History VideoGame / SonicStorybookSeries

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: [[strike:Knuckles]] Sir Gawain is so humiliated by losing his boss fight that he tries to commit ''seppuku''. One wonders when ''Arthur-dono'' imposed this penalty.
** Doubles as a CriticalResearchFailure when you consider that the Code of Chivalry the game is constantly beating the player over the head with was greatly influenced by the Christian beliefs and practices of the time. Guess what is considered a ''massive'' sin in the eyes of Christianity. Protip: While similar in many ways, Chivalry and Bushido are ''not'' the same thing.

* BenevolentGenie: Shahra

* AnAesop: In ''Black Knight'', everything has to end eventually, and it's better to have lived a good life with no regrets than to be stuck in an unending circle of monotony.

* AnAesop: As Sonic puts it, "there's more to life than just serving a king."

** And when [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments he loses his chili dog at the beginning.]]

* LetsPlay: By [[LetsPlay/SonicTheHedgehog2006LetsPlay pokecapn, medibot, Kung Fu Jesus, and IlluminatusVespucci]]. There's also one by LetsPlay/HellfireCommentaries and another by LetsPlay/ClementJ642.

* MeaningfulName: Caliburn. [[spoiler:The fact that his name sounds a lot like Excalibur isn’t a coincidence, because at the end of the game, it’s revealed that Excalibur is Caliburn’s true form. Also, “Caliburn” is what Excalibur was originally called in real-life before its name was altered in later versions of the Arthurian legends.]]

* HardTruthAesop: Living in a world that continues without end, even at the risk of disrupting natural order, isn't a great way for one to live their life, and they should instead make the most out of their time before the end comes.

* RetCanon: Sonic loving chili dogs was initially an element of the 90's Western canon (''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'', ''WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM'', ''WesternAnimation/SonicUnderground'', and ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics''). It was introduced into game canon in a Japanese manual for ''Advance 3'', and ''Unleashed'' has chili dogs being one of the highest xp food items with chip even saying it as being something Sonic really likes, but ''Sonic and the Black Knight'' is the first time Sonic has been seen eating a chili dog on-screen in the games.

* RetCanon: Sonic loving chili dogs was initially an element of the 90's Western canon (''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'', ''WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM'', ''WesternAnimation/SonicUnderground'', and ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics''). It was introduced into game canon in a Japanese manual for ''Advance 3'', but ''Sonic and the Black Knight'' is the first time Sonic has been seen eating a chili dog on-screen in the games.

* EccentricMentor: Nimue, the Lady of the Lake.
* EstablishingCharacterMoment: The game is often commended for demonstrating Sonic's personality very well.
* EvilVersusEvil: Downplayed but still present between [[spoiler:King Arthur and [[AntiVillain Merlina]]. One has become DrunkOnTheDarkSide and terrorizing the kingdom he's supposed to rule with monsters from the Underworld. The other wants to stop him... but only so that she can get her hands on the scabbard with which to enact her own scheme to make the kingdom eternal to prevent its eventual destruction, which as a consequence warps the land with dark magic and releases the armies of the Underworld as well]].

* InstantAwesomeJustAddDragons: This games features two of them; The Mist Dragon and the Earth Dragon.

* MeaningfulName: Caliburn. [[spoiler:The fact that his name sounds a lot like Excalibur isn’t a coincidence, because at the end of the game, it’s revealed that Excalibur is Caliburn’s true form. Also, “Caliburn” is what Excalibur was originally called in real-life before its name was altered in later versions of the Arthurian legends.]]

* NoSympathy: In the ending, Amy doesn't buy Sonic's reasons for why he missed out on their date because he was being sent to the Aruthurian times, and proceeds to chase him with her hammer.

* StockDinosaurs: ''TyrannosaurusRex'', ''Triceratops'', ''Apatosaurus'', ''Parasaurolophus'', ''Pteranodon'', ''Stegosaurus'', and ''Allosaurus'' all appear in "Dinosaur Jungle".

* AdaptationalBadass: Well, only by comparison. While they were very strong, this game ups them by giving them the abilities of Sonic's friends, giving Lancelot Chaos powers, Percival pyrokinesis, and Galahad telekinesis.

* NamedByTheAdaptation: The Genie of the Lamp is named "Erazor" and the Genie of the Ring is named "Shahra". They are unnamed in 1001 Arabian Nights.

* NoEnding: The story just sorta stops after the final battle with the revelation that [[spoiler:Sonic is King Arthur or at least his story book equivalent]]. Whether this was meant as a SequelHook or not remains to be seen, [[spoiler:but that's not how it ends]].

TheOneWhere Sonic stars in fanfics.

* TakenForGranite: Gargoyles in Secret Rings and and fish-like Knights of the Underworld in Black Knight are capable of turning Sonic to stone. Oddly enough, it's instantly fatal in Black Knight without the Stone Brooch or Petrification immunity equipped, but is not fatal in Secret Rings -- you just have to shake the Wii Remote to break free.

* UniversalAdaptorCast: All of the recurring series' characters. Sonic himself ends up playing a role of one of the characters, though he retains his own personality regardless. [[spoiler:It's implied in ''Sonic and the Secret Rings'' that Sonic is standing in for Aladdin; in ''Sonic and the Black Knight'', it's revealed in the ending that Sonic is the true King Arthur (the one fought earlier was a fake created by Merlin.)]]

* AssholeVictim: [[spoiler:Erazor Djinn gets painfully humiliated by Sonic, sealed in his lamp forever and then gets destroyed for good when his lamp is thrown into lava. After all the hell he put Sonic, Shahra and the rest of the Arabian Nights through, he truly deserved that fate.]]

* BecauseYouWereNiceToMe: This was likely the reason why Shahra [[spoiler:sacrificed herself for Sonic's sake and did not jump to Erazor's defense whilst he was dooming him to his eternal prison.]] Sonic was probably the first master who treated her with genuine kindness and concern, who didn't disrespect her or treat her like magical property who can fulfill his wildest dreams.

* ClippedWingAngel: Although neither are depicted as weak, [[spoiler: Alf Layla Wa Layla and Darkspines Sonic]] are this in the grand scheme due to neither of them actually utilizing all of the World Rings properly. [[spoiler: Erazor]] tries to use them without actually having done the ritual correctly and ends up malformed and grotesque. [[spoiler: Darkspine Sonic]] on the other hand was formed using only the rings of Rage, Hatred and Sorrow combined with [[spoiler: Shahara's]] residual power. While [[spoiler: Sonic]] is able to pull it off well enough to get the job done, [[spoiler: Erazor]] almost immediately goes into SuperPowerMeltdown.

* DarkIsNotEvil: Darkspine Sonic, the form Sonic takes after unintentionally absorbing the World Rings of Sadness, Rage and Hatred. Whilst his appearance gives off vibes of great evil (Purple-Indigo color scheme, NoMouth, blank pupil-less GlowingEyesOfDoom), this definitely isn't the case regarding his personality and actions. Whilst undoubtedly vicious, Darkspine acts entirely in the interests of the Arabian Nights and even seems to be insecure as he begs for Shahra's power and calls out to her during the battle against Alf Layla Wa-Layla. [[BewareTheNiceOnes He's just focused all that negative emotion squarely on Erazor's head]].
* DefiantToTheEnd: [[spoiler:Erazor's attitude even as he is being sucked into his lamp for eternity is to try and talk Shahra into stopping Sonic and he even insults Sonic by calling him a dirty rat. He even boasts about how the world belongs to him.]]

* EvilLaugh: When Erazor is bragging to Sonic about how he is immortal and can't be truly defeated, he gives a straight "Mua ha ha ha ha!" laugh [[spoiler: before [[OhCrap he finds out Sonic is holding his lamp.]]]]
* FateWorseThanDeath: [[spoiler: Sonic wishes for Erazor to be sealed in the lamp for the rest of time, and then he drops the lamp into the furnace. It's unknown whether the lamp survived or not]].

* GoodIsNotSoft: [[spoiler:Sonic painfully inflicting wishes upon Erazor, as well as sealing him away in his lamp forever would come off as [[WhatTheHellHero chilling]] (especially in comparison to his treatment of [[VideoGame/SonicAdventure Chaos]]) [[KickTheSonOfABitch if Erazor hadn't been established as a truly evil being throughout the game]].]]

* HateSink: Erazor Djinn is a power hungry, unempathetic and purely self serving douchebag who has nothing remotely sympathetic or likable going for him, and he acts extremely arrogant and haughty towards everyone around him. He treats Shahra like dirt and after her sacrifice, he has the gall to mock her as being weak. And to say nothing of how he puts Sonic's life on the line to further his own ends, and talks down to him and insults him as being a rat. [[spoiler:You won't so much as shed a tear for him when Sonic seals him in the lamp forever and destroys it.]]

* IAmNotWeasel: Sonic ''really'' doesn't like it when Erazor calls him a rat.

-->[[spoiler:'''Erazor:''' I cannot be denied by the filthy rat! ''Whyyyyyyyyy?'']]

* JackassGenie: Erazor Djinn. [[spoiler:However, as shown by what happens to him when Sonic forces him to grant his wishes, he can't seem to act against the spirit of the wishes or twist them into something worse]].

* KickTheDog: [[spoiler: Erazor's mocking of Shahra as a "mere Genie of the Ring" moments after murdering her.]]
* KickTheSonOfABitch: [[spoiler:Sonic inflicting painful and humiliating wishes onto Erazor Djinn and then sealing him in his lamp forever and destroying it. In any other context, this would be shockingly cruel for Sonic, but in this case, Erazor was just ''that'' evil of a person and it is absolutely understandable that he had this fate.]]

* LightIsNotGood: Alf Layla wa-Layla [[note]]the form Erazor Djinn takes after his [[HeroicSacrifice botched]] attempt at sacrificing Sonic's life (resulting in his inability to properly control the World Rings)[[/note]] was formed by Erazor absorbing the World Rings of Prayer, Joy, Pleasure and Wishes.

* MacGuffinDeliveryService: Justified: the one who gathers the World Rings is the one who needs sacrificed for someone to get control over them, so Erazor ''had'' to have someone else gather them for him. [[spoiler:When he sacrifices Shahra by mistake, it results in an incomplete transformation.]]

* MortonsFork: Basically, no matter what Sonic does, he'll lose. Either he gives the World Rings to Erazor hoping to have his flame arrow removed whilst juggling with the idea that Erazor will use him as a sacrifice to gain true control of the Rings, or he doesn't and the flame arrow kills him anyway. [[spoiler:Lucky that Shahra threw a wrench into his works via self-sacrifice, preventing Erazor gaining true control of the World Rings and bringing about a series of events that ultimately worked in Sonic's favor.]]

** [[spoiler:He makes this same wish in the end, when Shahra is in need of them.]]

* NintendoHard: The later missions are all insanely hard, and mostly consist of the Avoid the Pearls/No Damage/X Ring Chain variety with crazy obstacles. They're optional, however.

* OneWingedAngel: [[spoiler:Erazor has a rare non-inflicted version happen to himself when he absorbs the World rings.]]

* OpportunisticBastard: Erazor meant to shoot Shahra with the flame arrow, but Sonic took the bullet and was inflicted with a [[TheWorseningCurseMark life-draining curse]]. Using it to his advantage, Erazor coerces Sonic into gathering the World Rings for him in exchange for having it removed.

* PainfulTransformation: Judging by the sounds of Sonic and Erazor's screams mid-transformation, as well as the straight-up BodyHorror Erazor experiences, achieving the World Rings' version of a SuperMode is ''not'' a pleasant experience.

* PunnyName: E''razor'' Djinn, who uses a giant straight''razor'' as a sword.

* SeriesContinuityError: In one scene, Sonic says he is the only one who can touch the World Rings, and he bets he can do so because he is not from the world of the Arabian Nights. Except that earlier, Sinbad said the pirates stole the World Ring he uses that control the storms, meaning Sonic's reasoning don't really hold much weight.

* [[TargetedHumanSacrifice Targeted Hedgehog Sacrifice]]: As the one who collected all seven World Rings, Sonic was meant to be sacrificed for Erazor to gain control over them. When he kills [[spoiler: Shahra]] instead, he ''does'' get their power, but he's stated in-game as being incomplete.

-->[[spoiler:'''Erazor''': ''"Shahra, I know you're there! Please, stop him! We can start over, the two of us! I swear! I swear it! The world is mine! I cannot be denied by that filthy rat! Whyyyyy?!"'']]

* AbsurdlySharpBlade: [[spoiler: "There's nothing Excalibur can't cut through."]]

* ArtifactOfDoom: The scabbard of Excalibur has a remarkable habit of serving as TheCorrupter. After receiving it from Nimue, King Arthur became a power-hungry tyrant. [[spoiler:Merlina's efforts to depose the king were actually to take the scabbard for herself]].

** Doubles as a CriticalResearchFailure when you consider that the Code of Chivalry the game is constantly beating the player over the head with was greatly influenced by the Christian beliefs and practices of the time. Guess what is considered a ''massive'' sin in the eyes of Christianity. Protip: While similar in many ways, Chivalry and Bushido are 'not' the same thing.

* AWorldHalfFull: Seems to be Sonic's main argument against [[spoiler: Merlina's]] freezing Camelot. The kingdom may be destined to fall someday, but good people can and do make a difference.

** The final boss, [[spoiler:Merlina/The Dark Queen,]] has ''four'' gargantuan swords used to fight Sonic. [[spoiler:They're gargantuan Deathcaliburs]].

* BigNo: Sonic does this when [[spoiler:Caliburn is bisected by the Dark Queen.]]

** Sir Lancelot wears dark gunmetal-grey armor to go with his black furred body.

** [[spoiler:Dark Queen Merlina's battle form is a giant blue-and-black-armored spectral King Arthur. When she TurnsRed, the armor goes completely black]].

* ChestMonster: In various levels, the red chests (which usually contain loot) can suddenly hostile, sharp-teeth monsters that flee when you get close.

* DarkReprise: [[spoiler: ''With Me'', the Dark Queen's battle theme, is both this and a Boss Remix for Merlina's Leitmotif]].
* DarkIsNotEvil: Lancelot is, in Sonic's world, Shadow. He acts as a somewhat condescending, but honorable foe, and [[spoiler: joins Sonic after the DiscOneFinalBoss]].
** [[DarkIsEvil Played straight with]] [[spoiler: Merlina]], who dons a darker coloured costume [[spoiler: after her betrayal.]]

* EvilCostumeSwitch: [[spoiler: As the Queen of the Underworld, Merlina dons a dark green, purple, and gold PimpedOutDress]] rather than [[spoiler: her]] usual pink colour scheme.
* ExcaliburInTheStone: Subverted: It seems that the two are separate swords at first, but then it's revealed that [[spoiler:Caliburn (which Sonic has been carrying around the entire game) is actually the true Excalibur.]]

* EvilVersusEvil: Downplayed but still present between [[spoiler:King Arthur and [[AntiVillain Merlina]]. One has become DrunkOnTheDarkSide and terrorizing the kingdom he's supposed to rule with monsters from the Underworld. The other wants to stop him...but only so that she can get her hands on the scabbard with which to enact her own scheme to make the kingdom eternal to prevent its eventual destruction, which as a consequence warps the land with dark magic and releases the armies of the Underworld as well.]]
* FakeOutFadeOut: [[spoiler: The game rolls the credits after you defeat King Arthur, but the game is nowhere close to over.]]

** Merlina takes a moment early on in the game to pick a small flower and quietly muse to herself the futility of their blooming when they're destined to wither, though upon noticing Sonic staring at her she quickly brushes it off. [[spoiler:This shows the [[StrawNihilist core of her villainy]] and [[WellIntentionedExtremist her desire to find a way to stop this end from happening to Camelot]]]].
** Only with all of the sacred swords together can Sonic nullify King Arthur's scabbard-induced immortality. [[spoiler:This is because the swords contain the power of and are actually derived from Excalibur itself, which is the magical AbsurdlySharpBlade that can penetrate the defense of scabbard]].
** [[spoiler: Caliburn’s own name is a clue to indicate that he is the true Excalibur, because in real-life, “Caliburn” is what the sword was originally called before European authors changed it to Excalibur”]].
** At the beginning of the game, when Sonic pulls Caliburn out of the stone, it’s an obvious reference to King Arthur pulling out the sword in the stone. [[spoiler: And at the end of the game, Sonic is revealed to be the true King Arthur]].
* GodSaveUsFromTheQueen: [[spoiler:Merlina's corrupt alter ego Dark Queen.]]

* GreenHillZone: Misty Lake, Titanic Plain and Great Megalith.

* ImmortalityInducer: The scabbard of Excalibur does this to whoever holds it. It seems to act as an advanced HealingFactor that fixes wounds in seconds while keeping the wielder alive regardless of damage. [[spoiler:It's Merlina's goal to obtain it and grant the ''world'' itself the scabbard's blessing.]] The only thing that can nullify it is [[spoiler:Excalibur itself, and by extension the four Sacred Swords when all are brought together.]]

* InterfaceSpoiler: The pre-level menu has the name "Sonic" on the list, and with his big hedgehog head in a portrait beside it. At first it can't be selected. Gee, I wonder if we'll eventually get to [[spoiler: change characters by selecting his name.]]

* LetsPlay: By [[LetsPlay/SonicTheHedgehog2006LetsPlay pokecapn, medibot, Kung Fu Jesus, and IlluminatusVespucci]]. There's also one by LetsPlay/HellfireCommentaries.
* TheLostWoods: Deep Woods and Shrouded Forest

* MeaningfulName: Caliburn. [[spoiler: The fact that his name sounds a lot like Excalibur isn’t a coincidence, because at the end of the game, it’s revealed that Excalibur is Caliburn’s true form. Also, “Caliburn” is what Excalibur was originally called in real-life before it’s name was altered in later versions of the Arthurian legends]].
* MonoNoAware: What this game's twist on the King Arthur story ultimately boils down to. [[spoiler:Merlina, knowing the story will end with the kingdom in ruin, wishes to use her magic to make the kingdom eternal, but Sonic doesn't see the point in a world that lasts forever, and thinks instead we should just let things be and live life to the fullest in the time we have.]]

** Lancelot and Gawain employ instrumental versions of the classic "Throw It All Away" from ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'' and "Unknown from M.E." from ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure''. [[spoiler:The riff from [=SA's=] "It Doesn't Matter" kicks in right before Caliburn becomes Excalibur]].
** Whenever Sonic gets a one-star on any level, he'll dejectedly say, "Shoot, not my day" just like when he gets an E-Rank in ''VideoGame/SonicHeroes''.

* PragmaticHero: Sonic [[spoiler:was fully willing to allow The Grand Kingdom to come to an end rather than allow Merlina to use her magic to make it eternal and plague it with the denizens of the Underworld.]] His quote pretty much sums this up:
-->'''Sonic''': "I don't mind playing the bad guy once in a while."

* RocBirds: The Rukhs double as a sky-based sort of TurtleIsland in that a civilization had been built on the backs of a flock of Rukhs in the past, each of them carrying roughly a city block's worth. Appropriately, they are found only in the stage known as [[LevelsTakeFlight Levitated]] [[RuinsForRuinsSake Ruin]].
* RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething: King Arthur, [[spoiler:both the fake and the genuine article, ''Sonic the Hedgehog''.]]

* SelfInflictedHell: Implied with [[spoiler: Merlina as the Queen of the Underworld. She]] looks pale, cold, and sad, as though [[spoiler: she]] is becoming undead herself.

** While initially startled into fleeing from the Lady of the Lake (Amy Rose's doppelganger), a few seconds into the conversation he cozies right up to her until Caliburn tells him off.

* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Played with. Merlina is obviously this to Shahra from ''Secret Rings'', and is made out to fill a similar role in the story. [[spoiler: Then it turns out she's the game's ''main villain'']].

* VideogameCaringPotential: You can perform Acts of Chivalry by giving rings to the townspeople (providing that you have 20 to give) and in return (if you succeed on the Quick Time Events) said towns-person will give you an item. Doing will also add to the Knight's Honor bonus.
* UnrequitedLoveSwitcheroo: After seeing Amy as Lady Nimue, Sonic is initially terrified of being near her until he's reminded to respect Lady Nimue, at which point he grows more comfortable around her. Something he's never able to do around Amy.
* VideogameCrueltyPotential: You can actually attack the innocent townspeople. Doing so has a negative impact on your score however and can saddle you with negative titles.

* WellIntentionedExtremist: [[spoiler:Merlina turns out to be one. Her reasons for doing so are so sympathetic that Sonic doesn't hold any grudge against her after defeating her]].
* WhoWantsToLiveForever: [[spoiler:Sonic and Merlina take opposite views on this -- Sonic would rather make the most of his time, while Merlina would rather not see Camelot face its eventual fall.]]
* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity: It's stated that King Arthur turned evil due to Excalibur's scabbard of immortality. [[spoiler:Judging by all evidence, something similar happened to Merlina as well]].
* YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle: [[spoiler: No, King Arthur is ''not'' the FinalBoss.]]

* InterfaceSpoiler: The screen before every level has the name "Sonic" on the list under the "Blacksmith" option, and with his big hedgehog head in a portrait beside it. Gee, I wonder if we'll eventually get to [[spoiler: change characters by selecting his name. (Yes we do).]]

* InstantArmor: Excalibur-Sonic gets this during his transformation.

* RetCanon: Sonic loving chili dogs was initially an element of the 90's Western canon (''WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog'', ''WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM'', ''WesternAnimation/SonicUnderground'', and ''ComicBook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog''). It was introduced into game canon in a Japanese manual for ''Advance 3'', but ''Sonic and the Black Knight'' is the first time Sonic has been seen eating a chili dog on-screen in the games.