I imagine Metal would just roll with whatever Sage tells him to do, since he is programmed to obey her as she is the second in command in the pecking order. Maybe their relationship would be affable, as Sage would love him and treat him nicely, but Metal would just react with confusion about those feelings.
If Metal were to recover his free will, I'm sure he would betray her just like he did with Eggman, but not in a "I'll kill you!", but more like turning her off or taking control of her so HE has a valuable AI confident until eventually he is defeated and everything is back to normal.
To win, you need to adapt, and to adapt, you need to be able to laugh away all the restraints. Everything holding you back.I think the best characterization of Metal is when the fact he's designed to be Sonic's metal double makes him resentful. It makes him a good Dragon with an Agenda as he has a more personal relationship with the Blue Blur than any other Eggman robot. Him doing The Starscream shouldn't be because he wants to be in control, but because like Bass Eggman can get in the way of his real desire
On that note I want to see him and Omega have more interactions around their Beta Test Baddie status. They both wanna prove themselves but they go about it different ways, which could either be used for a Friendly Enemy status or for them to hate each other especially
Edited by RJ-19-CLOVIS-93 on Feb 24th 2024 at 10:17:47 PM
I once brainstormed an OC, who would be a Zeti but would be more of a Gentle Giant who pulls a Heel–Face Turn after being abused one too many times by the rest of the Deadly Six, especially since he can't use machine-controlling powers like them, and to this day he now lives on Sonic's world.
I feel like a lot of Metal Sonic's personality confusion would be mitigated if he talked more often.
The Protomen enhanced my life.They should take some pointers from Chaos Sonic in Prime - that is, a Metal Sonic analogue who forgoes being silent in favor of being a dark, cruel mirror of Sonic's personality.
"That we continue to persist at all is a testament to our faith in one another."![]()
I've thought they should to that for a while. Even if they don't go as far as make him a personality reflect of Sonic, Metal Sonic should at least be voiced instead of silent all the time, speak with Sonic's voice, and have actual conversations with him.
Last time, he was voiced by Sonic's VA, but the voice was put under so much modification that that was barely noticeable.
Edited by KnownUnknown on Feb 24th 2024 at 4:50:36 AM
Another aspect of Metal Sonic that I feel is lacking is that intimidation factor. In the Classic games, Metal Sonic looks intimidating with his dark colours, his posture and the way his eyes are drawn as if he's a vicious, soulless killer with hate in his eyes.
These traits are present in Neo Metal Sonic, his Sonic Rivals 2 render and the various comics, but for the most part, modern Metal Sonic seems to focus on being cool rather than intimidating and I feel that this detail might explain why Metal Sonic feels so lacking as a character compared to Sonic's other rivals.
"Punishment is not the answer. Punishment is easy. It's lazy. Redemption is hard. Redemption makes you work."-Skulduggery PleasantI absolutely love that the fandom in general embraces the factoid of Eggman doing his own saxo solo for the Tee Lopes remix of Metallic Madness used in Mania. Between this and his canon portrayal as a DJ in some Sonic CD-era official art, the Doctor's taste in killer music is absolutely canon.
Would not even be surprised if he deliberately timed the machinery operating in his facilities to naturally create an electronic/industrial background music from their working.
Edited by AceOfScarabs on Feb 25th 2024 at 1:34:03 AM
The three finest things in life are to splat your enemies, drive them from their turf, and hear their lamentations as their rank falls!I'd like for Metal Sonic to talk just so I can finally understand what the appeal is.
I get why Shadow is so popular. But every time conversation turns to Metal Sonic finally getting his due or whatever, I'm like... Lot of people really love the hollow, personality-free robot shaped like Sonic for some reason. Huh.
Like. I don't dislike Metal Sonic. He just seems surprisingly popular for what amounts to one uncharacterized Badnik.
Edited by TobiasDrake on Feb 25th 2024 at 7:19:47 AM
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This wasn't a problem in the Classic games because none of the characters talk, but in the modern games where dialogue is used to convey character personality, Metal Sonic ends up restricted due to how most games post-Sonic Heroes portray him as an silent Elite Mook instead of someone who is supposed to be a match for Sonic.
Is he supposed to be a match for Sonic?
Again, I see it with Shadow. Shadow feels like he and Sonic are meant to be neck-and-neck in ability, such that it's ambiguous who would truly win if they came to blows. It feels like a lot of Shadow's popularity stems from him being a true rival and equal to Sonic.
But I never got that vibe with Metal. Metal Sonic is a recurring Badnik who tries but gets dunked on every single time he appears. Eggman's best attempt at imitating Sonic, rather than a genuine peer capable of truly matching Sonic.
Which. Y'know. Kinda makes sense. Because if Eggman could mass-produce Sonic-tier machines left and right then he'd be doing that. That Eggman's greatest creations constantly get dunked on by Sonic is the entire basis of this franchise. It'd be story-breaking if Eggman could successfully build Sonics.
Edited by TobiasDrake on Feb 25th 2024 at 9:03:51 AM
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Lego Sonic does that.
Generally, yes. Metal Sonic is typically depicted as a match for Sonic in speed and general ability, while being smarter than Eggman's other creations, requiring Sonic to pull out his A-game to fight.
He's basically in that exact threat range that of "makes for a very good Dragon."
As for why people like him, it's more or less why people like characters like Bass or Proto-Man. While people would like for him to speak, he doesn't need to speak for people to nevertheless like the whole "treacherous Evil Counterpart created by the villain" vibe.
Edited by KnownUnknown on Feb 25th 2024 at 9:10:01 AM
Proto-Man isn't a bad guy, nor was he created by Doctor Wily.
Fun fact, but Bass and Metal Sonic do work well together in the comic cross over.
As for Metal Sonic's power, well....... he's strong enough to at least make a good partner for Shadow in Sonic Rivals 2.
That was actually some good spotlight on him, even if he was a speaker for Eggman.
Edited by RedHunter543 on Feb 26th 2024 at 1:11:12 AM
"The Black Rage makes us strong, because we must resist its temptations every day of our lives or be forever damned!"I think him being the silent type is appealing. The Silent Snarker is a trope for a reason, and I enjoyed how he was potrayed in Rise of the Wisps.
To win, you need to adapt, and to adapt, you need to be able to laugh away all the restraints. Everything holding you back.Its cliche for robot characters I know, but I wouldn't mind Metal speaking an electronic language that Orbot, Cubot, Sage (& occasionally Eggman) understand, but that is incomprehensible to the audience and pretty much all the heroes. Gives him a bit more range while still keeping him novel in some respects.

I'm a bit similar. I know people really want the whole "Eggman's creations as a family" thing, and Sage and Metal Sonic as brother and sister especially, but of all of Eggman's creations Metal is the least likely to actually care about that sort of thing.
Metal hates everything about being with Eggman. The only reason he's loyal is because Eggman heavily reprogrammed him, and even that doesn't always work. I generally imagine any story with Sage and Metal having a family relationship being like that episode of Ren & Stimpy where Stimpy forces Ren to wear a happy helmet against his will so they can have what looks like a better relationship.
I could dig a story where Sage tries to connect with Metal, he plays along to get her to undo his reprogramming, and then he betrays her and Eggman (again), though.
Edited by KnownUnknown on Feb 24th 2024 at 8:31:59 AM