- "Chemical Plant Zone" redirects here. For other uses of the term, see Chemical Plant Zone (disambiguation).
The Chemical Plant (ケミカルプラント Kemikarupuranto?), also known as the Chemical Plant Zone (ケミカルプラント Kemikarupuranto?, lit. "Chemical Plant"), is a recurring location in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It refers to the chemical-producing facilities that are owned by Dr. Eggman, and used to supply the doctor's nefarious schemes.[1] Numerous chemical plants have been established across the globe over time, although the most famous of these remains the one on West Side Island.
Along with Green Hill Zone, Chemical Plant is one of the most iconic Zones in the Sonic franchise.
Description
The Chemical Plants are industrial cityscapes filled with blue toxic gloop, mechanical creatures, and twisting chemical pipes. Designed as a high-tech maze, the Chemical Plants are full of tubes and floating platforms, and are known for producing an unpleasant substance known as "Mega Mack". In addition, due to the chemicals produced in these facilities, the vicinity of the Chemical Plants are generally polluted.
History
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Sonic and Tails in Chemical Plant Zone
In Sonic the Hedgehog 2, a Chemical Plant Zone was established on West Side Island by Dr. Robotnik. This Zone was the second one Sonic the Hedgehog and Tails passed through during their adventure to stop Dr. Robotnik from finishing his plans with the Death Egg, succeeding the Emerald Hill Zone. While taking their way through Chemical Plant Zone, Sonic and Tails had to deal with the Badniks patrolling the area, including the Grabber and the Spiny. At the end of Chemical Plant Zone, Sonic and Tails got attacked by Robotnik and his Water Eggman. The duo managed to defeat the doctor however, and were able to proceed with their journey.
Sonic Generations
In the console/PC version of Sonic Generations, a past version of the Chemical Plant from West Side Island got transported to the White Space as a side-effect of the Time Eater's time-traveling, where it was drained of color and life.
The Chemical Plant was the second area Sonic and Classic Sonic paid a visit to after ending up in the White Space. Inside this location, Sonic and Tails would regroup and discuss the strange sense of déjà vu they got from it. Regardless, by speeding through Chemical Plant, the Sonics were able to fix space, thereby restoring Chemical Plant and, by extension, Amy from their lifeless states. When the Time Eater later got destroyed, Chemical Plant was seemingly return to its rightful place in the timeline.
Sonic Mania
Knuckles goes through Chemical Plant Zone Act 2 in Sonic Mania.
In Sonic Mania, after defeating the Death Egg Robot in Green Hill Zone, Sonic, Tails and Knuckles got sent to the Chemical Plant Zone on West Side Island by Dr. Eggman thanks to the Phantom Ruby. Regardless, the heroes, pressed on in order to find Eggman and stop his usage of the Phantom Ruby.
On the first half of their trek through Chemical Plant Zone, Sonic and co. passed through familiar surroundings before encountering the Amoeba Droid. Destroying the robot, the trio entered an indoor area in the depths of the Chemical Plant Zone with large beakers, jars, gelatinous chemicals, sticky platforms and chemical bubbles. At the end of the Chemical Plant Zone, Sonic and co. overcame Eggman's puzzle game before following the doctor to Studiopolis Zone.
Sonic Forces
In Sonic Forces, industrial areas like Chemical Plant were expanded to other regions on the planet following Dr. Eggman's conquest of it (specifically the freezing north of world), serving as both a chemical factory and a spaceport.[1]
Upon discovering that Sonic had survived his defeat at the hands of Dr. Eggman's latest weapon, Knuckles led a daring rescue mission to save him from Eggman's orbital prison. In order to reach Sonic, Knuckles, alongside the key figures of the Resistance and a new recruit, infiltrated the Chemical Plant's Spaceport in order to commandeer a space shuttle. Later on, Tails and Classic Sonic travelled to the Chemical Plant, their goal being to access the doctor's computer in order to learn more about his newly-acquired power - the Phantom Ruby.
Discovering that the latest Death Egg was in fact powering the Phantom Ruby, the Resistance returned to the Chemical Plant once more as the facility's computer controlled the space station's defence systems. After the rookie Resistance member successfully created a diversion at Green Hill, Sonic made his way through the Chemical Plant in order to reach the computer and disable the Death Egg's defences.
Other game appearances
Sonic the Hedgehog (Didj)
Chemical Plant Zone appears as one of the eight Zones for the Sonic the Hedgehog educational game for the Leapfrog Didj learning system. It has the music of Flying Battery Zone from Sonic & Knuckles.
Lego Dimensions
Chemical Plant as it appears in Lego Dimensions.
Chemical Plant Zone appears in LEGO Dimensions as the first part of the Sonic Dimensions level pack and part of the Sonic the Hedgehog Adventure World.
In other media
Sonic the Comic
The Chemical Plant Zone in the Sonic the Comic.
In the Sonic the Comic series published by Fleetway Editions, the Chemical Plant Zone is a large industrial Zone on Mobius. Once a beautiful and natural region, it was laid to waste by Dr. Ivo Robotnik. During Dr. Robotnik's global rule, it played a huge role in the pollution of Mobius and was also the sole producer of Mega Mack, the chemical designed to kill Sonic the Hedgehog.
Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog
The Chemical Plant Zone appears in the television series Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog. It appears in the episode "The Mobius 5000", where it is one of the locations Sonic, Tails and Professor Caninestein pass through during a race against Dr. Robotnik's Race Bots.
Archie Comics
The Chemical Plant Zone in the Archie Comics.
In the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by Archie Comics, the Chemical Plant Zone is a location that appeared on Mobius during Operation: Clean Sweep, where Dr. Eggman and his accomplishes reshaped reality with the Genesis Wave. After the entirely of the Multiverse was altered by the Super Genesis Wave, the Chemical Plant Zone became a permanent part of Sonic's World.
Trivia
- In all of its game appearances, the Chemical Plant is the second Zone, and after a Green Hill themed Zone, if not Green Hill itself.
- During the credits of Wreck-It Ralph, Sonic can be seen running through Chemical Plant Zone.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Sonic Forces - Space Port Gameplay. YouTube. SEGA (17 October 2017). Retrieved on 18 November 2017. "In the frigid north of Sonic's world is one of Eggman's chemical plants supplying a space port. It's up to the hero character to break through the base's defense. In this gameplay video, we've armed our custom character with the powerful Drill Wispon!"