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Prof. Gerald's Journal (Sonic Battle)

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Revision as of 18:30, 11 April 2018 by Hivebrain (talk | contribs) (Text replacement - "Frozen Nitrogen" to "Frozen Nitrogen")
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This is a transcript of Professor Gerald Robotnik's journal entries, revealed by re-playing each characters' episodes in Sonic Battle after having already cleared the game. The journals describe his experiments into Emerl on the Space Colony ARK 50 years ago.
Original credit for collating the transcription to TheSinnerChrono. Appended comments by Frozen Nitrogen.

Journal 1

I have uncovered a most interesting specimen from the warehouse. I believe it to be some sort of puppet or robot made by an ancient people. At first, I didn't think anything of it, but when I was experimenting on "Chaos Emeralds," it began to move. This suggests the possibility that even the ancient civilizations could harness the power of the "Chaos Emeralds." When I was researching various papers related to the "Chaos Emeralds" and this robot, I discovered that there was a possibility that this robot was something incredible. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but this robot may be the cause of the destruction of the Fourth Great Civilization. I'm not sure I believe it just yet, though.

Comment: In Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, it is revealed that the Fourth Great Civilization who created Emerl were the Nocturnus Clan echidnas, enemies of Pachacamac and the Knuckles Tribe vaguely alluded to during Sonic Adventure.

Journal 2

I am no longer able to ignore the possibility that this robot did in fact destroy the Fourth Great Civilization. I have discovered a stone tablet that explains as much. According to the tablet, "When the figure falls from the heavens, and the Stone of the Gods is joined, all that exists will become one again." Though it is difficult to believe, this robot has been watching my movements, and mimicking all that I do. I was amazed by my scans of this being. Surprisingly, reams and reams of data scrolled and caused my most powerful computer to crash. More intriguing was that the data was all about melee combat and weapons of that age. Eventually, if this being is ever restored to its former state, it will put all that data to use, and recreate all the weaponry and combat abilities that it once had... And that's not all. If my guesses are correct, it will also have the ability to absorb modern weaponry as well. What have I done? I have uncovered a horrible weapon...

Comment: The "Stone of the Gods" seems to refer to the Chaos Emeralds, singly or collectively, as these gems are indeed "joined" to Emerl over the course of Sonic Battle. The implication Gerald gives here is that Emerl may have physically destroyed the Fourth Great Civilization (Nocturnus Clan) in some sort of crazed ancient rampage of destruction. Sonic Chronicles demonstrates that this was not the case, although Nestor the Wise speculates that Emerl was indirectly the cause of the Nocturnus vanishing from the world, in that it was his power that attracted the attentions of Argus.

Journal 3

I now understand why this being was named "Gizoid". In the ancient tongue, it means "everything." According to the stone tablet, if the Gizoid establishes a "Link" with someone, the Gizoid will swear loyalty to that person. Perhaps it still lacks "Chaos Emerald" energy, but it has been saying the word "Link" to me in broken tones. It went on to explain: "Show me your true strength, and I shall obey. I am all things, and all shall belong to me." So, as it suggested, I brought before it my collection of model guns, and fired them all. Then, suddenly, it said, "I shall follow your every command, and never leave your side." And since then, it refuses to listen to anyone but me. While it still is a fearsome weapon of destruction, while it remains under my control, at least it won't be used for evil. However, if someone with evil intention ever forms a "Link" with the Gizoid... I don't even want to think about what will happen. I must research how one can re-establish a "Link" with the Gizoid...

Comment: Sonic accidentally follows this procedure again to form a "Link" with Emerl right at the start of Sonic Battle, showing the robot a spin dash when he finds it washed up on the beach outside Emerald Town.

Journal 4

The upper echelon is going crazy. Perhaps, they aim to freeze Project "Shadow". Soon, the ultimate life form, "Shadow" will be completed... The application to my granddaughter is also imminent. I cannot just let them stop my study at this point. Because I am the only one who can save my granddaughter's life.

Comment: Gerald refers here to his intention to subvert Project Shadow's stated aim of researching immortality, instead hoping to come up with a cure for Maria Robotnik's Neuro Immunodeficiency Syndrome.

Journal 5

The higher ups are threatening to shut down this research facility. I had no choice but to hand them the Gizoid to buy more time for my research. I tried to be careful and commanded it to never absorb any dangerous technologies. However, I have heard that other researchers have been making the Gizoid absorb weapons. Apparently, the way to cause the Gizoid to form a new "Link" is to show it power that surpasses that of its former master. While this poses immense danger, I cannot risk losing Maria.

Comment: Eggman repeats the methods of Gerald's contemporaries by using his Final Egg Blaster aboard the Death Egg in an effort to wrest Emerl's "Link" off Sonic near the end of Sonic Battle.

Journal 6

My worst fears have come true. The Gizoid has absorbed enough weaponry and technology that it has started to go out of control. The resulting rampage resulted in the destruction of most of the "Ark." ... I have deciphered the rest of the stone tablet. It says, "When the Gizoid had learned all that it could, it became a god of wrath, and all was destroyed." The researchers somehow managed to subdue the Gizoid and sealed it away. Luckily, it only had one "Chaos Emerald" installed. If it were to have all 7 Emeralds installed, it might destroy the whole planet. The Gizoid is too much of a liability. I tried destroying its core, but nothing I did worked. I understand too little of the technology that built him. My best hope is to try and reprogram its AI into a free-willed, emotions-based AI...

Comment: This is a separate "destruction of most of the ARK" to the one that G.U.N. orchestrates when they finally move in to shut down Project Shadow. Also, the tablet is wrong according to Sonic Chronicles; Perfect Chaos and Argus rained down a lot of destruction around the time of the Fourth Great Civilization, but according to Nestor, Emerl never did any rampaging of his own. Finally, after sealing away the Gizoid these other researchers "misplaced" its location, eventually allowing it to fall into Eggman's posession decades later.

Journal 7

I have heard there was an accident at the research facility. ... ... ... Everything... Everything is gone. My own Maria's name was among the list of casualties. My beloved granddaughter... They tell me her parting words were, "Bring hope to humanity." I have decided that the keyword to activate the Gizoid's free-willed emotions-based AI program will be those very words. "Bring hope to humanity." My poor, poor Maria...

Comment: Maria's last words weren't "Bring hope to humanity"; they were "Sayonara, Shadow the Hedgehog". But still, the sentiment was there. However, Gerald is strangely lucid for a man who, according to Sonic Adventure 2, was going insane at this point.

Journal 8

A heritage of the past I dug out, "Gizoid"... And the ultimate life form I created by my own hands, Shadow... I equipped both weapons with "heart." If all powers are not what is to be obtained for oneself, but what is to be born from hearts that yearn for someone, I believe all conflicts should cease to exist. Please... If there is anyone listening to my prayers... Bring hope to humanity.

Comment: This contradicts quite badly Gerald's motivations as laid out in his Prison Island execution video in Sonic Adventure 2, where he states that he wants to "Make all you ungrateful humans who took everything away from me feel my loss and despair!" Which is quite the opposite of "bringing hope to humanity". As for Shadow; Gerald programmed him to be an instrument of omnicidal vengeance, not a creature with a compassionate heart. The best way to reconcile these discrepancies seems to lie (unlike Journal #7) in remembering that Gerald is, by his own admission in Sonic Adventure 2, stark raving mad by this point, and conveniently chalk these final two entries up to schizophrenia.