The pilot episode to Sonic the Hedgehog (SatAM) in production order.
Sonic heads to Robotropolis in search of materials to build a defense against an impending invasion by Robotnik. However, the inexperienced Tails is tagging along.
Tropes appearing in this episode:
- Abandoned Catchphrase: Sally's "Is there an echo?" She says it twice in this episode but never says it again in any future episode.
- Arboreal Abode: The residents of Knothole live in these as opposed to huts in the later episodes.
- Audience Surrogate: One reason Sonic takes Tails to Robotropolis is so he can explain the workings of the setting to the audience.
- Characterization Marches On:
- Rotor has a goofier design with a purple color scheme. Similar to the Sally example this would be utilized in the comics (though actually was kept as his permanent design in that media). His design would be changed again halfway through the show's run. His personality is also a lot more buffoonish, having more a Plucky Comic Relief role that Antoine and Dulcy would later usurp.
- Tails acts like a four-year-old (the age of his other cartoon counterpart at the time) instead of his ten-year-old self.
- Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: This episode features Sonic's pet dog Muttski, who was roboticized by Robotnik. He is never seen or mentioned again.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: Due to this episode coming out during hype of the subject, the way Sonic describes "The Big City" to Tails is similar to describing a Stranger-Danger aesop, although to give it to him, this is more of a lesson on street safety.
- Early Installment Character-Design Difference: The pilot's version of Sally has a pink color scheme (with black hair) and a higher more childlike voice. This design would be used in initial comics as well, which initially used early concept work for the show to develop upon. Ditto for Rotor, who has a far goofier design.
- Early-Installment Weirdness: The pilot has several noteworthy differences from the series proper:
- Sally has pink fur and black hair, rather than the brown fur and hair she has in the rest of the show. Her motherly relationship with Tails isn't quite as prominent yet as despite knowing he's gone with Sonic to Robotropolis, she only shows mild concern wheras in a later episode, she nearly flips out at the thought of Sonic taking Tails anywhere near Robotnik.
- NICOLE is a computer monitor on a wheeled stand, rather than a handheld computer.
- Buzzbombers appear in this episode, attacking Knothole, making them the only actual enemies from the games to appear in this series. They are never seen again.
- The overall coloring and animation is brighter and lighter.
- Both Knothole and Robotropolis (including Robotnik's war room) look different than they do in later epsiodes with former having its residents living in hollowed-out trees as opposed to wood huts.
- The SWATBots are shown with their comic-based gray coloring instead of their stealthy black coloring as well as a personality (two are shown laughing at Snively after an accident.). The Surveillance Orbs also have a different design, looking like a floating grey umbrella with a red camera eye at the bottom as opposed to the cephalpod-like design seen later in the series.
- The episode's title doesn't have the word "Sonic" in it (though that naming scheme was dropped in the second season anyway).
- Sonic is a cross between a Lazy Bum and Bunny-Ears Lawyer. He doesn’t pull his weight when it comes to work at Knothole, but won’t hesitate to rescue his friends or fight Robotnik.
- Rotor has a different, goofier looking design. Archie Comics would keep that design for their adaptation.
- Tails acts more like a four-year old than a ten-year old. It's also implied in spite of that, he's a lot more involved in the freedom fighter's missions than he was later in the series with Snively identifying him as a freedom fighter & saying he often accompanies Sonic and him being somewhat involved in the defense of Knothole against the buzz bombers. The motherly relationship he has with Sally is also downplayed with him simply refering to her as "Princess Sally" as opposed to "Aunt Sally" and the latter not being overly concerned with him going with Sonic to Robotropolis.
- It also contains an example of Earth Drift. Sonic mentions Axl Rose while playing the guitar, and the show takes place on Mobius in the 33rd century. No more references to real life places or people are made after this, beyond a joke in "Sonic Conversion" where Robotnik makes reference to "Topeka" but then immediately muses he doesn't know where or what it is.
- The scene in which Sonic and Tails encounter Muttski uses a music cue taken directly from Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog. Music from AoStH isn't used elsewhere in the series.
- Ears as Hair: Bunnie is shown using curlers on her ears.
- Earth Drift: Sonic mentions Axl Rose. This is a case of Early-Installment Weirdness and these are averted for the rest of the show's run.
- Hi, Mom!: Sonic, Tails and Rotor are confronted with a surveillance orb. It's just Robotnik and Snively at the other end, but Tails still says this phrase.
- Non-Lethal Warfare: The Freedom Fighters fend off Robotnik's robots with catapults shooting water balloons at them.
- Potty Emergency: Tails tells Sonic that he has to go to the bathroom, and starts shaking up and down.
- Sneeze of Doom: Tails happens to sneeze just as he and Sonic are camped out in an Air-Vent Passageway above Robotnik. Not only does the noise give them away, the force of the sneeze is enough to knock the pair of them out of the vent and into the open.
- Watch Out for That Tree!: While trying to fly to Robotropolis, Tails crashes into a tree twice.
- Water Guns and Balloons: The Freedom Fighters repel Robotnik's forces with water balloons.
