The Fourth Great Civilization[2] (第四文明 / 4大文明のひとつ[3] Dai yon bunmei / 4 dai bunmei no hitotsu?, lit. "The Fourth Civilization" (Chronicles) / One of the four great civilizations (Battle)) is a group mentioned in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It was an ancient culture on Earth, notable for meeting its demise at the hands of the Gizoid.
Description[]
Nothing is known of the Fourth Great Civilization beyond the fact that they were destroyed by the Gizoid.
History[]
Past[]
The Fourth Great Civilization existed more than four millennia before the present day.[1] Little is known about their culture, although they are implied to have been a highly influential civilization at their peak.[3] However, the civilization collapsed at the hands of a weapon of mass destruction known as the Gizoid after going rogue.[2][4]
Legacy[]
Eventually, the Gizoid was uncovered in modern times in ancient ruins and left in a warehouse, where it would be discovered more than fifty years ago by Gerald Robotnik, who researched about its role in destroying the Fourth Great Civilization.[2][4]
Other game appearances[]
Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood[]
Various Nocturnus Clan warriors, from Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood.
In Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, the Fourth Great Civilization was mainly known as the Nocturnus Clan (ノクターン一族 Nokutān Ichizoku?).[5] Millennia ago, they were an echidna empire and the rivals of the Knuckles Clan, who were able to create an army of advanced robots known as the "Gizoids" that included Emerl. However, after the Knuckles Clan was wiped out by Chaos, the Nocturnus Clan was somehow banished to the Twilight Cage after a mysterious occurrence known as the Argus Event. They would live in the Twilight Cage for the next four thousand years, where they would receive the alliance of the local communities.
At the present day, the Nocturnus Clan was able to travel back to earth through the use of phase-shifting technology. However, the clan would be defeated by Sonic and his friends when they travelled to the Twilight Cage.
Trivia[]
- In the Japanese version of Sonic Battle, there is no exact mention of the Fourth Great Civilization. In the Sonic Episode, Gerald's diary mentions "one of the four great civilizations".[3] Then in the Tails Episode, the diary claims there is historical evidence that the Gizoid destroyed "a civilization" in general.[6]
- The "Four Great Civilizations" (世界四大文明 lit. "The Four Great Civilizations of the World"?), also known as the cradles of civilization, is a real-world anthropological theory which claims that human civilization originates from four ancient areas of the Earth. In Japan, these civilizations are thought to be Egypt, Mesopotamia, China, and the Indus Valley.[7]
- The Fourth Great Civilization was the first of the Four Great Civilizations to be revealed in the series.
See Also[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sonic Team (27 February 2004). Sonic Battle. Game Boy Advance. Sega. Area/Level: Gimme Shelter (Shadow's Episode). "Rouge: You'll never change, will you? That robot... Gizoid is known as the "Ultimate life form." Just like you, except he's 4000 years older. I heard the Doctor was hiding something really big, and I guess this is it..."
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Sonic Team (27 February 2004). Sonic Battle. Game Boy Advance. Sega. Area/Level: Ending sequence (Sonic's Episode). "Prof. Gerald's Journal 1: I have uncovered a most interesting specimen from the warehouse. I believe it to be some sort of puppet or robot made by an ancient people. At first, I didn't think anything of it, but when I was experimenting on "Chaos Emeralds," it began to move. This suggests the possibility that even the ancient civilizations could harness the power of the "Chaos Emeralds." When I was researching various papers related to the "Chaos Emeralds" and this robot, I discovered that there was a possibility that this robot was something incredible. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but this robot may be the cause of the destruction of the Fourth Great Civilization. I'm not sure I believe it just yet, though."
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Sonic Team (4 December 2003). Sonic Battle. Game Boy Advance. Sega. Area/Level: Ending sequence (Sonic's Episode). "Prof. Gerald's Journal 1: (Fan translation) I made an interesting discovery in the warehouse. It was a puppet, probably made in BC times. At first, no one paid any mind to it, but then an incident brought it to our attention. During a "Chaos Emerald" output experiment, the puppet began to move. This event indicates that the "Chaos Emeralds" may have already been used as a power source in BC times. As I researched the documents on the relationship between the "Chaos Emeralds" and this puppet, the possibility that the puppet I found could be something unthinkable came to light. I think this is too far fetched, but I have received a report that this puppet may have been the possible cause of the destruction of one of the four great civilizations of the world. Of course, I don't believe that.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Sonic Team (27 February 2004). Sonic Battle. Game Boy Advance. Sega. Area/Level: Ending sequence (Tails' Episode). "Prof. Gerald's Journal 2: I am no longer able to ignore the possibility that this robot did in fact destroy the Fourth Great Civilization. I have discovered a stone tablet that explains as much. According to the tablet, "When the figure falls from the heavens, and the Stone of the Gods is joined, all that exists will become one again." Though it is difficult to believe, this robot has been watching my movements, and mimicking all that I do. I was amazed by my scans of this being. Surprisingly, reams and reams of data scrolled and caused my most powerful computer to crash. More intriguing was that the data was all about melee combat and weapons of that age. Eventually, if this being is ever restored to its former state, it will put all that data to use, and recreate all the weaponry and combat abilities that it once had… And that's not all. If my guesses are correct, it will also have the ability to absorb modern weaponry as well. What have I done? I have uncovered a horrible weapon…"
- ↑ BioWare (25 September 2008). Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood. Nintendo DS. Sega. Opening cutscene text. "One thing remains a certainty: At the height of their glory, even they could not have foreseen their fate, or the speed with which it was delivered. - Prof. Gerald Robotnik. 'The Fourth Great Civilization'"
- ↑ Sonic Team (4 December 2003). Sonic Battle. Game Boy Advance. Sega. Area/Level: Ending sequence (Tails' Episode). "Prof. Gerald's Journal 2: (Fan translation) I could no longer ignore the report that the puppet in question had destroyed a civilization. A stone tablet had been discovered which could serve as evidence. According to the tablet, "the human figure descended from the heavens, was given divine stones, and reproduced all things." It is hard to believe, but the puppet that began to move did repeat all my movements exactly. I scanned the puppet and was amazed. It had enough data to overflow the latest computes. Even more astonishing is the fact that the data I had analyzed was all kinds of martial arts and weapon data from that era. Perhaps, if it keeps going, it will output this data, that is, it will faithfully reproduce the functions of martial arts and weapons. ...But that's not all. If the on-board functions work as they should... it should be able to capture the capabilities of new modern weapons... Oh God... I have revived a horrible weapon."
- ↑ Atsushi, Murai. Meijitosho Publishing. April 2009. "These historical terms -- solving the mysteries of their origins and development -- 'The Four Great Civilizations' was a coined term invented by Nami Egami!" (この歴史用語--誕生秘話と生育史の謎を解く--「四大文明」は江上波夫氏が発案した造語だった!). Social Studies Education 46 (社会科教育46).