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Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 168 is the one hundred sixty-eighth issue of the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series published by Archie Comics.
Official solicitation
- "Order From Chaos: The Gathering Part 1 of 2": A new and deadly evil lurks in the darkness, prepared to strike Sonic and destroy the entire planet. This latest menace proves to be one of Sonic's deadliest villains ever, and this time we might just mean it when we say the combined forces of Sonic and the Freedom Fighters may be no match for this fiend! Especially since Sonic may have to put a friend or two's life in danger just to stop him! PLUS: With Antoine and Bunnie finally back together and love in full bloom again what can Sonic have to say that could put this relationship in jeopardy? Find out in this intriguing back-up tale.
Featured stories
Order From Chaos Part One: The Gathering
- Writer: Ian Flynn
- Pencils: Tracy Yardley
- Inks: Jim Amash
- Letters: John Workman
- Colors: Jason Jensen
- Editor: Mike Pellerito
- Managing editor: Victor Gorelick
- Editor-in-chief: Richard Goldwater
- Special Thanks To: Robert Leffler and Dyna Lopez at Sega Licensing
At Freedom HQ, Sonic the Hedgehog is trying to find Tommy Turtle, with Miles "Tails" Prower and Rotor Walrus, telling him hopefully Tommy was far away from the HQ, with Tails stating he has first dibs on Tommy because of his "help" with his project, while holding up a mangled device. Rotor said that Tommy washed the dirty petri dishes, which destroyed the nanite research he was working on. This worries Sonic, telling them Tommy's been acting strangely ever since naites fused with his shell, but then says that Tommy saved his life, stating he can't be all bad, to which Tails bitterly replies "No, not ALL bad".
Meanwhile, at New Megaopolis, Doctor Eggman is telling his "son", A.D.A.M., that his mysterious foe, "Anonymous" is finally going down. A.D.A.M. then asks his father why he is deleting him, only for Eggman to tell him he finally figured it all out in the beginning, detailing each event of "Anonymous'" doing, and angrily replies that he watched A.D.A.M. steal Mogul's Chaos Emerald and releasing both him and Ixis Naugus, finally leading him to know A.D.A.M. was "Anonymous" the whole time. However, while Eggman was mourning the demise of his "children," he is shocked to hear A.D.A.M.'s voice emanating from a shadowy figure standing in a nearby corner. Before he can react, a metal tentacle grabs him and the figure steps out of the darkness to reveal a nanite-covered Tommy Turtle under A.D.A.M.'s control.
Back at Freedom HQ, Nicole starts to go haywire. She states her systems are infected by nanites as she attempts to purge them. Just then, Bunnie Rabbot staggers into the room and immediately punches Nicole's screen using her robotic arm, which was out of her control. She then throws Tails outside and scattered the others while yelling for someone to stop her. Knuckles the Echidna and Vector the Crocodile come to her aid and tackle her down. Rotor disables her infected robotic limbs as she wonders how they got infected. As Sonic goes outside to see if Tails was okay, he is shocked to see an unconscious Tails being carried by his his father, who was also infected by the nanites. Sonic immediately races after them while attempting to ask his father where he was taking them, only for his father to cryptically tell him he had been there before...
Meanwhile, at the Nanite City, Shadow the Hedgehog confronts Dr. Eggman about the mission he was sent on, only for him to be attacked immediately by A.D.A.M. After a brief conflict, Shadow is knocked out and placed in a capsule next to a mysterious spire. Jules and an unconscious Tails soon arrive after and A.D.A.M. places Tails in a second capsule. A.D.A.M. then reveals that by using the nanite city and the combined powers of Super Shadow's enhanced Chaos Control and The Chosen One, Tails, prophesy of the great harmony, he is going to acquire all the Chaos Emeralds in the universe. As Eggman and Jules doubt his plan, A.D.A.M. states he knows that Sonic has just arrived in the city and Eggman has summoned his Egg Fleet to their location, but he gloats that they will be too late to stop him. The capsules and spire begin to glow from the Chaos Emeralds placed around it, as Shadow and Tails are forced to take on their Super and Turbo forms.
Courage and Honor
- Writer: Ian Flynn
- Pencils: Gary Bedell
- Inks: Rich Koslowski
- Letters: John Workman
- Colors: Josh & Aimee Ray
- This story takes place before Order From Chaos Part One: The Gathering
In his home, Antoine surveys the damage done to it while contemplating what Patch has done to his life during his stay in Mobius Prime. Bunnie then enters his home and they discus Antoine's experience in Moebius. Antoine says the Anti-Freedom fighters are more sad than mean, but they have his pity but not his forgiveness. Sonic arrives, interrupting a "moment", and says Antoine needs to see his father in the hospital fast. Antoine asks Bunnie to come with him and the two go to the hospital. Sonic them laments on breaking bad news to Antoine again.
At the hospital, Dr. Quack explains to Antoine that Patch laced General D'Coolette's food with poison and there is nothing that can be done. Antoine and Bunnie enter Armand's room and Armand begins to apologize for leaving them, but Antoine cuts him off and says he should be the one apologizing. Antoine tells his father he is sorry for being a coward and a failure to the family name. The General responds by saying he is not a failure and has protected his friends and has served the kingdom by bravely fighting off Dr. Eggman. Armand then turns to Bunnie and says she fights with the same courage as his soon and he makes Antoine happy. He forgives Bunnie for falling for Sonic. After asking them both if they make each other happy, Armand tells them to cherish their love and not let it go. Armand's final words before passing on are he will tell his mother how happy Antoine is and he is proud of him. Bunnie comforts Antoine with a "I love you." as Armand slips away.+
Key Events
- A.D.A.M. is revealed to be "anonymous" and takes over the nanites and Tommy Turtle's body.
- A.D.A.M. captures Shadow and Tails to gather every chaos emerald in the universe.
- Armand D'Coolette dies of poisoning from Patch
Quotes
- Dr. Eggman: I know that you are anonymous! So I'm deleting you from existence, you treasonous waster of coding!
- A.D.A.M: Such harsh language is unnecessary, father.
- Dr. Eggman: Oh, shut up and be deleted already.
Trivia
- Story Two was dedicated to the memory of Jane Flynn (1922-2002), writer Ian Flynn's grandmother.
- In the start story two, one of the items on Antoine's floor is a Pokeball from the Pokemon series.
- The base of the Summoning Spire has a flux capacitor, an important object from Back to the Future.
- A.D.A.M.'s spire construction proves capable of forcing Shadow and Tails into their Super forms. As far as can be seen between this and the next issue, being forced into a Super form (rather than taking it on voluntarily) is agonizingly painful.
Gallery
Preview pages
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External links
- Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 168 at Mobius Encyclopaedia, the Archie Sonic wiki.