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Tobor is a Mobian Echidna, the son of Guardian Hawking and the father of Guardian Spectre. His tenure as Guardian was cut short by a battle with the Dark Legion under Moritori Rex, which resulted in both sustaining heavy wounds. Moritori was taken back to Echidnaopolis after being mistaken for Tobor, while Tobor remained buried. After escaping, Tobor ended up wandering on the surface of Mobius in shame. He had his damaged eyes replaced with cybernetic implants, and eventually returned to Angel Island years later and met his descendant Knuckles. After a battle with Dark Legion Grandmaster Kragok, he was trapped for some time in the Twilight Zone before escaping and ending up killing both Kragok and himself in a desperate attack on the Legion's Battle Cruiser.
History[]
Early Life and Failure as a Guardian[]
Unlike his ancestors since the time of Jordan and those that came after himself, Tobor was not trained to be self-sufficient at a very young age, as was the traditional Guardian custom. Instead, Tobor grew up living with his family in Echidnaopolis with both his parents while his father Hawking trained him. By the age of 20, Tobor had already married Voni-Ca and had a son with her, Spectre. It was not until that age that he was appointed Guardian of his people, as his father Hawking departed their pocket zone to restore the Floating Island's habitat from the nuclear fallout of a Dingo attack years before. (KtE: #17)
After his father left, Tobor carried out his duties as Guardian, watching out over his people. However, trouble soon arrived in the form of Moritori Rex, a Dark Legion Grandmaster who had discovered a means by which he and the Dark Legion could leave the Twilight Zone and launch a new offensive. Tobor engaged Moritori in personal combat, and during the battle Moritori attempted to activate a device which had the unforeseen effect of transporting them both among unstable ruins on the island. The ruins soon collapsed upon them both, resulting in severe injury. Heavily wounded, Tobor was left buried and listened in horror as his father arrived and rescued who he thought was Tobor - but was in fact Moritori Rex. Tobor eventually dug himself free, but he was so miserable and ashamed that he left the island. He wandered the planet for many years in a sort of self-imposed exile, while his damaged organic eyes deteriorated and were eventually replaced with implants by a sympathetic doctor (a possible ancestor of Dr. Quack's). (KtE: #17, #18)
Return from Wandering[]
Many years after that fateful battle, Tobor noticed Angel Island in the sky and was overcome by a desire to see it again. Not long after landing on the island, he came across Julie-Su on a Streaking Pasha, who asked him if he needed help. Seeing her cybernetics, he was appalled at the thought of the Dark Legion running free on the island, and violently attacked her. Julie-Su fought back, and though Tobor intended to kill her, he realized what his pent-up resentment was turning him into and caused him to back down. She then brought him to meet Knuckles in Echidnaopolis. After telling his descendant his story and lamenting the loss of his life and family, Tobor was received warmly by Knuckles, who left Tobor in the care of his mother Lara-Le while he went to interrogate the imprisoned Kragok, grandson to Moritori Rex, about the Legion's actions back then. Tobor stayed with Julie-Su and Lara-Le at the latter's apartment, and the two went over old photo albums attempting to find traces of Tobor or his wife, Voni-Ca, though Tobor believed the enemy would have been thorough in removing clues as to his stolen identity.(KtE: #17, #18)
Retribution and Death[]
While in prison, a freak force of nature opened a portal to the Twilight Zone through which Kragok attempted to escape, though he was followed by Knuckles. Once there, Kragok explained how Moritori Rex had been observing the Guardians from within the confines of the zone. Back at the apartment, Tobor sensed something was going on and quickly flew out the window, finding Knuckles and Kragok emerging from the zone. He quickly intervened, grabbing Kragok and dragging him back into the zone to deal with him. By disappearing from the scene however, Tobor unknowingly preserved Moritori's cover for a short time, as the Brotherhood's cameras only came back online after Tobor and Kragok disappeared; the aged Grandmaster was still passing himself off as a member of the Brotherhood. (KtE: #18)
He and Kragok remained in the Zone of Twilight and fought each other until the Quantum Beam's second discharge (the first having sent everyone on Angel Island, sans Knuckles, to the Twilight Zone) released them. Tobor, not fully understanding the situation, recognized only the Legion Battle Cruiser and decided then and there to attack. Kragok was intent on finishing their battle, but Tobor grabbed him in turn and rammed them both into the cruiser, killing both himself and Kragok. Shortly after his death, Tobor was guided to the afterlife by the spirit of his recently dead father, Hawking. (StH: #100)
Afterlife[]
Tobor later appear with other deceased Brotherhood members at Knuckles's funeral. It was Tobor who explained to Knuckles about Aurora and that the members of the Brotherhood would stay on their current plane of existence and only move on when the "Heralds beckon". (StH: #121)
Personality[]
As a result of his failures as a Guardian, Tobor spent much of his life feeling penitent and vengeful. Having been separated from his family for most of his life, he longed to be reunited with them, a dream briefly realized by his meeting with Knuckles. Whatever his negative outlook, he remained fully dedicated to the principles of the Brotherhood, acting as a Guardian to the very end. (StH: #100, KtE: #17)
Background Information[]
- In the afterlife, Tobor appeared as he had when he first became Guardian with his clothes no longer tattered, his eyes as they were before the implants, and once again wearing his father's hat. (StH: #121)
- Tobor's name reversed is robot.
- Tobor's robotic eyes resemble those of Mystery Science Theater 3000's Crow T. Robot.