Sonic the Hedgehog: The Beginning

Sonic: the Beginning was a one-off trade paperback publication. It reprinted the entire Original Sonic Miniseries. It was later reprinted exaclty as Sonic Archives #0.

Summary

 * See also: Sonic Miniseries: #0 #1, #2, #3

Story One

 * "Don't Cry for me Mobius!" - Part One

The issue begins with Sonic the Hedgehog running away from Dr. Ivo Robotnik, who is chasing Sonic and trying to blast him with "mega-muck". Sonic is abruptly stopped by Caterkiller, but dodges Robotnik's attack again, causing Caterkiller to be hit by the mega-muck. Sonic then speeds away into the Great Forest, splashing the muck all over Robotnik as well.

Going down the Great Oak Slide, Sonic meets up with Princess Sally, Boomer and Tails. Tails, admiring Sonic, asks him if he defeated any more robots. Sonic begins to brag, but is interrupted by Sally, who argues he may have left a trail for Robotnik to track him and locate their secret hideout. Sonic assures her his super speed prevented this. Antoine shows up and explains there is a leak in Knothole, which might allow Robotnik to locate them.


 * "Don't Cry for me Mobius!" - Part Two

Dr. Robotnik is sitting in his office with Buzzbomber and Crabmeat, when his monitor reveals a group of non-robots outside the Great Forest. Sonic and the others discover the leak to be caused by a group of trees "crying", as Robotnik had bulldozed many trees in the past in an attempt to locate the Great Forest. Robotnik then showed up on the scene with Buzzbomber and began attacking.

Sonic quickly runs to a well and grabs a Power Ring, giving him extra strength, allowing him to destroy Robotnik's ship. Sonic attempts to grab him, but Robotnik escapes while holding onto the back of Buzzbomber and flies away. Following this, the Knothole Freedom Fighters begin to plant new trees to replaced those Robotnik had destroyed.

Story Two

 * "Oh No--Robo! No-Mo' Mobo!" - Part One

The story begins with Sonic running up to his Uncle Chuck and pet dog Muttski in front of his uncle's chili dog stand. Stopping right in front of Chuck and Muttski, Chuck asks how Sonic's shoes have been holding up. Sonic explains they aren't worn out, which relieves Chuck, who states he'd been spending all of his profits on Sonic's shoes. Chuck then receives an order for two hundred chili dogs, making both he and Sonic ecstatic.

Chuck loads up the chili dogs in a wheelbarrow and Sonic goes to deliver them. After he leaves, Chuck and Muttski are apprehended by a SWATbot, and Robotnik reveals himself. When Sonic arrives in Robotropolis to deliver the chili dogs, Cluck answers the door. When Cluck leaves to supposedly get the money to pay for the chili dogs, he springs a trap, dropping a giant checker-colored ball. Sonic manages to avoid it in the nick of time. Realizing it to have been a trap, Sonic rushes back to warn his uncle.


 * "Oh No--Robo! No-Mo' Mobo!" - Part Two

Sonic arrives back to find his uncle's chili dog stand being destroyed by SWATbots. He angrily asks what they did with his dog and uncle, and the SWATbots then prepare to attack Sonic. After destroying the SWATbots, he runs to Robotropolis to rescue his uncle, but once he arrives, Sally grabs him and stops him, informing him a large number of Buzzbombers are patrolling the area. She then takes him to where Uncle Chuck, Muttski and others are being held captive.

After Sally explains they have all been turned into robots to work in Robotnik's factories, Sonic charges in and tries to talk to Chuck, but his efforts are futile. When an army of SWATbots begins to attack, Sonic picks up Sally and runs off into the Great Forest with her so they could live to fight another day.

Story Three

 * "Run, Sally, Run!" - Part One

Sonic and Tails are out for a run, when they encounter Sally Acorn. Sally appears to be in a foul mood and won't explain why she's upset. Sonic believes Antoine has something to do with Sally's mood, and confronts him about it. Antoine claims that Sally made a Royal Proclamation to see Dr. Robotnik about King Max. Sonic, Tails and Antoine think Sally's gone crazy, and go after her, only to find her talking with Buzzbomber. Sally demands to be alone, and is taken off by Buzzbomber to Robotropolis. Sally is dropped through a chimney, where she spots Robotnik. He knows exactly why Sally is at Robotropolis (to discuss the return of her father) and unwittingly breaks his promise by ordering his robots to throw Sally into a Roboticizer. Sally pretends to be afraid and calls for Sonic's help.


 * "Run, Sally, Run!" - Part Two

Sally is about to be thrown into the roboticizer by Robotnik's SWATbots until Sonic comes to Sally's aid. Robotnik tries to fire his Atomic Ray gun at Sonic, only to find it missing. It was stolen from Antoine and Tails. Sally is upset Sonic brought them along too, whereas he makes a pun stating "It is TWOsday!". Afterwards, Sonic bashes Robotnik's roboticizer, and takes the trio home in a wagon. When they arrive back at home base, Rotor asks if Sally has complete her mission, to which she declines. Sonic is confused, until Sally explains her boot was designed by Rotor so that if she was thrown in a roboticizer it would reverse the effect. It would have jammed the machine making it be able to deroboticize any robotic mobian, including Sonic's Uncle Chuck and his dog Muttski. Furious, she slams the door to her room, while the team is upset about it's foolish mistake.

Story Four

 * ''"Something Fishy"

Sonic is out fishing one morning, when he catches a robotic fish named Jaws. Jaws eats Sonic's fishing pole, and the dock making Sonic fall in the water. He is thrown down by a slide under the water which sends him at the "mechanical moby dick". Jaws goes to an underwater cave, making Sonic follow him, only to be caught in a fishing net. Jaws takes Sonic into the cave and threatens to put him into an underwater roboticizer. Meanwhile, Tails and Rotor go out to meet with Sonic, only to find him gone...and the dock as well. Rotor quickly realizes that Sonic is in trouble, and fetches Bathysphere submarine he's been working on for months. Back underwater, Sonic is almost thrown into the roboticizer until he breaks away with a Sonic spin. The spin uses up all his breath, and he nearly drowns until Rotor fires a torpedo at Jaws. The torpedo left behind some big air bubbles for Sonic to get some additional air. Sonic destroys the underwater roboticizer, and runs off with his friends to get some Chilli dogs for lunch.

Story Five

 * "A Crowning Achievement" - Part One

Princess Sally calls Sonic the Hedgehog to discuss a special item in her father's jewelry box. That special item is the Crown of Acorns along with the four Freedom Emeralds atop it. Meanwhile, Antoine is training several mobians for his "army" against Dr. Robotnik. Sally asks Sonic to give her the family crown, but it's not in the jewelry box. They are in shock, until Sonic suggests that the emeralds were stolen from one of Robotnik's metallic spies, who is posing as one of Antoine's soldiers. They aren't certain who it is, until Sonic runs repeatedly in a circle, which starts up smoke from his speed, which turns on the smoke detectors. The smoke detectors rain down on everyone, causing one of the army men to rust and shiver (this one turns out to be Robotnik's robot). The robot explains he has scattered the emeralds and that he will explode. Sonic rushes to send him out of the base, until he finally explodes.


 * "A Crowning Achievement" - Part Two

Sally is crying, thinking Sonic is dead, and hesitating to say she loved him. Sonic turns out to be alive, explaining he used all his speed to carry the robot out, until it exploded the entrance of the base. He also states he saw a Robotnik blimp surrounded by Buzzbombers and Bat Brains. Sally sends Sonic AND Antoine off to retrieve the emeralds. They inflate their own hot air balloon in just seconds, with Antoine speaking into the balloon about his college days. Once they're up, they fly towards the blimp, only to be shot down by a buzzbomber. Antoine bails, while Sonic destroys the robots by jumping on each one of them with a Sonic Spin. He also uses it to smash into the blimp. Antoine catches Sonic in mid air, but along the way, they notice a SWATbot which was piloting the blimp. The SWATbot falls to the ground, and breaks itself. During the process, a freedom emerald jumps out and Sonic retrieves it. Before the SWATbot completely dies, it explains to Sonic and Antoine that the freedom emeralds are in the air, land, sea and underground. While they already collected one of the freedom emeralds from the air, Sonic tosses it to Antoine and orders him to give it to Sally. Afterwards, Sonic dashes off to find the other ones.


 * "A Crowning Achievement" - Part Three

Tails is fishing in the lake, when Sonic rushes into the water, and accidently catches his foot in the fishing pole's string, and brings Tails under with him. Sonic assumes the next freedom emerald is in the underwater cave that he entered last month. But suddenly finds Tails with him this time. Before they get into conversation, Jaws ambushes the duo and chases them into the cave, where they find the second freedom emerald. Afterwards, Tails uses his waterproof marker to make a fake drawing of Sonic and him cornered against the wall. Jaws foolishly bashes into the drawing, thinking it's the real Sonic and Tails. While Sonic and Tails rush off, Jaws lies on the lake floor, helpless and in pain.


 * "A Crowning Achievement" - Part Four

Sonic orders Tails to give the second freedom emerald to Sally, but afterwards finds a SWATbot running with another freedom emerald. Sonic snatches the emerald, but falls through an underground trap in doing so. Sonic is encountered by Burrobot, who steals the freedom emerald off of him and drills through the wall, but almost hits Sonic. Burrobot crashes through the other side of the wall, almost hitting Sonic again. Sonic repeatedly runs around Burrobot, making him throw the emerald Sonic collected, and another one the robot collected earlier, into his hands. After hours of running, Sonic is still puzzled as to which way is the exit of the underground maze. Sonic finally realizes that he can just use a Sonic Spin to fly up to ground level. In doing so, he pops through the floor of Rotors workship, with the rest of the team is cheering for Sonic. The freedom emeralds are put back in place on the crown, while Sally boldly explains that with her crown retrieved, her team can finally stop Robotnik with true magic and bravery.

Story Six

 * "Sonic Flashback!" - Part One

Sonic is chased to the edge of a cliff by several Crabmeats. They distract him long enough, until Dr. Robotnik smashes the edge of the cliff Sonic is standing on with one of his machines. Sonic falls to the ground, hard, and starts shaking until he collapses. During this moment, he experiences a flashback, to when he and Robotnik where little kids, living on Uncle Chuck's farm. In the flashback, Uncle Chuck is making a Magical Ring (which would later play more important roles in Sonic's life, as he got older) that helps Sonic get an extra boost of speed. Just as he finishes it, Sonic comes to his Uncle telling him, that little Robotnik was being mean to him. Chuck explains that Robotnik is an orphan and comes from a broken home and that he takes him to his barn every few weeks, and begs Sonic to try and get along with Robotnik. Sonic tells Chuck that he DID try, but all Robotnik wants to do is build little mechanical toys that obey him. Sonic tries to make friends with Robotnik one more time, but fails to do so. Sonic decides to go and practice running, while Uncle Chuck walks off, to put his tractor back in the barn. Little does he know, Robotnik stole some of the tractor's steering mechanism and brakes, to make his robotic toys. Uncle Chuck tries to put his tractor away, but finds out that he has no control over it. The tractor runs out of control and runs into Robotnik. The collision knocks out both Uncle Chuck and Robotnik while Sonic notices and comes to the rescue.


 * "Sonic Flashback!" - Part Two

Sonic is worried about his Uncle and thinks he won't be able to help him. Just then, he remembers the ring his Uncle made to give him an extra speed boost. Sonic takes the ring, puts both Robotnik and Uncle Chuck in a wheelbarrow, and dashes to the hospital. Sonic arrives at the emergency room, in just seconds, with his special ring. The doctor explains that he got them to the hospital, just in time. Both Uncle Chuck AND Robotnik were brought back to health by Sonic's amazing speed. One of the Robotnik's toys explain that he took the tractor's steering parts to make robotic toys. Robotnik kicks the toy apart, but from the robot's tattling, Uncle Chuck sends Robotnik to his room. Meanwhile, Sonic and Chuck both go to the barn to make more rings. After they create 100 rings, they go off to take a chilli dog break. Just before they enter the house, Robotnik creates a machine (made from house appliances) as his revenge on Uncle Chuck. Chuck is nearly killed, until Sonic wraps a garden hose around the robot, making it fall. After Robotnik's machine is destroyed, he runs away, swearing revenge on Sonic. At that point, Sonic wakes up from his flashback, only to have a fireball thrown at him, from one of Robotnik's aircrafts. Sonic runs off, with Robotnik chasing him.

Story Seven

 * "Why Ask Spy?" - Part One

Sonic is called into home base, by Sally, who wants to explain something serious. Rotor disguises himself as a robot, and freaks Sonic out, until he explains it was a small prank. Sally tells Sonic that Rotor created robotic lens and a metallic jaw to pose as one of Dr. Robotnik's robots. Rotor dresses Sonic up in the robotic attire to look like a robot. Sonic and Sally play a joke on Tails making him think that Sonic really is a robot. Sonic explains he is only programed to attack one mobian, and runs back to his "master", Dr. Robotnik. Tails thinks he saved Sally, and makes a huge newspaper out of Sonic becoming a robot, only to be stolen by Buzzbomber. Buzzbomber gives the newspaper to Robotnik, to which he hardly cares. He explains that the real Sonic, is now one of his robots. Sonic falsely states he fell into a Roboticizer and is now a robot. Robotnik and Buzzbomber ask if he's REALLY a robot, by making him tell the location of Knothole.


 * "Why Ask Spy?" - Part Two

Sonic is hesitating to explain the location, until the alarm goes off, buying him some time. Robotnik notices a problem at the crab compound, and tries to send out a squadron of Buzzbombers. However, Sonic explains he can get there faster, and runs off. Sally and Antoine are standing by a wall, waiting for Sonic to arrive. Once he does, he tries to stop, but his metallic jaw flies off him, and bites Antoine's foot. Sally tells Sonic the proceeding plan, and he dashes into the crab compound. To Sonic's surprise, he notices his Uncle Chuck is a robot. He is busy making Crabmeats, while Sonic is ambushed by his dog, Muttski. Muttski is a robot as well, and tries to bite Sonic. Sonic runs out of the compound room, and back to Robotnik. Sonic puts back on his robot disguise, and types in the location of knothole, on the missile launching computer. Instead, he types the location to be at the Buzzbomber compound room, and blows it up. Robotnik realizes that Sonic was never a robot, but before he can attack, Sonic's metal jaws bites Robotnik on the butt. Afterwards, Sonic runs back to team, at home base.

Quotes

 * SONIC: "When I jump through this ring like a hula hoop, Robotnik's ball will loop the loop!"


 * SWATbot: "Attention fellow SWATbots! Hedgehog exhibiting voilent tendencies! Terminate with extreme prejudice!"


 * Sally: Robotnik! This isn't how we agreed to meet! You broke your promise!
 * Robotnik: Machines can't make or break promises, your highness...But you'll understand that better after I've turned you into a robot!


 * Jaws: Well, well! look what the catfish dragged in! Gurgle your prayers, Hedgehog!!

Key Events

 * Unckle Chuck and Mutski are roboticized.
 * Sonic rescues Sally before she is roboticized.
 * The Freedom Emeralds are retrieved and returned to the Crown of Acorns
 * Sonic attempts to retrieve Uncle Chuck and Muttski but fails

Background Information

 * The Archives version is identical to this, only in Archives-sized format.
 * The cover of this conveys Sally with all three of her color schemes.