Sonic Forces: Moment of Truth

Sonic Forces: Moment of Truth is the first issue in the Sonic Forces digital comic series.

Moment of Truth

 * Story: Sonic Team
 * Script: Ian Flynn
 * Art & Letters: Adam Bryce Thomas

Synopsis
At Sunset Heights, a Resistance soldier hangs on the guard rail on top of a building, remembering how he was inspired to be just as heroic as Sonic the Hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prower, and Amy Rose. Unfortunately, he is too cowardly to live up to his dreams to be a hero, preferring to be on look-out duty than fight against Eggman's robots. To add to his self-loathing, he even recollects the Chaotix's involvement in helping drive away Eggman's forces, despite their goofy nature. As the soldier contemplates quitting the Resistance, he notices the incoming battalion of badniks dropping from an Eggman Empire air fortress, preparing to strike the city.

The soldier warns the other Resistance members, in which the Chaotix swiftly take action and send out the Resistance units to their battle stations. Vector the Crocodile notices the cowardly-soldier on the rooftop, requesting for the soldier's help in the Resistance's defenses. The soldier obliges, reaching below to normal ground level. The soldier struggles to pick up a pipe, to which Vector grabs from him, urging the soldier to not stall time by performing a task he knows he cannot do. Espio the Chameleon gives the cowardly soldier the Burst Wispon in an attempt to help out with the defense against the badniks, only for the soldier to accidentally use the weapon against Charmy Bee. The Chaotix and several Resistance members prepare at the city's front gates as the badniks come crashing in, with the heroes charging right at them with heavy defense.

Realizing that he is nothing more than a failure not only with his cowardly demeanor but his strength and competence in utilizing weapons, the soldier hides behind several crates in an alleyway away from the battlefield, once again mentally beating himself up for his mistakes and fear. The soldier overhears Vector asking his forces to use the artillery cannon to fire at the air fortress that is sending in the badniks, to which the soldier realizes could be his one chance at redemption. Seeing a single bomb next the crate beside him, the soldier grabs the bomb and high-tails it to the artillery cannon, where he fires spot-on at the air fortress. With the bomb heavily damaging the air fortress, Eggman via communicator decides to fell from the battle, promising he will return with more opposition to counter the heroes. The Chaotix congratulate the soldier for his outstanding work, baffled at his ability to aim flawlessly at the air fortress. The soldier, while proud at his accomplishments, still believes he could have done more, inspiring him to pursue higher lengths than before next time to become a true hero.

Appearances
Characters:
 * Badniks
 * Dr. Eggman
 * Resistance
 * Amy Rose
 * Avatar
 * Chaotix
 * Charmy Bee
 * Espio the Chameleon
 * Vector the Crocodile
 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Sonic the Hedgehog

Locations:
 * Sunset Heights

Items:
 * Burst Wispon

Trivia

 * During the process of making the comic, script writer Ian Flynn had asked the artist of the comic, Adam Bryce Thomas, to include a small visual Easter egg in the comic. Flynn gave two hints about the easter egg, saying "I like Bean the Dynamite" and "Something in the story is designed to go boom". He later confirmed when the Easter egg was found: the colors of a bomb carried and shot by the main Resistance soldier featured in the comic has Bean-themed colors, with a green body and red cap.
 * The first panel of the second page of the comic features a cameo by Poppy Possum and her daughter Lily from the webcomic Poppy O'Possum. Bryce Thomas had previously done fanart for Poppy, as well as a guest update for the comic in 2016 while working as a penciller on Archie's Sonic Universe. They appear in the bottom right of the panel next to a rabbit Resistance soldier.

Trivia

 * The PDF files for this issue contain early sketches of the next comic.