Phantom Ruby/Meta

The **Phantom Ruby** is an object that first appeared in *Sonic Mania*  , before going on to play a role in *Sonic Forces*  and in *Mania*'s Encore Mode  .

## Background information

Almost nothing is known of the Phantom Ruby's origins; shortly prior to the events of *Sonic Mania*, it appeared on Angel Island, and reacted with the Master Emerald causing the island to sink.

### Valtron

In early drafts for the script of *Sonic Forces*, the Phantom Ruby is instead called the **Valtron**, and is referred to in terms more like a machine or device, with a name evoking iconic robotic characters from Japanese pop culture like Megatron and Voltron. These drafts also refer to the Final Judgement level as being similar to the Central Dogma from *Neon Genesis Evangelion* - another Japanese series starring giant robots - and filled with cloned bodies of Infinite.

The Miasmapedia incorporates some of these early draft elements of *Sonic Forces* for the purpose of fleshing out various aspects of the story, and as such revives the term Valtron to refer to Dr. Robotnik's series of biomechanical robots incorporating the Phantom Ruby, including duplicates of Infinite as well as the Mega Death Egg Robot. In addition to more closely fitting with in-game lines of dialogue referring to Infinite as being created in a laboratory, this also serves to further tie the events of *Sonic Forces* in with concepts from *Evangelion* and the biblical allusions surrounding Solaris.

## Theory and analysis

### Connections to Solaris / Mephiles / the Time Eater

* The Time Eater and the Phantom Ruby both appear in anniversary *Sonic* titles - *Sonic Generations*  and *Sonic Mania* / *Sonic Forces* respectively - and serve the purpose of bringing Classic and Modern Sonic together.
* The Time Eater and Phantom Ruby are both capable of reaching between timelines or dimensions by creating black hole-like portals into void-like worlds (the White Space and Null Space respectively), both with wispy purple appearances.

The Phantom Ruby "black holes" as they appear in *Sonic Mania*.The Phantom Ruby "black hole" as it appears in *Sonic Forces*.The Time Eater's "black holes," from *Sonic Generations*.
* The Phantom Ruby forms a fuchsia-coloured core in the centre of Infinite's design, much like fuchsia core in the middle of the Time Eater.
* Like Mephiles, Infinite acts as an antagonistic foil to Shadow, with similar power and a grudge against the hedgehog formed during a prior defeat.
* Eggman and Infinite's ultimate plan for the Phantom Ruby involves the sun, associated with Solaris.

### Connections to Djinn

* The triangular-faced Phantom Ruby is identical in shape to the gemstones found in many of the Djinn in *Sonic and the Secret Rings*  , some of which also share its colour.

Concept art of two Djinn, clearly showing the five-faceted gemstone in the Djinn's chests.The large Phantom Ruby sprite from *Sonic Mania'*s Encore Mode screen, with five triangular faces visible in a pentagonal shape from both the left and right sides.
* The Phantom Ruby's connection to Djinn also furthers its connection to Solaris *(see Solaris/Meta)*.

### Connections to Wisps

* The Phantom Ruby's projections manifest as coloured cubes; the same is true of many wisp powers. *Sonic Forces* acts as a spiritual successor to *Sonic Lost World*  , itself a successor to *Sonic Colours*  , both of which prominently featured Wisps.

The Phantom Ruby's cubes in *Sonic Forces*.The Cyan Laser as seen in *Sonic Colours*, followed by a trail of cubes.The Indigo Asteroid as seen in *Sonic Lost World*, surrounded by colourful cubes.The black hole-like Violet Void, from *Sonic Colours*.
* The Violet Void Colour Power appears as a black hole not dissimilar to those created by the Phantom Ruby *(see Connections to Solaris / Mephiles / the Time Eater)*.

* The Phantom Ruby's connection to Wisps also furthers its connection to Solaris *(see Solaris/Meta)*.

### Connections to the Voxai

* When a Chaos Emerald is psychically treated by the Voxai and filled with Voxai psychic power to become a Great Emerald, it becomes a fuchsia colour strikingly similar to that of the Phantom Ruby.
* The Voxai Thebes tells Sonic that the treated Great Emerald may give Sonic psychic powers of his own, but this statement is never expanded upon within *Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood*  itself.
* Many of the Voxai are named after mythological sirens, who used their voices to create illusions to deceive sailors.
* Many fuchsia-coloured teleportation devices are found throughout the Voxai colonies; of particular note is a larger transporter between the Alpha and Beta colonies, which transports Sonic through a purple tube-like wormhole similar to the one created at the end of *Sonic Mania*.

The Phantom Ruby's wormhole as seen in *Sonic Mania'*s animated ending.The portal between the Alpha and Beta Voxai colonies in *Sonic Chronicles*.