Sonic Wiki Zone

Know something we don't about Sonic? Don't hesitate in signing up today! It's fast, free, and easy, and you will get a wealth of new abilities, and it also hides your IP address from public view. We are in need of content, and everyone has something to contribute!

If you have an account, please log in.

READ MORE

Sonic Wiki Zone
Register
Advertisement
Sonic Wiki Zone
This is a Sonic Wiki Zone Featured Article
Main page Gallery

We burn it all down! Sonic! Eggman! Every idiot that follows either of them! We end it all! No more heroes! Villains! Nothing! If we don't get a past, they don't get a future!


— Surge the Tenrec, Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome #3

Surge the Tenrec[4] (サージ・ザ・テンレック Sāji Za Tenrekku?) is a character that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. She is an anthropomorphic tenrec with villainous and modified cyborg enhancements implanted by Dr. Starline and with no memories of her past, and the companion of Kitsunami the Fennec. She was made for the sole intended purpose of destroying Sonic the Hedgehog and replacing him as the hero of the world. However, after discovering the secret of her origin, Surge would begin seeking revenge on everyone she blames for her past life being taken away from her.

Concept and creation[]

Sonic2-ashura

The "Ashura" glitch, from Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

According to writer Ian Flynn, Surge is inspired by the infamous Ashura glitch from Sonic the Hedgehog 2, just like the redesign of Scourge the Hedgehog. According to Flynn, this is because just like Scourge, Surge was made as an exploration of Sonic in an inverted way.[5] Her appearance was conceptualized by artists Evan Stanley and Mauro Fonseca, with Fonseca taking the lead in finishing the design.[2] Fonseca took inspiration for Surge's design from the glitch, Japanese delinquents, Android 18 from the Dragon Ball franchise, and possibly the prototype version of Blaze the Cat.[2][6][7] Her tall, upright ponytail was inspired by Sango Morimoto's depiction of Amy in the Sonic the Hedgehog serialized manga published by Shogakukan in the Shogaku Ninensei magazine.[7] Surge's electrokinesis was designed with Tails' dislike of thunder in mind.[8]

As attested by Evan Stanley, while Surge's design is not based on an exact type of tenrec, she looks more like a lowland streaked tenrec.[9]

Surge and Kit were originally pitched for IDW Publishing's Sonic comics by Ian Flynn in 2017 before the first issue was even released.[1] They were meant to debut alongside Dr. Starline as part of a trio of characters based on glitches present in the early Sonic the Hedgehog video games.[10][11] Although the pitch was rejected at the time, due to the staff thinking it was too early, the characters would eventually be accepted in 2021. Notably, Surge was originally pitched as an android hedgehog, but was changed to a cyborg tenrec at a later date by request of Sega.[1][12]

Appearance[]

SFSB Surge Render 02

Surge's profile from Sonic forces: Speed Battle.

Surge is an anthropomorphic tenrec of average height, being about as tall as Sonic the Hedgehog. She possesses mostly bright green fur with a patch of black fur on her face and eyelids and angular blue-green eyes. She has a peach muzzle with a medium-long black nose, upturned sideburns on each side of her head, peach-skinned arms, and several spiky quills that she keeps in a ponytail by a black hairband with six silver studs on top of her head, leaving her quills turned forward. She also has a tiny nub tail split in two, shark teeth, and tall, vertical, flat ears on top of her head.[13]

For attire, she wears two silver earrings on each of her ears, a black shirt with torn-off sleeves, white gloves that possess visible lining with black cuffs that possess six silver studs, a silver ring on each of her index and ring fingers, and yellow, baggy pants with black stripes down the sides that are held up by a black belt with a round, silver belt buckle. Her shoes have yellow flares with double spikes to make them appear that give them a ripped appearance while the back of the shoes is white. Two white straps can be found on the yellow section of the shoes, which also have black toes, black soles with two metal plates embedded, and silver studs on the edges.[13]

History[]

Past[]

Sonic Imposter Syndrome original Surge

Surge being subjected to hypnosis by Dr. Starline, from Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome #3.

Both Surge and Kit have been in development for a long time as part of Dr. Starline's Operation: Remaster. Originally a regular person, Starline somehow acquired Surge and modified her by implementing cybernetic enhancements using Power Cores and the bio-data of Sonic, Shadow and Tails, as well as giving her physical toughness using the Metal Virus and a new personality and memories using the codes he got from Belle. Surge in particular was designed for the purpose of destroying Sonic and replacing him as the hero of the world. Surge was then subjected to hypnotic sessions where Starline imprinted her with a fake, yet intense hatred for Sonic. Afterward, Surge and Kit were subjected to hundreds of tests, and when they got fed up, Starline would blot out their memories with hypnosis, which left both Surge and Kit with lasting psychological trauma. In the end, Surge was left without awareness of her origins, believing only that Starline gave her the powers she had so he could destroy Sonic and change the world.[12][14][15]

Imposter Syndrome and Trial by Fire[]

IS1Pre3

Surge running through Starline's obstacle course, from Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome #1.

Surge and Kit were eventually put to the test by Dr. Starline. After "clearing" an obstacle course, however, Surge got into a heated argument with Starline over how they were wasting time with tests when she believed they were ready for action. In response, Starline reset her and Kit's memory with his hypnotic glove. After they regained consciousness, Surge and Kit were sent to the Forest Ridge Zone Campground by Starline.[14] There, they would start a forest fire that could kill Amy and her friends in order to demoralize Sonic. After Surge used her powers to ignite the dried-up flora, she and Kit would walk through the fire they had caused.[16][14] A few days later, the pair came to Central City for a test to assess their finesse by causing chaos without getting caught. There, Surge caused havoc in the city with her abilities without being seen. Regrouping with Starline at Tails' Lab, Surge got ready to bust down the entrance to the lab when Starline could not open it, but Starline did not want to make a notable scene and had them withdraw. Returning to Starline Base Sigma, Surge learned that the fire she and Kit started had been handled without casualties. Regardless, Starline wanted to put her and Kit through one final test that would let him try out his anti-Eggman algorithm. Surge, however, grew impatient and wanted to fight Sonic. However, she and Kit soon began questioning their motivations and why she hated Sonic so much, prompting Starline to hypnotize them again. Surge recovered rather quickly however and demanded an explanation, forcing Starline to administer a stronger hypnosis that subdued her. When Surge and Kit then woke up, Starline convinced them that they wanted to take part in his final test while he wanted them to move on with his plans. With Surge believing Starline's lie, she listened to Starline's plan for their final test.[14]

Traveling to Egg Base Alpha, Surge was instructed by Starline to escort Kit to the comms tower and ensure that no alerts would be broadcasted onto the Eggnet. Although displeased that she would be babysitting her support unit, she was (somewhat) persuaded by Starline that this was the plan she wanted. Afterward, the trio headed into the base, with Surge and Kit heading to the comms tower. Though Kit suggested a detour when Antons appeared, Surge went ahead and destroyed them, displeased with her role. Kit tried to remind her of Starline's plan, but Surge insisted on doing her own thing and that Kit followed her. Regardless, the two headed towards the comms tower as planned. Once there, Surge opted to just destroy the tower when she thought Kit's plan was too slow. As they argued, however, an Egg Breaker showed up. Agreeing to Kit's plan in the end, Surge distracted the Badniks while Kit went to work. Letting her anger fuel her, Surge ferociously attacked the Egg Beater, only to get smashed into a wall by its mace when she let her guard down. As Kit came to her rescue though, Surge noticed to her and Kit's surprise that the attack had hardly injured her. Afterward, she finished the Egg Breaker. Antons then surrounded the duo, only to begin applauding them. Starline subsequently announced that the base and its Badniks were his now and told Surge and Kit to join him in the control room. There, Surge kept Kit silent and assured Starline that everything was fine when he noticed their bruises. After being dismissed, however, Surge told Kit in private that she had realized that Starline had done something to them that they could not recall. With Surge set on sorting this out by taking a look at Starline's video logs and getting revenge on Starline, Surge asked for Kit's help, who eagerly offered it.[17]

IS3Pre3

Surge and Kit examine Starline's files, from Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome #3.

Eventually, Surge and Kit managed to break into Dr. Starline's video logs. From them, they discovered how Starline had modified them and erased their memories of their past personas. Afterward, Surge wanted to know who they were before Starline modified them, but Kit could not find any information about that in the database, as Starline considered it irrelevant. When Starline then showed up in person, Surge demanded answers from him. Starline, however, instead intended to hypnotize her into submission again. Fortunately, Kit came to her aid. When Kit got paralyzed, however, Surge attacked Starline until the doctor got caught by Kit's water tentacles. Surge then stole Starline's hypnosis gauntlet and put him to sleep with it. As Kit then asked about what they would do now, Surge announced that they would end every hero and villain out there, present and future: if they could not have a past, they will make sure none of them get a future. While onboard with the idea, Kit suggested that they should use Starline's plan to gather all their targets in one place and then eliminate them all at once. Knowing Starline would be set up for a fall this way, Surge agreed. As such, when Starline awoke, Surge made him believe that he himself had told them the circumstances that led him to create them while assuring the doctor that she did not hold any grudges against him. With that out of the way, she then asked for further details on his plan. Overjoyed, Starline revealed his intent to invade Eggman's newest capital: Eggperial City.[15]

Surge later arrived at Eggperial City with Kit and Starline, where she continued to feign her allegiance to the latter. After fighting their way through the city's Badniks, Starline split off from Surge and Kit, who were to occupy Eggman and his forces while he uploaded his override program. Though Surge still had issues with Starline, she enjoyed making as much destruction as possible. When Kit had asked her if it was okay that they were using Starline's plan against him, Surge assured him that all they were doing was justified and the only person he should be loyal to is her. Surge and Kit continued to tear through the Badniks easily until Surge got ambushed by Metal Sonic, though she liked the new challenge. Despite putting up quite a fight, Surge got overwhelmed by Metal Sonic until Kit came to her rescue by restraining Metal Sonic with his water coils before trapping him in a water bubble that Surge proceeded to electrocute, defeating the robot. As a final taunt, Surge told Metal Sonic that he will never be Sonic because she will replace him. Also, with Kit fine and happy to help, she determined that they would get along just fine. After Starline had then uploaded and broadcasted his override program to the Badniks of the world, Surge and Kit witnessed the Coconuts around them fall under Starline's control. The pair soon saw Starline be carried by Egg Pawns to Eggman's main headquarters; when Surge asked if it was everything he hoped for, Starline stated that it was a bittersweet victory. Soon, Surge and Kit watched Badniks from around the world arrive at Eggperial City. Surge told Kit that after they get rid of Starline and the others, he would have to reprogram all of the Badniks to self-destruct but also thought of leaving some for herself. She then explained, should it come down to it, she would fight Sonic alone while Kit kept Tails from distracting her. Once all of this had been taken care of, Surge plotted for herself and Kit to hunt down all of Sonic's allies and topple the cities that celebrated them together.[18]

Battle for the Empire[]

IDW50SonicVSurge

Surge vs. Sonic, from Sonic the Hedgehog #50.

Surge and Kit soon got word from Orbot that Sonic and Tails had entered the city. Sticking to their plan, Surge took Sonic away while Kit engaged Tails. Isolating Sonic from his friends, Surge told Sonic of how much she hated him due to his insistence on not killing his enemies in hopes that they would turn over a new leaf. However, due to the continued antics of people like Dr. Eggman and Dr. Starline, she was made without having a choice in the matter. Furthermore, she did not understand Sonic's resolve to keep fighting such enemies but not to kill them, nor did she understand why the world loved him for that. As such, she told Sonic that she would end all of it, believing it was what they all deserved. She and Sonic proceeded to fight a vicious battle, which kept both parties on their toes. During this, Sonic expressed his hopes that Surge was having fun, which angered her as they were supposed to be fighting to the death. Sonic proceeded to explain that he had been in similar situations with people who were wronged by the world and wanted to destroy it before. Surge insisted that this was who she was, and the hedgehog understood this; however, as he did not know her story, he was not in much of a position to judge and preferred to give Surge a second chance to bounce back. Surge believed this to be naivety, but Sonic explained that he is a person that lives for the moment while enjoying its thrills and adventures, and wished for everyone to have the same freedom he has; if he ended Surge's life, she would not have the opportunity to do so. However, seeing that she probably did not have much of a life in this world before being modified, Surge still saw herself as an outcast. As such, she agreed that she had the freedom to do whatever wanted. However, Sonic made it clear that if she chose to harm anybody and try to take their freedom, he would stop her. As their fight continued, it became apparent to Surge that Sonic would not give up. Surge thus tried to end Sonic, only for him to trip her and be left dangling from the edge of a giant chasm. When Sonic tried to help her get up, however, she zapped him as a final hit. Debris from up above then came crashing down, forcing Surge to fall into the chasm.[19]

She survived the fall and broke free from the junk she was buried in just before it was crushed. She then resolved to find an edge or more power so she could take on Sonic again.[20]

Overpowered[]

Crawling up the garbage chute, Surge would find herself in a storage room, where she found Cubot. Looking through the boxes, Surge found Eggman's prototype Dynamo Cage. With it, it significantly boosted her already powerful electrokinesis.[21] Eggman discovered her and ordered his Egg Pawns to destroy her. This would fail as the Dynamo gave her the ability to absorb energy. Deeming Sonic more of a problem, Surge left the Eggperial City. Upon doing so, Surge discovered that the Dynamo Cage also boosted the mental conditioning Starline forced upon her, causing Surge to hallucinate the now-deceased Doctor Starline. Arguing with it momentarily, Surge rushed off to find Sonic.[3]

Surgepoweredup

Surge powered up by the Dynamo Cage, from Sonic the Hedgehog #54.

Attacking Central City, Surge was met with Whisper the Wolf, who attempted to fend her off. This would fail as the Dynamo granted Surge the ability to absorb and steal the Wisps that powered Whisper's Variable Wispon. Whisper could only watch as four of her five Wisp allies were taken away. Sonic would draw Surge's attention with Tails pulling Whisper to the side.[3] Surge would do battle against Sonic and Tails, shooting Tails out of the sky with a Spin Dash and mocking Sonic for a leg injury he had. She was temporarily placed on the backfoot as Sonic gained access to the Cyan Laser power until she stole Whisper's Cyan Wisp and absorbed it. Surge was fed up with Sonic's 'holier-than-thou grandstanding' and chased him into a hardware store, once again insulting his ideals. She tripped over a pile of nuts and bolts and as she was getting back up, Sonic placed a bucket on her head to slow her down. Surge pursued him into the basement where she activated the Pink Spikes ability but was ambushed by Tails who placed jumper cables onto the back of the Dynamo Cage. This resulted in numerous appliances turning on at once. She told the two that this wouldn't stop her and overloaded herself, blowing up the appliances around them but also rendering her unconscious.[22]

Surge later reawakened in Starline Base Sigma. Kitsunami brought her there after she had fallen unconscious. Just as Kit was explaining what he found, the hallucination of Doctor Starline reappeared and told her that nowhere was safe for her. She fell off of the bed in fear and backed up into a corner while the hallucination ridiculed her because she was back in Starline Base Sigma and claimed she would always be his because he shaped her mind and built her body. She broke down into tears until Kit hugged her, apologizing for leaving her. She calmed down and accepted his apology, asking that he did not do it again and promised that they would make the heroes pay.[22] Later, Surge had Kit redirect the power for the base into her, charging up the Dynamo Cage. Once all the power the base can produce was in Surge, she told Kit to be ready for a fight with Sonic and this would be their final stand. Soon, Surge saw that Eggman was in the base and tried to sneak up on him, but the Dynamo Cage's energy signature gave her away and he attacked her. She was easily able to throw off the doctor's attacks and took the Chaos Drive that was powering his Eggwalker. Eggman, taunting her, attempted to flee, but was unable to escape and just before Surge got physical with Eggman, Metal Sonic comes to his aid. Just as she recomposed herself, Sonic and Tails appeared and told her to give up the Dynamo Cage. Panicking, she refused and retreated into the rafters. Unaware that Sonic and Eggman had not yet joined forces, the thought of them working together mortified Surge all the same. She sat in a fetal position, despairingly thinking Sonic and Eggman would find other ways to hurt her and Kit no matter how strong she became. Surge eventually made it back to Kit, who had finished setting up their trap for the intruders. Despite her doubts and the new situation, she resolved to go forward with the plan she and Kit made.[23]

Once the four intruders made it into the room Surge and Kit wanted, they revealed themselves. Sonic, now aware of what Starline had done to them, appealed to them to hand over the Dynamo Cage peacefully, but they declined, with Surge stating it was not up to him.[23] Surge proceeded to use her entire arsenal against Sonic and Metal Sonic while Kit fought Tails. As she began to be overwhelmed, she noticed Eggman trying to leave and, sensing an opportunity to take Metal out, disengaged to attack the doctor. When Metal flew in to protect Eggman, Surge grabbed Metal's leg and hit Sonic with the robot. Metal Sonic then used his Black Shield with Surge's hand inside, but Surge utilized the Dynamo Cage to drain Metal Sonic of his power, deactivating him. Surge then went back to fighting Sonic, flooding the floor of the room after breaking test tubes. Surge then tried to electrocute Sonic in the water, but he was pulled out by Eggman just in time. Sonic tried again to reason with Surge, but she was only interested in killing him, not his pity or friendship. Sonic insisted she had no reason to want him dead when Starline was not around to make her do so and begged her to be free of the platypus' influence. Surge paused, but with a resigned smile, said she could not and sent Sonic falling into the water. Tails was unable to stop Surge as she pinned Sonic down by his shoulders and electrocuted him nearly to death, railing that he did not understand that she was made to live in his shadow and could never be free as long as he lived. At that moment, the Dynamo Cage overloaded, causing the containers that held all its power and the Wisps to explode. Burnt out and with all her power gone, Surge fainted, with Sonic holding her as Tails helped him up. Eggman, desiring Surge for his own ends, instructed Metal Sonic to take her and the Dynamo Cage, but Kit intervened and pinned down everyone in the while using his hydro-coil tails to bring Surge to him. He then destroyed the room and took Surge with him to parts unknown.[24]

Game appearances[]

Sonic Dash[]

In Sonic Dash, Surge is a playable common character. She can be unlocked after acquiring 300 of her cards.

Image Rarity Affinity Bonus Upgrade Profile
Power-Up Highest level
SFSB Surge Render
Common N/A Dash Boost 10
x2 Multiplier 9
Magnet 10
Shield 9
Headstart 10

Sonic Forces: Speed Battle[]

On 21 November 2023, Surge was added to Sonic Forces: Speed Battle as part of the 4.22.0 update. During Surge's 'Challenger Mode' events she can be encountered on track as a bot-controlled rival. She has the following gameplay characteristics:

Image Rarity Stats Items
Projectile Boost Trap
SFSB Surge Render
SFSBChallengerCardIcon
Challenger
Speed: 10/10

Acceleration: 9/10

Strength: 5/10

SFSBPowerSurge
Power Surge
SFSBVoltBolt
Volt Bolt
SFSBPowerSurge
Power Surge

Sonic Dash+ / Sonic Prime Dash[]

In Sonic Dash+ and Sonic Prime Dash, Surge appears as one of the playable characters. In these games, she can be unlocked by obtaining 500 of her Character Tokens.

Personality[]

Look, I get you brainy-types like to think of all the angles. But me and that faker boy are simple creatures. I hit him fast, I hit him hard, and I keep hitting until he doesn't move anymore.

Surge the Tenrec, Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome #1

Surge possesses Sonic's indomitable and free spirit, albeit in a twisted and sinister way.[14] She is a roguish speedster with an arrogant, cocky, and hot-tempered disposition, taking great pride in her prowess and bragging at any given opportunity.[14] She is also fearless and bold, rarely showing any form of worry or concern, even in situations that are troublesome or possibly beyond her capabilities. When push comes to shove, however, she tends to give in to anger, causing her to become a more volatile force.[17]

IS3SurgeResolve

Surge's new resolve, from Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome #3.

Believing force to be the answer to everything, Surge is convinced that she can defeat any opponent and overcome any obstacle getting in her way with pure strength and speed.[14][17] She is likewise brutal, somewhat bloodthirsty, and highly aggressive, expressing great eagerness to fight and cause chaos and destruction. When working with Dr. Starline, she would persistently demand to go on missions and even grab him by the collar, threatening him when unable to get her way.[14] Described as being “not smart”, Surge prefers open conflict over covert plans, no matter how effective the latter might be. Notably, she would willingly abandon a plan focusing on stealth in favor of an open assault, assured that she would be able to defeat any attention she would attract, even while in enemy territory.[17] She is likewise fiercely independent and irreverent to authority, much like Sonic, meaning she prefers to do things her own way. As such, she is perfectly willing to abandon a well-thought-out plan in favor of following her own whims. Unlike Sonic, however, she shows little to no concern for any negative consequences her roguish behavior may have on herself or others.[17] Despite this, she is willing to listen to others' ideas when she admits that she does not really have much of a plan of her own to proceed with, which makes her more open to suggestions from Kit.[15]

Like Sonic, Surge shows a great deal of attitude when facing off against foes, namely by taunting and mocking them. However, this is out of mean-spirited arrogance and malice as opposed to the carefree playfulness Sonic demonstrates. She is likewise brash, careless, and impatient, which are qualities that stem from her explosive temperament and sense of superiority, unlike Sonic, whose same qualities stem from his positive attitude and confidence. As such, she is prone to facing everything head-on, making her extremely reckless and dependent on support from Kit (despite what she may believe).[14][17] Her temperament is most likely influenced by the psychological trauma caused by excessive exposure to hypnosis.[15] She also hates being deceived and will seek out terrible retribution against those who have wronged her, although this is more out of personal vengeance than a sense of justice.[17] Furthermore, Surge is rather petty, zapping Sonic at the end of her first fight with him just to get the last hit despite his attempt to save her from falling.[19]

For all her roughness, Surge has a slightly vulnerable side to her; upon discovering that her current persona was fabricated, she despaired and even shed tears of sadness. However, this sadness would soon pave way for anger and hatred at everyone and drive her to destroy everything, convinced that if she cannot have a past, then others should not be able to have a future, showing herself to be very spiteful.[15] When the Dynamo Cage caused her to hallucinate Starline talking down to her, she became scared and cried over reliving the trauma Starline caused her, only to stop after being comforted by Kit. Surge also has developed a tendency to doubt herself when plans do not go her way, internally fearing that the world will never stop trying to hurt her and Kit.[23] Surge has come to the conclusion that the world has abandoned her, or that nothing good had happened in her life since she ended up serving Dr. Starline, which has intensified her goal to destroy everything in her path as part of her revenge on Sonic.

Despite her punkish attitude and overall simple-mindedness, Surge does have her moments of insight. She was able to deduce that her own thoughts did not add up to her own understandings and that Starline had something to do with them by realizing that he was in the center of them all.[17]

Powers and abilities[]

IS2Surge

Surge battling the Egg Breaker, from Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome #2.

Having been modified by Dr. Starline with cybernetic enhancements, Surge possesses a multitude of powers derived from Power Cores, the bio data of Sonic, Shadow, Tails, Neo Metal Sonic, and physical resilience derived from the Metal Virus.[15]

As a result of her cybernetic enhancements, combined with electromagnetic propulsion, Surge can move at super speeds, having claimed to be as fast as light.[19] Her speed is great enough that she can create a sonic boom and keep up with Sonic.[14][15] Due to the cellular upgrades provided by the Metal Virus, she also possesses tremendous durability, having withstood an otherwise lethal impact from the Egg Breaker with nothing more than superficial bruises.[17][15] She is also able to perform the Spin Attack, a technique where she curls into a concussive ball or cutting disk and directs herself at her targets. With it, Surge can shred or burrow through just about any substance given enough speed, and perform moves like the Spin Dash.[14][17][15]

Surge vs Sonic

Surge clashing equally against Sonic, from Sonic the Hedgehog #50.

As an offset of her electromagnetic propulsion, Surge has the ability to generate electricity of varying intensity and project it as small lightning bolts or sparks. Notably, she can generate enough electricity to ignite flora and cause various electricity-powered devices to overload.[16][14] Furthermore, by spinning like a top, she can increase the power of the electricity she generates.[18] She can as well surround herself with an aura of electricity to attack her enemies.[19] In terms of physical ability, Surge is extraordinarily powerful, having been able to challenge and clash with powerful fighters such as Sonic[19], and Metal Sonic even if at a disadvantage, and defeat Super Badniks[18] with Kit's help. She's also extremely agile, navigating Starline's obstacle courses and performing acrobatic leaps during her battle with Sonic.

Equipment[]

Surge Dynamo Cage Wisps

Surge channeling the Hyper-go-on of multiple Wisps using the Dynamo Cage.

Upon obtaining the Dynamo Cage, Surge gained even more power. This manifested as shields, and significantly boosted strength. She also gained much greater control over electricity, allowing her to create large electromagnetic fields, magnetically levitate multiple large objects at once, and even travel as a bolt of lightning as if she were teleporting or flying. Another power added was the ability to absorb Wisps and gain their powers. When this happens, Surge produces a glow in the color of the absorbed Wisp. When the Dynamo Cage was starting to overload, multiple Wisp colors were shown at the same time.[24] Using these powers, Surge has generated a barrier of cubes around herself using Blue Cube, along with making cube platforms, conjured energy buzz saws to her hands using Pink Spike, float with Green Hover, blasted at high speeds with Orange Rocket, and fired laser beams from her eyes using Cyan Laser.

Weakness[]

As a part of Dr. Starline's precautions to keep Surge's bravado on a leash, Surge has been made highly susceptible to hypnosis in case she goes out of control. As such, she is quick to respond to Starline's commands and lose some of her most recent memories when exposed to Starline's hypnotic devices. However, her memories cannot be completely erased. In addition, over time, she has begun developing a resistance to this effect.[14][15]

After gaining the Dynamo Cage, due to its amplification of her brain functions, Surge has begun to hallucinate apparitions of Doctor Starline, which criticize her actions and commonly distract her from the task at hand.

Relationships[]

Dr. Starline[]

SurgePretendsIS4

Surge feigning her loyalty to Starline, from Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome #4.

Starline's glove. There's no way he'd let it go, unless... huh. I guess Eggman was more than he could handle. I'm finally free... right? Doesn't matter. He was weak and I can do better. I will. I will get out of this. I'll get better, stronger... and do more than Starline could even imagine.


— Surge the Tenrec, Sonic the Hedgehog #52

Dr. Starline is the one who turned Surge into who she is now, being responsible for her enhancements, her current memories, and her blatant hatred of Sonic. However, she was completely unaware of this fact due to her memories having been fabricated from scratch by Starline. Instead, Surge thought that Starline merely gave her the powers she currently wields for the purpose of destroying Sonic.[14][17][15]

Being as brash and impatient as she is, Surge did not like Starline's overcautious approach towards realizing their goals and would not hesitate to threaten him violently when she got fed up with his behavior.[14] She similarly did not respect his instructions due to her independence, having noted that he "ain't the boss of [her]". Rather, she saw him as the tech support and "idea-guy", a type of person she considers expendable.[17]

Upon realizing that he had done more to her than she has realized, Surge began mistrusting Starline's intentions and seeking to make him pay for what he had done to her.[17] After getting the answers she sought, Surge wanted to destroy Starline for what he had done to her. However, after getting a suggestion from Kit, she decided she wanted to see to see him fall from grace after all the hard work he had put into her by betraying him when the time is right.[15]

Later, a hallucination of Starline, who had perished after being defeated by Eggman, would appear before Surge after she equipped the Dynamo Cage. Surge has consistently shown pure fear in the face of this hallucination because of how it torments her, showing just how much trauma the doctor had inflicted upon her and continued to inflict even after his demise. She was ready to throw the Dynamo Cage off of her just to get rid of this hallucination until he brought up how weak she would be without it.[3]

Kitsunami the Fennec[]

Surge and Kit

Surge and Kit, from Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome #4.

Every dirty deed we do today is justified, little man. The only person you should ever be loyal to...is me!


— Surge the Tenrec, Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome #4

Kitsunami the Fennec is Surge's partner, the two of them having been modified to make up for each other's shortcomings, with Kit, in particular having designed to support Surge with his analytical mind. However, their original partnership is nothing but a farce, as both Surge and Kit have been programmed with false memories and motivations for helping each other by Starline in order to make their teamwork more effective. As such, when they think closely about it, both Surge and Kit are unsure and confused about why they even care about each other and why they are compelled to help each other out.[14]

In contrast to the tight-knit, brotherly dynamic between Sonic and Tails, Surge and Kit are connected by a much stiffer bond. Kit is generally polite and formal when speaking to Surge, addressing her as "ma'am". He is also extremely subservient towards her, stating that whatever she wants is also what he wants, and will do anything to support and please her, becoming highly distressed when any kind of harm befalls her. Although Surge does not necessarily care about his attention and kindness, she will occasionally show appreciation for Kit's devotion to her, especially in combat, as well as a level of respect for his intelligence. Most of the time, though, Surge tends to express dominance over Kit with her bravado and feisty spirit, which often causes him to shrink back in fear and apologize, and expects him to cover her when needed and be nothing more than her tactical support unit. In other situations, she simply does not listen to him or heed his warnings, believing she can handle everything herself.[14][17]

Surge and Kit eventually began forming a closer bond in their quest for answers about their past. After learning about how Starline had used and manipulated them and that her relationship with Kit was entirely artificial, Surge nonetheless remained dominant over Kit as she needed him to get answers about her past. When Surge later decided to destroy everyone they deemed guilty for taking away their past, Kit went along with her idea, although he came up with a plan that would let them take advantage of Starline. Ironically, this allowed them to form a more authentic bond based on their shared hatred for their newfound enemies. During this period, Surge becomes less aggressive when speaking to Kit and shows a more vulnerable side of herself around him.[15] An example of this is seen when Surge is brought back to Starline Base Sigma following her and Kit's confrontation with Sonic and Tails in Central City: Surge was hugged and comforted by Kit when she experienced traumatic hallucinations of Starline, and she would pat him on the head while assuring him that they would get revenge on their enemies.[22]

Sonic the Hedgehog[]

IDW50CoverCraw

Surge facing Sonic in Eggperial City, from Sonic the Hedgehog #50.

You don't get it! I was built to live in your shadow. It's in my blood, my bones, my brain. There is no freedom for me...NOT WHILE YOU'RE STILL ALIVE!


— Surge the Tenrec, Sonic the Hedgehog #56

Sonic the Hedgehog was the primary inspiration behind Surge's cybernetic enhancements, which was why Dr. Starline modified her with powers similar to his and made her believe after dozens of different hypnotic sessions that she hated Sonic with all of her heart and wanted to destroy him.[14][15] However, she would come close to having a mental breakdown when she began to question why she wanted to defeat Sonic, as they had never actually met.[14] However, once she discovered who she was, she gained a genuine hatred for Sonic, finding him responsible by proxy for her existence as a cyborg due to Sonic's refusal to take the lives of his enemies.[19]

Utterly convinced that she is Sonic's superior,[17] Surge wants nothing more than to crush Sonic and prove her superiority him, and will become furious at the prospect of appearing weaker than him.[14][17] After learning the truth about her origins as a cyborg, however, Surge now seeks to destroy Sonic, not because of Starline's hypnosis, but rather because she does not believe he deserves a future if she cannot know her past.[15]

When the time came for her and Sonic to finally meet, she vented her frustration towards him that her existence was based on the fact that Sonic simply lets the foes he defeats live and eventually come back to cause more trouble, yet the whole world loves him for it nonetheless. Furthermore, she ended up rejecting all his attempts to make them friends and would grow even more furious when Sonic disregarded her and the gravity of the situation. At one point, she got knocked down and beckoned him to finish her off. Sonic, however, refused and stated that he simply wanted everyone to live life freely like he does and asked Surge to do the same. At first, Surge seemed to consider his offer, but Surge saw it as his permission to destroy the entire world in anger. Even when Surge was at risk of falling into a chasm and Sonic offered a brief truce in order to pull her up and save her life, she pettily shocked him and remarked she got the last hit in before falling into the chasm. The experience has only left Surge desiring to get more power so she could finally kill Sonic.[19] She attacked more recklessly in subsequent fights against Sonic, using the Dynamo Cage and Wisp powers against him without regarding her own safety or the safety of others.[22] Despite multiple pleas by Sonic to change her ways, Surge has refused to back down on her mission to kill Sonic, believing she will never be free as long as he is alive.[24]

Dr. Eggman[]

IDW53Pre1

Surge's first encounter with Dr. Eggman, from Sonic the Hedgehog #53.

You genius types never know when to shut up, do ya? Maybe you'll stop once I knock your teeth in.


— Surge the Tenrec, Sonic the Hedgehog #55

Surge is also highly antagonistic towards Dr. Eggman and wishes to eliminate him along with Sonic. She views him and his constant conflicts with Sonic as a large part of the reason for her existence due to the fact that Sonic never takes the doctor's life after defeating him, allowing him to repeatedly concoct his evil schemes.[19] Compared to Sonic, Surge seems to treat Eggman and his property with even less respect and more arrogance, as indicated by her treatment of Metal Sonic after defeating him as well as when she stole the Dynamo Cage to use it in her own way.[18][21] She is also much more aggressive and threatening in her confrontations against Eggman than Sonic is, having tackled him to the ground on multiple occassions.[3][23] At the same time, she is aware of the might Eggman possesses, as she quickly deduced from the sight of Starline's lost glove that Eggman was more than the platypus could handle.[21]

Initially, Eggman does not seem to think much of Surge despite her association with Dr. Starline, simply calling her a "pesky speedster" and casually ordering his Egg Pawns to gun her down, but eventually starts to view her as a bigger threat after witnessing her use the Dynamo Cage's power against him.[18][3] This angered Eggman since she was not using the Dynamo the way it was supposed to be used, but also piqued his curiosity about the cybernetic enhancements given to her by Starline. As such, he was willing to raid Starline Base Sigma, a base she had taken over, and temporarily team up with Sonic and Tails just to reclaim his stolen device and attempt to capture Surge for his own personal gain.[22][23][24]

Friends/allies[]

Neutral[]

Enemies[]

Quotes[]

"You thought you could touch me? Pathetic!"
—Surge's first line of dialogue, Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome #1
"Sucks to be them. 'Cuz I aim to misbehave."
—Surge the Tenrec, Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome #1
"Oh, I know who you are. It's all I know, really, and that's the problem. I am your fault. Starline? Eggman? Sure, they're part of this and they'll get theirs, but it really comes down to you. If you had just taken them out, I wouldn't have been made! Or is that against your precious "moral code," you could've just rolled over and quit! But no! You keep on fighting! You keep on giving idiots the freedom to repeat their awful mistakes! And it just keeps on going and going and going! And the whole world loves you for it. So I'm ending it. All of it. You. The docs. The world. It's what you all deserve."
—Surge's introductory monologue towards Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog #50
"If I volunteered to work with Starline, I obviously didn't have anything good going in my life. If he kidnapped me, nobody tried to find me."
—Surge rejecting Sonic's offer to become friends, Sonic the Hedgehog #50
"Ain't it obvious? I'm chilling with your bestie. She was telling me this crazy story about a forest fire."
—Surge when Sonic finds her and Kit lunching with Amy, Sonic the Hedgehog #67

Trivia[]

  • Surge is the second character to be designed off of the "Ashura" glitch and act as an evil counterpart to Sonic, following Scourge the Hedgehog's redesign in the Archie Comics, coincidentally, Surge and Scourge have many similarities, being dark reflections of Sonic.
  • Surge is the first female exclusive antagonist from the IDW Sonic the Hedgehog comic series.
  • Surge and Kit's names together reference the word "circuit" possibly referencing their cyborg nature.
  • The idea that Surge and Kit's powers were based on Sonic and Tails' hydrophobia and astraphobia was not intended and is purely a coincidence when Ian Flynn pitched the characters.[25] Although notes in Imposter Syndrome # 2 contradict this as it was noted that Tails’ astraphobia was taken in mind when designing Surge.
  • The pose she performs in her artwork of Sonic Forces: Speed Battle and Sonic Dash is based on one of the poses she performs in her posing sheet.
  • Surge's personality was likely based on how Starline sees Sonic due to being his version of Sonic, A volatile punk with an unchecked ego.
  • Tenrecs as a species are very similar to hedgehogs, despite not actually being related. They're so similar, a tenrec can easily be mistaken for a hedgehog.

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 IDW Publishing on Twitter. Twitter (14 November 2021). Retrieved on 14 November 2021. "David Mariotte: Surge and Kit actually predate Sonic number 1, as seen on this year one springboard from Ian Flynn. They predate most of the things in IDW Sonic, in fact. When Ian Flynn pitched Surge and Kit in 2017 before the series started, we knew that it wasn't quite the right time for their story to get the justice it deserves. When it came to 2021 planning with Ian, writer Evan Stanley, and assistant editor Riley Farmer, we knew it was the right time."
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Mauro Fonseca on Twitter. Twitter (2 September 2021). Archived from the original on 13 November 2021. Retrieved on 2 September 2021.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Sonic the Hedgehog #53, "Overpowered, Part 2"
  4. Dreadknux (26 August 2021). SURGE THE TENREC AND KIT THE FENNEC: IDW'S 'IMPOSTER SYNDROME' MINISERIES' NEW CHARACTERS REVEALED. The Sonic Stadium. Archived from the original on 26 August 2021.
  5. BumbleKast Monthly Livestream for April 2022 - Q&A with Ian Flynn!. YouTube (30 April 2022). Retrieved on 30 April 2022.
  6. STH Imposter Syndrome!. Reddit (September 2021). Retrieved on 11 November 2021. "Ian Flynn: Dr. Starline was inspired by the "Wechina" sprite error from Knuckles's Chaotix. Likewise, Surge is inspired by the famous "Ashura" glitch of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and Kit by a personal glitch I remember getting for Tails in S3&K."
  7. 7.0 7.1 Mauro Fonseca on Twitter. Twitter (18 November 2021). Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved on 18 November 2021.
  8. Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome #2, Sonic Letters Squad
  9. Ask on Evan Stanley's blog. Tumblr (12 December 2021). Retrieved on 12 December 2021. "evilhatsune: Is Surge a greater hedgehog tenrec or a lesser hedgehog tenrec? or is she a completely different sort of tenrec like the highland streaked tenrec? or just general non specified tenrec / Evan Stanley: She doesn't have an exact type of tenrec called out in canon, but we were looking more at Lowland Streaked Tenrecs. They've got the black face-mask and the flippy-up spikes."
  10. BumbleKing Videos (7 January 2019). The Final (For Real) Smash Bros. Ultimate Episode - BumbleKast #82. YouTube. Retrieved on 18 November 2021. "Ian Flynn: See actually, Starline was meant to debut with two other characters and they were all built around a similar [...], and if they had all come out at the same time I think folks would've gone "Oh, I see where the inspiration is from", but things were revised because our season 2 plans were [...] we need to just push some stuff to the back burner now and focus on [...] so that's why we only have Starline now. Eh, maybe we'll get to it down the line."
  11. Ian Flynn on Twitter. Twitter (17 November 2021). Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved on 18 November 2021.
  12. 12.0 12.1 BumbleKast for May 20th, 2022 - Standard Q&A Podcast with Ian Flynn. Youtube (20 May 2022). Retrieved on 20 May 2022.
  13. 13.0 13.1 Surge's model sheet.
  14. 14.00 14.01 14.02 14.03 14.04 14.05 14.06 14.07 14.08 14.09 14.10 14.11 14.12 14.13 14.14 14.15 14.16 14.17 14.18 14.19 Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome #1, story one
  15. 15.00 15.01 15.02 15.03 15.04 15.05 15.06 15.07 15.08 15.09 15.10 15.11 15.12 15.13 15.14 Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome #3, story one
  16. 16.0 16.1 Sonic the Hedgehog #46, "Trial by Fire, Part 2"
  17. 17.00 17.01 17.02 17.03 17.04 17.05 17.06 17.07 17.08 17.09 17.10 17.11 17.12 17.13 17.14 17.15 Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome #2, story one
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 Sonic the Hedgehog: Imposter Syndrome #4, story one
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 19.5 19.6 19.7 Sonic the Hedgehog #50, "Battle for the Empire"
  20. Sonic the Hedgehog #51, "Escape from the Empire"
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 Sonic the Hedgehog #52, "Overpowered, Part 1"
  22. 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 Sonic the Hedgehog #54, "Overpowered, Part 3"
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 Sonic the Hedgehog #55, "Overpowered, Part 4"
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 Sonic the Hedgehog #56, "Overpowered, Part 5"
  25. BumbleKing Videos (29 August 2022). BumbleKast for August 29th, 2022 - Q&A Livestream with Ian Flynn. YouTube. Retrieved on 29 August 2022.
Advertisement