| Written by: | Ian Flynn |
| Year: | Five |
| Saga: | Eggman's Legacy |
| Issue: | #50 |
The milestone 50th issue of the Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW) comic series.
Sonic, Tails, and Belle head to Eggperial City to investigate a massive gathering of Badniks. However, Sonic and Tails are attacked by Starline's enforcers: Surge the Tenrec and Kitsunami the Fennec, while Belle encounters a disabled Metal Sonic while planning to confront Dr. Eggman.
Starline himself, meanwhile, has an unexpected showdown with his former idol, requiring him to use all of his tricks, weapons, and contingencies to make sure "Operation: Remaster" comes to fruition.
Tropes
- All for Nothing: Everything that Starline planned for "Operation: Remaster", ever since Eggman severed ties with him, amounted to nothing by the end of the issue—Surge and Kit are defeated by Sonic and Tails, respectively, and Eggman reveals that he has always been one step ahead of the platypus, waiting for him to use up all of his Tricore power and be vulnerable, and he ultimately is crushed to death by falling rubble.
- An Arm and a Leg/Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: How Eggman, via the Egg Emperor's lance, disables Starline's Egg Robo.
- Badass Boast: Surge delivers this line before her fight with Sonic:Surge: Heh. Yeah, okay. I'm Surge the Tenrec. And your "speed of sound" can't compete with my "speed of light"!
- Batman Gambit: Starline thought he had the upper hand against Eggman after using all of his Tricore power to destroy his Egg Emperor. Unfortunately for him, Eggman planned this after learning the source of the Power Core thefts back during Bad Guys. Once all of his energy is depleted, Starline didn't have much to work with.
- Be Careful What You Wish For: Starline had wished that Eggman would learn to set up contingencies for whenever his plans fail. He ends up regretting it by the end of their fight, which Eggman wins by having planned ahead like Starline said he should.
- Behemoth Battle: Eggman vs. Starline in competing Humongous Mechas, with Eggman piloting the Egg Emperor and Starline in the Egg Robo.
- Behind the Black: Surge and Kit seem to come out of nowhere when they ambush Sonic and Tails.
- Big Bad Wannabe: Starline's fate and the failure of "Operation: Remaster" cement him as this trope once and for all, and he even calls himself as much with his Last Words. Ironically, his Undignified Death would invert this and prove he Gave Up Too Soon.
- Big Damn Reunion: Belle finally meets Eggman/ex-Mr. Tinker face to face for the first time since Rough and Tumble kidnapped him on Starline's orders some 40 issues ago. The reunion is bittersweet, of course, as they're now on opposite sides; Eggman doesn't think much of it anyhow.
- Bond Villain Stupidity: Whereas Kit takes his fight with Tails dead-seriously, Surge stops to Motive Rant at Sonic after initially ambushing him, allowing him to regain his bearings and fight back.
- Break the Haughty: While Eggman could have defeated Starline sooner, he first wants to invoke this trope and crush his opponent's spirit, which he succeeds in doing.
- Break Them by Talking: Tails claims to be impressed by Kit's water abilities and gadgets, which actually causes him to be confused and disoriented from the praise. He tries to take things easy so Kit doesn't suffer a mental breakdown.
- Character Death: According to
Ian Flynn, Starline truly does die after being defeated by Eggman, thus concluding his character arc. - Cliffhanger: The issue ends with Sonic, Tails, Belle, and a comatose Kit surrounded by Badniks galore after Eggman regains control of Eggperial City.
- Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are: Eggman and Starline's fight starts out as a cat-and-mouse game. Before Starline breaks out the Egg Robo, a frustrated Eggman condemns him for his cowardice and demands he Face Death with Dignity for once.
- Continuity Nod: Tails points out the time Sonic previously had him repair Metal Sonic back in Issue #12.
- Cross Counter: Sonic and Surge perform the kick variation near the end of their fight. Neither hit results in a knockout due to their resilience.
- Curb Stomp Cushion: Surge and Starline never stood a chance against Sonic and Eggman, respectively, though not for lack of trying. The only things that stops them from being fully curbed is that Sonic wants to help Surge, while Eggman is the opposite and wants to defeat Starline as utterly as possible.
- Despair Event Horizon:
- Starline crosses it as part of his Villainous Breakdown. Seeing as he makes no attempt to save himself, he may well have lost his will to live. The next several issues, however, would prove he Gave Up Too Soon.
- Kit is so ashamed about his loss (and afraid of Surge's reaction when she finds out) that he faints on the spot. Unable to wake him up, Tails flies him back to Sonic and Belle.
- Divide and Conquer: Invoked by Surge and Kit to gain an edge over Sonic and Tails. Due to Surge's inexperience and Kit's over-dependence on her, their strategy backfires and they instead inflict this trope on themselves.
- Evil vs. Evil: Dr. Starline is forced to fight Dr. Eggman to secure "Operation: Remaster". Eggman wins.
- Foregone Conclusion: Let's face it: mandates or not, Sonic, Tails, and Eggman had the titular Big Badass Battle Sequence in the bag all along. All three were experienced characters that have fought each other multiple times over, while Starline had managed to barely squeak by. Every head-to-head confrontation Starline had been in has resulted in him losing, so it's no surprise he loses to Eggman too. The inexperienced Surge and Kitsunami against the seasoned Sonic and Tails had similar expectations and results.
- Good Is Not Dumb: Sonic doesn't know much about Surge, but she tells him that she wants to destroy everything that he stands for. While he points out that he's faced villains like her with similar motives before but is still willing to help her get a better life, he makes it clear that his morals do not prevent him from kicking her ass if she chooses to be evil.
- Gory Discretion Shot: When the room the defeated Starline is in begins to collapse, only Belle's reaction is shown as he's crushed by falling debris.
- Hijacked by Ganon: Predictably, Eggman takes over as the Big Bad after Starline’s death.
- History Repeats: Like when after Tails fixed him, Metal Sonic returns to Eggman shortly after Belle does the same.
- Honor Before Reason: When their fight ends with Surge dangling over a pit holding a piece of rebar, Sonic says they should call a truce and tries to help her, only for Surge to shock him instead, voicing satisfaction that she at least got the last hit.
- Hope Spot: Tails seems to be getting through to Kit during their conversation, but the moment he mentions that they can find Sonic to help the fennec, he goes back to attack mode, explicitly stating that he won't let Tails stop Surge's fight with Sonic.
- Hypocrite: When Sonic warns Belle about reactivating Metal Sonic, Tails points out that Sonic had previously had him repair Metal Sonic back in Issue #12 despite Tails' concerns.
- Hypocrite Has a Point: That being said, Sonic at least had Tails de-weaponize Metal Sonic first, which Belle neglects to do in her rush to fix Metal before the Badnik swarm finds them. Even before Metal returns to Eggman's side, Belle almost immediately regrets her good deed when it seems like her fellow bot is going to hit her.
- Instantly Proven Wrong: Starline had always thought Eggman lacked the foresight needed to come back from a defeat. He was proven wrong in this case. Eggman reveals that he was keeping tabs on Starline the moment he joined the Eggman Empire, during the Metal Virus debacle, and after he investigated the truth behind Zavok's escape and the break-in of Egg Base Sigma.
- Karma Houdini Warranty: While Starline got away with the Prison Riot he caused in Bad Guys, the warden's account of his involvement tipped Eggman off to Starline's other activities back then, allowing him to prepare accordingly and outwit Starline when they finally come to blows.
- Killed Off for Real: Starline is crushed by falling debris after Eggman renders him Out-Gambitted. While Surge fell to an Uncertain Doom, Starline is definitely dead. Both solicitations of the next few issues and Word of God confirmed that Starline's story is over, and that he was killed in the lab's collapse.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Tails shuts down Kit's backpack when he is most vulnerable, preventing him from restoring his water abilities. However, doing so causes Kit to pass out in disgrace, much to Tails' worry.Tails: Oh man! I hope I didn't shut down any vital functions!
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Confronting Eggman gives Belle the closure she sought, but in doing so, she also lets him know he can exploit her for his own ends down the line.
- No-Nonsense Nemesis: Eggman holds nothing back in his battle with Starline, utterly curb-stomping the platypus in their battle. Starline is caught completely off-guard by this, having expected Eggman to be as self-destructive as he usually is against Sonic.
- No One Could Survive That!: Belle sees a mentally broken Starline get buried in rubble and assumes he is crushed to death (which
Word of God confirms to be true). Sonic believes the same with Surge, who seemingly falls to her death in a pit as he tried to help her, though she survives. - "Not So Different" Remark: Eggman compares Belle's fixation with his "Mr. Tinker" persona to Starline's obsession with his normal self and dismisses them both as "clingy" for taking his usual attitude so personally.
- Oh, Crap!:
- Starline has this reaction upon Eggman's Big Entrance and again when the latter reveals his Batman Gambit.
- Belle gets one as she and the offline Metal Sonic are attacked by the Brainwashed and Crazy Badnik horde.
- Kit has a big one upon running out of water, leaving him powerless and at Tails' mercy.
- Sonic and Surge share one after their fight when a huge load of junk comes down the garbage chute they're in.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: While he defeats her regardless, Sonic is very disappointed by Surge's Redemption Rejection and Uncertain Doom.
- Pet the Dog: Subverted. Eggman lets Belle go free after she refuses to join him, only to sic his Badniks on her, along with Sonic and Tails, thereafter.
- Pre-Asskicking One-Liner: Eggman, in the Egg Emperor, says this to Starline (who's sitting on Eggman's throne) before attacking:Dr. Eggman: Excuse me, Doctor... You're in my seat.
- Rage Against the Reflection: Cover F has Surge punching against her reflection in a sheet of glass, which warps into showing her mixed with Sonic's image, with an angry scowl on her face.
- Rapid-Fire "No!": Kit, during his Freak Out just before Tails defeats him.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Surge gives a Motive Rant to Sonic before their fight starts, accusing him of enabling Eggman and Starline's evil thanks to Sonic's moral compass and Thou Shalt Not Kill policy causing all of the things that Surge went through. Surge even says that she intends to Put Them All Out of My Misery by becoming an Omnicidal Maniac, and that Sonic is first up. Sonic brushes this off with his usual humorous snark.Sonic: I'm sorry, have we met? I'll start. I'm Sonic the Hedgehog.
Surge: Oh, I know who you are. It's all I know, really. And that's the problem. I am your fault. Starline? Eggman? Sure, they're part of this and they'll get theirs, but it really comes down to you. If you had just taken them out, I wouldn't have been made! Or if that goes against your precious "moral code," you could've just rolled over and quit! But no! You keep on fighting! You keep on giving idiots the freedom to repeat their awful mistakes! And it just keeps on going and going and going! And the whole world loves you for it. So I'm ending it. All of it. You. The docs. The world. It's what you all deserve.
[Beat]
Sonic: Maybe I spoke too fast. I'll start again. Hi! I'm Sonic the Hedgehog. And you are?
Surge: Heh. Yeah, okay. My name's Surge the Tenrec. And your "speed of sound" can't compete with my "speed of light"! - Redemption Rejection: Metal Sonic once again, after Belle fixes him. Sonic's attempts to reason with Surge also fall on deaf ears.
- Save the Villain:
- When Tails regroups with Sonic and Belle, he brings the defeated Kit back with him so the latter won't get captured by Eggman.
- After defeating Surge, Sonic reaches out his hand to help her up so she doesn't fall. Surge instead zaps Sonic with lightning, smugly commenting about getting the last hit in as she falls to an Uncertain Doom.
- Sinister Silhouettes: Eggman when he emerges from the Egg Emperor's wreckage and reveals his Batman Gambit.
- Shout-Out: Cover D, according to Johnathan Gray, is based on a piece of artwork from Persona 5.
- Status Quo Is God: Starline's plot to defy this trope fails miserably, resulting in his death and allowing Eggman to once again go after Sonic, Tails, and Belle with a freshly-assembled horde of Badniks.
- Slasher Smile: Kit, Surge, and Eggman all give off at least one of these.
- Squashed Flat: Dr. Starline's death.
- Suddenly Shouting:
- Kit briefly explodes in rage while revealing Starline's plans to Tails, admitting that he hates the platypus for abusing him so much.
- Ever the drama queen, Eggman ends his "welcoming speech" to the heroes in this manner at the issue's conclusion.
- Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: Starline's battle with Eggman is totally one-sided in Eggman's favor due to a combination of Eggman being better in experience and him having absolutely no mercy towards any enemy that isn't Sonic.
- Sympathy for the Devil: Belle spends most of the issue fixing Metal Sonic after finding him offline and is visibly disturbed by Starline's death.
- Take This Job and Shove It: Eggman offers to let Belle work for him as mechanic, but she refuses, staying loyal to Sonic and the Restoration.
- Then Let Me Be Evil: Sonic gives Surge a chance to stand down so he can help her leave the villain business, but she decides to invoke this trope instead. Essentially, Surge says that whatever her Dark and Troubled Past may or may not be, it doesn't change anything.Surge: If I volunteered to work with Starline, I obviously didn't have anything good going in my life. If he kidnapped me, nobody has tried to find me.
- There Can Be Only One: Eggman believes that only he can rule the world and would never think of sharing it with some wannabe villain like Starline.
- To Win Without Fighting: Tails makes no real attempt to fight Kit. First, he tries to reason with Kit and, when that fails, he simply evades him until the water in his pack runs dry, leaving him helpless.
- Uncertain Doom: Zigzagged. Starline is for sure dead, and Sonic presumes Surge is too after she falls out of sight down a garbage chute. Unbeknownst to him, she and Kit have Metal Virus-enhanced regenerative powers, and she'd turn up alive and well in subsequent stories.
- Undignified Death: After all the harm he caused (especially to Belle, Surge, and Kit) in hopes of gaining Eggman's respect, Starline goes down an absolute joke; beaten and rejected by the very person he idolized, reduced to a broken shell of a man, and ultimately crushed to death under rubble. Not that it mattered, since even if he'd won, either his creations or the heroes would've thwarted "Operation: Remaster" anyhow; Eggman merely beats the others to the punch.
- Villainous Breakdown: Starline completely breaks down after Eggman defeats him, unable to comprehend that the doctor has more foresight than he had anticipated. He doesn't even react as the room he's in starts collapsing, leaving him to be buried by rubble.
- We Can Rule Together: Starline hopes that his actions would show Eggman the errors of his ways and convince him to join him in ruling the world together. The latter refuses, saying that he should be the one in charge.
- Well-Trained, but Inexperienced: Despite all of Surge's power and training, Sonic has years of experience on her, including experience in fighting other speedsters. As a result, he easily wins their fight. The only reason that Surge wasn't defeated even faster was that Sonic went easy on her. Tails likewise easily defeats Kit despite the latter taking their own fight even more seriously, since Kit lacks his counterpart's experience with thinking and fighting independently.
- Wham Episode: Dr. Starline becomes the first IDW Sonic character to die on-page in real-time.
- Why Won't You Die?: Surge to Sonic during the last segment of their fight:Surge: Fall down already!
- With Us or Against Us: While Eggman lets Belle's refusal to join him slide, he warns her that staying with the Restoration makes her his enemy regardless, even referring to this trope by name to make his point clear.Eggman: "Father" this and "Father" that. Why are you both so blasted clingy? (...) So! If you're not with me, than you're against me.
- Would Hit a Girl: Sonic doesn't pull his punches when fighting Surge. Of course, she has no qualms about slugging him, either.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: Downplayed, but since Starline didn't take the hint when Eggman fired him, the latter bluntly tells him after their fight that he's just another nuisance now.Eggman: I've made my mistakes. One of them was tolerating you for this long.
