Characters from the original universe before issue #252. These characters most likely are permanently erased from the new timeline thanks to the Super Genesis Wave. And also because of the Penders lawsuit.
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Geoffrey St. John
A skunk. First introducing himself as the leader of a rebel group allied with the Freedom Fighters, he went on to become head of the Royal Secret Service. Had a hatred for Overlanders.
A Ken Penders creation and thus was exempted from the comic due to legal issues.
- Aborted Arc: Right before the retcon, he had one going with his dwindling faith in Naugus before forced to serve him due to a magical accord he made with him. Just as Naugus is on the verge of death, he takes over Geoffery's body to save himself. And... that's pretty much it. The comic rebooted shortly afterwards and Geoffery was one of the characters that was forced from the comic, with his plot left in the air and Naugus' history in the new timeline re-written.
- All for Nothing: His efforts to get Naugus on the throne ultimately accomplished nothing but pain, sorrow and a unrecoverable Cosmic Retcon.
- Anti-Villain: Of the Well-Intentioned Extremist type after what happened to Sally and after Naugus became the new king. When he realized that Naugus wanted to control the council, he hated the idea and he wanted no part of it. However, Naugus informed him that no one would trust him if he tried to double-cross him considering the things he did to get to where he was. He admits to Silver that what he has done is wrong, but that it's too late for him to change and that he doesn't have a future. His heart was in the right place, but he wasn't aware that Naugus was Evil All Along until it was too late and it ended up with him being possessed by him and his story arc unfinished.
- Asshole Victim: A non-lethal version, mixed with Put on a Bus, unfortunately.
- Badass in a Nice Suit: Has been known to wear a sharp-looking suit from time to time.
- Badass Normal: His skills come entirely from training. Until it's revealed he's an Ixis Wizard, that is. That said, his combat skills aren't entirely reliant on magic.
- Berserk Button: One that Antoine accidentally pushed during his trial: don't belittle his wife, or imply that his love for her is just another lie.
- Big Damn Heroes: During Iron Dominion.
- Casting a Shadow: Has shadow powers as a result of being Naugus' apprentice.
- Conveniently Unverifiable Cover Story: His history with the Rebel Underground. Antooine pokes a hole in this early on that no one else follows up on. Hundreds of issues later, it turns out they really should have investigated further.
- Demonic Possession: Courtesy of Naugus.
- Elemental Shapeshifter: He can turn himself into smoke.
- Everyone Has Standards: Back when he was a hero he had his principles.
- When he finally corners Sonic, Dulcy stands up for him. He fully accepts Sonic's innocence as even if he does hate him, dragons are pure of heart and he trusts Dulcy.
- He was always suspicious of the Robians but he would also hear them out. When they bring a case to King Acorn, the King demands them all dismantled. He tries to have him reconsider the action only for the King to crack him over the head with his staff.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: For all his faults, he genuinely loved Hershey and is outraged when Sally accuses him of killing her while in service to Naugus, and when Antoine accuses him of using her as a pawn in his schemes. He snaps at them that they can think whatever they want of him, but Hershey was a hero and they better not belittle her.
- Even Evil Has Standards:
- In issue 235 he admits that while he isn't always trustworthy, he does respect his adversaries as he paid his respects for Antoine who was went into a coma. He even admits that what happened to Sally and Antoine isn't what he wanted and sympathizes with Sonic over what happened with Sally.
- He's horrified to learn in Universe 43 that Naugus plans to mentally enslave the council, an equivalent of roboticization. He believes that some lines need to be crossed to make things change, but Naugus' plan just goes too far.
- Evil All Along: He's introduced as a loyal member of King Max's Secret Service and a rebel allied with the Freedom Fighters, and while a smug Jerkass, overall seemed to fall into Good Is Not Nice more than anything else. Then comes issue 220, where after he and Sonic work together to retrieve a Chaos Emerald, he shoots Sonic In the Back, takes the Emerald, and delivers it straight to Ixis Naugus to restore his sanity. When he's tried for treason in issue 233, Geoffrey reveals this wasn't just a random Face–Heel Turn; he has in fact been Naugus' apprentice since the days of the Great War (when he was orphaned) and has been working to make him King for years. That being said, Geoffrey was in fact a Well-Intentioned Extremist who genuinely believed that Naugus could do good and felt that he would make the Acorn Kingdom stronger, and would prevent the deaths of many people. By the time he realized Naugus was nothing more than a power-hungry tyrant, it was too late for him to turn back.
- Evil Sorcerer: Light shades of this after his Face–Heel Turn.
- Fantastic Racism:
- He, like many other Mobians, doesn't trust anyone who was roboticized. Even during the war with Robotnik, he saw Charles as a potential traitor especially following Slueth's betrayal.
- He hates Overlanders with a passion, because they were responsible for the death of his father.
- Foil:
- To Sonic, being more level-headed to a degree and also sharing his pride but nowhere near his level humility and understanding.
- While Sonic is his main rival, he has a lot in common with Antoine; both relying on weapon skills rather than any super-powers, both had feelings for Sally that ultimately lead them to become the Romantic Runner-Up, and both place a strong importance on their families that heavily influences the paths they'd go down. Their similarities have even played a role in fostering a resentment between them and their arcs (Antoine following in his father's footsteps to serve the realm, his hidden anger at the loss of his father making him go to the dark side) end up as a kind of mirror to each other.
- Good Is Not Nice: He had a bad habit of being really smug and a smart-ass to allies more often than enemies. He lessens after marrying Hershey and when things go from bad to worse because of him he drops the smugness and really starts to beat himself down.
- He doesn't care about the collateral damage from his actions, unless the damage affects him on a personal level. When he was bargaining with Mammoth Mogul to restore Naugus, he told Mogul that his casino would see an influx of business from the residents of New Mobotropolis getting away from the misery they'd get from Naugus' rule, and that Sonic would be miserable. Also consider that he formed his old secret service team using people with spotty pasts, including Hershey, so that he could frame them if his plans fell apart.
- Happily Married: To Hershey. At least he was, before she is presumed dead under fishy circumstances. See "Interspecies Romance" below.
- Heel–Face Door-Slam: With the reboot, he'll always be an Ixian apprentice and will never break away from the mistakes of his past.
- Hero of Another Story: He's been sent on missions of his own several times, most of which we never see.
- Hero Secret Service: Once head of the Royal Secret Service.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Got betrayed twice by Naugus, once during "Secret Freedom" and when he was possessed by Naugus. Whatever happened to him post crossover, since he allowed Eggman to rebel to begin with, is this as well.
- Honor Before Reason: Despite knowing what Naugus is truly like, he still works with him in recognition of what he's done for him in the past, to the point of appealing to Naugus' better nature. Wow does this ever backfire. You kinda feel sorry for the guy.
- Horrible Judge of Character: Geoffrey genuinely believed that a maniac like Naugus could do good and worked for over a decade to make him king of the Kingdom of Acorn, convinced that he would make the Acorn Kingdom stronger and would prevent the deaths of many people. It's only when he discovers that Naugus plans Mass Hypnosis of the Council, an equivalent to roboticization, so he can have absolute power that Geoffrey finally realizes that his master is nothing but a tyrant and that restoring him, let alone working for him in the first place, was a mistake. Even then, Geoffrey believes there's some good, moral side to Naugus that he can appeal to; needless to say, this backfires horribly.
- Hypocrite:
- He is pretty bad at this in early parts of the comic. He belittles Sonic and calls him a kid however Sally is the same age as Sonic and says nothing. He also recruits Wombat Stu into the Secret Service who's younger than Sonic and says nothing.
- It makes little sense to mock Sonic considering he's done things that Geoffrey can only dream of doing.
- He blames the royal family for all the kingdom's problems, even though the heroes had to spend time cleaning up messes he caused by supporting Naugus his whole life.
- Naugus of all people calls him out on this in Universe #43. When he discovers that Naugus intends to brainwash the Council so he could have absolute power over them, Geoffrey balks at doing that, stating that while some lines need to be crossed to make change, Naugus is going too far. Naugus turns Geoffrey's words back on him, retorting that the skunk has no room to lecture on morality considering he's spent his entire life committing treachery by serving him in secret.
- He is pretty bad at this in early parts of the comic. He belittles Sonic and calls him a kid however Sally is the same age as Sonic and says nothing. He also recruits Wombat Stu into the Secret Service who's younger than Sonic and says nothing.
- Inspector Javert: In the Endgame arc when Sonic is accused of Sally's murder, he is the arresting officer and the one who hunts him when he escapes. Despite personally knowing about such things as Robotnik's Auto Automatons, robots that can perfectly imitate people, he's fully prepared to believe the worst in Sonic and doesn't hesitate to chase him all the way to Angel Island, and it takes Dulcy, a Living Lie Detector, telling him that Sonic was framed by Robotnik to get him to back off.
- Interspecies Romance: His wife is a cat. And he used to have a thing for Sally (a squirrel).
- I've Come Too Far: In the end, he knew he was wrong to restore Naugus, but the damage had already been done, and he had no other options. He even tells Silver as such.Geoffrey: Like I said, it's too late for me. You've got a future to save, I... don't. See you around, kid.
- Karma Houdini Warranty: Gets possessed by Naugus when he suggests that they both try to make amends for what they've done.
- La Résistance: Led the Rebel Underground, or so he claimed. While it was quickly shown that he wasn't a plant by Robotnik, there were holes in his story and it's finally confirmed that he slipped into this position illegitimately.
- Manipulative Bastard: In heroic (and not-so-heroic) ways. Best shown when Elias temporarily took over the throne from King Max; Geoffrey used Elias as a Puppet King, manipulating him into doing such things as stripping Sonic of his knighthood and placing him under house arrest in Knothole Village. This bites him in the ass when Geoffrey's biased/half-assed advice leads Elias to crack under the pressure and abandon the throne completely.
- May–December Romance: He was 21 years old when he was trying to court 15 year old Sally. Note Geoffery's age was a bio added later on, one
Word of God admits they Didn't Think This Through. - The Mole
- My God, What Have I Done?:
- His reaction when his using Elias as a Puppet King leads to the young prince cracking and abandoning the throne altogether. Geoffrey wholeheartedly blames himself for Elias running away, and spends a few issues traveling the world trying to find him and bring him home.
- This hits him when he realizes that Naugus, the guy he's been helping for roughly a decade, is just a tyrant.
- Not Evil, Just Misunderstood: It might be hard for some to view him as this, but more than anything, he wanted Naugus to become the king because he felt that he would make the Acorn Kingdom stronger and would prevent the deaths of many people. When he realized that Naugus' plan is to enslave the council to force them to do what he wants, he absolutely hated the idea and wanted to back out of working with him, but was reminded that because of the numerous people he has already betrayed that no one would listen or side with him, he realized he made a horrible mistake in working under him.
- "Not So Different" Remark:
- From, sadly enough, Drago. He said that what motivated him into restoring Naugus was Hershey's alleged death. He used Hershey (albeit as motivation instead of a pawn) to betray the Freedom Fighters, which caused Sally to become roboticized, broke up the Freedom Fighters, and played a part in the near destruction of the world.
- As stated by him in Universe 43, he's not so different from Silver either. He believed that working with Naugus would eventually result in The Acorn Kingdom having a much better/stronger government so he started to work under him when he was a child. He never meant for any harm to befall the city or its citizens. When he learned that Naugus was Evil All Along and basically using him to rule the kingdom with an iron fist, he was horrified to learn that the person he had worked under ever since he was a child was evil. His intentions were always good, but he had no idea that he was working for someone that believed in the opposite of his beliefs.
- Put on a Bus: Exempt from the book due to legal matters, despite being left on a cliffhanger.
- "Shaggy Dog" Story: Restoring Naugus was pointless: Despite having a Chaos Emerald Naugus was powerless to protect even himself from any enemies or heal the sickness that the first Genesis Wave gave him in the old timeline. Additionally, this made New Mobotropolis vulnerable to both the Tails Doll and Naugus' magic. There's also the fact stealing the Chaos Emerald to begin with led to Sally's roboticization (and Silver's disaster as a result) by dividing the Freedom Fighters to where only Sonic and Sally could get in the Death Egg, and possibly the crossover which dragged Megaman and Blaze's world into the crossfire. As of 252 Naugus was stripped of his powers by the first Genesis Wave in the new timeline, further sealing the fact that after all his work his failure spans three universes and two histories.
- The Rival: To Sonic in the early days, mostly for Sally's affections. Antoine doesn't like him either, for that matter, but for different reasons.
- Teacher/Student Romance: His wife, Hershey, was once his student in agent arts.
- Unwitting Pawn: It was made very obvious that Naugus has been lying to Geoffrey since he was a child and used his hatred for Overlanders and loyalty to the Kingdom as a means to manipulate him. When he finally got a clue it was far too late and the damage to himself and to everyone else has already been done, something which Naugus calls him out on. When he, not of his own volition, still seemed loyal to Naugus, which Naugus commented on, the Evil Wizard had no problem whatsoever possessing him. This makes it very clear that he was as much as tool in Naugus' plan as Mina.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Stealing the purple chaos emerald for Naugus means that the Freedom Fighters were unable to use it to repel the attacks from Eggman and the Battle Bird Armada, leading to Sally's roboticization note , the damage to the city, and the near destruction of the planet. Mecha-Sally was Silver's target all along, the one who destroyed the world, meaning Geoffrey's actions set the apocalypse in motion. His actions may have led to the crossover as well, which probably means he's this trope on a multi-versal level.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: He believed that making Naugus king was the right thing to do, for the good of the Republic of Acorn.
- Which falls under
Fridge Logic since Naugus implied that he started the Great War with his powers, right after revealing his Hate Plague powers, meaning he basically killed his dad. That said, how much he knows about this is in question. The Fridge Logic goes further since 233 revealed that Naugus warned him about Robotnik when they first met, but told him not to warn anyone, making Naugus and him partially responsible for Robotnik and everything that happened as a result, including Hershey's supposed death. He isn't fond of Overlanders like Robotnik, and wasn't emotionally stable at the time since his dad just died, so it's honestly possible that he never realized this.
- Which falls under
Hershey the Cat
As a Penders-created character, she was removed from the comic.
- Ambiguous Situation: Her last mention was that she was killed in a failed solo mission. According to Ian Flynn, his original plan was that Hershey would have actually survived and followed Sonic & Sally in the shadows while they were with the Felidae & the Wolves, and solicits for issue 237 mentioned a "mysterious figure" would be following Team Fighters. However, Ken Penders started his copyright lawsuit, so we may never know what really happened.
- Art Shift: She was originally drawn human sized, while dating the similarly sized Drago Wolf. She shrank to general Mobian size later on, when she married Geoffrey.
- Bus Crash: Implied when Geoffrey offhandedly mentions her death in a solo mission.
- Cats Have Nine Lives: Invokes this in SSS #2.Tails: What was that?
Hershey: I don't know, but I think I'm down to eight lives just hearing it! - Hero Secret Service: What she pretty much was in the Royal Secret Service.
- Interspecies Romance: Was in a relationship with Drago Wolf and eventually married Geoffrey, a skunk.
- Put on a Bus: Gone after the Penders lawsuit.
- Spy Catsuit: Yup.
- Teacher/Student Romance: Was Geoffrey's student before becoming his teammate and then wife.
- Took a Level in Badass: After becoming a member of the Secret Service.
- Unwitting Pawn: Drago's, who manipulated her into almost killing Sally. And by Geoffrey originally, he had recruited her to his team as a decoy if his own plans fell apart.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: Thanks to the Penders lawsuit, her ultimate fate is unknown.
- Woman Scorned: When she learned she was used by Drago. To say she hurt him back is an understatement.
Rob o' the Hedge
- In the Hood: What he usually wears to differentiate him from the other hedgehogs. He'd pretty much looks like a green Sonic otherwise.
- Love at First Punch: He fell for Mari-An after she beat him in a duel.
- Put on a Bus: Gone due to the Penders lawsuit. In-universe this is explained by his companions that he and his family had went into hiding following an failed assassination attempt. Even if Penders hadn't created him, being the cousin of Amy (a Sega character) might still have gotten him booted from the reboot continuity.
- Punny Name: Rob O'? As in Robin Hood?
- Royals Who Actually Do Something: He takes over his kingdom in his father's stead and more then willing to fight for it.
- Trick Arrow: Has many arrows with different effects.
- The Straight and Arrow Path: His main skill set and quite a good shot with it too.
- Ye Olde Butcherede Englishe: How he usually talks.
Ken "Monkey" Khan
A victim of Robotnik that was turned into an experimental cyborg. He rebelled and was locked away, but was later freed following Robotnik's death. Since then he's been trying to use his powers for good, though has few anger issues to get over first.
- Brainwashed and Crazy: When under the control of the Iron Queen.
- Break the Haughty: After being control by the Iron Queen's technomagic, Khan realized that his hotheaded nature made him more vulnerable to her powers and that he needed to work on curbing his ego and his temper.
- Character Development: Started out as a brash, cocky jerk who was quick to anger and seek revenge. Interacting with Sally led to him overcoming his personal demons and becoming a much calmer person, and more of a legitimate hero.
- Flawed Prototype: Prior to stealing roboticization from Uncle Chuck, Robotnik planned on turning mobian soldiers into his cyborg minions and secretly invaded Khan's village for test subjects. Robotnik abandoned his plans after only Khan was able to survive being turned into a cyborg and couldn't be controlled. However, the experiments Monkey Khan would unintentionally become the precursor for Legionization.
- Hair-Trigger Temper: He has a short fuse and is quick to start a fight over minor matters.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Well by then he was becoming nicer, but he did question to Sonic why they don't just off Eggman and be done with him considering how much trouble he caused everyone and the potential evil he can (and eventually will) do, especially considering at the time Eggman was going through a Villainous Breakdown leaving him more then vulnerable. In issue 225, Eggman himself, having recovered from said Villainous Breakdown, gloats to Sally's face that they could have stopped him from making the Death Egg Mark 2 if they had just finished him off any of the numerous times they had the chance.
- Miles Gloriosus: Again, prior to his Character Development.
- Monkey King Lite: If the headband, staff, and the fact that he's a monkey didn't tip you off.
- My Greatest Failure: Being controlled by the Iron Queen and used to destroy the other Dragon Kingdom Freedom Fighters.
- The Not-Love Interest: For Sally. While there's a mutual attraction between them, Sally ultimately wants to work things out with Sonic, and the two part on good terms
- "Not So Different" Remark: Sonic and he are very alike, both being impulsive and hot-headed. Realizing the similarity is why Khan tries to befriend Sonic after Sonic attacked him and makes him return a kidnapped Sally.Khan: "Sally set me straight! I shouldn't have acted out of self-interest. She says you and I are quite similar...Sally: "Believe me, that's not a compliment!"
- Only Known By His Nickname: His real name is Ken, though everyone but Sally calls him Khan.
- Phlebotinum Rebel: Robotnik turned Khan into a powerful cyborg capable of easily defeating small armies but his hatred of the tyrant helped him to quickly break free of Robotnik's control.
- Put on a Bus: Gone after the Penders lawsuit — though he is actually a Frank Strom creation.
- The Quarterback: Almost averted, but not quite. While he is very romantic and understanding around Sally, he's still a muscly guy called Ken.
- Sealed Jerkass In A Can: Was imprisoned in some sort of "crypt" by Eggman after he proved too hard to control.
- Shock and Awe: His lightning attacks.
- Shout-Out: To Journey to the West, in that he's a hot-headed monkey with a flying cloud and a powerful staff.
Nathaniel "Nate" Beauregard Morgan
- Chekhov's Gun: Nate's glasses contain an odd circular addition to them, seeming to be a kind of light or retractable lens. In actuality it's a miniature power-ring hidden on his person and at the end of his debut arc he blindsides and defeats Naugus with it.
- Fantastic Racism: A victim of this even before the Great War between his people and the Mobians. The Acorn family made him a citizen after he used the Power Rings to help Mobotropolis, and Max treats him favorably before his exile and after he was brought back. With the exception of him, Sally, Sonic, Tails, and the rest of the Freedom Fighters and affiliates, everyone else holds him in contempt because of the sins of Robotnik and the rest of the Overlanders of the Great War. The worst offenders were Geoffery, who hates his kind because of his father's death, and Kodos, simply because of his pure racism.
- Forgotten Fallen Friend: Despite being a mentor to Uncle Chuck, a father figure to King Acorn and a recurring character for a portion of the comic, after his death in Issue 110 he's forgotten about by all the other characters and never mentioned again. This is in stark contrast to other fallen Freedom Fighters like Tommy Turtle who'd occasionally be mentioned and even had a hospital named after him. He was referenced by Harvey and Jules later on, though
- The Generic Guy: Nate as a character had the problem of being written into a series where there were already two resident Smart Guys, namely Rotor and Uncle Chuck, in a time where Tails also began to show some signs of technical know-how. Add to that a backstory that was somewhat similar to that of Dr. Robotnik, and it becomes obvious why that he had problems truly standing out. The writers also clearly had problems with figuring out what to do with him, eventually writing him out of the story 35 issues after his introduction.
- Good Counterpart: To Dr. Robotnik, being a brilliant scientist who has been thrown into exile by Overlander society, except he uses his inventions to help people.
- Heroic Sacrifice: He eventually meets his end when he allows himself to become robotized in order to give Sonic and the other Overlanders a chance to escape from Robotopolis. His robot form is then destroyed, when Robotopolis ends up being nuked.
- Honorary Uncle: After being taken in by the Mobians, he eventually became this to Max Acorn who loved him for many years.
- Killed Off for Real: Overlander roboticization seems to be more fatal than its Mobian counterpart but In-Universe Sonic and Sally believed that he could be restored like the Robians were. Robotopolis is destroyed in a nuclear attack and Nate was dead permanently. Karl Bollers actually intended to reveal that the BEM saved and de-roboticized him (a side-effect leaving him with amnesia) but that never came to pass and Nate remained dead.
- Retcon: Was for a time the actual inventor of Power Rings instead of Uncle Chuck, but due to the Continuity Snarls associated with this, his invention was eventually downplayed to merely having discovered a way to manufacture artificial Power Rings.
- Twofer Token Minority: To the Overlanders, being both black and a dwarf.
Old Universe Freedom Fighter Teams
Along with the main group, there are other Freedom Fighter Teams set up around the world to defend against Eggman's tyranny.
Arctic Freedom Fighters
Freedom Fighters of the Northern Tundra in the old universe. An activist group turn Resistance fighters.
- An Ice Person: Sorta, they're animals that live in the artic parts of the world so naturally they're used to the cold.
- Anthropomorphic Zig-Zag: While Guntiver is mostly shown walking on his hind-legs like other Mobian wolves, he has been shown moving on all fours.
- The Big Guy: Augustus, the Polar Bear, is the largest and strongest of the group.
- The Bus Came Back: After their debut, they thank Sonic and return to the Northern Tundra. When Rotor goes there to rescue his family, Sealia and Augustus reappear to help him fight Robotnik.
- Invisibility: Erma has the ability to turn invisible like a chameleon. Her response to Sonic’s question about this power suggests it’s something all Mobian ermines can do.
Downunda Freedom Fighters
Freedom Fighters of the Downunda region in the old universe, introduced in Tails' miniseries. Vector is affiliated with this group and Knuckles' nemesis, Thrash, worked with them for a time as well.
- Absurdly Sharp Claws: Barby's claws are sharp enough to cut through metal easily.
- Action Girl: Barby Koala is the best fighter on the team, having trained as a mercenary before becoming a Freedom Fighter.
- Actual Pacifist: Guru Emu who usually wants to talk a situation down much to the frustration of his allies sometimes.
- Animal Gender-Bender: Walt Wallabee has a pouch.
- Awesome Aussie: They're all animals native to Australia and they kick plenty of ass.
- Badass Crew: Comes with the job of being a Freedom Fighter group that regularly fights robotic oppressors.
- Badass Pacifist: Guru Emu is a peace-loving hippie, but he'll rise to the occasion when called for.Tails: I thought you hippie types were non-violent?
- Beware the Nice Ones: They're a good-natured, laid-back bunch who are really good at smashing up robots.
- Big Damn Heroes: They're introduced charging in to save Tails from Wing Dingoes.
- Boots of Toughness: Barby sports a pair of thigh-high boots.
- Boisterous Bruiser/Hot-Blooded: Bill loves a good fight the most out of them.
- Boxing Kangaroo: Well, Wallabee, actually, but Walt's fighting style is this.
- Brainwashed and Crazy: Duck Bill was briefly under mind control from the group's nemesis, Crocbot.
- Bruiser with a Soft Center: Barby Koala is deadly in combat, but is also caring and compassionate.
- Crash-Into Hello: Walt and Guru met this way - Walt was on a walkabout in the outback, when he literally ran into a meditating Guru. They later meet up with the other three members.
- Cunning Linguist: Barby Koala is a skilled linguist, shown to be capable of communicating with the ancient Bunyip.
- Easily Forgiven: When Bill explains why he turned traitor, the others are quick to forgive him when they understand his motivations.
- Face–Heel Turn: Duck "Bill" Platypus who sided with Eggman. Subverted though, he only did it since his people pressure him into it.
- Fake Defector: After Bill's people willingly joined with Eggman, he did as well in order to make sure they didn't suffer too much under his rule, while still being loyal to his team.
- Goggles Do Nothing: Duck "Bill" Platypus sports a pair.
- Implied Love Interest: Barby may have feelings for Bill, as she felt he owed her in particular an explanation for his joining the Eggman Empire. Whether or not she holds him in a romantic light or simply regards him as a sibling is unknown.
- Impossible Hourglass Figure: Barby Koala's body build is pretty hourglass-like, especially after the Art Shift.
- Land Down Under: If the name didn't give it away, this is their motif as a lot of the members are animals found in Australia.
- New-Age Retro Hippie: Guru Emu has this design.
- Nice Guy: They're very friendly, laid-back and easy-going, particularly Guru Emu.
- Number Two: Barby is second in command and arguably the most competent member.
- Pint-Sized Powerhouse: Wombat Stu is the smallest of the group, but is also the most agile and can fight with the best of them. Duck "Bill" Platypus also qualifies.
- Punny Name: Wombat Stu was named after the children's book Wombat Stew.
- Rescue Introduction: They're introduced rescuing Tails when from Wing Dingoes.
- The Smurfette Principle: Barby Koala is the token female teammate.
- Team Mom: Barby is the most sensible, down-to-earth member and is kind and caring to both her teammates and those they come across.
- True Companions: They're a very close, tight-knit bunch who've been through thick and thin together.
- Unresolved Sexual Tension:
- Walt has feelings for Barby, but she never got round to returning his affections.
- Barby once displayed this with Tails when he and Sonic came to Downunda (kissing him, holding hands, flirting with him, and blowing him a goodbye kiss). Ian Flynn has said that that ship is officially sunk due it being one-sided from her end, not to mention the age gap.
- West Coast Team: Of the Knothole Freedom Fighters.
- Wolverine Claws: Barby Koala spouts claws that can slice 'bots in half.
- Women Are Wiser: Barby Koala often serves as a peacemaker between the hotheaded males she works alongside.
Secret Freedom Fighters
A black-ops team formed by Elias Acorn and Harvey Who to fight against Naugus, who was crowned king and seen as a hero by the citizens of New Mobotropolis in the wake of Eggman and the Battle Bird Armada's attacks on the city. As much of the members were created or connected to items conceived by former writer Ken Penders, the team has been removed from continuity as of the crossover, with the only confirmed members in the new continuity being Silver the Hedgehog and NICOLE the Lynx.
Elias Acorn/"King"
Sally's brother, who was lost during the Great War and raised on the Floating Island. After being reunited with his family, he struggled under the weight of his responsibilities and eventually ran away from home. Nevertheless, after marrying his wife Megan, he returned to accept the crown. However, he soon found himself with new struggles, and was deposed as King by Ixis Naugus. However, knowing he would still have to protect his people from Ixis, he formed the "Secret Freedom Fighters" with the help of former Head of Secret Intelligence, Harvey Who. His code-name in this group is "King."
- Abdicate the Throne: He left the throne follow an attempted assasination attack on his family by Eggman. Even before that, he knew that his sister Sally is the more worthy Acorn, but was obligated to stand in and fulfill his father's duties, especially when Max was disabled. After hearing about another risk on his family's lives, he returns to be the official king.
- Badass Boast: "I'm your King. Naugus is just keeping my crown warm."
- Character Development: Under Ian's pen, his reign started out a bit rough and he nearly had a Heroic BSoD after they buried Sir Connery. After a brief What the Hell, Hero? from Sonic, he makes a Rousing Speech that they will perserve and live up to Sir Connery's example. While he has a moment of hesitation during the Prower family's protests and attempt to dethrone him, he stands his ground against Amaedus when he arrives in Castle Acorn. Later on when Naugus tried to claim his throne, he stands his ground until he's forced to step down per the people's demands but instead of fleeing to let someone else deal with New Mobotropolis and Naugus like he would have before, he seeks out Harvey Who to fight back from the shadows.
- Cool Sword: The Sword of Light that he inherited from Sir Connery after his passing to replace the Sword of Acorns as the Acorn family sword. Sonic even borrows it to fight Naugus before the Death Egg descends upon New Mobotropolis.
- Dual Wielding: Wields a pair of exotic-looking... daggers?
- Happily Married: With Megan, who he met in Feral Forest after running away from home. He adopted her daughter as his own.
- Heir Club for Men: He and Sally have been drawn into this by their father on several occasions, and his step-daughter Alexis is ineligible to succeed him.
- I Just Want to Be Normal: He originally just wanted a life of adventure, and then to live quietly with his new family. Elias constantly doubts his ability to rule, and Ixis Naugus wastes no time attempting to appeal to Elias's desire to "return to the simple life" when making his bid for the throne.
- King Incognito: During his brief time as a runaway before returning to claim the throne to stop Patch from assuming the throne, then again after Naugus deposed him and while he was part of the Secret Freedom Fighters.
- Long-Lost Relative: Sally somehow never knew he existed and he grew up on Angel Island during the Great War and Robotnik Prime's reign.
- Modest Royalty: He dresses rather simply and prefers functional attire regardless of if he's King or not.
- Prince On a White Pasha.
- Puppet King: When he took over Knothole while Max was out of commission, Elias, inexperienced and desperate for help, agreed to be this to Geoffrey St. John, who manipulated him into doing such things as stripping Sonic of his knighthood and placing him under house arrest in Knothole Village. St. John's half-assed advice eventually leads to Elias cracking and abandoning the throne for over a year.
- Put on a Bus: He ran away from his responsibilities (and the book) for several issues. He was later phased out of the book entirely due to legal matters with his creator.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: He tries to be this when he's looking after Knothole while Max is out of commission, but Geoffery St. John manipulates him to the point that Elias abandoned Knothole. When he returns to assume the throne, he has Sally's marriage to Patch annulled and is happy to heed the advice of the Freedom Fighters.
- Royals Who Actually Do Something: Under Ian's pen, he joins the fight against Mammoth Mogul during the Darkest Storm arc and defends himself against Amaedus Prower during the House of Cards two parter. Once he's ousted from the throne by Naugus' manipulations, he joins the Secret Freedom Fighters to take it back.
- Spanner in the Works: In issue 156. Anti-Antoine/Patch's plan to kill King Max and take over the Kingdom of Acorn would have gone off without a hitch... had Elias not decided to help Sonic out by reclaiming his birthright.
- Superior Successor: To King Max. While Max meant well, he was still a slave to tradition and Horrible Judge of Character who's decisions and refusal to heed the warnings of others led to the Great War, the destruction of Old Mobotropolis and Knothole Village, and subjected all of Mobius to Robotnik's tyranny for over a decade. Elias, by contrast, is a Wise Prince and Reasonable Authority Figure who heeds the advice of others and reforms the kingdom into a Republic for the sake of the people. Harvey Who even agrees to help him reclaim the throne from Naugus for this very reason, remarking that Elias is far more worthy to be king than Max ever was.
- Warrior Prince
- "Well Done, Son" Guy: Like Sally, he struggled to earn his father's approval. This clashes with his duty as King, and deciding to reform the kingdom into a Republic only made their relationship more difficult.
- The Wise Prince: Something Harvey Who notices. When Elias approaches him for help in reclaiming his throne from Ixis Naugus, Harvey, based on his past experiences with King Max repeatedly ignoring his advice and council, initially refused to help him. Eventually, however, Harvey is persuaded to help, acknowledging Elias to be a far better, wiser, and more worthy king than his father ever was.
Silver/"Ace"
- See under Time Travelers in the main page.
Shard/Metal Sonic (Ver. 1.0/2.0/2.5)/"Jack"
Click here to see him as Metal Sonic 1. 0
Click here to see him as Metal Sonic 2. 5
The original Metal Sonic created by Dr. Robotnik, the robot known as "Shard" was granted autonomy and free-will after exposure to one of the doctor's Power Gems. Eager to gain vengeance upon the hedgehog he was based, Metal Sonic attempted to destroy both Sonic and Tails, only to be turned by the the two friends' concern for one another. Metal Sonic sacrificed himself to save Sonic and Tails from the same volcano he attempted to trap them in, seemingly at the cost of his own life. However, he resurfaced years later, rebuilt and going by the name of Shard, the "Jack" of the Secret Freedom Fighters. He has sadly been confirmed to be removed as of the reboot; his power gem core was reportedly a Penders idea, and the way this fact was revealed implied simply removing the gem from canon won't stop ligitation, so there's too much potential hassle to bring him back.
- A Death in the Limelight: Gets the honor of being the star of the last Sonic Universe issue of the old continuity, before being erased from existence.
- Beneath the Mask: Around people he's close to, such as NICOLE, he shows insecurity about his past and place in Mobotropolis.
- Cannot Spit It Out: It's heavily implied that he has feelings for NICOLE, but he has trouble confessing his feelings.
- Healing Factor: He has a self repair function that also assimilates and adapts new technology.
- Heel–Face Turn: As the original Metal Sonic, he was made by Robotnik specifically to match Sonic, and restored himself after his initial defeat for a personal rematch. He then made a Heroic Sacrifice and saved Sonic and Tails after discovering his rival's personality. He was later restored again by Uncle Chuck and reprogrammed to be a force for good and even helped Sonic.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: While he's shown the desire to commit to being a hero and prove that robots aren't all bad, he is also obnoxious, mouthy, and still has much to learn about free will and morality.
- Morph Weapon: His whole body, thanks to his Power Gem.
- Mythology Gag: His sacrifice and seeming demise in the volcano are undoubtedly references to Metal Sonic's actions in the Sonic OVA.
- Meanwhile, his color-scheme as Shard is based on Metal Sonic 3.0.
- Put on a Bus / The Bus Came Back: Originally died twice as Metal Sonic in the early issues of the comic, and came back as Shard near the Cosmic Retcon. Was put back on the bus for good since he can no longer appear due to Executive Meddling from Sega.
- Rage Breaking Point: Did NOT enjoy the fact that he had to destroy a Metal Sonic who also possessed a Power Gem, due to that Metal carrying the same 'spark', but programmed to perform a soft reboot anytime it deviates from Eggman's programming.
- Redemption Quest: Along with most of the other SFF members, his goal is to use the opportunity of a second life good. He starts to realize that redemption is a process that will take some work.
- Ship Tease: It’s hinted he has a crush on Nicole.
- Upgrade vs. Prototype Fight: He'd fought against two newer versions of Metal Sonic, with his last appearance fighting the one that went on to the crossover.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Appears to be claustrophobic, due to getting buried alive at one point.
Larry Lynx/"Joker"
Larry Lynx, "super jinx." Never has a title been more appropriate, as Larry is a living embodiment of bad luck. After meeting Sonic, he eventually gained some confidence and eventually became the leader of the Substitute Freedom Fighters... only for the group to disband. Thanks to Harvey Who, Larry is back in action as the Secret Freedom Fighters' "Agent Joker," but it'll take a while before he has same confidence in himself that the director has.
- Butt-Monkey: Shard tends to treat him this way, as does the universe.
- Cosmic Plaything
- The Jinx: Bad things usually happen to everyone around him. This became a problem for the Substitute Freedom Fighters during his debut, but becomes a valuable asset, especially during his return to join the Secret Freedom Fighters.
- My Greatest Failure: Before being recruited by Harvey, Larry was really depressed over the Substitute Freedom Fighter thing not working out.
- Put on a Bus / The Bus Came Back: Wasn't heard from again until late into the PGW-era before the Cosmic Retcon. Thanks to the Penders Lawsuit, Larry was removed from the comic — though he was actually an Angelo DeCesare creation.
- Walking Disaster Area: Merely hiding in some bushing somewhat close to Eggman's robots causes guns to jam, and robots to trip over their own feet.
- What Kind of Lame Power Is Heart, Anyway?: Not even Larry's sure what his "wild card" status and bad luck bring to the team. Harvey Who seems to think there's something special about him.
- Wolverine Claws: In his Secret Freedom Fighters uniform.
Leeta and Lyco/"Queen of Diamonds" and "Queen of Hearts"
Leeta (top) and Lyco (bottom)
Two wolves and members of the Wolf Pack. Originally without a pack, they were taken in by Lupe and helped her and the rest of the Pack fight the original Robotnik. After resettling in their people's ancestral homeland, they grew restless and sought to help beyond the reaches of their nation. Thankfully, Harvey Who contacted the Wolf Pack Nation in search of recruits, and they became members of the Secret Freedom Fighters. Their monikers are "Queen of Diamonds" and "Queen of Hearts."
- Animal Theme Naming: As with most members of the Wolf Pack, Lyco's name is derived from a word for wolf; in this case, the Greek "lykos."
- Identical Twin ID Tag: Their outfits being Color-Coded for Your Convenience.
- Jumped at the Call: Literally; Harvey Who called Lupe to recruit agents and they accepted, wanting to experience adventure and do more for the common good.
- Leotard of Power: As both civilians and secret freedom fighters.
- Put on a Bus: Can no longer appear due to the Penders lawsuit.
- Twin Switch: A variation where they both pretended to be the same twin was hilariously used to confound Silver in one "Off Panel" strip.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Leeta is afraid of heights.
- Woman Scorned: They were once two-timed by a wolf from another pack who took advantage of their being twins. After they dumped him, they found him in the Dark Egg Legion and were not amused.
Harvey Who
The former director of Secret Intelligence and the current director of the Secret Freedom Fighters. Harvey Who aided in the battle with Robotnik, but retired soon after - only to be convinced to help Elias regain the throne and stop Ixis Naugus. Harvey is both experienced and wise, and able to see things in others that they may not see in themselves.
- Ascended Extra: Appeared in one story way-back-when, and then disappeared forever - that is, until he was brought back to serve as the director for the Secret Freedom Fighters.
- Barefoot Cartoon Animal
- Cassandra Truth: Harvey warned Max not to trust Kodos, Naugus or Robotnik and not to exile Nate Morgan only for the king to repeatedly ignore him.
- Da Chief: The Director of The SFF.
- Glory Days: When Elias first visits him, he's convinced his best years are behind him. He even has a photograph of himself, King Max, and members of the King's court from the pre-Robotnik days in his house. That said, it doesn't take much for Elias to talk him back into action.
- The Owl-Knowing One: The former leader of the Kingdom of Acorn's Secret Service and the founder of its Secret Intelligence Division.
- Master of Disguise: He and his men disguised themselves as Badniks during the war with Robotnik.
- Put on a Bus: Much like the other members of the Secret freedom Fighters (barring Silver and possibly Shard), the Penders Lawsuit has made it so that he can never again appear in the comic.
- Shout-Out: Back when we first saw him, he and his men were this to the cast of Winnie the Pooh, consisting of an owl, a bear, and a donkey. Additionally, at the end of his first appearance, Sonic references the old tootsie pop commercial with the owl. According to Harvey, the amount of licks needed is classified information.
- His current design looks a lot like Kaepora Gaebora.
- Who's on First?: A Brick Joke in his first appearance. Robotnic's prisoner had been naming his spymaster all along.
Rebel Underground
Rebel Underground
- Mook Lieutenant: Lieutenant Fleming, the second in command of the team and the one dispensing the orders when St. John isn't present. He looks identical to the other Beavers save for his grey mustache.
- Old Soldier: Lieutenant Fleming was one of the oldest Freedom Fighters still in action following Robotnik's takeover with many of the previous generation captured and roboticized whilst their children stepped up to fight. After Robotnik's defeat Fleming is nearly killed when he and Geoffrey are out disabling Robotnik's old death traps, ultimately this leads to Fleming realizing he's too old and retiring.
Inactive/Former Freedom Fighters
Heavy and Bomb
Heavy and Bomb
- Action Bomb: Bomb, naturally.
- A.I. Is a Crapshoot: Inverted. Robotnik built them to be evil and they renege from his service to be heroes. When they're evil its just because they're reprogrammed to serve Eggman, and even then they're rebuilt and their will restored.
- Back from the Dead: Bomb's ability to upload his consciousness into a new shell after his body is destroyed is stated to be this trope by Robo-Robotnik who used a similar method to return to life.
- Genius Bruiser: Heavy.
- Intelligible Unintelligible: Bomb communicates solely with a "Ping" sound, which Heavy conveniently translates for him.
- Put on a Bus: With the reboot, they were two of many characters written out. Unlike many previous Sonic characters, Heavy and Bomb were from the games and as such had the potential to come back in contrast to many other characters who were Put on a Bus. Though they ultimately never returned with the Reboot cut short.
- They Killed Kenny Again: Every time Bomb uses his powers, his current body is destroyed - only for his consciousness to be uploaded to a new shell generated by Heavy.
- Suddenly Voiced: Bomb begins speaking when they join the secret service, though only sparingly.
- Super-Strength: Again, Heavy.
- What Measure Is a Non-Human?: No one seemed very concerned when they were destroyed, despite being loyal members of the Secret Service prior to being reprogrammed. Arguably fixed by the fact that they were eventually rebuilt and restored to their original personalities.
- You Don't Look Like You: When they first appeared in the comics, they had different designs from their SegaSonic counterparts. When they were recreated by Eggman, they were given the Sega designs, and now that the originals are back, they have those designs as well.
Fly Fly Freddy
Fly Fly Freddy
- Killed Off for Real: Though Badniks get smashed and rebuilt all the time, Freddy couldn't be salvaged and when Knuckles destroyed him he was dead permanently.
- Nonstandard Character Design: Freddy's design stands out, especially in the early comic. He's a human-sized bug man with a lot more detail to him than the average Mobian.
- Unwilling Roboticisation: When Sleuth turned traitor he handed Freddy over to Robotnik to be turned into a mindless attack unit.
- What Measure Is a Non-Human?: Played With. Knuckles doesn't go easy on Freddy after he'd been turned into a robot and destroys him. However after the battle Sonic makes it clear that they still intended to fix him. Ultimately Ian Flynn revealed they could not repair him, much less deroboticize him.
Tommy Turtle
Tommy Turtle
- Heroic Sacrifice: Twice. In one mission with Sonic, he helped him escape from an exploding building. Believed to have died, at first, he was revealed to have survived and was soon rescued from an Infiltrator factory when his double tried to kill Sonic. Later, when his shell was infused with nanites, he was eventually possessed by A.D.A.M.. In order to defeat A.D.A.M. once and for all, Tommy manages to wrestle control of his body from him and flies into the line of fire of the Egg Fleet, thus killing them both and saving both the world and the other nanite-controlled freedom fighters.
- Heroic Willpower: At the end of the Anonymous arc, Tommy gets possessed by A.D.A.M., but Tommy manages to temporarily shake off A.D.A.M. to bring him down once and for all.
- My God, What Have I Done?: The expression of pure heartbreak on Tommy's face when he manages to wrestle control of his body back from A.D.A.M. makes it clear that he's horrified by everything he's inadvertently allowed to happen thanks to said possession.
- No Body Left Behind: Tommy taking the full brunt of the Egg Fleet's firepower reduces him and A.D.A.M. to dust in the wind that a shocked Sonic can't even get a hold of. This was intentional on Tommy's part, as he knew it was the only way to ensure A.D.A.M. didn't have any surviving nanites to escape with.
- Remember the New Guy?: Tommy is introduced as an old friend to Sonic who's been a major part of his life and even knows the other Freedom Fighters. He's never been mentioned before and even after his introduction, flashback arcs do not include him.
- The Smart Guy: Rotor is impressed with Tommy's intelligence and the pair work together for a short time as Knothole's tech experts. This takes a bit of a hit when Rotor and Tails grow exasperated at how Tommy's clumsiness has ruined several bits of tech and research they were doing, only to realize too late that said "accidents" were orchestrated by A.D.A.M. using Tommy to sabotage projects that would have clued the Freedom Fighters in on his plan before it was ready.
- Sturdy and Steady Turtles: Tommy's character in a nutshell, or rather in a turtleshell; slow, patient, and pretty durable. His debut issue even revealed that he and Sonic had a very Tortoise and the Hare-esque race as kids (Sonic had taken on a disguise as a Hare named Juice and as such the story was recounted as a turtle racing a hare).
Original Freedom Fighters
Five members of the Kingdom's Military who banded together after the loss of the Kingdom of Acorn (and after General D'Coolette's failed counterstrike) to become guerilla fighters resisting the Robotnik Regime. They are Colonel Tig Stripe, a tiger Mobian who came out of retirement to lead them; MP Bull Bones, a bulldog Mobian who wanted out and out war with Robotnik; Sir Peckers, the avian Mobian scout and courier; Trey Scales, the snake Mobian and obvious traitor; and Spot Long, the Giraffe Mobian and New Meat.
- Cool Old Guy: Colonel Stripe was this if Sonic is to believed, though really they all count. Well maybe not Scales.
- Hidden Depths: Though Trey never comes across as anything more than a bog standard traitor, the Encyclopedia throws in a couple comments about his backstory. Trey wore the uniform of the Southern Baronies, a group that had split from the Kingdom of Acorn and sided with the Overlanders during the war. Trey's betrayal may have simply been a last act of the defeated South to further hurt the Kingdom.
- Killed Off for Real: Their fates were ambiguous after being cast into the Zone of Silence, but in the end its revealed that they were destroyed to be used as raw materials for Feist to build his special zone.
- Old Soldier: They all thought in the Great War and we’re respected veterans by the time of Robotnik’s coup.
- Remember the New Guy?: They were supposed to have been the inspiration for the Knothole Freedom Fighters and role models that they looked up to, but were never mentioned even once in the over 100+ preceding issues and were never mentioned again afterwards.
- Reptiles Are Abhorrent: Trey Scales, as the Snake Mobian, was the obvious traitor. He even comments on it, noting that it was in his nature.
- Rewarded as a Traitor Deserves: After Trey betrays them to Robotnik, Robotnik betrays him as well and sentences Trey to be roboticized with the rest of the Original Freedom Fighters and sent into the Zone of Silence.
- Still Wearing the Old Colors: Though the military is gone, Tig Stripe still proudly wore the uniform of the Acorn Kingdom's soldiers. In a more sinister sense, Trey Scales still wore his Southern Baronies uniform.
Substitute Freedom Fighters
A group of heroic trainee animals chosen by Sally to help her when the original Freedom Fighters were capacitated. Although well-trained, they ended up mostly as the Freedom Fighter's support network during their early days, and eventually disbanded when they either retired or joined different groups.
Hamlin Pig
A pig who trained under Sally and would later go on to be one of the more important of the Substitute Freedom Fighters. Of all of them, Hamlin was slow to trust and quick to anger and that anger gradually grew as the Substitute Freedom Fighters were continually pulled from action. With the formation of the Council of Acorn, Hamlin joined in part because of his frustration with Sally's leadership.- Be the Ball: When Larry Lynx organizes them in a counter-attack against Robotnik's forces, this was one of the team's maneuvers. Hamlin would curl into a ball and his teammates would launch him like a projectile into their enemies, his girth taking them down with ease.
- Hypocrite: He constantly gets on Sonic and the Freedom Fighters for violating protocol and disrespecting the Council's authority, but when Naugus is late to a meetingnote , Hamlin gets impatient and suggests they just get on with ratifying the new constitution without him, itself a violation of protocol because policy required a majority of the council and the king. Dylan even calls him out on it, remarking that Hamlin always complains whenever Sonic or anyone else does so and he should practice what he preaches.
- Jerkass Has a Point:
- Played With. On the one hand, pettiness aside, Hamlin makes a number of good points about how subverting the rulings of the council shows Sally and the others to be above the law and hurts the democracy of the country. On the other hand, Hamlin's alternatives are often short-sighted and detrimental.
- Played straight when the Council is barred from getting into the meeting room due to a broken lock. When Uncle Chuck bitterly remarks that Nicole could have easily fixed it for them, Hamlin is quick to retort that Chuck voted to exile Nicole from New Mobotropolis just like the rest of the council.
- Obstructive Bureaucrat: During his tenure on the Council, this was Hamlin's main characterization, utterly focused on motions, committees, subcommittees, and any other bureaucratic obstacle that could possibly hinder the Freedom Fighters or ensure they were protecting the kingdom "properly." During the Bold New Moebius arc, when Sally made the decision to counter-invade Moebius after the Council refused to let them chase Scourge out of Freedom HQ, Hamlin wasted no time charging her with treason and did everything in his power to ensure her conviction, being the only councilor not to ultimately vote to clear her of charges, and later, when Naugus makes claim to the throne, he outright explodes on Sonic for insisting on just beating up the wizard rather than letting the government handle it, sick of him disrespecting their authority. The one time he didn't butt heads with Sonic and co. is when they requested permission to start Team Freedom and Team Fighters, and that was because for once they were actually cooperating with the council and going through the "proper channels".
- Pig Man: An anthropomorphized pig, but he fits the trope well enough.
- The Resenter: A key point of his character.
- Even before joining the Council of Acorn Hamlin always had a resentful streak. When he debuted with Geoffrey St. John, Hamlin was incredibly suspicious of him, even when St. John saved his life. Though St. John was being shifty, the anger was in part because of how much better Geoffrey outperformed him and the other cadets.
- This attitude drives him when he joins the Council of Acorn, where Hamlin becomes an Obstructive Bureaucrat who actively uses his position to make it hard for the Freedom Fighters to act. When Sally calls him out on this, Hamlin retorts that since he was only ever used as part of the backup unit and never got to fight for his people, then he's going to ensure the Freedom Fighters fight for them properly.
- Somebody Doesn't Love Raymond: Placed among numerous attempts by Flynn to rectify Sally's character, Hamlin's newfound resentment was likely an attempt at this trope. Though it doesn't go that far story-wise, Sally is visibly very upset by this revelation and the measures Hamlin took to spite her.
Dylan Porcupine
A porcupine who trained under Sally as part of the Substitute Freedom Fighters. Dylan would often see combat in the events that the major Freedom Fighters were taken out of commission. When the council reformed he took a seat on it dissatisfied with the meager role he had in his previous position.- Art Evolution: Like many of the minor characters his design was tweaked over the years. He was given a more anthropomorphized look to put him in line with the typical Sonic character aesthetic; he even received a more defined head and neck.
- Big Damn Heroes: One of his most notable actions in the comic came when an amnesiac Sonic was tricked into attacking the other Freedom Fighters. When he beats his way through the major members, Antoine organizes a counter-attack with the Substitute Freedom Fighters (before they were known as such). Sonic get's through them easily, but it was then that Dylan knocked him out with a cheap shot, saving the day.
- Improvised Lockpick: He can use his quills for this function.
- The Smart Guy: When was a Freedom Fighter, he'd often play this to the team being the calmer head and rational thinker. Even on the Council, he's one of the least likely to act on petty grudges, even though the Comic encyclopedia described him having a faltering resolve, which ties with his “Aye?” over the Suppression Squad’s takeover of Freedom HQ.
Penelope Platypus
One of the Substitute Freedom Fighters, and later a member of the council.- All There in the Manual: The Comic Encyclopedia describes a rumored romantic relationship between Penelope and Arlo Armadillo.
- The Ghost: Is said to have a Moebian counterpart that was dated by Scourge, but the Anti-Penelope never made an appearance.
- Obstructive Bureaucrat: When Naugus attacks, Rotor is quick to demand the nanite suit and tries to rally Hamlin and Dylan to help Sonic fight, but Penelope immediately shuts that down under threats of being charged with dereliction of duty, stating they weren't Freedom Fighters anymore and would deal with this matter politically.
- The Quiet One: Is described in the Comic encyclopedia to be very reserved and often entering into a debate with a surprise vote.
Arlo Armadillo
Another of the cadets and later Substitute Freedom Fighters. Arlo is an Armadillo and an overall easygoing member of the reserve team. Unlike the others, Arlo ultimately did not go onto the Council of Acorn, retiring as a Freedom Fighter.- All There in the Manual: The Comic Encyclopedia explained that Arlo looked different from his fellow armadillo, Mighty, due to being from the “western region” and also offered a rumor of Arlo and Penelope Platypus being romantically connected.
- The Chew Toy: Arlo is injury prone. His first outing with the cadets even leaving him out of action with a wound he sustains from a turret, then an amnesiac Sonic beats him up, then he's injured by collapsing debris. Unlike say, Snively, Arlo's injuries aren't played for a joke and the final one forced him to retire.
- Demoted to Extra: All of the Substitute Freedom Fighters grappled with this trope, but Arlo and Cyril Eagle had it the worst. The other members went on to other roles after the Substitute Freedom Fighters disbanded, yet both of the two former simply went into retirement due to either injury or old age.
- Gamebreaking Injury: During their attempt to retake Robotropolis after Robotnik's death, a ceiling falls on Arlo. His injuries were severe enough for him to leave active duty.
