“The Last Robian” - Sonic the Hedgehog #123
Today’s story is very important to the on going plot of the comic and directly effects both Bunnie and Antoine. Even if they themselves don’t receive much focus during the story itself.
All of the robians across the entire planet disappear overnight with no explanation or clues as how or where.
Then over the course of several weeks they are returned one by one, completely cured.
All of them save Jules, that is.
And the rest of the comic just focuses on Sonic’s family readjusting to the changes.
In theory and in regards to the continuing arc, this story is a really good idea. The concept of robotization had been thoroughly explored by this point. They’ve done the mindless slave bit, used it as a metaphor for xenophobia, took on the Zombie horde approach, explored the strengths and weaknesses behind being a robot, and had the primary villain use it as his main weapon for over 120 issues. There’s little else where you could have taken the concept and getting rid of it for good would force the comic into a new and hopefully fresh direction. What’s not so good is the presentation of that idea.
First, the story is told mainly through third person narration. This is a writing technique that is usually frowned upon in visual mediums like comics and film because it breaks the rule of “show don’t tell”. If you’re going to have narration in a comic its usually best to use first person narration in order to show a character’s inter dialogue and its still best to keep it to a minimal even then. Having the story be 80% narration is clunky and distracting.
The second problem is that the comic tries to keep the Robian’s newfound cure and their benefactors a mystery. Even though we met the people responsible just back in issue 118. The Bem, an alien race, showed both the audience and Sonic himself that they had the power to robotize and derobotize at whim, and permanently deroboizted Eggman and Snively. They will also reappear in the next issue so there’s no mystery or tension to be had. Not only that but the writers have Sonic stupidly try to blame Eggman instead.
Yeah, what benefit would Eggman have to undoing his years of hard work? Why would Sonic just forget the aliens who have robotization powers? What was the point of keeping all the cured robians in the dark? Why would the alien wipe their memories but not Sonic’s, Tails’s, Snively’s and Eggman’s? And why did the aliens ignore all the other cyborgs on the planet like Bunnie, Monkey Khan, and the Dark Legion? The later reveal of who done it just manages to raise further questions then it answers.
The last problem, one that is not unique unto this particular story, is that every thing is condensed down too much. You easily could have had enough plot to fill at least two full issues, and the writers tried to cram it all down into less than half of one.
Just imagine how much more emotionally powerful and memorable this story would have been as a two prater. The first half could focus on Sonic and the rest of the Freedom Fighters as the desperately try to locate their missing parents. Building up the tension and mystery while providing room for character development. Instead of just shoving character’s like Antoine and Mina into the background.
Then the second half could be devoted fully to Jules’s perspective as everyone readjusts to their new lives and he’s left behind. We could have a had a scene of Jules and Bunnie bonding as they are now the only two people in town who aren’t “normal” anymore. We could have had Jules and Chuck heaving a heart to heart and reaffirming that Chuck no longer needs to feel guilty or responsible for fixing what happened. We could have had Bernie confirming her love and letting Jules know she’s with him no matter what. We could have a hint of dark foreshadowing as it slowly dawns upon Jules that he’ll now eventually out live everyone he knows.
But nope we got to focus on Sonic and his feelings cause he’s the star, even though his emotional investment isn’t any greater than anyone else involved and his dad is the only one with any conflict in the second half of the story.
The rest of the issue features the second half of “Heat Held Hostage” where Sonic “chooses” Sally ending the stupid triangle once and for all. There’s also a clip show of the Knuckles series thus far.
Be sure to tune in next time as we start in on the arc that’ll end out this era.
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