Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 75

Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 75 was the seventy-fifth issue of the main Sonic the Hedgehog comic series.

Summary

 * Note: This story starts off immediately following the conclusion of the previous issue.

After the tank of acid spills onto "Robotnik" the Freedom Fighters are in for a little shock as his skin melts away, revealing the black metal body of someone else, someone they haven't seen since Issue 19, Robo-Robotnik. After declaring who he is, Robo-Robotnik them proceeds to capture the Freedom Fighters within a force field. Bunnie Rabbot tries to break the field but gets the shock of her life instead and winds up passing out.

Feeling proud and confident about his recent success, Robo-Robotnik then proceeds to grant Sonic's request, and gloats about how he managed to survive their last encounter. Even though his robotic body was destroyed along with the Giant Borg, Robo-Robotnik managed to transfer his mind to his space station back in his own dimension. However the station was incomplete and he would have been trapped their forever, that is until Robotnik Prime also became stranded there. Following a brief conversation between the two where Robotnik Prime manages to inspire Robo-Robotnik into never giving up, Robo-Robotnik sends Robotnik Prime back to Mobius Prime, but not before scanning the good doctor’s mind and discovering what happened to the Giant Borg Battle Suit.

As it turned out a piece of the suit had somehow made its way into his future reality and having fond it, fashioned a new body for himself. Using his new body, Robo-Robotnik then proceeded to destroy his own world by launching a hailstorm of nuclear weapons, destroying the capital of Mobotropolis and killing Sonic and the Royal family. However, Robo-Robotnik discovered that his victory was short lived for shortly thereafter he found out about Robotnik Prime's demise. Since he defeated his rodent but Robotnik Prime's rodent defeated him he decided to take Robotnik's place in the prime universe. Too all this Sonic had only one question, why lure them all the way to his satellite?

Mobotropolis is now under siege by Robo-Robotnik's Shadowbots. With little to no defense against this menace the populous panics and Nate Morgan and Amy Rose try to defend as much of the citizenry as possible.

Back at Castle Acorn, Geoffrey St. John is briefing King Maximillian Acorn about the invasion of SWATbots, and about the panic in the streets. King Max orders an evacuation of Mobotropolis, informing St. John that the civilians have to get to Knothole Village for the duration of this crisis. It is at this point that Max asks if anyone has seen Sally and to his absolute shock and dismay, Robo-Robotnik answers. He informs Max of how he managed to capture Sally and her meddlesome friends and is now holding them on his space station in orbit.

In one of his noble acts King Max offers himself to Robo-Robotnik in exchange for the freedom of the children. Robotnik rejects his offer, reasoning that he's going to capture them all anyway, and has a team of Shadowbots break into the palace. The Royal Family is save by some quick thinking by Prince Elias Acorn who literally puts the Shadowbots on ice. They make their escape.

On the station in orbit, Robo-Robotnik is gloating. So smug and arrogant he prattles on and on about how he has stolen the freewill of the Robians once again, reveling in his accomplishment. Just for spite, he shows Sonic his enslaved family, getting just the result he wants. Sonic flies into the force field and gets knocked back hard. Robo-Robotnik then explains to our intrepid heroes how the Ultimate Annihilator somehow granted the Robians back their free will, and how easy it was to fix that little "glitch."

The evacuation in Mobotropolis is not going well. Rosie the Nanny and her young charges have been cornered by a pair of Shadowbots. Certain that they would be captured they are at that moment rescued by His Majesty's Secret Service. Valdez stays behind to give the team a chance to get the kids to Knothole village, St. John wanted to go to his aid, but Hershey reminded him that there are bigger problems to worry about than the life of one man.

Things are going about as well on the station. Sonic keeps trying to break out of the force field and tells the gang after Sally tells him to stop that he can't stand the thought of losing his family again, and if he’s Roboticized then he'll never be able to save them. The force field is shut off, by none other than Snively. Snively released their little butts to save his own skin. Sally calls in the shuttle for their eventual escape. Sally then plants a bomb to take out the Satellite. Sonic tells the gang to go on a head of him, pulling out a power ring he tells them that he has something to care of first. Sally tells him that he only has five minutes, that if he goes now he might not make it. He says he'll take that chance to save his family and dashes off to find them.

Robotnik has the Robians boarding his shuttle for transport back to the surface. Sonic insults him by shouting out “Yo, Ro”butt”-Ro”butt”nik!” The new arch-enemies get into a fist fight but Sonic is out matched. Robo-Robotnik overpowers Sonic, and talks about Sonic's failure and how his parents will be his forever. It is at this moment that Sonic's power ring hits him on the head.

To Robotnik's shock and horror, but to Sonic's relief, it is revealed that Jules and Bernie retained their free will. Sonic then grabs his parents and high tails it to the shuttle as fast as he can. The shuttle manages to escape as Robotnik’s Space Station explodes

The shuttle heads back to Mobius. On the trip back Jules and Bernie explain how they ended up on Robotnik's satellite and explain how they think there is a connection between their anniversary wedding bands and them keeping their free will. They had to pretend to be under Robotnik’s control once they found out Robotnik had somehow returned fearing that he would remove their wedding bands.

The sun now sets over Mobotropolis, now rechristened as Robotropolis following the capture of the city. And deep inside Robotnik's HQ, it is revealed that Robo-Robotnik did not die when his space satellite exploded. For he takes up a new body out of the selection present. It is from this point that Doctor Eggman swears his revenge.

Quotes

 * Robo-Robotnik:"The truth is at last revealed! It was not the late Doctor Robotnik who has secretly plagued you these past months, Sonic.  No it was I, RoboRobotnik!"


 * King Max: "Robotnik... Julian... Please spare the children. In their stead, I offer myself."


 * Elias Acorn: "Maybe these Shadowbots could do with a bit of cold storage!"


 * Robo-Robotnik: "Your friends are gone... and so is your family, Sonic. Only you and I remain aboard my satellite as the end draws near!"
 * Jules Hedgehog: "Think again, you tin-plated tyrant! I'm only going to say this once, get off my son!"


 * Robo-Robotnik: (now Dr. Eggman) "It shall take more than a mere explosion to do me in, Sonic! That I promise!"

Key Events

 * Robo-Robotnik regains control of Robotropolis.
 * Jules and Bernie reveal they maintained their free will.
 * Robo-Robotnik is destroyed along with his space station.
 * Robo-Robotnik send his consciousness into a new body.

Background Information

 * This is the series' third milestone issue.
 * This issue marks the first appearance of Robo-Robotnik's new look, now known as Doctor Eggman.
 * Just like Sonic's new look, Robo-Robotnik's new look is based on his updated design for Sonic Adventure, (and all other videogames there after).

Trivia

 * Sonic's pose on the cover looks similar to his Sonic 06 artwork.
 * A nod in Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 220 resembles this cover due to Sonic on both covers saying "YOU?!?"