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Jerome Wise (ジェローム・ワイズ Jerōmu Waizu?) is a character that appears in the Sonic X anime series and its comic series published by Archie Comics. He was the President's aide and press secretary, but grew paranoid with the attention that the new hero, Sonic the Hedgehog, was getting, fearing that he would be elected the new President or make the current one lose in the re-elections. In response, Wise committed ridiculous and immoral actions to save the President’s popularity, which not only cost him his job but later made him homeless. Blaming Sonic, he would then join forces with the mysterious Organizer to create the evil S.O.N.I.C.X. organization, who sought to destroy Sonic for ruining their lives.
History[]
Anime[]
New World Saga[]
Following Dr. Eggman's initial attack on Station Square, Wise was among the President's security council with discussing the threat Eggman posed to world security, including when G.U.N. had begun research into Eggman's technology salvaged from his E-series robots that Sonic had fought and destroyed. After a successful covert op by a commando team that included Rouge the Bat and Topaz, Wise made the announcement on television that the President was planning their assault on Eggman's headquarters. It was also decided by the President to get Sonic on board for the plan, at which point, Wise went with some agents to the Thorndyke Mansion in Station Square to recruit Sonic, but was met at the door by the Thorndyke maid, Ella. When Wise asked about Sonic, Ella feigned ignorance to Wise's claims that Sonic could be found there. Wise tried to counter her by mentioning that they knew all about Sonic, the Thorndykes, and more, but when Ella still refused to be honest with them and told them to leave, Wise tried to have his agents barge in to search for Sonic, but Ella closed the door on them. When Wise tried to open the door himself, Ella retaliated by throwing a bucket of water on him before closing the door again, refusing to hand Sonic over to them. Wise could only tell off the agents with him that they were supposed to take the hit for him before having to call the President and report that they were unable to get Sonic to join them.[3]
Chaos Emerald Saga[]
After Sonic's victory over Dr. Eggman, Wise fears that Sonic's popularity will soon overshadow the President's, so he makes a party at the White House to have them both meet each other, thus raising the President's re-election chances. Once Sonic decided to spend the day with Christopher Thorndyke's friend Helen instead of going to the party, Jerome contacted G.U.N. to find him while keeping the photographers and reporters purposely drunk (in the dub, it is toned down to make them sleep out of boredom) so they can stay. With the reporters all asleep, Sonic finally arrives and greets the President, much to Wise's shock. He passes out from frustration when he discovers the reporters all asleep at the moment Sonic and the President shake hands.[4]
Sam Speed later challenges Sonic to a race with the President's support after Wise tricked him into doing so to raise his votes, but Sonic refuses to participate despite all the effort to convince him otherwise. Wise becomes paranoid and secretly calls Dr. Eggman, asking for his help to make Sonic compete in exchange for first-line tickets to an ice skating show (in the Japanese version, in exchange for cream puffs) However, in the end, Jerome is exposed for making the deal, and gets fired by the President himself for what he did. His job is later given to Christina Cooper.[5]
Later, Wise is seen as a sanitation engineer (garbage man) (Japanese and French versions only), but later, he also lost that job.[6]
Chaos Saga[]
Wise eventually becomes a homeless man after being unable to find a decent job. He runs into Eggman and asks him for help. In response, the doctor "gifts" him what turns out to be a missile intended to blow up Station Square. He was seen helping pull Sam Speed out of the water with another citizen when Chaos flooded the city.
Shadow Saga[]
Wise is seen sitting in the sewers around a garbage fire with several other homeless people. Here, Wise tries to convince them that Sonic has turned against the public, unaware that recent crimes were actually caused by Shadow. Before Jerome can say anything else, Sonic races past him dodging several of G.U.N.'s robots.[7] Later, Jerome is seen sitting in a homeless shelter eating French fries for dinner.
Egg Moon Saga[]
When Eggman tries to offer his Sunshine Balls as a temporary solution to what he claims is a malfunction of the Egg Moon causing a never-ending eclipse of the Sun, Sonic is discovered to be wrecking the Mirror Towers powering the devices. As a result, Jerome is part of an angry mob that try to confront Sonic's friends at the Thorndyke Mansion, being at the head of the mob when they cut Chris, Amy, and the others off after Amy attempts to provide an escape route by smashing a wall down with her Piko Piko Hammer.
However, when Sam Speed and the S-Team arrive in their cruisers and threaten to have the mob face them if they so much as laid a hand on Chris or Sonic's friends, Jerome is forced to give up and leave defeated while the rest of the mob disperses as well. He later is relieved when the eclipse is ended and the sun shines over Station Square again.
Emerl Saga[]
Wise would later don a suit of armor and enter the Chaos Emerald Martial Arts Mash-Up as the Black Knight to win a Chaos Emerald. In round one, he faced off against the President. His armor protected him from the President’s punches, causing the President’s new aide to forfeit on the President’s behalf. In the second round, he was pitted against Knuckles. However, just before Knuckles could punch him, Jerome suddenly panicked and revealed his true identity, begging the echidna to let him win as he had no money and desperately needed the Chaos Emerald to sell it. Knuckles showed him no sympathy and prepared to punch him anyway, causing Jerome to run away in terror, forfeiting the match.[1]
Archie Comics[]
Jerome Wise was eventually recruited by the Organizer to form a secret organization to get rid of Sonic and his friends. Wise, after hours of searching in the internet, came up with the name "Society for Observing and Neutralizing Inter-dimensional Creatures and Xenomorphs" (S.O.N.I.C.X.) for the anti-Sonic organization. After Sonic mocks him about it, all of the other members glare at him angrily, clearly indicating they did not approve of the name either. Regardless, Sonic escapes despite their attempts to contain him.[8]
Personality[]
As the President's aide, Jerome was determined to maintain the President’s reputation. When Sonic came to Earth though, Jerome became paranoid that Sonic would endanger the President’s job. Jerome's title also gave him a strong sense of entitlement, sometimes abusing his power to take extreme and ridiculous measures to ensure the President’s popularity, such as ordering the army to capture Sonic and force him to attend a victory party the President was throwing at the White House.
Jerome is actually a very selfish person, mostly caring about himself and ensuring his career, no matter what the cost. Despite his original determination to assist the President, Jerome was never truly loyal to him and possessed an ambitious and power-hungry attitude, at one point even secretly plotting to increase his own popularity and become the next President. That said, Jerome possesses some morality as he helped people during Station Square's flooding.
Jerome is also petty and vindictive. For example, after getting fired for getting caught making a deal with Dr. Eggman, he blamed his troubles on Sonic instead of taking responsibility for his actions and desired revenge against him. Jerome is likewise a very nervous man, often panicking when things look bad for him. He is also very cowardly, as shown during the Chaos Emerald Martial Arts Mash-Up; when he had to face Knuckles in a fight, just as Knuckles was about to hit him, he surrendered and begged Knuckles to let him win, then ran out of the ring screaming when Knuckles tried to hit him anyway. Also, like most members of S.O.N.I.C.X., Jerome believes that he is a good guy and Sonic is a menace.
Powers and abilities[]
Weapons[]
After joining S.O.N.I.C.X., Jerome was given a laser pistol.
Relationships[]
President[]
Vivian[]
Sam Speed[]
Sonic the Hedgehog[]
Dr. Eggman[]
Friends/allies[]
Neutral[]
- Dr. Eggman
- Sam Speed
- Vivian (love interest)
Enemies[]
- Amy Rose
- Cheese
- Chuck Thorndyke
- Cream the Rabbit
- Ella
- Helen
- Knuckles the Echidna
- Miles "Tails" Prower
- President
- Sonic the Hedgehog
Trivia[]
- Wise's role is slightly secondary in the anime, while it becomes slightly minor in the comics. A similar change was done to S.O.N.I.C.X. members Doctor Kai Narasu and Hector Dragg: both had only small cameos in the anime, but became secondary characters in the comics.
- In the Japanese version of Sonic X he is frequently seen talking on the phone to his significant other, a woman named Vivian who leaves him after he gets fired from his position as the President's aide. He mentions her occasionally afterwards and his co-worker during his stint as a garbage man says he will introduce him to a new girl.
- It is unknown how & who caught him negotiating with Dr. Eggman.
- Jerome is implied to have since left poverty after joining S.O.N.I.C.X. In the comics: his appearance is clean cut and he wears clean clothes.
- Jerome is never referred to by name in the English dub.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Masaki, Hiro; Houjou, Chinatsu (19 February 2005). "Prize Fights". Sonic X. Season 2. Episode 45.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 File:Sonicx-ep41-eye1.jpg
- ↑ Masaki, Hiro (15 November 2003). "Fly Spy". Sonic X. Season 1. Episode 11.
- ↑ Urawasa, Yoshio (6 December 2003). "That's What Friends Are For". Sonic X. Season 1. Episode 14.
- ↑ Urasawa, Yoshio (21 February 2004). "Fast Friends". Sonic X. Season 1. Episode 21.
- ↑ Masaki, Hiro (20 March 2004). "A Dastardly Deed". Sonic X. Season 1. Episode 25.
- ↑ Shiraishi, Masahiko (6 November 2004). "Shadow Knows". Sonic X. Season 2. Episode 34.
- ↑ Sonic X #23, "Hedgehogging Their Bets"