WMG / Sonic Forces

Pre-release Guesses

Timeline/Continuity

This is an alternate timeline following Generations...

...in which Modern Eggman told Classic Eggman exactly what would go wrong with his plans in the future, so Classic Eggman was prepared with his own modifications to his own plans plus new ones of his own. With all of this information about the future, Eggman has taken over the world, and Classic Sonic has to team up with Modern Sonic to set the timeline right again.

• Possibly jossed: the story is about Eggman yanking Classic Sonic out of his timeline and transplanting him in the future, so Eggman could conquer the world in the past unopposed, thus ruling it in what is now Classic Sonic's Bad Future.
  • Jossed even further. It's not Eggman who did it.
    • Even more Jossed. This Classic Sonic isn't even from the same dimension, and there's no time travel involved.

The game will be a Crisis Crossover with other Sonic franchises

Modern Sonic and Classic Sonic will not be the only playable Sonics in the game. The game will crossover with other subseries such as Sonic Boom, Sonic the Hedgehog (SatAM), the Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie Comics), Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Comic, and many others.

• I don't think so. They said that there will be 3 gameplay styles and a brand new character. What would the third gameplay style even be like is anybody's guess.
• As interesting as that sounds, sadly it was confirmed that Sonic Boom's Sonic will not appear in this game.
  • Definitely Jossed. The third character is confirmed to be a Custom Hero, and not a third Sonic.

This game will be the Grand Finale for the Modern Sonic series, as all Sonic games after this one will take place in an Alternate Timeline that takes place after Sonic 3 & Knuckles.

• Jossed. The ending suggests that the adventures don't end here.

The above will involve a partial Cosmic Retcon, erasing Modern Sonic — all of his history after S3&K — from the timeline.

There'll be a tearful goodbye as he fades into nonexistence. "No, this is how things gotta be. I owe it to ya. You know... I made a lot of mistakes in my day. You've seen where they got me. You can do better."

• That sounds super depressing, but we'll just have to wait and see.
  • Jossed. Classic Sonic is the one who fades away, but only to return home.

The game won't cross over with other non-game continuities, but will include elements from them.

For example, the resistance group could be called the Freedom Fighters and introduce SatAM/Archie characters, or the Sonic the Comic characters, locations, and plot elements. Being that the games are more popular in the US than Japan, it might be an attempt at giving a taste of what fans in that area have been begging for. Eggman having seemingly won, if only temporarily, hints at this being at the very least inspired by the North American continuity.

• Technically Jossed, as this game's Classic Sonic hails from the Mania timeline.

The game will feature alternate continuities/timelines/periods of time.

I doubt the more goofy and childish Eggman of today would be able to cause the apocalypse shown in the teaser, and the Eggman of the classic era is also just as much of a silly Manchild. But what if the darker incarnations of Eggman like the Sonic the Hedgehog (SatAM) incarnation, or the Sonic Adventure-era Eggman influenced modern!Eggman or classic!Eggman to do such a thing? And it would be cool seeing Sonic interact with incarnations like Boom, and the incarnation in the first 90s cartoon.

• Sorry to burst your speech bubble, but it's Jossed. It appears that Modern Eggman has taken a full step up from his comedic antics and has actually conquered the world because of a mysterious gemstone called the Phantom Ruby. He actually means business this time.

This will adapt the Light Mobius arc from the Archie Comics.

With Shadow as the despotic ruler.

• Jossed.

The game will be a spiritual follow-up to Sonic Chronicles.

When's the last time you saw Eggman take over the world? Even if the lawsuit from Ken Penders prevents this from being an honest-to-god sequel, having a story with a similar concept would still scratch an itch that's been bugging a lot of people for years.

It's a game adaptation of Sonic the Hedgehog (SatAM).

It seems to be the type of Darker and Edgier to the rest of the series as Sonic the Hedgehog (SatAM) is to the games at the time. On top of that, Classic Sonic is there despite it not being a Generations sequel. As for how regular Sonic got there, maybe he got sucked into a tear in the time-space continuum and stumbled into an Alternate Universe. As for the differences, it'll take a more Broad Strokes-y approach to adaptation.

• Almost; just switch regular Sonic with Classic Sonic. Also, there doesn't seem to be any SatAM elements, as far as I know.

Forces is a sequel to Sonic Mania

At the end of Sonic Mania, Classic Sonic is shown running around until he discovers the Death Egg Robos from the trailer tearing everything apart. He tries to contact Classic Tails, but nothing happens. Realizing that the machines must come from Modern Sonic's time, Classic Sonic dashes to the future using the goal posts from Sonic CD to warn him.

That would explain his presence perfectly!

• Um, the game itself isn't even out yet, so be patient. On a side note, the manual for Mania mentions a "mysterious power"... perhaps that power might lead to the events of Forces?
  • Confirmed, though what you said about the ending was wrong. The good ending for Sonic Mania shows Classic Sonic getting sucked into a purple void and into an unknown location, leading to the events of this game.

It's a Bad Future scenario.

The Darker and Edgier scenario is a point in the future where Eggman finally succeeded in taking over the world somehow. The people of that Bad Future are getting the help of the Present and Past Sonics because the future Eggman killed him.

• Jossed. The reason why Eggman took over the world is because he obtained the Phantom Ruby; putting Sonic out of commission and taking over the world in over 6 months.

Sonic Forces takes place in a world where Eggman won and Sonic and Classic Sonic have been summoned here to Join The Resistance by this universe's native Sonic.

Eggman emphasised that Forces took place in a 'world' where he won and two of the three gameplay styles are Modern and Classic. It would make sense for the third to also belong to a Sonic, and one introduced here just as Classic was in Sonic Generations. Bonus points if Classic and Modern Eggman also show up as sub bosses or a collective final boss.

• Jossed. Apparently, Dr. Eggman sent Classic Sonic into the present, resulting in the timeline where Eggman has won because Sonic isn't there to stop him. Classic Sonic meets up with his Modern counterpart and they all formed a resistance to try and take him down.
  • Jossed even further. They are not from different timelines, but dimensions.
    • Not necessarily. Sonic Team has used "dimensions" to refer to different time periods of time zones in the past. For instance, there's official Sonic Generations material that calls the stages or time periods "dimensions".

The game will have a subtle nod to Sonic Chronicles.

Nothing explicit (in order to avoid legal troubles), but the reason for Eggman's rise to power will sound incredibly familiar to those who played that game. There may even be subtle references to characters from that game, e.g. Shade.

Classic Sonic Time Traveled to the present to help somehow...

Specifically, at one point, Sonic learned Chaos Control, and he used it to travel into the future, similar to Sonic the Hedgehog (2006).

• Jossed. Classic Sonic was warped to Forces by the Phantom Ruby at the end of Sonic Mania.

Eggman took over the world by sending Sonic into the future.

• Just like what Aku did in Samurai Jack. By sending Sonic far enough into the future, Eggman was free to do as he pleases without having to worry about Sonic thwarting him between the present and the time he sent Sonic to.
  • It would not be the first time. In Sonic the Comic, Robotnik forced the Omni-Viewer to get rid of Sonic and his friends; however, Robotnik did not say how. So the Omni-Viewer sent them six months into the future so they could still stop Robotnik. However, in the meantime, Robotnik had conquered Mobius, which he ruled for the next 92 issues.
  • Eggman already threw Sonic into the future before (specifically in Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)), so if, like Blaze, he didn't forget that time, he'll wise up and do the same trick again. Maybe he'll take a hostage to do it (like Amy... again).
• Jossed. He took over the world because of the Phantom Ruby, and Modern Sonic was kidnapped by the villains.

Plot-wise, this is a direct sequel to Sonic Generations.

• The Eggmen found something that let them master Time Travel in the White Space after the end of the game (or they were able to perfect the Time Eater or turn it into a completely new creature or robot), meaning they could both escape and switch to a timeline where he won (or set in motion events that lead to him winning in the present, as per the "Eggman's power..." WMG above). This WMG also means Sonic Lost World takes place either before Generations or in a timeline branch separate to the one created with this theory.
  • Jossed. It is, however, a direct sequel to Sonic Mania, since the Phantom Ruby was retrieved by Modern Eggman and he took over the world in mere minutes, thanks to the absence of Sonic himself, and Classic Sonic is actually from the Mania universe, after an intense battle with Classic Eggman and the Heavy King.

The game will go in order from the most recent games to the first one.

It'd be a clever switch up compared to Generations which went in a chronological order, as the premise of the game is helping Classic Sonic get back to his own time to help stop Doctor Eggman.

• Jossed. Unlike Generations, Forces has its own story revolving around beating Eggman and co. in the current time.

Sonic Forces will be the first game of a series.

I don't know about you, but the idea of everything immediately going back to normal at the end of the game sounds like it would be a bit... sudden. Especially since Eggman took over 99% of the planet. And as of yet, there's no proof that Eggman did so by throwing Classic Sonic into the future. So maybe Forces will be the start of a trilogy or at the very least have a sequel.

• It wouldn't be the first time, as Sonic Advance 3 has the Master Emerald release a bright light and repair the world at the end of the game.
  • The ending seems to suggest your Avatar leaving for new adventures, meaning future modern Sonic games will return the Avatar creator.
  • Possibly implied, as Silver states that The Resistance is still needed to repair the damage Infinite and Eggman inflicted upon the world and Modern Sonic believes he'll see the Avatar and Classic Sonic again, who went separate ways. Also, the whereabouts of Infinite, Eggman, and the Phantom Ruby are unrevealed.

Because Sonic was removed from his timeline, he wasn't able to stop any of Eggman's plans...

Another random thought...
Infinite sends Sonic into a void, shortly after Sonic 3's events. When Eggman discovers Chaos, he's able to study it at his leisure and bring it under his control fully. Later, when he discovers Space Colony ARK, Shadow remains on Eggman's side, never having his Heel–Face Turn.
Going from there, by the time that we arrive in the Bad Future, all his plans have been successful!
That's why, for example, Wisps are part of technology anyone can find, because, yet again, Sonic Colors... No annoying hedgehog to stop him using the Wisps for his inventions. Only Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) and Sonic Unleashed weren't able to happen, because, obviously, a key component is missing.

• Then shouldn't Modern Sonic go poof and how does Silver remember who Sonic is?
  • Maybe Timey-Wimey Ball is in effect. As for Silver... you're assuming that Silver remembered Sonic before he joined the Resistance. For all we know, he doesn't remember Sonic and just joined the Resistance to, you know, save the world?
  • I'll add to that... 'Modern' Sonic could be the one who was brought from another timeline, since they need someone, like the now-legendary Sonic, who was the only one on record who could fight Eggman to a victory.
  • All Jossed. Modern Sonic is the one from that point in time, and Classic Sonic is from another dimension.

The Super Emeralds will be involved with the plot.

• Not the original poster of this theory but it could be possible. Though the Super Emeralds were shown to have had their power spent and cracked in Sonic Mania, the fact that they're even referenced seems to hint that they may become important. On top of this, if the Phantom Ruby really is Infinite's physical form, then the protagonists will need way more power than the standard Super Modes, since the ending of Mania showed that the Phantom Ruby is able to outright disable the Super Mode induced by the Chaos Emeralds. A possible plot element of the game could be the protagonist attempting to repower the Super Emeralds and achieve their Hyper Modes to fight Infinite on even footing.
  • Jossed - not even the Chaos Emeralds have a role in the main story of the game. The Phantom Ruby, and potential prototypes made of it, on the other hand...

Big's Big Fishing Adventure 3 takes place during Sonic Forces.

• Unlikely; it is stated to take place during the events of Sonic Adventure 2.

There will be a Sonic Heroes 2 featuring Big, Cream, Blaze, and their adventures during Sonic Forces. It would be called Blazing Heroes. Or at least DLC like Episode Shadow.

• How will that work? Big is busy fishing as stated by Aaron Webber, Cream is most likely staying at home with her mother Vanilla, and Blaze is likely busy in her dimension.
  • Jossed. They are confirmed to not appear in this game; nor they will get a DLC campaign.

Any plot holes and unresolved story threads will be resolved by DLC episodes or future IDW comics

They seriously cannot have Episode Shadow be the only Extra story based content, so it stands to possibility.

• Mostly the latter, since the devs aren't thinking of new Downloadable Content to add into the game.
  • Confirmed for the latter. A future IDW issue will reveal on what happened to Dr. Eggman after his unexplained defeat in this game.

In-game Events

There may be version-exclusive bosses, depending on which version you get.

For example, the Nintendo Switch version may have N and his Zekrom as bonus bosses.

• That doesn't seem like a good idea. Maybe it could be the final boss of Kirby: Planet Robobot, Star Dream?
  • No no, the Kirby series is owned by HAL Laboratory, so maybe a surprise appearance from Bowser and maybe even his son Bowser Jr. as a boss, coming from a portal. But hey, it's just my opinion.
• As for the PS4 version... anyone got ideas? Probably Cyrille le Paradox from Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time. He might've escaped prison and time traveled to a different era and universe. Again, it's only my opinion.
  • Jossed. It's just Zavok, Infinite, Eggman, Metal Sonic, and a Death Egg Robot as the only bosses you fight in the game.

The final boss will be Sonic the Comic Doctor Ivo Robotnik.

The reason is that he has become an Omnicidal Maniac after his Villainous Breakdown. He will try to destroy the games dimension to rid himself of all Sonics forever (like Chrell in Turtles Forever), and, if he pulls it off, the entire multiverse will be destroyed, including him. Which he will know, but does not care. However, the other Doctor Ivo Robotniks/Doctor Eggmans won't know.

• While the theory itself is likely Jossed, it should be noted that Eggman may actually be trying to do this...

The game will have Sonic Set Right What Once Went Wrong.

Going off of both Sonic precedent and some other games, if a game involves a crisis-induced team-up because the villain succeeded in his Evil Plan, the hero(es) is/are usually required to go back in time and undo the villain's actions.

• Nope, there's no time travel in this game, so Jossed.

They story will be split between the past and present.

The game levels will be split between classic and modern stages like Sonic Generations. Instead of having both versions of Sonic working together, however, levels played by Classic Sonic will take place in the past before the present, and Modern Sonic will be revisiting the levels. Essentially, we'll be playing as Modern Sonic throughout most of the levels, but have flashbacks where we play as Classic Sonic. This could lead up to the climax, where shenanigans result in the two timelines eventually meeting up.

• Partially jossed. The Classic Sonic shown in this game is actually from the Mania universe, and not the same Classic Sonic from Generations.

There will be a boss battle between Modern Super Sonic and Super Shadow.

This battle has been a highly popular concept among the Sonic fanbase for the better part of 15 years, and with Shadow being once again cast as a villain, this may be Sonic Team's best chance to make it a reality.

• Jossed. First, Super Sonic doesn't make an appearance, and second, the one who beats Shadow is... Shadow himself. In a cutscene, no less.

Shadow will make a Heroic Sacrifice... for real this time.

No, really. Fitting with the Darker and Edgier tone, Shadow will finally have his swan song. Bonus points if it happens as an allusion to Sonic Adventure 2.

• Jossed.

Shadow will receive a No-Holds-Barred Beatdown... just to come back stronger.

As the number of people who want Shadow dead has been increasing, it would be an epic Take That! for him to be almost dead (no pun intended) and give up all hope... until he remembers what he promised to Maria and give a good reminder that he still has to fulfill her wish, and until the world is at peace, he is not allowed to die just yet.

• "My name is Shadow the Hedgehog. And I calmly advise you to get the hell off my planet."
  • Now that we have Shadow appearing as part of the Big Bad Ensemble, this is very likely to happen in-game.
    • It would be true, if that was the real Shadow... But actually, it's someone else who Shadow gave such a beatdown to came back stronger, according to the Episode Shadow DLC.

There will be a Brick Joke in reference to Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations.

• Remember that one scene near the climax of Sonic Colors where Cubot lampshaded the fact that Sonic has beaten Eggman every time? Sonic himself makes a Call-Back to this near the climax of Sonic Generations, and even Modern Eggman acknowledges this in the game's stinger. But now Sonic has finally lost. I don't know about you, but I see some low-hanging fruit here. In fact, something tells me that this game was inspired by that lampshade.

There will be a chase scene featuring Sonic chasing Dr. Eggman.

It will have Dr. Eggman outrunning Sonic again◊.

• Jossed.

Sonic and a brainwashed Tails will be set upon each other yet again, only this time, it will actually result in a fight between the two, unlike the previous occasions.

Since it's happened twice already to no effect, surely the third time will result in it actually going ahead as planned. And for an added bonus, a misunderstanding sets Classic Sonic against his modern counterpart on Tails' side, resulting in a scenario similar to Shadow vs. Sonic and Diablon.

• That actually happened not too long ago. In Rivals 2, Tails gets brainwashed by the Ifrit, forcing him to clash with Sonic if playing as Sonic himself. Unless if that game counts as canon to the main storyline...
  • Jossed. There aren't any brainwashings in the game, but Tails believes Sonic to be dead. Until he comes across another Sonic...

The custom character gets kidnapped at one point, resulting in the obvious joke.

DO NOT STEAL.

• Jossed. Sonic himself is the one who gets kidnapped.

Adding to the above theory about the Custom Character being kidnapped...

...He/she will somehow find a way to break themselves out of captivity. Like what Knuckles did in Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood and Tails in Sonic Lost World.

• Jossed.

Modern Sonic will be killed again.

Given that the game's already being compared to a bad fanfic, the only thing that'd close the circle would be the death of Sonic himself.

• Jossed. But Eggman was planning on doing it once he got the world fully under his control.

Shadow and Silver will fight each other again.

There will be an Actor Allusion referencing Axel^note Quinton Flynn and Saix^note Kirk Thornton's relationship.

• Not quite — the one who fights Shadow is... Shadow himself, in a cutscene, because the Shadow on Eggman's side is actually a VR projection of the Phantom Ruby. So, Jossed.

The Master Emerald will release a bright light and repair the world at the end of the game (again).

• Jossed. It does end on a happy note, though.

Someone (probably either Sonic or the custom character) will pull a Heroic Sacrifice.

Going with the game's Darker and Edgier tone. It'll probably be a Disney Death, though. Maybe it will be the only way to beat Infinite.

• Classic Sonic is the one who fades away, though only because he's returning back to his own dimension.

Tails will sacrifice himself during the game and die. Maybe even Go Out with a Smile.

Of course, it'll be reversed at the end of the game since there's no way Sega would permanently kill him off.

• This is going to be Sonic '06 all over again, wouldn't it?
  • Jossed. Tails does not die.

Hyper Sonic will return.

Sonic Mania effectively brought the Super Emeralds back into canonicity, albeit apparently as separate objects from the Chaos Emeralds rather than being empowered versions as was originally implied in their initial appearance, and thanks to the events of the game that introduced them, they are damaged and inert. It's been said before that there should be no reason they can't be restored like the Master Emerald and Chaos Emeralds before them, and since the Phantom Ruby has shown itself capable of canceling Super Sonic out, the Super Emeralds may be necessary for stopping Infinite for good...

• The Super Emeralds were never stated to have left "canonicity".
  • The Sonic Bible says otherwise.
  • There is no official "Sonic Bible". It would be outdated every 4-6 months.
  • Perhaps, but Word Of Iizuka did render them Canon Discontinuity since at least 2013. Whether Iizuka or someone else eventually changed his mind on the matter is another issue entirely. As it is, canon is rather loose in the world of Sonic the Hedgehog; anything could be canon or non-canon at any given time. Even the entirety of Mania and Forces could be non-canon in a year or so.
  • That is nothing more than the hyperbolic fans unnecessarily reading between the lines and inserting words in the creators' mouths. There was a debate of it being canon? ...It's in a canon game, why wouldn't it? Considering them separately would entirely ruin the narrative of the Death Egg transition from the Sonic 3 ending to the Sonic and Knuckles intro.
  • No, it was quite clear; at the time, Iizuka did not consider the Super Emeralds to be canon. They were simply a bonus associated with the lock-on, similar to how the Biometal Model O completion bonus in Mega Man ZX very likely doesn't actually exist. Seriously, look up that Q&A at Sonic Boom 2013. It wasn't hyperbole, and it wasn't "reading between the lines", it was stated outright. What's in question now is whether or not that stance has changed since then.
• So there's no exact quote of Iizuka stating that the Super Emeralds are not canon when they appeared in a canon game and any answer to why they wouldn't be canon?
  • Skip to about 20 minutes in, with regard to the Super Emeralds.
  • There's still no quote in transcript and it complicate things as to whether S3&K is canon or not period considering how woven into the plot they were, which needlessly puts into question what parts of S3&K are a true part of the timeline and which aren't.
  • They made no indication that the Super Emeralds are "canon or not" word for word, they also over looked the fact that the Super Emeralds are powered up Chaos Emeralds so it wouldn't "change the number" as well as the existence of the Sol Emeralds.

Takashi Iizuka: "So Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles had...the lock-on, and...for people who played Sonic 3 the first time, they went through and they collected all the emeralds, right? ...So you already played Sonic 3 and you go to play Sonic & Knuckles, you've gotta have more emeralds to collect...and we put the Super Emeralds right there... Going forward, y'know, we also have...the Super Emeralds, the Master Emerald, and there's all these emeralds, and we've got too many, so when we released Sonic Adventure, we went back and just sort of cleaned up all the Emeralds and kind of reduced that down so we can have a little more control.

• JOSSED.

Whoever doesn't want any part of the conflict will screw this and immigrate to Blaze's dimension.

• I can picture that happening: The residents will feel right at home in one of the islands in Blaze's dimension, ...as long as they can withstand the childish antics of Marine the Raccoon. And the koalas are there to help give comfort since they belong in that dimension.

After you beat Robotnik the final time in the game, he will yell "I hate that Hedgehog".

Just like Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog Robotnik, and the Sonic SatAM Robotnik.

• Jossed.

Vector will turn traitor because Shadow showed him the computer room he was looking for.

• Technically, the "computer room" is actually near the end of the Hero route in the Cosmic Fall level, so...
  • Jossed. But one stage does have Modern Sonic finding the computer room...

This game will kill off past characters

• Going in line with the game's darkness and speculation that it's a finale for Modern Sonic, mainstays like Eggman, Knuckles, even Sonic himself are no longer safe. Possible ends for the cast are:
  • Eggman — Infinite murders him. Or Shadow murders him. Or perhaps an invention of his backfires on him.
  • Modern Sonic — My guess is that he's going to perform a Heroic Sacrifice, thus sending his Classic counterpart back to his own world and the Avatar living a normal life. Or... he could be killed by one of the villains. ...Again.
  • Knuckles — Here's my guess: Half-way through the story, he'll get shot through the chest by a turbo-fast missile, and will say his final words... Oh no.
    • Jossed. Nobody dies. The closest we get is Infinite's ambiguous fate and Classic Sonic fading away as he returns to his dimension.

Eggman will wind up dead at the end of the game.

• Once his machine falls apart on him, he'll beg Sonic or the OC to save him, only to be rebuffed for all that he's done.
• Jossed. Maybe. Eggman in his Death Egg Robot basically disappears with no explanation.

Once Infinite dies, the Phantom Ruby will use Metal Sonic as a vessel.

• It makes sense considering Metal Sonic was a boss in Sonic Mania and is an early boss in this game.
  • Nope. Dr. Eggman is the one who uses it after Infinite is defeated for the last time. So, Jossed.

Zavok will Mind Rape E-123 Omega.

Jossed.

Shadow will beat up Silver again.

• More like Shadow beating up Shadow. It Makes Sense in Context.

E-123 Omega dies.

For extra cruelty, Shadow will do the deed to show that he's too far gone.

• Partly confirmed, and partly Jossed. Omega is out of action until the final few stages, where he comes back with a vengeance.

Tails along with Silver got hit with Eggman's greatest weapon yet! The Nerf Bat!

Omega called Donkey Kong in his stasis to fix him◊.

Eggman's attacks have destroyed any means of contacting Blaze.

The readings given off by the Chaos Emeralds making any Resistance members holding one a sitting duck for Eggman. He pre-emptively destroys anything that could get the Resistance backup from another dimension. Especially when said backup is powerful enough to be a key to defeating Eggman.

• I don't know about you, but aren't the Sol Emeralds involved in Blaze's dimension? Are they still intact?
  • Well, Blaze doesn't show up in this game, but neither do the Chaos Emeralds in the main story.

Infinite

Blaze the Cat is Infinite.

They have the same pointy ears, claws, yellow eyes in their shape, a similar tail, big shoes and hair like Blaze's untied.

• Alternatively, Rouge the Bat because of Infinite's bigger ears. We don't know nothing about this new villain as of yet.
  • Unlikely to be Rouge because Infinite lacks visible distinguishable wings.
    • I have a conspiracy theory. What if the wings were sliced off?
• Jossed. Infinite's masculine voice in this trailer suggests that he is male, and Blaze is confirmed to not appear in the game at all.

Infinite is from another dimension.

• Alternatively, Infinite is an alternate Blaze, not the same Blaze Sonic met in the Sonic Rush and its sequel.
  • Unlikely. Infinite is shown to be firing red cubes, not flames, which Blaze herself is capable of. ...Unless, of course, you are referring to the prototype Blaze?
    • He is actually confirmed to be male. But if he comes from a different dimension or not is under debate.
    • Semi-confirmed. The Phantom Ruby is from the Mania-timeline, but whether Infinite himself is from there too is up for debate.
  • Jossed for Infinite himself, who used to be a Mercenary of the Jackal Defense Squad in Modern Sonic's dimension.

Infinite is the 'counterpart' to the Avatar/Custom Hero.

Eg, if you make a Wolf hero, Infinite will be Wolf-alike. If you make a Dog-hero, Infinite will be Dog-alike.

• Jossed. No matter what species you choose, Infinite is always a jackal.

Infinite will overthrow Eggman and become the final boss.

To be fair, with a name like that (and that he kind of resembles Mephiles the Dark), there's no way that Infinite will be a simple boss.

• Wow, you just read my mind, haven't you? Of course, unlike the previous occasions^note where Dr. Eggman himself is the final boss on these aforementioned games, I'd say this could be 50% possible.
  • Jossed. Infinite is defeated in the penultimate boss encounter, and Dr. Eggman in a Phantom Ruby-powered Death Egg Robot is the final boss.

Eggman made a deal with Infinite to help him take over the world.

But it'll blow up in his face as usual and Infinite betrays him.

• Or for a change, Eggman will betray Infinite instead and become the final boss.
  • The latter is most likely confirmed, albeit not because of Eggman teaming up with Infinite, as the latter is corrupted from the Phantom Ruby.

Infinite is...

...a version of Tails from one of many infinite alternate dimensions. There's some kind of twisted tail on him. Also, half of the infinite symbol looks like how classic Tails curls into a ball.

• I am also wondering if this is true. His feature seem fox like especially in certain screenshots (even if some might argue the ears as bat-like) and there is a design element of infinite that he has one half a face showing. A theme tied into a missing tail as well? Maybe reading too much into it, but a Tails gone horribly wrong doesn't seem impossible yet.
  • Alternatively, Infinite is Tails from a Bad Future, where he was corrupted and manipulated by the Phantom Ruby.
• Jossed.

Alternatively, Infinite is...

Either a fragment of Mephiles that survived the Hard Reset process in Sonic 2006 or a lookalike. I mean, come on: Both of these characters have black as their main colours, have ominous names, and are also villains. However, there are some differences: With Mephiles, he didn't work in a villainous team, was relatively underpowered, and resembled a Hedgehog. Infinite, though, looks far more eldritch, works in a team, and resembles a mishmash of a three-tailed kitsune and a bat. They also have different powers: Mephile's abilities involve crystal spears and Infinite's abilities involve... *Insert pause for effect here* red cubes made of either Hyper-Go-On or Hard Light.

• Again, Jossed.

Infinite is the Sonic from that hidden message in Sonic CD.

I can't be the only one who thinks this. Fun is infinite with Sega Enterprises, remember?

• Seems likely.
• Jossed. Infinite was actually a regular creature. A jackal, to be precise.

Infinite is actually an android being controlled by Eggman Nega to manipulate the other villains.

• Jossed.

Robotnik was going to have Mephiles join his Legion of Doom, but decided to replace him with his own Sonic OC, Infinite.

• This sounds too good to be true, if I'll be honest. I mean, if Eggman knew Sonic 06 happened, he probably realised that recruiting Mephiles would end with him being erased from existence by the Dark Mind of Solaris. Of course, he went against that decision and either created or recruited Infinite, who is possibly a lot more powerful in comparison.
  • Actually, it's more like Infinite decided not to create Mephiles as one of the VR holograms which would fight the Resistance. But quite possibly for the same reason.

If Infinite turns out to be Eggman's version of an Avatar and the two characters fight each other, Eggman will threaten the player directly.

• Jossed. Eggman is not seen during the Avatar's fight against Infinite.

Infinite will try to overthrow Eggman...

Only to find out he saw it coming a mile away, and be abandoned by Eggman, so that the heroes go to them to save them, their mask falling off to reveal their true identity.

• Jossed in a way. Even if he wanted to, Eggman takes him and his Phantom Ruby so that he could use the latter to power his Death Egg Robot.

Infinite will be revealed to be Tails

• Tails already joins the heroes early on, so it's unlikely Infinite will have a small role. The cover◊ features Tails and Infinite as separate beings, so unless the cover is lying, it's unlikely Tails is Infinite.
• Their true identity is Blaze the Cat, who is suspiciously absent and no one mentions her.
• I don't know... Infinite has a long spiky tail, sure, and similar shoes. But... I highly doubt that. Infinite has bat-like ears, probably a roboticized Rouge the Bat.
• The bat-like ears are part of the mask Infinite wears, it's a Red Herring.
  • Then again, we don't know anything about this new character or his role (yes, I said his because this is Infinite's confirmed gender, thereby making the "Blaze is Infinite" theory Jossed) until the official release of the game.
• Jossed up to eleven. Infinite has a deep, menacing voice courtesy of Liam O'Brien, while this is Colleen Villard's first main series Sonic game as Tails.
• Um, then explain the Werehog in Japanese. He is voiced by someone else other than Junichi Kanemaru.

• Completely Jossed; he's a jackal.

Infinite really is Eggman's over-the-top edgy OC.

Given the setup, the whole thing could be a subtle jab at the 'Coldsteel' parts of the fandom. Infinite is a robot like Metal Sonic who Eggman created to have better control over the Time Eater's time-traveling abilities. When the mask falls off, he'll be revealed to look like a carbon copy of Silver, a jab at the less creative parts of the fanbase. Naturally, when Sonic finds this out, he will constantly mock Eggman over this.

• Nope, Jossed — he was a jackal who was hired by Eggman, and then after the No-Holds-Barred Beatdown Shadow gave him, decided to become Infinite.
• Although his entire persona is based on one-upping Shadow after he kicked his ass a while back, so one might say he's actually his own edgy OC.

Infinite is really Mephiles the Dark.

Infinite's left eye looks incredibly similar to Mephiles'. Plus, Mephiles also comes from a game that involved Time Travel. While Infinite looks nowhere near like a hedgehog, it is possible that Mephiles could have taken on a different shape to disguise himself, given how he started out as black goop before copying Shadow.

• Jossed.

Infinite will be related to the Time Eater.

Just a shot in the dark here — Time Eater seemed to come out of nowhere. All we know is that Time Eater was found dead, adrift in space by Eggman after Colors. Considering Time Travel is involved in this game, what if the Time Eater turns out to be a Super Mode for Infinite, and the final battle somehow sends his remains into the past, causing a closed time loop?

• Jossed.

Infinite is a hero-killing Multiversal Conqueror

He has traveled across the Sonic multiverse, enslaving the AoSth, SatAM, Underground, Sonic X, OVA, Fleetway, and early manga universes and defeating their respective Sonics. He planned on targeting the main universe before Eggman found a way to tame him and get him on his side.

• Jossed.

Infinite is Sanic Hegehog

Sanic's been appearing a lot on the Sonic twitter pages over the past year...

• Unlikely, seeing as his "quills" are white in color and also has what it appears to be a fox tail. Not to mention this game is developed by Sonic Team, which is part of Sega of Japan, not America.
  • I know, this one was just a silly one I thought up of.
• Still, it's Jossed.

At the end of Sonic Forces, Sonic will pull off Infinite’s mask, revealing him to be a crying Gerald Robotnik.

Or Infinite reveals he actually works for Gerald.

• Jossed. In the Episode Shadow prologue, Infinite was actually a mercenary jackal of his own squad.

Infinite is Future Sonic

He may even be participating in a Stable Time Loop to ensure his descent into supreme edginess. The plot's resolution will involve altering the timeline, ensuring Sonic never becomes Infinite by preventing everything after Sonic 3 & Knuckles from ever having happened. Thus, Modern Sonic will sacrifice himself and Classic Sonic will be set upon a new path, leading directly into Sonic Mania (hence why the elevator buttons in that game's trailer go straight from K to M).

• Actually, the reason why it goes straight from K to M is because it's a direct sequel to 3 & Knuckles, not because it's a reboot.
• Jossed.

Infinite will be reformed.

There isn't anything backing me up, but I feel it would be nice to see.

• Jossed. He just disappears into nowhere.
  • Well, more like Eggman recovers the Phantom Ruby from him to power his Death Egg Robot. But still...

Infinite is the Time Eater's original form.

Following the above WMG, what if after the events of Sonic Generations, Infinite appears in the White Space, telling the Modern Dr. Eggman that he'll let him go if he 'fixes' the timeline to which he won, leaving Classic Eggman behind. But the portal will show up for Classic Eggman, setting him in the events of Sonic Mania. Basically, Time Eater did not die, but rather, lost this form and became Infinite.

• Jossed.

Infinite's battle theme will either be a remix of Sonic CD's US Boss Theme or reference it in some way.

After all, fun is Infinite at SEGA Enterprises.

• Jossed in a way; no allusions to the US version of Sonic CD's boss theme is heard at all.

Alternatively, Infinite may have relations to the Time Eater...

...Because the latter is actually his father/mother, uncle/aunt, whatever.

• How could that even be possible? The Time Eater is not a Mobian, but a cosmic force! And Infinite was just a jackal mobian who joined Eggman's side, thanks to the Phantom Ruby.

Douglas Robb of Hoobastank will voice Infinite.

• Jossed. He will be voiced by Liam O'Brien.

Infinite is Sonic.

One of Sonic's moves is the Super Peel Out, which forms an Infinite sign.

• Jossed.

Infinite is Blaze possessed by Iblis.

• Proof? Because there are literally no signs of fire inside of Infinite, as both users embody the power of the flames.
  • Jossed. Blaze is confirmed to not appear in the game.

Infinite is actually a fusion between Silver and Blaze.

If not obvious with the white quills and fluffy tail... In case you're wondering about Silver of the Resistance, he may actually be Infinite in disguise.

• Jossed. Blaze won't appear in the game at all.

Silver is Infinite in disguise.

• Jossed.

Infinite is ZERO.

He is referred to as 'Zero' in a draft. So it quite clear ZERO came back thanks to Eggman Nega or another entity and wants Revenge against everyone.

• Given that ZERO was originally a robot, there's no doubt that someone would rebuild him with both robotic and organic body parts.
• Jossed.

Infinite is an Echidna.

He has a long tail like Knuckles and his quills look like an Echidna's when viewed from the back, as in this official cutscene preview.

• If the theories that he's connected to the Avatar are true, this could also be an easy way of ensuring he can have a single design and also never be the same species as the Avatar (since the Avatar can't be an Echidna).
  • Infinite has a BUSHY tail, which neither Knuckles nor any other echidna in the series has.
• Jossed.

Infinite will be the penultimate boss fought as Super Sonic(s), and Eggman will be the Final Boss fought as regular Sonic(s)

To stick to both the Monster of the Week formula and the trend of Eggman being the final boss in recent years; the Avatar will join in for one or both of these fights as well.

• Confirmed, though Infinite is fought as regular Sonic and the Avatar. As for Eggman? He is fought first as Classic Sonic, then the Avatar, and finally, the main playable trio.

Infinite will be a case of From Nobody to Nightmare.

While some may see parts of his theme regarding pain as showing how he is an edgy tryhard, it seems these are hinting that perhaps Infinite, just like the Custom Hero, was formerly a normal person, but for whatever reason decided to join the battle at Eggman's side, and this perhaps might mean that he has a personal relationship with the Avatar.

• Confirmed. Infinite was actually an ordinary person, is an animal like Sonic and his friends (more specifically, a jackal), and he became corrupted under Eggman's control after turning over to the dark side.

Infinite is a Tragic Villain and/or a Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds

His song contains the lyrics "I was born in this pain / It only hurts if you let it" and "This pain persists, I can't resist / But that's what it takes to be Infinite". He could be the Sole Survivor of his home world/dimension and needs to side with Eggman to destroy Sonic's (or at least obtain something from it) to restore his own.

• Not quite. Yes, he was the sole survivor — but of his mercenary company, which were wiped out by Shadow, before Shadow unleashed a No-Holds-Barred Beatdown on him. This led to him becoming Infinite to help Eggman and possibly to get revenge on Shadow.

Infinite had a personal relationship with the Custom Hero.

An alternate take on the above two WMGs. Infinite was the Hero's brother, friend, lover, or rival, but one day, Eggman and/or his robots came and attacked them, kidnapping Infinite. The Hero tried looking for them, but eventually gave up, convincing him/herself that either Infinite will find a way to escape or that he must be dead by now. Meanwhile, Eggman began conducting genetic experiments on Infinite using the same methods and research done by his grandfather Professor Gerald. Bitter at the Hero for never coming to save him and driven insane by Eggman's experiments, Infinite vowed to make the Hero suffer for his/her supposed betrayal by using his new powers to destroy everything (s)he ever cared for. And once he does (assuming Eggman didn't just brainwash him), he'll turn on his torturer and rule the world on his own.

• Jossed. He does have some kind of connection to Shadow, as Episode Shadow exposes...

Infinite's theme song is directed at the Custom Hero.

A lot of people are poking fun at the song's lyrics for being so ridiculously edgy that it's near impossible to take seriously. But assuming that the above is true, they might make sense.

1. I am the tallest of mountains. I am the roughest of waves. I am the toughest of terrors. I am the darkest of days.: Infinite telling the Hero that he is his/her worst nightmare.

2. I am the last one that's standing. Don't try to stand in my way. 'Cause I've been up against better. Just take a look at my face.: Infinite telling the Hero how he was inhumanely experimented on by Eggman, was the only test subject who survived, and is stronger as a result.

3. Cause if you're messing with me, I am a dangerous weapon. I am the sharpest of blades, I'll cut you down in a second.: Infinite telling the Hero how he was made to be a Weapon of Mass Destruction.

4. Cause I was born in this pain. It only hurts if you let it. So if you think you can take me. Then you should go and forget it.: Infinite telling the Hero how torturous Eggman's experiments were and how he numbed himself from the pain. Pretty much a repeat of the second verse.

5. And after all this time. You're back for more (I won't stop until they know my name). So I'll take what's mine and start this war (I'm coming at you like a tidal wave).: Infinite telling the Hero "You had your chance to save me. Now you must face the consequences." No matter what, the Hero WILL remember him this time.

6. When everything you know has come and gone (You are at your lowest, I am rising higher). Only stars remain all through it all (We'll fight in the ashes, you're losing this fire). When there's no one left to carry on (This is an illusion. Open your eyes and...): Infinite isn't interested in anything else in the Universe. He just wants to destroy the Earth and show the Hero true despair.

7. This pain persists, I can't resist. But that's what it takes to be Infinite.: Infinite acknowledges the trauma he went through, but dismisses it as giving him a purpose in life. The person the Hero once knew is gone.

8. So look around you and tell me what you really see. I never end and that's the difference in you and me. Cause when your time is up and everything is falling down. It's only me and you. Who is gonna save you now?: Infinite will exact his revenge on the Hero and show him/her what it's like to have no one to save you when you need them most.

9. So look around you and tell me what you really see. You live a lie and that's the difference in you and me.: In Infinite's mind, the Hero is lying to the Resistance about how "heroic" (s)he really is. After all, what kind of "hero" just abandons someone so close to them?

10. I have the power. Let me show you what it's all about. It's only me and you. Who is gonna save you now?: Infinite will prove to the Hero that he doesn't need him/her anymore and will reign surpreme alone.

• Jossed. Infinite didn't even know who the Custom Hero was until shortly after Sonic's Worfing

Infinite is a Noibat.

The similar ears and the bat-shaped crack in his mask over the left eye? Couldn't be anything else. And things are really going to heat up once he evolves into Noivern.

• Jossed. He wasn't really a Pokémon to begin with. Besides, this theory was impossible from the start, as Forces is available on non-Nintendo consoles.

Infinite is a fennec fox.

He has a bushy tail and enormous, bat-like ears. Though the ears might just be part of the mask, it still suggests he may be a fennec.

• Close enough; he's actually a jackal.

Sonic is actually trapped in a virtual simulation of Infinite's making.

"Infinite" is actually a crazy admirer of Sonic the Hedgehog who decided to see how his hero (and possibly his friends) would manage to surpass the ultimate challenge: a world dominated by Dr. Eggman, where all of their greatest enemies have risen up once again. He created a virtual reality of that world and managed to trap Sonic (and friends) in it without their knowledge. He also couldn't resist the temptation of inserting himself into that world out of a vain desire to be part of Sonic's greatest challenge. "Infinite" is just a persona the creator of the virtual reality has made up for himself, and the entire game is basically an In-Universe fanfic gone way too far. This explains several things:

• Why Infinite has an "edgy OC" vibe — he literally is one.
• This line in Infinite's theme: "This is an illusion, open up your eyes."
• Why Infinite is faster and more powerful than Sonic, and why his power includes cybernetic-looking cubes: as the programmer of the VR, he is godlike within it.
• Why Infinite seems to be "glitching" reality. There is a glitchlike distortion around his body, the official video of his theme also features a lot of distortions, and Tails can't get any data on him: his existence is on a level beyond that of the program he created.
• Actually partially correct - the Phantom Ruby, used by Infinite, really does create a virtual reality of lifelike illusions, and while Infinite is not a Loony Fan you could say he's kind of is his own edgy OC.

Infinite's Super-Speed is achieved by...

He's using hacks, he's connected to the Speed Force, and/or he has Za Warudo.

• Jossed. It is actually the Phantom Ruby's doing.

Infinite visited Dr. Eggman's Incredible Interstellar Amusement Park.

In the "Enter Infinite" trailer, he can be seen◊ in front of a structure that resembles a generator from the park.

The song "Infinite" refers to other characters.

"I'm the tallest of mountains" = Zavok

"I am the roughest of waves" = Chaos

"I'm the toughest of terrors" = Metal Sonic

"I am the darkest of days" = Shadow the Hedgehog

• Alternate theory, but not far removed: The song alludes to the following characters, but only because Infinite has defeated them in his own dimension, proving himself greater than each.
  • Likely confirmed. Jossed, actually. The four characters are really VR holograms Infinite created using the Phantom Ruby.

Infinite is somehow related to Team Sonic as a whole.

His hair looks like a cross between Sonic's and Knuckles', and his ears and tail look like Tails'. Maybe he was somehow created using data from all three?

• Jossed.

Infinite has something to do with the red eyes seen at the very end of Sonic the Hedgehog (SatAM).

• Jossed.

Infinite's powers include messing with the game itself.

Based on the flickering pixels seen around him at times, and the floating red cubes (which seem to be weaponized pixels) and flickering image here, it's likely that he'll have some glitch-based powers, to give off a "The Fourth Wall Will Not Protect You" effect.

• Imagine if Infinite actually crashed your game in the PC version. It won't be likely to happen, but it would be awesome if it did happen.
  • The funny thing is, this is starting to sound like a Creepypasta. If Infinite really does turn out to be a horror-villain-like character in a freaking action game, and assuming we will get to fight him, that would be awesome.
    • Confirmed. The Phantom Ruby can actually make the entire screen red in color and very glitchy, among others.

Infinite will be a Parody Sue.

Pretty much confirmed, though it's not so much a parody as it is a deconstruction. Infinite is a deliberately intimidating and badass persona taken by a fairly unimpressive jackal mercenary who was defeated by Shadow in a humiliating way, prompting him to go on a petty quest for power to one-up his foe. As such, Infinite is basically a cripplingly insecure individual turning into his own over-the-top overpowered OC in an attempt to escape his own weakness, even using the Phantom Ruby's powers to create an illusions which he can rule over, basically living out his own power fantasy fanfic. Infinite is basically what you would get if you took a particularly rotten Mary Sue writer, someone who uses fanfiction as a means to fantasize about taking revenge on everyone who has ever slighted them, and give them the power to actually fulfill that fantasy.

Infinite is a name he adopted when he donned the mask.

Hence his saying "You may call me Infinite" instead of just "My name is Infinite". He'll either reveal it when unmasked or die without to hit Team Sonic in the feels.

• Confirmed.

If Infinite really is the True Final Boss...

...then how will he do it? If it's Eggman that's taken over most of the world, how can he dethrone him as the Greater-Scope Villain, and would he have anything to do with his takeover anyway? We shall see.

• Please note that the trailer for Infinite mentions him being "at the tip of the spear", which definitely increases the possibility of him being the Final Boss.
  • Infinite wouldn't do anything to Eggman. Instead, Eggman gets defeated by Sonic and Co., leaving Infinite alone to deal with Sonic.
• Jossed. The final boss is still Dr. Eggman; and Infinite basically leaves upon being defeated for the third time.

Infinite is Senkestu.

Infinite's design is inspired by Senkestu just as as how Shadow resembles Ryūko Matoi and Sonic with Satsuki Kiryūin.

• You can chalk up similarities between Shadow and Ryuko, but how are Sonic and Satsuki similar? Also, wouldn't Emerl be more like Senekstu?
  • I'd say Infinite is an Evil Counterpart of Senkestu; but how are the two related?

Infinite will die.

• Considering what would possibly happen if he no longer had the Phantom Ruby? He might be facing a Fate Worse than Death after Eggman took it from him...

Infinite has crossed over to different dimensions.

MeBot is said to possess "Infinite" or "limitless" power, so Infinite has crossed over to the Sonic Boom Universe and helped Eggman create MeBot and possibly gave other assistance.

• Jossed. Even if he would, he would need to harness the Phantom Ruby's reality-warping powers.

Infinite is a corrupted Blaze the Cat.

The person who's voicing Infinite, Liam O'Brien, also voiced Endrance, who was Elk in the .hack//G.U. trilogy and best friends with a giant purple cat named Mia, another hacked character in the game. The long hair, the tail are similar to Blaze's... the hair is more elongated, but it could be due to the corruption. Blaze is somewhat an alternate Sonic, so this could be her version of the Werehog, only it's the force of "Infinite" corrupting her, kind of like Dark Gaia infected Sonic. The masculine voice heard from Infinite is due to the mask.

• Um, look at his gloves. There are no signs of Blaze's grey cuffs. And the shoes are slightly different and again, has no grey cuffs.
  • All part of the corruption.
    • Still, you are providing very little evidence until when the full game is released. And I highly doubt that Blaze will appear unless there will be multiple dimensions involved in the story. For now, only the "Classic" dimension will be involved and I'm not sure about the "Sol dimension".
  • Also, Blaze apparently wears a jacket of some sorts, and Infinite appears to be clothesless, unless it's part of the "corruption"... another reason why Infinite couldn't be Blaze is because of his white "hair" sticking out from his mask. Blaze has purple hair, meaning that she couldn't be Infinite.
• Jossed. Blaze won't appear in this game.

Blaze the Cat scarred Infinite.

His song contains some lyrics that seem to imply his face has been scarred:

"Cause I've been up against better, just take a look at my face."

• Blaze isn't confirmed to appear in the game until further notice; the only returning characters confirmed to be appearing are Sonic (Modern and Classic, obviously), Tails, Knuckles, Amy, the Chaotix, Silver, Eggman, Shadow, Metal Sonic, Chaos and Zavok.
  • Jossed. Blaze won't appear in the game, at all, and it's Shadow who scarred Infinite.

Infinite is a corrupt version of Rouge.

1. The hair and long tail could be part of the corruption. Normally, Rouge has shortish hair. Same color though.

2. Infinite does have some bat-like features. The ears, namely, though that could be just part of the mask.

3. A few characters are part of the resistance, and as Eggman's squad. Rouge is absent. Either she's dead, or... her light fingers got the world in trouble before. Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) showed her stealing Mephiles's scepter. She could get greedy again, but get possessed. The deep voice is part of the possession.

• Jossed. Rouge is apparently part of the Resistance.

Infinite is actually the mask, and not the body.

So whoever wears the thing turns evil and super-powerful, not unlike The Mask. It would bring up so many possibilities, like, Sonic taking off the mask from that body and the mask goes to Tails' face.

• I'm getting serious vibes of Majora's Mask here...
  • It's more of a combination of the mask and the Phantom Ruby, I'd think.
    • Jossed. The Phantom Ruby made him powerful. And the mask is what Shadow responded to Infinite himself: "Don't show your pathetic face around me ever again".

Infinite is Immortal Absolute.

Infinite is an antagonist neither of the Sonics have met yet.

Metal Sonic, Chaos, Shadow, and Zavok are villains from Sonic's past. Dr. Eggman and (again) Metal Sonic are villains from Sonic's present. Infinite, however? He's a villain from Sonic's future. Becoming his enemy years if not decades in the future, Infinite was frustrated with losing and tried to Make Wrong What Once Went Right. Eventually he managed how to master time, and is responsible for Chaos and Shadow's supposed Face–Heel Turn along with Zavok being alive — he summoned them from the eras they were villains or alive.

• Confirmed for the WMG title. Modern Sonic first meets Infinite in the City and starts attempting to attack him before being defeated easily and taken away to the Death Egg. Classic Sonic even spies on both Infinite and Dr. Eggman along with Tails at some point in the story.

Infinite is an older Classic Tails

In this timeline, we know that Classic Sonic is taken out of the past and thrown into the present, leading to the ruination of the present that we see in the game proper. However, in the preview for the Eggman Battle in Green Hill (presumably before Classic Sonic is thrown into the present, as Boss Banter is still very much a mainstay instead of the Darker and Edgier attitude of the present), we see Modern Tails advising Classic Sonic, but not Classic Tails.

My theory regarding this is that like Eggman, Tails has somehow got back to Classic Sonic's time before he's flung into the future. However, the fling into the future is inevitable; but what happened to Classic Tails when his friend was whisked off to the future? Well, perhaps he was convinced by Eggman or someone else that his best friend abandoned him.

Unlike Eggman, Tails's expertise in technology seems to be subtle, yet effective. If he managed to grow up a disillusioned Mad Scientist, there's every chance he managed to create some sort of dimension-hopping technology and become a Time Abyss dimension walker. Hence his "I Am" Song — everything he's loved has come and gone, he's been maimed enough to lose an eye and a tail against whoever was 'better' than Sonic, and he's made himself into a dangerous weapon.

Similarly, his design is distinctly fox-like with the exception of his hair-tentacle things; his tail, his facial shape, his large ears; in a way, his mask resembles a kitsune mask. And after all this time dimension-hopping, Infinite/Tails finds Sonic, and he is pissed at the friend he thought had abandoned him.

• Jossed.

All of the antagonists except for Infinite are illusions.

Infinite sent the real Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik, Shadow the Hedgehog, Zavok, Chaos, and Metal Sonic, to the ever dread Limbopolis Zone where they'll spend the rest of their days playing poker with Void, Solaris, Dark Gaia, and Mighty. That's what the lyrics in the "Infinite" song refers to:

"(This is an illusion, open up your eyes and...)"

"So look around you

And tell me what you really see

You live a lie

And that's the difference in you and me

I have the power,

Let me show you what it's all about"

• Semi-Confirmed. Dr. Eggman is still real; but the other 4 villains are indeed, illusions created by the Phantom Ruby. Also, it's not "Limbopolis Zone", but rather "Null Space", and it appears to have literally nothing in it, including the past villains (and Mighty).

The Phantom Ruby is the source of Infinite's powers.

Isn't it mentioned somewhere that it's as powerful as the Chaos Emeralds? And considering the good ending for Sonic Mania, wouldn't it make sense for that gem to be here, along with Classic Sonic?

• Considering that the Phantom Ruby makes the same noise as Infinite's cube attack, very likely.
  • Confirmed. That thing on his chest? It is definitely the Phantom Ruby itself. Or at least a replica.

The Phantom Ruby is Infinite.

The gemstone embedded in his chest resembles the Phantom Ruby, which is implied to have some sort of relationship with Infinite. The physical body we see is simply a host. Said host is either someone who's fallen victim to Demonic Possession or a body created for it, likely by Dr. Eggman.

• After Infinite's host is defeated by Sonic, Infinite and Robotnik will decide the only way to beat Sonic is to merge, creating the final boss, Infinite Robotnik.
  • Almost. Infinite doesn't seem too happy about the idea after he was defeated for the last time, and Eggman states that his Phantom Ruby-powered Death Egg Robot... no, he has supassed Infinite to become the Ultimate Lifeform.

Eggman created Infinite.

Some of his creations are faster than Sonic, such as Metal Sonic, the machine in the opening of SegaSonic the Hedgehog that catches Sonic, or in the opening of Sonic Unleashed that also catches Sonic. Infinite is faster than Sonic and capable of catching him as well.

• If this screenshot were of any indication, it's probably sort of Confirmed until we get the full story concerning the creation of Infinite.
  • Actually Semi-Jossed. Infinite is an organic being, though he was modified to be powerful thanks to the "Phantom Ruby" Eggman found.

Infinite stole the Sol Emeralds.

• Jossed.

Infinite is already in his super form

Infinite has so far showed the powers of warping/teleportation, flight/levitation, and a speed faster than Sonic, powers all characters have in their super forms. As for the red "energy cubes", that's probably his super form's long range attack such as Super Sonic's energy beams (used in Sonic Chronicles and Sonic Rush Adventure), Super Shadow's Chaos Spear, and Burning Blaze's fireballs.

• Jossed. It's the Phantom Ruby that gave him these powers.
• I should have been more specific. i was implying that Infinite was using the phantom ruby to reach a super form since early sources said the phantom ruby was equal in power to the emeralds.
  • Are you saying that Infinite even has a super form? Most super forms glow a different color (Super Sonic, Super Knuckles, Burning Blaze, etc.); and in the case of Infinite, his skin color remains the same.

Infinite is capable of Mind Control

When Shadow refused to join them, they took control of his mind, forcing him on their side. Near the end of the game, they'll take control of all of Sonic's friends, who start feeding him false information and — when Sonic finds out what's happening — deliver heartbreaking taunts. He'll have to fight some of them before taking on Infinite.

• Not in the game, but given what the Phantom Ruby could do...

Infinite is a Living MacGuffin.

He's a Macguffin Turned Person and a MacGuffin Super-Person who was originally the Phantom Ruby that was the center of the conflict in Sonic Mania.

• Possible evidence leading to this theory is the strange, seemingly sapient actions the gem takes during Mania's story. It warps the five EggRobos into the Hard-Boiled Heavies, it repeatedly warps Sonic and co. away when they've got Eggman's back to the wall, and most glaringly, after the True Final Boss, it appears to use Chaos Control in order to escape from Super Sonic. Nobody else ever influences these actions, and there is no direct interaction from anyone that causes this at the time of them; the gem appears to be doing this all entirely autonomously.
• Supported further by the True Ending, in that it is all-but-confirmed to lead into Sonic Forces. The Phantom Ruby is known to warp time and space on a whim; it sends Sonic away at the end of Mania, and we know Forces kicks off because Classic Sonic was removed from his place in the past somehow. The Phantom Ruby went through with him; it has to have reemerged in the future somewhere... Come to think of it, Modern Sonic's got no clue who this is, so how does Infinite know Sonic, again?
• Further still, it could be possible that Dr. Eggman created Infinite in a similar process to Shadow's creation. Instead of using DNA from an alien race, it's possible that he implanted a shard from that stone into Infinite's chest.

• Jossed. Infinite is an organic being.

Infinite is a Tragic Villain

Assuming he has actual motives, his theme song implies that he's got a Freudian Excuse and taking it out on the world.

• Indeed — he blames Shadow for what led to him becoming Infinite in a way, after all.

Infinite is your OC

So your OC is both the hero and the central antagonist of the narrative, aiding Sonic and Eggman. Going by the lyrics of his theme, Infinite could be your OC from an alternate timeline in which he lost everything he held dear and turned to a darker path, adopted the name Infinite, and decided to destroy Sonic's world and everything he held dear for whichever reason.

• Jossed.

Infinite is every player's OC

Bear with me.

Through the power of the Phantom Ruby, Infinite is aware of multiple dimensions. The clue's in his name. Mania seems to show the Phantom Ruby to be able to alter reality, it's not a stretch to assume that it allows one to perceive multiple realities as well. He may just be another version of your OC from another dimension, but through being able to perceive all his alternate selves in many ways he is his alternate selves. He is all the characters of all the players of the game that have, are, and could be played. He is Infinite.

• Nope. He's just a mercenary jackal, after all...

Infinite is possessed by the Phantom Ruby.

We've seen in Sonic Mania that the gemstone in Infinite's chest, called the "Phantom Ruby," can alter the traits of other things, as seen when it gives five EggRobos unique appearances, personalities, and powers, thus making the Hard-Boiled Heavies. It also seems to be sapient, warping reality without being told, but not doing so constantly. At the end of Mania, it teleports Sonic, with the drop-off point never seen, but implied to be the beginning of Sonic Forces. It wound up lodged in some unlucky nobody's chest, possessing and transforming this person into the jewel's new body. It retains all the memories of the host, and is willing to use them to its advantage, if at all possible, which could come into play should the hypothetical host be a friend of the Custom Hero, possibly a would-be member of the resistance.

• Maybe? Although some of your theory is Jossed — Infinite was never on the Resistance's side, as the jackal which would become him was hired by Eggman, and after being defeated by Shadow, eventually became one with the Phantom Ruby to become Infinite.

Infinite is Bubsy.

Bubsy said in a trailer that he's been "waiting to settle the score since 1993." That is the same year the Sonic the Hedgehog CD was released, which features a "Fun is Infinite" screen. He's been waiting to fight Sonic for a long time.

• Jossed.

Combining two above WMGs, Infinite is Sonic possessed by the Phantom Ruby.

Consider this: we know that Infinite must be someone we've encountered in the past; after all, he specifically mentions that Sonic and his friends are "back for more" in his Villain Song (besides, if he wasn't a returning character, why bother giving him a mask)? He also mentions that he was "born in this pain", implying that whatever he considers to be his "creation" is similar to the present circumstances. And given that one of Infinite's defining characteristics is being faster than Sonic, what better candidate for the possession victim could there be than Sonic himself? It's possible this is even the result of a Stable Time Loop involving Modern Sonic: after defeating Infinite, Modern Sonic attempts to take the Phantom Ruby from him, only to be possessed by it himself, transforming into Infinite. At the same time, the defeated Infinite returns to being Modern Sonic; they then jump back into the battle against the new Infinite, forcing him to retreat into the past in order to gather strength and setting the entire event in motion in the first place.

• Plenty of things can match or exceed Sonic's speed in the video games. To name a few, this includes Dr. Eggman himself, Metal Sonic, the G.U.N. truck, most of the bosses in Sonic Advance 2, Shadow the Hedgehog, Silver the Hedgehog as of Sonic Generations, Zazz, all of the daytime bosses in Sonic Unleashed, the Cyan Wisps, the Extreme Gears, the orca by Emerald Coast, the Kaos wheels in Seaside Hill and Ocean Palace, the malicious Ferris wheel in Tropical Resort, Blaze the Cat, the Avatar/Custom Hero, the machine in the opening of SegaSonic the Hedgehog that catches Sonic, or another machine in the opening of Sonic Unleashed that also catches Sonic, Mighty the Armadillo, Ray the Flying Squirrel, etc.

• Jossed.

Infinite is a Beta Test Baddie that represents the Sonic series' rejected concepts, cheat codes, and other secrets.

Despite his menace and power, Infinite seems "incomplete" and out of place. His design is a mishmash of early-mid 2000s designs (scars like "Terios"/proto-Shadow, shadows like Blaze's early concept art, and white "hair" that doesn't fit any species in particular), while his powers (God Mode-like arbitrary speed and power, Interface Screw, Flash Step, and Ominous Visual Glitch) are things that are usually patched out during beta testing or left as secrets. In addition, his theme song's lyrics like "I'll take what's mine" and "I never end" and his indirect manipulation of Sonic Mania suggest he's existed for some time, possibly as a Sealed Evil in a Can. And you know what happens when a Sealed Evil in a Can is released in Sonic's world...

Infinite is the Phantom Ruby and its body is a Hard Light construct a la the Gems from Steven Universe.

Infinite's consciousness and powers come directly from his Gem, like the Gems from Steven Universe. The rest of its body is just a Hard Light construct it created to better deal with the heroes.

• Considering the true nature of the Phantom Ruby's power is creating illusions so powerful that they're practically real and may as well BE Hard Light, this is looking incredibly plausible. Hell, in leaked footage of a battle between Modern Sonic and Infinite, his mask is completely black before his eye fades in on the right side of his face like a projection or an old TV turning on. And after his final fight, he just fades into the same red light that his powers create. All this considered, there's a very real chance that the creature we know as "Infinite" is merely another illusion of the Ruby, but since he's directly connected to the Ruby, the illusion is so powerful that it's impossible to tell that he is one.
  • It was stated in an interview that Infinite was once a regular character that wasn't evil, but just like Omega said about Shadow all the way back in Sonic Heroes, there has to be an "original" Infinite that this specific character is based on.

Infinite is a Dragon.

• Jossed. He's a jackal.

Sonic defeats Infinite and he’ll take off his mask, revealing that he’s an ordinary dude named Fun.

• Jossed. Before Infinite can reveal himself after being fought for the third time, however, he merely disappears into nowhere.

Infinite is a hybrid.

• Jossed. He's actually a jackal.

Infinite will give a power boost to Metal Sonic, Eggman, Shadow, Zavok, and Chaos while they fight Sonic.

Infinite is an alternate timeline Sonic whose body was possessed by Eggman.

• Jossed.

Infinite is Princess Alucion.

She wears a Gray Emerald, Infinite wears a gray gem on his chest. They're the same person.

• Jossed. The gem in question is the Phantom Ruby, and it's red in color.

Infinite is Heavy King.

They have a similar eye color.

• Jossed.

Infinite is the physical embodiment of the "Dark Days of Sonic".

This might sound crazy at first, but think about it. A dark, edgy being being with the ability to completely wreck Sonic. Also the lyrics:

• "I am the tallest of mountains": This time period was — and to some people, still is — a mountain that has been difficult to conquer.
• "I am the roughest of waves": It was obviously a rough period for the series.
• "I am the toughest of terrors, I am the darkest of days": It was a terrible, dark time for Sonic.
• "Cause I've been up against better, Just take a look at my face": The idea that there will never be a Sonic game that's better then the old ones to most people.
• "I'll cut you down in a second, Cause I was born in this pain,": Infinite was born from the Dark Age of Sonic.
• "It only hurts if you let it, so if you think you can take me, then you should go and forget it": The dark age of the series is trying to hurt the series even now, but they refuse to let it.
• "And after all this time, you're back for more": People keep returning to Sonic, despite its dark past.
• "Only scars remain of who I was": The series has become a scarred version of what it was back in the day.
• "And tell me what you really see, I never end, and that's the difference in you and me": Infinite represents the idea that Sonic's "dark age" will never end.
• "Cause when your time is up, And everything is falling down, it's only me and you — who is gonna save you now?": When things have fallen through, it's only Sonic and the darkest days of the Sonic series. No one can stop that.

While this likely won't be literal, I think this is going to be an intended and heavy symbolism. The idea that Sonic's "darkness" from his "Darkest Days" has basically lost his way, joined the Eggman Empire, and wants to kill off Sonic, who represents the hopes and optimisms of the franchise. Also, consider his name too. The dark age, to some at least, seems like a cycle that isn't going to ever end. As though it's infinite.

• Alternatively, Infinite is literally the version of Sonic from the "darkest days" of the series. Around the 2004-2008 time period, which was when the series was really in a bad place, both in terms of the general perception of its quality, and how even a lot of actual Sonic fans didn't have a good image of the series. He's broken loose and somehow understands the fourth wall perspective of who he is, knowing that in his future he has further darkness in the form of Sonic Boom. This drives him into darkness and onto the side of evil, and he begins to believe that there's no hope for his future self, so he wants to take him out while conquering the planet. If you look at the Infinite Theme uploaded by the official Sonic YouTube channel, its entire ascetic suggests that Infinite has a The Fourth Wall Will Not Protect You thing going on. So him originating from a place beyond the fourth wall doesn't seem entirely out of the picture.
• "I'm every bad day you've ever had, Sonic."

Infinite is a really edgy Marty Stu OC created by a fan that made its way into the game.

That's why he's really over-the-top edgy, and why he's also ridiculously overpowered. It would also fit in with the character creator, and the OC that the player is able to make in the game. The player's OC they create at the start of the game has the same backstory; it was created by you as a Sonic OC, then somehow got into the game's world. It would also fit in with Infinite's rumored fourth-wall-breaking abilities.

Infinite's body is the Phantom Ruby taking A Form You Are Comfortable With.

• Jossed. It's actually the form of a jackal which currently hosts the Phantom Ruby's power.

Infinite is another character being controlled by the Phantom Ruby, and his mask is the controller.

• Jossed. The mask has no effect on Infinite, and the Phantom Ruby isn't controlling him.

Infinite is Wechnia.

Hence the large ears (like Tails, whom Wechnia's data was originally intended for), the white spines, and the glitching (due to being Dummied Out in Chaotix).

• Jossed.

Infinite is a Loony Fan who invaded Sonic's dimension to change it to the way he wants it.

As a commentary on how "Sonic Team is doing it wrong", Infinite will be revealed to be an obsessive fan of Sonic who dislikes the progressive lack of tension and "darkness" that Sonic has been encountering. His "edgy OC" and Marty Stu tendencies are intentional, as he brainwashed all the previous villains to serve Eggman and gave Eggman control of the world just like the SatAM universe, all as part of a twisted game to "challenge" Sonic. As a bonus, he, as the Phantom Ruby, invaded right when Sonic 3 & Knuckles ended to remove Sonic 4 from continuity.

Infinite used to be a denizen of Blaze's dimension.

Long hair, spiky tail, similar head design, pretty sure that Infinite might be a long-lost cousin of Blaze herself. He was possessed by the Phantom Ruby, causing him to turn over to the dark side, and it gives him strange powers such as levitation and red cube projection.

• Jossed. He was the leader of his own squad... in Sonic's dimension.

Infinite will be purified back to the good side by Super Sonic.

Much like Chaos in Sonic Adventure. If Infinite was the True Final Boss, and if Super Sonic is used for the final battle, this would be a pretty good climax. Plus bonus points if Infinite backstabs Eggman, sending him far out to the sky.

• Jossed.

Infinite used to be the "rookie" from the prequel comic Issue One: Moment of Truth

I had to read this one a couple of times before I noticed something seemed way off in the ending. For a moment that was meant to be a celebrated victory, the rookie seemed rather... unnerved by the whole experience, wanting to be stronger, better. The way he laments that he could've done better and wants to do better, and that final shot of him being rather dark for what was a successful defence really does paint a rather unnerving edge on the whole thing. It really does seem like they did this intentionally, and I'm willing to put my chips in that they're foreshadowing the eventual rise of Infinite through this character.

• Jossed. He was actually the leader of the Jackal Defense Squad, revealed in the fourth and final issue: Rise of Infinite.

Infinite does not exist

Based on cutscenes from the leaks, the game never really delves into Infinite's background, nor the Phantom Ruby's origins. At least not directly, and Episode Shadow may change this. After the final battle with Infinite, he seems to struggle for a moment before flying off and disappearing. After destroying Eggman's generator, he reveals it was a decoy, and that he had the Phantom Ruby incorporated into his Death Egg Robot. Rouge then informs Sonic that there are more enemies, listing off Zavok, Chaos, Shadow, Metal Sonic and Infinite. Considering we know one of the Phantom Ruby's powers is illusions, this could mean that Infinite was just one of the virtual constructs like Zavok, who retained his personality.

• Unlikely. It was stated in an interview that Infinite was once a regular character that wasn't evil, but just like Omega said about Shadow all the way back in Sonic Heroes, there has to be an "original" Infinite that this specific character is based off of. Over the story, we are told that the Phantom Rubies can only be harnessed by individuals who possess the strength of will to control them and that any particular sample can only work with the DNA of the one who originally activated it. However, when Infinite is defeated in his, he just disappears. We also know that he stated that he personally possessed a Phantom Ruby and that he had the strength of will to control his Phantom Ruby. This is where the problem arises. He would have had to have been a living organism with DNA to activate and harness his Phantom Ruby. What happened, then, to the living being who was allegedly actually controlling Infinite's projection, the real Infinite, via the Phantom Ruby?

Other Villains

Shadow and Metal Sonic are a Big Bad Ensemble.

The game version of Shadow has been on the receiving end of Took a Level in Jerkass lately, and we still have Mephiles's prediction of humanity betraying him. If this is indeed a Grand Finale, having a final showdown between Classic and Metal along with Modern and Shadow would be an excellent method of ending the series, presenting its two different eras, each with Sonic's Evil Counterpart of that time.

• But in Shadow's case, it would mean doing a big Character Derailment regarding Maria's death and the numerous times in 06 in which he made it clear that he didn't really care if the world decided to go against him.
  • Confirmed along with Chaos, Zavok, and a new villain (Infinite) joining up with them as well. Later Jossed, however. They are all projections of the Phantom Ruby.

Shadow will be dead before the game begins.

Because, quite frankly, it's the only way to keep him out of the game, and we all know, SEGA doesn't want us to see him as a Spotlight-Stealing Squad or Creator's Pet, the effects of which can be... rather unfortunate.

• Alternatively, they'll find a way to make him likable again like in the games pre-flanderization.
• They can't do that. His "fans" will try and undo it. -OP
  • Jossed. He is first shown to be alive and well.

If the Shadows meet up, Shadow will be disgusted with his variants from Sonic X, Boom, "King Shadow", and his Sonic the Comic – Online! variant.

Because they're all pretty frickin' nasty.

• Jossed. Only one Shadow is in this game. Also, the Shadow seen in the E3 trailer was a Phantom Ruby illusion.

The plot of the game is caused by Orbot and Cubot.

After somehow making it back from space, Orbot and Cubot attempt to rescue Modern Eggman from the timeless void he and Classic Eggman were trapped in at the end of Generations, only for things to go wrong.

• Jossed. The plot is because of the Phantom Ruby, which Eggman have received under unknown circumstances.

The Big Bad will actually be AoStH Robotnik.

Because nobody would expect it, and someone had to say it.

• So... his plan would be to finally kill Sonic... and make sure nobody is Snooping as usual, I see?
  • When he's finished, he'll have to give himself a promotion.
    • Jossed. The Big Bad is actually Dr. Eggman himself, not one of his alternate selves.

The Big Bad will actually be a Hive Mind controlling Eggman and his robots, and it would be a playful Take That! towards the horrible side of the fan base while giving winks and nods to the better, awesome and funny sides of the fandom.

A weird Hive Mind, which would take the form of a horrible combination of Chris Thorndyke, Big The Cat, the Boom versions, and a horribly made OC, is trying to warp Sonic's world to its own liking for kicks, and starts by brainwashing Eggman and his mechs. Some of its changes would be hilarious (turning Tails into a girl, making Eggman repeat his Meme-level lines from Sonic Adventures 1 and 2, Knuckles going "OH NO" and singing horrible raps, Silver screaming "IT'S NO USE!"), while others would be bad (Shadow being "interested" in Sonic, Knuckles being dumb as bricks, faking long loading screens, and more).
Admit it, it would be awesome.

• Not really, it would make the Broken Base problem even worse by enraging a lot of the fans for wasting a whole game for a single joke... and let's not talk about how critics and the internet would mock the game because of this.
  • Thankfully, it's Jossed.

The antagonist of the game is not Eggman, but one of his creations, most likely Metal Sonic.

It wouldn't be the first time Metal's gone berserk on him trying to defeat Sonic once and for all. As for what happened to Eggman, he may have been enslaved by his own creation... or he may find himself forced to work with Sonic once more.

• Most likely the new villain, Infinite, given this guy's name and menacing appearance...
  • CONFIRMED, by, of all things, Sonic Mania.
    • Hold your horses; it's NOT confirmed yet. This game has Dr. Eggman as the main antagonist, and the trailer for Infinite mentions him being "at the tip of the spear". Besides, this game isn't even released yet, so we can't confirm or deny this until we piece together the full story connecting Mania and Forces.
• Jossed. The Big Bad and Final Boss is still Dr. Eggman.

Alternatively, Eggman Nega is the antagonist.

Whether or not he bothers disguising himself as the real Dr. Eggman this time, though...

• Jossed.

Eggman will go Super.

This one's a bit far out there, but: although the game might likely involve collecting the Chaos Emeralds, they won't be used to power up Sonic for the final battle against Eggman, rather, Eggman will use them to power himself up to fight a normal Sonic.

• It wouldn't be the first time a Eggman/Robotnik did that. Sonic the Comic Robotnik absorbed the power of the Chaos Emeralds, turning him into an omnipotent Reality Warper with Eye Beams. Of course, it took him a few months for his body to adjust to the power, during which he was stuck as an emerald statue.
  • There's also Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog for instances of the Doctor going Super, where Robotnik used the Chaos Emeralds to become Supreme High Robotnik.
• Oh God, this'll be Eggman Hates Furries all over again.
• Jossed.

The Big Bad will be Sonic the Hedgehog (SatAM) Robotnik.

After the Doomsday Project, he transported to the games' universe, and decides to prepare an invasion on the unprepared and unsuspecting inhabitants who are not used to his more dangerous ways.

• Or it'll be a future version of Eggman (that disturbs the current Eggman) who is an expy of SatAM Robotnik, or of Sonic the Comic Robotnik.
• Jossed.

The Big Bad will be Dr. Eggman teamed up with his past self, Dr. Robotnik once again.

• Jossed.

Eggman's power...

• Is Time Travel. He uses it to go into the past and set up secret, automated factories to build his Death Egg Robots, then returns to the present and unleashes them en masse (now that they've all been built). It would be similar to his plan in Sonic Generations, only he'd use Time Travel as part of a new scheme instead of using it to undo his past failures. In other words, even while Eggman is failing over and over during the events of every other game in the series, these factories are churning out robots for "Future/Present Day" Eggman to unearth in time for Forces.
  • Jossed. It is actually the Phantom Ruby from Sonic Mania.

Arnold the armadillo will be one of the main villains.

After years of abuse from Bubsy and his nieces, Arnold will go to the Sonic universe and meet Eggman, creating a plan to destroy both worlds by merging them with the world of Bubsy 3D. And Bubsy is here to stop Arnold.

• Jossed. The third character is a Custom Hero, meaning that Arnold won't be likely to appear as a villain.

Metal Sonic is behind everything again.

• It won't be the second time this happens, though.
  • Somewhat Jossed, as he is part of Dr. Eggman's Co-Dragons. Though this might change over time.
• Completely Jossed.

Eggman's Big Bad Ensemble consists of alternate dimension counterparts of those characters that stayed loyal/subservient to their respective Eggmen

Namely, Chaos comes from a dimension where Eggman didn't give him all seven Chaos Emeralds (and thus trigger his mad rampage), Shadow comes from a dimension where Biolizard didn't go crazy (thus driving Shadow and Eggman apart over whether to let the world be destroyed or not — though this means Shadow still wants to avenge Maria), this Metal Sonic never went insane, and Zavok comes from a world where Eggman never lost the Cacophonic Conch. It was in the process of fetching these duplicates that Eggman also accidentally brought Classic Sonic into the present to join the fight against him.

• Problem with the Shadow one: The Biolizard didn't drive them apart. Eggman was working with Team Sonic and Rouge to stop the ARK from crashing into the Earth, and Shadow started helping them out when the Biolizard showed up.
  • What if it's during the events of Adventure 2 and not after it?
    • Jossed. They are just Virtual Reality projections made by the Phantom Ruby.

Shadow is only pretending to side with Eggman

The press release tells us Shadow fights "for his own reasons". This could mean he's possibly being blackmailed to aid Eggman or that he's using Eggman and Infinite's resources/powers for his own ends. If the above WMG about the game featuring multiple dimensions is true, he may just want access to a dimension where the Space Colony ARK wasn't attacked.

• Jossed. The "Shadow" seen in the trailer was a Phantom Ruby projection, and the real Shadow is on the heroes' side.

Chaos is a villain because of the events of Sonic Generations.

The events of Sonic Generations unquelled his rage against the world. The Time Eater or some other unseen entity like maybe Infinite prevented Tikal, the Chao, and others to quell Chaos's rage. It allowed to Chaos to wander around or stick with someone angry at the world for an unknown amount of time. Sonic didn't stick around to make sure Chaos calmed down again.

• Jossed.

Eggman's boss battles will take the form of two-phase throwbacks to his earlier machines.

Phase one is a boss from the Classic era, while phase two has Eggman pull out a boss mech from the Dreamcast/Modern era. This may also extend to the Final Boss in some way, should Eggman be the final boss.

• The Death Egg Robot is indeed the final boss; as its third phase bears similarities to the Nega-Wisp Armor and Eggrobo. However, that and the Egg-Mobile H/Egg Dragoon are the only Eggman boss fights.

The other members of the Deadly Six will at least be mentioned in the story by Zavok.

This may be a stretch, but seeing as Shadow's either had his memory wiped and was made Eggman's slave or joined forces with him to get to a dimension where Maria didn't die at GUN's hands, Chaos is free from the Master Emerald, and Metal Sonic is now obeying Eggman, this is a teensy bit likely.

• Alternatively, the Deadly Six are in the game, but they're used for the other characters to fight as opposed to the playable characters. For example, we have a blurb from Amy who says she's fighting Zeena and Knuckles talks about how crazy this Zazz guy is. Meanwhile, Zavok, the leader of the Deadly Six, just fights against Sonic. The others are there, they're just not present on-screen.
• Jossed. Zavok is the only member of the Deadly Six to appear in this game.

Zavok is working for Eggman again because Eggman has managed to obtain the Cacophonic Conch again.

Either he found it himself or someone else gave to him, like Metal Sonic or Infinite.

• Jossed.

Shadow is on the dark side because of Rouge and Omega.

Considering how they've been absent on the trailers and gameplay, perhaps Eggman has done something to them and forced Shadow to work with the villains.

• I don't think the other Team Dark members are going to be involved; especially since they have motives of their own. (Rouge hunting for gems and Omega proving that he is a superior E-100 series robot.)
  • E-123 Omega hates Dr. Eggman and wants to build an empire of his own. It's the time to kill Dr. Eggman and take over his empire.
  • As Rouge is shown to be part of the Resistance, Omega might partake in the war as well.
  • Omega showed up for a split second in the latest trailer, which means he's in!
    • ...Only in his broken-down state and at the very end of the game.
• Jossed. Shadow is part of the Resistance, and the other Shadow was merely a fake illusion.

Eggman's rule caused this game's version of Green Hill Zone to lack its waterfalls and replaced with quicksand through Chaos.

Chaos drained Green Hill Zone's water.

Zavok is Chaos's true master.

Just like his title◊ dictates.

• Hold up. My theory is that Zavok is a "Master/King of Chaos", not because he orders Chaos like a slave to him(or even knew and met the water god in the past), but his great strength allows him to cause havoc and destruction. No pun intended there.

The villains are the Deadly Six of Sonic Forces and an evil Five-Man Band.

• Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik: Big Bad
• Infinite: The Dragon
• Shadow the Hedgehog: Evil Genius
• Zavok: The Brute
• Metal Sonic: The Heart
• Chaos: Sixth Ranger
• Eggman Nega: The Man Behind the Man
  • How exactly does Eggman Nega fit in? I mean, he's probably still stuck in Ifrit's dimension.
  • Eggman Nega will appear with no explanation, similar to Eggman leaving the White Void.
• Jossed.

The villains, as well as Classic Sonic, are reproductions of their usual selves

While it's possible, it's a bit unlikely that Sonic Team will be dealing with time manipulation again right after Sonic Generations. So, a possibility is that the villains have been actually recreated by Infinite; Classic Sonic could be easily a recreation too, although it remains to known by who. Maybe even the custom hero could be a reproduction as well.

• Why is the Time Traveling Silver the Hedgehog involved with Sonic Forces then?
  • Beats me. For all I know, he hails from the future and may be a great great descendant of previous characters from the last 200 years.
  • Silver traveled
• Confirmed and Jossed, for the villains and Classic Sonic respectively.

Zavok will finally (re)introduce himself to Sonic.

Or at least Zavok will say what his name is to Sonic, as none of the characters mentioned Zavok's name in Sonic Lost World, and presumably Sonic doesn't know what Zavok's name is, assuming he didn't learn it from Dr. Eggman, or Orbot, or Cubot, or from another source off-screen.

• Then exactly how did the reverse happen? As in Sonic calling out Zavok's name when he appears (even though he is an illusion)?

Lyric will return.

If different dimensions or dimensional travel is involved, then it's possible for Lyric to return.

• Jossed.

Chaos is a spy for the resistance.

Chaos is a lot smarter than anyone seems to give him credit for. He managed to deceive Eggman all through Sonic Adventure until he found all seven emeralds. So he would be perfect as a spy. After all he's basically a god of destruction, a big hulking brute. And with his connections with Tikal, whom he could be using to pass along info to Knuckles, would be the perfect spy with Eggman being the only one to suspect him only to get shot down by the others who underestimate him. (Shadow is too cocksure in his power, Zavok thinks Chaos is a brute, Metal is just there, and Infinite would be more interested in his own agenda or already aware and letting it happen for his own personal endgame.)

• Jossed. They are just projections from the Phantom Ruby, after all...

Shadow is a villain because Sonic and his friends have no Chao Garden.

• Jossed; Shadow is still on the heroes' side.

Eggman's new power is Dimensional Travel.

Similar to Lego Dimensions. He can use it to access any dimension, summon any enemy.

• Jossed.

Chaos 1, Chaos 3, and Chaos 5 will finally be fought.

• Jossed. Even Chaos 0 isn't fought!

Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik wanted to conquer the world because everyone forgot about his birthday.

Shadow turned traitor because he didn't get invited to Sonic's birthday party.

• Jossed. Shadow is still on the heroes' side.

Orbot is secretly the leader of the resistance, while Infinite is Cubot's true form.

• Jossed. Knuckles is the Resistance leader, and both Cubot and Infinite are separate entities.

Shadow was pulled through time from before or during the events of Sonic Adventure 2.

This explains his sudden turn back to villainy.

• Jossed.

Robotnik extracted the darkness in Silver's heart, thus spawning Infinite.

...really? You're pulling a WMG from Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep?

• Jossed.

There's a Shadow Android involved with the team of villains.

Shadow the Android took the Chaos Emeralds and used it to defeat Shadow the Original and captured him so Eggman can tamper with his mind like Gerald tampered with Shadow's mind and everything else after Maria died to set up his doomsday agenda.

• Or the Shadow shown in the trailer will be in fact a Shadow Android, or Mephiles posing as the real Shadow.
  • Close enough. He's a fake projection of the Phantom Ruby, along with the other 3 villains.

Dr. Eggman cloned Shadow.

Dr. Eggman had Shadow locked up for an undetermined amount of time before and all the Shadow Androids he created was an attempt to copy Shadow and cloned him just in case the original wouldn't be so useful to him. Eggman has kept the Shadow Clone(s) hidden away as a back-up plan should something happen to the original Shadow.

Dr. Eggman will be the Final Boss once again.

I mean, sure, why not? This has been occuring since Colors, Generations, and Lost World.

• Confirmed. He is last fought in a Death Egg Robot machine.

Shadow is Future Shadow.

He was sealed when humanity turned against him and they used his best friend E-123 Omega to do it. He was later released and wants revenge against humanity for what they did to him.

• Jossed. He's a fake.

Chaos's reason for spreading panic and disorder throughout the world is he realized he's not good at taking care of the Chao.

• Jossed. He's a fake.

Dr. Eggman has removed Sonic from the timeline. He has been gone in this timeline since Sonic CD.

It caused Ivo and Eggman Nega to kill Blaze.

• ... ...oh, hell no...
• Jossed, Sonic was just kidnapped and imprisoned on the Death Egg.

Dr. Eggman built a wall around his dimension.

This prevents Blaze the Cat from appearing and assisting Sonic.

• So... Eggman is really the Donald Trump of Sonic's world?

Zazz will interact with Infinite.

Liam O'Brien voices both characters, so it would be interesting to see.

• Jossed.

The main villains' locations and where they will be fought at

My guess:

• Shadow the Hedgehog: City Heights/Park Avenue
• Zavok: Lost Hex
• Dr. Eggman: Green Hill Zone
• Infinite: Final Boss
  • (I'm not sure about Chaos and Metal Sonic, though.)
    • Partially jossed. Metal Sonic will be fought in Park Avenue, meaning Shadow's boss fight will likely take place somewhere else.
• Further Jossed. Zavok is fought a quarter through the game as the first boss, Infinite is fought thrice (the third time being the penultimate boss), and Eggman is still the Final Boss (though he is fought in Green Hill as Classic Sonic's only solo boss fight). Meanwhile, Shadow and Chaos are not faced in-game.

Shadow is Brainwashed.

Either by Dr. Eggman or Infinite. If you look closely at his eyes in the "Enter Infinite" trailer, he doesn't have regular eyes.

• Jossed. The "Shadow" seen in the trailer was merely a projection of the Phantom Ruby, along with Chaos, Metal Sonic, and Zavok.

Eggman will betray everyone.

He will reveal himself to be Eggman Nega and he'll try to kill everyone. Eggman is either imprisoned again or he is in Blaze's dimension trying to get the Power of the Stars again.

• Jossed; he's still the real Eggman. Though he does betrey Infinite.

The Hard-Boiled Heavies will make an appearance in some capacity.

• Jossed.

Shadow is possessed by Mario.

• So... where's Cappy and his (Mario) eyes?

The pyramids located in Green Hill Zone are built by Eggman, who The Illuminati sponsors.

The Illuminati runs the Green Hill Zone pyramids and have a major influence on the plot.

• Semi-Confirmed. The pyramids are built by Eggman, but nothing else.

Shadow is Boom!Shadow.

• Unlikely, he still looks like regular Shadow.
  • Jossed. He is a projection of Infinite.

Metal Sonic will be voiced again

.And just as back then, his voice actor will be the same as Sonic's (Roger Craig Smith).

• Jossed. He is mute.

Not every villain will join Eggman's side.

No seriously, it's only Shadow, Metal Sonic, Chaos, Zavok, and the new villain Infinite who will join his conquest for world domination, nothing else.

Metal Sonic, Chaos, Zavok, Shadow, and Infinite are part of a Boy Band.

The Heavy King disguised himself as Dr. Eggman and he imprisoned the real one.

He hadn't given up on getting the mysterious and powerful purple gem that presumably belongs to Infinite.

• Funnily enough, Metal Sonic did something similar back in Sonic Heroes. The only difference was that he wanted to become ruler of a robotic empire.
  • Jossed.

Chaos will be fought in Chemical Plant Zone.

Since it's been indirectly confirmed that Chemical Plant Zone will be appearing in Sonic Forces, it could be possible that Chaos will be fought there. After all, it would make sense because Chaos can take advantage of all the chemicals in the area to alter their abilites to defeat the player.

• Chemical Plant appears to have taken its inspiration from Generations. So that would be a perfect bet. Like, for example, if Chaos absorbs green chemicals, it will perform a super stomp.
  • Jossed. Chaos isn't actually fought.

The version of Shadow in this game isn't from Sonic Adventure 2.

Instead, he hails from the Dark Ending of Shadow the Hedgehog or the Neutral Ending where he kills Eggman and comes to the conclusion that he's an android. Shadow's more antagonistic mindset can be warped by Infinite due to the former's more vulnerable mental state.

Shadow the Hedgehog is a mole

Yes, he's taken a level in jerkass lately, but it seems extremely out of character for him to abandon the promise he made to the person who mattered to him most, or that he would willingly betray Rouge or E-123 Omega, the two characters he came the closest to calling "friend" since Maria. Unless one of the earlier WMGs is accurate and he's from a time before he had his Heel–Face Turn (or even that his Heel–Face Turn was subject to Cosmic Retcon), he's very likely not truly on Eggman's side.

• Mostly jossed; he is indeed working for the Resistance, but he's no mole or anything. The Shadow working for Eggman is a Phantom Ruby-induced illusion.
  • Actually, this is still likely. It's possible that Shadow was pretending to be one of multiple of his clones. It is mentioned that the Resistance had a spy on the inside...

Shadow the Hedgehog and Metal Sonic will be a Dual Boss for one boss battle.

Maybe part of a Tag Team Stage where they will fight Modern Sonic and Avatar/Custom Hero.

• Jossed. Only Metal Sonic is fought in the Tag Team boss fight.

Shadow, Chaos, and Zavok were recruited by Eggman after he conquered Earth

Seeing as how Sonic was prevented from stopping Eggman early on, that means he would have been free to seize the planet through whatever means available. He could have not reached Angel Island until he found out about Chaos, so he could have invaded the Floating Island to unleash the beast, smashing the Master Emerald and burning the island just in case (which makes Knuckles homeless and able to lead The Resistance). Having already conquered much of the planet, he keeps Chaos just as one of his enforcers and does not give him any Chaos Emeralds at all (making him far easier to control). Then he finds about Shadow the Hedgehog after ransacking the now crushed G.U.N.'s leftover files and frees Shadow from his prison. Having conquered the world, he doesn't need the Eclipse Cannon and so Shadow doesn't have anything to con him into destroying humanity with. Instead, Eggman appeals to Shadow's loyalty to Gerald and Maria by noting he is not just Gerald's grandson, but his heir who is avenging him and Maria. Lastly, he gets his hands on the conch and binds Zavok to him.

Dr. Eggman has either completely lost his mind or is being impersonated or mind-controlled.

In pretty much all of Eggman's prior appearances in games with actual plots, Eggman has always wanted to conquer the world, not destroy it, and took steps to keep his plans from spiraling out of control and ruining everything. In Sonic Adventure, Eggman and Chaos's partnership spectacularly fell apart once Chaos got all the Chaos Emeralds and started destroying far more than Eggman wanted him to. In Sonic Adventure 2, Eggman teamed up with Sonic and company to stop the ARK from crashing into the Earth. In Shadow the Hedgehog, Eggman opposed the Black Arms because he didn't approve of all the damage they were causing, nor was he fine with their ultimate goal. In Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), he helped organize the hunt for the Chaos Emeralds to revive Sonic so Solaris could be stopped from devouring space-time. In Sonic Lost World, the game immediately preceding Sonic Forces, Eggman once again teamed up with Sonic to stop the Deadly Six from draining all the life energy of Earth and killing everything on it.

It is very, very strange that after so many games where Eggman has tried to protect the planet so that he'd be able to conquer it, once he actually has conquered it, he would try to destroy it. This is not the same Eggman we're familiar with. The Eggman we're familiar with would be completely aghast at the plot to destroy the world, especially once he has what he wants. So it's incredibly likely that Eggman is either under Mind Control (perhaps from Infinite), being impersonated (most likely by Eggman Nega again), or has just completely lost his mind, just like his grandfather all those years ago. Why Eggman would descend into this severely-Out of Character state is unclear, though — everyone he's been shown to truly care about (read: his grandfather) has died long ago, so why has he only now snapped?

Metal Sonic will be more than an early-game boss.

• Considering how he's on the box art along with Dr. Eggman and Infinite, it's very possible that he'll have a much bigger role in the story. Not to mention that Sonic Heroes had him impersonate Eggman with the claim that in 3 days, he would conquer the world with an ultimate weapon.
• Jossed.

A majority of the game's bosses will be fought more than once.

• After all, it would be a waste if the Egg Dragoon were only to be fought as an early-game boss. Or if Eggman's new villain team or even Infinite are fought once and never seen again.
• Sadly Jossed.
  • Well, except for Infinite, who is fought a total of three times throughout the game.

Several of Eggman's old machines will be making a return.

• Such as the Egg Emperor or the Egg Nega Wisp. Since Eggman has conquered the world, it would be nice to see Eggman's other machines as bosses in the game.
  • Only Infinite is fought more than once, but Eggman does fight a few times, just never in the same robot. The only returning Mech is the Egg Dragoon.

Eggman's plan is similar to the Super Genesis Wave

Ending the world for no reason does not seem like Eggman's style. I think his plan is to build up enough of Infinite's reality warping power (which will take about three days) to recreate the world in his own image. Mainly a world where Sonic and his friends were never (and in Silver's case never will be) born.

• Jossed. It's more The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, but with the Sun instead, and the falling sun being a Phantom Ruby illusion.

The Big Bad will be Doctor Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik, but there will be a Greater-Scope Villain behind both him and Infinite.

This Greater-Scope Villain will be the future version of Doctor Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik, dying of old age. He is seeking to rid himself of Sonic forever, even if he has to destroy everything to do so. After all, he is dying anyway and he can't rule the world if he is dead, so he decides to take Sonic and the world with him, with one last battle.

While Sonic fights Metal Sonic, Knuckles will be shown to be fighting Mecha Sonic in a battle.

Mecha Sonic will be a boss that Knuckles can fight if he gets DLC. Mecha Sonic will not care about beating Sonic; he will just want revenge on Knuckles for beating him when Mecha Sonic had turned into Super Mecha Sonic.

• Jossed

Dark Gaia returns.

Sonic admitted he's afraid, he expressed fear before when he faced Dark Gaia.

• Jossed. It does not appear in the game.

Ix created the Phantom Ruby.

Eggman sent Cubot to Blaze's dimension to distract her and prevent her from coming over to ruin everything.

• How will Cubot prevent Blaze from doing a Big Damn Heroes moment(which I doubt will ever happen)? ...Wait, don't tell me. He has multiple voice chips. Actually that would explain why Orbot is in the game and not Cubot. Until then, let's just wait for the full game before we can confirm Cubot being in the game or not.
  • Jossed. Cubot will be helping out Eggman along with Orbot for the creation of Infinite.

The Hard Boiled Heavies were part of Squad Jackal.

Jossed, they aren't even from the same dimension.

Sonic(s), The Avatar

Classic Sonic is merely an 11th-Hour Ranger.

This looks like a finale towards the acts of the game where Classic joins in to team up with Modern.

• I don't know... sure, there's a whole trope about trailers containing spoilers, but it seems kind of unlikely that they would have something like that in the very first teaser.
  • Jossed; they team up much earlier than that.

Sonic and Classic Sonic will follow the other in their respective levels a la Sonic Heroes.

Judging from how Classic Sonic runs just behind Sonic at the end of the trailer (and attacks the debris). You won't switch between them as in Heroes, but they will contribute in combat as in that game.

• Seemingly Jossed as the gameplay trailer for Modern Sonic shows him running solo on the assault, without Classic Sonic following him.
  • However... there is a new fourth gameplay mode which involves Sonic and the Avatar instead, so it's Jossed for Sonic and Classic Sonic, but not Jossed for two playable characters in one stage.
  • Double Jossed! In the final phase of the final fight, all three characters are controlled together!
    • Hate to rain on your parade; but you technically control Sonic only. You only use Classic Sonic and your Avatar for the homing attacks (including Sonic himself).

If we get a third Sonic and it's not Boom!Sonic, it will be his future self (and another redesign).

The redesign doesn't need to be drastic as Classic->Modern or Modern->Boom, just a few slight tweaks to indicate Sonic has aged another few years will do.

• Jossed. According to this silhouette◊, he doesn't appear to look like a third Sonic and more-or-less a new character. It's also stated in the Famitsu magazine discussion that Boom!Sonic indeed won't appear in this game, but it's not a third Sonic, but rather, your own character.

One of the bosses will be Sonic the Comic Super Sonic.

Unlike the other Sonics, Sonic the Comic Sonic does not need the Chaos Emeralds to go Super Sonic, he can transform when stressed like Bruce Banner; however, that isn't a good thing, because Super Sonic is Sonic's Superpowered Evil Side who, after destroying the one who caused the transformation, usally tries to kill Sonic's friends and anyone else about.

• Jossed — Super Sonic doesn't play a role in the main game at all.

Dreamcast!Sonic will join the battle.

As a number of people have pointed out, the Sonics in the trailer are arranged so that a third Sonic could reasonably fit within the lineup. Like how Generations before it was divided between the "Classic," Dreamcast" (even though one Dreamcast stage was not on a Dreamcast game, but I digress), and "Modern" eras, the two Sonics will be joined by their Dreamcast-era equivalent (who will be voiced by either Ryan Drummond or Jason Griffith). While they said it won't be a Generations sequel, that still seems rather suspect.

• Somewhat Jossed in Sonic Generations, as Dreamcast!Sonic is the same as Modern Sonic.
  • Wait a moment. Classic Sonic is said to be from an "alternate dimension" and not the past. Maybe Classic Sonic is actually... Dreamcast Sonic from the past?
    • Huh? When did they say that?
    • Eggman says it. "You've got a lot of nerve for a pint-sized Sonic from another dimension!" Please note how Eggman says "another dimension" rather than "another time or timeline". This means that Classic Sonic is Sonic as a kid is Retconned.
    • Not really, it's more than likely that the Classic Sonic from Generations is still Sonic's past self, and the one in Forces is (as stated) from another dimension. Honestly, why do people insist on making some things more complicated than they should be?
    • Heck, it's not even confirmed if it's the same Classic Sonic from Generations until we get the full story.
    • A recent stream confirmed that the Classic Sonic in Forces is not only from Mania, but — with the line from Eggman about him being from another dimension — from another dimension, not timeline. And since Dreamcast Sonic and Modern Sonic are the same being, this WMG is Jossed.
    • Unless... the Mania universe is actually the Dreamcast universe! Evidence? Take a look at the citizens in this game. They are shown to be anthropomorphic animals instead of humans. So it's likely that the Mania verse will have humans for their population. ...Yeah. sounds crazy. But I'll take your word for it.

The game WON'T be a huge Crisis Crossover with every version of Sonic.

Seriously guys, nothing so far has suggested that. At most, we might get Sonic Satam or Boom in this.

• We can dream!
  • Actually, no. It will never happen. The latest Famitsu magazine states that Boom Sonic will not appear in this game. Instead, the third character is a brand new character, the Avatar. He/she has his/her own unique gameplay style. Therefore, Jossed.

Modern Sonic will get shafted in the story.

By this, I mean that Modern Sonic will simply get the short end of the stick when it comes to things happening to him and the like. Because, let's face it — is Modern Sonic actually the reason the worse side of the fanbase are even focused on this game? And considering his rough patch story-wise with Tails in Lost World, even when he knew he had screwed up and was trying to make amends, I would not be at all surprised if the story and events become heavily skewed against him, potentially to Butt-Monkey levels — with the Modern Sonic retcon theory above being the logical extreme conclusion to this kind of scenario. The sad part is that Classic Sonic or Tails wouldn't even need to be a Designated Hero for this to happen.

• Well, considering that the story seems to focus more on the Avatar...
  • Modern Sonic gets kidnapped, imprisoned, and tortured for six months at the start of the game. Does that count?

The new character is a hedgehog, porcupine, or echidna...

...and Amy will mistake him for Sonic yet again, continuing the Running Gag from Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic '06, and Sonic Unleashed.

• According to this silhouette◊, I don't think so. He looks more like a wolf. It's probably Jossed until further information is released at E3.
  • Jossed, the newest trailer shows it to be an avatar.
    • Semi-Jossed, actually. You can even create a hedgehog avatar.
    • OP here. No, it's fully Jossed because the customizable nature of the new character means that the "Amy mistakes another hedgehog for Sonic" Running Gag would feel out of place with anything but a hedgehog, and so the writers likely won't use it.
    • ...You do realize the game itself isn't even out yet, right? Then again, we'll just have to wait and see. Until then, this remains Semi-Jossed. (For the new character being a hedgehog of course, since you can actually create one.)
    • Well, Amy indeed doesn't mistake the Avatar for Sonic. Not even if you choose to make him or her a Hedgehog.

Classic Sonic will finally be able to speak.

This may seem like a missed opportunity, but Sonic's past self being able to speak for the first time may be 10% possible to happen.

• Jossed.

The third playable character will be the new character and the leader of the game's third faction/ force.

Takashi Iizuka said the title of the game was meant to evoke different forces: good, evil, and others. What if the new character is a Broken Ace / Anti-Hero who clashes with the Sonics over the course of the game, only to become motivated to fight back/fight for more than just those closest to them?

• Confirmed. The third gameplay style will belong to the Custom Hero, more specifically, your own character. Also, Jossed for the latter case, he/she will join the fight with the two Sonics as well as the other resistance members.

The Eggman of this world won because its Sonic turned bad.

• Likely Jossed. It's pretty much certain that the Sonic from Forces is Modern Sonic.
  • Jossed fully. Eggman, with the help of Infinite, was able to defeat and capture Sonic.

Sega will pull a Dragon Ball Xenoverse and make the third character a customizable Player Character.

• It's one of the few things the franchise hasn't done yet. It also ties in neatly into the 'Join the Resistance' tagline, as this series of tweets suggests.
• CONFIRMED.

The new character would seem to be either an Expy of a certain weasel or a certain wolf.

• This is just basically what I'm thinking, but maybe SEGA is trying this method for the new protagonist from the look of the silhouette. It could be either weasel or wolf, at least to me. Just thought I'd throw my hat into the mix and guess.
  • Jossed in the newest trailer: It is an Avatar.
    • Actually Semi-Jossed. You can make a wolf avatar as well, though they aren't much of an expy.

The third playable character is a returning old face

According to Takashi Iizuka, the third character will be an "unexpected character". Not necessarily "new", but one we won't expect. Since any new character would be unexpected anyway, this seems awfully specific. So I'm venturing a guess this is going to be a character we know of, whether or not it's an alternate universe version of said character, or the original deal.

• Jossed. The third character is an Avatar, which you can customize to your liking.

Possible VAs for the Custom Hero.

In the case the hero also gets custom voices in-game like in Xenoverse. It would be also nice if some of the voices (Male and Female) are also Actor Allusions to previous roles related to the certain animal.

• Hedgehog: (Male) Jason Griffth (ENG)/Takeshi Kusao (JPN) (Takeshi played Sonic in the SegaSonic The Hedgehog arcade game), (Female) Kira Buckland (ENG)/Megumi Han (JPN)
• Bird: (Male) Michael Yurchak (ENG)/Daisuke Kishio (JPN), (Female) Kate Higgins (ENG)/Chie Nakamura (JPN)
• Bear: (Male) Brian Beacock (ENG)/Mistuki Saiga (JPN), (Female) Sarah Natochemy (ENG)/Tarako Isono (JPN)
  • They actually do get voices; but they're the same for all species. All I know is that one of the female voice actresses in Japan is Aoi Yūki.

The custom character is a living paradox

They are a person with multiple backstories, personalities, and abilities thanks to the changes in the timeline Eggman caused. This will explain any further customization to the character's appearance and abilities if they can be edited later in the game.

• Jossed. The custom character is actually just an ordinary, regular person who eventually joins forces with Sonic the Hedgehog to reclaim the world from Dr. Eggman. As stated in an interview with Takashi Iizuka and Shun Nakamura here.

Custom Hero will only get a super form if they are a male hedgehog.

If the Sonic Bible hadn't changed the "rules".

• This seems unlikely. The story would have to change dramatically depending on whether you play as a male or a female character (considering Super Mode is mostly used as an Eleventh Hour Super Power), and that's much more trouble than it's worth. Not to mention, it would result in some HEAVY backlash from critics and (female) fans.
• Jossed. The main trio don't go super against the final boss, so all is well. Even when it became DLC, only Modern and Classic Sonic can go super upon gathering 50 rings.

In addition to the above, custom characters who don't get super modes will get to use the Final Color Blaster.

Since they have a weapon that can utilize the wisp powers.

• Jossed.

The custom character can use Chaos Control once they get an emerald.

• You mean like Shadow the Hedgehog?
• Yes. Like that and like Sonic and Shadow in the SA2 multiplayer.
  • Jossed — the Chaos Emeralds don't even play a role in the main game, after all.

The Avatar will have some sort of important connection to Infinite.

Something tells me that not only is the Avatar going to be from a different dimension, but that it's the same one as whatever dimension Infinite will have come from (who will most likely have come from another dimension, knowing SEGA).

• Jossed, as it's Shadow who has a connection to Infinite, not the Avatar.
• Actually, it's only semi-Jossed, as the Avatar also has a connection to Infinite due to him murdering his/her friends and family, as well as the town/city they lived in.

The Custom Hero is from another dimension.

• Jossed. They belong in Sonic's world.

All the Wisps will get their own Wispon weapons

This may be farfetched, but considering we see a Lightning Wispon, a Burst Wispon, and what looks like a Frenzy Wispon, this seems likely.

• I'd say the latter one looks more like a Void Wispon.
  • Jossed. Not every single Wisp will have Wispons. The only ones who do get Wispon versions are the Red (Burst), Ivory (Lightning), Blue (Cube), Yellow (Drill), Green (Hover), Indigo (Asteroid), and Violet (Void) Wisps. White (Boost) Wispons can be seen being used by background resistance soldiers, but the Custom Hero doesn't get to use one. More Wispons appear in the comics, such as the Variable Wispon (which might be based on Wisp Capsules or, potentially, the Final Color Blaster), the Spike Wispon, etc.

Cutscenes that star Classic Sonic and the Avatar/Custom Hero will have awkward silence.

It is mentioned that the playable characters have separate story modes and Classic Sonic and the Avatar/Custom Hero haven't been heard to speak any coherent words yet so cutscenes would be like:

Metal Sonic: "Long time no see Sonic, my loathsome copy."

Classic Sonic: "...-_-..."

Metal Sonic: "...Time to die."

Chaos: "..."

Avatar/Custom Hero: "..."

Chaos: "..."

Avatar/Custom Hero: "..."

Chaos: *attacks*

• Alternatively, other characters will speak on their behalf, such as Tails for Classic Sonic as heard in one fight against Eggman and Zavok will speak for Chaos.
  • Actually, the Avatar/Custom Hero is confirmed to speak in the cutscenes and have grunts within gameplay. We might even change the voice of our Avatar if possible. Like a peppy energetic one for the female character, or a manly tough one for the male character.
  • I really don't wanna be THAT person but... Is there a citation for that?
    • Easy. Though I'm not sure if Aaron is the guy you want to trust...
• Or alternatively, us players can talk for the Avatar/Custom Hero. It's kind of like them having inner thoughts of some sort, heard from our voices.
• The trio would interact with each other and find themselves in some awkward conversations. It would be like:
  Modern Sonic: "All right guys, what’s the plan?"
  Classic Sonic: *gestures wildly*
  Custom Character: *makes various noises in response* *gestures*
  Classic Sonic: *angrily gestures back*
  Custom Character: *offended gasp*
  Modern Sonic: "Uh…you know what, I’ll just do my own thing." *runs off*
  'Custom Character: "Ah…!" *facepalms*
  Classic Sonic: !!!
• Semi-Jossed. Classic Sonic is the only one who is mute; but the Avatar does grunt in cutscenes and in the gameplay itself. You can even select grunts for them.

The origins of the Wispons...

The Resistance stole it from Dr. Eggman and gave it to the Custom Hero/Avatar.

• Seems to be Jossed.

Sonic Forces is going to have a Bittersweet Ending.

The Avatar/Custom Hero will die to save the world.

• Actually, it is Classic Sonic who gets the sacrifice.
  • Not even that, actually. Classic Sonic only returns to his timeline.

The Avatar's Super Form will be the "Super Bubble" from Sonic Heroes and will use a Wispon version of the Final Color Blaster.

• Even though it doesn't show up in the main game, because the Emeralds don't play a role in the game, this would be a good compromise should they gain a Super Form in a later game.

Sonic will learn how to Flash Step.

He may need to if he wants to beat Infinite.

Sonic will actually be the deuteragonist, with the Avatar as the actual main protagonist.

Or that this will be debatably the case ala Chrom and Robin from Fire Emblem: Awakening, with the Avatar being the character the story is generally told through the eyes of, regardless of if they are the main protagonist or deuteragonist.

• Is this going to be a case of "Emerl from Sonic Battle as the protagonist" sort of thing?
  • Honestly, I'd like that.
    • Me too, friend, me too. Which means you're not alone.
• Confirmed to a certain extent. In the first half of the game, Sonic gets kidnapped by the villains, and it's up to the Avatar to find him, with help from the Resistance.

The Avatar/Custom Hero scarred Infinite.

• Jossed. Infinite's first encounter with the Avatar happened shortly after Sonic's defeat.

Dragon species will be an option for the Custom Hero as DLC.

Sonic and the Avatar/Custom Hero will kiss in the end.

• That could work... if the Avatar is female. Sorry, no gay fanfics for you guys out there.
  • ...why not?
    • Two words: Broken Base.
• Jossed. They do Fist Bump, though.

Sonic will be Ship Tease with the Avatar/Custom Hero at various points.

• There is a lot of hand-holding going on between them in the Tag Team-sections...

The Avatar can wear Blaze the Cat's outfit.

• Apparently from what I heard, there can be a Shadow the Hedgehog outfit for those who pre-ordered the game. So why not?
  • Jossed. Blaze's outfit does not show up. Not even as DLC.

Classic Sonic is The Mole for Infinite.

A lot of people have accused Classic Sonic's appearance of being there just because he can be there. His appearance, however, might make a little sense if he actually shouldn't be there in the first place.

This is basically going off of if Infinite has any connection to Mania's Phantom Ruby, because if this is the case, then Classic Sonic is the only one who has any form of previous direct connections with him apart from (possibly) Eggman. Infinite might have showed himself to Classic Sonic with intent to kill him; the hedgehog, having understood what his future amounts to, decides to try and save his own skin... by selling out his future counterpart. Intrigued by the offer, Infinite agrees to cut the deal to him, and of course, Classic Sonic is thrust into the events of Forces and "joins" Modern Sonic's team.

Classic Sonic is only going through his stages and destroying Eggman's machines to keep up appearances, and the same will apply for if Infinite decides to "attack" Classic Sonic. And, let's be honest... Classic Sonic is a borderline Sacred Cow and it's unlikely that Modern Sonic or his friends would accuse Classic Sonic of being a traitor (and Modern Sonic would absolutely not get away with it if he casts suspicion on him in any way, justified or not)... which makes him the perfect candidate to be Modern Sonic's traitor.

• What if, instead, although still Infinite's 'mole', he isn't actually aware of his position as such and so has no idea that he's giving away the Resistance's secrets to Infinite? This could especially apply if it is true that Infinite can create illusions based on the characters and that Classic Sonic is one of those illusions.
• Jossed. Classic Sonic is on the heroes' side, and is not an illusion.

The reason for Classic Sonic's origin change...

...was to make it so Infinite and Eggman couldn't just kill him to easily get rid of modern Sonic.

Other Characters

Silver will play a major role in the plot.

The setting shown so far resembles Crisis City and Classic Sonic will also be appearing, implying time travel, and Silver is the series' most prominent time traveler. Also, it is the 25th (silver) anniversary.

• Confirmed.
  • Not quite.
    • Semi-confirmed; Silver (as well as the others) will communicate with the 3 heroes via radio, as shown in a small livestream demo for the game. He also causes Infinite to drop a Phantom Ruby Replica Prototype while fighting him, which gets picked up by the Custom Hero later on, and is used to prevent Infinite from killing the Custom Hero after his second boss fight, and shut down his and Eggman's Sun Drop plan.

Cosmo the Seedrian will make an appearance

If the above mentioned Crisis Crossover turns out to be true, then this would be a great opportunity for SEGA to finally put her in one of the games.

• ...How long ago did Sonic X end? Sega may very well not think she's relevant. Plus it would probably be too painful to have to blow her up again.
• Likely Jossed, as elements and characters introduced in Sonic X are not allowed to be included in other continuities due to copyright issues — Archie isn't even allowed to reprint their comics based on and taking place within the Sonic X continuity.

Every heroic Sonic Character will be playable.

Simply because that would make the game even more awesome. Imagine playing as Shortfuse in levels similar to Gamma, or having to go through a Ristar-esque level as Sonia.

• Jossed. Only Modern and Classic Sonic, as well as the customizable new character, will be playable. The other characters will be non-playable supporting characters.
  • With the exception of Shadow in the Episode Shadow DLC.

Some of the characters will be shocked to learn that Sonic The Comic Amy uses a crossbow instead of a hammer and how different her personality is.

Most of the Amy Roses will use their hammers but Sonic the Comic Amy will still use her crossbow, one of reason behind this is the Grandfather Clause Amy started using a crossbow long before the other Amys picked up a hammer. She will also be much more mature in personality, never even mentions the crush she had on Sonic, she will be tallest of all the Amys because she is older than them and have brown eyes like in the comic.

• Jossed.

Each different version of each character will have either a different outfit or a different design.

This will be to separate them from each version, so people can tell which character is which. For example, game Knuckles can appear as he usually appears while Sonic The Movie Knuckles will have his hat, game Tails will appear as usual whereas Sonic the Comic Tails will be wearing his Zonerunner coat and shades. You get the idea.

• Jossed.

Other characters will be playable again.

Since Sonic Generations, it seems that the people who want other characters to be playable again are growing a lot. A lot of people would be very happy, regardless of how they implemented it, if their favorite character was playable again.

• Sadly, Jossed. Only the two Sonics and the new custom character will be playables.
  • Actually Semi-Confirmed. Shadow the Hedgehog is playable through a free DLC campaign, titled "Episode Shadow". Whether he's going to be the only playable other than Sonic or the custom character or not is still under debate.

Alternatively, the third character is Blaze and the villain is either Eggman Nega or a Big Bad Duumvirate of him and Eggman proper.

While Blaze may stick out a bit from the two Sonics, 2017 is the 10-year anniversary of Sonic Rush Adventure and she's popular, so SEGA may decide to throw her fans a bone.

• As shown in the recent Nintendo Direct trailer for the game, the new character is indeed a cat (or feline-like), but whether it's Blaze or not we won't know until E3. Maybe she got a redesign?
  • I seriously doubt that's truly Blaze. Look at him/her. Do you see any signs of these grey cuff thingies she has? And besides, this new character looks more like a wolf than a cat.
    • Jossed. It's a new character entirely, a customizable character to be exact. And the villain is Eggman himself, with Infinite acting as his right-hand man.

A character will be introduced that is supposedly descended from Sonic and Amy...

...Only to reveal he is a descendant of those characters!... from the Sonic Boom universe. He'll become very embarrassed after The Reveal and misleading everybody.

• "ARE THERE ANY OTHER SONICS I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT?" "Whoops, one too many."
  • Jossed. Although you can create a hedgehog Avatar and there are Boom-related accessories such as the sportstape gloves and shoes.

G.U.N. will return

Their best agents, possibly including Team Dark, will be sent to control the outbreak or aid benefactors in the offensive against Eggman.

• During the gameplay trailer for Modern Sonic, we see that the Death Egg Robots are being counterattacked by opposing missiles. Maybe those missiles belong to G.U.N. themselves?
  • Alternatively, we might get animal Expies of the G.U.N. army, as shown in the demo in the Avatar level, there's a soldier that is an animal.
  • Alternatively, the soldier animals are a part of G.U.N.'s forces.
    • Unlikely, as this screenshot indicates that anthropomorphic animals are likely to replace the humans from previous Sonic games. Rouge and Shadow do appear, though.
• Jossed.

The third gameplay style has you controlling Tails.

It's been confirmed that Knuckles, Amy, and the Chaotix are all in the game, but non-playable. Tails, however, hasn't been mentioned in regards to the game at all. It's incredibly unlikely that he isn't in the game, and SEGA is keeping any details about the third gameplay style secret, apart from that it exists.

• Or maybe the third gameplay style is a more Wide-Open Sandbox approach. Mario's already coming out with one, so why not his rival?
  • Jossed. Tails won't be a playable, but rather, a side character.

Shade will return.

• Alternatively, a look-a-like will appear similar to what Sticks is to Marine.
• Jossed.

This silhouette◊ is the character Bubsy.

• Not really. Upon closer inspection, the new character is shown to have gloves and shoes. And I highly doubt that Bubsy will get redesigned, since another company owns him.
  • Jossed.
    • Not entirely jossed — jossed in the sense that Bubsy himself will be appearing, although you can create Bubsy as your own original character.
    • Technically still Jossed; there is no bobcat species (the only cat-related species you can create is a domestic one).

This silhouette◊ is Fang the Sniper/Nack the Weasel.

• If it were really Fang, he would have his trademark cowboy hat, which the silhouette isn't shown to have.
  • Jossed.

Silver is here for the same reason as Classic Sonic

• Sonic was summoned from the past due to Eggman's new power, so his power also reaching into the future is plausible and Silver is also trying to get back home. Either that, or he's been stuck in the present since Sonic Generations and will use Eggman's power as a way to go back in this game.
  • Jossed. Classic Sonic is from the Mania universe, while Silver is from the future. Silver has apparently arrived to the present time to warn Knuckles about the events in a comic strip, titled Stress Test.

Other "Classic" characters will appear.

Such as Dr. Robotnik, Tails, Amy Rose, Knuckles, Metal Sonic, The Chaotix, etc.

• Apparently Jossed for the moment. Aaron Webber mentioned that Classic Sonic is the only "Classic" character appearing in this game.
  • Completely Jossed. Classic Sonic is the only one appearing in this game; as he went through the portal during the Good Ending of Sonic Mania.

Sonic Man will return.

• Jossed.

This silhouette◊ is Wild Cat.

• Jossed.

Tails has teamed up with Eggman or succeeded him.

Note that in descriptions for Forces, while characters like Knuckles, Amy, and the Chaotix are confirmed, Tails has been noticeably left out. It should also be noted that the only (living) character (in the modern continuity) who can match or even succeed Eggman's robotics is Tails. And given the new seemingly superior-built robots that lack Eggman's egotistical touch to them, this Troper has gotten the impression that our fave twin-tailed vulpine has gone dark. (inb4 New character/Robotnik buttfucks this theory)

• Jossed. According to the Sonic Forces Demo at E3, during the gameplay stage for Classic Sonic, Tails is indeed helping out the heroes. By that I mean, during the fight against Dr. Eggman, Tails teases Eggman's expectations on his Egg Mobile saw blade and the Egg Dragoon.

Tails gave up.

If this rumor◊ is anything to go by.

• The latest trailer shows Tails spying on the villains (I think), which may indicate that he may have a bigger role in the plot. My guess: Tails will give up briefly, and then come back for the final act.
  • Likely Jossed: The gameplay for the new stage Casino Forest indicates that Tails will be helping out Classic Sonic, while the other Resistance members helps out Modern Sonic & the Avatar.
• Jossed. Tails is part of the Resistance and will be a major character throughout the game.
  • Unjossed... for a bit. Six months after Sonic was captured, Tails did give up... until he ends up meeting with Classic Sonic.
    • He still doesn't give up for the majority of the plot, though. And Modern Sonic was rescued right after the fourth level. Therefore, still Jossed.
    • He had given up for the past six months, and only got back into the groove of things when Classic Sonic showed up. He wasn't even aware that Modern Sonic was even alive until he overheard Infinite and Eggman's conversation in Green Hill Zone, before the fight with the latter. So, no, still Unjossed.

Tikal will return.

To take Chaos back to wherever they went to in the end of Sonic Adventure.

• Jossed.

Omochao is behind everything.

• Jossed.

E-123 Omega will be summoned by the Resistance to deal with Shadow.

E-123 Omega will defeat Shadow and seal him again, as Shadow proves far too dangerous to walk free.

• Unlikely, as Omega wouldn't imprison Shadow unless he was either being controlled by some unknown entity or if Shadow jumped down the slippery slope.
  • However, E-123 Omega hates Dr. Eggman and wants to build an empire of his own. If he heard that one of his closest friends has chosen to help his most hated enemy without a sympathetic reason, such as a mutual friend being taken hostage, then he would feel betrayed and may give a savage beating.
  • Like Rouge? Since she is the only Team Dark member to be part of the Resistance and Shadow betrayed others to join Eggman's side of the conflict.
• Jossed.

Blaze the Cat works for Dr. Eggman.

• Alternatively, she won't appear for obvious reasons.
  • Jossed. She is definitely not one of the virtual reality projections of the Phantom Ruby, after all.

Big the Cat is the real villain.

Shadow, Chaos, Metal Sonic, Zavok, Eggman, and Infinite are just the decoys.

• Big is confirmed to not appear in the game, so... nope. Jossed.

Pre-Existing NPCs not named Sonic, Tails, and Eggman will NOT play a major role in the plot.

Pre-existing NPCs such as Chaos, Shadow, Metal Sonic, and Zavok are around to be only a punching bag for one round, then they will bugger off never to be seen again for the rest of the game. The drought of important pre-existing NPCs not named the aforementioned trio since Sonic Heroes in the mainline games will continue.

• Jossed with extreme prejudice.

Blaze the Cat won't appear or at least won't assist because Eggman Nega has returned to threaten Blaze's kingdom.

Or perhaps he's threatening Sonic's world...

• The latter is Jossed.

Blaze the Cat's absence means she's having her own adventures, similar to Tails' adventure during Sonic Blast in some translations.

She's finally starring in her own game where she is the only main protagonist.

• Keep dreaming. Because I highly doubt that's going to happen, especially since Rush Adventure came out a decade ago.

Tikal is waiting for Chaos at a Chao Garden while Chaos goes apeshit.

• Jossed.

The G.U.N. Commander will appear.

He will call Shadow out for his actions, feeling betrayed and that Shadow was "The Professor"'s (Gerald) greatest mistake, and will choose to kill Shadow for The Professor and for Maria.

• Jossed.

Silver will bring Modern Sonic into the present.

If Classic Sonic being sent forward in time is how Eggman conquers the world, then it would make sense for Modern Sonic to have been displaced by an equal amount of time by the ripple effect. So someone else who can time travel would have to bring the two of them together.

• Jossed.

Tikal will return (or at least be mentioned)

Since Chaos is back and Tikal is supposed to be sealed away with him. Of course, she won't return if Chaos is from another dimension, but her absence may in turn tip Team Sonic off to the dimension/timeline plot.

• Jossed.

Fatman built the bombs◊ in the Pyramid base.

• Jossed.

Princess Alucion will appear.

• Jossed.

Silver is an android created by Eggman Nega to spy on The Resistance.

Silver can handle Iblis, is more than capable of killing Sonic, and his powers are strong enough to the point where he can compress tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of pounds of cars and debris into a massive ball... But he can't handle a few Death Egg Robots for unknown reasons. Silver is not giving it his all as he should be, so the reason for it is he's not the real Silver.

• Jossed.

Blaze isn't present because she's dealing with an Infinite-esque threat to her dimension.

While she would be incredibly willing to help out the Resistance, she has her own fish to fry, like another version of Infinite or maybe an escaped Iblis.

• That would probably explain why Infinite teleports himself away. I'm hoping that there will be a second part to this game.
  • Except Infinite didn't willingly teleport away after Sonic and the Custom Hero beat him, Eggman forcefully teleported him to the tower, likely to have him decommissioned. Regardless of whether or not he's still alive, Infinite is still in Sonic's dimension.

Misc.

Despite the darker tone, the game will retain the sense of humor that Colors and Generations had...

Maybe keeping up with the cartoony, goofy writing would help prevent Narm. And the Sonic franchise isn't the best with drama, or super dark storylines, at least not in the games.

• If this were to be true, then Happy Tree Friends writers Ken Pontac and Warren Graff would have to return in order for this WMG to be Confirmed.
• What would be the point of the clashing, misleading tone and humor? Also, sure you don't mean "the Sonic franchise isn't the best with comedy"? The goofy and comical tone of Sonic Colors and Unleashed received a lot of flak, whereas the more serious Sonic Adventure 1 and 2 have the best received stories and tone in the series so far (yes, even with the narm).
• Very unlikely since it's confirmed that Shun Nakamura is writing the story while Warren Graff is localizing it, the game's E10+ rating also makes the Colors/Generations humor unlikely to return as Nakamura himself stated he wants the game to be taken seriously.
• It is likely that the premise of the game itself will be darker than previous Sonic titles, but will still contain the Narm the series is known for.
• Sonic is actually heard saying a few comedic lines, such as him asking Infinite what's his favorite color or does he like 'long, romantic walks on the beach', and him exclaiming that the party started and he wants to join in. Do these count?

There will be confusion regarding Classic Sonic's presence in Sonic Forces.

The good ending of Mania heavily implies that Classic Sonic ended up in Modern Sonic's timeline through a purple void. However, one will only know this if they played Mania or were spoiled about the story. There will be critics of the game who will not know this and assume Classic Sonic was only included to pander to the fans of the Classic games, calling Classic Sonic's appearance in Forces "shoehorned".

• However, considering that at that point a lot of people would have already played Mania and thus see its true ending, these critics will in the best case be informed to play that game first... or in the worst case, they will get called out a lot because of that, mostly since they should have been aware of the connection between both games in the first place.

The song Sonic Youth will appear.

• We already got the main theme instrumental, so I doubt it. Maybe it can be the theme of Classic Sonic or...?
  • "Appear" doesn't necessarily mean it is the "main theme". Plenty of songs appear in Generations, for example. It could also be the Final Boss theme similar to "With Me" and "What I'm Made Of" , two tracks that serve as the Final Boss theme for their respective games despite not being the main theme of their games when usually some form of the main theme plays in the Final Boss battle.
    • Apologies, this is very confusing for me. At least be a little more specific next time. Still, I have my doubts.
    • If they were going to do this, they might as well include some music by the band of the same name in the soundtrack as well — obviously, getting the band to cover the song Sonic Youth is out of the question, since they're currently broken up (and it doesn't look like they have any plans on reforming in the near future), but licensing one of their songs to appear in the soundtrack could happen.
• Jossed. This song does not appear in the game or the soundtrack.

The Green Hill Zone that's shown in the trailer is actually a simulation.

• Which explains why it's not as detailed compared to the real deal that was shown in Sonic Generations. The real zone has already been conquered by Robotnik.
• Confirmed: Dr. Robotnik has taken over Green Hill Zone, and his industries caused the desertification of it, such as turning water into sand.
  • Though I'm not sure if the Green Hill Zone we're in is really a simulation or actually the real thing.
• Jossed. It is indeed a real location.
  • ...except for the one which shows up in the Episode Shadow DLC. All thanks to the powers of the Phantom Ruby.
    • Still Jossed; even though it is only one stage. The rest of the levels (Lost Valley, Arsenal Pyramid, Green Hill, and Guardian Rock) are still real locations.

Dr. Eggman has finally paid the Chaotix.

He made good on his promise◊ that he made in Sonic Heroes.

There will be a song called "Destroy the City".

Sonic R has a song that says "livin in the city".Sonic Adventure 2 has a song that says "Escape from the City". So now the time has come for the city to be destroyed.

• Jossed.

The number 8 will be the game's Arc Number

At the end of the E3 trailer, Infinite's name is spelled using the infinity symbol. However, before this, said symbol appears to be an eight. Unless that was just a fun way to reveal Infinite's name, this could be a sign that the number 8 will be important to the plot.

• Kind of like the number 6 being the Arc Number of Sonic Lost World, correct?
  • Yes, but maybe it'll be more important than how it was applied in Lost World.
• Jossed.

Like Sonic Adventure 2, the game will feature two seperate stories, one for good and one for evil.

If going with the three gameplay styles of Modern Sonic, Classic Sonic, & the Avatar, then why not their Evil Counterparts? Shadow's gameplay can be the same as Modern Sonic, Metal Sonic's being Classic Sonic, and the new villain, Infinite's, being the Avatar.

• If we go further with the analogues, then Chaos is Tails and Zavok, unsurprisingly, is Knuckles. Though they will be possible NPCs on the Villain's side.
• Jossed.

The Green Hill Zone is part of Park Avenue.

As GameXplain pointed out you can see Green Hill Zone in the background of Park Avenue. Either it's a teaser, or Green Hill Zone and Park Avenue are part of the same world.

• The tutorial level begins at Green Hill, and ends with Sonic going into the city, so it's more or less confirmed.

The gameplay structure will be based around Sonic Adventure.

The Gamecrate interview with Takashi Iizuka and Shun Nakamura claims that Modern Sonic, Classic Sonic, and the Avatar will have 3 seperate stories. What if by completing all stories, you'll unlock the Last story and see how the main plot boils down in the end?

• Jossed. It's okay, I don't mind having only one story.

The main theme, Fist Bump, is likely referring to...

...Modern and Classic Sonic's relationship ever since they first met in Generations. Can you imagine them doing a literal fist bump as their signature greeting? Also the lyrics say: "I can't do this alone, Even though I am strong, Need something more than me, Someone to push me to victory". Could this mean that Modern Sonic is calling out to his Classic counterpart for help?

• There is also more-or-less a piece of concept artwork that supports this theory.

The Space Colony Ark is used as a secret headquarters for the Resistance.

• Likely jossed. Concept art has revealed the main base to be a bunker of some kind.
  • Completely Jossed. It is indeed a bunker.

The whole conflict started with Sonic complimenting Eggman's mustache.

• Jossed. It's because of Eggman getting a hold of the Phantom Ruby.

The gameplay will be a Gameplay Roulette, similarly to Adventure 2.

The story will also split off whenever any playable character is not interacting with another.

• Confirmed and Jossed. The stages do alternate between the playable characters, but they don't play differently enough to be considered a true Gameplay Roulette.

There will be a Sombrero Hat Mode, like how some games have a Big Head Mode.

There will be a Last Story mode.

Once the player defeats Eggman and the credits roll, the screen will go black and Infinite will appear. He'll state that Eggman was just a distraction and states that you don't stand a chance. You'll then be told that you need to collect the 7 Chaos Emeralds if you hope to truly end the war once and for all.
Once the 7 Chaos Emeralds are unlocked, the player unlocks Last Story. You'll have to go through one last level (which could be made up of various landmarks that have been consumed) before you fight Infinite. His first phase has an orchestral version of his theme. His second form uses an orchestral version of the game's main theme.

• Just imagine that actually happening. That will truly satisfy the Modern Sonic fans if it did.
  • Jossed. The game ends 'there' once you defeat Eggman in his Death Egg Robot.
  • Actually, it's possible. It's confirmed that there will be three DLC packs following Episode Shadow, and so far only two potential subjects (Super Sonic mode and a set of Sanic shirts) have been discovered. It seems we shall have to wait and see.
    • That would explain why the percentage bar is at 99.9 instead of 100.0. Perhaps a True Final Boss?
    • Nope. It's confirmed that the Super Sonic DLC is only avaliable as a power-up; and there is no post-story content for it. So it's completely Jossed.

The world of Sonic Forces is an illusion.

It's an Another Dimension created by Infinite along with all its inhabitants with the exception of Modern Sonic, Infinite, and possibly Classic Sonic, and the Avatar/Custom Hero. And Blaze won't appear in some form besides in flashbacks because she scarred Infinite.

"Cause I've been up against better, just take a look at my face."

• Again, there has been no mention of Blaze the Cat or if she will appear or not. The developers did not even mention that information, since it hasn't been confirmed yet.
  • Partially Jossed; Blaze will not appear in this game.
  • Or is it? It all could be an illusion of the Phantom Ruby to make Sonic and co. think that they won...
    • Still Jossed for Blaze appearing. But we shall wait and see.

The story will involve a second Phantom Ruby

The main moment where the timeline of Mania's universe diverged from the main timeline seems to be the Phantom Ruby being dug up by Eggman/Hard Boiled Heavies from Angel Island (apart from Sonic not getting the good ending in either S3&K or Sonic CD). Remember, this Sonic isn't merely from the past, but from another universe. This means that there might be a second Phantom Ruby in the main universe's Angel Island, since if it is there in this universe, it hasn't been touched yet. Or maybe... that Phantom Ruby is how Eggman managed to take over the world in the first place?

• Confirmed, in a way. A Phantom Ruby Prototype plays an important role, and it bonds with the Avatar character.

Sonic Forces will have Denuvo.

• Confirmed! Look at this page on Steam.

Casino Forest is set in the Lost Hex, more specifically Silent Forest.

Doesn't the forested ruins look familiar to you? Since Zavok is one of the villains...

• Jossed. It is set in a place called the "Mystic Jungle". However, the first Infinite boss fight does have some Lost World elements; more specifically the 'running on a tube' and the way Modern Sonic hits the springs.

Making a second Avatar means there will be a post-story scenario.

Likely taking place after the events of the main game; the new Avatar will look for clues around different parts of the world to find the whereabouts of Dr. Eggman. Expect to see Remixed Levels in a non-apocalyptic setting.

• Semi-Jossed; creating a second Avatar means you can use him/her for later. As for the post-story scenario? We'll just have to wait and see.
  • Actually confirmed for the first part. You can create a new Avatar upon completing the game. Though there's no post-game content. It just sort of ends there.

Chaos will be a boss in Episode Shadow.

• Jossed. Shadow never even sees Chaos during his episode.

There was some kind of plot rewrite late in development.

This is kind of the only thing that can explain how confused and nonsensical the entire last section of the game is, and a lot of the other bizarre moments. The final boss was most likely meant to be the same as it is now, but with the major change of it all being Infinite rather than Eggman. This is a bit supported by the final phase of the fight having some resemblance to Infinite in its color-scheme and design, and also explains why Eggman is otherwise completely absent. There was probably a demand from higher ups to make Eggman the final boss, and they had barely any time to change the last act, which is why Infinite is gotten rid of pretty much instantly after his last fight, and his rivalry with the Avatar is pretty much completely abandoned. The prototype rubies were most likely there to give a flimsy excuse as to why Eggman could use the power of the Phantom Ruby. I refuse to believe this was how the plot was originally intended, it's way too messy and incomplete.

Post-release Guesses

The Phantom Ruby and Co.

The Phantom Ruby brings its power from a pocket dimension...

This pocket dimension being Null Space. Seeing as a Phantom Ruby exists in Sonic Mania as well, that's how Classic Sonic got to Sonic Forces; after being transported into Null Space for the Final Boss battle, he was stuck in there until the Phantom Ruby in Sonic Forces brought him back out using Null Space as a bridge between the two dimensions. Perhaps that happened because of overuse, Infinite accidentally did it creating an illusion, or even Classic Sonic breaking out himself. (Avatar and Modern Sonic had to use Double Boost to get out, but who says that's the only way to get out of Null Space?)

The Phantom Ruby corrupted Infinite.

Infinite valued friendship before, in the form of his Jackal Squad. Going from that to believing it to be a waste... seems odd.

• In addition, he claims that the world will kneel before the Phantom Ruby's power, not his. This may mean it has a mind of its own.

The Phantom Ruby exists through Stable Time Loop

Given that Eggman was able to perfectly create replicas of the Phantom Ruby after studying the "original" one (as opposed to the Chaos Emeralds, which so far cannot be perfectly replicated), Eggman somehow sent one of the "prototypes" to his past self during the period after Sonic 3 & Knuckles, hoping that the Ripple Effect will change the present. Classic Sonic was able to stop this from happening, but the Chaos Emerald/Phantom Ruby reaction sent the "prototype" to right before Forces, where Eggman was able to study and replicate it. This had the effect of changing the timeline so that the events of Sonic the Hedgehog 4 never happened.

• Unlikely. There is no apparent indication that Sonic Mania ever happened to Modern Sonic at all, suggesting that Sonic 4 probably still happened to him. Classic Sonic is claimed to come from a "different dimension", which suggests, in this case, an alternate timeline at the very least, where Sonic Mania occurred in Sonic 4's place.

The Phantom Ruby was the Final Boss

Eggman actually died in the Death Egg Robot Phase 2, which is why he never speaks once during the final fight. The Ruby sensed that it was going to lose unless it took action itself and made itself a body out of the partially-destroyed Robot, creating the Phase 3 boss that we see. This is also why it doesn't say a word when the heroes destroy it: Eggman's not piloting it, he's most likely dead.

• Or perhaps he bailed out after Phase 2.

Eggman couldn't fully comprehend Mania’s Phantom Ruby (which supposedly is the original one) and he missinterpreted its power when making the prototypes

It is stated in Forces that the Phantom Ruby creates virtual reality illusions that are as capable of damaging people as if they were real, but that doesn't match up with some of the gemstone's capabilities, like Null Space. This might imply that the original Phantom Ruby that was encrusted in a block of dirt in Mania!Angel Island, transformed the Hard Boiled Heavies, warped Classic Sonic to Forces' dimension, and was found by Eggman at the doorstep of his base was the one capable of twisting dimensions, rearranging machines, teleporting heroes, and overall altering reality. Eggman merely scratched the surface of this MacGuffin when he discovered the virtual reality illusions it could create, but it was more than enough for him to be able to make a prototype of it that could be used as a doomsday weapon with some Reality Warping mixed in.

The real Phantom Ruby (that originated from Mania) is not a singular artifact, but a type of gem created via a Reality-Breaking Paradox

When a temporal paradox occurs, some sort of reality controlling energy (let's call it "Phantom Energy") rewrites the universe so that the paradox becomes stable. In some cases though (like in Generations), time and space are altered so much that in order to stabilize the paradox, and entirely separate dimension has to be created. This causes such a massive buildup of Phantom Energy that some of it crystallizes and forms a Phantom Ruby. This is why the Phantom Ruby appeared in Mania: because that game's universe had just been created.

The finalized Phantom Ruby uses the Reality Stone.

Red? Capable of warping reality to a nearly unlimited degree? The Reality Stone being one of the infinity stones? The resemblances are uncanny. Perhaps Eggman used the Reality Stone to make the prototype rubies, which is why they were faulty, but infused it into the finalized ruby to give it its maximum power.

Or maybe it is just a coincidence and this is a dumb theory.

Infinite's Phantom Ruby is a replica, and Eggman had the real deal the whole time.

It was the replica's non-Death Egg power source, and the reason Eggman shut Infinite down so easily. The evidence for this theory is simply the shape discrepancy - The Phantom Ruby is normally shown to be a icosahedron, while the Ruby on Infinite's chest is a tetrahedron.

• If I remember correctly, it was Confirmed that Infinite had a working prototype.

Alternatively, the Phantom Ruby used in the Final Boss was another, even more perfected prototype.

Eggman has probably thought many steps ahead, including a possible betrayal or failure on Infinites part or failure to beat Sonic in general. He created yet another prototype, even closer to the original, that can override Infitite's Phantom Ruby Prototype and can send himself and others (including Infinite) in and out of Null Space. With the prototype sacrificed and the real Phantom Ruby in hand, Eggman has other uses for it in the future, if he has figured out how to fully control its power, that is.

DLC

Knuckles will have his own playable episode.

It would reveal Sonic Forces is just a story that Knuckles is reading to kids. It would explain Blaze's absence. Knuckles is still salty about how Blaze kicked his ass and threw him into a pile of rocks.

• Alternatively, it’ll be a prequel, showing how he became the Resistance leader (most likely by kicking serious ass). It could also explain why he isn’t guarding the Master Emerald (while most recent Sonic games ignore this, Knuckles already had a lot of Character Rerailment in this game, so it’s more likely to be acknowledged), and maybe it could feature a Chaos boss fight.
  • It's already shown in the second comic that Knuckles is still guarding the Master Emerald. So?

Omega will recieve his own episode

It'll explain his battle against Infinite, and his recovery. After all, he HAS been shown to be fairly quick before...

There will be a surprise Super Sonic episode

And Infinite will be the True Final Boss (or perhaps the Ruby itself having survived the destruction of the Death Egg Robot).

Games after this (aka: sequels)

There will be a Story Arc to tie up the loose ends

Like Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Heroes, and Shadow the Hedgehog, this (or Sonic Mania) will be the beginning of a Story Arc. It will either be about the Phantom Ruby, Infinite, or both. Here are a few things that this Arc could do:

• It could show more of what the Phantom Ruby can do. And hopefully, give us the Ruby vs Emeralds fight that we got hyped about since Mania but that this game has failed to follow on.
• It could dive into the Jackal Squad. Assuming they're still alive, they could Take a Level in Badass and become either the major group of villains of the Arc or allies who want their old boss back like what he used to be.
• It could finally tell us what Infinite was called before he became Infinite.
• It could give Infinite a more proper Final Battle.
• It could Rerail Tails and reverse the Badass Decay he suffered from that reduced him to (fittingly enough) the level of his ''SatAM'' self, just like Knuckles was Rerailed in this game.
• It would reveal that Ix created the Phantom Ruby and may have done it with the help of a new character and was the one who told Eggman about the Phantom Ruby, setting up the events of Sonic Mania and Sonic Forces.
• It would be about Infinite escaping and disappearing beyond the horizon, while the Avatar parts from the Resistance to pursue their own adventure. Meanwhile, the Resistance themselves are left to the task of re-establishing society. It continues with the player character tracking down Infinite and maybe introducing the remainder of the Jackal Squad from Infinite's origin comic.

Infinite will travel to Blaze's dimension.

He will try to get the Jeweled Scepter in order to tap into the Power of the Stars and gain limitless power.

• While we're on that note; it would be good to revisit some of the levels from Sonic Rush Adventure, and how it would affect Blaze's dimension. Like Machine Labyrinth being a broken-down facility with less machines working, or Sky Babylon undergoing an intense thunderstorm with many broken floating pieces of land still intact.

The Sequel will be a Marvel vs. Capcom-esque Crossover with a Superhero franchise from another Company

Since Super Heroes are very popular, why not?

Infinite will be playable in the next Olympic Games

You all know this will happen... And he'll out-do Shadow as The Comically Serious.

Any subsequent game that follows will either mention this game like it happened or treat it like Canon Discontinuity, depending on how successful this game is.

• Basically the same treatment as Sonic 06, which basically just retconned itself out of existence thanks to its ending (with only some elements like Silver and Crisis City being brought over to future games). Why would this be? Because the Phantom Ruby's power is illusions. If Forces is a failure, then the developers can easily say "nothing ever happened, it was all an illusion". If Forces succeeds, then the developers can treat the game like it's canon. The ambiguity of how exactly the Phantom Ruby works doesn't help here. In Mania, it was established to be a sort of Evil Counterpart to the Chaos Emeralds, and was treated simply as a great source of power that has reality-altering abilities. Forces reveals that it's just illusions. Basically, if Forces does well, then perfect, everything is as it was. If Forces has failed, then this game never happened — it was all an elaborate illusion from the Phantom Ruby.
  • Adding to this: Eggman is completely silent during the Final Boss fight and Infinite's whereabouts are unknown. Did the final battle even happen?

The final battle was another illusion

Infinite would clearly be powerful enough to turn on Eggman even if Sonic and co had just handed him defeat. The doctor probably intended to take the ruby away from Infinite but he wasn't having it. This goes slightly into the current IDW comic's Where Eggman is an amnesiac "Mr Tinker" while Someone else is controlling the Empire. It could of been entirely possible that Infinite had completely turned on the Doc and wiped his mind somehow. Sending a false Eggman piloting the Death Egg robot. (If you think about it Eggman was pretty quick about claiming the Phantom Ruby and placing it in his newest death machine which adds to this possibility that it was all an illusion) So until IDW confirms otherwise it can be very possible that Infinite has claimed the Eggman empire for himself.

• Seems to be Jossed.

The next game will introduce the Wispons we haven't seen yet.

Such as a Jade Ghost Katana that can apply invisibility and intangibility to it's users, a Purple Frenzy Chainsaw that is capable of sucking enemies into it's deadly blade, and a Crimson Eagle Crossbow-Sniper Rifle hybrid that can double as a hang glider.

The next game will canonize Gadget the Wolf.

Infinite is trapped in Null Space and Sonic will save him in another game.

The last thing we see is him getting absorbed into the Phantom Ruby he had and it flying away. Maybe, especially if it was Eggman's doing, he was put into Null Space alive?

• If Eggman fought with the real Phantom Ruby in the FinalBoss instead of Infinite's, would that mean the prototype is still somewhere and he is still stuck inside of it?

Infitite will (attempt to) get his revenge on Shadow.

If Infinite ever comes back, don't you think he wouldn't forget, much less forgive, the person who pushed him to where he is at?

• Knowing the amount of load on Shadow's back, Infinite has lots of ammo to fire, especially with the Phantom Ruby.

Misc.

Chaos was originally going to appear in Metropolis

There is not particular reason for the images of Infinite that appear in that stage to be watery and elongated like they are. I think they were supposed to be Chaos, but couldn't get the water effects to work with some reason, resulting in watery, tendril-like images of Infinite instead.

Shadow was originally going to be part of the villains

Instead of him being a Phantom Ruby projection. Notice how in the E3 trailer, he's shown to have normal red eyes, but in later trailers and in-game, they were fake orange eyes instead. Adding to that, Episode Shadow might originally end with Shadow turning over to the dark side; betraying Rouge and Omega, and working with the rest of the villains.

Infinite is specifically targeting the Avatar character.

What Infinite desires most is to see the Avatar look at the world completely destroyed and give up on any hope he/she had left. Also, kill everyone he/she knows and loves. Then keep him/her all to himself forever, making him/her suffer over and over again.

Shadow, Metal Sonic, Chaos 0, and Zavok were supposed to be characters from the past dragged to the present.

In short:

• Shadow would have still been a Crusading Widow. He would have been snatched in time before his pod made it to earth. Alternatively, he would have been sent to the future somewhere during the events of Sonic Adventure 2 where he wasn't in the middle of doing something major.
  • The timing of his time travel could play a big factor. If he was from the distant past, he wouldn't know Sonic, much less Eggman. If he was dragged from to the future during the events of Sonic Adventure 2, he could still work with Eggman, but with a chance of him not recognizing Sonic at all.
• Metal Sonic would have been sent to the future (or past or whenever, since it was during Sonic CD where a Good/Bad Future exists) some time before he fought Sonic on Stardust Speedway.
• Chaos would still be corrupted by sorrow and would have been snatched in time some time after his very first battle with Sonic at Station Square.
• Zavok was sent to the future some time after betraying Eggman and before his first battle against Sonic.
  • Alternatively, this is how he survives his final battle against Sonic. He was sent to the future before he could truly perish. He would be back with a huge vengence, however.
• In the very end, however, everyone is returned to their respective timeline without corrupting time in any way.

Infinite was originally going to be the Phantom Ruby anthropomorphized.

The Ruby grew in size and sprouted eyes and a body, with its face being shaped like the Phantom Ruby. He still had the powers of the Phantom Ruby and was Evil All Along, if he wasn't simply corrupted by everyone's constant use of his powers back in Sonic Mania.

Infinite is bad at programming.

Hence why the world glitches when he uses the Phantom Ruby, his changes to the reality of the characters (and the audience) aren't perfect. Also, he can't create new models, as he has no idea how (The villains were part of the world already, i.e. non infinite edited since they were in the timeline to begin with) so he just uses cubes as they are simpler to create and he doesn't have to go through the headache of finding a good model to use (and create ofc)

Some of Sonic Forces is based on Sonic the Comic.

This is Sonic The Comic Reviews theory, not mine.Sonic is sent away for six months in both Forces and Sonic the Comic, and in the meantime Robotnik/Eggman conquers the world.Robotnik/Eggman build another Death Egg. Both show Sonic and his friends as well as the Resistance/residents of Mobius fighting Robotnik's/Eggman's army. Both have to deal with the threat of a created sun, one by created by Infinite, the other being The Black Asteroid charged up by Super Sonic turning it into a sun. The Freedom Fighters have to fight multiple Metal Sonics/Metallixes.

Infinite is a deconstruction of Author Avatar and it's related tropes

Infinite to put it simply is a Mary Sue for much of Sonic forces The invincible general who puts down Sonic like a rabid dog in the span of five minutes while Eggman and countless others couldn't do it in years. When you find out about his backstory you realize that Infinite is an escapist power fantasy. An evil version of Kirito from Sword Art Online. Only to be defeated and disposed of by Eggman. Which is where the deconstruction comes in. It's basically a case of Surprisingly Realistic Outcome. If all those overpowered OC's would suddenly get thrust into the current canon Sonic universe. They would face not only a Sonic capable of defeating gods. But an Eggman who has been burned by treacherous minions before and would be more than ready to deal with the likes of Sonichu and Coldsteel. The reason Eggman is a joke is because of Sonic not because he is incompetent.

• That would make him a brilliant foil for the Avatar, who is the player's avatar and an Action Survivor — the opposite of a Mary Sue.

Sonic Forces is the equivalent of people coming together and rising up against the world's currently-in-power corrupt political leaders, such as Trump and Kim Jong Un, in Sonic's world.

It seems awfully convenient that the game came out in 2017, as a time of fierce political turbulence in various countries, and when groups of people have come together to fight against oppression, and strive for freedom and equality. (Think about the Anti-Trump and Anti-ISIS protests taking place throughout the world) Eggman is the overlord dictator and Infinite is the one who strikes down anyone who protests. The Avatar in particular could be an allegory for the fact that hundreds of thousands of ordinary people have joined in with making their voices heard.

"Hedgehog" avatars are actually porcupines

That would explain why they're so different from Sonic, Shadow, Silver and Amy; being lankier and lacking the Conjoined Eyes. The fact that the avatars are taller even goes with the fact that porcupines are larger than hedgehogs in real life.

Dr.Eggman we see in The Lost World and this game is actually Metal Sonic in disguise.

That would explain why Eggman is out of the void (the Classic one found the way out,but the Modern one didn't) and why we never see the real Metal Sonic (including Sonic Forces). The reason "Eggman" acts like he usually does is that Metal succeeded to fit into his role so much that even he now thinks he ''is'' Eggman.

The events of Sonic Forces past Lost Valley are actually set inside a complex simulation built by Infinite or Dr. Eggman.

After Sonic got captured, he is put inside a giant simulation to torture him, which contain heavily flanderized versions of his friends. The Avatar isn't real, and neither is Classic Sonic's dimension.

The final boss was going to be a Super Sonic vs Infinite battle

But it was cut from the final game. This is why Infinite gets no real conclusion in the story. As for the reason it was cut, some possibilities are:

• Time constraints
• They opted to have Eggman be the final boss
• They decided to have Super Sonic as DLC instead
• They opted to have the final boss involve Modern Sonic, Classic Sonic and the Avatar. The Avatar has no Super form, so they would have had no place participating in a Super boss battle
• Or the Avatar was going to have a Super form along with the Sonics, but they decided to cut said form in the end, resulting in the removal of the boss battle

At some point in development, the Avatar was originally meant to be the Boom version of Sonic.

But after the failure of the Boom brand, Sega backpedaled hard on that, threw Boom Sonic out and reworked him into the Avatar. Potential evidence for this:

• The avatar is noticeably lankier and taller than Sonic is, heavily resembling Boom Sonic's proportions.
• The avatar's grappling hook resembles Boom Sonic's Enerbeam from Rise of Lyric in terms of function. Their more combat-focused gameplay also brings to mind the slower, beat-em-up style of Rise of Lyric.
• Classic Sonic's presence doesn't make much sense on its own, but it's possible that the original plan would have involved dimensional travel as a means to bring all three main Sonic brands at the time (Modern, Classic and Boom) into one game, much like how Sonic Generations brought Classic Sonic back through time travel.
• The Death Egg robot Eggman uses for the Final Boss looks awfully snake-like... almost like Lyric, the Big Bad of Rise of Lyric and Shattered Crystal. It's entirely possible that Lyric was meant to be a boss fight at some point, but when Boom Sonic got cut, Lyric went with him.

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