Filling the Blanks: Lost Hex

[MetalSkulkBane]

My previous attempt to fill blanks was meet with lukewarm reception, but apparently I don't learn.

What is Lost Hex? And what the hell are Zeti? Let's start with planet

Lost Hex

What we really know is really small.
- it's a floating small planet-thing, really weird looking, even comparing to typical Sonic location
- Made mostly of geographical shapes.
- On 3DS there are some Rare Material here
- In Japanese trailer it was described as "future continent", which makes little sense on many levels
- It's probably home to Zeti, but also weird things like Baku Baku (hairy Pac Man), livng snow balls, Cactus Balls, Sandworms, Yeti, very strange Crocodiles and bounce-able sheep. There are even Boo here, but they been "Coraline"-ed. Huh. (EDIT, never mind. Boos like that were in SA2)

(Wisps almost definitely just traveled here as we see them on many planets. Little Animals are unclear. Did Eggman transport them, thus alarming Amy and Knuckles, like in the intro? Or do they live on the Planet, so he can sent Deadly Six to gather them, like through most of the game? I guess it doesn't matter. Maybe they just live on both planets but Eggman but Eggman needed more than Zeti can catch on Hex).

So here's my theory: what if answer was staring us in the face whole time? What if we already got answer... from Mr Tinker

Spoiler

Lost HEX. Don't you think the planet looks fake (even for Sonic standards), almost like it's artificial? And it's either unfinished or it's breaking into pieces, because no one is taking care of it.

Let's say wizards wanted to do magic in privacy. They decide to create their own utopia, the "future continent", which they made from from magic Material that can no longer be found, so it's super Rare now. Here wizard were free to create whatever weird thing they want. They even tried to control ghost (or make artificial ones), hence Boo weird look.
(Also, they might have tried reaching other dimensions. Hence not 1 or 2 but 3 different DLC crossovers. Or some weirder special stages. Or why Sigma picked this as his base in "World Unite" storyline, since dimensional barrier is the weakest here.)

And then story of echidna tribe happened. Pride before fall. Wizards started to experiment on themselves, trying to extend their lifespan. They turned into grotesque creatures with great strength, but feeble mind, focused on petty wants. Their magical power shrunk to weird tricks, like shadow melting or flying fruits. One of them went completely crazy and he used to be one of smartest, creating magical/mechanical Moon Mech.

Deadly Six

Zeti no longer remember who they are, spread, focused only on corrupted cravings that rule their minds. They don't create communities, they hate everything, including each other. They spread over Lost Hex, living like trolls under a bridge.
Did Master Zik used to be leader of those wizards and Zavok his apprentice? Is his failure the reason Zik handed leadership to Zavok his apprentice? Do they remember anything before putting ice crown experiment?
It's uncertain and doesn't matter. They still managed the impossible. They actually created a group that more-less works, when other Zeti would be too lazy to work or would kill each other. And they can be real threat.
One of the wizard realized horror they unleashed and before madness took over, he created magical conch that can be used to stop them. He send the message to Mobius, hoping it will land in hands of good man. Maybe he even sent it directly to Dr. Robotnik, because he heard he's a good man working on similar miracles of creation and immortality. Sadly the message was sent 50 years after even on ARK and reached different dr. Robotnik. When you live 100+ years you loose track of time...

I considered before that Zeti are demons or yokai, but that makes no sense, they have no traits that would indicate that other then maybe looks. They aren't from different dimension, they aren't interested in spreading evil, nor they seem very spirit-like. If they were Deadly Sins impersonated, wouldn't they more focused on spreading those sins? No, they action and design imply nonsense and decay and that's what they are: once greatest of magicians, destroyed by their vanity. The deadliest of sins.

[JezMM]

It's a pretty fun headcanon, but fairly reaching for me.

It seems like the planet is named the Lost Hex due to the hexagonal nature of it's regions and nothing more.  You could argue there's a double meaning to the name of course, but to me, well-thought out as your idea is, it does just seem to be springboarded from that one comic line rather than anything the game clues you into. Of course, I assume you're aware of that and your theory is an exercise in creativity anyway, in which case fair enough.

Personally, while it isn't satisfying due to how the game handles it, I feel like it's believable enough that this is just another strange phenomenon found on the planet where the Sonic games take place, much like Little Planet.  Sonic and Tails have heard about it before extensively as a thing that definitely exists, but they've never been there.  They knew of it in advance so distinctly that there wasn't even much to discuss about it once there.

But the thing is, even though Sonic's world has down to earth places like Central City and Spagonia in it TOO, there's still been a bazillion fantastical locations over the years, like the special stages, aforementioned Little Planet, and even some of the wilder "grounded" locales like Hang Castle or Spring Yard.  Lost Hex... is just another day for Sonic and Tails, make sense they wouldn't have a crazy amount to say about it.  This is all still somewhat normal for the fantastical version of Earth that Sonic takes place on.

[Marco9966]

17 minutes ago, JezMM said:

It's a pretty fun headcanon, but fairly reaching for me.

It seems like the planet is named the Lost Hex due to the hexagonal nature of it's regions and nothing more.  You could argue there's a double meaning to the name of course, but to me, well-thought out as your idea is, it does just seem to be springboarded from that one comic line rather than anything the game clues you into. Of course, I assume you're aware of that and your theory is an exercise in creativity anyway, in which case fair enough.

Personally, while it isn't satisfying due to how the game handles it, I feel like it's believable enough that this is just another strange phenomenon found on the planet where the Sonic games take place, much like Little Planet.  Sonic and Tails have heard about it before extensively as a thing that definitely exists, but they've never been there.  They knew of it in advance so distinctly that there wasn't even much to discuss about it once there.

But the thing is, even though Sonic's world has down to earth places like Central City and Spagonia in it TOO, there's still been a bazillion fantastical locations over the years, like the special stages, aforementioned Little Planet, and even some of the wilder "grounded" locales like Hang Castle or Spring Yard.  Lost Hex... is just another day for Sonic and Tails, make sense they wouldn't have a crazy amount to say about it.  This is all still somewhat normal for the fantastical version of Earth that Sonic takes place on.

It's two earthes: Sonic's Earth and Human's Earth acording to SEGA

[DabigRG]

Officially, the Lost Hex is a floating future continent of illusions. What this means is up in the air, but the special world type area at least does have a lot of bizarre things that don't belong anywhere else, so perhaps that title was referring to that? Complicating matters is how parts of the other locales has been gentrified or otherwise occupied by their latest conqueror and master Eggman. This is particularly prevalent in Frozen Factory, the underwater areas of Tropical Coast, and possibly Lava Mountain, which both have numerous factories, mines, a main base, the Extractor, and other industrial hallmarks with Eggman's aesthetics. 

The Zeti are pretty clearly intended to be electromagnetic demon-like beings reminiscent of Oni/ogres that like on the Lost Hex far above Sonic's World. Not much that is known about them has been shared beyond how their powers work, how to deal with it, and as the comic tie-in emphasizes, they're a reason to stay the hell away for the Hex unless you somehow get your hand on the very rare Conch that can inhibit their powers and force them to bow to you.

Of course, the only Zeti we see are those under Zavok's leadership, whom Eggman decided to call the Deadly Six.  They are collectively a sadistic, vindictive, and scheming band of warriors loosely operating under Master Zik's prior teachings, though the original purpose beyond exercising patience, exacting vengeance on your enemies, and yet having some form of honor is unclear. At the very least, they seemingly protect their territory from invaders, enjoy taking control of electronics and other resources to their advantage, and for all their menacing opportunism, they still have a form of mystic arts that they almost unanimously consider taboo.

[Diogenes]

6 hours ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

Lost HEX. Don't you think the planet looks fake, almost like it's man-build?

No more than plenty of other things in the series that are implied to be natural. Lost Hex is made out of hexagonal chunks, GHZ has checkered dirt and loop-de-loops. That's just how Sonic's world do.

6 hours ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

They even tried to control ghost (or make artificial ones), hence Boo weird look.

The stitch-mouthed ghosts existed back in SA2, actually. No reason to think they aren't just as natural on Lost Hex as they were in the pyramid.

6 hours ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

I considered before that Zeti are demons or yokai, but that makes no sense. They aren't from different dimension, they aren't interested in spreading evil, nor they seem very spirit-like.

Is any of that essential, though? "Yokai" covers a pretty wide range of mythical creatures, and any work that includes things like them has some range to tweak the details. I don't see any reason not to think that this is just what oni are in Sonic's world.

I get wanting to fill in the details considering the game doesn't offer a whole lot of information on them, but this kinda seems to spiral away from what the game does tell us, and I'm not sure what it accomplishes in doing so.

[BadBehavior]

I bet Sonic Teams thought process when creating the Lost Hex was "it's a fantasy world, anything can happen and we don't have to explain anything!"

We know little to nothing about the Lost Hex itself. It's got hexagonal pieces, it's got holes in it like Cocoon from Final Fantasy XIII... and that's it.

We know more about Little Planet: it comes every decade and has things called the Time Stones. Which is probably why that isn't raised as a problem in CD's disfavour compared to the Hex for Lost World. Same other other zones like most things from Heroes and such.

They didn't tease us with worldbuilding with a cast of characters like the Zeti and objects like the Conch. As the saying goes: Go big or go home, and they did neither.

[Wraith]

The Deadly Six aren't mischief makers but they do all lean into certain negative traits or vices by default. Zomom is Gluttonous, Zeena is vain, Zazz enjoys violence etc. It's common for demons to embody those traits in a lot of myths. 

[DabigRG]

9 hours ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

 livng snow balls, 

Wait, what?

Quote

very bouncable sheep,  bounce-able sheep.

I notice you mention them twice. Any reason for that?

Quote

There are even Boo here, but they been "Coraline"-ed. Huh.

The bigger ones were like that in SA2. 

One could say they're the ghosts of the Zeti's victims.

Quote

Little Animals are unclear. Did Eggman transport them, thus alarming Amy and Knuckles, like in the intro? Or do they live on the Planet, so he can sent Deadly Six to gather them, like through most of the game? I guess it doesn't matter. Maybe they just live on both planets but Eggman but Eggman needed more than Zeti can catch on Hex).

 

They were all brought there by Eggman and the Zeti. That's why they always have to be released.

8 hours ago, Marco9966 said:

It's two earthes: Sonic's Earth and Human's Earth acording to SEGA

Two worlds, with Earth being the name of the human territories.

2 hours ago, Diogenes said:

 

Is any of that essential, though? "Yokai" covers a pretty wide range of mythical creatures, and any work that includes things like them has some range to tweak the details. I don't see any reason not to think that this is just what oni are in Sonic's world.

I

I still don't understand what those are. Like, I know they're referred to as spirits or demons and that's what many characters from Inuyasha are, hence the monk charms and what not, but it seems pretty inconsistent. Some are indeed spirits down to possession, some are weird animals, some are furries, some are a little bit beastly, and some are just straight momsters.

[JezMM]

8 hours ago, Marco9966 said:

It's two earthes: Sonic's Earth and Human's Earth acording to SEGA

I'll start taking this concept seriously when the actual games do.

[Multikaris]

Yeah, Lost Hex distinctly has a more artificial vibe than other locations in the series, even compared to South Island. It's especially jarring coming off of the more natural-looking takes on classic environments just a few games prior. I feel like there does need to be more elaboration on its nature, especially if we're to ever use the characters introduced there seriously.

[DabigRG]

2 hours ago, Miragnarok said:

Yeah, Lost Hex distinctly has a more artificial vibe than other locations in the series, even compared to South Island. It's especially jarring coming off of the more natural-looking takes on classic environments just a few games prior. I feel like there does need to be more elaboration on its nature, especially if we're to ever use the characters introduced there seriously.

And/or if we ever go back there. Granted the Hex itself is yet another weird wonder and it's apparently a future continent of illusions, but whatever.

 

[thumbs13]

Wait, isn't Hex short for Hexagon? Like the shape? The name isn't the problem here, and it definitely doesn't have a double meaning.

 

[DabigRG]

22 minutes ago, thumbs13 said:

Wait, isn't Hex short for Hexagon? Like the shape? The name isn't the problem here, and it definitely doesn't have a double meaning.

 

Uh, yeah actually. 

Hexagons also have six edges.

[MetalSkulkBane]

I feel like few people don't get idea behind this topic (or maybe I'm a fool, who knows). It's about FILLING blanks, not point at them and saying "yep, it's blank". Of course Zeti officially aren't mutated wizards. of course there isn't enough proof for my theory. But they SHOULD be.
I'm just saying that (like in my topic on Mobian Culture) it works with what we know, in few places even answers previously ignored questiosns (like where idiot like Zazz got mecha moon). It gives depth to previously boring under cooked concept. And if you think it's unnecessary, I like to point out that something like this happened before. Not that most people noticed that.

"But whole Mobius is weird, what makes Lost Hex Special?" some of you asked.
IDK, how about the fact that water is made of damn plastic? Sonic World is filled with magical places, but Special Stage aside they look real-ish (or as much as it was possible in 16 bit). Lost Hex is graphically different, and it was something many people pointed out when game was released. Yes Green Hill has checkers, but trees don't have cubes sticking out of it. (And I know, that tree is on Mobius. Stupid game. Maybe someone transported that tree and seeded it right under the planet).

 

And to less repeated questions

14 hours ago, thumbs13 said:

Wait, isn't Hex short for Hexagon? Like the shape? The name isn't the problem here, and it definitely doesn't have a double meaning.

Why? Because that would be too clever? Again, it doesn't HAVE to be be double meaning but COULD. Megaman X has character called "Double" which  references his ability to change shape and fact that he's gonna betray us (spoiler I guess?)

19 hours ago, DabigRG said:

Living snowball? Wait, what?

I notice you mention sheep twice. Any reason for that?

The bigger Boos in SA2 had "Coraline" look. One could say they're the ghosts of the Zeti's victims.

Animals were all brought there by Eggman and the Zeti. That's why they always have to be released.

I still don't understand what those are. Like, I know they're referred to as spirits or demons and that's what many characters from Inuyasha are, hence the monk charms and what not, but it seems pretty inconsistent. Some are indeed spirits down to possession, some are weird animals, some are furries, some are a little bit beastly, and some are just straight monsters.

Yes.
No, typo.
Huh, didn't noticed. Good Point.
Maybe, but Eggman sends Zeti to capture them, implying he send them to Mobius, during Sonic stay on Lost Hex. Kinda weird.
Well that's kinda point of this topic. Accepting Zeti as "demon-yokai-sin-thing" is meaningless as it tells is nothing about them.
 

[DabigRG]

2 hours ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

I'm just saying that (like in my topic on Mobian Culture) it works with what we know, in few places even answers previously ignored questiosns (like where idiot like Zazz got mecha moon).

Oh, I thought I forgot something! There is an answer given for that one as well as the other four: Eggman made those specifically for them.

2 hours ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

It gives depth to previously boring under cooked concept. And if you think it's unnecessary, I like to point out that something like this happened before. Not that most people noticed that.

Huh. Now that's something I didn't know. 

2 hours ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

IDK, how about the fact that water is made of damn plastic?

Is it?

2 hours ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

Sonic World is filled with magical places, but Special Stage aside they look real-ish (or as much as it was possible in 16 bit). Lost Hex is graphically different, and it was something many people pointed out when game was released. Yes Green Hill has checkers, but trees don't have cubes sticking out of it.

Yeah, I really don't get that train of thought.

The Lost Hex looks "different" because it's on the Wii U and 3DS, so they decided to emulate the classic graphicstyle more closely.

2 hours ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

(And I know, that tree is on Mobius. Stupid game. Maybe someone transported that tree and seeded it right under the planet).

Same as before, it was just the birthday park except the game engine rendering trees like that for some reason.

Although Forces does have that area in the background despite no one going there, so maybe it is an actual area now.

2 hours ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

 

Yes.

Okay, that was the best guess I could make.

I would assume that's just Zeena and/or her mech, since the other Zeti also do the same. That doesn't really explain why it can be turned into a temporary reshaped hill, but then that's just how their powers are said to work.

2 hours ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

 

Maybe, but Eggman sends Zeti to capture them, implying he send them to Mobius, during Sonic stay on Lost Hex. Kinda weird.

Yeah, I remember mentioning a months back what a missed opportunity that is.

2 hours ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

Well that's kinda point of this topic. Accepting Zeti as "demon-yokai-sin-thing" is meaningless.
 

That was kinda me going off on a tangent, but sure. Either way, they're presumably mythical creatures that like other things are totally real and that's why nobody really goes up there.

[Diogenes]

5 hours ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

I feel like few people don't get idea behind this topic (or maybe I'm a fool, who knows). It's about FILLING blanks, not point at them and saying "yep, it's blank". Of course Zeti officially aren't mutated wizards. of course there isn't enough proof for my theory. But they SHOULD be.

You've failed to convince me. If I'm going to take this as a serious possibility, I need to see evidence that it's a plausible interpretation and reasoning as to why it adds sufficiently more depth than the alternative. Your evidence is a single pun in a spinoff medium and pointing to things and calling them weird, and the supposed depth is "they magicked bad and that's why they suck".

5 hours ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

"But whole Mobius is weird, what makes Lost Hex Special?" some of you asked.
IDK, how about the fact that water is made of damn plastic?

It's just a different art style, man. We don't need to start inventing wizards to explain every time things don't look exactly the same.

5 hours ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

Sonic World is filled with magical places, but Special Stage aside they look real-ish (or as much as it was possible in 16 bit). Lost Hex is graphically different, and it was something many people pointed out when game was released. Yes Green Hill has checkers, but trees don't have cubes sticking out of it.

Look, bushes made of squares:

The idea that everything was designed and rendered as realistically as possible for the time until Lost World is pure nonsense. Some games have been more or less stylized than others; Lost World is the former, but it's not some completely radical departure from what the series had done before.

5 hours ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

Well that's kinda point of this topic. Accepting Zeti as "demon-yokai-sin-thing" is meaningless as it tells is nothing about them.

What does imagining them as wizards tell us? You've subbed one kind of magical being for another and imagined a backstory out of nothing.

[Wraith]

Some older Sonic games also has a lot of environments that take after the same sleek, clean, polygonal design from Lost World to the point where people jumped straight into comparing their artstyles. To me, it's not enough on it's own to suggest the Lost Hex was manmade, but let's roll with it anyway because I kind of like the idea and thought that might have been the case when I first saw the artwork.

It would be cool to have a Sonic game that takes place in an artificial biome of sorts, but that's where the part with the wizards loses me. Magic is usually portrayed as an extension of nature in these games divorced from technology. Mythical characters are usually in tune with nature. If we're to read the Lost Hex as a hollow imitation I'd kinda prefer it be strictly a piece of technology.

Maybe the Six themselves would also be manmade in this reading with the obvious Yokai influence being a red herring. 

[DabigRG]

3 hours ago, Wraith said:

Some older Sonic games also has a lot of environments that take after the same sleek, clean, polygonal design from Lost World to the point where people jumped straight into comparing their artstyles. To me, it's not enough on it's own to suggest the Lost Hex was manmade, but let's roll with it anyway because I kind of like the idea and thought that might have been the case when I first saw the artwork.

It would be cool to have a Sonic game that takes place in an artificial biome of sorts, but that's where the part with the wizards loses me. Magic is usually portrayed as an extension of nature in these games divorced from technology. Mythical characters are usually in tune with nature. 

Fun fact that has little to do with this: the old SatAM scripts actually described the Void as being full of weird plants instead of crystals.

You're right though, it would be neat to see nature being the expansive, possibly threatening locale a few times.

[MetalSkulkBane]

Well no Sonic level has random junk floating in the air (platforms yes, but not background junk) or level made of food (with exception of other planet). I feel like if 06/Shadow are "too realistic" then Lost World is "too cartoony". And you don't need to explain why boring cities exist, but something that crazy requires could. And I know that in SA1 there are freaky prisoner ghost-thing, but I don't want to thing "Yep, Sonic world is weird, moving on". It's cooler to thing there is story behind it. Adventure Time was "just crazy cookie word, don't think too much" and later so many thing were explained. And that made world more interesting, more fantastic, more alive.

3 hours ago, Wraith said:

It would be cool to have a Sonic game that takes place in an artificial biome of sorts, but that's where the part with the wizards loses me. Magic is usually portrayed as an extension of nature in these games divorced from technology. Mythical characters are usually in tune with nature. If we're to read the Lost Hex as a hollow imitation I'd kinda prefer it be strictly a piece of technology.

Well I went if wizards just because it was my first though, based on Hex (which was a random guess, so I'm not married to the concept). Science focus would explain where they got their mechs  or why they developed machine-controlling powers. Changing to scientists doesn't change much... except it doesn't explain Zeti powers. Zor has "powers so dark and forbidden, none of the others dare use them", which sounds more like dark magic to me than laboratory made mutation (Shadow has magic-like powers due to connection to Chaos Energy). Maybe it could been techno science, like Iron Queen.

(I guess Eggman could been Moon Mech and others. It's boring, but I guess plausible.)

4 hours ago, Diogenes said:

I need to see evidence that it's a plausible interpretation and reasoning as to why it adds sufficiently more depth than the alternative.

What does imagining them as wizards tell us? You've subbed one kind of magical being for another and imagined a backstory out of nothing.

Being probable doesn't mean interest me, just being possible.

And what it accomplished?
It adds context, lore. Isn't that enough? I though that was one of main complains about D6 that they "bad guys for sake of being bad guys". I realize that it would be even better as base for a story, but it's though exercise/headcanon, not blue prints for next game. So why not go with Rapture-like Utopia destroyed by it's hubris, those are always fun.
I realize that it doesn't add depth to each specific Zeti, but look at story of Tikal and Chaos. It isn't directly linked to Knuckles, he never questioned his warrior way of life later. But he's better with it than without it, at least it gives possibility for future stories.

[Diogenes]

7 minutes ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

Well no Sonic level has random junk floating in the air (platforms yes, but not background junk)

What's the difference? A floating chunk of land is a floating chunk of land whether the player character can reach it or not. Would we have rioted if Mania's GHZ had some floating platform graphics as background decoration?

7 minutes ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

Being probable doesn't mean interest me, just being possible.

Any number of things are possible. If you can't find evidence for it in the text, it's just making things up.

7 minutes ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

And what it accomplished?
It adds context, lore. Isn't that enough?

Nope! Lore for lore's sake is basically worth nothing, IMO. What matters is how it reflects back on and enhances the actual story. Does imagining the D6 as degenerate mutant wizards make Lost World's story, or any of their other appearances, any more meaningful? Not in any way I can see.

Like, on these last two points, consider the fan theory that Gerald based Shadow on the Hidden Palace mural. That, first off, has some reasonable evidence in its favor; we know Gerald researched ancient cultures and wasn't adverse to basing his creations on them due to the artificial chaos and the fake shrine in cannon's core. It wouldn't be a big stretch to reveal that he had somehow come into contact with that mural (or a copy of it) and was inspired by it. Second, it contextualizes the similarities between Sonic and Shadow where the text of the game fails to do so. It adds to our understanding of their relationship as rivals and counterparts, the "faker" scene, and Shadow wondering if Sonic is the ULF in the final battle. That's how good (hypothetical) lore should work.

7 minutes ago, MetalSkulkBane said:

I realize that it doesn't add depth to each specific Zeti, but look at story of Tikal and Chaos. It isn't directly linked to Knuckles, he never questioned his warrior way of life later. But he's better with it than without it, at least it gives possibility for future stories.

Tikal and Chaos are the story, though. SA is shaped around uncovering their story and concluding it. They weren't just some aside stuck into the game for potential future use, they were the point right then and there.

[Iko]

In my headcanon the Lost Hex is a different dimension that's not directly part of Sonic's world, though it's somehow connected to it through the Chaos Emeralds... maybe it's even "created" by them.

I think that the chaos emeralds can create warp portals that lead to the lost hex and hide themsleves inside it as a form of protection. In other words, I think that the Lost Hex is where the special stages are set in.

(Hidden World to be more precise, and places like "Dessert" Ruins).

It's possible that those places are also affected by illusions too, and maybe that's where Eggman started with the development of the Phantom Ruby.

[Wraith]

1 hour ago, Diogenes said:

 

Nope! Lore for lore's sake is basically worth nothing, IMO. What matters is how it reflects back on and enhances the actual story. Does imagining the D6 as degenerate mutant wizards make Lost World's story, or any of their other appearances, any more meaningful? Not in any way I can see.

 

It becomes difficult to fit this criteria when the Deadly Six don't have a whole lot to do with the A plot of Sonic and Tails's strained partnership anyway. They're the catalyst for a lot of issues that pop up but it's mostly Sonic and Tails's own character flaws causing problems. 

The only thing I could think of is if the Six were influencing their emotions ala Dark Gaia to make them lean into their flaws more but I think that robs too much agency from Sonic and Tails.

[DabigRG]

 

37 minutes ago, Wraith said:

It becomes difficult to fit this criteria when the Deadly Six don't have a whole lot to do with the A plot of Sonic and Tails's strained partnership anyway. They're the catalyst for a lot of issues that pop up but it's mostly Sonic and Tails's own character flaws causing problems. 

The only thing I could think of is if the Six were influencing their emotions ala Dark Gaia to make them lean into their flaws more but I think that robs too much agency from Sonic and Tails.

 

Goes to show how Lost World was less "Rise against the Deadly Six" and more "Sonic screws up and Tails gets moody". Which itself wasn't handled that well and arguably outshone by Eggman in addition. 

Not that Sonic and Tails shouldn't have had any personal stakes in the story, but perhaps the story would've held up better if the 3+ subplots/perspectives had more correlation, interplay, and payoff among them.

Heck, it's certainly timely with one of issues with Zeena for example.

[Diogenes]

50 minutes ago, Wraith said:

It becomes difficult to fit this criteria when the Deadly Six don't have a whole lot to do with the A plot of Sonic and Tails's strained partnership anyway. They're the catalyst for a lot of issues that pop up but it's mostly Sonic and Tails's own character flaws causing problems. 

Yeah, that's why "fixing" the D6 has got to come from writing more stories about them. There just isn't enough in Lost World to extrapolate from for them to be much more than a bunch of asshole monsters. Personally I think it's fine to just have a bunch of asshole monsters sometimes, as long as there's a worthwhile story being told elsewhere, but the longer they stick around the more they need to evolve at least a bit beyond that.

Unfortunately this series is pretty bad about trying to tell stories about the pieces it already has available.

[Bowbowis]

2 hours ago, Diogenes said:

Nope! Lore for lore's sake is basically worth nothing, IMO. What matters is how it reflects back on and enhances the actual story. Does imagining the D6 as degenerate mutant wizards make Lost World's story, or any of their other appearances, any more meaningful? Not in any way I can see.

2 hours ago, Diogenes said:

Tikal and Chaos are the story, though. SA is shaped around uncovering their story and concluding it. They weren't just some aside stuck into the game for potential future use, they were the point right then and there.

Speak for yourself, some of us actually like world building in our games. Plus, given the Deadly Six and the Lost Hex are utterly superfluous to Lost World's story as is, I'd say fleshing out their history and abilities to give them a greater narrative and/or thematic purpose would indeed go a long way towards making their role in the game more meaningful and, since them making reappearances is, unfortunately, not a hypothetical, it would be nice if we actually had some context for them going forward.

EDIT: You made your last post as I was writing this, so you can disregard the part about their future appearances.