History Recap / SonicTheHedgehogIDWZetiHuntArc

* DamselInDistress: Belle is kidnapped by Starline during the Zeti's invasion of Restoration HQ, prompting the Chaotix to mount a search-and-rescue effort after finding out. Sonic joins them in finding Belle after he and Tails deport the Zeti to the Lost Hex.

* NearVillainVictory: Zavok [[CurbStompBattle curb-stomps]] Tangle and Whisper and almost kills Sonic and Tails before he and his pack are finally neutralized.

* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Sonic's TranquilFury upon finding out the Zeti duped him and his friends and are attacking Restoration HQ.

* WorthyOpponent: In Issue #43, Zavok acknowledges Sonic as the greatest challenge that the Zeti have ever faced.

* LackOfEmpathy: While holding Belle captive, he allows her to air out her backstory about her relationship with "Mr. Tinker". However, he cares more about her A.I. behavior than her life as he get the chance to copy her data. Belle is completely hurt over this, even after being rescued by the Chaotix.

* SpoilerCover: Covers A and B for Issue #44 spoiled Starline's involvement in this arc well in advance. A draft cover for the same issue also spoiled[[note]]for those who hadn't figured it out already[[/note]] the TheReveal of Belle's origins in [[Recap/SonicTheHedgehogIDWTestRunArc the previous arc]].

* BittersweetEnding: The Deadly Six are once more defeated and are finally transpoted back to the Lost Hex. However, Zavok declares that they will one day return to Sonic's world to continue their revenge. Meanwhile, Belle is rescued, but is heartbroken in realizing that she will never see Eggman's "Mr. Tinker" persona again. Worst of all, Dr. Starline has copied her data based on her personality, potentially the last item needed for his secret project.

* LackOfEmpathy: While holding Belle captive, he allows her to air out her backstory about her relationship with "Mr. Tinker". However, he cares more about her A.I. than her life as he copies her data. Belle is completely hurt over this, even after being rescued by the Chaotix.

* MistakenForSpies: It is revealed that Belle was still active when Eggman unleashed the Metal Virus on Windmill Village. When the inhabitants are eventually cure from their Zombot state, they suspect she was a Badnik spy and was unwelcome. Of course, them knowing that Mr. Tinker was an amnesiatic Dr. Eggman who built her didn't help matters.

* VillainExitStageLeft: At the end of #41, Eggman flees after another loss to Sonic and vanishes for the rest of the arc.

* ArcVillain[=/=]BigBadEnsemble: The Zeti are the central villains of this arc until Sonic and co. defeat them three issues in. Eggman also appears, but pulls a VillainExitStageLeft early on and is replaced by Starline, who later also replaces the Zeti to become the sole BigBad of the arc.

* DamselInDistress: Belle is kidnapped by Starline during the Zeti's invasion of Restoration HQ.

** Zomom punches a hole in the control room's doors, through which Whisper later shoots him in the ass when she and Tangle decide to cover Sonic.
** Whisper herself is subdued when Zavok shorts out her CoolMask and Wispon, electrocuting her.
** Zavok takes out Tangle as well by slamming her against the doors with her own tail.

** Belle has this reaction upon seeing Starline, recognizing him from their encounter in ''Chao Races and Badnik Bases''.

* TheBusCameBack:
** All of the Zeti, save Zavok (who appeared in ''Bad Guys''), return after being absent since Issue #30, three arcs ago.
** The Chaotix, who were last seen in Issue #32, reappear as Jewel hires them to help deal with the Zeti.
** Whisper and Starline both return in Issue #42, having not been seen since Issues #32 and #36, respectively.
** Issue #41 marks the first time a Wisp has appeared outside of a Wispon since Whisper's Wisps were last seen in Issue #29.

* TheBusCameBack:
** All of the Zeti, save Zavok (who appeared in ''Bad Guys''), return after being absent since Issue #30, three arcs ago.
** The Chaotix, who were last seen in Issue #32, reappear as Jewel hires them to help deal with the Zeti.
** Whisper and Starline both return in Issue #42, having not been seen since Issues #32 and #36, respectively.
** Issue #41 marks the first time a Wisp has appeared outside of a Wispon since Whisper's Wisps were last seen in Issue #29.

* ArcVillain[=/=]BigBadEnsemble: The Deadly Six. Starline also appears as a subplot antagonist, taking over from Eggman after the latter pulls a VillainExitStageLeft early on.
* BigDamnHeroes: Tails shows up at Restoration HQ just as the Zeti are about to kill Sonic.

* BothSidesHaveAPoint: Sonic and Eggman argue about who's to blame for the Zeti's takeover of the Zombots. Eggman [[NeverMyFault insists it wasn't his fault]] because Starline was the one who got the Zeti involved. He's not wrong, but Sonic points out that Starline was ''Eggman's'' lackey at the time (Eggman didn't fire him until after the fact), so it's still Eggman's fault either way. Eggman's much longer ListOfTransgressions doesn't help his case.

** A double-whammy. In ''All or Nothing'', the Zeti used special siphons to harness the Chaos Emeralds' power and give themselves better control over the Zombots. Zavok lost his after challenging Super Sonic and Super Silver (to [[CurbStompBattle predictable results]]), but Tails salvaged it and has since reverse-engineered it to create "Zeti Zappers", which turn the Zeti's own powers against them.

** Whisper herself is subdued when Zavok shorts out her CoolMask and Wispon, electrocuting her. He then takes out Tangle as well by slamming her against the doors with her own tail.

* NearVillainVictory: While Sonic's interference catches them off-guard, the Zeti soon regain the upper-hand until Tails shows up with the Zeti-Zappers. Zavok ''alone'' [[CurbStompBattle curb-stomps]] Tangle and Whisper, then throttles Sonic and Tails half to death after smacking them around like pinballs. Sonic applies Zeti Zappers to five of the six, but is unable to tag Zavok likewise; Tails ends up doing so instead using his smarts.
* NiceJobFixingItVillain: Zavok orders Zor to go fight with the other which Zor states he's trying to wait for an opening to strike in. Zavok promptly [[FastballSpecial grabs him and throws him at Sonic]] only to get blasted out of the air by Whisper.

* OhCrap: Zavok gets this in #43 when he realizes Tails hid a Zeti Zapper in his tails and he just pulled Tails close enough to hit him with it.

* VillainousBSOD: Zavok gets this in Issue #41 as he despairs over his ruinous defeats in ''All or Nothing'' and ''Bad Guys''. He briefly considers admitting defeat before angrily rejecting that notion and continuing on.

* VillanousBSOD: Zavok gets this in Issue #41 as he despairs over his ruinous defeats in ''All or Nothing'' and ''Bad Guys''. He briefly considers admitting defeat before angrily rejecting that notion and continuing on.

* CallBack: Sonic hasn't forgotten the [[WhatTheHellHero scathing earfuls]] Shadow and Espio gave him for sparing Eggman (during his Mr. Tinker phase), which of course [[NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished led straight to the Metal Virus pandemic]]. Nor has he forgotten Eggman's and Metal Sonic's RedemptionRejection made a mockery of the Blue Blur's [[AllLovingHero sense of compassion]]. Sonic has PTSD flashbacks of all these moments when Zavok berates him for showing the defeated Zeti mercy.

* CoversAlwaysLie: There's a huge emphasis on Whisper, Tangle and Jewel in the A and C covers of Issue #42, giving the impression that the issue is about them. In reality, the issue is about the Deadly Six attacking the Restoration base and Starline capturing Belle, with the trio of girls being minor characters, and the former two appearing on all of one page.

** The Zeti are brought down by a double-whammy. In ''All or Nothing'', the Zeti used special siphons to harness the Chaos Emeralds' power and give themselves better control over the Zombots. Zavok lost his after challenging Super Sonic and Super Silver (to [[CurbStompBattle predictable results]]), but Tails salvaged it and has since reverse-engineered it to create "Zeti Zappers", which turn the Zeti's own powers against them.
** Whisper opens fire on the Zeti through a hole Zomom made in the control room blast doors. Zomom himself, in fact, is the first to get shot--right in the ass, to boot.
** Whisper herself is subdued when Zavok shorts out her CoolMask and Wispon, electrocuting her. Tangle is also taken out after Zavok slams her against the blast doors using her own tail.

* NearVillainVictory: Initially on the defensive in Issue #43, the Zeti quickly regain the upper hand. Zavok alone curb-stomps Whisper and Tangle in quick succession and, with the help of his pack, overwhelms Sonic. Even when Tails shows up with the Zeti Zappers, he and Sonic are almost killed by Zavok before Tails finally tags the Zeti leader with a trick shot.

** Everyone at the end of #43 when the Orangutan mechnic manages to recover and inform the heroes that Starline kidnapped Belle.

* NiceJobFixingItVillain: Zavok orders Zor to go fight with the other which Zor states he's trying to wait for an opening to strike in. Zavok promptly grabs him and throws him at Sonic only to get blasted out of the air by Whisper.

* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Sonic's obvious TranquilFury upon finding out the Zeti duped him and his friends and are attacking Restoration HQ.
* PrepareToDie: Zavok's line to Sonic at the end of Issue #42:

* SinisterSilhouettes: Starline appears as such (with a SlasherSmile to match) when Belle is warning the machine shop owner about him.

* VillainExitStageLeft: At the end of Issue #41, Eggman flees after another loss to Sonic and disappears for the rest of the arc.
* VirtueIsWeakness: In #44, Sonic does offer the Zeti mercy long as they get in the rocket back to Lost Hex, but Zavok mocks him for it, reminding him of the other times he tried this with other villains only for it to blow up in his face.

* MassOhCrap: Tails, Sonic, and the Chaotix all anticipate that the Zeti will attack one of the towns they did before in ''All or Nothing''. They later learn from Jewel that they are instead attacking Restoration HQ, forcing them to scramble to that location.

* MetronomicManMashing: A variant, when Tangle tries to attack the Zetia through the hole with her tail. Zavok grabs it and pulls it multiple times, slamming her against the blast door until she finally goes limp.

** Whisper opens fire on the Zeti through a hole Zomom made in the control room blast doors. Zomom himself, in fact, s the first to get shot--right in the ass, to boot.

* NiceJobFixingItVillain:
** Zavok orders Zor to go fight with the other which Zor states he's trying to wait for an opening to strike in. Zavok promptly grabs him and throws him at Sonic only to get blasted out of the air by Whisper.

* VirtueIsAWeakness: In #44, Sonic does offer the Zeti mercy long as they get in the rocket back to Lost Hex, but Zavok mocks him for it, reminding him of the other times he tried this with other villains only for it to blow up in his face.

* VillainExitStageLeft: At the end of Issue #41, Eggman flees after another loss to Sonic and disappears for the rest of the arc.

* ArcVillain[=/=]BigBadEnsemble: Zavok is the main antagonist for this arc, with the other Zeti as CoDragons. Starline also appears as the subplot's antagonist, taking over from Eggman after the latter pulls a VillainExitStageLeft early on.

* BothSidesHaveAPoint: Sonic and Eggman argue about who's to blame for the Zeti's takeover of the Zombots. Eggman [[NeverMyFault insists it wasn't his fault]] because Starline was the one who got the Zeti involved. He's not wrong, but Sonic points out that Starline was ''Eggman's'' lackey at the time (Eggman didn't fire him until after the fact), so Eggman still bears some responsibility. Eggman's much longer ListOfTransgressions (even compared to the rest of Sonic's RoguesGallery) doesn't help his case.

* HoistByHisOwnPetard: A double-whammy. In ''All or Nothing'', the Zeti used special siphons to harness the Chaos Emeralds' power and give themselves better control over the Zombots. Zavok lost his after challenging Super Sonic and Super Silver (to [[CurbStompBattle predictable results]]), but Tails salvaged it and has since reverse-engineered it to create "Zeti Zappers", which turn the Zeti's own powers against them.

* NoodleIncident: While defending Belle from Starline, the machine shop foreman mentions getting a whole pan of oil spilled onto his face. Belle's reaction indicates this was another one of her clumsy screw-ups.

* VillainExitStageLeft: At the end of Issue #41, Sonic forces an irked Eggman to get out of dodge.

** Starline and Whisper both return in Issue #42, having not been seen since Issues #32 and #36, respectively.

* EvilCannotComprehendGood: Master Zik is the only Zeti who's able to wrap his head around the fact that non-Zeti people naturally try to help each other and avoid conflict. The others are dumbfounded by this.

* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Sonic's blatant TranquilFury upon learning the Zeti duped him and his friends and are attacking Restoration HQ.

* CoversAlwaysLie: There's a huge emphasis on Whisper, Tangle and Jewel in the A and C covers of Issue #42, giving the impression that the issue is about them. In reality, the issue is mostly about Starline capturing Belle, with the trio of girls being minor characters as the Deadly Six attack the base.

* BothSidesHaveAPoint: Sonic and Eggman argue about who's to blame for the Zeti's takeover of the Zombots. Eggman [[NeverMyFault insists it wasn't his fault]] because Starline was the one who got the Zeti involved. He's not wrong, but Sonic points out that Starline was ''Eggman's'' lackey at the time (Eggman didn't fire him until after the fact), so Eggman still bears some responsibility. Eggman's much longer list of crimes (even compared to the rest of Sonic's RoguesGallery) doesn't help his case.

** The Chaotix and Whisper, who were last seen in Issue #32, in Issues #41 and #42, respectively.
** Starline returns in Issue #42, having not been seen since Issue #36.

** The Chaotix, who were last seen in Issue #32, return as Jewel hires them to deal with the Zeti.

** Whisper also returns in Issue #42, having been absent since Issue #32.

* SlasherSmile: Starline gives off several as he confronts Belle in the machine shop.

* VillainExitStageLeft: Eggman flies the coop at the end of Issue #41 after yet another loss to Sonic.

---> '''Eggman''': That's not funny! It's never been funny! It's ''never'' going be funny!
** Issue #42 has a twofer at the beginning. Sitting on Tails' desk in his lab is a coffee cup with a Starbucks-esque logo reading "[[Franchise/StarFox Star Fox]]".

** Tails rocket that he plans to send the Zeti back to the Lost Hex is the same Rocket from ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog4''.

** Tails rocket that he plans to send the Zeti back to the Lost Hex is the same Rocket from ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog 4''.

* MythologyGag: Zeena imitates Sonic's pose in ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'''s cover art while kicking two Restoration soldiers.

* CoversAlwaysLie: There's a huge emphasis on Whisper, Tangle and Jewel in the covers A and C of issue 42, giving the impression the issue is about them. In reality, the issue is mostly about Starline capturing Belle, with the trio of girls being minor characters as the Deadly Six attack the base.

* HopeSpot: Just as Starline grabs Belle and makes his way to the elevator. The Zeti's rampage has damaged it preventing him from using it to leave. Belle thinks he's stuck without an escape route, but Starline just goes to the power mode on his Tricore, grabs her and walls jumps his way to an exit.
* ItsAllMyFault: Downplayed. When the Chaotix visit the new Restoration HQ, they mention feeling a little guilty since [[Recap/SonicTheHedgehogIDWTheLastMinuteArc the fall of the old HQ]] was partly their fault (Vector and Espio [[NiceJobBreakingItHero brought in a Zombot-ified Charmy, who escaped and infected the others]]). They don't dwell too much on it, with Vector citing they should give the Restoration a discount for their services as an apology.

* NoodleIncident: While defending Belle from Starline, the machine shop foreman mentions getting a whole pan of oil spilled onto his face. Belle's meek apology indicates it was another clumsy mishap on her record.
* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Sonic is clearly ''pissed'' when he learns the Zeti duped him and his friends and are attacking Restoration HQ. He proceeds to sprint to the base without saying a word, his face contorted with anger the whole way. Even before then, he shows signs of TranquilFury as he thinks about how Eggman and the Zeti are endangering post-Metal Virus reconstruction efforts.

* LetNoCrisisGoToWaste: Starline finds Restoration HQ, but just as he gets inside, the Deadly Six arrive and invade. He decides to uses their rampage to his advantage to look for Belle, succeeding in kidnapping her while the others are busy with the Zeti.

* CoverAlwaysLie: There's a huge emphasis on Whisper, Tangle and Jewel in the covers A and C of issue 42, giving the impression the issue is about them. In reality, the issue is mostly about Starline capturing Belle, with the trio of girls being minor characters as the Deadly Six attack the base.