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| species = Echidna
 
| species = Echidna
 
| gender = Male
 
| gender = Male
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| series=Sonic the Comic
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| creator=[[Richard Elson]], [[Nigel Kitching]], [[Nigel Dobbyn]]
 
}}
 
}}
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'''{{PAGENAME}}''' is an elderly, white-furred male echidna, and an enemy of [[Knuckles the Echidna#Sonic the Comic|Knuckles the Echidna]] in the ''[[Sonic the Comic]]'' continuity. He first appeared in [[Sonic the Comic 065|''Sonic the Comic'' #65]]. Within the ''Sonic the Comic'' continuity, Zachary is one of only two [[Echidnas#In Sonic the Comic|Echidnas]] known to still be alive. He has secret knowledge of the Echidna people, and may even know where they went.
  
'''Doctor Zachary''' is an elderly, white-furred male echidna, and an enemy of [[Knuckles the Echidna (Sonic the Comic)|Knuckles the Echidna]] in the ''[[Sonic the Comic]]'' continuity. He first appeared in [[Sonic the Comic 065|''Sonic the Comic'' #65]]. Within the ''[[Sonic the Comic]]'' continuity, Zachary is one of only two [[Echidnas#In Sonic the Comic|Echidnas]] known to still be alive. He has secret knowledge of the Echidna people, and may even know where they went.
+
==Character conception==
 +
The concept of Doctor Zachary and the story in which he first appeared ("The Homecoming", from [[Sonic the Comic 065|''Sonic the Comic'' #65]] to [[Sonic the Comic 068|#68]]) was created by artist [[Richard Elson]]. Elson also did a design for the character. The plan was that Elson would draw the strip, which would be written by [[Nigel Kitching]], but because of Elson's other work commitments, it was drawn by [[Nigel Dobbyn]] instead. Elson did not show Dobbyn his original sketches, but did specify that Zachary should have white fur, because of his great age. In Elson's original design, he looked a lot older, more wrinkled and evil.{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20080116030656/http://www.stconline.co.uk/back/243/243/interviewzone.html}}
  
== History==
+
For later appearances, Nigel Dobbyn suggested to have Zachary brought back as a cyborg, since he found the character boring to draw and wanted to pay tribute to Marvel Comics' [[wikipedia:Deathlok|Deathlok]].{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20150718010437/http://www.tesp.co.uk/TESP/Interviews/NigelDobbyn/NigelDobbyn.htm}}
When Zachary first returned to the [[Floating Island]], he claimed he was being hunted by a dangerous robot (in actuality an Echidna [[Guardian robot]] he had reprogrammed, [[Sonic the Comic 065|''STC 65'']]), and the surprised Knuckles was tricked into taking him to the [[Emerald Chamber]]. Zachary then had the robot invade the Chamber and destroy the [[Master Emerald]] ([[Sonic the Comic 066|''STC 66'']]), absorbing its Chaos Energy into itself. He then boarded the super-charged robot and set off to devastate [[Mobius]] and get an unknown revenge on the other Echidnas, leaving the Floating Island to crash. However, Knuckles caught him before he could escape ([[Sonic the Comic 067|''STC ''67]]) and decapitated Zachary's robot.
 
  
However, before Knuckles could take him prisoner, an inopportune quake threw Zachary from the island, sending him plummeting towards Mobius ([[Sonic the Comic 068|''STC ''68]]). While falling, Zachary grabbed the decapitated robot's body and activated its flight system. However, one of the robot's wings was damaged, so Zachary was only able to soften his landing and it left him horribly injured. He would have died if not found by a [[Badnik]] patrol.
+
Doctor Zachary was named after the character Doctor Zachary Smith, from the TV series ''[[wikipedia:Lost in Space|Lost in Space]]''. Though both have villainous tendencies, they are otherwise dissimilar.
  
[[Doctor Ivo Robotnik (Sonic the Comic)|Doctor Robotnik]] took a special interest in Zachary, having previously believed that Knuckles was the only Echidna on Mobius, and saved Zachary's life by integrating him with Badnik technology, replacing his right arm with a laser cannon and the entire right side of his head and face. In return, Zachary was able to provide Robotnik with important information, namely that the [[Emerald Hill Folk]] were hiding out on the Floating Island ([[Sonic the Comic 098|''STC'' 98]])
+
==Personality and traits==
 +
On his first appearance, Zachary appeared to be polite and well-spoken, if somewhat emotionally distant. However, this was merely a front to hide his sociopathic and genocidal tendencies. He is completely mad and has zero empathy for others, even enjoying the prospect of killing and wreaking carnage on a global scale. He desires revenge on Knuckles' lost people for unknown reasons, and is not above eliminating any that get in his way. He specifically stated his intention to "warm up by ''destroying'' the people of [[Mobius|Planet Mobius]]" and was willing to let the Floating Island fall out of the sky and crash onto the planet below "as a monument to [his] ''genius''!" ([[Sonic the Comic 067|''STC'' #67]]).
  
Zachary and Robotnik infiltrated the island (its forcefield having been damaged some time earlier, in [[Sonic the Comic 073|''STC'' 73]]). Zachary tracked down the place where the Floating Island's other Guardian Robots were stored and reprogrammed them with a piece of software that made them his "unstoppable slaves" ([[Sonic the Comic 099|''STC'' 99]]). With this new army, Robotnik and Zachary came to the [[Mushroom Hill Zone]] in the night and captured all of the Emerald Hill Folk (except [[Porker Lewis (Sonic the Comic)|Porker Lewis]], who eluded them in the Island's tunnel network). When Knuckles returned to the island after a long journey away, Robotnik and Zachary managed to ambush both Knuckles and Porker in the Emerald Chamber, capturing them as well ([[Sonic the Comic 097|''STC'' 97]]).
+
Zachary is well educated and highly intelligent person, capable of advanced computer programing and software engineering. He is incredibly old, and this age initially made him quite frail and he preferred to act through intermediaries like his re-programmed [[Guardian Robot]]s. After being rebuilt as a cybrog following his fall from the Floating Island, he gained increased stamina and strength, and his arm cannon allowed him to take a more active role in his pursuit for revenge.
  
Robotnik intended to use the Emerald Hill Folk (along with Knuckles and Porker) as organic components in a vast supercomputer, which ran on living brains instead of microchips ([[Sonic the Comic 098|''STC'' 98]]). Although Knuckles was able to escape, he failed to prevent Robotnik from carrying out this scheme ([[Sonic the Comic 099|''STC'' 99]]). Before the computer could be activated, an electromagnetic pulse caused by [[Super Sonic (Sonic the Comic)|Super Sonic]] surged across the planet shutting down all of Robtonik's computer networks and Badniks. The Guardian robots, products of ancient echidna science, were unaffected, but the software that Zachary used to control them was destroyed and they ceased obeying him. Knuckles fought Zachary one-on-one, although [[Sonic the Hedgehog (Sonic the Comic)|Sonic the Hedgehog]] arrived halfway through to assist Knuckles against Zachary. Zachary tried to run away, but Knuckles struck a fault line in the ground, causing Zachary to fall into a chasm ([[Sonic the Comic 100|''STC'' 100]]). In the ensuing confusion over arresting Robotnik, Zachary burrowed into the heart of the Floating Island and disappeared. His final fate remained a mystery ([[Sonic the Comic 101|''STC'' 101]]).
+
Zachary also possesses extensive knowledge of the Floating Island and the lost echidna people, beyond even that of Knuckles.
  
===Future plans===
+
==History==
On the [[Sonic the Comic#External links|sonicthecomic E-group]], writer [[Nigel Kitching]] revealed that an unused plan for Zachary was that he was still on the Island when it sunk (during the last storyline), and was trying to release a gang of Echidna criminals that had been placed in suspended animation. See [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sonicthecomic/message/3622 sonicthecomic Yahoo! Groups] (Kitching admitted elsewhere that he hadn't taken Zachary into consideration when he wrote the island's submergence.)
+
When Zachary first returned to the [[Floating Island]], he claimed he was being hunted by a dangerous robot (in actuality an Echidna [[Guardian robot]] he had reprogrammed, [[Sonic the Comic 065|''STC #65'']]), and the surprised Knuckles was tricked into taking him to the [[Emerald Chamber]]. Zachary then had the robot invade the Chamber and destroy the [[Master Emerald]] ([[Sonic the Comic 066|''STC #66'']]), absorbing its Chaos Energy into itself. He then boarded the super-charged robot and set off to devastate [[Mobius]] and get an unknown revenge on the other Echidnas, leaving the Floating Island to crash. However, Knuckles caught him before he could escape ([[Sonic the Comic 067|''STC'' #67]]) and decapitated Zachary's robot.
  
==Characteristics==
+
However, before Knuckles could take him prisoner, an inopportune quake threw Zachary from the island, sending him plummeting towards Mobius ([[Sonic the Comic 068|''STC'' #68]]). While falling, Zachary grabbed the decapitated robot's body and activated its flight system. However, one of the robot's wings was damaged, so Zachary was only able to soften his landing and it left him horribly injured. He would have died if not found by a [[Badnik]] patrol.
On his first appearance, Zachary appeared to be polite and well-spoken, if somewhat emotionally distant. However, this was merely a front to hide his sociopathic and genocidal tendencies. He is completely mad and has zero empathy for others, even enjoying the prospect of killing and wreaking carnage on a global scale. He desires revenge on Knuckles' lost people for unknown reasons, and is not above eliminating any that get in his way. He specifically stated his intention to "warm up by ''destroying'' the people of [[Mobius|Planet Mobius]]" and was willing to let the Floating Island fall out of the sky and crash onto the planet below "as a monument to [his] ''genius''!" ([[Sonic the Comic 067|''STC'' 67]]).
 
  
Zachary is well educated and highly intelligent person, capable of advanced computer programing and software engineering. He is incredibly old, and this age initially made him quite frail and he preferred to act through intermediaries like his re-programmed [[Guardian Robot]]s. After being rebuilt as a cybrog following his fall from the Floating Island, he gained increased stamina and strength, and his arm cannon allowed him to take a more active role in his pursuit for revenge.
+
[[Doctor Ivo Robotnik (Sonic the Comic)|Doctor Robotnik]] took a special interest in Zachary, having previously believed that Knuckles was the only Echidna on Mobius, and saved Zachary's life by integrating him with Badnik technology, replacing his right arm with a laser cannon and the entire right side of his head and face. In return, Zachary was able to provide Robotnik with important information, namely that the [[Emerald Hill Folk]] were hiding out on the Floating Island ([[Sonic the Comic 098|''STC'' #98]])
  
Zachary also possesses extensive knowledge of the Floating Island and the lost echidna people, beyond even that of Knuckles.
+
Zachary and Robotnik infiltrated the island (its forcefield having been damaged some time earlier, in [[Sonic the Comic 073|''STC'' #73]]). Zachary tracked down the place where the Floating Island's other Guardian Robots were stored and reprogrammed them with a piece of software that made them his "unstoppable slaves" ([[Sonic the Comic 099|''STC'' #99]]). With this new army, Robotnik and Zachary came to the [[Mushroom Hill Zone]] in the night and captured all of the Emerald Hill Folk (except [[Porker Lewis (Sonic the Comic)|Porker Lewis]], who eluded them in the Island's tunnel network). When Knuckles returned to the island after a long journey away, Robotnik and Zachary managed to ambush both Knuckles and Porker in the Emerald Chamber, capturing them as well ([[Sonic the Comic 097|''STC'' #97]]).
  
==Production Background==
+
Robotnik intended to use the Emerald Hill Folk (along with Knuckles and Porker) as organic components in a vast supercomputer, which ran on living brains instead of microchips ([[Sonic the Comic 098|''STC'' #98]]). Although Knuckles was able to escape, he failed to prevent Robotnik from carrying out this scheme ([[Sonic the Comic 099|''STC'' #99]]). Before the computer could be activated, an electromagnetic pulse caused by [[Super Sonic (Sonic the Comic)|Super Sonic]] surged across the planet shutting down all of Robtonik's computer networks and Badniks. The Guardian robots, products of ancient echidna science, were unaffected, but the software that Zachary used to control them was destroyed and they ceased obeying him. Knuckles fought Zachary one-on-one, although [[Sonic the Hedgehog (Sonic the Comic)|Sonic the Hedgehog]] arrived halfway through to assist Knuckles against Zachary. Zachary tried to run away, but Knuckles struck a fault line in the ground, causing Zachary to fall into a chasm ([[Sonic the Comic 100|''STC'' #100]]). In the ensuing confusion over arresting Robotnik, Zachary burrowed into the heart of the Floating Island and disappeared. His final fate remained a mystery ([[Sonic the Comic 101|''STC'' #101]]).
The concept of Doctor Zachary and the story in which he first appeared ("The Homecoming", from [[Sonic the Comic 065|''Sonic the Comic'' #65]] to [[Sonic the Comic 068|#68]]) was created by artist [[Richard Elson]]. Elson also did a design for the character. The plan was that Elson would draw the strip, which would be written by [[Nigel Kitching]], but because of Elson's other work commitments, it was drawn by [[Nigel Dobbyn]] instead. Elson did not show Dobbyn his original sketches, but did specify that Zachary should have white fur, because of his great age. In Elson's original design, he looked a lot older, more wrinkled and evil (See [http://www.stconline.co.uk/back/243/243/interviewzone.html Interview with Richard Elson] at Sonic the Comic - Online!).
 
  
Doctor Zachary was named after the character Doctor Zachary Smith, from the TV series ''[[wikipedia:Lost in Space|Lost in Space]]''. Though both have villainous tendencies, they are otherwise dissimilar.
+
===Future plans===
 +
On the [[Sonic the Comic#External links|sonicthecomic E-group]], writer [[Nigel Kitching]] revealed that an unused plan for Zachary was that he was still on the Floating Island when it sunk (during the last storyline), and was trying to release a gang of Echidna criminals that had been placed in suspended animation.{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20191015183245/https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/sonicthecomic/conversations/messages/3622}} (Kitching admitted elsewhere that he hadn't taken Zachary into consideration when he wrote the island's submergence.)
  
 
==Trivia==
 
==Trivia==
Line 44: Line 47:
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
<references />
+
<references/>
  
 
{{STCCharacters}}
 
{{STCCharacters}}

Revision as of 14:40, 15 October 2019


STC65-Zachary.jpg
Zachary.jpg
Doctor Zachary
First seen: [[Sonic the Comic #65]] (1995)
Species: Echidna
Gender: Male
Series: Sonic the Comic
Created by: Richard Elson, Nigel Kitching, Nigel Dobbyn

Doctor Zachary is an elderly, white-furred male echidna, and an enemy of Knuckles the Echidna in the Sonic the Comic continuity. He first appeared in Sonic the Comic #65. Within the Sonic the Comic continuity, Zachary is one of only two Echidnas known to still be alive. He has secret knowledge of the Echidna people, and may even know where they went.

Character conception

The concept of Doctor Zachary and the story in which he first appeared ("The Homecoming", from Sonic the Comic #65 to #68) was created by artist Richard Elson. Elson also did a design for the character. The plan was that Elson would draw the strip, which would be written by Nigel Kitching, but because of Elson's other work commitments, it was drawn by Nigel Dobbyn instead. Elson did not show Dobbyn his original sketches, but did specify that Zachary should have white fur, because of his great age. In Elson's original design, he looked a lot older, more wrinkled and evil.[1]

For later appearances, Nigel Dobbyn suggested to have Zachary brought back as a cyborg, since he found the character boring to draw and wanted to pay tribute to Marvel Comics' Deathlok.[2]

Doctor Zachary was named after the character Doctor Zachary Smith, from the TV series Lost in Space. Though both have villainous tendencies, they are otherwise dissimilar.

Personality and traits

On his first appearance, Zachary appeared to be polite and well-spoken, if somewhat emotionally distant. However, this was merely a front to hide his sociopathic and genocidal tendencies. He is completely mad and has zero empathy for others, even enjoying the prospect of killing and wreaking carnage on a global scale. He desires revenge on Knuckles' lost people for unknown reasons, and is not above eliminating any that get in his way. He specifically stated his intention to "warm up by destroying the people of Planet Mobius" and was willing to let the Floating Island fall out of the sky and crash onto the planet below "as a monument to [his] genius!" (STC #67).

Zachary is well educated and highly intelligent person, capable of advanced computer programing and software engineering. He is incredibly old, and this age initially made him quite frail and he preferred to act through intermediaries like his re-programmed Guardian Robots. After being rebuilt as a cybrog following his fall from the Floating Island, he gained increased stamina and strength, and his arm cannon allowed him to take a more active role in his pursuit for revenge.

Zachary also possesses extensive knowledge of the Floating Island and the lost echidna people, beyond even that of Knuckles.

History

When Zachary first returned to the Floating Island, he claimed he was being hunted by a dangerous robot (in actuality an Echidna Guardian robot he had reprogrammed, STC #65), and the surprised Knuckles was tricked into taking him to the Emerald Chamber. Zachary then had the robot invade the Chamber and destroy the Master Emerald (STC #66), absorbing its Chaos Energy into itself. He then boarded the super-charged robot and set off to devastate Mobius and get an unknown revenge on the other Echidnas, leaving the Floating Island to crash. However, Knuckles caught him before he could escape (STC #67) and decapitated Zachary's robot.

However, before Knuckles could take him prisoner, an inopportune quake threw Zachary from the island, sending him plummeting towards Mobius (STC #68). While falling, Zachary grabbed the decapitated robot's body and activated its flight system. However, one of the robot's wings was damaged, so Zachary was only able to soften his landing and it left him horribly injured. He would have died if not found by a Badnik patrol.

Doctor Robotnik took a special interest in Zachary, having previously believed that Knuckles was the only Echidna on Mobius, and saved Zachary's life by integrating him with Badnik technology, replacing his right arm with a laser cannon and the entire right side of his head and face. In return, Zachary was able to provide Robotnik with important information, namely that the Emerald Hill Folk were hiding out on the Floating Island (STC #98)

Zachary and Robotnik infiltrated the island (its forcefield having been damaged some time earlier, in STC #73). Zachary tracked down the place where the Floating Island's other Guardian Robots were stored and reprogrammed them with a piece of software that made them his "unstoppable slaves" (STC #99). With this new army, Robotnik and Zachary came to the Mushroom Hill Zone in the night and captured all of the Emerald Hill Folk (except Porker Lewis, who eluded them in the Island's tunnel network). When Knuckles returned to the island after a long journey away, Robotnik and Zachary managed to ambush both Knuckles and Porker in the Emerald Chamber, capturing them as well (STC #97).

Robotnik intended to use the Emerald Hill Folk (along with Knuckles and Porker) as organic components in a vast supercomputer, which ran on living brains instead of microchips (STC #98). Although Knuckles was able to escape, he failed to prevent Robotnik from carrying out this scheme (STC #99). Before the computer could be activated, an electromagnetic pulse caused by Super Sonic surged across the planet shutting down all of Robtonik's computer networks and Badniks. The Guardian robots, products of ancient echidna science, were unaffected, but the software that Zachary used to control them was destroyed and they ceased obeying him. Knuckles fought Zachary one-on-one, although Sonic the Hedgehog arrived halfway through to assist Knuckles against Zachary. Zachary tried to run away, but Knuckles struck a fault line in the ground, causing Zachary to fall into a chasm (STC #100). In the ensuing confusion over arresting Robotnik, Zachary burrowed into the heart of the Floating Island and disappeared. His final fate remained a mystery (STC #101).

Future plans

On the sonicthecomic E-group, writer Nigel Kitching revealed that an unused plan for Zachary was that he was still on the Floating Island when it sunk (during the last storyline), and was trying to release a gang of Echidna criminals that had been placed in suspended animation.[3] (Kitching admitted elsewhere that he hadn't taken Zachary into consideration when he wrote the island's submergence.)

Trivia

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References


Sonic the Comic characters
Main Sonic the Hedgehog | Miles "Tails" Prower | Porker Lewis | Johnny Lightfoot | Amy Rose | Knuckles the Echidna | Dr. Robotnik | Grimer Wormtongue
Recurring Dr. Ovi Kintobor | Megadroid | Charmy Bee | Espio the Chameleon | Mighty the Armadillo | Vector the Crocodile | Shortfuse the Cybernik | Metallix | Captain Plunder | Filch | Simpson the Cat | Omni-Viewer | Tekno the Canary | Nack the Weasel | Ebony | Super Sonic
Others Arachbot | Megatox | Grouchio | Chichio | Harpio | Errol Blackthorn | Shirob/Trogg | Evil One | Metamorphia | Morain | Commander Brutus | Doctor Zachary | Plasma | Arnem Abacus | Max Gamble | Lord Sidewinder | Proctor Speckle/Mr. Fry | Lightmare | Bio-Hazard | Old Sonic | Vermin the Cybernik | Pyjamas | Fabian Vane | Blockhead Bill | Society Max | Ring of Eternity | Colonel Granite | Crimson Cobra | Cribbins | Chaos | Tikal | Pochacamac
Groups Freedom Fighters | Emerald Hill Folk | Marxio Brothers | Enchanter Kings | Sky Pirates | Chaotix | Brotherhood of Metallix | Fundamental Four | Veg-Heads | Spice Maidens | Drakon Empire | D.R.A.T. | Plax | Death-Trap