Warning: Spoilers for Sonic the Hedgehog #75TheSonic the Hedgehogfranchise is no stranger to intense action sequences, but one moment in the comics just took the series to a more bleak place than ever before. Sonic and friends usually save everyone during their fights against the forces of evil, yet they’ve now been forced to accept that death can’t always be avoided, changing the series' status quo forever.
Sonic the Hedgehog#75 by Evan Stanley and Min Ho Kim concludes the thrilling “Phantom Riders” arc, which draws inspiration from theSonic Ridersvideo game trilogy. In the arc’s climax, the Restoration’s ship starts to plummet towards the city below, but Jewel - the director of the Restoration - makes a difficult call to protect the inhabitants.
When faced with the possibility of the entire city being wiped out, Jewel decides to instead steer the ship towards Emeraldville and specifically target Restoration HQ. In doing so, she minimizes the casualties, butSonic and his alliessoon discover that Jewel’s action has doomed others to death.
Sonic the Hedgehog Finally Acknowledges That Death Can Be Inevitable
Jewel’s Shocking Sacrifice Alters the Tone of the Entire Sonic Franchise
Jewel aiming the self-destructing ship towards the Restoration HQ may save the people in the city, but Amy discovers that the headquarters has its own inhabitants. When she confronts Jewel about the situation, the beetle tearfully says,“It’s better than the city.“This haunting moment is the first time inIDW Publishing’sSonic the Hedgehogcomicsthat death has fully been acknowledged as an inevitability. Characters are typically determined to save everyone, but here, Jewel accepts that not everyone can be saved after all. In a tragic turn, Sonic and the Restoration fighters have to wrestle with the possibility of losing lives.
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Luckily for Jewel, all is not lost in the end. Sonic understands that there’s a possibility that those at Restoration HQ are in danger, but he and Jet decide to save as many lives as they can by turning it into a race. Together, they race around the base and grab as many stragglers as they can until the people have been salvaged. When the ship does explode, there aren’t any victims, much to everyone’s relief. It’s comforting to see Jewel’s spirits lift once the dust settles, butit’s clear that she, Sonic, and the others will all be changed by this experience.
Sonic the Hedgehog Now Has Higher Stakes Than Ever Before, With Death on the Table
Sonic and Friends Will Need to Fight Harder to Ensure Everyone’s Survival
In this particular instance, there weren’t any notable casualties at Resistance HQ, but the possibility of death marks asad turning point in Sonic’s lore. From this point on, he is now aware of the fact that wrong moves can result in fatal consequences. Sonic has technically brushed with death in the past, such as in the “Metal Virus” arc, but it’s never been acknowledged as openly as it is here. If Sonic and Jet hadn’t been fast enough, events could have played out differently. Jewel has officially raised the stakes, andSonic the Hedgehogwill have to fight like never before to keep saving everyone.
Sonic the Hedgehog#75is available now from IDW Publishing.
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog is a multimedia franchise that began with Sonic the Hedgehog’s release for the Sega Genesis in 1991. The franchise follows the adventures of the titular Blue Blur, Sonic, as he fights the nefarious Dr. Eggman to protect his friends, family, and the world. The series has expanded into several video games, multiple comic book series, television shows, and a Hollywood feature film series.
