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Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 35 was the thirty-fifth issue of the main Sonic the Hedgehog comic series.
Summary[]
Story One[]
- "Ring Of Truth" - Part One
Sonic is hit by a sneak attack from Dr. Robotnik, causing him to lose the Power Rings he had collected. Sonic, exhausted and barely eluding Robotnik's Mega-Maceball, reaches for a cluster of rings. He thinks aloud that he can't remember just how many rings he's collected, but Robotnik is shocked when his computer tells him that Sonic has just collected his One Billionth Power Ring. Sonic is suddenly transported to a strange dimension by the ring where he finds one of the Ancient Walkers perched atop another, gigantic Power Ring.
The Walker compliments Sonic on his achievement, but Sonic doesn't think it's a big deal and tells the Walker he collects them because they boost his power. The Walker asks if that's all rings can do, and Sonic's billionth ring bursts into flames and burns a circle into the ground. The center of the circle then rises, carrying Sonic high into the air, where the Walker flies up to join him. The Walker tells Sonic that no other being has ever attained a billion rings and that Sonic will be rewarded for his accomplishment with knowledge. The billionth ring slides up the pillar and knocks Sonic off, sending him plummeting down below.
- "Ring Of Truth" - Part Two
As Sonic nears the green sea below him, the billionth ring falls below him, grows in size, and functions like an inner tube to catch Sonic. Sonic examines the sea around him and realizes it's nothing but Chaos Emeralds. Another Ancient Walker appears, reclining in the "inner tube" ring with Sonic. Sonic angrily demands answers, so the Walker slips a ring on his finger. Realizing that the ring on his finger has a Power Ring for a band and a Chaos Emerald for a gemstone, Sonic puzzles wonders if Power Rings and Chaos Emeralds are connected. The Walker presents Sonic with "The Riddle of the Rings". Sonic considers it for a moment before realizing that the answer is a chain of rings. Suddenly, a chain of Power Rings bursts out of the emerald sea and ensnares Sonic, dragging him down into the depths.
- "Ring Of Truth" - Part Three
Emerging from the bottom of the sea into another strange area, Sonic finds his one billionth ring below him once more, grown to giant size. Sonic drops down on to it, but the ring is rotating, forcing Sonic to run in order to stay inside it. The rings reforms into an infinity symbol. While Sonic ponders what it could mean, the final Ancient Walker appears before him, congratulating him and saying that he has earned the right to ask one question. Unfortunately, a startled Sonic says "Just one?" and is cast out of the strange dimension. He emerges back where he started, the billionth ring providing him with a shield that enables him to cut through Robotnik's Robo-Pod. Sonic decides to take the billionth ring back to Knothole, where he has it mounted on a wall.
Story Two[]
- "A Sense Of History" - Part Two
As he continues to search for the Chaotix and approaches Mount Fate, Knuckles recalls the story of his ancestors Edmund and Dimitri, two scientists who set out to return the Floating Island to Mobius' surface. Locating the Chaos Chamber where the twelve Chaos Emeralds keeping the island aloft are held, Dimitri marvels at the potentially limitless power the gems produce. Edmund warns his brother not to loose sight of their objective. The two scientists finish collecting data and present their findings, as well their proposal to return the Floating Island to the surface, to the people of Echidnaopolis. They present their invention, the Chaos Syphon, and explain that they plan to have the machine gradually absorb the energies of the emeralds. Instead of causing the island to fall, draining the emeralds over time would supposedly cause the island to slowly descend until it reached the surface.
Dimitri is confident in their plan, but the Chief Magistrate denies them permission to enact it, fearing that the attempt would endanger the people of the city. Furious, Dimitri returns to the Chaos Chamber with the Chaos Syphon and begins draining the emeralds, ignoring Edmund's pleas to listen to reason. The Syphon is unable to handle the power and explodes, along with Dimitri and eleven of the twelve emeralds. The Chief Magistrate and others arrive to help Edmund, and are surprised to see that one Emerald's power is apparently enough to keep the island afloat. However, they are then confronted by Dimitri, who has absorbed the eleven destroyed emeralds' power and become a super-powered being. He demonstrates his power by creating a dark tower, known as Mount Fate, underground and forcing it to erupt from the island's surface.
Bonus Features[]
Gag Strips[]
Paul Castiglia, Joe Pepitone, and Frank Gagliardo confront Scott Fulop one last time as he prepares to step down from his position as editor of Sonic the Hedgehog. Scott decides he'll have "one for the road" and hits the button on his desk one last time, sending the three of them down a trap door. Art by Bill Golliher.
Quotes[]
- The "Riddle of the Rings":
- Forever closed yet open wide to let the other come inside...One is broken yet will be stronger as the span grows ever longer!
Key Events[]
- Sonic grabs his billionth ring and is transported to a special zone where he meets the Ancient Walkers.
- Knuckles continues to recount the history of the Floating Island and the Echidnas, introducing Dimitri as an antagonist for the first time.
- The events surrounding Dimitri's transformation into Enerjak are revealed.
Background Information[]
- Sonic's One Billionth Power Ring would become a major plot point in the Mecha Madness Special.
- Although introduced in this issue, the Chief Magistrate would not be named until KtE #22.
- There is a glaring flaw in Dimitri and Edmund's proposed plan to return the Floating Island to the surface. As mentioned by Athair in TMS #3, the original site of the Floating Island had been devastated by the impact of the White Comet following the island's acension, meaning the Great Crater is in fact too large to accomodate its landmass.
Reprint History[]
This issue has been reprinted in the following places:
- Sonic Archives Vol. 9
- Sonic Legacy Book 2
External links[]
- Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 35 at Sonic Wiki Zone, the Sonic wiki.