Information in this article may not be canonical to the storyline of the games or any other Sonic continuity. |
Tekno the Canary is a character that appears in the Sonic the Comic series published by Fleetway Editions. She is a canary who initially worked under Dr. Ivo Robotnik, but after a series of events ended up as a member of the Freedom Fighters.
History[]
Tekno was once a weapons designer and top engineer for Dr. Ivo Robotnik. Among other projects, she helped to create the super-alloy Megatal. However, she was stealing materials to make her own weapons. When Robotnik found out, he had her sent to the Badnik Processing Plants.[1] Shortfuse the Cybernik rescued her from the Troopers who were transporting her,[2] and in exchange she repainted and improved his Megatal armor[1] and helped him in a mission to bomb one of Robotnik's Chemical Plant Zone factories.[3] She was kidnapped by Metamorphia and taken to Citadel Robotnik,[4] but when Shortfuse attacked the Citadel to save her, Tekno was able to defeat a now-powerless Metamorphia with a judo flip.[5]
Tekno assisted Shortfuse several times after this by giving him repairs and logistical support, and briefly encountered Sonic and the Freedom Fighters.[6] When Sonic was trapped in the Special Zone,[7] she was re-introduced to the Freedom Fighters,[8] and even offered to let them use her secret laboratory in the Emerald Hill Zone as their new base.[9] In this time she also befriended Amy Rose.[10]
Following the overthrowing of Robotnik's empire,[11] Tekno began to team up more with Amy in keeping Mobius secure from the hordes of random criminals and (more frequently) nutters who were springing up, including the D.R.A.T.[12] and Agent X.[13] In this time, Amy and Tekno also met Norris Wimple[14] and Fabian Vane,[15] two civilians that Amy and Tekno frequently had to save from random villains or their own ineptitude. On a trip into space they also helped rescue Shortfuse from the alien Insectra Empire, helping end their war with the Blurrgh in the process,[16] and visited Earth while returning to Mobius, making an enemy of Colonel Granite in the process.[17] Eventually she and Amy were sought out by the mysterious Ring of Eternity, a sentient dimensional warp which sent them on missions to right wrongs and fight injustice throughout time and space (possibly inspired by Quantum Leap as it features a similar premise). She even witnessed the beginning of life on Mobius, discovering it was created by dinosaurs (in space suits) working for an unspecified employer (hinted to be God).
Eventually she and Amy returned to Mobius, and Tekno began assisting Sonic in investigating the new Zones. Her final appearance in STC had her & the other Freedom Fighters attempting to stop Robotnik from draining the life-force from Mobius and causing a devastating environmental collapse.
Personality[]
Sharp minded with a gift for inventing, Tekno would go onto to take over the role of the main technology expert for the Freedom Fighters after the departure of Porker Lewis from the team. In contrast to Porker, she has more of an aptitude for heroics and adventure, spending her days building up a backlog of inventions for every eventuality and then seeking out chances to use them against villains in the field.
Tekno is friendly and always acts in a good-natured fashion, but is not above playful teasing or snarkiness, even if, between her and her good friend Amy, she tends to be the more laid-back, casual one. Despite having a less intense disposition than some of her teammates, she is still plenty courageous and headstrong, not being one to show hesitance in the face of threats like Robotnik.
Powers and abilities[]
Tekno has a genius intellect in science, having proven herself a certified scientific genius, and is a clever engineer. While she mostly relies on her inventions in combative situations, she's also able to hold her own in a fight if need be, as she was able to throw Metamorphia over her shoulder onto the ground, albeit after the shapeshifter's powers had been drained.[5]
Despite having arms instead of wings, Tekno has the ability to fly under her own power. When Colonel Granite wondered how she could fly since she had no wings, she responded with, "No, but I am talented!"[18]
Relationships[]
Amy Rose[]
Shortfuse the Cybernik[]
Tekno is romantically interested in Shortfuse the Cybernik, and he feels the same way about her.[19] Tekno once asked Shorty out for food[6] and later kissed him at a New Years party,[9] but Shortfuse himself appears to be more reserved.
Tekno's creator, Lew Stringer, claimed that he avoided making Tekno and Shorty's feelings too obvious, for fear of alienating younger readers. He suggested that they might have gone on a date after Shortfuse was released from his armour in Sonic the Comic #174, "Game Over, Part 2".[19]
In other media[]
Books and comics[]
Archie Comics[]
Tekno makes a few brief cameo appearances in the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series published by Archie Comics. After King Max announced that Sally would be ruler during his absence, Tekno said, "Wow, Amy--Sally's in charge." Also, on the page where Tiara makes an appearance, Tekno can be seen in the background behind Big the Cat. A second cameo of Tekno can be seen in Sonic the Hedgehog #138 in Uncle Chuck's diner.
Trivia[]
- Tekno identified as female throughout Sonic the Comic's original run. For Pride Month 2023, however, Lew Stringer, the creator of Tekno, allowed the character to identify as non-binary in Sonic the Comic Online, the unofficial continuation to the original comic series, for more LGBT representation in the series.[20] Nevertheless, Stringer himself will continue to personally see his character as female, but is fine with fans referring to her/them as non-binary.[21]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sonic the Comic #64, "Cybernik Strikes Back, Part 2"
- ↑ Sonic the Comic #63, "Cybernik Strikes Back, Part 1"
- ↑ Sonic the Comic #65, "Cybernik Strikes Back, Part 3"
- ↑ Sonic the Comic #66, "Cybernik Strikes Back, Part 4"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Sonic the Comic #67, "Cybernik Strikes Back, Part 5"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Sonic Holiday Special, "Sonic Vs Shortfuse"
- ↑ Sonic the Comic #84, "Heroes & Villains, Part 1" to Sonic the Comic #100, "The Final Victory"
- ↑ Sonic the Comic #91, "Secret Weapon, Part 2"
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Sonic the Comic #94, "The Monster Wakes, Part 1"
- ↑ Sonic the Comic #95, "Out for a Spin"
- ↑ Sonic the Comic #100, "The Final Victory"
- ↑ Sonic the Comic #103, "Crawling from the Wreckage"
- ↑ Sonic the Comic #122 and #123, "Root of All Evil"
- ↑ Sonic the Comic #108, "Spot of Bother"
- ↑ Sonic the Comic #109, "Star Struck, Part 1"
- ↑ Sonic the Comic #111 to #113, "Spaced Out"
- ↑ Sonic the Comic #114 and #115, "Earthbound"
- ↑ Sonic the Comic #115, "Earthbound, Part 2"
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 STEM Lew Stringer interview at sonicthecomic Yahoo! Group
- ↑ Sonic the Comic #STC30 (2 June 2023). Sonic the Comic #STC30 on Twitter. Twitter. Retrieved on 2 June 2023.
- ↑ Stringer, Lew (2 June 2023). Lew Stringer, Cartoonist on Twitter. Twitter. Retrieved on 10 June 2023. "I'll always think of Tekno as a girl because that's how I conceived her and she was definitely a girl in the stories I wrote, but if others want her/them to have become non-binary since that's fine with me. Tekno now can be whatever fans want Tekno to be."
External links[]
- Tekno the Canary at the Sonic the Comic Wiki.