How do you perceive Sonic (the character)?

[Sonic Fan J]

One of the most interesting things about a franchise as old and inconsistent as Sonic is that it results in people having some widely differing opinions about it and its components. For this thread though we'll be focusing on the title character himself and how we perceive him as a character.

Over the years I've personally seen quite a number of takes on Sonic and the variety is fairly astounding. From a Bugs Bunny-esque character to a serious steadfast champion of justice to a total jerk who is only a hero because he beats the villain to laid back comedian who doesn't really care about anything to a cliche shonen hero who's all about friendship and living life the right way. That run on sentence only covers a handful of the different interpretations of Sonic I've seen over the years but it still paints an interesting picture of how versatile a character is. In my case though, I've been with the franchise since the beginning and my perception of the character is not as fluid as he himself seems to be. As a result certain interpretations bother me as they fundamentally clash with my perception, but that could in itself just be because of how skewed I see things anyway.

An extrovert.
This is a common descriptor I see for Sonic which is not surprising. He's sarcastic, snarky, impertinent, cheeky, joking, righteous, caring, adventurous, and a bit of an adrenaline junkie. Yet despite all of that I personally see Sonic as an introvert who isn't actually all that good with people. He may share his philosophies and help those in need, unable to stand the sight of seeing people crying and hurt, or suffering injustice, but once he's done his thing he's gone like the wind, only keeping in touch with those who can keep up with him. Most of his time is spent alone in the wilds doing what he loves best; running. He explores, seeks out new places to challenge himself, and rarely is seen just chilling and interacting with people.

Yuji Naka once said that Sonic is shy when asked about whether or not he actually likes Amy and pretty much no one believed him. But I did and still do. In a way Sonic reminds me of the most feared bully at my grade school. He was a short kid who would mess you up if you so much as looked at him wrong and even kids twice to three times his size were terrified of him. I on the other hand was amazed. He may have been short and a bully but he was fast. He was so fast that when my grade school still had PE and we would run three laps around the schoolyard he would run five in the same time it took the rest of us to do those three and so one day I built up the courage to talk to him and he actually opened up to me. He was actually a scared little kid who became the monster he was to protect himself from his own height deficiency. He kept his distance from people to protect himself and them in a way from the bullying that would naturally follow his short stature and he wouldn't let me become his friend out of those same fears and to maintain his image. It was kind of a sad story but to this day still reminds me of Sonic in a way. Sure Sonic is righteous, cheeky, and snarky, but you only see that when he is around others. When he's by himself he's typically shown as silent and just taking in the world around him and marveling at it. This contrast could be argued as it just shows how is in those two different circumstances, but I see someone who is talking a lot and putting on airs and an attitude because he's not comfortable. Just look what he went through with Tails and Knuckles before the first time you ever see him give them a high five or a fist bump. Heck, at the end of Sonic Adventure after he saved the bailed without telling anyone. Sure he was chasing after Eggman but he chose solitude after having the eyes of all of Station Square on him. Then there is also his interactions with Amy. She's a friend of his no doubt, but she is so extroverted and expressive he's always uncomfortable around her unless she calms down and gives him some space. She overwhelms him and is too much for him most times resulting in him bailing or pushing her away. And while Sonic is shown to get along with most people he meets, he's usually only shown interacting with people he's helping or has helped. Once he's done he's on his way again and enjoying his solitude and running. Heck, he never even demonstrates taking the initiative himself to check in on those he's helped despite how caring of an individual he is. This to me shows a discomfort around people that is typical of an introvert.

Putting on airs and an attitude in addition to actively not seeking out interaction in general is not the only place Sonic paints himself an introvert to me however. There is also the way that he interacts with others when he does. First and foremost he never talks about himself. He never opens the door for others to learn about himself, instead putting on airs or sharing a philosophy that makes them think about things other them him. He removes himself from any situation despite being cocky and a showboat. He creates this distance even with his closest friends that goes completely unnoticed and then bails in the interim. Yet despite this peculiar contrast he has been shown to care when no one is otherwise looking. In Unleashed he is shown to be generally hurt when Amy doesn't recognize him, but can't call out to her. When faced with the harm that his werehog transformation causes he typically avoids interaction with Amy and it's her who forces herself back onto him. Despite the fact that he lets her though if not for Tails, Chip, and Pickle, Amy would have never learned what was going on or why. Sonic just simply doesn't talk about himself and his problems. He keeps to himself and typically distances himself from those around him

At the end of the day this is just my perception though and there are plenty of examples that could be used to counter it. Regardless of those arguments though it's as a globetrotting introvert with a love of adventure and need to challenge himself that I perceive Sonic as and am most attached to. What about everyone else though? Who sees him as a superhero that lives to stop Eggman? Who sees him as a jerk with a heart of gold? Who sees him in an even stranger light than I do? Please use this thread to talk about how you perceive Sonic and let's all explore our individual perceptions of him together.

[Plasme]

My favourite version of Sonic is in CD. He's cocky but also quite cute. And most importantly, he's serious when he needs to be. This is something Mania Adventures captures really well, but I think the dystopian atmosphere of CD also helps a lot. I think what makes CD unique is that this incarnation of Sonic is cast against the dystopian Eggman future. Forces had the potential for this, but failed massively.

I saw a fan animation of CD recently which I thinks captures CD's essence really well and what makes it special. It's a bit amateurish and not wholly professional, but it has a lot of personality. Also, Metal Sonic is actually threatening in it, which i don't think he's even really been since CD.

Sonic CD did a lot wrong. It's level design can be weird and it sometimes comes across as a port of Sonic 1. Also it has Wacky Workbench. But I think the music and atmosphere is part of the reason why it's so memorable. 

[Skull Leader]

Besides the stuff that is pretty much common knowledge about his personality, one aspect I find interesting is how Sonic is quite reserved when it comes to his thoughts and feelings, which doesn't necessarily contradict his extrovert character but rather is more of a thing he does to not become too attached to his friends out of fear that it may compromise his freedom, the one thing he is rather selfish about. I mean, not even Tails knows much about them.

However, this also makes it a bit hard for me to really like Sonic the same way I do for characters like Eggman or Amy, especially when the narrative treats Sonic like a force of nature or sucks up to him to show how more awesome than everyone else he is (*cough*Black Knickght*cough*). A similar thing also happens when the writers make him stand for ideals such as friendship, being Forces undeserved nakama speeches something that leaves a sour taste with the way he seems more willing to trust some blank character like the Rookie in Forces over those friends like Tails and Amy who have always been there for him... Though perhaps this has more to do with the story the developers (not exactly the brightest storytellers) wanted to show, which is where I do sympathize with people like Verte who claimed how his character is not done justice.

Overall, I think Sonic is friendly, but won't let people get too close because of his selfish love for nature. He is well intended, but also rough on the edges, which at moments can make him feel a bit hipocritycal... Then again, he's not the only character that has this kind of moments/flaws. Maybe if he interacted with other characters (preferably the current cast instead of creating new one-shots) instead of being hard-locked to Tails, his character would show hidden facets that would spark my interest and gain more appreciation for Sonic.

 

[superman43]

I think you all nailed what Sonic is and should be like.

In some way you could say that Sonic and Tails share a bit more in details than what could be said about them overall. Maybe that´s the true reason why there are so close. As well as you I like Sonic not talking about his problems, being ready when something is seemingly wrong and otherwise being like wind - coming unexpectedly and leaving too.

[Chaotix Prime]

Really like the OP's description. There's a ton more I could expound upon with the character. I think I'll just post this little tidbit I once made.

"Though his portrayals are ever changing throughout his games, and this might weaken him as a character to those who find the franchise lacking (and I really can't put blame into that), there is one thing that doesn't change: That being his insecurity to create deep, emotional ties. He'd rather not have anything to hold him down being a drifter, and I believe that stems from the fear of losing what's precious to you. That fear is one we all must account, and while it may be dealt with non-constructively sometimes by Sonic, we love to see the character overcoming that, and showing himself strong when he needs to."

 

Not that I deny others appreciating what they will, but the Archie comics portrayal stems from SatAM and has none of the introvert quality (or these specific examples at least) to him. I sincerely doubt that Ian Flynn -after writing the Archie comics for so long- will be able to deviate far from what he knows, which is probably the main reason why I have little interest in IDW's new comic.

[Osmium]

I've shared this bit of exposition from time to time and I'll do it again.

I wasn't really a Sonic fan as a kid, being on the Mario/Nintendo side. I only really knew Sonic the character as edgier and more aggressive compared to Mario and so I always thought he was meant to be a complete twat, the opposite of presumably nice Mario. 

The first times I was really introduced to Sonic was through Sonic The Comic where my suspicions of him being a twat were not only justified but encouraged. That's how I knew Sonic and even though I've mellowed some on jerkarse Sonic, that's still what comes to mind to me when I think of Sonic the character. 

OVA Sonic is probably as good as it ever got for Sonic's personalities really but I've said enough about that. 

[FrozenFactory]

Sonic, to me, is somewhere in-between an extrovert and an introvert. He loves and cares for his friends and enjoys spending time with them, but then seeks alone time as well to recharge. Then he'll go and party with his friends some more. 

[Dash Speed]

Stereotypical brash teenage kid with a heroic side to him. You can just sum him up as a kid having the time of his life and a freedom junkie that pretty much acts like a less mature Spider-Man.

[SBR2]

Ian Flynn's take in Archie and IDW is basically how I see him.

He's cocky and a bit egotistical but more than anything he cares about the people around him and the world he lives on. One of my favorite bits is in #257 where he says that if need be he'll carry every single person in Station Square to safety himself.

[Cuz]

Man you really sold me on introvert Sonic. Your read on what he's doing when dispensing philosophy (he's deflecting) really clinches it for me. I've never really been able to see Game!Sonic as anything but an extrovert, he's sociable, and making friends just seems to come as natural as breathing to his main incarnation, but I've always found the introvert of Sonic X fascinating. It was a trait in myself that I have never seen in Sonic before. Now it's possibly my favorite take on the character and in Sonic X he lines up perfectly with your description.

Another surprising trait that's stuck out to me is how calm and lackadaisical he can be when he doesn't have a world to save. Again in the early days Sonic was often described as brash and impatient but those elements are severely down played ever since Sonic gained a voice. OVA!Sonic kicks back on a lounge chair at the beach, and low and behold Adventure 1 opens up to practically the same scene, and he's sleeping under a tree at the end of it. Again in Sonic X there isn't a tree or roof he hasn't slept on, or flower he hasn't sniffed. My take away is  that he travels for a purpose, he runs to a destination and takes the time to appreciate the location, nature, culture etc. That's why I love the fact his Japanese voice actor is bilingual. It gives credence to Sonic's image as an experienced world traveler.

[SonicMeat]

As a person who grew up on Mario and Kirby, I've always envisioned Sonic as this annoying jerk, who constantly mocks his friends and enemies, acting like a self-obsessed jerk.

[Dash Speed]

Boring and Bland. He's not a character, he's a mascot, a machine that runs on cool factor and generic superhero/anime overtones. Like Reimu, he's a god enforcing his own rules in the world about him and always wins to prove the point it's all about him.

[Scape]

Blunt.

Impatient.

Confident.

Believes in self-reliance and pursuing happiness courageously.

Hates being responsible for other people but will help out if no one else can.

Will give respect to people who show self-reliance and courage in their pursuit of happiness (AMY)

Gets annoyed with people who let their duty crush personal happiness (Knuckles, Shadow, etc.)

and hates people who would act to destroy the freedom and agency of others. (Eggman)

[Dash Speed]

5 hours ago, Scape said:

Blunt.

Impatient.

Confident.

Believes in self-reliance and pursuing happiness courageously.

Hates being responsible for other people but will help out if no one else can.

Will give respect to people who show self-reliance and courage in their pursuit of happiness (AMY)

Gets annoyed with people who let their duty crush personal happiness (Knuckles, Shadow, etc.)

and hates people who would act to destroy the freedom and agency of others. (Eggman)

So your sterotypical shonen hero?

[Kazhnuz]

Dat salt.

 

For me, Sonic is somewhere between :

- a sarcastic kinda-jerky heroes with a massive ego (mostly how I see the american vision of Sonic)

- a constantly-moving, slightly overexcited and thrill-addicted traveller (mostly how I see him in game like SA and Shadow the Hedgehog)

- a laidback and sarcastic, nearly lazy, with a heart of gold (how he appears sometimes in Sonic Heroes)

And add a lot of freedom and never-giving-up tropes (that's always usefull) in here, in most incarnation.

 

And when something is able to take all that and blend it well together, I'm happy.