There are a few elements that make the Sonic the Hedgehog movies stand out. Chief among them is the casting:Ben Schwartzdeserves all the flowers for his performance as Sonic, whileIdris ElbaandKeanu Reevesbring fan-favorite characters like Knuckles the Echinda and Shadow the Hedgehog to life. But the biggest draw has to beJim Carreyas Sonic’s nemesis, Dr. Ivo Robotnik.
Carrey’s been a major part of all three Sonic the Hedgehog films, evencutting his planned retirement shortto star inSonic the Hedgehog 3. InSonic the Hedgehog 3,Robotnik ends up joining forces with Sonic to try and stop Shadow’s rampage, but then learns that his grandfather Gerald (also played by Carrey) is alive. Eventually, the two Robotniks join forces to launch the massive Eclipse Cannon. Robotnik once again turns on his grandfather when he learns that Gerald wants to use the cannon to blow up the Earth, and sacrifices his own life to stop it.If the Sonic movies want to keep going, they should honor this death.
Having Dr. Robotnik Cheat Death for a Second Time Would Cheapen the Stakes of the Sonic Movies
This isn’t the first time Robotnik has seemingly been presumed dead. InSonic the Hedgehog 2, he taps into the power of the Chaos Emeralds to try and take over the world, but then Sonic ends up using the Chaos Emeralds to become Super Sonic and destroy Robotnik’s latest machine, seeing him seemingly topple to his death.Sonic the Hedgehog 3reveals that Robotnik survived, hiding under the ocean in one of his drones.
But, it also sets up a situation thatRobotnik wouldn’t be able to survive: he helps Shadow move the Eclipse Cannon out of the Earth’s range when its core starts to melt down, and is still aboard when it explodes. Surviving a fall from a massive robot on Earth is one thing, but surviving the explosion of a massively weaponized space stationin spacewould be pushing things, even for a franchise like Sonic the Hedgehog. It would alsocheapen Robotnik’s big hero moment. Going out saving the world isn’t just a great way to close out his story, but it also gives the final battle some much-needed dramatic weight.
Dr. Robotnik’s Legacy Lives on in Other Sonic Characters
Even ifSonic the Hedgehog 3is the last time Dr. Robotnik’s seen on screen,he will still have an impact. Through all the Sonic movies, there’s been one person who’s been close to Robotnik: Agent Stone (Lee Majdoub). Stone and Robotnik’s dynamic led to one ofSonic the Hedgehog 3’s best scenes, where Robotnik announces that Stone was “the only person who cared about him” and called him a “syco-friend” instead of a “sycophant.” Bringing back Robotnik for future movies would damage that moment,but that doesn’t mean that Stone couldn’t return.Apart from Tom Wachowski (James Marsden) and his wife Maddie (Tika Sumpter), Stone is one of thefew human characters in the Sonic moviesthat’s worth following. Future Sonic movies could also build on the brief rapport that Stone and Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessy) had, especially since it was one of the more surprising pairings inSonic the Hedgehog 3.
‘Sonic the Hedgehog 4’ Needs to Finally Introduce This Sneaky Character That the Franchise Hasn’t Been Able To Include
And we even know which actor needs to be the voice.
The mid-credits sequence inSonic the Hedgehog 3also teases that Robotnik’s legacy will continue from beyond the grave. Sonic is attacked bya legion of Metal Sonics, and, in the Sonic games, Metal Sonic tends to be one of Robotnik’s more dangerous creations as he’s built to match the Blue Blur’s speed, and then eventually kill him. Having Metal Sonic be the antagonist of the upcomingSonic the Hedgehog 4would be a great way to showcase Robotnik’s skill as a mad scientist without having him around, and further cement the rivalry between himself and Sonic. ScreenwritersJosh CaseyandPat Millerhave also been upfront about wanting to take the Sonic franchise in a more intergalactic direction, with concept art backing them up. Sonic and his friends have faced cosmic threats before, so this would be a good way to continue the franchise and not be reliant on one villain. If the Sonic filmmakers want to make an omelette (or, in this case, a movie franchise based on a video game), they’ll have to break an Eggman.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
