Mecha Sonic (Sky Sanctuary Zone)


 * This article is about the Sonic robot from Sonic & Knuckles. For other Sonic robots that may be known as "Mecha Sonic", see Metal Sonic or Sonic robots in the Archie comic



Mecha Sonic (メカソニック) is a powerful robot built by Doctor Eggman that appeared in the game Sonic & Knuckles. He attacks both Sonic the Hedgehog and Knuckles the Echidna, and appears in the Sky Sanctuary Zone in five separate boss battles across the two story lines of the game (three times against Sonic and twice against Knuckles). He can roll into a ball and spin-dash just like his living counterpart. He can also float as a ball and attack from above.

History
Mecha Sonic first appears as an enemy of Sonic (and possibly Tails, if playing Sonic 3 & Knuckles). He appears three times. In the first two appearances, he is piloting Doctor Eggman's Egg Mobile, first with an attached checker-ball weight (as Eggman did in the Green Hill Zone in Sonic the Hedgehog) then surrounded by swirling orbs (as Eggman did in the Metropolis Zone in Sonic the Hedgehog 2). In his third battle against Sonic, he appears on foot, and the two fight hand-to-hand.

Although Sonic defeats his Mecha counterpart, the robot is shown to survive the battle. He reappears in Knuckles' story as the final boss of the game. First Knuckles defeats him in a simple one-on-one fight (as Sonic did). Then Mecha Sonic flees to the Master Emerald, which he uses to power himself up into an invincible, glowing, golden form (referred to as Super Mecha Sonic, after his resemblance to Super Sonic). In this form he is untouchable, but Knuckles is able to defeat him by striking when his power runs out and he is forced to go back to the Master Emerald for a recharge. When Knuckles defeats the robot this time, he explodes.

Naming
This robot was called "Mecha Sonic" in the Japanese official strategy guide for Sonic Jam, but isn't referred to at all in American manuals. Note that Silver Sonic, from both versions of Sonic 2, was also known as Mecha Sonic in Japan.

Archie Sonic the Hedgehog
In the Archie Comics Sonic the Hedgehog series, Mecha Sonic appears as the roboticized version of the blue blur himself. Sonic is first roboticized into Mecha Sonic when he is captured by Fang the Sniper and given to Robotnik for roboticization. Mecha Sonic then wreaks havoc all over Knothole, which forces the Freedom Fighters to roboticize Knuckles using a button that gives mobians free will when roboticized. Mecha Knuckles then defeats Mecha Sonic and both of them are de-roboticized.

Nearly a year later, Sonic, Tails, Dr. Eggman and Snively are abducted by the Bem, with the latter two being de-roboticized into flesh and blood, and the former two roboticized with free will into Mecha Sonic and Mecha Tails, respectively. As promised by the Bem, Mecha Sonic and Mecha Tails defeat the de-roboticized Eggman and Snively and are de-roboticized again.

With the fact that roboticization doesn't exist in the comics anymore, it's unlikely that Mecha Sonic will appear in the comics again. But the recent events of Genesis and the return of Mecha Sally suggest otherwise.

Sonic the Comic
A Metallix robot based on Mecha Sonic appeared in Sonic the Comic's adaptation of Sonic & Knuckles. He stole the Master Emerald from the Hidden Palace Zone and was followed by Sonic and Knuckles to the Sky Sanctuary Zone. As in the game, he super-charged himself with the Master Emerald's energy, becoming invincible. However, he was defeated by Super Sonic when Sonic tried the same trick.

Abandoned concept
A new form of Mecha Sonic was apparently planned for appearance in Sonic X-treme. Its appearance was almost nothing like the original, more resembling Crash Man, from the Capcom game Mega Man 2.

Trivia

 * Mecha Sonic is the first villain to achieve a Super Form, the first inorganic character to use a Super Form (the others being Metal Sonic at the end of Knuckles' Chaotix and SCR-HD at the end of Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity), and the first overall to trigger a transformation by use of the Master Emerald (The next would be Pir'Oth Ix, over a decade later) This makes him one of Eggman's most intelligent robots.
 * Strangely, he is also the only character with a super form that does not last long, forcing him to retreat to the Master Emerald for another charge up. The second half of the battle displays him remaining in his super form and no longer needing the Master Emerald to maintain it, though he is seen periodically reverting back to his normal form and then quickly powering up afterwards, hinting that his super form is also the only super form that is not stable.
 * Mecha Sonic is the second robot able to pilot one of Dr. Eggman's Eggmobiles, the first being the EggRobo.
 * Mecha Sonic is the only other character in the video games to pilot the Wrecking Ball Eggmobile besides Dr. Eggman.
 * After Mecha Sonic is beaten in Sky Sanctuary and after the end credits are finished, a small scene shows him standing on the Master Emerald in a dark, empty space. This could mean he survived the fight or is trapped within the Master Emerald. Either way he did not appear in any other game afterwards.
 * Even though Mecha Sonic only appeared in one game, he has been vastly popularized due to a very popular flash series.
 * He shares this trait with Nazo, a scrapped and extremely obscure character who was immensely popularized by a titular flash series in a very similar fashion.