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Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 39 was the thirty-ninth issue of the main Sonic the Hedgehog comic series.
Summary[]
Story One[]
- "Rage Against the Machine" - Part One
In Knothole, Sonic is denied his request by the Knothole Council, consisting of Sally, Antoine, Bunnie and Rotor. Sonic spins in frustration before explaining his perfect plan one more time: Sonic will allow Dr. Robotnik to roboticize him while secretly using one of Rotor's Neuro-Overrider devices to keep his free will and then, with an enhanced robotic body, destroy Robotropolis for good. Rotor points out that Sally tried the same plan and they all nearly perished. Bunnie begins to interject, pointing out her own half-roboticized body gives her more knowledge on the subject than the rest of the group, but Sally cuts the conversation short and declares that the plan was rejected unanimously. Sonic angrily walks away and Antoine, observing Sonic's bad attitude, suggests monitoring him. Sally angrily retorts that Sonic's loyalty is unquestionable, scaring Antoine into a stuttering fit.
Sonic races away from Knothole, out into the Great Forest, past the Knothole jailhouse and stops at the new Freedom Fighters training facility, hoping to blow off some steam in the gym. However, Sonic is struck in the head with a dumbbell by Nack the Weasel and falls unconscious. Wanting revenge for their last encounter as well as a reward, Nack has made a deal with Robotnik to bring Sonic to Robotropolis. He ties Sonic up and gets ready to take him in.
- "Rage Against the Machine" - Part Two
In Robotropolis, Dr. Robotnik, accompanied by his Badnik lackey Crabmeat, is overjoyed to find Sonic unconscious and captured. Nack demands payment, but Robotnik tries his best to skip his usual gloating and orders Sonic's immediate roboticization. Nack refuses to hand Sonic over until he's paid for his job, but Dr. Robotnik instead presses a button, causing Crabmeat to transform into a giant form and grab Nack. Robotnik tells the weasel that his payment is to be allowed to leave alive and Crabmeat throws Nack out of the window.
Sonic is thrown into the Roboticizer and is transformed into Mecha Sonic, a robot with no free will of his own. Robotnik gloats that Sonic's powers have been digitized, maximized and multiplied in the machine and adds that, since their encounter with Sally, the roboticizers were upgraded to better ensure his control over the subject. To demonstrate Mecha Sonic's powers and obedience, Robotnik orders him to destroy Crabmeat. Mecha Sonic smashes him in an instant. Robotnik then orders Mecha Sonic to return to Knothole and destroy it.
- "Rage Against the Machine" - Part Three
In the outskirts of Knothole, Sally, Rotor, and Antoine watch Mecha-Sonic approach; NICOLE confirms that it's definitely a roboticized Sonic. Antoine concludes that Sonic deliberately disobeyed the council's order, and thus should be court-martialed. Mecha Sonic aims his blaster at them and fires a spray of laser shots. Sally shoves Antoine and Rotor aside to dodge the attack. As Mecha Sonic swoops back for a second assault, Sally commands NICOLE to produce several holographic images of the trio to confuse Mecha Sonic. While Mecha Sonic attempts to attack the copies, Sally asks NICOLE if "phase II" has also been initiated.
The group begins to fret as Mecha Sonic has disposed of most of the copies, but suddenly he is struck by Bunnie Rabbot. Mecha Sonic tells Bunnie that she will be brought to Robotropolis so her roboticization can be completed. The two scuffle, Sally noting that the upgrades Rotor gave Bunnie are helping her keep pace. Antoine worries that they won't be enough to stop Mecha Sonic, and Sally replies that Bunnie can at least delay him for the time being while she initiates "phase III," using NICOLE to contact Tails. Within a communications room in Knothole, Tails receives Sally's signal and launches a mayday transmission.
- "Rage Against the Machine" - Part Four
Meanwhile, in Robotropolis, Robotnik observes the battle, frustrated that Mecha Sonic has been intercepted by "that repulsive rabbit." He muses that if he had a remote power booster, he could transmit a surge through Mecha Sonic to stop Bunnie. A nearby SWATbot asks if that would be hard to do, but Robotnik simply dismantles the SWATbot for the necessary parts. He completes the device and activates it; Bunnie is violently shocked by Mecha Sonic and falls to the ground. Sally runs to her side, asking Rotor for help. The princess reassures Bunnie that she tried her best and tells Rotor to take her to Knothole's infirmary. However, an alarmed Antoine points out that Mecha Sonic is now headed for Knothole itself. A groggy Bunnie shows grim determination as she reconfigures her robotic arm into a cannon. She intercepts Mecha Sonic and fires a powerful shot from her arm cannon; to everyone's shock, Mecha Sonic is unfazed. He retaliates with his own arm cannon, and Bunnie is once again sent crashing to the ground.
- "Rage Against the Machine" - Part Five
Tails speaks to the one who responded to the distress signal, calling him their last and best hope. Knuckles replies that he wouldn't normally get involved, but he and Princess Sally go way back. Knuckles hops onto a spring-loaded launch platform, which sends him flying towards Mecha Sonic with an uppercut to the head; the Robian swipes at him in return, saying that the echidna is no match for his enhanced speed and strength. On the ground, Antoine and Sally worry that Knuckles is not holding up as well as hoped. Above them, Mecha Sonic and Knuckles grapple, the former threatening that the Floating Island will be next after Knothole is destroyed. Knuckles remains defiant, but is soon struck by beams from Mecha Sonic's "high voltage optic units."
Knuckles falls unconscious. Sally sits by a badly injured and damaged Bunnie, dismayed that their two strongest fighters have been defeated. Rotor fears that Knothole is doomed, but Sally replies that that may not be the case, as they have one option left. Despite herself, and to the shock of Antoine and Rotor, she announces it's time to initiate "Operation Last Resort."
Bonus Features[]
Gag Strips[]
Sonic and Tails wave goodbye to each other as they head their separate ways. Within the dust cloud Sonic kicks up as he heads off is the message: "Dedicated to Richard C. Egner by Eric Kessler". Art by Patrick Spaziante.
Quotes[]
- Sally: "Sonic will come to order! Sorry your request was denied, but that's democracy in action!"
- Antoine: "Tsk! Must he go into a Sonic Spin?!"
- Antoine: "There--up in the sky... It's zee bird... it's zee plane..."
- Bunnie: "It's Bunnie Rabbot, sugah! And you, suh...how dare you attack mah friends that way!"
- Sally: "Nice work, Tails!"
- Tails: "Thank you, ma'am! It's so nice to be treated like an adult! Ever since my solo adventure in Downunda..."
- Sally: "Oh yes--one more thing... Don't forget to wash-ums hands and brush your teethies..."
- Tails: "*gurgles*"
Key Events[]
- Sonic proposes a plan to allow himself to be roboticized, but it is rejected.
- Nack the Weasel captures Sonic and hands him over to Robotnik.
- Sonic is roboticized, becoming Mecha Sonic.
- Bunnie fights Mecha Sonic and is defeated.
- Knuckles responds to a distress call and fights Mecha Sonic but is also defeated.
- Sally proposes one more plan as their final option.
Background Information[]
- This is the first appearance of Mecha Sonic. Sonic assumes this form again (albeit coloured differently) in Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 118.
- Sonic's Robian form is based upon that of the robot known as Mecha Sonic in the video game Sonic 3 & Knuckles.
- Humorously, Robotnik is seen reading the issue's script in order to recap the beginning of the story for the reader.
Cameos & References[]
- The title, "Rage Against the Machine", is a reference to the band of the same name.
- Bunnie references the play "A Streetcar Named Desire."
Reprint History[]
This issue has been reprinted in the following places:
- Sonic Archives Vol. 10
- Sonic Legacy Book 3
- Best of Sonic the Hedgehog Vol. 1
- Best of Sonic the Hedgehog Ultimate Collection
External links[]
- Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 39 at Sonic Wiki Zone, the Sonic wiki.