- For other appearances of the character, see Amy Rose (disambiguation).
Rusty Rose[1] (ラスティ・ローズ[3] Rasuti Rōzu?), also known as simply Rusty (ラスティ?)[4], is a character that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. She is a pink cyborg hedgehog, and an alternate version of Amy Rose who served the Chaos Council of New Yoke City.[1] Rusty Rose later switched sides after she met another Shatter Variant of Amy Rose and was later abandoned by the Chaos Council.
Quick Answers
What led Rusty Rose to switch sides from the Chaos Council?
How does Rusty Rose differ from the original Amy Rose?
What is the relationship between Rusty Rose and Metal Sonic?
What is the significance of Rusty Rose's color?
What is the connection between Rusty Rose and Sonic?
Appearance[]
Rusty Rose, from Sonic Dash and Sonic Forces: Speed Battle.
Rusty Rose is essentially a fragment of the original Amy Rose, albeit with some notable differences. She is a pink-furred anthropomorphic hedgehog with peach skin, which is slightly grayed compared to the original Amy's, covering her muzzle and inner ears. She has a small black nose, triangular ears on top of her head, and no back spines. Her entire body except for her head is robotic, making her a cyborg. Due to this, much of her body is dark gray in color, which is partially painted red but by the time of her introduction is heavily wearing. She contains a pink Flicky within her chest cavity, which was what she believed to be her power source. Rusty's cyborg body is poorly maintained and visibly rusted, hence the "Rusty" part of her name. As a result of her cybernetic body, Rusty is taller than Amy Rose.
Rusty Rose's head, which remains the only organic part of her, has her five short downward-pointed quills mechanized and the three-spiked bangs on Rusty Rose's forehead have been replaced by a saw blade. Her left eye remains for the most part normal, but has a cybernetic, dark green pupil instead of black and one medium-length eyelash as opposed to two. Her right eye, by contrast, is fully mechanical, having a black sclera with a glowing iris, and a mechanical layer resembling an air vent's cover with an eyelash-like end placed in front of it. The iris of her right eye can change color depending on her current allegiance; red when controlled by the Chaos Council, yellow when under Nine's control, and deep pink when she switched sides.
For attire, Rusty Rose wears slightly worn-out red and white mechanical armor, with additional silver-and-red armor on her legs. The parts making up Rusty's arms are asymmetrical, being made of visibly different parts, and there is additional reinforced armor only on her left foot.
History[]
TV series[]
Past[]
Nothing is known of Rusty Rose’s life before the Chaos Council's arrival. At some point, the Chaos Council turned her into a cyborg and brainwashed her into obeying them, making her their top enforcer. They also trapped Birdie in her chest to seemingly serve as her power source.
Season one[]
Rusty is first seen observing Sonic's arrival in New Yoke City, reporting the events to Mr. Dr. Eggman. After Sonic and Tails Nine are captured and brought to the rest of the Chaos Council by Dr. Babble, Rusty proceeds to commence the tests on Sonic's capabilities, before preparing to execute him, all under the instruction of the Chaos Council.
Rusty Rose fighting against the Resistance, from "The Yoke's on You".
As Sonic is saved by Rebel Rouge and Renegade Knucks, Rusty proceeds to engage in battle with the two. She nearly finishes off Sonic, before her systems are hacked by Nine, turning her against the Chaos Council and turning her right eye lime yellow. She helps the group reach the power source of the city, which is revealed to be a Prism Shard, and holds off the Council as Sonic and Nine reach the Shard, though quickly becomes overwhelmed by their forces.
After Sonic disappears into a new Shatterspace, it's later revealed that Nine escapes with the Shard on his own, leaving the others at the mercy of the Council. Knucks, Rebel, and Rusty just barely manage to escape as the Council's programming kicks back in, causing her eye to turn red again, returning her to the side of the Council.
Rusty finds out Sonic is back in New Yoke, from "Situation: Grim".
She later witnesses Sonic's return to New Yoke City several weeks later, recording the events and reporting them to the Chaos Council, revealing the existence of other Prism Shards. She later arrives during a massive fight between the Rebels and the Council, displaying the recording of Sonic's conversation with Renegade Knucks upon his return to the others. After Nine is captured by the Council, reclaiming the Prism Shard, Rusty escapes, leaving the Rebels to the Eggforcers.
She's next seen in No Place, on board a massive battleship, having been sent there as the Chaos Council harnesses the power of the Prism Shard via a Shatter Drive thanks to the one in Nine's Shattercraft to travel to other Shatterspaces. She launches an attack on the Angel's Voyage via the Kraken, where Sonic is currently located, until she catches sight of Black Rose which causes her to hesitate and experience some kind of glitch. Rusty then chooses to stop the attack and instead head toward the Devil's Lighthouse, which is revealed to be another Prism Shard.
Rusty and her Eggforcer army, from "There's No ARRGH in "Team"".
The Angel's Voyage eventually catches up with them, causing a massive fight to break out. Rusty and her army of Eggforcers don't hold back, but they prove to be no match for Sonic. Rusty is eventually incapacitated by one of the Eggforcer's stun rods by Sails Tails, resulting in her being taken captive by the crew of the Angel's Voyage.
Season two[]
Rusty Rose finds a friend in Black Rose, from "Second Wind".
Rusty is tied to a post in aboard the Kraken which is taken by the Angel's Voyage crew. When the Council shows up, she is hopeful they will rescue her but instead, they leave her behind and damage the ship. Rusty now seeks revenge against her former leaders. Dread orders Black Rose to untie Rusty, as she offers herself to help restore the ship. Rusty Rose is true to her word, and quickly gets the ship back up. She is seen having a friendly competitive rivalry with Black Rose, as they compete on who destroys the most Eggforcers. The two of them get along great and quickly form a good bond. Like the rest of the crew, Rusty is mad at Sonic when Dread lies about his betrayal. Eventually, they all forgive Sonic after Dread reveals his deception and turns on them. In the end, Rusty and Black Rose give Sonic a hand in getting high in the air to pursue the Council's Mothership.
Some time later, the Kraken make its way to New Yoke City, where Rusty and Black Rose assist Sonic and Nine. They also travel to the Boscage Maze. Both appear stunned when they witness Thorn Rose and Birdie in action.
Season three[]
Rusty Rose searches for her friends, from "No Escape".
When Nine creates havoc in New Yoke City, Rusty Rose and other Shatter Variants help the citizens. Rusty and the rest shelter in the Yoke. Rusty makes it clear that she doesn't trust them, but Sonic makes everyone see that they need to work together. When she finds out some pirates are still in No Place, Rusty decides to go with Sonic to help him. Her counterparts, Black Rose and Thorn Rose, also go with her. Once in No Place, Rusty is aboard the Kraken using the cannons, shooting at the Grim Birdies. After a chaotic rescue mission against Nine and his Prism Energy, Rusty and the others are successful. They all return to New Yoke.
Rusty Rose frees Birdie, from "The Devil Is in the Tails".
Rusty and all the others go into The Grim to help Sonic in the fight against Nine. As always, Rusty shows her strength in battle. She spends a lot of time in the Kraken alongside Black Rose, fighting a lot of Grim Birdies and Grim Rouges. When the Kraken starts failing, they jump out of it. Rusty is able to grab Black Rose by the hands, and they call each other friend. They are saved by Thorn Rose and Birdie. The three Roses call each other sisters, and fight together to show their strength. Later on, Rusty helps Black Rose from Alpha Grim Amy. She explains to her robot counterpart how the Council manipulated her by saying Birdie was the source of her power. She frees Birdie and throws Alpha Grim Amy out of the Grim via stealing the Alpha's hammer and hitting her with it, making her and all her copies disappear.
Rusty Rose joins all the others and confront Nine inside his lab. When Nine has a change of heart and helps rebuild the Shatterspaces by stabilising the Paradox Prism via extracting its missing energy out of Sonic, Rusty Rose and Black Rose decide to take Shadow to Green Hill. Aboard the Yolkamotive, they also help Thorn and a very weak Sonic. Rusty and her sisters say goodbye to Sonic as Shadow takes him to the Gateway.
Game appearances[]
Sonic Dash[]
In Sonic Dash, Rusty Rose appears as one of the playable characters. In this game, she can be unlocked after obtaining 100 of her Character Cards.
| Image | Rarity | Stats (Max Level) | Affinity Bonus | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dash Boost | x2 Multiplier | Magnet | Shield | Headstart | |||
 |
Rare | 7.3s | 15.7s | 15.7s | 12.6s | 8.2s | N/A |
Sonic Forces: Speed Battle[]
In Sonic Forces: Speed Battle, as promotion for the premiere of Sonic Prime, Rusty Rose appeared in the version 4.13.0 update as a bot-controlled rival that could be encountered randomly in races during the "Tails Nine" Event.
Rusty Rose was later added as a playable character to the game's roster during the "Rusty Rose" Event. She has the following gameplay characteristics:
| Image | Rarity | Stats (n/100) | Items | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spd. | Acc. | Str. | Projectile | Boost | Trap | ||
|
 |
90 | 47 | 94 |  |
 |
 |
Sonic Dash+ / Sonic Prime Dash[]
In Sonic Dash+ and Sonic Prime Dash, Rusty Rose appears as one of the playable characters. In Sonic Dash+, she can be unlocked by obtaining 500 of her Character Tokens. In Sonic Prime Dash however, she is one of the characters who is gifted to the player after the game's tutorial is completed.
| Image | Affinity Bonus | Unlock Requirement | Upgrade Profile | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power-Up | Highest level | |||
|
 
|
Obtain 500  / Complete Game Tutorial
|
Dash Boost | 9 |
| x2 Multiplier | 11 | |||
| Magnet | 11 | |||
| Shield | 9 | |||
| Headstart | 10 | |||
Sonic Speed Simulator[]
In Sonic Speed Simulator, Rusty Rose appears as one of the playable characters.
| Image | Rarity | Unlocking requirement | Stats (Star 6) | Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Legendary |
|
|
Infinite Breath |
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds[]
Rusty Rose appears in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds although with no voice similar to Sonic the Werehog, Tails Nine, and Knuckles the Dread. Rusty can be unlocked by purchasing the Deluxe Edition.
| Image | Type | Stats | Signature Machine | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spd. | Acc. | Han. | Pow. | Bst. | |||
|
Handling | 5 | 15 | 20 | 7 | 13 | None |
Personality[]
Rusty shares Amy's common sense, drive for efficiency, and combat skill. However, she lacks Amy's compassion and playful spirit. She begins as cold, efficient, and aloof, loyal only to the Chaos Council.
When acting under the Council, Rusty shows little mercy. She subjects Sonic to extreme trials and is prepared to execute him despite his pleas. She coldly reveals the tortured Flicky contained within her body. In battle she fights with a blank, controlled presence, speaking little while engaging rebels or other forces such as the Eggforcers.
She is procedural and mission focused. When assigned a task she executes it with maximum efficiency and minimal waste of time. For example, she retreats from a fight with the Rebels after the Council reports they have captured Nine. Even after hesitating on seeing Black Rose, she insists they need not "waste time" and redirects the effort to securing the Devil's Lighthouse. As fights intensify, she escalates forcefully, ordering additional Eggforcers to stop Dread from taking a Prism Shard.
Rusty will call others out when they are wrong. She exposes Sonic by playing footage of his conversation with Knucks when he tries to feign ignorance to Mr. Dr. Eggman about the Prism Shards. She also corrects Sonic about her real name on multiple occasions.
Although guarded, Rusty does experience emotion at times, though she usually keeps it suppressed. She shows shock and confusion after seeing Black Rose for the first time, and again after she is defeated and captured by the pirate crew. She displays irritation and frustration in response to repeated taunts from Sonic, such as growling when he destroys a group of Eggforcers. She also shows moments of positive feeling, smiling and expressing enjoyment on occasion.
After the Chaos Council betrays her and leaves her at the mercy of Dread and his crew, Rusty begins to glitch more frequently. She ultimately decides to help the pirate crew fight the Council, and she joins them. Her bond with her pirate counterpart grows, and her blind loyalty to the Council diminishes further after Dread betrays the crew. She stops following every order without question, and she begins to warm to those who genuinely help her, working alongside them willingly.
Powers and abilities[]
- Cybernetic Physiology: At an unspecified point in her life, Rusty Rose's body had been altered and a majority of it is now cybernetically enhanced which grants her a variety of abilities. She possesses increased strength, speed, durability, and stamina.
- Limb Extension: Rusty also has the ability to extend her limbs and other parts of her body at will, which can enable her to move more efficiently and quickly.
- Oxygen Independence: Because of her machine physiology, it appears that Rusty Rose does not require air to function and can survive in environments like underwater.
- Combat Proficiency: Like Amy Rose, Rusty Rose is a skilled combatant, able to take on many enemies with ease.
Relationships[]
Chaos Council[]
Rusty was originally obedient to the Chaos Council, displaying unwavering loyalty and following orders without question. However, this would change after she was captured by the crew of the Angel's Voyage who initially tied her up and seized control her vessel, the Kraken. Rusty believed that when the Chaos Council arrived, they would rescue her but instead, they no longer saw her as useful and left her behind. Disillusioned by this, Rusty switched sides and teamed up with Sonic along with the Angel's Voyage crew. And she became a member in order to get payback against the Council.
Rusty now no longer has any loyalty for the Chaos Council and actively helps her new allies to battle them. She appears eager to fight the Council whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Sonic the Hedgehog[]
Rusty initially saw Sonic the Hedgehog as her most sought after enemy, mostly as a result of him being the primary enemy against the Chaos Council. Despite this, Rusty also seems to see Sonic as a formidable opponent, as evidenced in the episode "There's No ARRGH in "Team"". She has also shown to find him to be a source of annoyance, as displayed by his consistent attempt to thwart the Chaos Council's plans.
On Sonic's part, he mainly refers to her as "Amy" due to their physical resemblance. He was shocked to see how cruelly she had been treating Birdie and how she had been subjecting him to the various "experiments" on behalf of the Chaos Council. Due to the strong resemblance to Amy, Sonic refuses to inflict major harm onto Rusty despite being her enemy.
After she was betrayed by the Chaos Council and switched sides, Rusty no longer sees Sonic as a foe and instead works together with him to fight the Council. She has since warmed up to Sonic, showing a more friendly nature with him though still remaining somewhat reserved.
Black Rose[]
Rusty demonstrated a great deal of surprise and curiosity towards Black Rose after seeing her for the first time in "There's No ARRGH in "Team"". These feelings were naturally reciprocated by her counterpart, given they're both alternate versions of Amy Rose. Upon seeing her for the first time, Rusty demonstrated surprising hesitation and promptly stopped their attack against the Angel's Voyage, experiencing some kind of a glitch.
After she joined the Angel's Voyage's crew, Rusty forms a bond with her alternate self, often staying by her side. She has been known to compete with her alternate self and Sonic has pointed out that the two are very similar, though they initially deny this.
Thorn Rose[]
Rusty Rose was completely dumbfounded alongside Black Rose upon seeing yet another alternate version of herself. Later, Thorn Rose called Rusty, along with Black Rose, as sisters.
Birdie[]
Birdie was kept inside Rusty Rose’s chest when the Chaos Council lied to her thinking that Birdie gave Rusty her strength and power. But sometime in The Grim after realizing it was a lie, she later let the little bird free.
Friends/allies[]
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Shadow the Hedgehog
- Birdie
- Jack
- Resistance
- The Kraken's crew
- Batten Rouge
- Black Rose (best friend and No Place counterpart, close as sisters)
- Catfish
- Froggy
- Knuckles the Dread
- Sails Tails
- Scavengers
- Birdie
- Mangey Tails
- Gnarly Knuckles
- Prim Rouge
- Hangry Cat
- Froggy
- Thorn Rose (best friend and Boscage Maze counterpart, close as sisters)
- Nine
Neutral[]
Enemies[]
Quotes[]
- "Sonic is the captain? I wish I were programmed to laugh."
- —Rusty Rose, "There's No ARRGH in "Team""
- "No one has ever asked if I was "okay". I am to be treated as a tool, not a..."
- —Rusty Rose, "No Way Out"
- "Who is useless now?"
- —Rusty Rose, "Cracking Down"
- "You don't feel anything, but I do. And that's what makes us different. My masters had me believe that Birdie gave me my inner strength and power. But I know now it was another lie. Told to keep me under their control. Symbolic of my oppression. But I don't need this little bird for power. And this little bird needs to be free. The only thing I need is me!"
- —Rusty Rose, "The Devil Is in the Tails"
Trivia[]
- Rusty Rose bears similarities to Mecha Sally and the Robot Sally, as they have a similar role to each other, being a female companion Sonic is close to, who serves the Eggman Empire against her will.
- Rusty Rose's extending limbs are accomplished in animation by the 3D models making up her limbs literally stretching, rather than physically telescoping to increase their length. Whenever this happens, her limb models are switched to simplified, low-detail textured versions so as not to deform the normally high-detail of her standard model parts.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Wiese, Erik (15 December 2022). "Shattered". Sonic Prime. Season 1. Episode 1. Netflix.
- ↑ Wiese, Erik (15 December 2022). "Escape from New Yoke". Sonic Prime. Season 1. Episode 3. Netflix.
- ↑ Sonic Prime ("Shattered"), Japanese subtitles
- ↑ ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ【公式】 (7 June 2025). 『ソニックレーシング クロスワールド』Summer Game Fest トレーラー. YouTube. Retrieved on 7 June 2025.
