Hugo Brass

Hugo Brass was the former Commander-in-Chief of the Guardian Units of the Nation, later becoming its military strategist in 3236 while maintaining his rank of commander. Having direct communications with the President of Station Square, Commander Brass organized some of the most well known of G.U.N.'s operations. These include sending out Paladin Team Sigma-Alpha 2 to hunt down Sonic the Hedgehog and later the dragon Zan, and accompanying Sigma-Alpha 2 to confront the Xorda's Quantum Dial.

Commander of G.U.N.
Following the theft of Station's Square's Chaos Emerald from it's bank by Shadow the Hedgehog, it was presumed that Sonic the Hedgehog was responsible, due to their similarities in appearance. Commander Brass organized a team to retrieve Sonic and bring him to Station Square for justice. He selected one of G.U.N.'s finest groups, Paladin Team Sigma-Alpha 2, to personally get the job done. He had them officially briefed, armed and oversaw them being dispatched. (StH: #98)

Military Strategist
In the next encounter with the Mobians, Commander Brass had been succeeded as Commander-in-Chief of G.U.N. by Commander Abraham Tower, becoming military strategist for the President while still retaining rank of commander. At a combined briefing between the Knothole Freedom Fighters and the President of Station Square, Commander Brass briefed the Freedom Fighters on their dragon situation. Suggesting the attacking dragon be "terminated with extreme predjudice", he also assigned Paladin Team Sigma-Alpha 2 to accompany the Freedom Fighters on their mission. (StH: #107, #125, SU: #1)



During the Xorda's attack on the planet, Commander Brass personally joined G.U.N. soldiers on the field of battle against the Quantum Dial. Both he and Tails assessed the situation together before the attack. (StH: #125)

Almost a year later when it was discovered that Dr. Eggman was planning to launch two nuclear missiles, one at Knothole and one at Station Square, Commander Brass personally discussed the situation with the President. Due to the Xorda's attack exposing the city to the outside world, Brass pressed that due to the city's vulnerability they should launch a pre-emptive strike against the Eggman Empire, rather than relying on Sonic the Hedgehog at the Freedom Fighters to stop the launch. The President however declined, stating they would only counter attack once Eggman's missiles were airborne. The President also informed Brass that he had attached his special operative, Rouge the Bat, to command the G.U.N. expeditionary force aiding the defence of Fort Acorn. (StH: #131)

Personality
Brass is a stereotypical, stoic military leader. He's loud, authorative and ready to accept command at any opportunity, though he seems distrusting of outsiders and dislikes it when operations are not put under his own jurisdiction. His status as military strategist would also suggest he has some unseen tactical intelligence.

Background information

 * Brass's last name likely comes from the term used for police officers.
 * In his first appearance, Brass appeared to have a G.U.N. logo on the back of his head, as if it were shaved that way.
 * In his first three appearances Brass was depicted as having brown skin. However, in his most recent appearance, Brass was depicted with white skin.
 * In the cancelled "Fall of Empire" story planned by former writer Karl Bollers, Brass would have of led a coup against Station Square congress and the President during King Max and Queen Alica's world tour, succeeding in becoming the new president. (1)
 * In StH: #98, Brass could be seen with a SEGA Dreamcast on his back.

Current Status

 * Although Brass appeared to be the head of GUN in his first appearance, Flynn says that Brass should, for now, be treated as the head of operations in Station Square and Abraham Tower is the chief commander, until he decides what to do with Brass. (2) In issues following his first appearance, Brass was labelled as "military strategist", suggesting he had been replaced as Commander-in-Chief and acted as G.U.N.'s strategist to the President.
 * It is possible that Brass is now dead or somehow indisposed due to his role as head of GUN being filled by Chief Commander Abraham Tower. Writer Ian Flynn himself stated that he planned to reveal that Brass had either been retconned to the head field-leader of GUN or killed during Sonic's year long absence, only for someone else to point out that Brass was present after Sonic's return, making the latter impossible. (3)(4) Given that his last two appearances showed him to be the military strategist and not leader of G.U.N., it is entirely possible he is still in that position.

Appearance
Brass has gone through significant design changes every time he's made an appearance, but usually retains black hair, a matching beard and a military uniform with rolled up sleeves.

In StH: #98, the design given to him by Patrick Spaziante is that of a well-built black man with a spikey beard and dark blue hair shaven into a G for G.U.N. and brown eyes. His attire consisted of a green military uniform and a matching watch with white (possibly ceramic) shoulder pads and a device on his back with the G.U.N. symbol resembling a SEGA Dreamcast.

In StH: #107, Brass is drawn by Ron Limv and retains his colouring, though his shoulder pads are now red and smaller and he has more hair, which is smoothed back. Then his hairline is receeded dramatically only a few panels later.

Little is seen of Brass in StH: #125 (art by Steven Butler), but you clearly tell he is now white and bald except for some black hair on the back of his head and his outfit remains the same.

In StH: #131, roughly a year later chronologically, Brass is done again by Ron Lim and returns to his facial design from #107, but is still causcasian. His outfit is also the same, but is now entirely green.