Sonic Heroes that he does have an intellect of his own, and is aggressive, dominating, ruthless and power hungry. He was once under Eggman's complete control, but in Sonic Heroes he betrayed his creator, (the same thing that E-123 Omega and E-102 Gamma did) and took the task of trying to achieve world domination into his own metallic hands.

Metal Sonic is absolutely determined to defeat his namesake, Sonic the Hedgehog. Some of his quotes from Sonic Heroes suggest that Metal Sonic may actually believe that he is in fact the true Sonic, and that Sonic is his copy, such as when he says "Long time no see, Sonic, my loathsome copy..." and "I am the ultimate overlord, Metal Sonic! I am the REAL Sonic!". However, in the final battle, he also says "I was created for the sole purpose of destroying you". This creates a mental paradox: If Metal Sonic truly believes himself to be the original Sonic, yet he also believes that he was created for the purpose of destroying Sonic, then he could probably be considered insane. Another possibility is that he believes himself to have been created first, as a precaution to the real Sonic's existence. More likely, however, is that these quotes suggest that his goal is to defeat Sonic and thus become the "true" (only living) Sonic by doing so. Also during this final battle, Metal Sonic reveals a tormented side to his personality, explaining that when he could not even succeed in what he was designed to do (defeat Sonic) he was left with no purpose.

Metal Sonic's entry on Sonic Channel reveals that after the events of Sonic Heroes, Eggman deleted all of the code relating to Metal Sonic's personality and sentience, reverting him back to a loyal servant. The robot has since been used as a portable loudspeaker for Eggman to convey messages to the heroes; particularly in Sonic Rivals 2.

Appearances

Sonic CD

The Metal Sonic projector in Palmtree Panic Act 1.
Main article: Metal Sonic (Stardust Speedway Boss)

The first time players were introduced to Metal Sonic is when he shows up at the start of Sonic CD's Collision Chaos, kidnapping Amy Rose right in front of Sonic's eyes. The biological hedgehog finally catches up with his robotic doppelgänger in Act 3 of Stardust Speedway, when Robotnik pits the two against each other in a race/battle through the twisted highways of the Miracle Planet's future. The race ends with Sonic outpacing Metal, leading the machine to slam into a closing door and fall off the screen. Sonic rescues Amy and goes on to fight Metal's master in Metallic Madness.

Metal Sonic (or the image thereof) also crops up when Sonic travels to the past. Hidden within each past Act there is a kind of holographic projector, which displays a flickering image of Metal hassling the local wildlife. Destroying the projectors (unlike the robotizer) is not required to achieve a Good Future, but it does fill the level with happy animals.

Sonic Triple Trouble

noframe
Main article: Atomic Destroyer Zone bosses

Metal's second game appearence came in Sonic Triple Trouble, where he is the first of four consecutive bosses within Robotnik's giant superweapon, Atomic Destroyer Zone. After a flying chase against a rocket-shoed Sonic in Act 3, Metal attacks by zooming back and forth across the screen and periodicly swooping along the floor with his electric shield. After the robot is defeated, Sonic goes on to face Nack the Weasel and then Dr. Eggman.

Knuckles' Chaotix

Metal Sonic docked with the Newtrogic High boss machine

Metal Sonic assists the Doctor during his search for the Chaos Rings in Newtrogic High Zone. Showing up right at the start to rescue Robotnik after Knuckles finds Espio's Combi Confiner pod, the robot goes unseen for most of the mid-game, finally reappearing at the penultimate boss. Metal Sonic is damaged in the fight; retreating to his master, Robotnik uses a Chaos Ring to transform the android into Metal Sonic Kai, the last boss.

Sonic R

Metal Sonic is also an unlockable character in Sonic R, with stats and abilities similar to those of Sonic himself. Sonic Channel featured Japanese language profiles of the Sonic R characters; translated, Metal's is as follows:

Metal Sonic

Eggman developed his secret weapon with the aim of exceeding Sonic in power and speed. His maximum speed is precisely equal to Sonic's, and his acceleration exceeds Sonic's. However, because of that overwhelming power, his turning ability is inferior. Considerable skill is necessary to operate him.

[Appearance requirements] Collect 5 tokens on Resort Island in Grand Prix mode and finish better than fourth place to begin a one-on-one match with Metal Sonic. Win this race and Metal Sonic will become a possible choice on the character select screen.

Key Advice:

  • Low turning ability. You must decelerate to turn sharply without losing control.
  • Due to inertia, traveling on water is possible. Falling in the water may cause Metal Sonic to become confused.
  • Metal Sonic is not able to do a double jump, but his single jump is better than Sonic's.

— Sonic Channel

Sonic Adventure

Metal Sonic, as seen in Sonic Adventure.

The original Dreamcast Sonic Adventure sees Metal Sonic play only minor cameo roles in the story; he is seen briefly in Amy's flashback when she remembers "the good old days", and actually seen, inactive, in suspension within a giant test tube in Final Egg (next to a sleek silver version of Mecha Sonic, no less).

In Sonic Adventure DX, however, Metal is an unlockable bonus character awarded for 100% completion of the game (that is, obtaining all 130 emblems). Metal Sonic can then be used in gameplay within Sonic's action stages.

Sonic Rivals

In Sonic Rivals, Eggman Nega (who was disguised as Dr. Robotnik at the time) pits Metal in a race against Sonic, Knuckles, Shadow, or Silver in the second Act of the Sky Park Zone. Why the robot is unable to recognize Nega as an imposter is a mystery for the ages. Later in the game, Metal returns for a rematch in Death Yard Zone. That time, according to Eggman Nega, he was upgraded with new data, but even then, he is defeated by the player character. After the race, Metal assisted Nega in trying to destroy the heroes at the Egg Kong, but ultimately, his efforts were in vain, as both he and Nega were defeated once again. Metal Sonic finally appears during the last boss aboard the Egg Destroyer, fighting alongside Eggman Nega to stop the heroes.

Metal Sonic can also be unlocked as a playable character (in the Challenges mode only). He has the ability to copy the other characters' special abilities. Depending on which character the player is controlling at the time, Metal Sonic can use their own abilities agains them.

Sonic Rivals 2

In Sonic Rivals 2, Metal Sonic plays a significally larger role than he did in its predecessor. Unlike the first one, he was a playable character in the storymode. Apparently, Dr. Robotnik managed to bring Metal Sonic back under his control since the previous game, and sent him to work alongside Shadow in order to stop Eggman Nega from releasing the Ifrit from another dimension. During the cutscenes, Metal Sonic was unable to speak. Instead, Dr. Robotnik would speak for him, using a transmitter.

In this game Metal Sonic is joined by his own alternate dimensional counterpart in the form of Metal Sonic 3.0, a black-and-yellow copy of the robot actually built by Eggman Nega.

Other Continuities

In Sonic the Comic, Metal Sonic was known as Metallix (at the suggestion of editor Richard Burton). A major plotline involved the "Brotherhood of Metallix", an entire army of Metal Sonics (led by Metal Sonic Kai) rebelling against Robotnik and attempting to erase their creator from the timeline.

In the Sonic the Hedgehog anime Metal Sonic is featured but under the name of Hyper Metal Sonic.

Transformations

Through Metal Sonic's long years of service to Doctor Robotnik, the robot has on occasion been shown with the ability to adopt a (sometimes radically) different shape, either by exposure to a powerful item or via a purely mechanical transformation. However, it is rare that the robot remains in these states for any significant length of time.

Metal Sonic Kai

MSKaiFight.png
Main article: Metal Sonic Kai

The final boss of Knuckles' Chaotix, Metal Sonic Kai appears to be a transformation of Metal Sonic orchestrated by Robotnik via a modified Chaos Ring, after Metal is defeated and damaged in the Newtrogic High Zone boss. This menacing red giant attacks by swiping at the Chaotix with its oversized claws, and firing a chest-mounted laser after losing said limbs.

In the Bad Ending of the game (if the player has failed to collect all the Chaos Rings), Metal Sonic Kai is shown floating over a burning city.

Rocket Metal

Stf-rocket-intro.png
Main article: Rocket Metal

Featuring very briefly in the introductory cutscene for Sonic the Fighters, Rocket Metal (referred to elsewhere in the game as Mecha Sonic Model No.29) is a spaceworthy iteration of the robot with extended spines, and the ability to further transform into a torpedo-shaped rocket. Although he is seen nowhere in normal gameplay, hacking has revealed that Rocket Metal is a fully functioning character; there's just no way to access him without modifying the game's code.

Because of its alternative name, and the fact that Rocket Metal is never specificly shown to transform from the standard Metal Sonic, there is some doubt as to whether it really is the same robot; but his colour scheme and similarities to Neo Metal Sonic (see below) imply that this is indeed Metal Sonic.

Neo Metal Sonic

Neo Metal Sonic.png
Main article: Neo Metal Sonic

The "mystery monster" of Sonic Heroes, Neo Metal Sonic is the form taken by the robot when (via Froggy) he acquires Chaos' ability to shapeshift. With elongated spines somewhat like Rocket Metal's, Neo Metal Sonic also sports spiky shoulder epaulettes and a billowing, feet-length cape. In Sonic Heroes, Metal reneges against his creator and takes over the Egg Fleet by impersonating Robotnik, intending to conquer the world and create a robotic empire. In the Last Story, he reveals himself, but only seconds later transforms into the dragon-like Metal Overlord.

Metal Overlord

Metal Madness.png
Main articles: Metal Madness, Metal Overlord

After blasting the control tower of the Final Fortress apart with a summoned lightning bolt, Neo Metal Sonic melds with the substance of the skyship to become this gargantuan monster. Team Dark, Team Rose, and Team Chaotix fight Metal while his transformation is incomplete, in the Metal Madness boss. Then Team Sonic (as Team Super Sonic) take to the sky to fight Metal Overlord.

After being defeated, Metal Overlord transforms right back down to his original Metal Sonic form.

Trivia

  • In Sonic Riders, the character E-10000R is running on a modified and upgraded Metal Sonic engine.
  • Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie was the only appearance of Metal Sonic on a Sonic cartoon.
  • The battle with Metal Overlord is similar to the battle with Devil Doom in Shadow the Hedgehog.
  • Metal Sonic was the character used in what is possibly the earliest hack of Sonic 1.
  • He was listed in the Sonic Heroes manual as "Mystery Monster", and holding the key to destroying the world.

Voice Actors


Characters in the Sonic the Hedgehog game series
Recurring characters
Heroes Sonic (Super, Starfall, Hyper, Darkspine, the Werehog, Excalibur) | Tails (Super) | Knuckles (Super, Hyper) | Amy (Super, Hyper) | Mighty (Super) | Ray (Super) | Espio | Charmy | Vector | Cream | Big | Blaze (Burning) | Silver (Super) | Sticks
Anti-heroes/Neutrals Shadow (Super) | Rouge | E-102 Gamma | E-123 Omega | Jet | Wave | Storm
Villains Dr. Eggman | Metal Sonic (Rocket, Neo, 3.0) | Mecha Sonic (8-bit, Mk. II, Mk. III, Super) | Fang | Tails Doll | Metal Knuckles | Chaos (Perfect) | E-Series | ZERO | Biolizard (Finalhazard) | Black Doom (Devil Doom) | Eggman Nega | Orbot | Cubot | Deadly Six (Zavok, Zazz, Zomom, Master Zik, Zeena, Zor)
Teams Sonic/Heroes | Rose | Dark | Chaotix | Babylon
Other Animals (Flicky) | Froggy | Chao (Hero, Dark) | Tikal | Pachacamac | Omochao | Chaclon | Gerald & Maria Robotnik | President | King Boom Boo | Cheese | Chocola | Vanilla | G.U.N. Commander | Wisps | Mother Wisp
One-off characters
Heroes Emerl | Marine | Lumina Flowlight | Chip | Shahra | Knights of the Round Table | Caliburn | Yacker | Avatar | Barry | Trip (Super)
Anti-heroes/Neutrals Bean | Bark | Shade | Merlina | Sage
Villains Witchcart | Hocke-Wulf | Bearenger | Carrotia | Battle Kukku Army (15th, 16th, Dr. Fukurokov) | E-101 Beta | Void | Chaos Gamma | Gemerl | Shugo-hei | Iblis | Mephiles | Solaris | Erazor Djinn | Captain Whisker | Johnny | Master Core: ABIS | Ix (Super) | Dark Gaia | King Arthur | Hard Boiled Heavies | Infinite | The End | Mirage Express
Teams Vector | Eggman
Other Birdie | Illumina | Secretary | Elise | Duke of Soleanna | Sonic Man | Coconut Crew | Vikings | Professor Pickle | Wentos | Don Fachio | Dodon Pa | Koco | Ancients | Conductor | Conductor's wife | Ariem | Heavy | Bomb | Tiara Boobowski | Honey