Ray the Flying Squirrel (Archie)

Ray the Flying Squirrel is a member of the Chaotix and best friends with Mighty the Armadillo, having met him while both were held prisoner by Dr. Ivo Robotnik. The two teamed up with Sonic the Hedgehog during an escape attempt, but Ray ended up being trapped when he grabbed the prison's Power Stone energy source and was caught in a time warp. Years later, Mighty found and freed him, bringing him back to Angel Island. Joining the Chaotix, Ray became a loyal, if timid, member, helping them face various foes on the island and then later on the surface as they fought Doctor Eggman alongside the Freedom Fighters. Later, Ray also became a part-time resident of New Mobotropolis. He exists in both the Pre-and Post-Super Genesis Wave timeline.

Imprisonment
When Sonic the Hedgehog was ten years old, he infiltrated a group of Mobians that had been taken prisoner by Dr. Robotnik and were being taken to a high security prison/research facility. Ray was one of the unlucky inmates, and his timid nature was quite evident, though it didn't stop him from being courteous, as evidenced when he gave up his seat to a girl. He soon made friends with Mighty the Armadillo and the young Sonic, the latter of whom boasted that he would soon have them all free again.

Upon arriving at the prison, the two came to the aid of Fiona Fox, another prisoner who was targeted by the Robian warden for Robotnik's experimentation. For all his fear, Ray battled valiantly, stopping only when all three of them were targeted by laser weapons. Afterwards, Mighty and Ray were put in separate cages, while Fiona was taken to Robotnik himself. Liberated by Sonic and Mighty, Ray joined them in attacking Robotnik's lab, making his way towards a machine that was copying Fiona Fox in order to create an Auto Automaton. Ray grabbed the Power Stone fueling the machine and was then hit by an energy beam from a SWATbot, but instead of dying was trapped in some sort of time warp between Zones. Sonic dashed to get him, but he didn't succeed. Mighty, very upset over the whole thing, tore apart the facility but Sonic told Mighty to never give up hope. For years Mighty thought his friend was dead, only to return years later with Fiona and Nic the Weasel to find Ray alive and well. Ray was then freed from the Zone convergence by a shot from Nic's blaster pistol, and happily reunited with Mighty he accompanied him to Angel Island and became a member in the Chaotix.

In the Chaotix
Ray accompanied the Chaotix on numerous missions as time went on, helping them face numerous foes. Along with the other residents of Angel Island, he was sent to the Twilight Zone by the Dark Legion's Quantum Beam, only to be brought back later by Chaos Knuckles.

Following Knuckles' death, Ray was among those who joined in during the massive battle against the Xorda, during which Knuckles made his return and Sonic seemingly took his place. Ray attended Sonic's funeral before siding with the other Chaotix in remaining on Mobius' surface to do battle with Doctor Eggman and put an end to his threat once and for all.

Happily, Sonic returned a year later, having been in space due to the Xorda's Quantum Dial exploding, and Ray was one of many in attendance at Mina Mongoose's concert welcoming him home. When word reached the Chaotix of Knuckles' father Locke being imprisoned on Angel Island by the Dingoes, who with Eggman's aid had overthrown the Echidnas some time previously, Ray was with the Chaotix as they stormed the island to save the Guardian.

Later, Ray bravely battled alongside his friends as they faced the sorcerers Mammoth Mogul and Ixis Naugus and their minions the Destructix and Arachne for possession of the Sword of Acorns and Crown of Acorns, the last remnants of the Source of All. He and Mighty also interviewed Fiona in order to gain intelligence on Rouge the Bat after she arrived in Knothole seeking protection from Doctor Finitevus, the mad Echidna she had briefly joined forces with and then left. The duo also worked together with Espio the Chameleon as he infiltrated the Golden Hive Colony, former home of Chaotix members Charmy Bee and Saffron, to determine what had become of its inhabitants.

When Sonic had a remote control device attached to him by Dr. Eggman that sent him on a destructive rampage through Knothole, Ray worked with the other Chaotix to stop him, but unfortunately was easily dispatched. Despite this failure, the freed Sonic expressed his gratitude for having the group around, although he found Knuckles' efforts to help him during the fight a bit too over-zealous.

The turning points of War
A much more pleasant duty found him attending the wedding of Freedom Fighters Bunnie Rabbot and Antoine D'Coolette. Unfortunately, the happy atmosphere brought about by that event was cut short as Dr. Eggman launched a massive assault on Knothole using his Egg Fleet while dispatching his nephew Snively Kintobor to attack Freedom HQ, the base the Freedom Fighters and Chaotix shared. Ray was amongst the many taken prisoner by Snively and transported to the Egg Grape Chamber, where he and the other inhabitants of Knothole were then saved by Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Fiona, and the computer NICOLE, who also arranged for them all to be transported to the city of New Mobotropolis.

When word reached the city of the rise of a new Enerjak, an old foe of the Chaotix, Ray accompanied his friends as they stormed the King Frederick Airfield in a bid to reach Angel Island and aid a missing Knuckles. Convinced to remain in the city by Sally Acorn, they were then faced with a horrible revelation as the new Enerjak unmasked himself, revealing his identity as a brainwashed Knuckles. Ray was among the many who charged Enerjak in an effort to stop him, only to be thwarted by his immense powers. After the battle between Enerjak and Super Sonic, Ray returned to Angel Island with the other Chaotix to build a bridge between Angel Island and the new Shrine Island, now the resting place of the Master Emerald.

When Sonic and the Chaotix attacked the ravaged New Megaopolis, Ray, Charmy and Saffron were responsible for setting explosives in one of Eggman's main satellite towers which was his primary means of communication with other sections of Mobius, while the others attacked the Dark Egg Legion. The three found themselves cornered when the Dark Egg Legion ended up retreating to their location.

New Problems
Following the defeat of Eggman, Ray, the Chaotix, and the Freedom Fighters went back to New Mobotropolis to celebrate. But Monkey Khan crashed the party and mentioned the Iron Dominion. The Iron Queen later managed to take control of NICOLE and transformed her into Iron NICOLE. When the Iron Dominion invaded, Ray helped the rest of the Chaotix help everyone to safety. In Sonic Universe, Ray and Vector were tasked with guarding the Master Emerald while Knuckles, Mighty, and Julie-Su spoke with the Dingoes. Ray and Vector began making small talk and Vector mentioned that he used to live in the Downunda. When Ray tried to ask about information, Vector simply said "Don't push it" and the two were surrounded by Wing Dingoes and tried to prevent them from taking the Master Emerald. Ray then stated that he "didn't want it to come to this" and he jumped on the Master Emerald and pretended to absorb its power and transform into "Super Ray". This shocked the Wing Dingoes and Vector and the Wind Dingoes fled. Vector then asked since when was he able to go Super. Ray then laughed and said that he couldn't and that he bluffed about going Super just to scare of the Wing Dingoes. Vector then asked how had he managed to make it look believable, Ray mentioned that Knuckles said the Master Emerald responds to everyone, but responds to some people more than others.Afterwards, he and Vector fled to the surface after Angel Island was grabbed by chains from the Great Crater, and found Knuckles, Mighty, and Julie-Su   there with the villain Dr. Finitevus. Ray asked Vector if their friends knew about his time in Downunda, which Vector quickly rebuffed as a new wave of robots descended on the group. After being saved by the Downunda Freedom Fighters and learning that the robots were sent by the Downunda chapter of the Dark Egg Legion, Ray returned to Angel Island with Julie-Su to guard the Master Emerald. They later saved Knuckles from Finitevus, and watched as Knuckles threw him off the island; the group then returned to its normal duties.

Searching for a Sister
When Espio returned to the Chaotix, he revealed that in his role as a Shinobi Clan observer he had gathered much information about the Chaotix. This included the news that Mighty's parents had apparently perished, but that he had a younger sister who had apparently become part of a Dark Egg Legion chapter. The next morning, Ray visited Mighty's home to find him packing, his plan being to find his missing sister. Ray then pleaded to be included in the journey, which Mighty agreed to, and the pair set off after bidding goodbye to the other Chaotix. They continued to communicate with their friends by sending them letters through a Warp Ring, apprising them of their progress.Ray and Mighty eventually made their way to Mercia, Mighty's birthplace, where they were set upon by the Dark Egg Legion of Mercia. Overcoming their attackers, the two made the acquaintance of the Crazy Kritter Freedom Fighters, who provided them with what information they could about Mighty's sister. The pair and their new friends were all set to invade Snottingham Castle for further information, only for the Legion to attack Deerwood Forest in search of the Freedom Fighters' Hideaway. Despite their own quest, the pair bravely fought alongside the Freedom Fighters to turn back the invasion force before finally departing to sneak into the castle. However, they never recontacted the Freedo Fighers, and their Warp Ring returned to Angel Island by itself, leading Vector, Charmy, and Espio to come looking for them.Having managed to access the information on Mighty's sister, Matilda the Armadillo, the pair made their way to Sand Blast City, where they joined the Sand-Blasters. Operating under the name "Jitters", Ray went along with Mighty, alias "Flex", as they claimed loyalty to Jack Rabbit. Both were present in the city when their trio of friends, fresh from a victory in Mercia, arrived and recognized them. After getting the trio away from the Sand-Blasters, the pair explained that they had joined the Sand-Blasters under assumed names in order to safely learn the dynamics of the region. Ray was shocked when Mighty announced that he would be gong alone to meet Beauregard Rabbot, leader of the Dark Egg Legion in the Great Desert, in order to learn the location of his sister. Ray begged to be taken along, but Mighty insisted on him staying with their three friends. After the Armadillo left, Ray revealed that he had been struggling with their mission, and had fears that Mighty, his adopted older brother, might end their relationship once he was reunited with his long-lost sister. The trio encouraged their friend, and assured him that he doesn't have to worry about losing a brother, because he was about to gain a sister. The group were then unpleasantly surprised when Jack came to their dwelling in the morning and demanded that Ray tell him what had happened to Mighty. When the terrified Squirrel had trouble answering, Espio came to his aid, claiming that Mighty had left in order to take on Beauregard solo. The four were then informed of Mighty's "captivity" and the Baron's desire for a prisoner exchange, and then learned that Jack apparently liked Mighty's idea of eliminating Beauregard, so much so that he intended to kill him at the exchange point.

As the Chaotix accompanied the Sand-Blasters to the exchange point, Ray expressed his worries about what would happen if Jack learned of Mighty's deception. Vector quickly resolved upon a strategy: to wait until hostilities broke out before using the Warp Ring to escape with the Armadillos in tow. In the midst of the ensuing battle, the group's cover was blown, but Ray bravely flew aboard the Legion carrier in order to demand Mighty's release. His aggressive stance angered a Legionnaire, who Ray learned was none other than Mighty's sister Matilda the Armadillo after Mighty and the Baron prevented her from attacking Ray. The Flying Squirrel directed that Matilda come with them, but Matilda revealed her lack of memories or feelings regarding her long lost brother, and wanted nothing to do with them. Ray surprised all present by rounding on her, revealing to her how Mighty's love for her had led him to great lengths in his efforts to be reunited with her.

Ray also cited his own sad history, and how Mighty had taken him in and given him a family. Recognizing Matilda's own sad life experience and its similarity to his own, Ray assured her that Mighty would never leave her feeling alone or afraid again, any more than he had Ray. Weeping at his own words, Ray was congratulated by Mighty on his simple eloquence, only to be knocked aside by Jolt the Roadrunner as he came aboard the carrier to take Mighty out. Fortunately, Ray's speech was success, and Matilda came to their aid not once but twice, losing one of her cybernetic arms to a missile on the second occasion. Mighty, enraged, went on a rampage that drove off the Sand-Blasters, and Ray brought him out of it by reminding him of Matilda's condition. Fortunately, Matilda survived, and Mighty introduced Ray to her as someone else she could call brother. Ray shyly greeted his new sibling, and revealed that he had often wondered what having a sister would be like, while Matilda thanked him for helping her see the truth. Sadly, Matilda's injuries required that she remain in the care of the Legion, but Mighty assured Matilda that they would be together again soon just before leaving for Angel Island with Ray and the others.

Sadly, the group's return home was anything but happy: they found Knuckles alone, with the only trace of their female teammates being Julie-Su's discarded taser, which Ray found on the ground. In their absence, the pair-along with almost every other surviving Echidna besides Knuckles-had been banished through a Warp Ring by Thrash the Tasmanian Devil during the Albion Attack. (StH #246)

Personality
Though not overly brave, Ray is an extremely loyal friend and a very courteous individual. When he was captured by Robotnik, he was huddling in his cell in a traumatized, fetal position. Despite his fears, he is always willing to do what it takes to help his friends accomplish their goals, and as time goes on he becomes less timid and more eager to join the good fight. His friendship with Mighty has earned him a guardian angel of sorts in the Armadillo, and Ray never need fear that danger will befall him while Mighty is around-or that Mighty will fail to avenge him, or be captured.This connection makes Ray feel comfortable, and the thought of Mighty going off without him or any other backup frightened Ray so much that he pleads with Mighty to take him along. The pair consider each other adoptive brothers,(much like Sonic and Tails) though Ray's fearful nature led him to worry that their relationship might end when Mighty was reunited with his sister, Matilda. Ironically, it only Ray's heartfelt pleas to Matilda that Mighty would save her from a life of fear and loneliness-as Ray himself had experienced-that convinced Matilda to accept her older brother. Ray and Matilda also came to consider each other siblings due to their connection to Mighty. Ray often stutters when he speaks, but doesn't let it stop him from asking questions or do what he was taught to do.

Abilities
Apart from the natural flight power granted to all members of his species, Ray possesses no special skills or enhanced attributes such as Mighty's strength or Sonic's speed. However, he is still an impressive combatant, more than a match for any typical member of the Dark Legion or one of Eggman's weaker robots. He was very briefly thought to be capable of a Super transformation through the Master Emerald, when really the Master Emerald only responded enough to fake a transformation.

Friends

 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Miles "Tails Prower"
 * Mighty the Armadillo (best friend, Close as brothers)
 * Chaotix
 * Sally Acorn
 * Bunnie Rabbot-D'Coolette
 * Antoine D'Coolette
 * Amy Rose
 * Knuckles the Echidna
 * Downunda Freedom Fighters

Enemies

 * Dr. Robotnik
 * Dr. Eggman
 * Dingoes
 * General Helmut Von Stryker
 * Dark Egg Legion
 * Mammoth Mogul
 * Doctor Finitevus
 * Iron Dominion
 * Knuckles the Echidna (when he was the fourth Enerjak)
 * Hunter