Friends 'Til the End
From Sonic Retro
| Sonic X episode #51 "Friends 'Til the End" |
|---|
| Written by: Kiyoko Yoshimura |
| Directed by: Shigeharu Takahashi |
| Production no.: 051 |
| Original airdate: 2004-03-21 |
| Country: Japan |
| ← Running Out of Time | A New Start → |
"Friends 'Til the End", known as "Chris no Nagai Tabi" (クリスの長い旅) in Japan, is the 51st episode in the first season of Sonic X.
Contents
Summary
The episode opens with a look at Chris's memories: his mother and father have been estranged for long periods of time and, while behaving well, have not brought them back any faster. The episode then continue where the previous episode is been interrupted : Chris stops the dimensional teleporter before Sonic can cross it, runs away with him, grabs a bicycle from the road, and rides off, with Sonic leaning on the carrier. Although Chris's family is concerned about Sonic's inability to return home, Sonic is very relaxed and lets Chris decide where to go.
Chris's parents launch a search and rescue operation, so Chris and Sonic elude them by hitchhiking on a truck. While Chuck scolds Nelson and Lindsey for not spending enough time with their son and thus neglecting his family duties as well, where he admits, however, that he knew Chris was suffering from missing his parents, but that he had turned the other way, immersing himself completely in the search and giving Chris very little attention, but this was not enough because Chris needed his parents. Meanwhile, Chris leads Sonic to a cottage near a beautiful lake where he and his parents had spent their first time as a real family.
During the bonfire that evening, Chris and Sonic resolve Chris's conflicted feelings and Sonic admits that he doesn't care what world he lives in: the freedom to run is all he needs, helping Chris understand that he doesn't have to condemn himself by making Chris understand three important things: he has always been independent and brave because without him he would be dead that night in that pool , since he would not have made it out without help ; he is free to decide what to feel and what to do no one, not even Sonic, can decide for him. After this exclamation, Chris understands that if he is free to choose, Sonic is also free to choose otherwise it would not be true friendship,and finally the third most important thing, in the meantime that they embrace each other looking together at the moon (in which it was also a way to comfort him by giving him hope) : " the Moon is the same in whatever world you look at it " having said that , Sonic assures him that one day they will see each other again( since Sonic don't believe and know that this isn't a goodbye ) and that when they miss each other, they only have to look at the moon(this part of the speech is said in the English version) reassures in this way , knowing that his best friend will be lonely without him again.
Nelson and Lindsey understand that Chris is at the cottage because it is the only place where they spent the summer together. When they arrive, they find Chris standing on the dock at the lake, looking at the moon with tears in his eyes.... and Sonic is nowhere to be seen.
Localised names
| Language | Localised Name | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | クリスの長い旅 | Chris no Nagai Tabi |
| Portuguese | Amigos Até ao Fim | Friends 'Til the End |
Differences
- In the English version Sonic tells Chris that he is really his friend by answering the question that Chris asks him if he did not become his friend because of a debt of gratitude. Whereas in the original version Sonic tells him that friendship is free will/free choice either way , in both versions , although said differently , Sonic shows that he really cares about Chris and his friendship.
- In the English version, Chris tells Sonic that he does not want him to suffer if being with him prevents him from being free and that it is not right to expect time to stop just because he does not want to lose him and always in the English version, Sonic tells him that he does not have to worry because as long as he can run he is happy adding also that he would not mind being here with Chris and he is sincere.
- While in the original version Chris asks him : "what world would you really like to live in, Sonic? " And Sonic answers him : " you finally asked the question" adding the same thing he said in the English version about that he does not care what world he lives in , as long as he can run he will be happy.
- In both versions, Chris said that he was betraying their friendship by acting that way with Sonic, but in both versions Sonic never confirmed Chris's exclamation about betrayal because he is aware that his friend had a selfish streak due to suffering and fear of losing him and does not consider Chris a selfish person.
- When they were at the pub , Sonic sneezed confirming something already existing within the main canon : when there is a dangerous situation , Sonic sneezes. In this case the " danger " situation was to return to the mansion.
- In the original version Sonic and Chris talk about what Sonic's world is like with the latter replying that it is similar to Earth. This scene in the English version is not there.
- While walking on the tracks of a station, Chris asks Sonic if he remembers that place, and Sonic replies that he may remember it when he passed by, but he is not very sure. At the end of this answer, Chris adds that he would not be surprised if he did not remember it because his mind runs at its own speed, adding that one day he will forget it too. In the English version Sonic replies to him that he will never forget a person like him, while in the original he replies that he does not forget important things (making us understand that for Sonic, Chris is unforgettable. Although it is said differently in the two versions , the meaning is the same).
- In the English version Chuck says that Sonic can no longer go home because the portal has no more energy. While in the original version he only says that Sonic can no longer return home because there was no more time (meaning there was no more time to recharge the portal). However at the end of the episode , it turns out that this is not entirely true since Sonic manages to return to his world using the chaos emeralds as seen in the flashback of 52.
- With the speech about the moon Sonic makes Chris realize that even if they come from two different worlds they are actually similar , that there is no difference between them and so that there is no reason for the two to separate /don't see each other again even if they have differences they are actually equals.
- The childhood flashback of Chris appear also during his speech in the original version but not at the beginning of the English version.
- This is one of the most poignant episodes of the series because it gives a lot of depth to the relationship between Sonic and Chris where both the things said in the English version and the things said in the original version count because they play it very well between the two versions and are : Sonic, in the English version, responds to Chris's earlier statement that he does not believe this is goodbye, adding : "maybe our worlds were meant to come together somehow " . In the original version, however, this is perceived implicitly, but is said explicitly in episode 54 when the two meet again and when Sonic exclaims :"I knew you'd be able to" giving even more depth to a part present in the English version, where Sonic exclaims instead:" I knew you'd come sooner or later buddy " although the words are different in the two versions, the meaning is the same: Sonic felt that the two worlds were meant to come together somehow and that it would not be goodbye because he knew Chris would make it to join him in his world , he felt it would confirm what he had said (in the English version) ; Sonic is aware that his best friend is not selfish , and this is fully demonstrated throughout the episode , and the whole anime , where Chris constantly cares about Sonic and what he thinks and want in fact a selfish person would not care ; Sonic's speech to Chris about freedom in the original version is one of the most profound in the series, because here we are made to understand that it was ultimately his free choice to follow Chris and stay with him (both now and previously) giving another profound meaning to the speech and to episode 26 ; this episode is one of the rare moments when Sonic is more emotionally open by demonstrating his deep compassion to those who care and both versions gave proper depth to the voice of the two characters.
Eyecatch cards
Nelson Thorndyke
Linsey Thorndyke
