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Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 263 is the two hundredth and sixty-third issue of the Archie Sonic the Hedgehog series.
Summary[]
Official Solicitation[]
Cool off from the hot summer sun with Sonic the Hedgehog! The tides are turning in Sonic's favor-literally-as Chaos joins the fray! It's all-out war to save the underwater city from total devastation in this thrilling conclusion! Then, in 'Consequences,' take a sneak peek into Eggman's shattered world crisis battle plan-we'll give you a hint, it's evil! Featuring super-cool cover art from Ben Bates and a Chao-tastic variant cover from Evan Stanley.
Story One[]
- Wave of Change: Part Four - "Divine Waters"
As Rotor and Sonic are at the mercy of the Dark Guardian, Sonic shows further signs of transformation as he and Rotor are about to perish from lack of air. Back at the Eusebes Shrine, Pearly informs Razor and Amy Rose that the Air Charms taken by their two friends are almost certainly depleted, but the pair and Razor's Chao friend Crusher have their hands full with Dark Gaia's Minions. Back in the shrine, Coral bemoans the failure of the rites, and blames it on herself as she pleads with the spirits of Mobius for aid. Her cry is then answered by Tikal, who then informs her that she has not failed as Aquarius' cocoon beings to glow. At the same time, Sonic and Rotor are saved from death by the appearance of an unexpected former enemy turned ally: Chaos. The elemental then engages the Dark Guardian in battle, and after witnessing his efforts in battling the creature with the water surrounding him, Rotor realizes that Chaos is responsible for the oceans remaining in place despite the planet breaking up.
An astonished Captain Striker, recognizing Chaos, is stunned by his arrival, and informed by Sonic that Coral is undoubtedly responsible for his appearance.
More info needed.
Story Two[]
- Consequences
Two Egg Bosses, older sister Clove and younger (and more obviously cybernetically enhanced) sister Cassia, discover the Crystal Cave excavation site had been recently infiltrated, the entrance damaged and ajar and littered with destroyed badniks. Clove looks into the security logs to find the system previously compromised and then, surprisingly, reactivated. Seeing the video footage of the intrusion for themselves, they contact Eggman for their report.
Hearing that the Chaos Emerald was taken by the Freedom Fighters (specifically Sally Acorn, Tails, and Antoine D'Coolette), Eggman orders the sisters to abandon the site and await reassignment. While ordering Orbot and Cubot to load up the files for his "Resource Acquisition Project, he laments that Sally was able to steal said files (while he was returning from the other side of the now-shattered planet) and use them against him, which explains how they were able to find the site and the emerald so easily.
He begins to pinpoint the next promising energy reading and contacts an Egg Boss named "Thunderbolt". Thunderbolt, who was preparing to call Eggman first, informs him that her faction is currently recovering another emerald at her location, and can have it delivered to him in a matter of hours. Eggman instead tells her to hold onto it temporarily, warning her not to keep it for herself. He then tells her that the emerald would make the perfect bait to deal with those who are trying to be "just a little too clever" against him.
On the other side of the communication, Thunderbolt bears a wide smile, looking forward to Eggman's plan.
Off-Panel[]
Sonic and Amy are on the beach following their adventures in Meropis, with Amy expressing her astonishment at the presence of Chaos while Sonic complains about all the water he got in his ears. Some of the water proves to be part of Chaos, who reforms and heads back into the water while the startled Hedgehogs look on.
Key Events[]
- Tikal and Chaos arrive to help, with Chaos giving Sonic and Rotor bubble shields to use, and Tikal revealing to Coral that the reason why Aquarius is taking so long to come out of her cocoon is that she is evolving into a higher state.
- Coral, Pearly and Tikal use the Mystic Melody to raise the temple's shield and defeat Dark Gaia's minions.
- The king and queen of the city apologize to Coral for wrongfully accusing her.
- It is revealed that the pollution in the city is coming from the two sunken Egg Carriers (from Sonic Adventure).
- Tikal informs Sonic about Knuckles' search for Light Gaia.
- Sonic, Amy and Rotor head home.
- Meanwhile, Mighty the Armadillo and Ray the Flying Squirrel finish a training session with an old sloth named Moss.
- Dr. Eggman learns that the Freedom Fighters took the Chaos Emerald in the Crystal Cave mine from two Egg Bosses, the sisters Cassia and Clove, and realizes his data files were stolen by Sally while he was returning from the Super Genesis Wave fiasco.
- Eggman tells the Egg Boss Thunderbolt to use a Chaos Emerald that they recently acquired as bait for the Freedom Fighters.
Quotes[]
Background Information[]
- Various webpages appear on Eggman's computer screen, including a tab labeled "Snoops" (an obvious parody of Snopes) and a viral-video resembling YouTube.
- In addition, a website devoted to "Mustache Afficionado" features pictures of Dr. Light and Dr. Wily from the Mega Man series, as well as Mario and Luigi of Super Mario Bros. fame.
- Names for various Egg Bosses can be partially seen on a monitor; including "DRA" (Tundra), "AKH" (Akhlut), and "CON" (possibly Conquering Storm).
- At the top left of one panel a monitor can be seen with the words "PHAGE TrackingU", foreshadowing Phage's existence over four months before she appeared.
Reprint History[]
This issue has been reprinted in the following places:
- Sonic the Hedgehog (GN) Volume 3: Waves of Change
- Sonic Super-Sized Comics Digest #11
- Sonic Comics Spectacular: Speed of Sound
Continuity[]
Both stories in the issue occur concurrently, and take place roughly parallel to "The Great Chaos Caper" (SU: #63-#66), although "Waves of Change: Part 4" concludes before "Chaos Caper" does, as Tikal states that Knuckles is still on his quest at this point.
External links[]
- Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 263 at Sonic Wiki Zone, the Sonic wiki.