Archie Sonic Universe Issue 1


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 * This issue takes place between Sonic the Hedgehog #197 — Sonic the Hedgehog #198

Archie Sonic Universe Issue 1 was the first ever issue of the spin off Sonic Universe comic series.

Story

 * "Living Weapons"

After Shadow the Hedgehog and Metal Sonic are transported by Chaos Control to another zone above the ocean, Shadow attempts to make Metal Sonic join sides with him but the robot kicks him into the water and expects him to drown, flying away. However, Shadow swims back up and is saved by Blaze the Cat and Marine the Raccoon on the Ocean Tornado. Shadow then explains to them that he has been fighting Metal Sonic through various zone because of its special engine and Shadow's Chaos Control abilities.

Blaze tells Shadow about how she knows Sonic the Hedgehog, her mission to recover the Sol Emeralds and how Marine met with Sonic and Tails and their battle with Captain Whiskers' crew, with Marine claiming she had gone "all crazy on them and saved the day!". They then pull into the nearest port to find Metal Sonic attacking the villagers, demanding they inform the robot where that version of Dr. Eggman is.

Blaze attacks Metal Sonic, but he proves immune to her pyrokinesis and attacks her. Shadow then tries using Chaos Control again, but Metal resists him. Marine then tries to take down Metal Sonic by grabbing on to his head and punching it, making it all the more difficult for the others to land a hit on Metal with Marine in the way. Metal throws Marine off himself into Blaze.

At this point, Shadow tries to convince Metal to rebel against Eggman and help save Mobius, but Metal says that Shadow's "function" is to protect Mobius while his function is to "serve Dr. Robotnik. Both living weapons. Both operating to achieve their function. You are not different. You simply have an opposing function. This unit must destroy you. You must destroy this unit." Shadow then, regretfully, tells Blaze to distract him with her pyrokinesis so he can attack Metal. Sending the robot flying into the air damaged, Metal Sonic was destroyed by Marine using the cannons of the Ocean Tornado, destroying the engine along with it.

Shadow asks Marine to build him a boat like she did Sonic and Tails, but admits that Tails actually built it and she "oversaw development". Blaze then gives Shadow a Chaos Emerald so that he can return to Mobius Prime, as a gesture to pay the debt owed to Sonic for helping her.

Shadow then teleports back to G.U.N. HQ where Commander Tower and Hope Kintobor are waiting. The Commander admires Shadow for completing the mission to retrieve a Chaos Emerald and tells him to rest up for his next mission.

Off Panel
The story opens with Sonic and Knuckles in what looks like Haven, saying how great it is to have a second book to stretch out in again. Knuckles says that he is excited to finally be getting back to his own adventures, but Sonic reveals that Shadow had dibs on the book just as he and Rouge walk in. Knuckles becomes enraged by this, saying that he had dibs nine years ago, and that while he could understand Rouge, that he was Sonic's "maybe evil rival first". Sonic then tells the readers to write in or e-mail them on their views about Sonic Universe before trying to cool off Knuckles.

Quotes

 * Marine: (referring to Shadow) Crikey, he's a sinister lookin' one, ain't he, Blaze?


 * Marine: "Oy! You hear that?! "Shadow"! Bet you're full of mystery, and danger, eh?"


 * Shadow: Then why don't you you captain us to the nearest port, Marine?


 * Blaze: What can I say? It's her ship.


 * Blaze: You're "Metal Sonic?"
 * Shadow: Yes. Hopefully I can reason with it and make it back down.
 * Blaze: It's attacking my people. It doesn't get a chance to back down!


 * Blaze: Nothing in this world is as fast or as powerful as I am!
 * Metal Sonic: Was. (knocks Blaze away)


 * Marine: (as she is spun around by Metal Sonic) Wheeee! I mean--cut that out!

Key Events

 * Shadow meets Blaze and Marine.
 * The latest Metal Sonic is destroyed after a lengthy battle spanning three different zones.
 * Shadow retrieves a Chaos Emerald for GUN.
 * Hope Kintobor is revealed to be alive.

Background Information

 * This is the first issue where Dr. Nega is shown, though he is mostly blackened out.
 * This is the first Sonic Universe comic featuring "Off Panel".
 * When Marine the Raccoon jumps on Metal Sonic and when Blaze tries to attack it, Marine's ears are miscolored.
 * When Blaze first attacks Metal Sonic, the end of her tail is white. This also happens when she tells Marine to pull Shadow and them into port.
 * This is the only issue of Sonic Universe not to have a colored border at the top showing what saga it is in.