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Sage

From Sonic Retro

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Sage
First seen: Sonic Frontiers (2022)
Species: Artificial intelligence
Gender: Female
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Sage is a character in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, and a major character in Sonic Frontiers. She is a mysterious girl that appears before Sonic the Hedgehog as he ventures across the Starfall Islands, cautioning him to leave the islands despite his mission to find and rescue his friends.

Character conception

In line with many elements of Sonic Frontiers borrowing design elements from the anime franchise Neon Genesis Evangelion which Sega had much involvement in, Sage appears to take inspiration from the character Rei Ayanami, whom she also shares a Japanese and English voice actress with. Rei is another artifically created, soft spoken yet stern girl with light, short hair and red eyes who was designed to unlock the secrets of ancient lifeforms. The story of Sage as a scientific tool designed with the ability to feel human emotions learning to understand love and kindness parallels Rei's character arc in the fourth Rebuild of Evangelion film.

History

Sonic Frontiers

Dr. Eggman creating shoes for Sage, drawn by Yui Karasuno.

Sage is an advanced AI created by Dr. Eggman to hack the Cyber Space in hope to learn more about the Ancients and their secrets. When hacked into Cyber Space for the first time, she immediately discovers the data of The End sealed inside it aeons ago by the Ancients. Now that Cyberspace has been reactivated, she sees fit to summon the Chaos Emeralds to the Starfall Islands in order to power the defensive systems holding The End within, as well as transporting Dr. Eggman into Cyber Space; believing that should The End escape, it'll be the safest location for him to be kept.

While Eggman is irritated by his inability to finish his invasion of the Starfall Islands himself back on Earth, he warms up to Sage as she conducts his plans with brilliant efficiency, as well as for her ability to antagonise Sonic the Hedgehog, who is intent on taking the Chaos Emeralds. Sonic is able to enter and exit Cyber Space at will, and as such The End has tricked him into believing that Sage's plan to keep it sealed is actually a plan to keep his friends trapped within it. While Sage is fully aware of this misunderstanding, she is unwilling to tell him about it due to her lack of respect for him and his irreverence; not believing that he would be capable of taking down The End should its plan for him succeed.

As Sonic persists through the trials she presents, Eggman reveals to her that while he hates Sonic, he also holds him with incredibly high respect on account of his constant determination and ability to overcome adversity. When Sonic eventually learns about The End himself, Sage finally sees what others see in him, and is able to imagine a simulated reality in which he, despite all odds, is able to defeat The End. Despite Eggman's reluctance, her ultimate desire for his safety and her honest belief in Sonic's power forces her to form an alliance between the two, allowing them to collect the seven Chaos Emeralds on Ouranos Island and take down the Supreme titan; releasing The End in its most powerful, yet most vulnerable form.

As she sees The End's true strength, she realises that Super Sonic alone is not enough to defeat it, and takes control of Supreme so the pair can destroy it together; knowing at the same time that it is unlikely that she will survive. As per her calculations, she sacrifices herself to prevent The End's explosive death from taking down Super Sonic with it.

While Eggman seemingly knew that she wouldn't survive, he is still stricken with grief upon Sage's death. Thankfully, though, he is able to resurrect her from her lingering data in Cyber Space.

Sonic Frontiers: The Final Horizon

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Other game appearances

She has a cameo appearance at the end of The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog.

Personality and traits

Early during Sonic's quest to save his friends across the Starfall Islands, Sage is shown to be foe of immense power; able to control the ancient machines linked to Cyber Space, and able to at least greatly influence the actions of the Titans. Despite all this power, her perspective on the world is woefully incomplete; unable to comprehend the nuances of the relationship between the other characters in the story; in particular struggling to understand Sonic's almost total sacrifice of his own life in order to save his friends, whom he doesn't always have entirely easy relationships with.

As she learns more about the relationships between others, she begins warming up to her creator Dr. Eggman; seeing him as her own father. In turn, Eggman begins warming up to seeing her not as another one of his creations, but as his daughter, whom he is very proud of. She eventually manages to extend this loving view to Sonic and his friends, who deeply care for each other and form something of a family based on their mutual kindness and love, rather than their genetics. Her evolving view of love and relationships is what eventually leads to her warming up to and helping Sonic, in stark contrast to her robotic, black-and-white view of the world prior.

After the Starfall Islands incident, Sage still wants to help Dr. Eggman conquer the world.[1]

Theme songs

Voice actors

References


Characters in the Sonic the Hedgehog game series
Recurring characters
Heroes Sonic (Super, Starfall, Hyper, Darkspine, the Werehog, Excalibur) | Tails (Super, Hyper) | Knuckles (Super, Hyper) | Amy (Super, Hyper) | Mighty (Super) | Ray (Super) | Espio | Charmy | Vector | Cream | Big | Blaze (Burning) | Silver (Super) | Sticks
Anti-heroes/Neutrals Shadow (Hero, Dark, 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, Super, Mk. III) | Fang | Tails Doll | Metal Knuckles | Chaos (Perfect) | E-Series | ZERO | Biolizard (Finalhazard) | Black Doom (Devil Doom) | Mephiles | 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 | Commander Abraham Tower | 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 | 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 | Gazebo | Mips | Honey