Metropolis Zone (Sonic the Comic)

The Metropolis Zone is a location that appears in the Sonic the Comic series published by Fleetway Editions. It is the largest zone on Mobius and was the capital of Dr. Ivo Robotnik's empire during his rule over the planet. In time, Robotnik established his center of operations in the Metropolis Zone. After Robotnik fell, the Zone remained a focus point for much criminal activity.

Description
Metropolis Zone is the largest Zone on Mobius, having several districts within the city itself. Once the center for Dr. Robotnik's operations, it is naturally is filled to the brim with far more advanced technology and infrastructure than most other locales on Mobius.

During the RBR era, Metropolis was still inhabited by flesh-and-blood Mobians; but the city was a dystopian police state, its residents living in perpetual fear of arbitrary arrest by Robotnik's Troopers and deportation to the Badnik Processing Plants.

Past
The Metropolis Zone existed before Dr. Robotnik came to power. The young resident known as Smokey remembered swimming at the East Metropolis Leisure Centre in the days before Robotnik, when Metropolis was still a fun place to live in.

Ruled by Robotnik
Sonic the Hedgehog and Miles "Tails" Prower first arrived in the Metropolis Zone while it was under the rule of Dr. Robotnik. When Sonic was announced as the winner of the Hero of the Year ceremony, he discarded his disguise and took the mic from the announcer, stating to the audience he would overthrow Robotnik. At that point, he was trapped in a bubble and nearly drowned, though he managed to escape at get away.

After being sentenced to be hanged for his crimes of piracy, Captain Plunder and his lackeys were imprisoned in a cell within the Metropolis Zone, although they eventually managed to escape.

Having abandoned the Egg Fortress altogether in favor of a more centralized base, Robotnik constructed the Citadel Robotnik in the Metropolis Zone. Shortly after, Sonic and his allies infiltrated a Badnik Processing Plant within the city in order free the captives. Using various disguises, they pulled their plan off successfully and managed to escape using a Star Post.

While on the outskirts of Metropolis Zone, Sonic was confronted by Mister Blobnik, and while Sonic initially took the robot as a joke, his guard falling ultimately allowed said robot to capture and take him to Citadel Robotnik. Here, Robotnik proposed a partnership between the two in order to stop the rogue Brotherhood of Metallix.

With Commander Brutus having failed to capture Super Sonic using his Death Foam during a battle between the two, he returned to Metropolis to report to Dr. Robotnik, who scolded him profusely for his failure. Meanwhile, Metamorphia would bring Tekno the Canary―an ex-engineer turned traitor―to Robotik in Citadel Robotnik. For blowing up a factory during Tekno's capture though, Robotnik stripped Metamorphia of her powers. No sooner Shortfuse the Cybernik broke into Citadel Robotnik and busted Tekno out.

Amy Rose, Sonic, and Johnny Lightfoot soon attempted to infiltrate Metropolis, only for the latter two to be kidnapped and presented before Robotnik by his robotic henchmen, with Amy managing to escape. However, this was all part of their plan, as Amy had snuck away stolen information from Robotnik's computers. Upon an alarm sounding off to indicate Amy's activities, Sonic and Johnny escaped Robotnik's clutches and left Metropolis alongside Amy using a flying vehicle.

While reminiscing over the days before Robotnik's rule, Smokey ran into Sonic, who was being pursued by robots. Running away, Smokey warned his Badnik friend that Sonic was nearby. Sonic, however, spotted the Badnik and warned Smokey to step away from it. However, Smokey explained that his friend was a rogue Badnik, with Robotnik's security robots on the look for him. With some trickery and acting, Smokey was able to convince said robots that Sonic destroyed his friend, granting the Badnik its freedom.

Tails, while running into some difficulties with a bounty hunter named Fleabyte, managed to successfully return Tantrum back to his home in Metropolis. He would later join up with his other Freedom Fighter allies on the outskirts of the city, where Poker informed his friends of quitting due to what he was put through by the Brotherhood of Metallix. Annoyed at his cowardice, Sonic left and met up with the Chaotix Crew and watched them go after Nack. Sonic was soon ambushed by several of Robotnik's robots and subsequently saved by Porker, with the hedgehog apologizing for his words.

Soon after, a demonstration was held by the citizens of Metropolis, showing their disdain for their evil dictator. Naturally, the Special Badnik Service were sent in to put an end to this, put with Sonic and Tails arriving on the scene, not only were the robots repelled, but the statue of Robotnik in the area collapsed in the aftermath of the battle.

Because of this defiance, Robotnik decided to give the people a reason to fear him again, locking them up and imprisoning his citizens for no justified reason. With Sonic and his fellow Freedom Fighters interfering with this plan, Plasma and Arnem Abacus were sent to stop them, though Amy put an end to both by knocking out the latter and destroying the device that manifested the former. However, she allowed Sonic to take the credit for the victory.

As the Freedom Fighters stopped an unprovoked Badnik attack in the Metropolis Zone, Commander Brutus arrived with his own Badnik army and took out the Freedom Fighters as he set out to seize control of Robotnik's empire. As Brutus and Robotnik faced each other in Citadel Robotnik, Sonic and Shortfuse intruded on them to rescue Amy and Johnny, whom Brutus had turned into Badniks. As Sonic and Shortfuse fought Brutus and their friends, Robotnik donned a mech suit to take on Brutus. While Sonic and crew reclaimed their friends and escaped, Robotnik destroyed Brutus and took his Badniks for himself. Around the same time, Super Sonic would attack the Freedom Figthers just outside the Metropolis Zone and seemingly bring about their demise. Weeks later, Sonic went into hiding in the Metropolis Zone where he accidently turned into Super Sonic during a bar brawl. Having survived Super Sonic's attack, the Freedom Fighters tracked Super Sonic down and separated him from Sonic by sending the demon into the Special Zone.

Posing as an informant for the Freedom Fighters on behalf of Robotnik, Vermit met Johnny Lightfoot in the Metropolis Zone and gave him information that would lure the Freedom Fighters into a trap in the Gum Tree Zone. It was later that the citizens of the Metropolis Zone tried to keep Robotnik's forces from destroying the sentient Ancient Trees in the Zone, with Knuckles and Ebony joining the fight. However, when the Elder Tree got destroyed by Robotnik's henchmen, the Ancient Trees began taking revenge by creating a forest across the Metropolis Zone in mere minutes. However, Knuckles stopped the Ancient Trees by convincing them that violence was not the answer. Following this, Robotnik fenced off the forest, allowing the Ancient Trees to grow undisturbed.

As the Metropolis Zone came under Grimer Wormtongue's brutal management, the Freedom Fighters stood up to the invading Badniks. Inspired by the Freedom Fighters, the citizens of the Zone finally had enough of Robotnik's rule, and so helped save the Freedom Fighters before starting a revolt to topple Robotnik. As the riots towards Citadel Robotnik, Grimer called hundreds of Badniks to the Metropolis Zone. Just as the rioters were about to be overwhelmed though, an electromagnetic pulse (courtesy of Sonic) appeared over Mobius. The pulse wiped out all of Robotnik's forces on the planet, allowing the people to regain control of Mobius. Amidst the chaos, Sonic and Super Sonic appeared in the Metropolis Zone to do battle until Super Sonic ran away, having been rendered unable to store energy. Developing amnesia, Super Sonic was taken in by an elderly couple. Meanwhile, Sonic brought the defeated Dr. Robotnik back to the Metropolis Zone, only for Grimer to come and rescue him. Sonic, however, intercepted Robotnik and Grimer in Citadel Robotnik as they tried bringing Robotnik's empire back online. Though the villains escaped, Sonic destroyed Citadel Robotnik, signifying the end of Robotnik's dictatorship.

Points of interest

 * Badnik Processing Plant
 * Citadel Robotnik (destroyed)
 * Metropolis City High Security Prison
 * Metropolis Park
 * Metropolis Zone Central Bank
 * The Neighborhood
 * The Groovy Train