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* ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogIDW'':
** The comic's portrayal of ''Sonic himself'' has become this as of late, due to his insistence on being [[ThouShaltNotKill more merciful to his adversaries despite the consequences that result]]. While some fans consider his merciful behavior to be in-character with his game self and have expressed that they'd prefer it to Sonic killing the villains of the comic, detractors of the comic have noted that not only does this lead to [[NiceJobBreakingItHero things getting worse for everyone]] involved [[KarmaHoudini when the villains are free to hurt people]] -- a fact that Sonic ''acknowledges'' but [[IgnoredEpiphany never puts into practice]] -- but that Sonic himself is a {{hypocrite}} in that he often shoves the differing views of his friends ''and enemies'' aside (and even bitterly chastises [[TheAtoner Shadow]] and [[ShellShockedVeteran Espio]] over such), all while [[HonorBeforeReason acting especially righteous about his choices and asserting that he wants to give everyone the freedom to enjoy the world]]. The degree of whether Sonic's beliefs and his resulting actions are justified does depend on the reader, however, and his portrayal in ''Scrapnik Island'' has been viewed by detractors as more in-line with his game counterpart, along with the story being viewed as a better-written case of him trying to redeem an antagonist.
*** To a much lesser degree, this version of Sonic also tends to be far more verbose when discussing topics such as his beliefs or morals, compared to how his game counterpart -- while also very prone to being talkative -- tends to be quick and to-the-point when expressing his perspective on things. Some feel that this makes Sonic come across as more overbearing and patronizing when combined with the other controversial aspects of his portrayal in this comic, though others have argued that his greater quantity of dialogue may simply be a result of working within the limitations of the comic medium. Worth noting is that ''Scrapnik'' writer Daniel Barnes [[https://twitter.com/Danny8bit/status/1674164168008830978?s=20 has taken note of the former argument]].
** [[VideoGame/SonicLostWorld The Deadly Six]]. While some fans consider their more threatening characterization in the comic as them being RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap, others felt their inclusion in the story was forced and are not happy with [[spoiler:them usurping Eggman's spot as the arc's BigBad once again.]]
** [[RidiculouslyHumanRobot Belle the Tinkerer]] suffers from this. Her fans find her sympathetic and likeable, while her detractors consider her to be [[{{Wangst}} annoyingly whiny]]. It doesn't help that the mystery of her origin was [[ArcFatigue dragged out for months]] even though the answer -- [[spoiler:she's a creation of Mr. Tinker, Dr. Eggman's amnesiac alter-ego]] -- [[CaptainObviousReveal was pretty obvious]].
** Following the establishment of the new Diamond Cutters, some people have felt this towards Lanolin, as she ends up having to take a more strict, leader-like attitude as the group's commander. One half thinks this makes sense and that it's merely natural progression for a strategist character that [[{{Workaholic}} takes their work very seriously]] (while also needing to round up the excitable Tangle and bashful Whisper somehow), but others also think that it's weird to have this much authority granted to a rookie with only one mission of note and who happens to be surrounded by characters that are far more experienced and powerful than she is, especially when her treatment of them can come off as rather harsh and disrespectful despite having little cred herself. Still, there are people who think a middle ground is ideal, believing that she brings a [[TheComicallySerious unique vibe to the team due to her seriousness]], but that her bossiness should be eventually toned down, or at least elaborated upon down the line to make her more likable and less of a killjoy. Yet another camp believes [[IntendedAudienceReaction Lanolin's divisive points are intentional character flaws]] that are setups for a later character arc, something Ian Flynn hinted at in one of his podcasts.
*** Lanolin's hopes to militarize the Restoration is an aspect of the character that's particularly divisive among the fandom due to its greater implications. Some think that militarization may be necessary in a world where G.U.N is seemingly out of commission in case of another wide-scale invasion, while others think it defeats the whole humanitarian aspect that the Restoration was built upon and treads too much into [[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics Freedom Fighter]] territory. There is also a third group that defends the idea of a Restoration military if only because of its potential as a morally grey party within the greater Sonic vs. Eggman conflict.
** The comic's portrayal of ''Sonic himself'' has become this as of late, due to his insistence on being [[ThouShaltNotKill more merciful to his adversaries despite the consequences that result]]. While some fans consider his merciful behavior to be in-character with his game self and have expressed that they'd prefer it to Sonic killing the villains of the comic, detractors of the comic have noted that not only does this lead to [[NiceJobBreakingItHero things getting worse for everyone]] involved [[KarmaHoudini when the villains are free to hurt people]] -- a fact that Sonic ''acknowledges'' but [[IgnoredEpiphany never puts into practice]] -- but that Sonic himself is a {{hypocrite}} in that he often shoves the differing views of his friends ''and enemies'' aside (and even bitterly chastises [[TheAtoner Shadow]] and [[ShellShockedVeteran Espio]] over such), all while [[HonorBeforeReason acting especially righteous about his choices and asserting that he wants to give everyone the freedom to enjoy the world]]. The degree of whether Sonic's beliefs and his resulting actions are justified does depend on the reader, however, and his portrayal in ''Scrapnik Island'' has been viewed by detractors as more in-line with his game counterpart, along with the story being viewed as a better-written case of him trying to redeem an antagonist.
*** To a much lesser degree, this version of Sonic also tends to be far more verbose when discussing topics such as his beliefs or morals, compared to how his game counterpart -- while also very prone to being talkative -- tends to be quick and to-the-point when expressing his perspective on things. Some feel that this makes Sonic come across as more overbearing and patronizing when combined with the other controversial aspects of his portrayal in this comic, though others have argued that his greater quantity of dialogue may simply be a result of working within the limitations of the comic medium. Worth noting is that ''Scrapnik'' writer Daniel Barnes [[https://twitter.com/Danny8bit/status/1674164168008830978?s=20 has taken note of the former argument]].
** [[VideoGame/SonicLostWorld The Deadly Six]]. While some fans consider their more threatening characterization in the comic as them being RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap, others felt their inclusion in the story was forced and are not happy with [[spoiler:them usurping Eggman's spot as the arc's BigBad once again.]]
** [[RidiculouslyHumanRobot Belle the Tinkerer]] suffers from this. Her fans find her sympathetic and likeable, while her detractors consider her to be [[{{Wangst}} annoyingly whiny]]. It doesn't help that the mystery of her origin was [[ArcFatigue dragged out for months]] even though the answer -- [[spoiler:she's a creation of Mr. Tinker, Dr. Eggman's amnesiac alter-ego]] -- [[CaptainObviousReveal was pretty obvious]].
** Following the establishment of the new Diamond Cutters, some people have felt this towards Lanolin, as she ends up having to take a more strict, leader-like attitude as the group's commander. One half thinks this makes sense and that it's merely natural progression for a strategist character that [[{{Workaholic}} takes their work very seriously]] (while also needing to round up the excitable Tangle and bashful Whisper somehow), but others also think that it's weird to have this much authority granted to a rookie with only one mission of note and who happens to be surrounded by characters that are far more experienced and powerful than she is, especially when her treatment of them can come off as rather harsh and disrespectful despite having little cred herself. Still, there are people who think a middle ground is ideal, believing that she brings a [[TheComicallySerious unique vibe to the team due to her seriousness]], but that her bossiness should be eventually toned down, or at least elaborated upon down the line to make her more likable and less of a killjoy. Yet another camp believes [[IntendedAudienceReaction Lanolin's divisive points are intentional character flaws]] that are setups for a later character arc, something Ian Flynn hinted at in one of his podcasts.
*** Lanolin's hopes to militarize the Restoration is an aspect of the character that's particularly divisive among the fandom due to its greater implications. Some think that militarization may be necessary in a world where G.U.N is seemingly out of commission in case of another wide-scale invasion, while others think it defeats the whole humanitarian aspect that the Restoration was built upon and treads too much into [[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics Freedom Fighter]] territory. There is also a third group that defends the idea of a Restoration military if only because of its potential as a morally grey party within the greater Sonic vs. Eggman conflict.
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* Of Team Chaotix, Charmy Bee is easily the most divisive. Some hate him for his BrattyHalfPint attitude and think he's an annoying TagalongKid who adds nothing to the games. There's also people who find his [[NoIndoorVoice voice]] insufferable. However, Charmy has fans who think his hyperactive, upbeat personality is [[{{Keet}} cute]].
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* Of Team Chaotix, Charmy Bee is easily the most divisive. Some hate him for his BrattyHalfPint attitude [[BrattyHalfPint attitude]] and think he's an annoying TagalongKid who adds nothing to the games. There's also people who find his [[NoIndoorVoice voice]] insufferable. However, Charmy has fans who think his [[{{Keet}} hyperactive, upbeat upbeat]] personality is [[{{Keet}} cute]].cute.
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* Similar to Charmy, Marine the Raccoon is another child character that people have split opinions about. Her detractors think she's a whiny brat that does more harm than good anytime she tries to help out Sonic and co. Marine also gets flak for her Australian accent, with some Australian fans finding it incredibly stereotypical. Marine [[ReplacementScrappy replacing]] Cream as Blaze's partner certainly didn't help and some found her inclusion to be unnecessary. Even though Marine goes through CharacterDevelopment and grows out of her brattiness near the end of the game, it was too little too late and their bad first impression of her had stuck. On the other hand, there are fans that like Marine for her character development, adventurous attitude, and wish she'd make a reappearance.
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* Similar to Charmy, Marine the Raccoon is another child character that people have split opinions about. Her detractors think she's a whiny brat that does more harm than good anytime she tries to help out Sonic and co. Marine also gets flak for her Australian accent, with some Australian fans finding it incredibly stereotypical. Marine The fact that she [[ReplacementScrappy replacing]] replaced]] Cream as Blaze's partner certainly didn't help and some found her inclusion to be unnecessary.help. Even though Marine goes through CharacterDevelopment and grows out of her brattiness near the end of the game, it was too little too late and their bad first impression of her had stuck. On the other hand, there are fans that like Marine for her character development, adventurous attitude, and wish she'd make a reappearance.
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* Similar to Charmy, Marine the Raccoon is another child character that people have split opinions about. Her detractors think she's a whiny brat that does more harm than good anytime she tries to help out Sonic and co. Marine also gets flak for her Australian accent, with some Australian fans finding it incredibly stereotypical. Another factor that contributed to Marine's base-breaking status is her [[ReplacementScrappy replacing]] Cream as Blaze's partner. Even though Marine goes through CharacterDevelopment and grows out of her brattiness near the end of the game, it was too little too late and their bad first impression of her had stuck. On the other hand, there are fans that like Marine for her character development, adventurous attitude, and wish she'd make a reappearance.
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* Similar to Charmy, Marine the Raccoon is another child character that people have split opinions about. Her detractors think she's a whiny brat that does more harm than good anytime she tries to help out Sonic and co. Marine also gets flak for her Australian accent, with some Australian fans finding it incredibly stereotypical. Another factor that contributed to Marine's base-breaking status is her Marine [[ReplacementScrappy replacing]] Cream as Blaze's partner.partner certainly didn't help and some found her inclusion to be unnecessary. Even though Marine goes through CharacterDevelopment and grows out of her brattiness near the end of the game, it was too little too late and their bad first impression of her had stuck. On the other hand, there are fans that like Marine for her character development, adventurous attitude, and wish she'd make a reappearance.
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* Similar to Charmy, Marine the Raccoon from ''VideoGame/SonicRushAdventure'' is another child character that people have split opinions about. Her detractors think she's a whiny brat that does more harm than good anytime she tries to help out Sonic and co. Marine also gets flak for her Australian accent, with some Australian fans finding it incredibly stereotypical. Another factor that contributed to Marine's base-breaking status is her [[ReplacementScrappy replacing]] Cream as Blaze's partner. Even though Marine goes through CharacterDevelopment and grows out of her brattiness near the end of the game, it was too little too late and their bad first impression of her had stuck. On the other hand, there are fans that like Marine for her character development, adventurous attitude, and wish she'd make a reappearance.
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* Similar to Charmy, Marine the Raccoon from ''VideoGame/SonicRushAdventure'' is another child character that people have split opinions about. Her detractors think she's a whiny brat that does more harm than good anytime she tries to help out Sonic and co. Marine also gets flak for her Australian accent, with some Australian fans finding it incredibly stereotypical. Another factor that contributed to Marine's base-breaking status is her [[ReplacementScrappy replacing]] Cream as Blaze's partner. Even though Marine goes through CharacterDevelopment and grows out of her brattiness near the end of the game, it was too little too late and their bad first impression of her had stuck. On the other hand, there are fans that like Marine for her character development, adventurous attitude, and wish she'd make a reappearance.
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* In a similar vein to Charmy, Marine the Raccoon from ''VideoGame/SonicRushAdventure'' is another child character that people have split opinions about. Her detractors think she's an annoying, whiny brat that does more harm than good anytime she tries to help out Sonic and co. Marine also gets flak for her Australian accent, with some Australian fans finding it incredibly stereotypical. Even though she goes through CharacterDevelopment and grows out of her brattiness near the end of the game, it was too little too late and their bad first impression of her had stuck. On the other hand, there are fans that like Marine and have even come around to appreciating her character development and adventurous attitude [[CharacterPerceptionEvolution in the years gone by]], and wish she'd make a reappearance.
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* In a similar vein Similar to Charmy, Marine the Raccoon from ''VideoGame/SonicRushAdventure'' is another child character that people have split opinions about. Her detractors think she's an annoying, a whiny brat that does more harm than good anytime she tries to help out Sonic and co. Marine also gets flak for her Australian accent, with some Australian fans finding it incredibly stereotypical. Another factor that contributed to Marine's base-breaking status is her [[ReplacementScrappy replacing]] Cream as Blaze's partner. Even though she Marine goes through CharacterDevelopment and grows out of her brattiness near the end of the game, it was too little too late and their bad first impression of her had stuck. On the other hand, there are fans that like Marine and have even come around to appreciating for her character development and development, adventurous attitude [[CharacterPerceptionEvolution in the years gone by]], attitude, and wish she'd make a reappearance.
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* In a similar vein to Charmy, Marine the Raccoon from ''VideoGame/SonicRushAdventure'' is another child character that people have split opinions about. Her detractors think she's an annoying, whiny brat that does more harm than good anytime she tries to help out Sonic and co. Marine also gets flak for her Australian accent, with some Australian fans finding it incredibly stereotypical. Even though she goes through CharacterDevelopment and grows out of her brattiness near the end of the game, it was too little too late and their bad first impression of her had stuck. On the other hand, there are fans that like her and have even come around to appreciating Marine's character development and adventurous attitude [[CharacterPerceptionEvolution in the years gone by]], and wish she'd make a reappearance.
to:
* In a similar vein to Charmy, Marine the Raccoon from ''VideoGame/SonicRushAdventure'' is another child character that people have split opinions about. Her detractors think she's an annoying, whiny brat that does more harm than good anytime she tries to help out Sonic and co. Marine also gets flak for her Australian accent, with some Australian fans finding it incredibly stereotypical. Even though she goes through CharacterDevelopment and grows out of her brattiness near the end of the game, it was too little too late and their bad first impression of her had stuck. On the other hand, there are fans that like her Marine and have even come around to appreciating Marine's her character development and adventurous attitude [[CharacterPerceptionEvolution in the years gone by]], and wish she'd make a reappearance.
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* In a similar vein to Charmy, Marine the Raccoon from ''VideoGame/SonicRushAdventure'' is another child character that people have split opinions about (typically leaning more on the negative side). Her detractors think she's an annoying, whiny brat that does more harm than good anytime she tries to help out Sonic and co. Marine also gets flak for her Australian accent, with some Australian fans finding it incredibly stereotypical. Even though she goes through CharacterDevelopment and grows out of her brattiness near the end of the game, it was too little too late and their bad first impression of her had stuck. On the other hand, there are fans that like her and have even come around to appreciating Marine's character development and adventurous attitude [[CharacterPerceptionEvolution in the years gone by]], and wish she'd make a reappearance.
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* In a similar vein to Charmy, Marine the Raccoon from ''VideoGame/SonicRushAdventure'' is another child character that people have split opinions about (typically leaning more on the negative side).about. Her detractors think she's an annoying, whiny brat that does more harm than good anytime she tries to help out Sonic and co. Marine also gets flak for her Australian accent, with some Australian fans finding it incredibly stereotypical. Even though she goes through CharacterDevelopment and grows out of her brattiness near the end of the game, it was too little too late and their bad first impression of her had stuck. On the other hand, there are fans that like her and have even come around to appreciating Marine's character development and adventurous attitude [[CharacterPerceptionEvolution in the years gone by]], and wish she'd make a reappearance.
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* In a similar vein to Charmy, Marine the Raccoon from ''VideoGame/SonicRushAdventure'' is another child character that people have split opinions about. Her detractors think she's an annoying, whiny brat that does more harm than good anytime she tries to help out Sonic and co. Marine also gets flak for her Australian accent, with some Australian fans finding it incredibly stereotypical. Even though she goes through CharacterDevelopment and grows out of her brattiness near the end of the game, it was too little too late for many, as their bad first impression of her had stuck. On the other hand, there are fans that liked her character development and adventurous attitude.
to:
* In a similar vein to Charmy, Marine the Raccoon from ''VideoGame/SonicRushAdventure'' is another child character that people have split opinions about.about (typically leaning more on the negative side). Her detractors think she's an annoying, whiny brat that does more harm than good anytime she tries to help out Sonic and co. Marine also gets flak for her Australian accent, with some Australian fans finding it incredibly stereotypical. Even though she goes through CharacterDevelopment and grows out of her brattiness near the end of the game, it was too little too late for many, as and their bad first impression of her had stuck. On the other hand, there are fans that liked like her and have even come around to appreciating Marine's character development and adventurous attitude.attitude [[CharacterPerceptionEvolution in the years gone by]], and wish she'd make a reappearance.
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* In a similar vein to Charmy, Marine the Raccoon from ''VideoGame/SonicRushAdventure'' is another child character that people have split opinions about. Her detractors think she's an annoying, whiny brat that does more harm than good anytime she tries to help out Sonic and co. Marine also gets flak for her Australian accent, with some Australian fans finding it incredibly stereotypical. Even though she goes through CharacterDevelopment and grows out of her brattiness near the end of the game, it was too little too late for many, as their bad first impression of her had stuck. On the other hand, there are fans that liked her character development and adventurous attitude.
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* Of Team Chaotix, Charmy Bee is easily the most divisive. Some hate him for his BrattyHalfPint attitude and think he's an annoying TagalongKid who adds nothing to the games. There's also people who find his [[NoIndoorVoice voice]] insufferable. However, some like Charmy and think his hyperactive, upbeat personality is [[{{Keet}} cute]].
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* Of Team Chaotix, Charmy Bee is easily the most divisive. Some hate him for his BrattyHalfPint attitude and think he's an annoying TagalongKid who adds nothing to the games. There's also people who find his [[NoIndoorVoice voice]] insufferable. However, some like Charmy and has fans who think his hyperactive, upbeat personality is [[{{Keet}} cute]].
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* Of Team Chaotix, Charmy Bee is easily the most divisive. Some hate him for his BrattyHalfPint attitude and think he's an annoying TagalongKid who adds nothing to the games. There's also people who find his [[NoIndoorVoice voice]] insufferable. However, some like Charmy and think his hyperactive, upbeat personality is [[{{Keet}} cute]].
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* So there's a bit of a schism between the fanbases of Knuckles and Shadow over their role as TheRival. When Knuckles debuted, he became an instant BreakoutCharacter due to his interesting origins that gave him direct ties to the Chaos Emeralds, and his rocky relationship with Sonic. He was able to stand on his own as an equal to Sonic and headlined [[VideoGame/KnucklesChaotix his own spin off title]] and his own comic book all until VideoGame/SonicAdventure2. That's when Shadow debuted as a new rival to Sonic, and proved to be so much more popular than Knuckles ever was with the new generation. Subsequently, this is when Knuckles gradually fell OutOfFocus and his character was changed to be [[{{Flanderization}} more comedic in tone and to make Sonic look better]] while Shadow would headline the next few games, including having his OWN spin off. Fans of Knuckles resent Shadow over this and feel Knuckles deserved way better than how he was treated. Conversely, people argue that Knuckles was never a good rival to begin with, as his conflict with Sonic mostly revolved around being tricked by Eggman into fighting him. Amusingly, this actually mirrors what happened to Piccolo when Vegeta debuted in Franchise/DragonBall as it's common for fans to make comparisons between the two series.
* The Babylon Rouges from the ''Riders'' subseries. Some fans love them, finding them to be super interesting rivals and {{Shadow Archetype}}s to Sonic, Tails and Knuckles, as well as wanting their backstories to be explored more. On the other hand, other fans find them to be insufferable [[{{Jerkass}} Jerkasses]], especially Jet and Wave, with extremely annoying voices.
* The Babylon Rouges from the ''Riders'' subseries. Some fans love them, finding them to be super interesting rivals and {{Shadow Archetype}}s to Sonic, Tails and Knuckles, as well as wanting their backstories to be explored more. On the other hand, other fans find them to be insufferable [[{{Jerkass}} Jerkasses]], especially Jet and Wave, with extremely annoying voices.
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* So there's a bit of a schism between the fanbases of Knuckles and Shadow over their role as TheRival. When Knuckles debuted, he became an instant BreakoutCharacter due to his interesting origins that gave him direct ties to the Chaos Emeralds, and his rocky relationship with Sonic. He was able to stand on his own as an equal to Sonic and headlined [[VideoGame/KnucklesChaotix his own spin off title]] and his own comic book all until VideoGame/SonicAdventure2. That's when Shadow debuted as a new rival to Sonic, and proved to be so much more popular than Knuckles ever was with the new generation. Subsequently, this is when Knuckles gradually fell OutOfFocus and his character was changed to be [[{{Flanderization}} more comedic in tone and to make Sonic look better]] while Shadow would headline the next few games, including having his OWN spin off. Fans of Knuckles resent Shadow over this and feel Knuckles deserved way better than how he was treated. Conversely, people argue that Knuckles was never a good rival to begin with, as his conflict with Sonic mostly revolved around being tricked by Eggman into fighting him. Amusingly, this actually mirrors what happened to Piccolo when Vegeta debuted in Franchise/DragonBall as it's common for fans to make comparisons between the two series. \n [[TakeAThirdOption There are also other fans who feel that both Knuckles and Shadow have merits as rivals in different ways]], but that they both suffer as characters due to the inconsistent writing quality and lack of proper usage.
* The Babylon Rouges from the ''Riders'' subseries. Some fans love them, finding them to be super interesting rivals and {{Shadow Archetype}}s to Sonic, Tails and Knuckles, as well as wanting their backstories to be exploredmore.more, with their jerkish behavior and funny team dynamic keeping them fresh and interesting. On the other hand, other fans find them to be insufferable [[{{Jerkass}} Jerkasses]], especially Jet and Wave, with extremely annoying voices.
* The Babylon Rouges from the ''Riders'' subseries. Some fans love them, finding them to be super interesting rivals and {{Shadow Archetype}}s to Sonic, Tails and Knuckles, as well as wanting their backstories to be explored
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* Depending on who you ask Orbot [[note]] mainly from Videogame/SonicColors onward, his [[SameCharacterButDifferent radically different portrayal]] in Videogame/SonicUnleashed is less controversial [[/note]] and Cubot are either an effective and funny GreekChorus and a nice callback to Eggman's robot sidekicks in [[WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog other]] [[Anime/SonicX media]], or they're an annoyance who eat up screen-time despite not actually contributing to the story and whose antics and insults only compound Eggman's VillainDecay (something the Adventure era Eggman would never have tolerated). Not helping matters is that they suddenly appeared [[RememberTheNewGuy without a proper introduction]] at a time when every previously established character was being [[ChuckCunninghamSyndrome swept under the rug]] and have been inseparable from Eggman in every appearance until ''VideoGame/SonicFrontiers''.
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* Depending on who you ask Orbot [[note]] mainly from Videogame/SonicColors onward, his [[SameCharacterButDifferent radically different portrayal]] in Videogame/SonicUnleashed is less controversial [[/note]] and Cubot are either an effective and funny GreekChorus and a nice callback to Eggman's robot sidekicks in [[WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog other]] [[Anime/SonicX media]], or they're an annoyance [[SpotlightStealingSquad who eat up screen-time screen-time]] [[PlotIrrelevantVillain despite not actually contributing to the story story]] and whose antics and insults only compound Eggman's VillainDecay (something the Adventure era Eggman would never have tolerated). Not helping matters is that they suddenly appeared [[RememberTheNewGuy without a proper introduction]] at a time when every previously established character was being [[ChuckCunninghamSyndrome swept under the rug]] and have been inseparable from Eggman in every appearance until ''VideoGame/SonicFrontiers''.
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* There's a huge debate over how well-written all of them are and if their continued presence is justified. In the greater gaming community, a very common complaint is that the franchise suffers from major character bloat and the series would be better off by paring down the cast to a more manageable size (usually just Sonic, Tails, and Eggman) while fans argue having a large cast makes the series more interesting rather than just revolving around just one or two characters, similar to how [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]] handles it's cast. Sega faces a constant struggle at handling the large amount of characters.
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* There's a huge debate over how well-written all of them are and if their continued presence is justified. In the greater gaming community, a very common complaint is that the franchise suffers from major character bloat and the series would be better off by paring down the cast to a more manageable size (usually just Sonic, Tails, and Eggman) Eggman, and ''maybe'' Amy and Knuckles) while fans argue having a large cast makes the series more interesting rather than just revolving around just one or two characters, similar to how [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]] handles it's cast. Sega faces a constant struggle at handling the large amount of characters.
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For general BrokenBase entries, go [[BrokenBase/SonicTheHedgehog here]].
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In general, it'd be easier to list a Sonic character who ''hasn't'' garnered some level of controversy.
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[[folder:The games]]
* There's a huge debate over how well-written all of them are and if their continued presence is justified. In the greater gaming community, a very common complaint is that the franchise suffers from major character bloat and the series would be better off by paring down the cast to a more manageable size (usually just Sonic, Tails, and Eggman) while fans argue having a large cast makes the series more interesting rather than just revolving around just one or two characters, similar to how [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]] handles it's cast. Sega faces a constant struggle at handling the large amount of characters.
* While many find the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' franchise's supporting cast to be an annoying SpotlightStealingSquad, this is not to say the titular protagonist hasn't become a polarizing character in his own right. The division of fans who don't like Sonic argue that he is a [[VanillaProtagonist bland]], underdeveloped InvincibleHero with [[MascotWithAttitude once-innovative "cool" traits]] that have just become annoying, although this part of the character's identity was mostly confined to the many, many AlternateContinuity adaptations created to draw attention to the games (whose plots were [[ExcusePlot kept to a minimum]] at the time), such as the [[WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog animated]] [[WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM television]] [[WesternAnimation/SonicUnderground shows]] and the [[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics comic]] [[ComicBook/SonicTheComic books]]. The other section of the fandom, while also not too fond of how he is characterized in a lot of these adaptations (especially ''Comicbook/SonicTheComic''), contest that Sonic is closer to being an [[{{Pride}} excessively confident]], [[TheAntiNihilist idealistic]] LoveableRogue type who lives by a personal code that just so happens to be in tune with heroic interests, arguing that the very few games where [[VideoGame/SonicAdventure2 his heart steers him towards actions]] [[VideoGame/SonicStorybookSeries that seem much more morally suspect]] perfectly demonstrate that there is a lot more to Sonic than just a "radical attitude" personality. Consequently, due to the games since ''VideoGame/SonicColors'' ignoring the dramatic, gritty tone that prior games became infamous for in favor of family-friendly whimsy, which involved bringing Sonic's [[ButForMeItWasTuesday casual attitude about all the extraordinary occurrences he's had to deal with]] to the forefront, there is very little middle ground to be found between the fans who feel that Sonic not taking anything seriously anymore unnecessarily exaggerates his quirks to the point of ruining his character and the fans who feel that his snark is, at the very least, preferable to [[{{Narm}} failed attempts at being serious]].
** The Classic incarnation of Sonic has become divisive in his more recent appearances. After the universal praise his return in ''Generations'' brought, he began to appear more often in the series to the point where he appeared in both of the 25 anniversary games, and WordOfGod declared that the classic and modern universes are now separate timelines instead of just past and present incarnations (to allow for more classic games). To fans who dislike the tendency of post-''Generations'' games to [[PanderingToTheBase focus on pandering to the nostalgia of classic fans over focusing on new content]], Classic Sonic serves as the embodiment of everything wrong with the current era of the series for bringing back a retired incarnation of the character for the sake of pandering and usually bringing retro themes and reused stages with him, and [[SpotlightStealingSquad him along with everything he brings be pushed into the spotlight more than the current Sonic]]. Of course, since pandering isn't entirely a bad thing, other fans enjoy his reappearances and the nostalgia aspects he brings with him. And Classic Sonic just ''is'' Sonic to some fans, so they approve of their preferred incarnation of the character returning. Nowadays, Classic Sonic can largely be split between the people glad that he is back in the spotlight, and the people who think he's overstayed his welcome and would like him to become a thing of the past again.
* Tails started as a [[TagalongKid inseparable friend]] who idolizes Sonic. Now, is he an [[ChildProdigy independent genius kid who is like a little brother to Sonic]] or a useless fox who talks a lot? [[DistressedDude His]] [[TookALevelInJerkass performance]] in ''Lost World'' got some hate as well. The perception that he has also lost a lot of character development between Adventure and Modern era's; turning him into a NonActionGuy. Despite this, he still remains one of the most popular characters.
* Knuckles started out as one of Sonic's first {{Foil}}s, being a sub-antagonist in ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles'' who would obstruct Sonic & Tails' path through the levels as a result of being tricked by Eggman. After that, he would be a mainstay as one of the series' more popular characters. The split comes from his subsequent appearances where his role as guardian of the Master Emerald becomes less relevant over time along with his {{Flanderization}} to a much more bumbling character in tone. Fans are torn over this as while Knuckles is popular and makes a lot of appearances,they feel like those appearances cheapen the character into someone far less interesting than he was in his initial appearances for the sake of PopularityPower. This reached its apex in his ''WesternAnimation/SonicBoom'' incarnation, who is a stereotypical DumbMuscle character and resembles the original InNameOnly. Administrivia/TropesAreTools however, as he still considered one of the funniest characters in the show.
* Amy Rose always had a mixed reception, namely in her post-Sonic Adventure incarnation. Many find her crush on Sonic either cute or annoying, as she would insert herself into whatever adventure he was on just for the sake of it. Fans of the character also insist that she's far more than just her crush: pointing at her empathy for others, and capacity for leadership, and interest in tarot cards as other major facets of her character. However, through the 2000s, (with ''Anime/SonicX'' being the biggest example) she became increasingly more neurotic and violent towards not only Sonic but the rest of her peers as well, which turned more people against her and caused some fans to feel like she was becoming a one-note character. Various ''Sonic'' media starting from the late 2010s, such as the ''WesternAnimation/SonicBoom'' cartoon and the IDW comics, would reverse this and begin to downplay her crush in favor of fleshing out her forgotten traits, though this now has people torn on whether this refocusing makes her more interesting or TheGenericGirl who lost her most defining character trait.
* Shadow is ''the'' most controversial character across the entire franchise, having about an equal number of fans and detractors. His story arc starting in ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'' was one of the [[DarkerAndEdgier darkest and most complex plots]] that ''Sonic'' has ever done, and set the tone of the series for a few years. Some fans felt that Shadow's presence morphed the series into something it wasn't, that Shadow's brooding and angst is too out of place in the series, and that his presence has been gradually diminished is a good thing. On the flipside, his Darker and Edgier traits are the exact reasons he's so popular with other fans, making the series stand out with more serious stories during the 2000s, Shadow is generally the poster boy for those who prefer the more involved storytelling from the Dreamcast era, and dislike how OutOfFocus he has been and how the series became LighterAndSofter after ''Unleashed'' and use his increasing absence to illustrate how far the storytelling of the series has fallen.
** In addition, Shadow's [[TookALevelInJerkass modern characterization]] as an overly edgy and angry rival is this. To put it one way: Sonic Team has effectively made Shadow into their [[Franchise/DragonBall Vegeta]], which is a decision that further splits Shadow's fanbase. Some at least enjoy this version of the character, mainly during the more comedic situations like ''WesternAnimation/SonicBoom'' and the Twitter Takeover series, and appreciate Creator/KirkThornton for going absolute ColdHam on the role he was given, especially in later titles where his performance is more defined. Others feel it stripped away everything that made Shadow unique when he was first introduced (being more of a ByronicHero in the Dreamcast Era) and reduced him into a [[StockShonenRival generic jerkass rival]] and just another way for Sonic Team to sell merchandise by constantly heavily promoting him.
* Predominantly due to a DubPersonalityChange, Dr. Robotnik started as a simple yet effective EvilGenius, enslaving cute animals into robots, destroying nature, lying to Knuckles, and using the chaos emeralds' power to create his own empire. Nowadays, his name is Eggman and his design changed many times with games -- this is a result of the American canon (and name) being effectively banished in favor of his Japanese canon. Is he [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWiSEyU76M4 the man with the master plan,]] ready to destroy/trick/enslave anything that stands in his way and conquer the world by any means necessary, but [[BornUnlucky unluckily Sonic gets in the way?]] Or is he [[VillainDecay getting worse every game]], making silly or exaggerated plans instead of evil or efficient ones, unleashing a SealedEvilInACan (accidentally destroying the world), and losing control over his own robots/minions?
** Fans are also divided on whether to address him as Robotnik because it's more menacing sounding and think Eggman is too much of a silly name to take the character seriously, or Eggman because (aside from being his current canon name) it's a more iconic and memorable name and think Robotnik is a very generic name for an evil mad scientist character[[note]]This is only a problem for Western fans. In Japan, his name was always Eggman[[/note]].
* Silver debuted in ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006'', wildly considered ''the'' worst game in the entire series by fans, and one of the worst games of all time in the greater gaming community. Naturally, [[AssociationFallacy Silver himself had his reputation severely damaged simply by association.]] Some less forgiving fans saw him as nothing more than a blatant attempt at recreating the success of Shadow, being another superpowered Hedgehog rival for Sonic, in addition to falling for the ObviouslyEvil Mephiles` plans to trick him into fighting Sonic. Lastly, his voice acting is considered grating and having one of [[ThatOneBoss the most annoying boss fights in the game.]] Over time however, the hate lessened and fans were able to appreciate his EndearinglyDorky attitude and recognized that he was just trying to do the right thing, not unlike Knuckles in his debut and wish he was given another chance at the spotlight after Sega [[ShooOutTheNewGuy quickly tried to sweep him aside due to the backlash.]]
* So there's a bit of a schism between the fanbases of Knuckles and Shadow over their role as TheRival. When Knuckles debuted, he became an instant BreakoutCharacter due to his interesting origins that gave him direct ties to the Chaos Emeralds, and his rocky relationship with Sonic. He was able to stand on his own as an equal to Sonic and headlined [[VideoGame/KnucklesChaotix his own spin off title]] and his own comic book all until VideoGame/SonicAdventure2. That's when Shadow debuted as a new rival to Sonic, and proved to be so much more popular than Knuckles ever was with the new generation. Subsequently, this is when Knuckles gradually fell OutOfFocus and his character was changed to be [[{{Flanderization}} more comedic in tone and to make Sonic look better]] while Shadow would headline the next few games, including having his OWN spin off. Fans of Knuckles resent Shadow over this and feel Knuckles deserved way better than how he was treated. Conversely, people argue that Knuckles was never a good rival to begin with, as his conflict with Sonic mostly revolved around being tricked by Eggman into fighting him. Amusingly, this actually mirrors what happened to Piccolo when Vegeta debuted in Franchise/DragonBall as it's common for fans to make comparisons between the two series.
* The Babylon Rouges from the ''Riders'' subseries. Some fans love them, finding them to be super interesting rivals and {{Shadow Archetype}}s to Sonic, Tails and Knuckles, as well as wanting their backstories to be explored more. On the other hand, other fans find them to be insufferable [[{{Jerkass}} Jerkasses]], especially Jet and Wave, with extremely annoying voices.
* Depending on who you ask Orbot [[note]] mainly from Videogame/SonicColors onward, his [[SameCharacterButDifferent radically different portrayal]] in Videogame/SonicUnleashed is less controversial [[/note]] and Cubot are either an effective and funny GreekChorus and a nice callback to Eggman's robot sidekicks in [[WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog other]] [[Anime/SonicX media]], or they're an annoyance who eat up screen-time despite not actually contributing to the story and whose antics and insults only compound Eggman's VillainDecay (something the Adventure era Eggman would never have tolerated). Not helping matters is that they suddenly appeared [[RememberTheNewGuy without a proper introduction]] at a time when every previously established character was being [[ChuckCunninghamSyndrome swept under the rug]] and have been inseparable from Eggman in every appearance until ''VideoGame/SonicFrontiers''.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Other Media]]
* Sally Acorn, a character originating from ''WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM'' and given a strong focus in the ''[[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics Archie Comics]]'', is either loved for being one of the most developed female characters in the franchise and only character to ever have a [[OfficialCouple serious romantic relationship with Sonic]] that deserves to be made a proper part of the main franchise. Or loathed for being a boring FlawlessToken, taking [[SpotlightStealingSquad far too much attention]] from Sonic in his own spinoffs, [[RomanticPlotTumor her romance with Sonic]], and is better off left as a relic of the franchise's past. And that's not even getting into the [[ShipToShipCombat shipping conflicts]], especially with Sonic/Amy (or [[PortmanteauCoupleName Sonamy]]) fans.
[[/folder]]
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[[folder:The games]]
* There's a huge debate over how well-written all of them are and if their continued presence is justified. In the greater gaming community, a very common complaint is that the franchise suffers from major character bloat and the series would be better off by paring down the cast to a more manageable size (usually just Sonic, Tails, and Eggman) while fans argue having a large cast makes the series more interesting rather than just revolving around just one or two characters, similar to how [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]] handles it's cast. Sega faces a constant struggle at handling the large amount of characters.
* While many find the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' franchise's supporting cast to be an annoying SpotlightStealingSquad, this is not to say the titular protagonist hasn't become a polarizing character in his own right. The division of fans who don't like Sonic argue that he is a [[VanillaProtagonist bland]], underdeveloped InvincibleHero with [[MascotWithAttitude once-innovative "cool" traits]] that have just become annoying, although this part of the character's identity was mostly confined to the many, many AlternateContinuity adaptations created to draw attention to the games (whose plots were [[ExcusePlot kept to a minimum]] at the time), such as the [[WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog animated]] [[WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM television]] [[WesternAnimation/SonicUnderground shows]] and the [[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics comic]] [[ComicBook/SonicTheComic books]]. The other section of the fandom, while also not too fond of how he is characterized in a lot of these adaptations (especially ''Comicbook/SonicTheComic''), contest that Sonic is closer to being an [[{{Pride}} excessively confident]], [[TheAntiNihilist idealistic]] LoveableRogue type who lives by a personal code that just so happens to be in tune with heroic interests, arguing that the very few games where [[VideoGame/SonicAdventure2 his heart steers him towards actions]] [[VideoGame/SonicStorybookSeries that seem much more morally suspect]] perfectly demonstrate that there is a lot more to Sonic than just a "radical attitude" personality. Consequently, due to the games since ''VideoGame/SonicColors'' ignoring the dramatic, gritty tone that prior games became infamous for in favor of family-friendly whimsy, which involved bringing Sonic's [[ButForMeItWasTuesday casual attitude about all the extraordinary occurrences he's had to deal with]] to the forefront, there is very little middle ground to be found between the fans who feel that Sonic not taking anything seriously anymore unnecessarily exaggerates his quirks to the point of ruining his character and the fans who feel that his snark is, at the very least, preferable to [[{{Narm}} failed attempts at being serious]].
** The Classic incarnation of Sonic has become divisive in his more recent appearances. After the universal praise his return in ''Generations'' brought, he began to appear more often in the series to the point where he appeared in both of the 25 anniversary games, and WordOfGod declared that the classic and modern universes are now separate timelines instead of just past and present incarnations (to allow for more classic games). To fans who dislike the tendency of post-''Generations'' games to [[PanderingToTheBase focus on pandering to the nostalgia of classic fans over focusing on new content]], Classic Sonic serves as the embodiment of everything wrong with the current era of the series for bringing back a retired incarnation of the character for the sake of pandering and usually bringing retro themes and reused stages with him, and [[SpotlightStealingSquad him along with everything he brings be pushed into the spotlight more than the current Sonic]]. Of course, since pandering isn't entirely a bad thing, other fans enjoy his reappearances and the nostalgia aspects he brings with him. And Classic Sonic just ''is'' Sonic to some fans, so they approve of their preferred incarnation of the character returning. Nowadays, Classic Sonic can largely be split between the people glad that he is back in the spotlight, and the people who think he's overstayed his welcome and would like him to become a thing of the past again.
* Tails started as a [[TagalongKid inseparable friend]] who idolizes Sonic. Now, is he an [[ChildProdigy independent genius kid who is like a little brother to Sonic]] or a useless fox who talks a lot? [[DistressedDude His]] [[TookALevelInJerkass performance]] in ''Lost World'' got some hate as well. The perception that he has also lost a lot of character development between Adventure and Modern era's; turning him into a NonActionGuy. Despite this, he still remains one of the most popular characters.
* Knuckles started out as one of Sonic's first {{Foil}}s, being a sub-antagonist in ''VideoGame/Sonic3AndKnuckles'' who would obstruct Sonic & Tails' path through the levels as a result of being tricked by Eggman. After that, he would be a mainstay as one of the series' more popular characters. The split comes from his subsequent appearances where his role as guardian of the Master Emerald becomes less relevant over time along with his {{Flanderization}} to a much more bumbling character in tone. Fans are torn over this as while Knuckles is popular and makes a lot of appearances,they feel like those appearances cheapen the character into someone far less interesting than he was in his initial appearances for the sake of PopularityPower. This reached its apex in his ''WesternAnimation/SonicBoom'' incarnation, who is a stereotypical DumbMuscle character and resembles the original InNameOnly. Administrivia/TropesAreTools however, as he still considered one of the funniest characters in the show.
* Amy Rose always had a mixed reception, namely in her post-Sonic Adventure incarnation. Many find her crush on Sonic either cute or annoying, as she would insert herself into whatever adventure he was on just for the sake of it. Fans of the character also insist that she's far more than just her crush: pointing at her empathy for others, and capacity for leadership, and interest in tarot cards as other major facets of her character. However, through the 2000s, (with ''Anime/SonicX'' being the biggest example) she became increasingly more neurotic and violent towards not only Sonic but the rest of her peers as well, which turned more people against her and caused some fans to feel like she was becoming a one-note character. Various ''Sonic'' media starting from the late 2010s, such as the ''WesternAnimation/SonicBoom'' cartoon and the IDW comics, would reverse this and begin to downplay her crush in favor of fleshing out her forgotten traits, though this now has people torn on whether this refocusing makes her more interesting or TheGenericGirl who lost her most defining character trait.
* Shadow is ''the'' most controversial character across the entire franchise, having about an equal number of fans and detractors. His story arc starting in ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2'' was one of the [[DarkerAndEdgier darkest and most complex plots]] that ''Sonic'' has ever done, and set the tone of the series for a few years. Some fans felt that Shadow's presence morphed the series into something it wasn't, that Shadow's brooding and angst is too out of place in the series, and that his presence has been gradually diminished is a good thing. On the flipside, his Darker and Edgier traits are the exact reasons he's so popular with other fans, making the series stand out with more serious stories during the 2000s, Shadow is generally the poster boy for those who prefer the more involved storytelling from the Dreamcast era, and dislike how OutOfFocus he has been and how the series became LighterAndSofter after ''Unleashed'' and use his increasing absence to illustrate how far the storytelling of the series has fallen.
** In addition, Shadow's [[TookALevelInJerkass modern characterization]] as an overly edgy and angry rival is this. To put it one way: Sonic Team has effectively made Shadow into their [[Franchise/DragonBall Vegeta]], which is a decision that further splits Shadow's fanbase. Some at least enjoy this version of the character, mainly during the more comedic situations like ''WesternAnimation/SonicBoom'' and the Twitter Takeover series, and appreciate Creator/KirkThornton for going absolute ColdHam on the role he was given, especially in later titles where his performance is more defined. Others feel it stripped away everything that made Shadow unique when he was first introduced (being more of a ByronicHero in the Dreamcast Era) and reduced him into a [[StockShonenRival generic jerkass rival]] and just another way for Sonic Team to sell merchandise by constantly heavily promoting him.
* Predominantly due to a DubPersonalityChange, Dr. Robotnik started as a simple yet effective EvilGenius, enslaving cute animals into robots, destroying nature, lying to Knuckles, and using the chaos emeralds' power to create his own empire. Nowadays, his name is Eggman and his design changed many times with games -- this is a result of the American canon (and name) being effectively banished in favor of his Japanese canon. Is he [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWiSEyU76M4 the man with the master plan,]] ready to destroy/trick/enslave anything that stands in his way and conquer the world by any means necessary, but [[BornUnlucky unluckily Sonic gets in the way?]] Or is he [[VillainDecay getting worse every game]], making silly or exaggerated plans instead of evil or efficient ones, unleashing a SealedEvilInACan (accidentally destroying the world), and losing control over his own robots/minions?
** Fans are also divided on whether to address him as Robotnik because it's more menacing sounding and think Eggman is too much of a silly name to take the character seriously, or Eggman because (aside from being his current canon name) it's a more iconic and memorable name and think Robotnik is a very generic name for an evil mad scientist character[[note]]This is only a problem for Western fans. In Japan, his name was always Eggman[[/note]].
* Silver debuted in ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006'', wildly considered ''the'' worst game in the entire series by fans, and one of the worst games of all time in the greater gaming community. Naturally, [[AssociationFallacy Silver himself had his reputation severely damaged simply by association.]] Some less forgiving fans saw him as nothing more than a blatant attempt at recreating the success of Shadow, being another superpowered Hedgehog rival for Sonic, in addition to falling for the ObviouslyEvil Mephiles` plans to trick him into fighting Sonic. Lastly, his voice acting is considered grating and having one of [[ThatOneBoss the most annoying boss fights in the game.]] Over time however, the hate lessened and fans were able to appreciate his EndearinglyDorky attitude and recognized that he was just trying to do the right thing, not unlike Knuckles in his debut and wish he was given another chance at the spotlight after Sega [[ShooOutTheNewGuy quickly tried to sweep him aside due to the backlash.]]
* So there's a bit of a schism between the fanbases of Knuckles and Shadow over their role as TheRival. When Knuckles debuted, he became an instant BreakoutCharacter due to his interesting origins that gave him direct ties to the Chaos Emeralds, and his rocky relationship with Sonic. He was able to stand on his own as an equal to Sonic and headlined [[VideoGame/KnucklesChaotix his own spin off title]] and his own comic book all until VideoGame/SonicAdventure2. That's when Shadow debuted as a new rival to Sonic, and proved to be so much more popular than Knuckles ever was with the new generation. Subsequently, this is when Knuckles gradually fell OutOfFocus and his character was changed to be [[{{Flanderization}} more comedic in tone and to make Sonic look better]] while Shadow would headline the next few games, including having his OWN spin off. Fans of Knuckles resent Shadow over this and feel Knuckles deserved way better than how he was treated. Conversely, people argue that Knuckles was never a good rival to begin with, as his conflict with Sonic mostly revolved around being tricked by Eggman into fighting him. Amusingly, this actually mirrors what happened to Piccolo when Vegeta debuted in Franchise/DragonBall as it's common for fans to make comparisons between the two series.
* The Babylon Rouges from the ''Riders'' subseries. Some fans love them, finding them to be super interesting rivals and {{Shadow Archetype}}s to Sonic, Tails and Knuckles, as well as wanting their backstories to be explored more. On the other hand, other fans find them to be insufferable [[{{Jerkass}} Jerkasses]], especially Jet and Wave, with extremely annoying voices.
* Depending on who you ask Orbot [[note]] mainly from Videogame/SonicColors onward, his [[SameCharacterButDifferent radically different portrayal]] in Videogame/SonicUnleashed is less controversial [[/note]] and Cubot are either an effective and funny GreekChorus and a nice callback to Eggman's robot sidekicks in [[WesternAnimation/AdventuresOfSonicTheHedgehog other]] [[Anime/SonicX media]], or they're an annoyance who eat up screen-time despite not actually contributing to the story and whose antics and insults only compound Eggman's VillainDecay (something the Adventure era Eggman would never have tolerated). Not helping matters is that they suddenly appeared [[RememberTheNewGuy without a proper introduction]] at a time when every previously established character was being [[ChuckCunninghamSyndrome swept under the rug]] and have been inseparable from Eggman in every appearance until ''VideoGame/SonicFrontiers''.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Other Media]]
* Sally Acorn, a character originating from ''WesternAnimation/SonicTheHedgehogSatAM'' and given a strong focus in the ''[[ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics Archie Comics]]'', is either loved for being one of the most developed female characters in the franchise and only character to ever have a [[OfficialCouple serious romantic relationship with Sonic]] that deserves to be made a proper part of the main franchise. Or loathed for being a boring FlawlessToken, taking [[SpotlightStealingSquad far too much attention]] from Sonic in his own spinoffs, [[RomanticPlotTumor her romance with Sonic]], and is better off left as a relic of the franchise's past. And that's not even getting into the [[ShipToShipCombat shipping conflicts]], especially with Sonic/Amy (or [[PortmanteauCoupleName Sonamy]]) fans.
[[/folder]]
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