// Sonic X (and SA2) spoilers ... do I really need to give spoiler alerts to a 15+ year old show and an even older game? I guess just in case.
I recently finished watching Sonic X (the Japanese version (English sub) ofc) and I really enjoyed it! Surprisingly heartfelt, especially at the end. The humour was great too. I kind of wish they did a third series with a Sonic Rush adaptation, but that's a different discussion.
Anyway, as much as I love Sonic X, the show does have its flaws. And I'm not just talking about Chris Thorndyke or the fact that the Metarex story goes on for... way too long,, The 'Egg Moon Saga' (episodes 39-41), I think, had a lot of potential that ultimately was wasted.
For context, this is after the SA2 adaptation, so the moon is freshly half blown to smithereens and everyone is a bit shaken after being faced with imminent doom from Gerald Robotnik's speech. It's also important to note that although Sonic was seen as a hero after saving the world with Shadow, he was being framed as a criminal very shortly before.
In the episodes, Eggman apologises for his actions and sends a device up to the moon which replaces the blown-up part with his own steel contraption so the moon is whole again, which was generally seen as an act of kindness. However, the moon begins to 'malfunction' and constantly eclipses the sun so it is always night. It's weird that no one really found this suspicious apart from Sonic...?? Anyway.
As an apology, Eggman starts selling these 'Sunshine Balls' so people can have sunlight while he tries to fix what's happening with the moon. People really appreciate Eggman for this... and I mean, as they should! At that moment, there was no other option to get sunlight. SUNLIGHT!! It's so vital for so many people that of course people would be willing and thankful to buy Eggman's apology product. It seems really genuine, given the circumstances and the fact that nobody thought him suspicious.
Out of nowhere for seemingly no reason, Sonic starts running around and toppling the Mirror Towers that power the Sunshine Balls, effectively getting rid of everyone's sunlight. NOBODY is happy at him for this. The government are after him. The public hate him. His friends are confused and a little hurt. All completely understandable, given that he is getting rid of everyone's only source of sunlight at the moment.
I think this sets up a really interesting situation and moral dilemma. Sonic clearly can't see the pain he's causing people, all because he's suspicious of Eggman's plans no matter what they are. For once, it seems like Eggman is in the right and Sonic is in the wrong and not because of any impostor hedgehogs or anything like that. The characters are shocked and we, the viewer, are also shocked at Sonic's selfish actions.
It turns out, and this is the part that annoys me, is that Eggman put radio waves, too tiny for anyone to notice, in the Sunshine Balls so that people would mindlessly follow and praise Eggman, and that this is why Sonic was destroying the Mirror Towers. After hearing this, everybody supports Sonic again, and the friends fly up into space and sort out the moon so it isn't blocking the sun anymore.
... why did they need to add mind controlling radio waves into the story?? The fact that Eggman is providing people with a source of sunlight in a time when it seems like there is no other way is reason enough for people to support him. I know the heroes and villains in these types of shows need to be morally black and white so it's easier for kids to understand, but it's still kinda fustrating.
What I would have done is made it so that the radio waves were not part of the story. Eggman is already selling the Sunshine Balls to people, so his 'evil motive' could just be a way of cornering people into having to give him money. That makes sense.
Sonic saw the fact that Eggman was selling these Sunshine Balls to people and instantly thought it suspicious because of his deep-rooted distrust towards Eggman. He started destroying the Mirror Towers to put an end to his 'scheme', not realising how selfish it was or the pain he was causing to people, including his (human) friends. He would eventually get confronted by people like Amy and Tails, asking him why he was doing this and telling him about the negative consequences of his actions. Sonic would argue that Eggman could never be trusted, but would be shocked and hurt to learn of the pain he's caused to people. This could be emphasised by Cream crying... I mean who doesn't want to hurt Cream??
After this, Sonic stops destroying the Mirror Towers and instead works with his friends to figure out why the moon is acting like this. The friends had managed to find a middle ground in the argument before as they take into account that Eggman isn't entirely to be trusted... and it turns out to be right as they figure out that Eggman's new robotic moon is purposefully following the sun. That's when they fly up into space and fix it, giving everyone sunlight again and exposing Eggman's scheme to get money.
Of course you can insert a little moment of defeat for Eggman that fits in with the tone of the show where Bocoe and Decoe console him by saying "at least we still got loads of money" then the government coming round and forcing them to give refunds or something... It's a nice and satisfying way to end the saga, complete and ready for the next one.
I'd love to hear what you guys think of this! Would you have handled the saga differently? Are there any other moments in Sonic X (or any other Sonic show/game/whatever) that you would have done something different for?
I'd be surprised if anyone actually reads through all my hyperfixation-fuelled ramblings lmao.