New Archie Sonic Timeline

[Big Panda]

This is one of the parts of the Archie comics that would make for plenty of discussion (and why I think this place needs an Archie Sonic sub-forum).

Below is my take on the in-comic timeline for the games:

-SEGASonic the Hedgehog

-Sonic the Hedgehog

-Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-bit) (including the stuff with the 6S and Breezie)

-Sonic Spinball (Sonic and Tails meet the Freedom Fighters)

-Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (16-bit)

 

-Sonic CD

-Sonic the Hedgehog 3

-Sonic & Knuckles

-Sonic 3 & Knuckles (Knuckles story) (with Snively)

 

-Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1

-Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode Metal

-Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2

-Knuckles Chaotix

 

-Sonic 3D Blast

 

-Sonic Adventure

-Sonic Shuffle

-Sonic Adventure 2

 

-Sonic Advance/Sonic Advance 2

-Sonic Heroes

-(Amy is made a Freedom Fighter)

-(Nicole creates holo-lynx form)

 

-Shadow the Hedgehog

-(Antoine and Bunnie get engaged)

-Sonic Battle

-Sonic Advance 3

 

-Sonic 2006

-Sonic Rush

-Sonic Riders

-Sonic and the Secret Rings

-(Antoine and Bunnie marry)

-Sonic Rush Adventure

-Sonic Rivals

-Sonic Rivals 2

 

-Sonic and the Black Knight

-Tails Adventure (Ant and Bunnie's honeymoon; basically the SU arc with a bunch of differences)

-(Treasure Team Tango) (with a bunch of differences)

-Sonic Colours

 

-(Genesis)

-Sonic Riders Zero Gravity

-Sonic Free Riders

-(Snively joins GUN)

-Sonic Generations

-(Eggman meets Wily in white space)

-(Worlds Collide)

 

-#252 onward

 

Explinations

-Q: "Why SEGASonic before Sonic 1?"

-A: Because I like the idea of Sonic arriving on South Island unprepared for being caught up in Eggman's attack, and getting captured. The fact that he leads the breakout from the prison is what gets him noticed by Eggman. Once he's out, he makes it his mission to liberate the rest of the island.

 

-Q: "Spinball before Sonic 2 (16-bit)?"

-A: Sonic 2 is where Sonic and the Freedom Fighters first team up, according to the Origins stories. In Spinball (which just so happens to be the only game where the FF's appear) they are captured and imprisoned in the Veg-O Fortress (in the bonus stages). What if this is how Sonic first met them?

 

-Q: "The first two Sonic Advance games are merged?"

-A: Purely because the first Advance game has very little story to work with.

 

-Q: "Amy becomes a Freedom Fighter after Heroes?"

-A: This one is a headcanon on my part. Amy had to prove herself worthy of becoming a Freedom Fighter, like in the old continuity. Leading her own team during Heroes is what finally got her recognised. It also aligns with where the event occurred in the old canon: the story where Amy was made an official Freedom Fighter was released in 2004, after Heroes.

 

-Q: "And Nicole gains her lynx form in that time?"

-A: Again, based on the fact that the story in question was printed during the gap between Heroes and Shadow.

 

-Q: "Antoine and Bunnie get engaged after Shadow the Hedgehog?"

-A: headcanon again. In the old continuity, the rising villain count was what made Antoine decide that him proposing to Bunnie would be now or never. Well in the new canon, what if a similar situation brought him to the same conclusion? It'd have to be a big event like, say, a planet-wide invasion by a murderous alien race.

 

-Q: "And they marry between Secret Rings and Rush Adventure?"

-A: Because their marriage in the old continuity was published between the two games (and their respective adaptations).

 

-Q: "You think the Tails Adventure arc still happened?"

-A: Its a headcanon. And yes, it happened in the same place as in the old canon (between Black Knight and Colours).

 

-Q: "You still think Treasure Team Tango happened to some extent?"

-A: I'm not entirely sure personally, but I'm taking it with a grain of salt since Pirate Plunder Panic claims it did happen (though that may have just been Blaze's memories being scrambled by the SGW). Of course that'd have to mean Rush happened a little differently, and Rush Adventure would've had the same differences as the old continuity version.

 

-Q: "And the rest?"

-A: Colours before the Genesis saga, because that's where it was released and adapted in the old continuity. Zero Gravity after Genesis because the old canons loose adaptation of the game (Babylon Rising) took place right after. Free Riders right after that because a) Ian Flynn said it happened, and b ) there's not really anywhere else it can happen. Snively also joins G.U.N. around that time because his last life-changing event in the old canon (the events of Scrambled) also occurred around that time, so I thought it was only fitting. And finally, Generations is the last game to occur before Worlds Collide and #252 because the ending of Generations leads straight into Worlds Collide's prologue (Eggman meeting Wily).

 

Now with that out of the way: discuss and make headcanons/interpretations of your own!

[Muscles Maximum]

As someone who knows nothing about the Archie comics, are all of these games covered fully after the reboot?

Also, when did the reboot happen? I've been thinking about checking it out, but I have zero interest in anything before the new continuity.

[Forte-Metallix]

9 minutes ago, monkokaio said:

As someone who knows nothing about the Archie comics, are all of these games covered fully after the reboot?

Also, when did the reboot happen? I've been thinking about checking it out, but I have zero interest in anything before the new continuity.

1) Yes. All of them happened, but some in vastly different ways from the Sega universe (Silver being directly involved in Colors, the Freedom Fighters assisting in stopping Perfect Chaos's attack, etc.) As of the beginning of the reboot, all of them already happened except Unleashed, Fighters, Lost World, and Chronicles.

2) It started with Issue 252, right after the Worlds Collide finale. (Which I highly recommend)

[Your Vest Friend]

Uh, not all of them. The main games did, but the others are up in air. We know of some that have been incorporated so far.

 

For example, we pretty much know that Chaotix is going to be pretty different from the game presentation out of necessity. 

[Sparky]

I just hope that Tails Adventure is placed before Tails meets Sonic.

[Big Panda]

1 hour ago, monkokaio said:

As someone who knows nothing about the Archie comics, are all of these games covered fully after the reboot?

Also, when did the reboot happen? I've been thinking about checking it out, but I have zero interest in anything before the new continuity.

Games that have been explicitly confirmed to have taken place so far:

-Sonic 1 (shown in Sonic Comic Origins)

-Sonic 2 (16-bit) (the Freedom Fighters were involved in this version) (shown in Sonic Comic Origins)

-Sonic 2 (8-bit) (involved the SSSSS Squad and Breezie the Hedgehog) (shown through flashbacks)

-Sonic CD (shown through flashbacks)

-Sonic 3 (shown through flashbacks)

-Sonic & Knuckles (Knuckles' story too, which incorporated Snively) (shown in Sonic Comic Origins)

-Sonic Adventure (confirmed via footnotes)

-Sonic Adventure 2 (confirmed via footnotes)

-Sonic Heroes (confirmed via footnotes)

-Sonic Battle (shown through flashbacks)

-Sonic Advance 3 (shown through flashbacks)

-Shadow the Hedgehog (confirmed in footnotes, flashbacks, et el. Events directly alluded to)

-Sonic Free Riders (stated by Ian Flynn)

-Sonic Colours (alluded to in-comic)

-Sonic Generations (shown through flashbacks)

The games that we know didn't happen are Sonic Unleashed (the current story arc, which has been running since the reboot began, is an adaptation of it), Sonic the Fighters (it got a loose adaptation in the form of "Champions"), Sonic Chronicles (for legal reasons, and it's considered a "future" story) and Lost World (which will be adapted when Unleashed is over).

[Your Vest Friend]

-Note that Sonic Colours here is more like the DS version of events than the Wii version. To that extent, Sonic Unleashed is supposedly a mix, but the only thing that's popped up that's version exclusive is the gaia gate warp system from the WiiS2 version (okay, I guess Casino Park was shoved into Empire City, but I really wouldn't have that as good representation of an Unleashed element). 

-Also note that Sonic Rivals 2 has happened here...in some form (SCO#007), but it's really different because how Sonic mentions it going down did not happen in the game. 

[Zaysho]

This is actually pretty helpful. I haven't actually read all the Freedom Fighter Origin stories yet, but I thought the Spinball elements were just part of their training? Or were they recreations from a previous battle? If so, then I think the timeline placement fits well enough.

And did Flynn say one way or another about '06? Or are we to assume the events happened and the reset from the end rewrote things?

[Your Vest Friend]

Probably the latter because it's a lot easier to deal with the snarl if you just say "It happened, the end" and shunt it off to the side. Since we never saw Silver's future after Solaris was wiped, it could easily slide into the narrative of interdimensional dragon future then dystopian blockhead future. That's basically one of the few things from Colours DS that can't really fit in, since he'd attained the perfect future by then and the events of Colours happened right before Worlds Collide. 

[Big Panda]

7 minutes ago, Zaysho said:

This is actually pretty helpful. I haven't actually read all the Freedom Fighter Origin stories yet, but I thought the Spinball elements were just part of their training? Or were they recreations from a previous battle? If so, then I think the timeline placement fits well enough.

And did Flynn say one way or another about '06? Or are we to assume the events happened and the reset from the end rewrote things?

They had an artificial recreation of Scorpius in the Sky Patrol's training area. That's it. We don't know if Spinball actually happened.

As for 06, that's the general idea. It even happened in the old continuity in some form (as per the Encyclopedia), so it's basically safe to assume it happened in this one too.

[Monkey Destruction Switch]

I love your Spinball headcanon, very charming. I have no idea if Spinball will actually make it into the comics canon, but personally I hope it does - I love for those more obscure/less popular classic games to get a little love from time to time.

[Zaysho]

I went and checked and this thread is OK'd for pinning. I don't expect it to be updated frequently, but I think it's a handy reference for anyone who wants to use it and discuss these sorts of things outside of the Archie thread. Have fun, y'all.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

I think it would be best if Flynn flat out rewrote Sonic 06 completely different from the official source. It's so badly written that he'd be doing it far more of a favor depending on how he does it.

And speaking of which, yeah we could do well with a reorganization by adding a new subforum for Archie Sonic like we do with Boom. Would help compartmentalize things...but then, that might that get flooded with junk the mods might not want to deal with? Anyone want to join up and work out that idea to see how that could work just to be safe?

[Wittymations]

This makes me wonder what stories are the old universe that are kept canon, to some degree, in this new universe.

 

We know some things happened, like Robotnik's take over of Mobotropolis. Which I guess is spinball? Could Veg-O-Fortress be in Mobotrpolis? I haven't really read much of the origins. But I just find it hard to believe that King Acorn would be really trusting of Robotnik after that.

 

I also vote for an Archie sub forum.

[Big Panda]

29 minutes ago, Zaysho said:

I went and checked and this thread is OK'd for pinning. I don't expect it to be updated frequently, but I think it's a handy reference for anyone who wants to use it and discuss these sorts of things outside of the Archie thread. Have fun, y'all.

...but it's not an official timeline

[Zaysho]

Well

It makes the Archie thread a little neater. Sue me.

[Big Panda]

22 minutes ago, WittyUsername® said:

This makes me wonder what stories are the old universe that are kept canon, to some degree, in this new universe.

 

We know some things happened, like Robotnik's take over of Mobotropolis. Which I guess is spinball? Could Veg-O-Fortress be in Mobotrpolis? I haven't really read much of the origins. But I just find it hard to believe that King Acorn would be really trusting of Robotnik after that.

 

I also vote for an Archie sub forum.

I imagine Veg-O Fortress would be off the coast or something. Think Alcatraz.

[shdowhunt60]

Isn't there a Silmarillion of sorts that Archie for one reason or another kept delaying? That'd be hella nice to have.

[Wittymations]

Makes sense well enough. So Veg-O-Fortress was something of a prison?

 

Recall a prison island (Not SA2 one, was some place Snivley and a bunch of other prisoners were being held) after Prime Robotnik's fall. Could refurbish that old place into Veg-O-Fortress. Or a stand-in, since a lot of removal happened.

 

Just throwing ideas around.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

6 minutes ago, shdowhunt60 said:

Isn't there a Silmarillion of sorts that Archie for one reason or another kept delaying? That'd be hella nice to have.

None that I know of. Unless we're talking the old continuity, in which case there was an Encyclopedia for it.

 

[shdowhunt60]

Well, I knew that existed.

I don't know. I just find myself incredibly interested in this world that Ian set up. It's like he managed to take just about every major branch in the franchise and condense it into one super continuity. It just saddens me that some things will likely never be covered, like Sonic's backstory.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Ya never know, he might get around to making a new one for this continuity.

That said, the last headcanon involving The Riders and Generations come off a bit muddy to me in putting them close to the Genesis era. You think you can clarify that a bit more, or should we just leave that as unresolved for now? Last I recalled, Snively immediately went back to GUN as soon as he could prior to Sonic 3 & K - he might have done so around Sonic 4, but barring Generations being all about time/space fuckery, anything beyond that comes off awkwardly.

[AdmiralSalt]

Oh boy, a timeline thread! Time to dust off my account. I like a lot your ideas and headcanons, Panda. Here's my own list:

Spoiler

Spark of Life (Flashbacks)

Sonic Comic Origins (Flashbacks)

Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (8-bit)

Sonic Chaos

Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball

SegaSonic the Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog CD

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles

Sonic Triple Trouble

Tails' Skypatrol

Sonic 3D Blast

Sonic Blast

Thunder, Rain and Lightning (Flashback)

Sonic the Hedgehog 4

Knuckles' Chaotix

Sonic Advance

Sonic Advance 2

Sonic Adventure

Sonic Shuffle

Sonic Adventure 2

Sonic Heroes

Shadow the Hedgehog

Sonic Battle

Sonic Advance 3

Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)

Sonic Rush

Sonic Riders

Sonic and the Secret Rings

Sonic Rush Adventure

Sonic Rivals

Sonic Rivals 2

Sonic and the Black Knight

Tails Adventure

Treasure Team Tango

Genesis

Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity

Sonic Free Riders

Sonic Colors

Sonic Generations

Worlds Collide

- The implication in Sonic Comic Origins seems to be that Sonic is confronting Eggman for the first time, so I place it first.

- Likewise, Origins implies that Sonic 1 flows right into 2. Ian says as much on Bumblekast 7, adding that a few further adventures occur after that along with CD and 3&K.

- Sonic's time in Eggman's captivity in SegaSonic Arcade seems to be the perfect time for Eggman to gather data on him, enough to create his perfect robotic duplicate in the next game.

- A lot of the side games (Chaos, Blast, etc) probably don't have enough story for a full adaptation, but I imagine some elements still make appearances at this time (like Nack's debut, for instance).

- The flashback in Thunder, Rain and Lightning features Sonic and Eggman still in their classic looks, but the Freedom Fighters look slightly older. Sonic also calls Robotnik "Eggman" (for the first time?), so it probably takes place shortly before the modern era.

- Sonic 4 presumably has to take place a year after Sonic CD, in order for Little Planet's appearance to make sense (if I'm not remembering Sonic 4 incorrectly). Episode Metal features Metal Sonic's retrieval from Little Planet, 4 has to precede Knuckles' Chaotix, where Metal has a prominent role. On a meta level, this presumably means that Sonic 4 features the characters in their classic designs, or Chaotix features their modern ones. Otherwise they'd be switching back and forth, and that would just be silly!

- I like to place Sonic Advance 1 and 2 prior to Adventure, since the original Tornado and E-100 Zero appear (both are destroyed in Adventure), Eggman's plans more closely resemble his classic ones, and Cream is introduced before her cameo in DX.

- Colors is one of the few modern games to directly lead into its followup, so it seems a shame to interrupt the flow into Generations by placing Genesis there. I put it, Zero Gravity, and Free Riders just before instead.

 

[shdowhunt60]

9 minutes ago, ChaosSupremeSonic said:

Ya never know, he might get around to making a new one for this continuity.

That said, the last headcanon involving The Riders and Generations come off a bit muddy to me in putting them close to the Genesis era. You think you can clarify that a bit more, or should we just leave that as unresolved for now? Last I recalled, Snively immediately went back to GUN as soon as he could prior to Sonic 3 & K - he might have done so around Sonic 4, but barring Generations being all about time/space fuckery, anything beyond that comes off awkwardly.

I thought that origin stories with the SEGA cast were verboten, hence why we're getting comics origins for just about every other character except them.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

2 minutes ago, shdowhunt60 said:

I thought that origin stories with the SEGA cast were verboten, hence why we're getting comics origins for just about every other character except them.

Eh, you could just make their origin's vague as hell in the games. As far as I see it, Sonic 1 is technically Sonic's origins, so you could start there without violating mandates on origins. Of course, nothing stops that idea from being overruled, but hopefully you get where I'm going.