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Information in this article may not be canonical to the storyline of the games or any other Sonic continuity. |
Deerwood Forest is a forest that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-off comic series published by Archie Comics. It is a large forest area located within the Kingdom of Mercia, and the location of Hideaway, the base of operations for the Mercian Freedom Fighters. Over the years, the Deerwood Forest has been imperiled by the High Sheriff under Dr. Robotnik, and later by the Mercia Dark Egg Legion under Dr. Eggman.
Description
Deerwood Forest is a huge and dense forest, much like the Great Forest, but is dominated primarily by pine and other evergreen trees. It covers almost all of Mercia and surrounds the capital city of Snottingham. Within the forest lies the mysterious Never Lake.[1]
Deerwood Forest has towering, ancient trees that makes them the perfect dwelling for the embattled people of the Kingdom of Mercia and it is viewed as a safe haven. Expensive networks of treetop villages nearly span the length of the entire forest, and makes for ideal defensive positions against intruders.[1]
During the reign of the High Sheriff, Deerwood Forest served as a hideaway for Rob and the Mercian Freedom Fighters. This is also the place where Amy Rose grew up in until Rob sent her to live in Knothole.
History
First Robotnik War
During the First Robotnik War, after Dr. Ivo Robotnik took over the Kingdom of Mercia as he worked towards expanding his global empire. He then placed his sub-boss, the High Shriff, in control of Mercia, who upon the doctor's orders began capture and roboticize the residents and repressing all resistance groups. Those who managed to escape the High Sheriff's force fled to the Deerwood Forest. During the reign of the High Sheriff, Rob o' the Hedge became the king of the Deerwood Forest, from where he established the Crazy Kritter Freedom Fighters to oppose the High Sheriff. From within the Deerwood Forest, the Crazy Kritter Freedom Fighters had their operations until all members except Rob was roboticized.
Later on, the Lost Tribe of Echidnas traveled through the Deerwood Forest during the search for Albion, where they were captured by the High Sheriff's robot army, except for Knuckles and Mari-An, and forced to decimate the Deerwood Forest. Meanwhile, Rob found Knuckles and Mari-An within the Deerwood Forest and got them as allies. Later on, Rob, Knuckles, Mari-An, Sonic and Tails successfully freed both the Lost Tribe of Echidnas and some of the Mercian citizen and escaped into the Deerwood Forest.
Later Threats
Some time later, the Deerwood Forest's tranquility was disturbed when Sonic passed through it as he ran repeatedly around Mobius with a Super Emerald attached to his back to prevent the fabric of time from being destroyed. Later, when the Xorda began their attack on Mobius, the residents of Deerwood Forest were among those who received the Xorda's telepathic message, announcing their intent to destroy Mobius.
A Chaotix Problem
During the Second Robotnik War, Deerwood Forest became the target of the Mercia Dark Egg Legion under Lord Mordred Hood, who desperately sought to find Hideaway within it. During this time, Mighty the Armadillo and Ray the Flying Squirrel came to the Deerwood Forest to investigate Matilda's whereabouts, where they helped Mercian Freedom Fighters defeat some Mercian Dark Legion minions. After having repeatedly interrogating prisoners about Hideaway's location, Mordred Hood ordered the Deerwood Forest burned, but were stopped by Mercian Freedom Fighters, Mighty and Ray, before Mighty and Ray snuck to Mordered Hood's castle to find information on Matilda during the disarray.
Shortly after, the other members of the Chaotix - Vector, Espio and Charmy came to Deerwood Forest to find Mighty and Ray, where they were ambushed by the Mercian Dark Legion forces, but were helped when the Mercian Freedom Fighters came to their aid. After defeating the Mercian Dark Legion forces, the Chaotix were taken to Hideaway, where they briefed on Mighty and Ray's activities. The two Freedom Fighter group then joined forces to invade Mordred Hood's castle to free the captives there and investigate Mightly and Ray's whereabouts. The attack was overall successful, resulting in the Chaotix getting the needed information and the Mercian Freedom Fighters evacuating a number of freed prisoners to Deerwood Forest.
Trivia
- Deerwood Forest is based on Sherwood Forest, the setting of the Robin Hood stories.
- Deerwood Forest serving as the hideout for the Mercian Freedom Fighters is similar to the Great Forest serving as the Knothole Freedom Fighters's hideout.
References
External links
- Deerwood Forest at Mobius Encyclopaedia, the Archie Sonic wiki.