Rookie (Sonic the Hedgehog)

The Avatar, also known as the Rookie, is the deuteragonist of the 2017 platform game . 
The Avatar is the character who can be customized by the player, depending entirely on their choice. They are featured in the storyline of Sonic Forces where they become an important factor in helping Sonic reclaim the world from Eggman’s tyranny.
The male avatar is voiced by Yū Seki, and the female avatar is voiced by Aoi Yūki.
==Appearance==
As a custom character, the Avatar's appearance is entirely decided by the player. While an anthropomorphic animal by default, their species can be one of seven options: bear, bird, cat, dog, hedgehog, rabbit, or wolf, each with their own special ability unique to their species. So far, the following can also be edited: the articles of clothing, skin color, eye color, fur color, and for female Avatars, their default bodysuit. A multitude of choices are given for the player to customize the Avatar in any fashion they want.
==Personality==
Despite being a silent protagonist, the Rookie does have quite a bit of personality of their own. They initially start out as a timid individual who is absolutely petrified of Infinite, running away like a coward after the latter disarms them. However, upon joining the resistance and helping them reclaim the world from Eggman, the Rookie would let go of their fears thanks to Sonic’s influence, facing Infinite head on and becoming a truly selfless hero.
==Overview==
The Avatar started off as an ordinary person, but when the Eggman Empire conquered the world, they joined the Resistance where they would go on the journey with Sonic the Hedgehog and his dimensional counterpart to take the world back from Dr. Eggman.
The prequel comics depict the Avatar as a cowardly soldier serving on the front lines of the City while it was fortified by the Chaotix for any attacks by the Eggman Empire during the early parts of the War to Take Back the Planet. When an Eggman Fleet battleship appeared overhead to unleash its payload of Egg Pawns on the City, the Avatar tried to help, but only caused problems for the Chaotix. At least until they needed to take down the airship. At that point, the Avatar was able to load an anti-aircraft artillery (Triple-A) piece with a single round and nail a lucky direct hit on the launch bay on the underside of the airship, forcing Eggman to call off the siege and withdraw, earning him commendations from the Chaotix for his efforts in stopping the siege and forcing Eggman into retreat single-handedly, and building his self-confidence on proving himself a valuable soldier in the coming war.
However, a couple months later, the Avatar was part of a squad defending the City when they came under attack from Infinite personally. With a single swipe of his palm laser provided by the Phantom Ruby Prototype infused with his body, Infinite slew the entire squad, sans the Avatar, who cowered nearby when one of their fallen comrades' Wispon clattered to the ground next to them. As they tried to move out of cover to grab it, Infinite saw them and noticed how terrified they were, even as the Avatar managed to pick the Wispon up, but was unable to steady their aim at Infinite due to their shattered nerves to take a shot at him.
Amused, Infinite fired a warning shot at the Avatar's feet, causing them to stumble backwards, dropping their Wispon in fright. Satisfied, Infinite told the Avatar to flee while they still can and he would let them live. With little choice, the Avatar took the showing of cruel mercy Infinite offered them and fled, making their way to the Resistance Headquarters, meeting up with Knuckles, Amy, Silver, and the Chaotix, where Knuckles welcomed them aboard as their newest recruit, armed them with a new Burst Wispon, and had them join them on their first assignment: Securing an Eggman Fleet shuttle from the Spaceport in the Chemical Plant to head into space after learning from Rouge, acting as the Resistance's spy, that Sonic, who had been presumed KIA fighting Infinite earlier, was still alive, but incarcerated on the rebuilt Death Egg battle station, and worse, scheduled to be executed once the Eggman Empire reaches completion.
After securing the shuttle, the Avatar headed to the Death Egg with the Chaotix and Silver, but while the others met with heavy resistance, the Avatar was able to find a lightly-guarded path to the brig where Sonic was being incarcerated, especially after Rouge reported in that Eggman caught wind of the rescue attempt and had bumped Sonic's execution ahead of schedule to prevent it. Luckily, the Avatar was able to cause enough of a ruckus that Sonic escaped his restraints just as a Zavok replica arrived to escort him to his execution. After defeating the Zavok replica and the Death Queen, Sonic made his way to the Death Egg's shuttle bay, where the Avatar was cornered on the catwalk by three Egg Pawns. As they closed in on the terrified Avatar, Sonic arrived and destroyed them, saving the Avatar. Helping them back to their feet, Sonic thanked them for their help, before the Avatar was contacted over their radio by Knuckles, asking if they were alright, at which point Sonic spoke up to let Knuckles know he was alright, making Amy very happy, before asking the Avatar if they know a way off the Death Egg, at which point the Avatar pointed to an Eggman Fleet shuttle preparing to launch to head back to Earth. Sonic and the Avatar quickly make their way to the shuttle and climb aboard just in time, heading back to Earth and rejoining the Resistance, giving them a much needed morale boost with Sonic alive and safely back with his friends to lead the Resistance to victory and restore hope to the public.
From there, the Avatar was then assigned the duty to join Sonic in launching an attack against Eggman's main munitions factory in Green Hill, the Arsenal Pyramid, as the factory was the only thing preventing a full-fledged assault on Eggman's headquarters of Metropolis while it continued to crank out ordnance for the Eggman Army. Sonic and the Avatar were easily able to infiltrate the factory and see to its destruction, cutting off Eggman's supply of weapons, ammo, and more.
Some time later, the Eggman Army managed to break into the City and launch an assault, forcing the Resistance to lead an evacuation of the civilians trapped in the warzone. However, with Espio engaged with Eggman Empire forces in Seaside Hill, and a member of the Resistance's 8th Unit reporting that his forces were under heavy fire from the enemy forces in the City proper, Knuckles is forced to send the Avatar in to save the civilians from the City's besieged Park Avenue. The Avatar's efforts prove fruitful as the Resistance soon get word that their forces have cleared an evacuation route for the civilians and broken through the Eggman Army's lines to begin the rescue efforts, before then learning that the Eggman Army is in full retreat, earning the Avatar praise from Sonic and Vector for their efforts with saving the civvies.
Shortly thereafter, the Resistance's scanners picked up two lifeforms in the Mystic Jungle, near Eggman's abandoned laboratory that he did his research into the Phantom Ruby at. The Avatar is sent in to investigate as the lifeforms were tagged as organic, not robotic and part of the Eggman Army. When the Avatar reaches the entrance to Eggman's lab, they found a Phantom Ruby Prototype that Infinite had dropped earlier while fighting Silver and had forgotten about when his attention was focused on Silver, and then Sonic when he arrived for a rematch. Right after finding the Phantom Ruby Prototype, the Avatar is joined by Classic Sonic and Tails, the two lifeforms that the Resistance's scanners picked up. The Avatar brings them back to the Resistance HQ to reunite with Sonic and the other Resistance leaders, where Tails reveals that Eggman has an endgame planned to wipe out his opposition in three days. Sonic remains confident that they can still get much done in that time before being called away to deal with a Shadow replica in the City attacking Sunset Heights with Death Egg Robot Sentinels, where Sonic is soon joined by the real Shadow as the Ultimate Life Form takes out his doppelgänger personally with a roundhouse kick after immobilizing it with Chaos Control.
A little while later, Knuckles notices that Eggman's forces are currently short-handed guarding Metropolis. Seizing the initiative, Knuckles launches Operation Big Wave to capture Metropolis while it is under-manned, with the Avatar taking part in the assault. Unfortunately, Infinite arrives, and on Eggman's personal order, uses his Phantom Ruby powers to throw the Resistance's offensive into disarray, resulting in 80% of the Resistance's strength being wiped out and contact lost with what's left. With no other choice, the Resistance is forced to call off Operation Big Wave and withdraw before they are completely destroyed, while the Avatar has an unlucky encounter with Infinite again. As Infinite taunts the Avatar as to whether they will stand and fight him, or run away scared like before in the City, hearing Sonic's encouraging words in their mind, the Avatar stands their ground and challenges Infinite, who decides to teach the Avatar a lesson for trying to defy him by showing them true fear and pain. Nevertheless, the Avatar holds their ground, and delivers a powerful and angry glare at Infinite after dodging his attacks. Infinite decides to end it as he summons several virtual cannons to attack the Avatar with, but as the cannons fire and the Avatar braces for impact, the Phantom Ruby Prototype they are holding reacts and momentarily reverts the virtual reality back to normal reality, causing Infinite's cannonballs to miss the Avatar and explode harmlessly behind them. Infinite is startled by this, and suspicious, but after trying to fire another salvo, the Avatar dodges the second strike, only for Infinite to quickly move in and strike the Avatar point-blank in the chest, knocking them to the ground, stunned and weakened. Returning things to normal, Infinite scoffs at wanting to finish the Avatar off, deciding it is not worth it as the Resistance will be wiped out in another two days' time anyway, so he spares the Avatar's life, knowing that they will be destroyed anyway when Eggman's endgame is unleashed.
After the Resistance regroups following the failed Operation Big Wave, Tails and Classic Sonic head to the Chemical Plant to try and infiltrate Eggman's mainframe to uncover the secrets of the Phantom Ruby to give the Resistance an edge against Infinite. While that is happening, Amy reports that Metal Sonic is attacking the City with more of the Eggman Army's Death Egg Robot Sentinels. Sonic and the Avatar head out to deal with the virtual replica of Sonic's robotic doppelgänger, and succeed in destroying it. Afterwards, Sonic offers the Avatar a fist bump in a show of friendship and teamwork, and despite some initial puzzlement, the Avatar happily fist bumps with Sonic, their self-confidence stronger than ever thanks to the speedy hero.
When Tails and Classic Sonic return with the intel they recovered from Eggman's databanks, the Resistance plans to distract Eggman somehow so Sonic can infiltrate the Network Terminal at the Chemical Plant to cut off the power to the Death Egg so Classic Sonic can destroy it. Silver suggests the Avatar serve as the distraction, knowing that doing so would really throw Eggman off as he wouldn't expect it. Accepting the idea, Knuckles sends the excited Avatar to carry out the first part of the plan, and the Avatar succeeds in causing enough of a ruckus in Guardian Rock in Green Hill, including taking down the Death Crab, to draw Eggman's attention, allowing Sonic and Classic Sonic to complete their parts of the plan and destroy the Death Egg.
With the Death Egg's demise, Knuckles decides to have the Resistance launch a second invasion of Metropolis. Despite facing stiff opposition from the Eggman Fleet guarding Metropolis this time, the Resistance's air force is able to hold its ground against the Eggman Fleet. Meanwhile, Sonic finds Eggman, only for Infinite to appear and prepare to banish Sonic to Null Space. As Sonic struggles against the vacuum of the portal, the Avatar swings in to try and help him, but the Avatar's grapple cable breaks, and both Sonic and the Avatar are pulled into the portal, leaving a stunned Tails behind to learn that Eggman, having learned from his mistakes, installed a backup reactor for the Phantom Ruby under Metropolis and the Eggman Empire Fortress, anticipating the Resistance would take down his battle station to try and hinder the Phantom Ruby's powers. However, as Eggman is watching the air battle between the Resistance's armada and the Eggman Fleet, Orbot gets his attention, and has Eggman turn around to find that Sonic and the Avatar have escaped Null Space, despite Eggman thinking it was impossible to do so. After Sonic reveals how the Avatar helped him escape and taunts Eggman over it, Eggman refuses to admit defeat, swearing he will have the last laugh before retreating with Orbot, Cubot, and Infinite back to the Eggman Empire Fortress, leaving Metropolis to fall to the Resistance.
With only a few hours left before Eggman's endgame goes into effect, the Resistance prepares to launch their final assault against the Eggman Empire Fortress. The Avatar is among the Resistance's ground forces as, led by Sonic, Tails, Amy, Knuckles, Silver, Shadow, Rouge, the Chaotix, and Classic Sonic, they launch their attack. They are soon joined by E-123 Omega, reuniting Team Dark in Shadow, Rouge, and Omega, only for Infinite, fed up and annoyed with the Resistance being pests in Eggman's side for too long, to launch Eggman's endgame and unleash a virtual sun that he intends to burn the Resistance to ashes with, ensuring there is no one left to defy Eggman and his dreams of a world ruled by the Eggman Empire. As the Avatar gazes at the virtual sun, joined by Tails, Tails notices the Phantom Ruby Prototype the Avatar found is reacting. When it goes dormant upon being handed to Tails, Tails remembers what Eggman said earlier to Infinite while eavesdropping on them in Green Hill about how the prototypes only react with the DNA of the one that triggered it, meaning the Avatar's prototype will only react with them. Getting an idea, Tails suggests that the Avatar use their Phantom Ruby Prototype to cancel out Infinite's virtual sun and prevent the annihilation of the Resistance. After some thought, and steeling their resolve, the Avatar decides to do just that, launching themselves into the virtual sun just as Infinite and Eggman taunt the Resistance to prepare to meet their maker as the sun begins to descend on the planet. However, after a few tense seconds, the sun fades and disappears, cancelled out by the virtual reality being dispelled, to the Resistance's relief, and Eggman's shock. As Eggman goes to investigate, he arrives just after the Avatar, exhausted from the effort in saving the Resistance from annihilation, passes out, their Phantom Ruby Prototype shattering after having expunged so much energy to stop Infinite's plan. Eggman is flabbergasted, as he thought Infinite had destroyed all the prototypes earlier, only for Tails to arrive and, while helping the weakened Avatar back to their feet, taunt him that a good scientist always checks and double-checks to avoid making costly mistakes and oversights.
With the advantage now theirs, the Resistance goes back on the offensive. Sonic heads to confront Infinite, confident in defeating him while Infinite is still fatigued from creating his virtual sun, but during their fight, Infinite recovers his full strength, only to be interrupted from attacking Sonic by the Avatar, who delivers another angry glare at Infinite at they arrive to assist Sonic in defeating the psychotic jackal once and for all. After Infinite is defeated, he vanishes as his Phantom Ruby is summoned back to the Eggman Empire Fortress' Central Tower, to Sonic and the Avatar's confusion before Eggman arrives to warn Sonic that this isn't over as his plan just went into overtime. Nevertheless, once Classic Sonic finds a hidden entrance into the Central Tower, Sonic and the Avatar head in to destroy the Phantom Ruby reactor. After they destroy it and escape back outside to regroup with Tails and Classic Sonic, Sonic declares victory, but his attempt to share a fist bump with the Avatar is interrupted when the ground begins to shake, and discover Eggman having unleashed his trump card against them: The Death Egg Robot, powered by the original Phantom Ruby as the fortress reactor was a decoy as well. Despite Eggman thinking he has the upper hand now as he taunts the heroes that he will destroy them with the Death Egg Robot and original Phantom Ruby and then move to complete his conquest of the planet, Sonic retorts that his plan will fail just like all the others before charging into battle, joined by the Avatar and Classic Sonic.
With their teamwork, they destroy the Death Egg Robot, and all the replicas in the Eggman Army of Zavok, Shadow, Chaos, and Metal Sonic vanish, leaving the Resistance the victors of the War to Take Back the Planet. Shortly thereafter, with the Phantom Ruby having vanished after the Death Egg Robot's destruction, its whereabouts unknown, Classic Sonic is transported back to his dimension, with the Avatar joining the rest of the Resistance's leaders with seeing him off, before beginning the long process of rebuilding following the war.
Some time later, the Avatar is back at Resistance HQ when Knuckles arrives to formally disband the Resistance now that it is no longer needed. With that, the Avatar decides to leave Sonic's friends to set out on their own, despite Knuckles reminding them that there are still others out there who could use their help, but agrees with the Avatar's decision and won't talk them out of it. Vector, Rouge, and Knuckles all commend the Avatar for their efforts, and following a stirring speech from Tails, the Avatar heads outside to join Sonic, who figured the Avatar was taking off on their own and notices how similar they are with not staying around too long in one spot. With a final fist bump and Sonic saying he'll see them around, the Avatar waves goodbye as Sonic departs himself, before grappling away themselves to head for their next adventure.
==Gallery==
Sonic-forces-custom.jpg
== Trivia ==
Ian Jr., an orange wolf Avatar created by the storyboarder Ian Mutchler, became notorious over the years because of his use in official Sonic the Hedgehog material. He appeared in the game footage used in the Sonic 30th Anniversary Symphony, taken by Mutchler himself, who requested permission to SEGA to let him use his own character on it. Ian Jr., would later on make a cameo on the tie-in webseries, Tailstube, as well as appearing in the IDW comics and as a portrait on The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog, both of which Ian Mutchler worked on.
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