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So I've been reading issue 12 of the Sonic IDW comic. And I'm honestly really frustrated with Sonic thinking it was a good idea to bring Metal fucking Sonic back to life after the stunt he tried to pull. Both in the act itself and in its execution. (thread)
And then, just to rub salt in the wound, this decision is what ultimately brings Eggman back. Like, come the fuck on. I appreciate the idea that Sonic's trying to pull him away from having his life revolve around Eggman's dream and be an individual, and that IS in character...
What I'm a bit iffy about however is with how Sonic approaches the matter. Now, with Sonic's most defining character trait being his free spirit, he's always tried to indirectly lead others down a path of individualism...
nudging them on with his actions, and letting their hearts decide their own path. I suppose you could say he "opens their hearts" if you will...
Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, Blaze, he's led all of these characters down a path of self improvement and betterment. I can see that a similar attempt is being made here. But I have two criticisms that I'd levy against the execution of this attempt...
1. Him letting Metal go free immediately. This just comes off as the writers needing Sonic to make a stupid decision to keep the plot moving forward, and it makes it seem like Sonic isn't considering the gravity of what he's just done, following what metal just tried to do...
2. The way he goes about trying to change Metal's mind. Sonic is self aware, he isn't an idiot. He wouldn't want to be told how to live his life, and so I think it's extremely out of character for him to directly make suggestions as to how someone should live their life
Look at Heroes for a MUCH better example of how to handle this exact same exchange. Sonic mocks Metal by demonstrating what he lacks and lets him make up his own mind about what that means instead of trying to tell him what to do which...
of course Metal would get pissed off at the exchange in IDW, he's Sonic after all. Of course he wouldn't want to be told what to do. And Sonic should know this better than anyone!...
Oh, and on seeing as people will probably bring it up. Sonic letting metal live is much more forgivable in Heroes because they're literally on Eggman's ship and he's right there. He'll probably just put him back together or make another one anyway. In IDW, he has no excuse...
Now let's be fair. The reviving of Metal isn't the issue. I think it's totally in character for Sonic to want someone he can understand to have another chance. But he wouldn't just let him off scot-free...
IF you wanted to keep Metal coming back, it would be far more in character for Sonic to bring Metal back as a head, or at least in an immobile state. He'd carry the head around while he hangs with his friends, mock him in the lab and talk about the great beat down he gave him...
ask Metal if there's anything he'd like Sonic to do for him while he can't do anything himself, being fully aware that he could just have Tails put him back together at any moment, and overall just be a tease...
trying to have Metal see through experience what freedom feels like while punishing him for his bs. Metal would likely eventually catch on and pretend to sympathize with Sonic's goals, tricking the crew into reassembling him, thinking he's reformed...
before getting out of there as soon as possible without being noticed. It's a fix that takes advantage of both characters' personalities while not sacrificing the brain cells of the characters to have the plot move forward...
Not to mention giving Metal a sense of cunning in outsmarting the heroes. it would have made Eggman's return a tragic result of Metal manipulating the good guys into the result instead of it being a contrivance...
Of course, that's just AN idea of how this could have been approached better, but the reason I made this thread was more just to point out this moment of poor writing I noticed that bugged me. I just thought it courteous to be constructive...
But best case scenario, I think Sonic should have just let him die. He already gave Metal a second chance in Heroes and he wasted it. He's too much of a threat to be left alive anyway. The writers wanted to have their cake and eat it too with this one...
Then again, we'd have to rewrite how Eggman gets his memory back, and metal being the trigger is honestly pretty fitting, but I find it hard to believe that metal would affect him, but not SONIC THE HEDGEHOG. But I guess that's just a suspension of disbelief thing...
Well kids, what did we learn today?
-We studied Sonic's characterization
-Eggman actually cares sentimentally about his robots for once?
-Don't do amnesia stories unless you have the balls to pull a JoJolion and make the loss permanent
(end of thread)
-We studied Sonic's characterization
-Eggman actually cares sentimentally about his robots for once?
-Don't do amnesia stories unless you have the balls to pull a JoJolion and make the loss permanent
(end of thread)
