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"The Void" is the twenty-first episode of the Sonic the Hedgehog television series. It was written by Ben Hurst and first aired on 29 October 1994.
In the episode, a wizard named Naugus attempts to escape from imprisonment in the Void by using Sonic's speed, leading a terrified Robotnik to become panicked and reckless. Meanwhile, Sonic and Nicole are forced to work together to rescue Sally and Bunnie, allowing them to bond. Sally is reunited with her father, but only for a brief time.
Appearances
Characters:
- Ari
- Bunnie Rabbot
- Doctor Robotnik
- Dove
- King
- Mandaras (mentioned)
- Naugus (first appearance)
- Nicole
- Sally
- Sir Charles Hedgehog
- Snively
- Sonic the Hedgehog
Plot
Sonic is running across the Great Unknown when the Void opens up in the ground beneath him. Using a Power Ring he manages not to be pulled in. He finds a golden artifact, which he brings back to Knothole. Sally believes it is an artifact from the Mandaras people, and intends to study it. Sonic receives a message from Uncle Chuck and leaves for Robotropolis. While he's gone, Sally discovers that the artifact may be fake, but she reads an inscription on it. Suddenly, Sally and Bunnie are engulfed in red light. They enter a trance-like state and fly off towards the Void, leaving Nicole behind.
Uncle Chuck informs Sonic about the Doomsday Project, though he doesn't yet know what it is. Sonic returns to Knothole, to find Sally gone. He asks Nicole what happened, and becomes infuriated at her technical language and inability to volunteer information without being asked. He starts shaking her until she speaks more simply. She displays an image of what happened before Sally disappeared, and says the energy resembles readings from the Void. He goes to investigate.
Snively detects Void energy, which panics Robotnik. He is terrified of the wizard Naugus, an old partner (or boss) of his whom he trapped in the Void many years ago (and who had a habit of turning his head into different animals, to Snively's obvious enjoyment). He sends his robots to close the portal. When he finds Sonic in the area, he starts worrying that his two enemies, Sonic and Naugus, might be working together. He sends the robots to destroy Sonic, and when another portal to the Void opens he forces Sonic into it.
Meanwhile, the wizard Naugus has used his magic to bring Sally and Bunnie to him, as bait for Sonic. He discovered the Void many years ago, although it was Robotnik who found the means of accessing it - and Robotnik who then trapped him inside. Naugus has since learned how to open the portal out, but can't escape without Sonic's speed. When Sonic himself arrives, Sonic has no interest in helping someone who kidnapped his friends. He takes Sally and Bunnie and tries to escape himself, but instead finds a beautiful crystal replica of Castle Acorn. And, inside, they find the King himself!
Sally is overjoyed to be reunited with her father, but he seems weak. He asks Sonic to take him out of the Void, which Sonic is only too pleased to do. However, once Sonic and the King are gone, Sally gets another surprise. Ari the ram (who was sucked into the Void previously) appears, explaining that Naugus knew Sonic wouldn't take him out, so he impersonated the King. Sonic has taken taken Naugus into the real world, and the King is still here! Sally and the King are now re-united for real.
Back in the Great Unknown, Naugus drops his disguise and freezes Sonic in crystal. When one of Robotnik's egg cameras sees them, he sends a message to Robotnik ("Wanna play?"). However, being in debt with Sonic for delivering him from the Void, Naugus releases the hedgehog, allows him to rescue his friends and the real King, and goes to confront Robotnik. The evil dictator attempts to plead for mercy (to no avail) to the evil wizard, who starts transforming Robotnik's head into many different animals, finally settling on a pig and forcing him to root around in the dirt (all of which is monitored by Snively, who laughs uncontrollably at his uncle's humiliating misfortune). Before he could continue further, Naugus is shocked to realize that his feet have turned into crystal. Realizing that he can't go any further, Naugus is forced to turn Robotnik back to normal and chases him away by saying that he's going to play 'hide and seek'. This terrifies Robotnik, who then flees away in his hovercraft with Snively.
As Sonic brings the others back to Mobius, they notice Naugus' crsytallized feet. The King instantly learned that he too is turning to crystal. Naugus explains his miscalculation: he and the King have been in the Void for far too long, and cannot survive outside, since it's drawing their lifeforce back into it. Naugus states that he can control the Void's properties, but it can be only done from within the Void itself, which means that he and the King must return back to the Void otherwise they will both die. Realizing that Naugus is right, the King gives Sally a list of the other Freedom Fighter groups in case she would need help in taking down Robotnik. After the King tells Sonic to take care of Sally, he and Naugus return back to the Void before the portal closes, both of them vowing to return one day (the King tearfully bidding farewell to Sally and Naugus angrily declaring to an absent Robotnik that he will return).
Sally cries to have been separated again from her father after such a short time. but Sonic helps her to see the upside: she did get to see him, and someday Naugus will figure a way out. Not only that, but they have the Freedom Fighter list and Ari is back. Sally has to admit that Sonic's right, as does Nicole ("He's cool, Sal. Way past."), leaving Sally to wonder just what Sonic has done to her.
Continuity
- This is the first appearance of Naugus. He was previously mentioned in "Blast to the Past, Part 2".
- Although Naugus did not appear in full during the rest of the series, Ben Hurst revealed that it was Naugus whose red eyes appeared at the end of the final episode.[1][2] Also, Naugus (called "Ixis Naugus") is a regular antagonist from the Archie Comics series.
- Ari was previously pulled into the Void in the episode "Game Guy".
- The King was sent into the Void in "Blast from the Past, Part 2".
- Sally received the Freedom Fighter list from her father, previously mentioned by Ari in "Game Guy". They later use it to track down their Freedom Fighter groups, such as the Wolf Pack in "Cry of the Wolf".
- Uncle Chuck learns about the Doomsday Project, which will become more prominent as the series reaches its conclusion.
Title in other languages
| Language | Title | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Russian | Воронка | The funnel |
Gallery
References
- ↑ "SatAM Season Three". Sonic HQ. Retrieved from the Wayback Machine 2010-08-06.
- ↑ "The Lost 3rd Season". Fans United for SatAM. Retrieved 2012-10-17.
