Great War

The Great War was a five-year conflict which occurred in Mobius' recent history between the Overlanders and Mobians (primarily the Kingdom of Acorn). The conflict between the two distinct races goes back as far as the time of the Kingdom's first monarch Alexander. Although the Overlanders had the advantage of superior technology in the beginning of the Great War, the defection of Julian Kintobor and his knowledge of technology and Overlander tactics allowed the Mobians to gain a significant advantage. Eventually, due to Julian's help, the Mobians pushed back the Overlanders and won the Great War. Feelings of racism and xenophobia on both sides have continued to exist between the two species as a result of the war.

Early Conflict
Roughly 1,000 years ago, prior to the formation of Mobotropolis, the Mobian Alexander realized that every species on the planet offered something unique which they could contribute to a single, large society. While trying to gather the various groups to form a single civilization, Alexander found that the Overlanders' aggressive tendencies would prove too great a risk to incorporate them into his community, and so they were excluded. (StH: #71)

The Paladin Incident
Since the creation of Mobotropolis, which was led by the first King of Acorns, Alexander, the Mobians had lived in peace and tranquility. Just outside the boundaries of the kingdom existed the mysterious Overlanders. Contact between the two species had been more or less benign since the creation of Mobotropolis. During the next king's rule, Theodore Acorn, a tragic accident befell his son, Emerson. While Emerson was making his way back to Mobotropolis with a group of other Mobians, he decided to take a detour and explore around the areas of Roundabout Creek. There, he met the Overlander Paladin, whose city was nearby just beyond the Badlands and had gone to do some target practice. (StH: #72)

The two were enjoying each other's company, and Paladin decided to teach Emerson how to shoot a gun. Things took a turn for the worst when Paladin decided to target a bird, and Emerson jumped in the way hoping to prevent the bird's death. The shot killed Emerson, and as King Theodore came looking for his son, he saw Paladin running away into the forest. Instead of calling for vengeance, Alexander simply forbade contact between Mobians and Overlanders, as well as establishing a no-gun policy. Little did he know, his no-gun policy would gradually lead to a much larger misunderstanding, which resulted in the Great War. (StH: #72)

The Arrival of Nate Morgan
The death of prince Emerson and Alexander's no-gun policy resulted in tensions between the two people. However, for centuries, conflicts remained as small skirmishes along to border and never escalated. This changed during the rule of King Frederick Acorn. (StH: #73)

The scientist Overlander Nate Morgan had recently been exiled from his home in Megapolis, when his assistant Julian Kintobor caused one of Nate's studies to fail and endanger the society. Nate was accepted into the Mobian society by King Frederick with open arms when he was found in the wilderness. The kingdom had remained in a pre-industrial state due to the Mobian belief in the preservation of nature, ever since the death of Emerson. Nate resumed the work on his previous failed study, which was to create a clean power source to replace fossil fuels. Nate created the Power Rings, which acted as conduits for the mysterious Chaos Emerald King Frederick provided him with. With this new power supply, Mobotropolis broke out of its pre-industrial state and echoed in a new golden age. (StH: #65)

Some time later, Frederick's son, Maximillian Acorn, assumed the mantle of king. Unfortunately, with the new technology replacing the need for the court's wizard, Ixis Naugus, the magician conspired to have Nate Morgan exiled from Mobotropolis. After Naugus was unable to convince King Max of Nate's "treacherous nature," he and general Kodos formed an alliance and would both work to prove it to the king. Naugus used his magic to increase the emotion of hatred in a group of Overlander troops that were nearby Nate, Kodos and a group of Kodos' armed troops while Nate was performing an environmental survey of the Great Forest. With Kodos and Nate the only two to have survived the encounter, Kodos informed the king that Nate had provided the Overlanders with the location of the kingdom. Nate, feeling he had caused enough trouble to both the Overlanders and Mobians, imposed self-exile on himself, and left the Kingdom. With the conflict between the two growing, Naugus fled to the realm he discovered known as the Zone of Silence until it ended, while Kodos remained behind. (StH: #65, #73)

Instigation
When two scouts from both sides met, neither one wanted to engage in combat. The two decided they would return to their respective lands and inform their people war would be futile and result in surrender. However, the two had been discovered by Kodos and a group of his troops. Kodos executed both, and had their bodies delivered to each side with a note saying "this is what happens to all who oppose us". Each side was convinced by this that they were dealing with savages, resulting in the start of the Great War. Due to the incredible superiority of the Overlander technology, it appeared as if the Mobians had no chance of victory. (StH: #73)

The Queen Alicia Incident
As time went on, the superior technology of the Overlanders allowed them to push back the Mobian forces. By 3221, Overlander troops were within mortar and shelling range of Mobotropolis. As the city came under siege, King Max decided to send his infant son Elias and wife Alicia to the safety of Angel Island where they would remain safe from the clutches of the Overlanders should the city fall. The two members of the royal family were placed under the care of Ian St. John, Colonel Sommersby and a group of a few other soldiers and were dispatched via air ship to Angel Island. (StH: #64, KtE: #20)
 * The date 3221 was taken from the fact Elias said he had been away from Knothole for fifteen years in Sonic the Hedgehog #73. The year he made this statement was 3236, making the year he was sent away 3221.

As their craft flew over the floating island it came under siege by Overlander scout ships and was subsequently shot down. The Brotherhood of Guardians arrived on the scene first, finding a seriously wounded Queen Alicia and her infant son amongst the wreckage as the sole survivors of the crash. The Brotherhood's team leader, Sabre, informed the Overlanders that everyone had died in the crash. Due to the Echidnas' non-involvement in the war and overall neutrality, the Overlanders took Sabre's word and departed. Shortly afterwards the dying Queen was taken back to Haven and put in cryo-sleep until a cure could be found for her wounds, while Elias was looked after and raised. (KtE: #20, #21)

Arrival of Julian Kintobor
After being sentenced to imprisonment for testing new weapons on his own people, the Overlander scientist Julian Kintobor was rescued in the Badlands by the hedgehog brothers Charles and Jules during his attempted escape. Julian was able to win the trust of King Max, particularly since Max felt responsible for Nate Morgan's self-exile and wanted to rectify this by trusting the newly arrived Overlander. Additionally, the Overlanders were directly attacking Mobotropolis, making the king all the more desperate for a solution to the war. Julian managed to gain status in the kingdom when he knocked Kodos unconscious and threw him into the Zone of Silence, and convinced them Kodos had died when meddling with one of Naugus' left behind tools. Julian convinced the Mobians that unless they defeated the Overlanders, their enemies would not rest until they wiped them out. With his knowledge of the Overlander tactics, Julian was appointed the new Warlord to replace the presumed-dead Kodos. (StH: #50, #72, #74)

Battles and Skirmishes
As the Overlanders continued their shelling of Mobotropolis, many of its citizens and troops, suffering from wounds and shell-shock and weary from constant battle, were sent into the bunkers beneath the city where the women and children were waiting in sanctuary. Two of the female soldiers, Bernadette and Cocoa, were chosen as guides due to their superior eyesight, and lead a group of soldiers through the massive sewer network, including Jules and Charles. Eventually, the group found themselves behind enemy lines. Using the element of surprise, the Mobian troops emerged and began attacked the startled Overlanders. It was at this point that Amadeus Prower received a wound to his left eye. The Overlander's leader, Colin Kintobor, realized defeat was imminent and retreated into the same sewer systems the Mobians emerged from, managing to escape capture, while the rest of the Overlanders' attacking forces were defeated. (StH: #76)

Prior to the discovery of Sir Charles' Roboticizer, Warlord Julian's schemes to take over the kingdom involved using an army of cyborgs. After capturing and experimenting on the citizens of the neutral village of Kar Leung, Julian managed to create one successful cyborg - Monkey Khan. Although he was disappointed only one test subject had survived receiving cybernetic implants, Julian decided to test his sole cyborg warrior on a group of attacking Overlanders. After Monkey Khan attacked them and single-handedly destroying their tank, the Overlander troops retreated. Julian was impressed by Monkey Khan's success, but was forced to permanently confine him after Khan attempted to mutiny. (StH: #86)



When the infamous Mobian historian Kirby disappeared and was presumed to have been captured by the Overlanders, a team – composed of the now-married Jules and Bernadette Hedgehog, Charles, Sherman Walrus and Amadeus Prower – was dispatched to discover what his fate was. Following a lead about Kirby's whereabouts, the team soon found themselves chasing an Overlander. In their chase however, Jules got careless and was received a mortal wound to the head by the Overlander. The Overlander was soon taken out by an enraged Bernadette and Jules was brought back through the Badlands to Mobotropolis. Jules' wound proved too severe to be healed, though his life was saved by his brother Charles' recently developed means of roboticization. (StH: #77, #78)

Conclusion
With Julian's knowledge of Overlander tactics, and his development of new technologies and machines, the Mobians were finally able to go on the offensive. Eventually they pushed the Overlanders away from Mobotropolis. (StH: #50, #72)

The Great War came to an abrupt end after Julian arranged for the Overlord of the Overlander people to face off against King Max in a sword duel. The purpose of this was to essentially have one of his primary enemies removed and place him in a better position to pursue his plans of global domination after the war's end. In the event the Overlord won, Julian planned to take command and lead the Mobians to constant war with the Overlanders, wearing both sides down. If King Max won, the Overlanders would be forced to surrender, as agreed by both combatants. King Max won the duel, but instead of killing the Overlord, he spared his life and allowed the Overlord to leave, telling him to honor his word. As per the agreement, the Overlord surrendered, and the Great War came to an end. (StH: #78)

Post-Mobian Victory
Despite the outcome of the duel nearly thwarting Julian's plans, the discovery of Sir Charles Hedgehog's roboticizer enabled him to proceed with his plans. Not long after their victory over the Overlanders, King Max was preparing to announce the dismantling of the War Ministry and promote Julian to the position of Minister of Science. Before his announcement could be made however, Julian, now calling himself Dr. Ivo Robotnik, launched a full scale coup d'état and overthrew the Acorn Monarchy. He banished King Max to the Zone of Silence, and began roboticizing the population of Mobotropolis. (StH: #43, #78)

Robotnik's reign as Mobius' dictator lasted for over a decade, until he was ultimately defeated by Sonic the Hedgehog and the Freedom Fighters. (StH: #50)

Overlander Response
Having lost to the "inferior" Mobians, the Overlanders were racked with shame. Lead by Julian's brother Colin Kintobor, a group of Overlanders took off on board two spaceships to look for a new planet to call their own. This prevented the Overlanders from falling under the rule of Robotnik, as the tyrannical ruler sent his legions of SWATbots to their main city of Megapolis following his takeover of Mobotropolis. (StH: #72, #94)

After failing to find a suitable new planet over the course of eleven years, and with their supplies running low, the Overlanders eventually returned to Mobius. At this point, Doctor Eggman had replaced the now-deceased Dr. Ivo Robotnik (formerly Julian Kintobor) and convinced the Overlanders to stay in Robotropolis. When it was discovered Eggman was secretly allowing them to succumb to toxic radiation poisoning, the surviving 70 families from the star trek left and integrated with their human counterparts in Station Square. (StH: #92, #93, #94, #105, #106, #107)

Trivia

 * The year of the Great War's beginning's and end were determined through dialogue and the SEGA data files. Sonic was said to have been born during the "early days of the Great War". Tails' data file states he was born five years later, as did other dialogue throughout the comics. Tails was born the day of Robotnik's coup, which began shortly after the war's end. Thus, the conflict lasted from 3220 - 3225.