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Archie Sonic Universe Issue 4 is the fourth issue of the spin-off Sonic Universe comic series.
Summary[]
Official Solicitation[]
The all-out battle-turned-alliance between Shadow and Rouge takes a new twist... and there may be no turning back! Transported from G.U.N.'s secret base to the surreal Special Zone, the reluctant allies meet the zone's mega-powerful master, Feist. What will Feist require of them? Can they successfully complete the challenge as well as their other missions and tasks for G.U.N.? What would failure mean to Shadow, who considers himself the "ultimate lifeform?" This action-packed issue co-stars Hope Kintobor and Omega, and features the first assembly of "Team Dark." It also paves the way for the next intriguing saga, which promises to bring back everyone's favorite red echidna!
Story One[]
- "The Ultimate Lifeform"
In G.U.N. headquarters, Shadow the Hedgehog and Rouge the Bat are preparing to head to the Special Zone and pick up a special Chaos Emerald. Rouge asks Shadow if he's ready to head off into unknown territory, but Shadow shrugs it off by saying it is just another mission like any other day. Hope Kintobor and Abraham Tower have prepared a machine to take them into the special zone without any problems, but then Hope says she's only a little sure. Rouge comments that she is really talented but not as smart as Robotnik, and Shadow explains that they have to be thankful for that. The machine then sends them to the Special Zone.
In the zone, they suddenly meet Feist, who tells them that he is the creator of the zone and used the Chaos Emeralds to harness it. Rouge's data scanner goes off the charts, but Shadow acts cold and demands the Chaos Emeralds, and Feist brings up a large pathway to find the emerald. Shadow decides to speed it up and tries to use Chaos Control, but it does not work. Feist explains that he is the ruler of the zone and limited out all Chaos Energy. He pressures the moment by explaining they have only thirty seconds to complete the challenge. Rouge grabs Shadow and they head down the stairs. They travel the course, but they fail to reach the emerald in time and both are sent back to G.U.N. HQ.
Abraham asks what happened, and Rouge explains that they did make it to the Special zone and that it's ruled by Feist and how he does his challenges before stating that they have failed. Abraham and Rouge argue over the failure, but Shadow decides to take the blame, feeling bad because he isn't getting good enough at all over the past few days and walks off to the gym.
Shadow arrives at the gym and begins a sparring match with E-123 Omega. Omega explains that when he gets cleared for active duty, he should also go with him and confront Feist by blasting him, but Shadow punches him off angrily and storms off outside, leaving Omega to question himself if he did something.
Shadow thinks of Maria while Hope hugs him.
Later, Hope finds Shadow on Guardian Mountain. Hope tries to cheer Shadow up by saying that she can see Soleanna from the height, but Shadow doesn't respond. Hope explains that it is OK that he didn't get the Chaos Emeralds but Shadow shrugs it off because he was built to complete all tasks he was given and not supposed to fail. Hope explains that she has also failed really badly, and tells Shadow about the war in Knothole after Dr. Eggman and Snively invaded and she left to explore the world, but Shadow comforts her by telling her that Sonic and the others didn't know. Hope cheers Shadow up by saying that he can plan his next strategy on Feist because he now knows how Feist works. She hugs Shadow and tells him that she too is also lost in the big, empty world like him. After remembering Maria Robotnik, this cheers Shadow up.
Later on, Hope gets the systems going and Shadow, Omega and Rouge are in the portal. Abraham questions if they are ready, and Shadow says they are ready, calling themselves "Team Dark." The portal then teleports them back to the Special Zone, leaving Hope to question as to why they called themselves "Team Dark," and Abraham says it will become evident in time with a look on his face.
Omega asks if he can blast Feist after arriving, but Shadow and Rouge deny it. Feist looks down and taunts the trio and they demand the challenge. This time, the challenge is a large cuboid maze. Shadow and his team then move into the maze. After they find the emerald in the center of the maze, it is immediately covered by a box of jewels. The trio then attempts to destroy as many as possible. Shadow goes to the top of the jewel pile to get the emerald from the newly-created opening, but fails to get it in time. Feist once again gloats over their failure, but then Rouge tells Omega to go ahead with "Plan B." Omega then shoots missles mercilessly at Feist while Shadow and Rouge grab the emerald. Feist is reduced to just two mad eyes and two hands and he angrily shouts at the trio, but Shadow uses Chaos Control to get out of there before Feist can attack them.
At G.U.N. HQ, Team Dark celebrates their victory and Shadow gives Abraham the emerald, with the Commander saying that with two emeralds, G.U.N. will be tougher than ever.
30 Years Later...
Knuckles and Julie-Su are on top of their building. Julie-Su explains they need to go and they walk back inside their house. Knuckles and Julie-Su ask Lara-Su if she can watch over things while they head out, and Lara-Su responds by saying "I'm a guardian! I'm ready for anything!"
Off Panel[]
Team Dark playing Go-Fish as Shadow tells a joke.
The Off Panel opens with all four members of Team Dark playing Go-Fish and drinking sodas. Shadow then decides to tell a joke about Feist. He tells his team-mates that Feist appears in their zone and fires a beam of energy at Commander Tower. Before Feist can leave, Tower demands an explanation for his attack. Feist tells him to look up his species in the dictionary. Commander Tower does that and sees that Pandas "Eats chutes and leaves," which is the joke. Pandas "Eats shoots and leaves". His comrades, with the exception of Omega who is focused on his cards, begin rolling their eyes and slapping themselves in the forehead at the terrible joke. Shadow then says that he is an "ageless alien-hybrid and angst-ridden" and that they shouldn't expect new jokes. Ignoring him, Hope then asks Omega if he has any twos and he replies "Pursue aquatic life" while Rouge tells the fans to write in with their thoughts on the comic and to send in their fanart.
Quotes[]
- Rouge: We're about to brave the unknown. Excited?
- Shadow: Not particularly. Another day, another mission.
- Rouge: (sarcastically) You certainly know what to say to a girl.
- Commander Tower: Explain to me how the world's best treasure hunter and Professor Gerald's "ultimate lifeform" failed to get one little gemstone?
- Rouge: Did you miss the part about the "god-like being?"
- E-123 Omega: Plan B now? Please?
- Rouge: Yes, Omega. Plan B.
- E-123 Omega: (unleashes his arsenal at Feist) I enjoy Plan B!
- Rouge: Come on, Omega!
- E-123 Omega: But I still have five more salvos--
- Rouge: MOVE IT, MISTER!
Key Events[]
- Shadow and Rouge enter the Special Zone by order of G.U.N.
- Shadow at first fails the retrieve the emerald and blames himself.
- Hope and Shadow bond and cheer each other up.
- Team Dark is formed and they obtain a second Chaos Emerald for G.U.N.
Background Information[]
- This issue marks the first assembly of Team Dark.
- The preview summary of this issue accidentally revealed that Hope Kintobor was alive after the events of StH: #177 instead of when she made her come-back appearance in SU: #1 as was planned, much to the surprise of writer Ian Flynn. [1]
- The obstacle course Shadow and Rouge go through is based on the Special Stage from the Sega Mega Drive version of Sonic 3D.
- The maze Team Dark go through is based on the Special Stage from the very first Sonic the Hedgehog game.
- The emerald Team Dark obtains is mistakenly colored green. The out of universe explanation is simple, Jason Jensen accidentally colored the emerald green, and the in-universe explanation provided by Ian Flynn is that "Feist made it good green to mess with [Team Dark's] heads. Once back in the Prime Zone, it eventually turned to it's natural color - red." [2]
- However, it was recolored red for the graphic novel release, thus correcting the mistake. The off panel of this issue still shows the incorrect green color.
- While joining Shadow on Guardian Mountain, Hope comments that from there you can see all the way to Soleanna on a clear day. Soleanna is the city where most of the video game Sonic The Hedgehog (2006) takes place. This confirms that it exists in the Archieverse.
- This issue marks the first letters page for Sonic Universe.
- Since SU: #2 takes place in-between StH: #198-199 and SU: #3 takes place during the events of StH: #199, it is likely that this issue takes place during StH: #200 or afterward.
- The "Scope" that Rouge was wearing at the beginning of the issue is supposedly her "Treasure Scope" item from Sonic Adventure 2.
Reprint History[]
This issue has been reprinted in the following places:
- Sonic Universe Vol. 1: The Shadow Saga
Continuity[]
- "Ultimate Lifeform" takes place at some point after "Knocking On Eggman's Door" (StH#199).
- The epilogue scene takes place five years after the events of "Mobius 25 Years Later: Tempus Aeternus" (StH#167).
External links[]
- Archie Sonic Universe Issue 4 at Sonic Wiki Zone, the Sonic wiki.