Rotor the Walrus


 * For the version of this character before the Super Genesis Wave, see Rotor Walrus. For the character in the Sonic the Hedgehog television series, see Rotor Walrus (SatAM).

Rotor the Walrus is one of the main protagonists in the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by Archie Comics. He is an anthropomorphic walrus and a key member of the New Freedom Fighters, serving as one of their main inventors, usually working alongside fellow brilliant inventors Tails and Professor Charles the Hedgehog to create the best tech they can for their friends and allies. Using his skills and knowledge of technology and mechanics he is able to provide the Freedom Fighters with an edge against the mad genius Dr. Eggman and his Eggman Empire. He usually acts as an informant, providing data and technological assistance when his team needs it.

Appearance
Rotor is an anthropomorphic walrus and is generally larger than most of the other members of the New Freedom Fighters. He has violet fur with darker toes and fingers, peach skin on his front torso and muzzle, large tusks, and green eyes. He is slimmer and noticeably taller than his in his previous life. For attire he wears black and white shoes and yellow socks; he sports yellow gloves; and he also has yellow goggles. He also wears his signature green toolbelt across his shoulder. His appearance as a child mirrors that of his appearance from the Sonic the Hedgehog television series.

Early life
Rotor was born in an icy region of the planet. An inventive child, he would often tinker and make new gadgets out of whatever he could find, much to the anger of his father, who had a strong dislike of anything new or different, not to mention a general dislike of Rotor himself. Tired of his life, Rotor decided to leave his home and make his way south to the "greatest city in the world": Mobotropolis. Unfortunately for the young walrus, he arrived in the city smack bang in the middle of Dr. Eggman's takeover. However, he managed to find his way to Knothole Village where the exiled were in hiding. It was here where he became a member of Princess Sally's band of New Freedom Fighters, using his technological know-how to create gadgets and traps for use on the field. The tinkerer quickly bloomed into a full-blown inventor, culminating in the creation of the Sky Patrol.

Countdown to Chaos

 * Note: From the readers point of view, this picks up from where Rotor's original history ended.

As part of his work on the Sky Patrol, Rotor concealed himself and the mobile base in Soumerca near the abandoned Final Egg. With the other Freedom Fighters off on various missions, he sent a coded transmission to King Acorn, who passed the information on to Sonic and Tails. Arriving with Big the Cat in tow, the pair showed up just as Rotor was being attacked by a Badnik Horde led by Silver Sonic. The four friends handily dispatched the attacking robots, and Rotor greeted his friends warmly. Noting that Sonic and Tails were acting oddly, he questioned them about the situation after giving them a tour of the Sky Patrol, which Tails had named. In response, they handed him Nicole, who released an energy discharge upon touching Rotor that rekindled his memories of the old reality. Deeply shaken by the knowledge of his previous life, Rotor tried his best to process the matter. He eventually gained enough composure to inform his teammates that Antoine was in Knothole, Bunnie and Sally were on separate deep cover assignments, and Amy had gone missing some time previously. With this information, the duo decided to continue the search for their teammates, leaving Big behind to help Rotor finish the Sky Patrol.

The Freedom Fighters were soon reunited, but their happy reunion was short-lived, as the world broke apart due to the energies of the Super Genesis Wave. Fortunately, the heroes got the Sky Patrol airborne just in time.

The Shattered World Crisis
With the Shattered World Crisis unfolding, Rotor and the New Freedom Fighters quickly moved to address the crisis in Station Square. Despite being stretched to their limit, they succeeded in saving many of the citizens before the G.U.N. vessel "Letter of Gabriel" arrived. Unfortunately, they were then forced to contend with another problem: the abduction of Professor Charles the Hedgehog and his colleague Professor Dillon Pickle. Intercepting the Egg Train that transported the captive pair and their research on the current crisis, the Freedom Fighters set about searching for the scientists. Despite the train speeding out of control and carrying Badniks that interfered every step of the way, the heroes managed to locate the missing doctors. They were then informed of a link between the planet breaking up and the legends contained in the Gaia Manuscripts, and set out on a mission to locate the Gaia Temples.

While searching for a temple, Rotor-along with Amy and Sonic-came across a previously unknown civilization known as Meropis. Invited to the Eusebes Shrine by Razor the Shark, Rotor marveled at the underwater city as he and his friends were taken to meet Coral the Betta, priestess of the shrine. Their happy visit was soon cut short, however, as the City Guard under Captain Striker the Mantis Shrimp arrived and demanded to know what the surface-dwellers were doing in their sacred shrine. In order to appease the irritable Striker, Sonic and Amy agreed to accompany Razor and Coral to the court of King Puff and Queen Angelica, while Rotor remained at the shrine with Coral's apprentice Pearly and guardswoman Echo. The quartet returned with unwelcome news: Coral had been stripped of her title of priestess and the Freedom Fighters would have to leave the following day. Rotor, with the greater mission on his mind, disagreed with Sonic's suggestion of trying to help Coral and the others, until Amy suggested welcoming them aboard the Sky Patrol. The aquatic trio considered the offer, but Coral went to perform the shrine's sacred rites one final time first. Unfortunately, the pressure of the situation got to her and the rites failed, causing Meropis' protective energy field to fall. Rotor and his friends were then forced to fight for their lives against invading hordes of Dark Gaia Creatures.

After fighting off a group of minions who had penetrated the shrine, Sonic and Rotor departed for the city to seek additional help, grabbing a pair of Air Charms along the way. Unfortunately, they quickly ran into three unfortunate developments: first, Captain Striker couldn't spare anyone to go help at the shrine. Second, a monstrous minion known as the Dark Guardian appeared, and the two friends were forced to take it on. Third, the Air Charms they had borrowed weren't fully charged, and ran out of air in the middle of their fight with the creature. Fortunately, help soon arrived in the form of a former foe-turned ally: Chaos, who created protective air bubbles around the pair. Watching as the water elemental used the ocean as a weapon against the Dark Guardian, Rotor realized that Chaos was responsible for preventing the planet's oceans from draining away due to the shattering. With the battle soon won, the city's shield restored, and Coral reinstated, Rotor soon solved another mystery: the pollution that had plagued Meropis for some time had come from the sunken Egg Carrier. Rotor and his friends soon bid Meropis farewell, though not without getting a supply of Power Rings from the Lake of Rings located in the shrine's Chao Garden to fuel the Sky Patrol.

On the way to Soumerca, Rotor treated his fellow Freedom Fighters to a full tour of the Sky Patrol, expressing great pride in his masterpiece. However, the trip was interrupted by Dr. Eggman's latest Horde Commander, the War Walrus, a robot created in Rotor's image to destroy the Sky Patrol. However, Rotor soon destroyed his metallic doppelganger with the Sky Patrol's formidable arsenal. When a Chaos Emerald was discovered in the Sand Hill Zone, Rotor supported going after it, and was grouped into Team Fighters for the mission with Tails and Amy. An attack by three units of the E-100 Series on Team Freedom forced Rotor and his comrades into action, but both teams were then trapped by a large laser grid. Help arrived in the form of Cream, Cheese, T-Pup, Omochao, and Big, who aided their friends in escaping back to the Sky Patrol. They were taken to the medical bay for treatment of their injuries, and greeted Sonic upon his return from training with Moss the Sloth.

When the team met to discuss the Chaos Emerald Championship, in which only Sonic, Amy, and Tails would be able to compete, Rotor questioned why the team didn't just steal the Emerald. Amy objected, feeling that it would ruin their reputation, but Rotor felt that their need to save the world outweighed such concern. However, Sally overruled him, feeling that the world needed them to remain heroes. Subsequently, he and his other teammates watched the tournament on the Sky Patrol's television set. Later, while Sonic, Amy, and the D'Coolettes were off on separate missions, Rotor and the other Freedom Fighters were victims of a night attack by more of Dark Gaia's minions. They managed to hold out until sunrise, at which point the creatures disappeared, but were then surprised when Nicole departed for the Digital World, having apparently received a signal from Dr. Ellidy. While Sally, Tails, and Big left to back up Nicole and check on Ellidy, Rotor remained aboard the Sky Patrol with Cream, whom he briefed on the Digital World.

Personality
Rotor is more gruff than he was before, showing a slightly more confident attitude, to the point that he shows little hesitation in combating Eggman's robots head-on, although he still retains his friendly personality. However, once his memories of the old timeline returned through his contact with NICOLE, several aspects of his old, laid-back personality began to resurface. Rotor is more pragmatic than most of his teammates, placing priority on accomplishing their mission with regard for little else, whether the misfortune of others or the Freedom Fighters' heroic reputation. As such, he at times clashes with the others, but is always by their side in a pinch.

Powers and abilities
As a Walrus, Rotor is a bulky fighter and possesses high physical strength (even more so that in his previous life), enough to let him to completely overwhelm normal badniks. He is also quite skilled at hand-to-hand combat, capable of taking on several badnik alone with his bare fists, and utility of artillery weapons. He has likewise enhanced durability, top-notch endurance and is an adept swimmer as well.

Rotor's greatest talent lies in his mechanical abilities. Even in a young age, he had a natural affinity for mechanics. As a member of the Freedom Fighter, he is a mechanical super genius, a quick thinker and very insightful, adept at creating tools and machines for use in the war against Dr. Robotnik and beyond, as well as deciphering new technology. He is known for his numerous creations that aided the Freedom Fighters early on, like weapons, vehicles, doo-dads, and his crowing achievement: the Sky Patrol, a flying headquarters for the Freedom Fighters capable of matching the Eggman Empire's fleets and comes equipped with various rooms, accommodations, and weaponry.

In addition, Rotor has demonstrated efficient skills at using Extreme Gear and his go-to handheld multi-tool the Omnitool.