- "Chemical Plant Zone" redirects here. For other uses of the term, see Chemical Plant Zone (disambiguation).
The Chemical Plant (ケミカルプラント Kemikaru Puranto?), also known as the Chemical Plant Zone (ケミカルプラントゾーン Kemikaru Puranto Zōn?), is a recurring location in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It refers to the chemical-producing facilities that are owned by Dr. Eggman and used to supply the doctor's nefarious schemes.[1] Numerous chemical plants have been established across the globe over time, although the most famous of these remains the one on West Side Island.
Along with Green Hill Zone, Chemical Plant is one of the most iconic Zones in the Sonic franchise.
Description
The Chemical Plants are industrial cityscapes filled with blue toxic gloop, mechanical creatures, and twisting chemical pipes. Designed as a high-tech maze, the Chemical Plants are full of tubes and floating platforms, and are known for producing an unpleasant substance known as "Mega Mack". In addition, due to the chemicals produced in these facilities, the vicinity of the Chemical Plants are generally polluted.
History
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
In Sonic the Hedgehog 2, a Chemical Plant Zone was established on West Side Island by Dr. Robotnik. This Zone was the second one Sonic the Hedgehog and Tails passed through during their adventure to stop Dr. Robotnik from finishing his plans with the Death Egg, succeeding the Emerald Hill Zone. While making their way through Chemical Plant Zone, Sonic and Tails had to deal with the Badniks patrolling the area, including the Grabber and the Spiny. At the end of Chemical Plant Zone, Sonic and Tails got attacked by Robotnik and his Water Eggman. The duo managed to defeat the doctor however, and were able to proceed with their journey.
Sonic Generations
In the console/PC version of Sonic Generations, a past version of the Chemical Plant from West Side Island got transported to the White Space as a side-effect of the Time Eater's time-traveling, where it was drained of color and life.
A stream of Mega Mack erupting from the Chemical Plant.
The Chemical Plant was the second area Modern Sonic and Classic Sonic paid a visit to after ending up in the White Space. Inside this location, Sonic and Tails would regroup and discuss the strange sense of déjà vu they got from it. Regardless, by speeding through Chemical Plant, the Sonics were able to fix space, thereby restoring Chemical Plant and, by extension, Amy from their lifeless states. When the Time Eater later got destroyed, Chemical Plant was seemingly return to its rightful place in the timeline.
Sonic Forces
In Sonic Forces, industrial areas like Chemical Plant were expanded to other regions on the planet following Dr. Eggman's conquest of the world (specifically the freezing north of world). In this region, the Chemical Plant served as both a chemical factory and a spaceport.[1]
Upon discovering that Sonic had survived his defeat at the hands of Dr. Eggman's latest weapon, Knuckles arranged a daring rescue mission to save him from Eggman's orbital prison. In order to reach Sonic, the key figures from the Resistance and a new recruit infiltrated the Chemical Plant's Spaceport and managed to procure a space shuttle. Later on, Tails and Classic Sonic travelled to the Chemical Plant, their goal being to access the doctor's computer in order to learn more about his newly-acquired power - the Phantom Ruby.
Sonic infiltrating the Chemical Plant.
Discovering that the latest Death Egg was in fact powering the Phantom Ruby, the Resistance returned to the Chemical Plant once more, as the facility's computer controlled the space station's defense systems. After the rookie Resistance member successfully created a diversion at Green Hill, Sonic made his way through the unguarded Chemical Plant in order to reach the computer and disable the Death Egg's defenses. Once Sonic was done, the Resistance was able to take the Chemical Plant.
Other game appearances
Sonic the Hedgehog (Didj)
Chemical Plant Zone appears as one of the eight Zones for the Sonic the Hedgehog educational game for the Leapfrog Didj learning system. However, it has the music of Flying Battery Zone from Sonic & Knuckles.
In other media
Sonic the Comic
The Chemical Plant Zone in the Sonic the Comic.
In the Sonic the Comic series published by Fleetway Editions, the Chemical Plant Zone is a large industrial Zone on Mobius. Once a beautiful and natural region, it was laid to waste by Dr. Ivo Robotnik. During Dr. Robotnik's global rule, it played a huge role in the pollution of Mobius and was also the sole producer of Mega Mack, the chemical designed to kill Sonic the Hedgehog.
Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog
The Chemical Plant Zone appears in the television series Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog. It appears in the episode "The Mobius 5000", where it is one of the locations Sonic, Tails and Professor Caninestein pass through during a race against Dr. Robotnik's Race Bots.
Archie Comics
Chemical Plant Zone, from Sonic the Hedgehog #228.
In the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by Archie Comics, the Chemical Plant Zone is a location that appeared on Mobius during Operation: Clean Sweep, where Dr. Eggman and his accomplishes reshaped reality with the Genesis Wave. After the entirety of the Multiverse was altered by the Super Genesis Wave, the Chemical Plant Zone became a permanent part of Sonic's World.
Trivia
Chemical Plant as it appears in LEGO Dimensions.
- In all of the games it has been featured, Chemical Plant is the second Zone, usually after a Green Hill-themed stage, if not Green Hill itself.
- Chemical Plant is the third most recurring Zone in the series overall, after Green Hill and Seaside Hill.
- During the credits of Wreck-It Ralph, Sonic can be seen running through Chemical Plant Zone.
- Chemical Plant Zone appears in LEGO Dimensions as the first part of the Sonic Dimensions level pack and part of the Sonic the Hedgehog Adventure World.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Sonic Forces - Space Port Gameplay. YouTube. SEGA (17 October 2017). Retrieved on 18 November 2017. "In the frigid north of Sonic's world is one of Eggman's chemical plants supplying a space port. It's up to the hero character to break through the base's defense. In this gameplay video, we've armed our custom character with the powerful Drill Wispon!"