Information in this article may not be canonical to the storyline of the games or any other Sonic continuity. |
- For the version of this location before the Super Genesis Wave, see Angel Island (Pre-Super Genesis Wave).
Angel Island is a location that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by Archie Comics. It is an island that floats through the skies of Sonic's World, suspended by the mystical powers of the Master Emerald; without it, the island will inevitably plummet from the sky. The power of the magical gemstone has made the island a target for villains such as Dr. Eggman. Fortunately, it is protected by its Guardian Knuckles the Echidna, the last known survivor of the echidna race.
History[]
Origins[]
Angel Island came into being roughly 4,000 years ago, when the ancient Knuckles Clan, an Echidna clan led by Pachacamac, learned of a powerful gem, the Master Emerald, which rested at a shrine on the outskirts of their settlement, and planned to seize it in an attempt to obtain ultimate power. When this time came, Pachamacs daughter, Tikal, stood between them, and begged her people to abandon their greedy warmongering. When the clan continued onward regardless, trampling over the local Chao, this angered the emeralds' guardian, Chaos, who appeared and wiped out the echidnas. Tikal prayed to the emerald to calm Chaos down when its rage became uncontrollable. The gem absorbed both of them into itself in the process continuing to surge energy into a large part of the continent, causing it to break away from the rest and float into the sky with the remaining echidnas, creating Angel Island.[1]
Much of Angel Island is populated by ancient ruins, either built before or after the island was lifted into the sky. The function and purpose of many of these was eventually forgotten, but they included numerous traps and other technology that functioned into the present day. In particular, a number of control hubs for the traps dotted the island, while other ancient computers existed in such places as the Launch Base Zone.[1][2][3]
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles[]
After his defeat at the hands of Sonic and Tails, Dr. Eggman Death Egg crash landed on Angel Island, resulting in the floating island sinking down to the water's surface. Dr. Eggman used the Launch Base Zone as his base for repairs and apparently messed with the systems. He eventually repaired his flying fortress and took off into the sky with Sonic and Tails pursuing him, resulting in another crash landing on Angel Island's volcano. Dr. Eggman eventually obtained the Master Emerald from the Hidden Palace Zone during a battle between Sonic and Knuckles, who he tricked into thinking Sonic and Tails were thieves, and used it as an energy source to fuel his Death Egg. His repaired flying fortress one again took off into the sky with Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles in pursuit. Eventually, the Master Emerald was recovered, and the island once again rose into the sky.[4]
Dr. Eggman later had his assistant, Dr. Julian Snively, capture the Master Emerald for him, in which he did so with an Eggbot. Knuckles raced after the thief all over the island, and, after multiple encounters, successfully recovered the Master Emerald once again.[3][4]
Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2[]
When Dr. Eggman shattered the Master Emerald in order to release Chaos, an ancient water elemental long imprisoned inside the stone, Angel Island once again fell to the planet's surface near Mystic Ruins. With the fragments scattered across the world, Knuckles was forced to leave the island in order to recover them.[1] Meanwhile, archaeologist Relic the Pika came to the fallen island to investigate.[5] Working together with other heroes, Knuckles succeeded in restoring the Master Emerald, Chaos was pacified and returned to its home inside the Master Emerald, and the island once again lifted into the sky.[1]
Sometime after these events, Knuckles made the acquaintance of Relic, who convinced Knuckles to let her stay on the island.[2] The next female visitor to the island was nowhere near as friendly: the thief Rouge the Bat attempted to steal the Master Emerald, only to be beaten to the punch by Dr. Eggman. In order to prevent the mad doctor from using the Emerald's power for his latest scheme, Knuckles shattered the Emerald himself, causing the island to fall to the planet's surface once again. He then proceeded to search the planet for the shards and restore the emerald yet again. In the end, Angel Island rose to the sky once again.[6]
Shattered World Crisis[]
- Note: From the readers point of view, this picks up from where Angel Island's original timeline ended.
When the Shattered World Crisis hit the world, Angel Island was affected by the upheaval as well, though not as drastically as the surface. Most notably, Chaos emerged from the Master Emerald and dropped to the planet's surface, while Tikal spoke to Knuckles regarding the crisis. Learning that the spirit known as Light Gaia had the power to restore the planet but was in need of help, Knuckles set out to find him. In leaving, he put Relic the Pika and her assistant Fixit the Robot in charge of the Master Emerald.[2]
Relic and Fixit soon ran into problems, as they detected strange activity elsewhere on the island.[7] Upon investigating, they came across a strange root, which they took a sample of in hopes that it could be examined back at the Flying Battery wreckage. Unbeknownst to them, however, the root was a sign of the presence of Eclipse the Darkling, last surviving member of the Black Arms.[8] Upon determining that the island was under threat, they alerted the returning Knuckles.[9] They were soon joined by further unexpected visitors: the members of Team Dark. An uneasy alliance between Knuckles and the G.U.N. agents broke down when Shadow the Hedgehog insisted upon moving the Master Emerald to a more secure location, but they managed to put aside their differences when Eclipse and his Dark Arms seized the gem. Knuckles and Shadow managed to intercept Eclipse after he fought his way through many of the island's traps, and Knuckles shattered the Master Emerald once again to keep it out of the hands of both sides. Fortunately, the planet's shattered state allowed Angel Island to remain aloft, but Knuckles set out almost immediately to recover the Emerald's shards, knowing that the island would plummet yet again were the planet restored before the Master Emerald.[3][5][10][11]
Points of interest[]
- Azure Lake Zone
- Carnival Night Zone
- Flying Battery wreckage
- Hidden Palace Zone
- IceCap Zone
- Launch Base Zone
- Marble Garden Zone
- Mushroom Hill Zone
- Red Mountain Zone
- Sandopolis Zone
- Shrine Isle
- Sky Sanctuary
Trivia[]
- When explaining the Gaia Manuscripts, Professor Dillon Pickle says the death and rebirth of Sonic's World happen every ten thousands of years. The illustrations of the Gaia Manuscripts show Angel Island visible above the broken world. Angel Island rose 4,000 years ago and would not have been present during the previous rebirth of the world.
Gallery[]
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Sonic Adventure/Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Sonic Universe #63, "The Great Chaos Caper Part One: On the Hunt"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Sonic Universe #70, "Total Eclipse Final: Last Resort"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Sonic 3 & Knuckles
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Sonic Universe #69, "Total Eclipse Part Three: Shadow Boxing"
- ↑ Sonic Adventure 2/Sonic Adventure 2: Battle
- ↑ Sonic Universe #64, "The Great Chaos Caper Part Two: The Usual Suspects"
- ↑ Sonic Universe #65, "The Great Chaos Caper Part Three: Chip of the Ol' Emerald!"
- ↑ Sonic Universe #66, "The Great Chaos Caper Part Four: Water Way To Go!"
- ↑ Sonic Universe #67, "Total Eclipse Part One: Uninvited Guests"
- ↑ Sonic Universe #68, "Total Eclipse Part Two: Tipping Point"
External links[]
- Angel Island at Mobius Encyclopaedia, the Archie Sonic wiki.