Fanfic / Sonic Mania: The Novelization

Sonic Mania: The Novelization is a Sonic the Hedgehog Fan Fic written by PhantomHeartless5. Hence the title, it's a novelization of Sonic Mania.

To quote the summary:

"Some time after foiling Eggman's latest scheme, Sonic and Tails fly to Angel Island to investigate a newfound source of power. There, they find Eggman's elite team, the Hard Boiled Heavies, excavating a mysterious gemstone out of the ground, its power transforming the Heavies into radical new forms. Now Sonic and the gang must race to keep the gemstone out of Eggman's hands."

The fic is part of a Sonic Dimensions series, novelizing both Sonic Mania and Sonic Forces, and is followed by Sonic Forces: Prelude to War and Sonic Forces: Join the Uprising!.

Sonic Mania: The Novelization and its sequels contain examples of the following tropes:

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All three

• Adaptational Badass:
  • The Phantom King. In the game, it was no harder than the average final boss despite being able to hurt Super Sonic. In here, he's capable of outright curb-stomping Super Sonic and displays powers he didn't have in the game. If it wasn't for Eggman's help, he would've killed Sonic.
  • In Episode Shadow, Infinite was no match for Shadow before gaining the Phantom Ruby and was completely curb-stomped in a straight fight. When they face off in Prelude to War, he puts up a much better fight, even giving Shadow a cut on the cheek with his sword and forcing him to fight seriously for a moment, though he still loses.
  • In Forces, Tails cowered in fear before Chaos and cried out for Sonic to save him. In Join the Uprising, he stands up to Chaos and fights him with a Lightning Wispon.
• Alternate Self: Classic Sonic is confirmed to be this in chapter 10 of Join the Uprising rather than regular Sonic's past self; when questioned by Tails, he has no memory of the battle with the Time Eater.
• Suddenly Speaking: Unlike Generations and Forces, Classic Sonic is far from a Heroic Mime.

Sonic Mania: The Novelization

• Acid Pool: In the Chemical Plant, Eggman captures Tails and Knuckles and suspends them over a tank of acidic Mega Mack, forcing Sonic to beat him in a game of Mean Bean Machine to save them.
• Adaptational Intelligence: In the original game, the Phantom Ruby was merely a powerful inanimate object. In this story, the Phantom Ruby is a sentient entity with a mind of its own and it can talk.
• Adaptational Villainy: In the original game, the Phantom Ruby was an inanimate object that did whatever Eggman wanted. In here, not only is the ruby sentient, but it's far more villainous than in the game and desires to conquer Sonic's dimension.
• Adaptational Wimp: Eggman's Klepto Mobile. In the game, it was capable of holding its own against both Super Sonic and the Phantom King despite being a hastily crafted hunk of junk. In this story, because it's a hastily crafted hunk of junk, the Phantom King destroys it with ease.
• Adaptation Name Change: Double Subverted; Eggman initially names the Hard Boiled Heavies the names they have in the original game, but they find the names stupid and give themselves "cooler names":
  • Heavy Rider becomes Knight Rider.
  • Heavy Shinobi becomes Frostblade.
  • Heavy Magician becomes Spellbinder.
  • Heavy Gunner becomes Blaster Master.
  • Heavy King becomes Metal King.
• Added Alliterative Appeal: Spellbinder declares herself the "Mechanical Mistress of the Mystic Arts."
• Affably Evil: Like her uncle, Omelette is incredibly polite to Team Sonic even as she tries to kill them.
• Alas, Poor Yorick: Sonic quotes this after destroying Metal Sonic's body, leaving only his disembodied head.
  Sonic: Alas, poor Metal. I knew him well.
• Bad Boss: In chapter 3, Eggman detonates the Explosive Leash in one of his Eggrobos right in front of the Hard-Boiled Heavies, warning them that he'll do the same to them if they don't shape up and obey him.
  Eggman: Now I think we understand each other. Anyone who disobeys me, anyone who fails me, anyone who just annoys me goes... boom. So, are you with me, or against me?
• Bait-and-Switch: In Chapter 10, Team Sonic arrives in the Lava Reef Zone and discovers that Knight Rider has planted a bomb in the heart of the volcano and challenges Sonic and Tails to a race where the winner gets the detonator program stored in a flash drive. Upon defeating her, however, it's revealed that the flash drive was a decoy and the detonator program was in her all along and that destroying her activates the bomb. Tails narrowly manages to disarm the bomb before it destroys Angel Island.
• Bring My Brown Pants: It happens to Blaster Master (aka Heavy Cop) in chapter 3, after Eggman detonates the explosive in an Eggrobo.
  Blaster Master: I think I just leaked myself.
• Canon Immigrant: Fan character Omelette makes an appearance as Eggman's niece, with her full name being Eggatha "Omelette" Robotnik.
• Cassandra Truth: Omelette desperately tries to warn Eggman that the Phantom Ruby is a dangerous, living entity. Eggman concedes that the ruby is sentient as it grants his desires, but Eggman scoffs at the idea of the ruby being dangerous, much to Omelette's dismay. Even when the ruby displays the ability to talk, Eggman still refuses to believe it's dangerous, citing it sending the traitorous Metal King to another dimension as proof of its loyalty.
• The Corrupter: After Eggman bruises Omelette's wrist in a fit of rage, Omelette discovers that the Phantom Ruby is sentient and its influence is corrupting Eggman.
• Cut Lex Luthor a Check: Eggman owns a TV channel in Studiopolis, a newspaper out of the Press Garden Zone, and a refinery in Oil Ocean Zone, but still expends his time and effort in trying to Take Over the World. Sonic actually lampshades it in Chapter 5:
  Sonic: With all that, you'd think he'd just quit being a villain and go into the media business.
• Curb-Stomp Battle:
  • Sonic dishes one out to Meter Droid in Chapter 9, Spin Dashing a hole clean through him before the robot could even finish his sentence.
  • Knuckles gets one from a Master Emerald-enhanced Metal King in Chapter 10 pt.2. The only reason Knuckles won was due to Metal King losing energy.
  • Though Super Sonic puts up a good fight, he is no match for the Phantom King, who easily defeats him.
• Demonic Possession: The Phantom Ruby takes control of Metal King after he uses its power to become the Phantom King.
• The Dragon: Eggatha "Omelette" Robotnik is Eggman's niece and his right-hand woman.
• Easily Forgiven: After the whole mess is over, Eggman tries to apologize to Omelette for not believing her about the Phantom Ruby. Omelette is just relieved that he is okay.
• Enemy Mine: Omelette steals the Chaos Emeralds and teams up with Team Sonic to save Eggman from the Phantom Ruby's influence.
• Energy Absorption: Metal King has the ability to absorb energy, which he uses to draw power from the Master Emerald during his battle with Knuckles.
• Et Tu, Brute?: Upon discovering that Omelette stole the Chaos Emeralds, Eggman is clearly hurt by the betrayal, and the Phantom Ruby wastes no time using this to fully turn him to its side.
• Even Evil Has Loved Ones:
  • For all his evil and craziness, Eggman does care about his niece Omelette. When the Flying Battery crash-lands in the Press Garden Zone, Eggman's immediate concern is whether or not Omelette managed to escape before the crash.
  • Likewise, Omelette reciprocates the feeling and deeply cares about her uncle. Upon discovering that the Phantom Ruby is sentient, she desperately tries to warn Eggman that it's too dangerous to use. She even steals the Chaos Emeralds and teams up with Team Sonic to save Eggman from the Phantom Ruby's influence.
• Even Evil Has Standards: For all of his villainy, it's stated that Eggman Wouldn't Hurt a Child, especially not one of his own family. When he accidentally bruises Omelette's wrist in a fit of rage, Omelette instantly realizes something's wrong with him.
• Evil Is Deathly Cold: Frostblade is one of Eggman's robots, and is An Ice Person, able to fire icy Sword Beams and create ice spikes.
  Frostblade: Prepare to taste the cold steel of my blade Yamato! May you find eternal rest in this coffin of ice!
• Explosive Leash: After the Hard-Boiled Heavies are transformed by the Phantom Ruby, they Grew Beyond Their Programming and become rebellious towards Eggman. Eggman manages to keep them in line by reminding him he installed one of these in each one of them.
• Expy: The Knight Rider is essentially a walking Shout-Out to the Mad Max series. Particularly, the character Nightrider from the first film. Her speech when giving herself her new name is a near word-for-word recreation of his famous line. Her race against Sonic and Tails has her call the race track they're on the Fury Road.
  Knight Rider: Born with a steering wheel in her hand and lead in her foot, she is the Knight Rider! Cruising at the speed of fright! I'm the Knight Rider, baby! It's me and Jimmy, AND WE AIN'T NEVER COMING BACK!!! HAHAHA!
  Knight Rider: I am the chosen one! The mighty hand of vengeance sent down to strike the unroadworthy!
• Fingore: Tails suffers this in Chapter 8 when he tries to throw a ring bomb at Fang. Bean uses his powers to make the bomb explode in his hand, badly injuring it. Thankfully, the town doctor manages to fix him up.
• Humongous Mecha: Eggman's Evil Plan involves constructing the Titanic Monarch, a huge robot designed to harness the energy of both the Chaos Emeralds and the Phantom Ruby.
• An Ice Person: Frostblade can fire beams of ice from his katana and can create spikes of ice by stabbing the ground.
• Jackass Genie: Like in the prequel comics for Sonic Forces, the Phantom Ruby can display the deepest desire of whoever holds it. When Eggman first touches the ruby, it shows him a vision of Eggmanland. When Metal King touches it, he's shown a vision of a world covered in metal. However, what qualifies it for this trope is that the ruby is a sentient, evil entity and it is not above twisting the visions to scare its holders. When Omelette holds the ruby, it shows her a vision of her and Eggman on a beach, representing her desire to spend more time with her uncle. However, the ruby then twists the vision of Eggman into a monster as a means of intimidation.
• Know When to Fold 'Em: In chapter 10 pt 2, after burning through the Master Emerald's energy and getting slashed in the chest by Knuckles' shovel claw, Metal King is forced to retreat.
• Madness Mantra: When Omelette has the computer scan the Phantom Ruby for brainwave patterns under the suspicion that the ruby is sentient. The ruby responds by taking control of the computer and repeatedly typing out the words "DON'T INTERFERE" until the computer crashes, confirming her suspicions.
• Make Sure He's Dead: When the Flying Battery crashes in the Press Garden Zone, one of the Eggrobos initially assumes that Team Sonic simply perished in the crash. Eggman is smarter than that and orders his minions to find and bring back their bodies. When they find them unconscious in the snow, they also make sure to check Sonic's pulse first; indeed, Team Sonic survived, and they destroy the Eggrobos.
• Manipulative Bastard: The Phantom Ruby is one to Eggman, corrupting him with its influence and even banishing Metal King to another dimension as a show of loyalty.
• My God, What Have I Done?: When Eggman bruises Omelette's wrist in a fit of rage, he realizes he went too far and immediately tries to apologize.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero:
  • Like in the game, Sonic destroying the Meter Droid in Chapter 9 releases toxic fumes all over the refinery.
  • In Chapter 10, Sonic and Tails manage to defeat Knight Rider and retrieve the flash driver containing the detonator program for the bomb set to destroy Angel Island... only to find out that the detonator program was in her all along and that destroying her activates the bomb. Thankfully, Tails manages to disarm it.
• No-Nonsense Nemesis:
  • Omelette proves to be this when confronting Team Sonic. Her first attempt is to crush them in the Flying Battery's trash compactor, and when that doesn't work, she ejects them from the compactor and lets them fall to their deaths. When Team Sonic chases the Flying Battery, Omelette orders an all out assault on the plane and later confronts them on a giant spider mech when that doesn't work. And when all of the above proves ineffective, Omelette decides to let the Flying Battery crash in an attempt to kill them all.
  • Eggman gets a moment in Chapter 9 after his Mega Octus is destroyed, where he simply sets the refinery to self destruct in an attempt to kill Team Sonic. The trio escape via submarine.
    • Earlier in the chapter, Sonic gets a moment of this when facing Meter Droid. Meter Droid goes on a long rant about how he's going to make Team Sonic pay for hurting his friends... only for Sonic to Spin Dash a hole clean through his chest, killing him before he could even finish his sentence.
• Not the Fall That Kills You…: Omelette quotes the trope word-for-word when ejecting Team Sonic from the trash compactor.
  Omelette: Well, I'm going to hang up now. But not without leaving you with an old saying: It's not the fall that kills you, it's the sudden stop. Bon Voyage, Sonic.
• Oh, Crap!: Team Sonic's reaction in chapter 4 when they discover Eggman has the Chaos Emeralds as well as the Phantom Ruby, as it means that Eggman now has eight gemstones of incredible power at his disposal. And one of them happens to be sentient, as Omelette discovers.
• One-Winged Angel:
  • In Chapter 6, Eggman gives the Phantom Ruby to Metal Sonic, who transforms into a gigantic version of himself.
  • In the final chapter, Metal King uses the Phantom Ruby to become the Phantom King... and subsequently gets possessed by the ruby.
• O.O.C. Is Serious Business: It is said that for all of Eggman's villainy, he will never raise his hand against a child, especially one of his own family. So when he bruises Omelette's wrist in a fit of rage, Omelette knows something's wrong and immediately suspects that the Phantom Ruby is responsible for his sudden change in personality. She turns out to be correct.
• Readings Are Off the Scale: A recurring theme with the Phantom Ruby is that its energy signature is too alien to get an accurate reading. Eggman spends the beginning chapters going to different hideouts to analyze the ruby, but to no avail.
• Reality Warper: Like in the game, the Phantom Ruby can do virtually anything from transforming Eggman's robots, to teleporting others anywhere, to taking control of machinery, to bringing Little Planet into Earth's orbit. Its energy output is said to be even greater than the Chaos Emeralds.
• The Reveal: After having her wrist bruised by Eggman and receiving a nightmarish vision from the Phantom Ruby, Omelette has the ruby scanned and discovers that the gemstone is sentient.
• Sentient Phlebotinum: Chapter 7 reveals that the Phantom Ruby is a sentient gemstone with a malevolent consciousness.
• Spider-Sense: In chapter 3, Sonic is alerted to Blaster Master's missile attack when his quills shudder and tingle.
• The Starscream:
  • After failing to retrieve the Master Emerald and being berated by Eggman, Metal King finally rebels against Eggman and attempts to take the Phantom Ruby for himself. In the ensuing struggle between him and Eggman, however, the Phantom Ruby banishes him to another dimension.
  • For a more altruistic example, Omelette steals the Chaos Emeralds and teams up with Team Sonic to save Eggman from the Phantom Ruby's influence.
• Talking Is a Free Action: Averted. The Meter Droid goes on a long rant about how he's going to make Team Sonic pay for hurting his friends... only for Sonic to Spin Dash a hole clean through his chest, killing him before he could even finish his sentence. Sonic even lampshades this.
  Sonic: Oh, I'm sorry, did I break your concentration?
• The Walls Are Closing In: Omelette tries to dispose of Team Sonic by dropping them into the Flying Battery's trash compactor and turning it on. Tails puts a stop to it by destroying the electromagnet controlling the compactor with Dummy Ring Bombs.

Sonic Forces: Prelude to War

• Abusive Parents: Infinite is revealed to have had an abusive father, and it's mentioned in the first chapter that the scar on his face was given to him when they had a fight. Chapter 5 reveals that his father beat him regularly and put him through Training from Hell beginning at age four, and when said father killed his mother when she tried to stop one beating, Infinite snapped and murdered him with his own sword.
• Don't Make Me Destroy You: When he fights the Jackal Squad, Shadow repeatedly urges them to tell him where Eggman is and just walk away. When they refuse and attack him, Shadow gives in and takes them out with a Chaos Blast.
  Shadow: I warned you to stay out of my way. You should've listened.
• Eye Scream: In chapter 5, Shadow blows up Infinite's gun with a Chaos Spear. The shrapnel from the explosion hits him in the right eye and takes it out.
• I'm a Doctor, Not a Placeholder: In chapter 6, Zero is understandably furious that Eggman didn't warn them about Shadow and his Chaos Powers. Eggman retorts that he had no way of knowing Shadow would appear to begin with:
  Eggman: I'm a scientist, not a fortune teller!
• Skip the Anesthetic: When Zero agrees to undergo the surgery to bond the Phantom Ruby to him, he refuses to take any anesthetic when Eggman offers it, despite Eggman's warnings that it would be incredibly painful.
  Zero: Let me tell you something about pain, doc. Pain and I are old friends. I was captured by enemy soldiers while on a mission in Shamar. For a whole week, the bastards tortured me, did everything I could to get me to talk. But I never broke. Point is, there's nothing you could do to me that hasn't been done already.

Sonic Forces: Join The Uprising!

• Adaptation Expansion: While Eggman's takeover of the world wasn't shown in detail during the six-month Time Skip, here, it's shown in full.
• Adaptational Angst Upgrade: While the Avatar was traumatized by Infinite in the game, he still managed to pull himself together to help save the world. Jason is so badly traumatized by the spectacle that he's sent into a Heroic BSoD for a full month, only pulling himself together once Eggman destroys Soleanna with a Kill Sat.
• Do Not Adjust Your Set: Cubot and Orbot do this as per Eggman's orders, so the whole world can witness Sonic's apparent demise at Infinite's hands. It climaxes when Eggman displays Sonic's seemingly dead body on the screen after his fight with Infinite.
• Get A Hold Of Yourself Man: In chapter 10, when Tails is weeping and blaming himself for his Sonic's apparent death, Classic Sonic punches him in the face before giving him a pep talk, convincing him to pull himself together.
• Kill Sat: The opening of chapter 7 has Eggman use one of these on Soleanna to force their surrender.
• Shout-Out:
  • When Infinite defeats Sonic in chapter 2, Eggman pulls a Do Not Adjust Your Set incident to broadcast his defeat, complete with a near-perfect recitation of Aku's own words in the final episode of Samurai Jack Season 5.
    Eggman: To all the fools who dare defy me, particularly those under the leadership of a certain Echidna, I have only one thing to say: ''YOUR HERO IS DEAD! YOUR HOPE IS DEAD! I AM YOUR ONE, TRUE MASTER! LET THIS BE A LESSON TO ALL!!
  • The Avatar is given the name Jason Griffith Howlitzer.
• The Worf Barrage: During his first fight with Infinite, Sonic breaks out a new technique, the Sonic Cannonball, used by combining his Spin Dash and Sonic Boost, ending with delivering a Megaton Punch. Despite the force creating a Kung-Fu Sonic Boom, Infinite effortlessly catches the attack, much to Sonic and Tails' shock.
• Worthy Opponent: In chapter 8, Eggman confesses he views Sonic as such when deciding to execute him. Sonic doesn't return the sentiment.
  Eggman: Oh, Sonic. Once you're gone, where oh where will I find so worthy an opponent?
  Sonic: Look under any rock.

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