| Written by: | Ian Flynn |
| Year: | Six |
| Saga: | None |
| Issue: | #67 |
Surge the Tenrec and Kitsunami the Fennec, after escaping from Sonic, Tails, and Eggman post-Overpowered, make a surprise appearance at the Restoration's headquarters, much to Sonic's confusion. Amy tells the blue blur that the antagonistic duo are looking to change their ways. Concerned, but still willing, Sonic allows the two to join the organization, giving Surge and Kit a chance to meet everyone and tour the facility, with reactions varying from welcoming to paranoia.
Of course, the duo's ambitions aren't as altruistic as they claim, as Clutch the Opossum, hot off the heels of shacking up a partnership with the Restoration in the Misadventures arc, has recruited the tenrec and fennec in his plot to dismantle the organization from the inside.
Tropes:
- Arc Welding: This issue reveals that the late Dr. Starline was once a frequent customer of Clutch's services, since Clean Sweep Inc. specializes in scrapped Eggman technology and robotics. As such, this ends up making Clutch a player in the platypus' schemes, along with giving greater connective tissue to the stories that involved Starline. Not only that, he claims he knows who and what Surge and Kit are, promising the two that he'll give them everything he knows about the two if they help him overthrow the Restoration.
- The Bus Came Back: Surge and Kit reappear after being MIA since the end of the Eggman's Legacy Saga, where they escaped from the heroes and Eggman in Issue #56.
- Call-Back: The phrase "Just like that" is repeated a few times in this issue, which is exactly what Sonic said to Surge back in Battle for the Empire when he offers a hand in friendship and declaring that they got off on the wrong foot. This time however, it's less of a sign of how Sonic was willing to forgive and now more of a concern from the hedgehog, after their previous encounter in Overpowered.
- Continuity Nod:
- When Sonic arrives, Surge mentions how Amy was regaling them a story about a "crazy forest fire" that took place.
- When Surge remembers her previous battles with Sonic, she recalls two important moments where Sonic tried to let her go and start a fresh life, specifically from Issues #50 and #56.
- One of the buildings in Starline's former base is half-collapsed, marking where Surge and Kit fought Sonic, Tails, and Eggman in Issue #56. The entire facility's power has since gone out, causing Surge and Kit's (already-limited) food supply to go bad.
- When Surge calls the skunk brothers "Eggman goons", Tumble angrily retorts they don't work for Eggman anymore, having sworn him off after finding out he used them as Metal Virus test subjects.
- Blaze and Silver are still touring the world, with the princess discovering Mazuri and how it's crops are suffering a poor season.
- Sonic and Shadow's previous clash is a redrawn panel of their scuffle in Issue #6, where Shadow held Sonic against a tree.
- Surge mentions she's had her fill of gadgets, since the last one she tried out almost broke what little sanity she has left, went bust on her right when she was on the cusp of killing Sonic, and caused her to fall into a coma afterwards.
- When Amy is unsure of Sonic allowing the two to join, Sonic also voices how he's not entirely sure either, but remembers how he met the Scrapniks and Mecha Sonic and that they were able to make a Heel–Face Turn. As such, he believes Surge and Kit deserve a chance to also turn their lives around.
- Amy mentions how after the events of the Deadly Six's invasion in Zeti Hunt, security has been tightened up.
- Amy and Clutch mention how the Restoration is working together with "Clean Sweep Inc." to clean up Eggman's messes, with the initial discussions between Clutch and Jewel occurring at the conclusion of Issue #66.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Surge and Kit dominate Rough and Tumble in one page and are about to do worse to them when Clutch stops the fight. The skunk brothers never even get to finish rhyming and are last seen upside-down in Kit's coils.
- Death Glare: Kit's face is frozen in one of these from the moment he and Surge arrive at Restoration HQ, save for a barely-visible Psychotic Smirk when assured he'll get a rematch against Tails. Mimic lampshades it:Mimic: You need to tone down the glare, though, boy. You're happy here, remember?
- Defeat Means Friendship: Discussed.
- When Sonic introduces Surge to Silver and Blaze as someone who "tried to destroy me a couple of times," Blaze groans about how Sonic ends up making friends this way. Surge can only incredulously ask that Sonic makes a habit of making friends out of his enemies, to which Blaze sheepishly admits that they were hostile with each other at first. Sonic and Silver similarly have some banter about how they had some moments of friction.
- Amy brings up the past encounters of Sonic throwing down with Knuckles and Shadow, both of whom would become valuable allies to Sonic. Surge lampshades how this is a recurring trend both times it's discussed.Surge: Have any of your friends not tried to waste you?note
Sonic: Look, once you get to know me, I'm very likable.
- Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life: Surge and Kit have been in a rut after failing to kill their counterparts or Eggman while the iron was hot, the former goal being what Starline had forcibly programmed into their minds. They've lost all their previous advantages, they're running out of food with none in the vicinity to forage for, and their only shelter is a derelict former Eggman base that's deteriorating around them. Yet, as fugitives from both Sonic and Eggman (whom they want nothing to do with anyhow), they don't know what do about their situation. They finally get an answer when Clutch recruits them for his Evil Plan.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Even the bloodthirsty Surge is sincerely creeped out by how many of Sonic's friends were initially after his hide.
- Gilligan Cut: When Belle mentions how she's going to bring Whisper's repaired Wispon to her, Sonic has the idea of making introductions between the two groups. When Amy raises concerns about how volatile it might get, considering how Surge injured the wolf pretty badly in their last encounter, Surge sarcastically brushes it off, noting how it'll be fine. The next panel shows all members of the Neo Diamond Cutters (minus Duo) giving Sonic's group the stink-eye, with Amy even glancing at Sonic with an "I told you so"-type of look, while Sonic can only give a small "Oh, Crap!" Smile.
- Good Is Not Dumb: The last time Sonic tried to encourage Surge, and by extension Kit, to change, they almost killed him. He's a little unsure that they finally want to try now, but knows that Starline conditioned them to the point where they think they simply can't defy their hatred against the heroes. He still gives them the benefit of the doubt regardless, but provides a rather "subtle" warning that he'll fight the duo again if they pull anything against his friends or the Restoration.
- I'm Standing Right Here: When Sonic proposes that Surge and Kit join the Diamond Cutters, he and Amy begin a small debate on whether it's a good idea. Surge points out that she and Kit are right there and can give their own opinions, causing both hedgehogs to apologize.
- Ironic Echo: The exchange of "Just like that?" and "Just like that." This is first used between Sonic and Surge in issue #50, where Sonic tells Surge that despite whatever misgivings she had about him before they started fighting, he's willing to forgive her and have them start over as friends, much to Surge's incredulity, asking "Just like that?" and Sonic responding the same, showing how his compassion ends up turning foes into friends. This exchange happens again in this issue, where Surge and Kit are supposedly heeding Sonic's plea to turn over a new leaf, which causes him to ask "Just like that?" and Surge to respond "Yeah. Just like that." Her answer doesn't entirely convince Sonic this time around, considering how their last encounter ended with him possibly being electrocuted to death.
- Manipulative Bastard: Surge, with her temper cooled, proves to be surprisingly devious, as she is the one who suggests the Falsely Reformed Villain scheme to Clutch, knowing Sonic too well will feel the need to give them a second chance.
- The Mole: Continuing from the previous arc, Mimic, under the guise of "Duo the Cat", makes contact with Surge and Kit inside the Restoration's headquarters. Clutch has enlisted both Surge and Kit to keep the Restoration's attention off of "Duo" while Mimic sabotages the Neo Diamond Cutters from within.
- Mythology Gag:
- Blaze recalls how Sonic and her got off on a rather hostile note at first, accompanied by a redrawn visual of their Duel Boss fight from Sonic Rush in Dead Line zone, complete with a shot of the Earth in the background.
- When Amy brings up how Knuckles and Shadow fought Sonic in the past, the past fight with Knuckles is shown to be his boss fight from Sonic Adventure in Mystic Ruins.
- Much like the RE Cover of Tangle & Whisper Issue #1 Reprint, the Exclusive Cover of Issue #67 features a 3D render of Surge the Tenrec to celebrate her addition to Sega HARDlight's mobile games (Sonic Dash and Sonic Forces: Speed Battle, with her render taken from the latter game).
- Oh, Crap!: Sonic and Belle's reactions to seeing Kit and especially Surge in Restoration HQ. Kit tells Surge to expect more such reactions going forward, which Surge reveals she's actually invoking this trope.
- On One Condition: Clutch tracks down Surge and Kit and tasks them with earning the Restoration's trust. In exchange, he claims that he can offer them any information about them (ie. their past), in a way that Starline couldn't, once he gets Clean Sweep Inc. seated into the organization.
- Properly Paranoid: The Restoration's heroes are all very wary of Surge and Kit joining since their last encounter with them ended with attempted murders of Sonic, Tails, and Whisper. During the tour, Sonic and Amy accompany them in order to keep an eye on the duo, and many raise their objections about the two joining.
- Despite Sonic, Amy, and Belle allowing them to join, wanting to give them the benefit of the doubt, they suspect that Surge and Kit are here for something they don't know about. A flashback shows that them joining the Restoration is so that they can provide support to Mimic (infiltrating as Duo the Cat) and Clutch the Opossum.
- Whisper is the most paranoid of the group, being very objective to allow them in. She shoots down the idea of letting them join the Diamond Cutters, not trusting them at all after Surge's previous attack on Central City along with what Surge personally did to her.
- Running Gag: In the beginning, when Sonic or Surge ask each other a question about the latter's supposed Heel–Face Turn, it's usually in the form of "Yeah? Just like that?" along with the answer "Yeah. Just like that."
- Shout-Out: The RI cover for the issue references the police station scene from the animated film adaptation of AKIRA.
- Trouble Entendre: After Surge and Kit are given a tour of the Restoration, she mentions that "It'd be a real shame if someone burned it to the ground," with Sonic responding with "a bigger shame is what'll happen to the idiot who tries that," before giving a subtle, pointed glare at Surge, indicating that if she tries anything, there will be consequences. Surge seemingly picks up what he is throwing down, indicated by the small sweat drop she has after he drops this line.
- Villainous Legacy: Being the one who set Surge, Kit, Rough, Tumble, and Mimic loose in the first place, and a former client of Clutch's (per the latter's claim, and info he uses to get the former two interested in an alliance against the Restoration), Starline continues to haunt Sonic and co. from beyond the grave.
- Villain Respect: Unlike most of the Restoration, who are at least willing to give Surge and Kit a chance, Whisper absolutely refuses to, considering that she almost lost her Wisps and her life when they last met. Surge actually compliments on her not being sentimental or sympathetic like the wolf's friends. Considering their real intentions…Surge: FINALLY! You're the first to show any sense around here. I can tell you want to take me out here and now. I like you.
- Worldbuilding: The comic uses the tour of the facility to also showcase areas of the Restoration and how each part of it ends up rebuilding Sonic's world after Eggman's latest schemes. For example, the supply depot has Silver and Blaze preparing an aid shipment so they can help Mazuri's poor crop season.
- "Lookin' forward to working with you...Duo."
