History ComicBook / SonicTheHedgehogIDW

** [[spoiler:After being infected with the techno-organic virus,]] Sonic reminisces in Issue #16 about previous times a villain has afflicted him with a curse, the flashback showing [[VideoGame/SonicStorybookSeries the Flame Arrow]] and [[VideoGame/SonicUnleashed his Werehog form.]]

* AlternateContinuity: ZigZagged. When it initially started, the series was said to be set in a separate continuity from the previous ''Sonic'' comics and other ''Sonic'' media, including the games. However, later on in the comic's run, as part of an effort by Creator/SonicTeam to streamline and unify the Sonic canon, the comic would be retroactively made canon to the games continuity (albeit in a LooseCanon sense), with Tangle getting name dropped in ''VideoGame/SonicFrontiers''.

* AlternateContinuity: ZigZagged. When it initially started, The series was originally said to be set in a separate continuity from the previous ''Sonic'' comics and other ''Sonic'' media, including the games. However, later on in the comic's run, as part of an effort by Creator/SonicTeam to streamline and unify the Sonic canon, the comic would be retroactively made canon to the games continuity (albeit in a LooseCanon sense), with Tangle getting name dropped in ''VideoGame/SonicFrontiers''.

* AlternateContinuity: The series is set in a separate continuity from the previous Sonic comics and other Sonic media, including the games (though game events still could have happened, albeit in a different way). Check BroadStrokes to see what games are taken for granted. However, as of 2022, this stance [[FlipFlopOfGod appears to have changed]][[invoked]], as Sonic would namedrop Tangle during one of his monologues in ''VideoGame/SonicFrontiers'', and Ian Flynn would [[https://twitter.com/TheMasonTweeter/status/1595909495938744320?s=20&t=Qem87T03gjne7tiUpc8VrQ later imply]] on the [=BumbleKast=] that the comics are now canonical to the games (albeit in a LooseCanon sense).

* LieBackAndThinkOfEngland: A rare non-sexual example: Dr. Starline tells Mr. Tinker to "lie back, relax, and think of Eggmanland" when about to painfully restore his memories of being Eggman.

** The third arc, running from Issues #33-56 (plus the ''Bad Guys'' and ''Imposter Syndrome'' miniseries), has the heroes tying up loose ends from the Zombot Apocalypse [[spoiler:while Starline plots to overthrow Eggman and conquer the world himself, creating Surge and Kit to that end. Eggman [[KilledOffForReal eliminates]] Starline in Issue #50, but Sonic and Tails must still contend with their new doppelgängers]].
** The fourth arc starts in Issue #57, following the events of the ''Scrapnik Island'' miniseries.

** [[spoiler:In Issue #56, Kit gives one as part of the [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech brutal takedown]] he gives Sonic, condemning the Blue Blur as a half-hearted opportunist similar to Eggman and Starline.]]
--->[[spoiler:'''Kit:''' You're all the same. You don't need me or Surge, you ''want'' us. At that matters is what we can do, how you can change us. So you can prove that ''your'' way is ''right''.]]
* OhCrap: A number of examples from both sides. Belle's [[HoldYourHippogriffs particular variation]] (replacing "crap" with "sawdust") is one of her {{Catch Phrase}}s.
** In Issue #7, "Eggman" begins raving about his plans...only for Sonic to take the wind out of his sails rather bluntly:
--->'''Sonic:''' ''(makes "time out" gesture)'' [[NoSell Whoa-whoa-]]''[[NoSell whoa!]]'' Save the rant, [[SpotTheThread faker.]]
** Silver's word-for-word reaction at the end of Issue #8 to learning that [[spoiler:Angel Island has been conquered]].
** Rough also says this word-for-word in Issue #15, when the drill tank he and Tumble are driving almost falls down a mine shaft.
** Surge, too, exclaims "Crap!" when she runs out of charge during her fight with Whisper in Issue #53.
** [[DirtyCoward Eggman's usual reaction]] when one or more opponents have him at their mercy. Ditto Starline, especially when those he's manipulated let him know the jig's up.
** Amy gets this in Issue #12, when the Chaotix demand a reward for helping the Resistance; in Issue #33, when she almost runs Shadow over; in Issue #39, when her dress catches fire during a fight; and in Issue #45 when she [[TarotTroubles picks out an ominous tarot card]] for Belle.
** Kit gets one in Issue #50 when his fight with Tails drains his water pack, [[DePower leaving him powerless]]; he summarily has a FreakOut, knowing Surge [[YouHaveFailedMe will be mad at him for losing]].[[note]]Luckily for him, she's in a forgiving mood when they reunite a few issues later.[[/note]]

-->'''Eggman:''' I don't share! If you ''really'' understood me, you'd know I won't settle for less! It's AllOrNothing! And you are ''nothing'' before me!

** Espio's reaction [[spoiler:when he tries to steal a Chaos Emerald from Zazz and is caught in the act when Zazz sniffs him out. Espio didn't think Zazz could detect him while he was invisible and is shocked when he's detected regardless.]]

* PlotArmor: Sonic's speed was the only thing that kept him from becoming a full Zombot, and [[spoiler: even this was implied to deteriorate, as pointed out by Gemerl. Luckily, the plan to use the Warp Topaz and Chaos Emeralds helped eliminate the Metal Virus before it completely overtook him]].

* ''Tangle & Whisper'': During Wondercon 2019, the staff revealed the first spin-off mini-series starring the titular duo which started in the summer of the same year. The story focuses on the two [[CanonForeigner Canon Foreigners]] as they deal with a shapeshifting villain named Mimic who seems to have ties with Whisper. This would be the third time a non-Sega character got their own mini-series within a Sonic comic (Sally had her own mini back in the 90s and Scourge received his own story arc in ''Sonic Universe'').

* ''Bad Guys'': In April 2020, [[https://www.newsarama.com/49821-writer-artist-takes-over-idw-s-sonic-the-hedgehog-but-without-saying-when.html another mini-series was announced]], focusing on several of the villains of this comic, with the main focus on Dr. Starline, another new character created for IDW, as he leads said villains to go against Eggman while also plotting something of his own. It was released in October of that year. Ian headed up this series while Evan Stanley took over writing duties for the main comic during so, with the two alternating beyond the mini-series run.

* ''Imposter Syndrome'': Announced in the 2021 Free Comic Book Day issue. This mini-series acts as a lead up to the "Battle for the Empire" arc. Starline begins his power play and sets his sights on bringing down Sonic and Eggman with his own creations. It'll introduce two new characters to the mix, Surge the Tenrec and Kit the Fennec, and was released starting in November 2021.

* ''Scrapnik Island'': Announced July 2022, this horror-themed miniseries sees Sonic and Tails trapped on a robot island and forced to battle both new foes and forgotten enemies, including the return of Mecha Knuckles from ''VideoGame/SonicAdvance''. It is written by Daniel Barnes of ''ComicBook/TheBlackMage'' and was released starting in October 2022.

* AmnesiacHero: Issue #31 reveals [[spoiler:Sonic has become this, developing a socialite personality and adopting the name [[MythologyGag "Mr. Needlemouse"]]]]. This doesn't last long, as midway through Issue #32, [[spoiler: Blaze uses the Sol Emeralds to restore Sonic's memories]].

** In Issue #59, Whisper and Lanolin are [[BodyHorror dissolved alive and imprisoned in an atomized state]] via Eggman's [[RealityWarper spatial-displacement traps]], with Tangle barely avoiding the same fate via a LeapOfFaith.

* {{Animesque}}: No doubt. From the exaggerated facial expressions, to the consistently fluid drawings, to the heavy amount of overall detail, to the sometimes VERY cute-sy look of the characters, to even the dynamic use of speed-lines in some of the fight scenes, to say that quite a lot of the art for the issues are manga-inspired would be an understatement. Some issues are like this even more than others, since it depends on the artist, with Adam Bryce Thomas being the most mangaesque.

* BadFuture: Silver's reasoning for returning in issue #8. He joined the Resistance during ''Forces'' because the Eggman Empire took over. However, when he came back, everything was ''dead''. After speculation from the two, Silver believes that [[spoiler: Eggman's Metal Virus is to blame, after Eggman explains that the Zombots will disintegrate in a hundred years or so if left unchecked. After the Metal Virus is destroyed, Silver returns to his time and finds it restored to a prosperous state.]]

** Vanilla does this in Issue #18 to try and keep Zombots out of her and Cream's house. [[spoiler:It doesn't work, forcing Cheese and Chocola to sacrifice themselves while Cream and Vanilla barely escape.]]

** The third saga's climax is Issue #50's "Battle for the Empire", which consists of three simultaneous duels: Sonic vs. Surge, Tails vs. Kit, and Eggman vs. Starline. [[spoiler:In the end, Sonic, Tails, and Eggman triumph over their inexperienced imposters.]]

** [[spoiler: All of the main, and some minor, characters in Issue #29 form this trope as Super Sonic and Super Silver defeat Zavok and rid the world of the Eggman's Metal Virus, effectively curing the world. The fact that they have all gathered around Angel Island, formerly infected/"Zombot-ified" or otherwise, certainly helps. As the Restoration, Chaotix, Team Dark, Cheese, Chocola, and Big celebrate on the island's surface, Cream and Gemerl arrive on the beach below just in time to reunite with Vanilla.]]

** Tangle shouts this in Issue #59 when Whisper is [[AndIMustScream atomized alive]] by Eggman's spatial-displacement traps.

** "All or Nothing", the climax of the Metal Virus Saga, [[spoiler:ends with the Metal Virus having been destroyed, the Deadly Six defeated, and everyone restored to normal. But the world is still in tatters after the whole ordeal, and Sonic has gone missing after the Warp Topaz overloaded from Super energy and blew up.]]
** "Test Run" and "Zeti Hunt" end with the heroes victorious, but Belle heartbroken [[spoiler:as it's revealed her creator was Eggman's amnesiac self, "Mr. Tinker"--a side of him she concedes is [[ThatManIsDead gone forever]]. The finale to ''Zeti Hunt'' also has Starline [[TheBadGuyWins getting what he wanted out of Belle and escaping before the Chaotix can arrest him]]]].
** "Overpowered", the finale to the Imposters Saga, [[spoiler:ends with Surge being defeated, Whisper's Wisps rescued, and Eggman going empty-handed yet again. However, Surge and Kit [[RedemptionRejection refuse to change their ways]] and escape to fight another day, leaving Sonic and Tails depressed over failing to help them.]]

** Ian Flynn's uninterrupted run of the comic began with [[spoiler: Eggman]] getting amnesia and ends with [[spoiler: Sonic]] in the same situation.

** Cream gets a ''hard'' dose of this trope during the Metal Virus Saga, [[spoiler:with the Zombot plague claiming her two Chao and her own mother right before her eyes. [[FromBadToWorse To top it off]], she herself gets infected after a physically-abusive scuffle with Zeena. [[HarmfulToMinors The fact that she's only six years old doesn't help matters one bit.]]]]
** Whisper is TheQuietOne as a direct result of this trope. [[spoiler:She was once a cheerful and plain-spoken girl, but when Eggman and Mimic wiped out her old team, the Diamond Cutters, she was traumatized for life. She suffers this a second time when Tangle is turned into a Zombot by the Metal Virus and subsequently enslaved by Zavok, [[KickTheDog who then adds to Whisper's misery]] [[FightingYourFriend by pitting the girls against each other]].]]
** While Tails loses less to the Metal Virus [[spoiler:than Cream, Whisper, Espio, or Rouge do, being screwed out of making a cure hits his confidence ''hard''. By the final battle with Zavok and the Zombots, Tails is barely holding himself together, and when he himself gets infected by Cheese and Chocola, the poor kid is reduced to tearfully begging for his life.]]

** Kit is strongly implied to have been a [[CheerfulChild happier kid]] until Starline and Surge's abuse scarred his psyche. [[spoiler:Although Sonic and Tails try to help him recover, [[SanitySlippage his mental/emotional state keeps cracking]] [[CorruptTheCutie until he finally goes off the deep end]] in Issue #56, becoming [[TookALevelInCynic as disillusioned]] [[AxCrazy and hostile]] as [[OmnicidalManiac Surge herself]].]]

** In Issue #29, [[spoiler: Super Sonic takes down a powered-up Zavok in seconds after an uphill battle to gather all of the Chaos Emeralds, to which Super Silver casually calls it anti-climactic. Zavok tries to continue the fight in the following issue, only to be subdued ''again'' in a mere two pages by Sonic's reunited friends, who arrest him on the spot.]]

** InvincibleHero: For all their PlotArmor, we are reminded more than once that Sonic and his friends are still mortal and vulnerable, with Sonic [[HeroicRROD exhausting himself almost to death]] during the Metal Virus Saga being only one example among many. The movesets rely heavily on certain limbs or items (Sonic's legs, Tails' and Tangle's tails, Amy's hammer, Whisper's gun, etc.), without which they are still combat-capable, but much weaker. Furthermore, they are not immune from scoring a PyrrhicVictory, which in-universe is treated as a defeat.

** A village ended up being taken over by Rough and Tumble, stealing away their Wisps and Wispons. Sonic reminds the Wisps of the good they've done helping him, in turn getting them to turn against the bullies.

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: Dr Starline's obsession with [[spoiler:Belle's body, which culminates in him kidnapping her and strapping her to a table to force something he wants (data) out of her, is framed much like an abduction and rape. His excitement during the whole process doesn't help.]]

** In Issue 42, when Starline sees that the Deadly Six are alive and endangering his plans, he calms himself by reminding himself that "Fear is the Mind-Killer": a quote from ''Film/{{Dune}}'', as well as a song in the Sega shoot-em-up ''VideoGame/{{Rez}}''.

** Surge's final rant to Sonic in Issue #56, before she [[VillainousRROD burns herself out and falls into a coma]]:

** In Issue #41, after Sonic calls him [[VideoGame/SonicColors "Baldy McNosehair"]] (again), Eggman angrily retorts that said quote isn't funny. This is a nod to how a lot of fans feel about the perceived overuse of such dialogue in the games, ''especially'' throughout TheNewTens.

** Cover A of issue #64 has Silver in front of a conspiracy board with a specific pose invocative of the [[https://amp.knowyourmeme.com/memes/pepe-silvia Pepe Silvia Meme]] from ''Series/ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia''.

** [[spoiler:Silver in Issue #29 when Sonic and Metal Sonic are flamed before his eyes by Zavok.]]

** Classic Sonic and Classic Tails shout this in the 30th Anniversary Special when a Chaos Emerald falls off a cliff during a fight with the Hooligans over falls.

** Surge is reduced to tears when she learns the AwfulTruth about herself and Kit.
** [[spoiler:Eggman's M.O. during his final showdown with Starline is to break the latter's spirit as thoroughly as possible. He succeeds, and the broken-down Starline dies therafter.]]

* FamilyUnfriendlyViolence: '''''A lot''''' of it, for an all-ages comic. Notably, there are some instances where Eggman tries the heroes' patience enough that they seriously consider killing him (or [[FateWorseThanDeath worse]]).

** [[spoiler:In the third ''Bad Guys'' issue, Mimic prepares to stab Starline to death in his sleep before Zavok dissuades him. Eventually, Mimic loses patience with Starline and ''holds a knife to his throat''.]]

** [[spoiler:Starline getting crushed to death by falling rubble after his final defeat in Issue #50]].
** Surge in the ''Overpowered'' arc deals a vicious CurbStompBattle to Whisper, tries to [[{{Fingore}} bite off Eggman's fingers]], and [[spoiler:electrocutes Sonic nearly to death while holding him down in a puddle]].

* ShooOutTheClowns: [[spoiler:By ''All or Nothing'', every ComicRelief hero, including resident PluckyComicRelief Tangle, has become a Zombot, and Sonic's own comical traits have receded due to his trauma and fatigue. Due to those characters' infections sidelining them, said arc's PlayedForLaughs moments are largely limited to [[TheComicallySerious Knuckles]]' SkewedPriorities, Rouge's antics, and Eggman's [[LaserGuidedKarma comeuppance]] by Zombot!Froggy.]]

** In Issue #38, the VirtualRealityWarper nature of Eggman's new tower makes Tails geek out with stars in his eyes.

* YouWakeUpOnABeach: How Sigma finds himself on the titular Scrapnik Island. He begins repairing the various scrapped Badniks that also wash ashore.

** In Issue #55, Eggman tries to escape from Surge during their fight in Starline's base, only to find out Starline changed the access codes. Eggman immediately sweats bullets as he [[OhCrap realizes he's now at Surge's mercy]].

** Issue 3 reveals that before Tails disappeared, he gave the Resistance the Wisps communicator to the resistance. With it, the Resistance got help from the wisps to fight Eggman's army.

* ''Tangle and Whisper'': During Wondercon 2019, the staff revealed the first spin-off mini-series starring the titular duo which started in the summer of the same year. The story focuses on the two [[CanonForeigner Canon Foreigners]] as they deal with a shapeshifting villain named Mimic who seems to have ties with Whisper. This would be the third time a non-Sega character got their own mini-series within a Sonic comic (Sally had her own mini back in the 90s and Scourge received his own story arc in ''Sonic Universe'').

* CoversAlwaysLie: Several characters that were featured on Retail Incentive covers hadn't yet debuted in the series. Cream the Rabbit, E-123 Omega, and G-Merl were all on covers for the first year's arc and they wouldn't appear until year two. Marine has appeared on covers for Issues #24 and #37, but has yet to debut in the comic.

* DetailHoggingCover: [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/sonic/images/1/11/IDW16CoverA.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20190506182643 Evan]] [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/sonic/images/7/7d/IDWSonic26CoverA.jpeg/revision/latest?cb=20200201022101 Stanley's]] [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/sonic/images/7/78/IDW27CE.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20200409195605 painted]] [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/sonic/images/6/65/IDW33CoverAp.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20200619133020 covers]] are very realistic compared to the interior art.

* EarnYourHappyEnding: [[spoiler:"Out of the Blue" ends with Knuckles back to guarding his homeland in peace, Silver ''finally'' getting a good future, the world well on its way to recovery from the eradicated Zombot plague, Sonic's friends happy to have him back after Blaze sends him home, and Sonic himself off with a smile towards his next adventure. Downplayed with Shadow, who's ashamed over getting Zombot-ified due to his own foolishness but at least seems to have learned his lesson, and the Babylon Rogues, who fail at robbing Jewel again thanks to Rouge but avoid getting caught in the act. Overall, despite Eggman crashing the victory celebration in a last-ditch attempt to avert this trope, one of the darkest storylines in the history of the ''Sonic'' franchise ends with a well-earned and deserved happy ending for the heroes.]]

* ElectrifiedBathtub: In issue #56, Sonic narrowly avoids being electrocuted by Surge while in a puddle thanks to Eggman. However, he isn't so lucky later on.

** The climax of ''Overpowered'' in Issues 55-56 has [[spoiler:Sonic, Tails, Eggman, and Metal Sonic cooperating to defeat Surge and Kit, who've set a trap for them as part of a LastVillainStand. Surge herself [[GenreSavvy realizes a truce is imminent]] before it's even gone into force.]]

** The ''Tangle & Whisper'' miniseries starts out with Tangle crashing upside-down into chili dog vendor's cart.

** Whisper's fellow Diamond Cutters being killed by Shadow Androids in the third ''Tangle & Whisper'' issue.

** Tangle gets one in ''Tangle & Whisper'' #2 when she realizes Mimic is about to lock her in an airtight safe, and several more when Eggman's constructs appear unexpectedly in front of her.

** Tangle does this in the ''Tangle & Whisper'' miniseries' second issue when the ArcVillain locks her in a safe, triggering her {{Claustrophobia}}.

* ATasteOfTheirOwnMedicine: Tangle's plan to defeat Mimic involves giving him a dose of this trope.

* ContinuityCameo: Chumley, the baby walrus from ''WesternAnimation/SonicBoom'', appears in issue 1 of ''Tangle and Whisper''. He appears in one of the photos of Mimic's PokeThePoodle misdeeds, in which Mimic is stealing candy from him. Chumley is the focus of (and was named in) the episode [[Recap/SonicBoomS2E40ThreeMenAndMyBaby "Three Men and My Baby!"]], written by the penciller and inker of the miniseries, Evan Stanley.

** In the first issue, Tangle is hanging out with Jewel when they hear commotion outside her jewelry shop. Jewel commenting on if the Babylon Rogues had returned, referencing them attacking her shop in the Annual.

* DeathFakedForYou: Mimic uses his own mask and Whisper's discarded Wispon to fake the murder of Whisper and try to show Eggman he killed the rest of the Diamond Cutters.
* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath: All of the Diamond Cutters, [[SoleSurvivor except for Whisper]], were killed by Eggman after Mimic sold them out. [[WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids This is a children's comic, by the way.]]

* GoryDiscretionShot: The last moments of Slinger, Smithy, and Claire seen by the reader are them trying their best to fend against the Shadow Androids, and then...well, [[KilledOffForReal you know]].

* {{Midquel}}: Miniseries takes place between the ''Battle for Angel Island'' and ''Infection'' arcs.

* YouHaveFailedMe: [[DiscussedTrope Discussed]] [[spoiler:after Tangle and Whisper capture Mimic in Issue #4. This doesn't stop him from toying with Whisper further, but as Tangle points out, failing his mission and wasting a crapton of Badniks in the process means he'll likely suffer Eggman's wrath if he escapes confinement. With that, Mimic finally shuts his trap.]]

* TheBadGuyWins: When the conflict is EvilVsEvil, it's inevitable that ''a'' bad guy will win. [[spoiler:Eggman is unable to stop the team and Zavok is the clear loser, being beaten so badly he can only slink away. Rough and Tumble gain nothing from the ordeal but their freedom from prison. The only winners are Mimic, who successfully deletes himself from the Eggnet, and Starline, who finally amasses his own army]].

** When Starline creates the Tricore and tests it, he gains a certain power depending on the color. Blue is speed, yellow is flight and red is strength. For fans of the Sonic series, [[VideoGame/SonicHeroes that might look familiar]].
* DiscardAndDraw: With the loss of his Warp Topaz, Starline opts to use other weapons. His heel spurs act as a multi tool firing electricity and toxin and eventually, he creates the Tricore, a power amplifying artifact that replaces the Warp Topaz on his gauntlet.

* NotSoDifferentRemark: Starline eventually comes to the conclusion that for all he hates Eggman's faults, he's fallen victim to them too due to modeling himself on him. [[spoiler: This eventually leads to an epiphany on Starline's part, and he decides to fully branch out on his own rather than try to win back Eggman's approval.]]

* SequelHook: The miniseries ends with several dangling threads that are clearly going to followed up on in the main series: [[spoiler: Zavok is wounded but intending to reunite with the other Zeti, Rough and Tumble are striking out on their own, Mimic is planning to hunt down Whisper to take revenge, and Starline has now decided to become an outright rival to Eggman.]]

* EvilIsNotAToy: [[spoiler: Starline finds out the hard way that creating NighInvulnerable fighters with short tempers is a bad idea when they break free of your control.]]

* HoistByHisOwnPetard: [[spoiler: When Surge and Kit learn the truth, they overpower Starline with his own hypno glove, and then decide to go along with his plan to take out Sonic and the heroes, only modifying it to eliminate Starline and Eggman too.]]

* PutThemAllOutOfMyMisery: [[spoiler: After finding out that Starline has wiped her memory and all record of her past, Surge decides to kill him, Eggman, and all the heroes, on the ground that "if we don't have a past, they don't get a future".]]

* SpottingTheThread: [[spoiler: After Surge survives being smashed into a building without a scratch, she and Kit realize that they don't actually know what Starline did to them, so they decide to quietly start investigating him.]]

* EarnYourHappyEnding: [[spoiler: Mecha Sonic initially resigns himself to be incinerated while lamenting his failures, but Sonic gives him a rousing YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre speech that convinces the robotic double to continue living, the first time Sonic succeeds at redeeming a foe. [[BigDamnHeroes Tails and the other Scrapniks arrive in the nick of time]], pulling the both of them out of the fire, where Mecha Sonic is forgiven and Tails is able to remove Eggman's hostility protocols from both Mecha Sonic and Mecha Knuckles. Sonic and Tails part the island on good terms, with the miniseries closing out on Mecha Sonic vowing to put the past behind him and look to the future with hope, symbolized by the last panel focusing on his sunflower]].

* GrandTheftMe: [[spoiler:Mecha Sonic's EvilPlan, where he intends to download his own mind into Sonic's body by utilizing an old piece of Eggman tech known as the Egg Noggin and Tails' Miles Electric, where he will then cross the seas in Sonic's body and exact revenge on Eggman for abandoning him. His plan is quickly foiled by the friendly Scrapniks, but it manages to establish as PsychicLink between Sonic and Mecha Sonic]].
* PsychicLink: [[spoiler: After Mecha Sonic's plan goes up in flames, Sonic and Mecha Sonic are able to share each other's thoughts and feelings, with Mecha's voice occasionally appearing in his head. This link even allows Sonic to cry TearsOfJoy [[HeWillNotCrySoICryForHim for Mecha Sonic]] after everything was resolved]].

* NeverSayDie: [[Zig-Zagging Trope Zig-Zagged.]] This trope is mostly played straight, but Amy and Zazz have used the word "dead", and Kit at one point uses the word "kill" in past tense (albeit in a non-threatening way).

* KnightOfCerebus: The Deadly Six, anytime they're on-page. The Metal Virus also qualifies until Sonic and Silver eradicate it.

* EvilIsHammy: Eggman, and how. Some of his dialogue is written in such a way that you can practically hear Creator/MikePollock's voice [[ChewingTheScenery going off]] in your head.

** Issues #49-52, plus the last issue of ''Imposter Syndrome'', happen almost entirely in one night. Issues of #52-56 immediately pick up from the previous arc, taking place over the course of the following day.

* HartmanHips: Tangle, Rouge, and Zeena all have a set.

* NeverSayDie: Zigzagged. This trope is mostly played straight, but Amy and Zazz have used the word "dead", and Kit at one point uses the word "kill" in past tense (albeit in a non-threatening way).

** [[spoiler:Belle repeats Sonic's above-mentioned mistake when she fixes Metal Sonic after his defeat to Surge and Kit in ''Imposter Syndrome'' (without even de-weaponizing him as Tails did). This backfires ''hard'', as once Eggman regains control of his HQ from Starline, he sends Metal after her and her friends, and her final attempt to talk Metal down gets her slapped aside.]]

* OhCrap: A number of examples from both sides. Belle's [[HoldYourHippogriffs variation]] (replacing "crap" with "sawdust") in particular is said often enough to be her unofficial CatchPhrase.

** Issue #27: Eggman and Sonic get one [[spoiler:when the Faceship, now under Zavok's control, appears above Angel Island.]]
** Issue #33: Amy gets one en route to White Park when she spots Shadow standing in the middle of the road dead ahead.

** Issues #49-52, plus the last issue of ''Imposter Syndrome'', happen almost entirely in one night.

** Eggman is known to possess a laser handgun, which he pulls on the Restoration while battling them in Issue #32.

** Surge in the ''Overpowered'' arc deals a vicious CurbStompBattle to Whisper, tries to [[{{Fingore}} bite off Eggman's fingers]], and electrocutes Sonic nearly to death while holding him down in a puddle.

** Issue #6 is all about a fight between Sonic and Shadow concerning what to do about Mr. Tinker, the amnesiac Eggman... which was set up by Rouge - she planned that a brawl with the blue blur would clear Shadow's head enough to consider not to outright murder the Doctor.

*** Whisper and her old team, the Diamond Cutters, are an obvious homage to ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid''.

* DebutQueue: The first four issues feature Sonic teaming with Tails, Amy, Knuckles and Blaze respectively. The third issue also features the debut of the CanonForeigner villains Rough and Tumble, with Tangle the Ring-tailed Lemur and Dr. Eggman following in Issue #4, the Chaotix in Issue #5, and Shadow and Rouge in Issue #6. Issue #7 features the return of [[spoiler:Neo Metal Sonic]], and the 8th issue has both the return of Silver and the debut of another new character, Whisper the Wolf.
** Likewise, Cream and her family debut in Issue #18, E-123 Omega in Issue #19, and the Deadly Six in Issues #20-21.
* DecapitatedArmy: Eggman's disappearance after the events of ''VideoGame/SonicForces'' left his Badnik army aimless and attacking locals randomly. However, by the time events of issue 1, they've had become much more organized. This leads Tails and Sonic to determine that something is controlling the army. [[spoiler:Later issues confirm it's not bad ol' Doc (who [[AmbiguousSituation probably]] suffers from amnesia) that's back, but Neo Metal Sonic, who commands Eggman's forces until his creator returns]].

** "Overpowered", the finale to the Imposter Saga, [[spoiler:ends with Surge being defeated, Whisper's Wisps rescued, and Eggman going empty-handed yet again. However, Surge and Kit [[RedemptionRejection refuse to change their ways]] and escape to fight another day, leaving Sonic and Tails depressed over failing to help them.]]

** The moodier characters give off some very menacing stares when angered. [[TheComicallySerious It can be]] PlayedForLaughs at times, but some are borderline nightmarish; Whisper's stares, for example, scare even Sonic and Tangle, who are otherwise bold and brave. Shadow, Espio, and Kit are other notable examples.

* DeconstructedCharacterArchetype: Sonic's ThouShallNotKill aspect gets put through the ringer multiple times, with many people accusing him that his inability to [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim just take care of Eggman permanently]] is what causes the ViciousCycle he and Eggman are seemingly trapped in, which leads to more and more innocent bystanders getting hurt in the process. Espio personally blames Sonic for the Metal Virus arc even happening in the first place, and Surge blames him as the root cause of her ending up like she has, saying if he had just offed Eggman, Starline would have never done what he did to her.