This is my pitch for an animated
Sonic the Hedgehog movie, different from the live action 2020 movie. Combining elements from the video games, the 1993 animated series known as “SatAM”, and the tragically defunct comic books by Archie Comics, this would be the start of a larger cinematic universe, though we’ll only be focusing on this movie’s premise. This is a movie of freedom versus tyranny, the delicate balance between nature and industry, children having to grow up fast into responsible roles, and some good old fashion Sonic fun. Below is the abridged treatment.
…
Mobius is a future version of Earth, set many years after an alien invasion changed the face and very ecosystem of the planet. Mankind survived in massive underground bunkers, waiting for the radiation to disperse. But, when they rose to retake their home, they found it had already been conquered. An unexpected side effect of the extraterrestrial weapons that devastated the planet, caused animals the world over to mutate, evolve, and develop intelligence. In half the time of mankind’s evolution, these
Mobians built their own kingdoms and empires.
Of course, humans and Mobians met each other with much hostility, racism, and fear. War was inevitable. The Great War, an eight-year clash between the Mobian Kingdom of Acorn and the human “Overlanders” of the United Federation, devastated much of the planet.
King Maximillian Acorn, thrust into the role of leadership at a young age, struggled to command his armies. He turned to an unlikely ally – a human scientist named
Dr. Ivo Kintobor, who defected to the Mobians’ side, offering his master of machines to bring about a swift victory.
But, even when the war was won, nobody expected their newfound hero to become their greatest nemesis. In a single day and night of betrayal, Julian launched a coup d’état against the kingdom, adopting a new fearsome name that struck terror into the hearts of all:
Dr. Robotnik. Metallically cold and calculating, ruthless and without mercy, Robotnik made it his intention to conquer the whole of Mobius with his armies of robots. Anyone who resisted would be subjected to the dreaded
Roboticizer, a machine that robbed its victims of their minds and bodies, turning them into obedient robots.
Resistance cells rose and fell as Dr. Robotnik’s forces stomped across much of the planet. It looked like no one would stop his industrial nightmare, centred around
Robotropolis, the former capital of the Kingdom of Acorn. However, some had escaped Robotnik’s takeover, the children of Mobotropolis, who fled into the sanctuary of the Great Forest, taking shelter within the secluded
Knothole village.
Ten years after Dr. Robotnik’s rise to power, the children in Knothole have had to grow up quickly, becoming the
Freedom Fighters. Only recently did they start to go on missions into Robotropolis, to map out the city, the patrol routes of the
Swatbots, and gather scrap parts for Knothole. On this particular night, their mission times with the return of Dr. Robotnik to his citadel after many months away. He is aided by his lackey,
Snively, a diminutive, beak-nosed, conniving man who happens to be his nephew.
The lead Freedom Fighters sneak into Robotropolis, hoping to hack into the doctor’s mainframe and steal vital information, particularly the blueprints of the Roboticizer. The group consists of:
--
Princess Sally Acorn, de facto leader and heir to the Kingdom of Acorn, maternal, level-headed, thoughtful, but prone to carrying the burden of duty (think Katara).
--
Rotor Walrus, the gadget guy, a self-conscious but laidback inventor who combines brains with brawn.
--
Antoine D’Coolette, a snobbish French-accented coyote who is head of security, hiding his anxieties behind a wall of bravado, has a crush on Sally.
--
Bunnie Rabbot, Sally’s best friend who was half-roboticized as a child, the heart of the team, nurturing and strong, wants to be a hairdresser, but is burdened by her own mechanical limbs.
--And the figurehead of the group,
Sonic the Hedgehog, a courageous, free-spirited, if arrogant speedster who can move at the speed of sound. For Robotnik, Sonic is the bane of his existence and is prone to prioritising his immediate destruction.
Sonic causes a distraction, bringing down an energy plant, whilst the others successfully hack into the mainframe and steal a large amount of data, thanks to Sally’s personal computer, personified through the AI
Nicole. Dr. Robotnik is unfazed, believing he will soon erase the Freedom Fighters, once his ultimate weapon, the
Doomsday Project, is complete.
Sonic races off, whilst his friends return to Knothole. He secretly meets with friend
Ben Muttski, a Mobian dog, who runs a secret surveillance outpost from an old food truck. Ben has located Sonic’s guardian
Uncle Chuck, who aided the children flee the city, but was roboticized. The two plot to rescue him, though Muttski is a bit apprehensive, knowing the cautious Sally will disagree. Sonic is both confident and desperate to save his uncle, even if it goes against the unified priorities of Knothole to not compromise their security for personal reasons.
In the sanctuary of Knothole, we meet other notable residents. Sonic’s best friend
Miles “Tails” Prower, a smart, precocious, two-tailed fox cub, who idolises Sonic, and is Rotor’s assistant;
Amy Rose, a bubbly, impressionable hedgehog who has an unrequited crush on Sonic;
Dulcy the Dragon, a clumsy dragon learning not to crashland when she flies; and
Rosie Woodchuck, Sally’s elderly governess, not in her golden years. The village is guarded by the
Substitute Freedom Fighters, backup members, who are often restricted to be glorified security guards, led by the confrontational
Picky the Pig.
Upon Sonic’s arrival, the Freedom Fighters study the stolen data, acquiring outdated blueprints of the Roboticizer, so Rotor can built an Anti-Roboticizer to reverse the process. They also acquire satellite imagery of a floating landmass – the legendary Floating Island. Robotnik’s excursion was to find it and harness its power source for the Doomsday Project.
When Sonic pitches his rescue plan to Sally, she shoots him down. That night, Sonic tries to sneak out, but is caught by Tails, taking him along. Amy Rose sees them go and later informs Sally. They and Muttski go to rescue Uncle Chuck in the mines, but are herded into a trap by Dr. Robotnik. Sonic uses a
Power Ring, Knothole’s main energy source, to restore Uncle Chuck’s mind. Muttski is captured and roboticized before Sonic’s eyes. Sonic, Tails, and Chuck escape when Sally and Rotor come to the rescue in a modified bi-plane called the
Tornado, built by Tails and Rotor.
Back home, Sally rakes Sonic over the coals. The hedgehog admits that he was a bonehead and it cost him a friend. Still, Uncle Chuck’s presence, despite his possible danger to the village, will help Rotor to build his Anti-Roboticizer – since Chuck built the original, imperfect Roboticizer, designed to heal wounded soldiers with mechanical limbs.
Sally discovers encrypted files within Nicole’s systems, titled “Bean”, a nickname her father, the missing King, gave her. Knowing she would likely have done the same reckless thing to save her dad, Sally and Sonic make up. Nicole decrypts a message from the King, revealing he has hidden secret information within Ironlock, an old POW fort located in the Dark Swamp. The Freedom Fighters decide to locate the Floating Island. Sonic and Dulcy will go on the mission, Sally and Antoine will go to Ironlock, whilst Rotor and Bunnie will remain to work with Uncle Chuck.
As Sonic and Dulcy fly for the island, they catch Tails and Amy following in the Tornado, who claim they have to grow up and fight for their freedom as well. Tails, in particular, wants to explore a world without Dr. Robotnik in it. Understanding, Sonic lets them tag along. Battling through a large storm system, the group discover the incredible Floating Island, a small continent with jungles and mountains. They land, Dulcy deciding to nap, whilst Sonic, Tails, and Amy set off to explore.
Elsewhere, Sally and Antoine traverse the smelly Dark Swamp. Antoine tries to act brave, but when a swamp monster attacks them, he quivers in fear. Sally tells him that it is okay to be afraid, but he objects, disgusted by his own cowardice. Sally sets him straight, telling him that if he was truly a coward, he would never have accompanied her and their friends on their missions. Overshadowed by his own sense of inadequacy, Antoine fears he will let his late father down, but Sally reassures him.
In Knothole, Uncle Chuck is met with some hostility, but Bunnie tells him that they will get used to his presence, just as they did when she came back half-roboticized. Though used to her own robotic limbs, she cannot feel anything with them, wishing to be rid of them, despite their uses. The cautious Picky admits there are concerns about Chuck’s presence, but the hedgehog offers to isolate himself in Rotor’s workshop.
Rotor has his own demons. He comes from a tribe of warrior walruses, often bullied by his thuggish father
Tundra, for just about everything – his preference for intelligence over raw brutality, his love for gadgets, for being gay. Rotor ran away from home as a child, moving to Mobotropolis prior to its downfall. Combining brain and brawn, he hopes to leave an impact on the world that will put his father to shame.
On the Floating Island, someone throws a boulder at Dulcy to knock her into the sea, but she awakens in time to avoid it. Below, she sees a large battleship emerge from the storm system. Sonic, Tails, and Amy find a large, ancient temple within the heart of the island, only to be attacked by its guardian
Knuckles the Echidna. Protective, stubborn, and quick to anger, Knuckles orders Sonic to get off the island, but a bit of banter leads to a battle between them across the island. Sonic tries to warn Knuckles that Dr. Robotnik has eyes on his home, but Knuckles claims the doctor already visited and told him that Sonic plans to raid the island. Sonic is baffled, enraged when Knuckles claims he cares not what happens on Mobius (it is beneath him).
Tails and Amy use a device to track an energy signal deep into the temple, solving booby traps, until they discover the
Master Emerald, a beautiful, large gemstone that keeps the island airbourne. Unfortunately, Robotnik’s battleship appears overhead, and steals with emerald. Without its power, the island plummets out of the sky. Sonic and Knuckles go after the Master Emerald, but fail to retrieve. Dulcy rescues everyone and flies them to the mainland as the Floating Island crashes into the sea, Dr. Robotnik escaping with the emerald.
Sally and Antoine fine Ironlock and search it for the King’s information. They find a hidden chamber featuring a computer terminal. Nicole is connected to it, downloading lists of potential allies. When they exit, they are ambushed by Robotnik’s minion
Thunderbolt the Chinchilla, an insane, devout maniac who fights in a large mech. Thunderbolt captures Antoine, Sally surrendering in exchange for his freedom. Thunderbolt takes Sally prisoner, but Antoine follows with Nicole in his possession. He runs into Sonic and co. on the way, where they are trying to convince Knuckles to open his eyes to the larger world problems. Sonic and Antoine head for Robotropolis, whilst the others take Knuckles to Knothole.
Dr. Robotnik prepares to deliver the Master Emerald to the Doomsday Project, located in the frigid north. Thunderbolt brings Sally in, much to Robotnik’s glee. Robotnik explains his philosophy to Sally, coming to belief that all the chaos and misery in the world occurs because of the individualistic ways of organic life. If it were all roboticized, the world would find unity under his own flag. He then admits to Sally that the Doomsday Project is a gigantic Roboticizer, which will emit energy waves containing billions of nanobots, which will infect every human and Mobian, turning them into robots. Anticipating Sonic’s arrival, Robotnik has Sally taken away for a cunning game.
Sonic and Antoine arrive in the city, directed to the old stadium which Robotnik has set up into a giant pinball table. He challenges Sonic to a game, with Sally as the prize. The game is rigged in Robotnik’s favour, but Antoine and Nicole sabotage it to free Sally, with Sonic humiliating Robotnik. However, the doctor reveals even if he was killed, the Doomsday Project would be activated. He then slyly tells them that they should return to Knothole – he will be able to locate it using Uncle Chuck’s in-built GPS tracker, which will activate his attack mode.
In Knothole, Uncle Chuck suddenly goes berserk and starts wrecking the place, fighting his friends, though Knuckles is the only one who is willing to harm him. Sonic arrives and has to reluctantly fight his uncle, ultimately smashing him off a cliff and into a passing river below. Knothole is spared, though its security may be exposed. The Freedom Fighters rally to stop the Doomsday Project, Sonic, Sally, and Knuckles all concluding that the world is bigger than their own issues. Sonic even invites the Substitute Freedom Fighters to come, but they decline, deciding to guard Knothole just in case. Sonic and Sally have an intimate moment together, and nearly kiss until Tails ruins the moment.
Hours later, the Freedom Fighters travel to the north after hijacking some drone ships. They plan to destroy the weapon, save the Master Emerald, and take out Dr. Robotnik and his minions. As the group storm the enemy base, Robotnik leaves Snively in command whilst he faces Sonic personally. Knuckles, Bunnie, and Rotor go to find the Master Emerald, whilst Sally, Antoine, and Amy go to control the command centre. Sonic battles Robotnik in his multifunction Egg Mobile.
Sally’s team confront Snively, who reveals the Doomsday Project can be deactivated using two security keys that he and Robotnik have. He surrenders his own key, revealing he is doing it merely to humiliate his abusive uncle. Sally interrogates Snively on what happened to her father, but reveals he does not know the King’s fate, though confirms he wasn’t roboticized. Sally pushes Snively for more information, but he escapes.
Knuckles, Bunnie, and Rotor head for the Doomsday Project’s lower levels, but are attacked by Thunderbolt and Rotor’s own father Tundra, one of Robotnik’s Grandmasters. The two walruses argue and then fight, accusing each other of being cowards. However, Rotor manages to outwit his father, but spares his life. Amy aids Knuckles and Bunnie fight Thunderbolt, Bunnie discovering her mechanical arm can transform into a cannon, blowing up Thunderbolt’s mecha, but cripples the weapon’s reactors. It is only a matter of time before a chain reaction occurs. Knuckles manages to retrieve the Master Emerald.
Sonic and Dr. Robotnik continue their battle, the scientist going increasingly insane as the Doomsday Project begins to malfunction. Sally arrives, but Robotnik destroys his key, willing to perish if it means taking his enemies with him. Sally beats him black and blue, before fleeing with Sonic outside. Knuckles notes that the Power Rings have a similar energy to the Master Emerald, wondering if it contains “chaos energy”. He claims that if several conduits containing such energy are combined, they can boost a person’s powers.
Sonic and Sally try this with several Power Rings, allowing to repel the energy pulses released by the Doomsday Project, triggering an avalanche which buries the base, including Dr. Robotnik. Everyone breaks out into cheers, believing they have won, at least for now. In Knothole, everyone celebrates. Knuckles departs back home, but promises to aid the Freedom Fighters should they need help. Sally makes contact with another faction of rebels.
Sonic and Sally later sit by a lake, making plans to liberate Robotropolis and begin the process of restoring the kingdom and their loved ones. They finally share a kiss, before breaking into a laugh. Their friends join them, Sonic commenting: “If I know one thing, it’s that freedom is way past cool!”
A short time later, Snively marches through a laboratory, declaring himself the new ruler of the empire. He approaches a water tank, deciding it is time to activate “Project Metallix” to eliminate Sonic; revealing a repaired Uncle Chuck in the tank, now weaponised as the new
Metal Sonic.
In a final scene, Knuckles explores the temple of the Floating Island. He finds an archive, uncovering a scroll containing the Master Emeralds and seven similar, smaller, emeralds…
DREAM CAST
Sonic the Hedgehog -- Jaleel White / Roger Craig Smith / Ben Schwartz
Dr. Robotnik -- Jim Cummings / Mike Pollock
Sally Acorn -- Kate Soucie
Tails -- Colleen Villard
Antoine D'Coolette -- Rob Paulsen
Bunnie Rabbot -- Nancy Cartwright / Ashleigh Ball
Rotor Walrus -- Cam Brainard
Dulcy the Dragon -- Cree Summer
Nicole -- Michelle Ruff
Amy Rose -- Lisa Ortiz
Knuckles the Echidna -- Dan Green / Travis Willingham
Snively Robotnik -- Charles Adler
Uncle Chuck -- Corey Burton
King Maximillian -- Tim Curry
Rosie Woodchuck -- April Winchell
Picky the Pig -- David Kaye
Thunderbolt -- Tara Strong
Tundra Walrus -- Jason Isaacs
