The twenty-third episode of Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog.
Robotnik creates a program to make himself a thousand times smarter, which is then stolen by Hacker the Mole and placed onto a microchip. When Robotnik sends Scratch and Grounder to capture Hacker, Grounder accidentally installs the Genius Chip into his own head and becomes smarter, capturing Sonic and overthrowing Robotnik.
This episode provides examples of:
- Affably Evil: When Grounder gains super-intelligence, he also gains a considerable amount of charm to his personality.
- Alliterative Title: Grounder the Genius.
- Badass in Distress: Sonic gets turned to stone by Grounder's petrifying ray, leaving Tails and Hacker to come to Robotnik's fortress and rescue Sonic.
- Batman Gambit: Robotnik, now smarter, makes Scratch and Grounder set up a fake Tails doll on a mousetrap, which Sonic doesn't fall for. He puts the "badniks" in the trap, but they turn out to be fake as well. This turns out to be a giant chain of events leading to a giant bear trap, but because of Grounder's slow reaction time, Sonic manages to dodge it.
- Be the Ball: When Robotnik tries to turn Grounder off, only to electrocute himself because Grounder disconnected his "OFF" switch, Grounder punishes Robotnik by having Scratch bounce him around like a basketball, then later kick him like a football.
- Blatant Lies: Robotnik tries to flatter Grounder, claiming him to be his favorite creation when in reality, he's been a Bad Boss since Grounder was first created and done nothing but abuse, berate, and insult him. Grounder rightfully tells him off by calling back to just the insults he'd been addressed with that day alone.Robotnik: But, Grounder, I... you were always my favorite creation!
Grounder: Really?
(Robotnik nods)
Grounder: No doubt! That's why you referred to me as "Scrap Metal"! "Break-away Bumpkin"! And, oh, yes! THE WORLD'S LARGEST PAPERWEIGHT!- Robotnik also tries this trick with Scratch, even though he's been just as much of a Bad Boss to him as he has been to Grounder. It doesn't work either - since Robotnik isn't in charge anymore, Scratch considers the flattery moot at this point
- Cape Snag: When Robotnik attempts to escape from his own dungeon, Sonic slams the door on him, and Robotnik's cape gets caught in the door latch.
- Clock King: Sonic manages to escape the dungeon only to be stopped again by Grounder, who predicted his escape down to the last second.
- Cranial Eruption: Happens to Grounder after he puts the Genius Chip in his head.
- A Day in the Limelight: This episode focuses primarily on Grounder.
- Didn't See That Coming: Sonic tries to trick Grounder into holding an explosive disguised as a trophy, but Grounder tosses it aside when he makes out the explosive. He then boasts to Sonic about how he thought of every possible occurence, when Scratch, thinking the fortress is under attack, rushes out to aid Grounder and trips on the explosive, causing Grounder to lose his head. Grounder admits that he didn't predict this outcome, and comes to the conclusion that not even a genius can predict everything.
- The Dog Bites Back: Robotnik's constant abuse bites him in the posterior when Grounder starts moving up in things, where he sees through his transparent attempts at flattery because he's berated him with various demeaning insults that day alone. Therefore, the idea of "partners" becomes "Grounder as the sole future ruler of Mobius and Robotnik thrown in the dungeon".
- Dumbass Has a Point: Subverted. Robotnik only thinks this is happening when Grounder reasonably points out that Scratch was the one who lead them into disaster and failure. He doesn't realise that, since Grounder possesses the Genius Chip, he isn't a dumbass and his argument is indeed logical.
- Evil Brit: Genius!Grounder speaks with Received Pronunciation and, just like Robotnik, is bent on world domination.
- "Flowers for Algernon" Syndrome: Grounder becomes a thousand times smarter as a result of installing the Genius Chip.
- Genius Serum: Two of them.
- In the beginning of the episode, Robotnik invents a chip that makes himself ten times smarter. He then has Scratch and Grounder set up a giant trap with another trap as bait, knowing that Sonic will fall for it. However, it fails anyway because of Grounder.
- Dr. Robotnik's computer program designed to make him a thousand times smarter is stolen by Hacker, an adolescent mole, and downloaded onto a microchip. When Scratch and Grounder are sent to capture Hacker, Grounder accidentally installs the Genius Chip and becomes a genius, making Robotnik his prisoner and Scratch his slave. In the same episode, Hacker is also revealed to have invented a Stupid Chip, which makes whoever uses it only half as smart as they are.
- High-Class Glass: When he becomes smarter, Grounder starts wearing a monocole on his right eye.
- Improvised Lightning Rod: A variant; in this episode's third act, Grounder invents a lightning rod to stop Sonic, Tails, and Hacker from escaping from Robotnik's fortress. When Hacker asks Grounder if somebody already invented the lightning rod, Grounder tells him that his lightning rod doesn't protect against lightning; it causes it!
- I Can Rule Alone: Initially, Grounder suggests becoming partners with Robotnik rather than "vice tyrant", which incences Robotnik. After having Scratch use him as a basketball and football, Robotnik gives in... only for Grounder to decide he doesn't need a partner and throw the doctor in the dungeon.
- Instant Cultured: In his smart state, Grounder enjoys playing the piano and reading moral philosophy.
- Insufferable Genius: Grounder becomes this after he installs the Genius Chip, though does manage to reach an epiphany at the end when Scratch in trying to help him, foils his plans, realizing even a genius cannot predict everything.
- Literal-Minded: Early in the episode, while setting up the first trap for Sonic, Scratch asks Grounder to hand him the "bait". Grounder, clearly thinking he means bait as in for fishing, proceeds to produce a giant worm - an infuriated Scratch slaps it out of his hand and clarifies that he meant the doll of Tails.
- Kansas City Shuffle: The trap set against Sonic at the start of the episode features an obvious doll of Tails placed on a mousetrap. Sonic sees this, laughs at the plan for being so incompetent, then cyclones Scratch and Grounder into the trap. The mousetrap goes off, but the real Scratch and Grounder, who placed the dummies Sonic nabbed, set off a giant beartrap that almost catches Sonic off guard.
- Losing Your Head: Grounder's head keeps coming off his body, which results in Grounder installing the Genius Chip, and later, Scratch inadvertently foiling Grounder's plan for world domination.
- Mouse Trap: Near the beginning of this episode, Scratch and Grounder use a giant mousetrap to try to catch Sonic, using a doll of Tails as bait. After Sonic traps dolls of them in the trap, Scratch and Grounder reveal a giant Bear Trap underneath, which Sonic is quick enough to avoid, but they aren't when it falls on them.
- Mythology Gag:
- When Hacker hacks into Robotnik's computer to download his super-genius program, the actual "Jump" and "Ring" sound effects from Sonic the Hedgehog are used.
- Scratch and Grounder blow up Hacker's house with a cannon with legs that explodes after a single use, much like the Bomb enemy in Sonic 1.
- Near-Villain Victory: Near the end of the episode, Grounder has the heroes right where he want them, and even Sonic admits he's out of ideas. If not for Scratch's interference, they would have been defeated in a few more seconds.
- No Man Should Have This Power: After getting back the Genius Chip at the end of the episode, Hacker smashes it between a pair of rocks. Robotnik also decides he doesn't need it - he's already a genius in his own mind, especially when compared to Scratch and Grounder.
- No Plans, No Prototype, No Backup: Robotnik's Genius Program had only a one-in-a-million chance of being successfully created, due to it being formed from a random combination of every program available. When the program gets stolen and erased, his computer informed him that he'd be once again subject to that probability if he were to try to recreate it.
- Paper-Thin Disguise: Sonic disguises himself as a chip recycler, and later, an award presenter to try to extract the Genius Chip. Unfortunately, due to Grounder's enhanced intelligence, he is able to see through Sonic's disguises and anticipate his plans. The first time, Grounder petrifies Sonic, and the second time, he identifies the explosive disguised as a trophy and tosses it away before anything bad happens (at least until Scratch trips on it).
- Screw Learning, I Have Phlebotinum!: The chip makes Grounder a genius inventor without him having to learn anything. Discussed in the Sonic Says segment, where Sonic tells the audience this doesn't work in Real Life and you can't get an education without putting in the work.
- Smart People Speak the Queen's English: When Grounder installs the Genius Chip, his usual Simpleton Voice changes to Received Pronunciation.
- Spanner in the Works: In his genius state, Grounder manages to predict every possible eventualy... except that Scratch would try to help and ruin everything.
- Stupidity-Inducing Attack: Hacker reveals to Sonic and Tails that in addition to the Genius Chip, he also created a Stupid Chip that makes whoever uses it only half as smart as they are. Sonic uses this on Robotnik near the end of the episode, resulting in Robotnik picking up the explosive disguised as a trophy and Grounder's lightning rod zapping it.
- Taken for Granite: At the end of this episode's first act, Grounder uses his petrifying ray to turn Sonic to stone. Tails and Hacker make their way to Robotnik's fortress and hack into the ray gun's technology to reverse the effects and save Sonic.
- Turned Against Their Masters: When Grounder becomes smarter, he openly questions his allegiance to Robotnik and tries to rule Mobius by himself. Scratch also turns against Robotnik, but moreso because he's now Grounder's lackey and is simply obeying orders.
- X-Ray Sparks: Happens to Robotnik when he tries to turn Grounder off, only to find out that Grounder had anticipated this and disconnected his "OFF" switch.
