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A battle plane type bird robot last seen in "SKY CHASE ZONE" from "Sonic 2". A whole bunch of them can be shot out of Metal Sonic's weapon unit, "Metal Carrier", in Episode II.
Balkiry (バルキーン,Valkyn?) is a bird-like plane Badnik created by Dr. Eggman. Balkiry have made their first appearance in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. These Badniks attack with the straight line or follow their target either at medium or high speeds like a homing missile.
Balkiry Badnik's design is a hybrid of a bird and plane. The red and grey metallic body have wings on each side, a vertical stabilizer and two rotors on its back, which makes the Badnik move on medium or high speed. The head has small eyes facing front and a yellow bird beak. They have two support legs with small wheels that resemble eagles' feet.
Balkiry's appearance in Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is more detailed, as now the support feet are removed and it has received two extra wings in the vertical stabilizer. From Sonic Lost World though, Balkiry once again retains its cartoony design from previous games.
Powers and abilities
These Badniks have been given a simple pattern, as they fly and attack toward its target like a missile. The flying speed of Balkiry varies on certain models, as some of hover with medium speed, while others fly with high speed. In Sonic Pocket Adventure, these Badniks are also able to move to lateral directions, following its moving target.
First appearing in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Balkiry Badniks are featured at Sky Chase Zone, flying fast in the opposite direction of Tornado, where the playable character is almost only able to move thought the whole zone. At the beginning of the Zone, Balkiry appears one at a time. As the level progresses, they appear in larger groups of two or three, and at much faster speeds. They are not particularly dangerous, although some of them tend to move quickly and can take the player by surprise. The player can do a Spin Jump to destroy these Badniks.
Sonic Pocket Adventure
Balkiry Badniks made another appearance in Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure, as they are featured again in Sky Chase Zone along with other Badniks from previous games. Balkiry Badniks mostly have a similar pattern, however these Badniks are now able to move in lateral directions, as it tries to follow the player, who tries to dodge them.
Balkiry Badniks made a reappearance in Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II as being featured in the first act and boss fight of Sky Fortress Zone. Balkiry's design and its behavior is slightly different from Sonic the Hedgehog 2, as they are now launched from the Metal Carrier. They cascade down on the player from the top of the screen, and can be defeated with a Spin Jump or Homing Attack. However in the Boss Act, some Balkiry Badniks behave just as they do in Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
Sonic Lost World
Balkiry Badniks appear in both Wii U and Nintendo 3DS versions of Sonic Lost World. During the game, it turns out that Badniks, Balkiry Badniks included, got hijacked by the Deadly Six.
In Wii U version, these Badniks are seen as obstacles flying through during skydiving sections of Desert Ruins Zone 2. In Tropical Coast Zone ? and Sky Road Zone 3, they are seen charging from right on string formations towards Sonic, who is been maneuvered through the air. The player is able to destroy them above while performing Spin Attack. Balkiry badniks also appear in Hidden World Zone 2, where the player can only avoid them while piloting the Tornado.
In Nintendo 3DS version, Balkiry badniks are featured in Sky Road Zone 1, where they have different type of charge pattern. They charge up towards until they come across the ceiling, wall or corner and will swing around to change the charging direction. They can be found at locked rooms, as the player has to destroy them to unlock switches from cases. In Sky Road Zone 3, Balkiry Badniks will fly towards him on different string formations, which the player can only avoid while controlling Sonic on the rocket.
Sonic Runners
In Sonic Runners, Balkiry is one of common Badniks in flying type character's stages. Like in previous games, they charge from the right direction separately or in string groups.
Balkiry in Sonic Runners come in three types. Aside from the regular types, there is golden Balkiry that gives 300 extra points each when destroyed, and black type called Super Balkiry that only Color Powers and power type characters can destroy. Any type of Balkiry contains Animals inside them.
Balkiry Badniks have made frequent appearances in Fleetway's Sonic the Comic, where these Badniks are standard flying units of Doctor Ivo Robotnik's Badnik army. These Badniks are first seen in issue 15's cover. Balkiry's model is seen at background in story "Sonic the Human!" of issue 17. In issue 47's story "The Big Con", Buzzer and Balkiry Badniks got launched from the convention tower of Chemical Plant Zone after Sonic and the Freedom Fighters are discovered from the crowd. All civilians believed this scene being part of the show. They soon change their mind when Balkiry Badniks start dive-bombing them. Despite the strike, Sonic and Freedom Fighters manage to destroy the convention tower and the Badniks along with it by pushing the Robotnik statue to the tower.
In issue 52's story "Knuckles Versus the Cybernik", Robotnik launches one Balkiry Badnik after Shortfuse the Cybernik once relentlessly tailed one in order to destroy it, but was destroyed by Knuckles the Echidna. Another set of Balkiry Badniks are got down this time by Shortfuse the Cybernik himself and Tekno in Chemical Plant Zone in issue 63's story "Cybernik Strikes Back". Balkiry Badnik is then seen kidnapping Amy Rose much later in issue 89's story "A New Hope", as this makes prompting the other Freedom Fighters to realize how badly they needed Sonic. Balkiry Badniks are also later seen along with other Badniks ordered to attack by Grimer in issue 99's story "No Exit". After the fall of Robotnik's empire, later models of Balkiry Badniks were shown to be built with an electric attack, one of which accidentally revived Kog from under Citadel Robotnik as seen in issue 109's "Kog the Mighty". Balkiry is also seen during the surprise attack of Badniks in issue 131's "Shady Characters", where they later reveal to be sent out by Agent X.
Trivia
In Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Balkiry has unused in-game sprite showing its landing pose. It can only be found inside of the game's coding. It is possible that they were originally intended to start flying from this pose at Wing Fortress Zone, but the movement has then become unused for unknown reasons.
In Sonic X, a robot called E-11 Beacon is based on Balkiry though it has a purple-colored scheme.
