Episode 1

## Read the script

**Episode 1** of *Sonic Destruction* premiered on October 7, 2021.

## Plot

### **The Beginning**

In ancient history, a great sorcerer named Daedalus lived. He was evil and had control of powerful magic, giving him the ability to alter memories and the fabric of existence. He was also a leader of a cult called the Harbringers who worshipped a demon that can control or destroy reality. He had also created a book called the Book of Prophecies. It holds stories of the future and dark spells. It states these warnings that Satan will return in a new form and that the one known as Shadow will either save the world, or allow it to burn? It also states that a man named Gerald Robotnik would doom the world. After breaking the laws of reality, his essence was trapped in a void for all of eternity.

### Project Shadow

7,000 years later, the government started Project Shadow in the Soleanna facility. Translating Daedalus's ancient spellbook into vast machines, the US government tried to weaponize his unholy work once more. They created Emerald Shadow, a black hedgehog with green eyes. They continue experimenting until they get it right.

But then, something happened that nobody prepared for. The constant flow of dark spells broke the void trapping Daedalus's soul, and his soul was reignited within Shadow 2. The government then creates the final version of Shadow. Satan is then reincarnated in that form, as the prophecy said. Elise, one of the researchers, is tasked to look after the hedgehogs. One day, on the Epirus facility, a containment breach occurs and the experiments, along with Shadow, escape. Due to this, the government shuts down Project Shadow and bombs Soleanna and Epirus. Shadow 3 and Shadow 2 the explosion and Shadow changed due to the trauma he felt. After a few months, the government then sends Green-Eyed Shadow with the goal of kidnapping hedgehogs to use in their new super soldier program, the Daedalus Initiative.

After this, Emerald Shadow is sent in as a double agent among the Freedom Fighters, Sonic's team. The government then reshapes Shadow and Daedalus Shadow’s memories to forget about the bombing of Project Shadow and have Shadow, who at this point is now Silver, misremember this as a school trip. Elise grows insane over witnessing her life's work potentially being reduced to nothing. She then procures a dragon, which is a side project of the Epirus facility and vows to get revenge one day. Time passes, and Daedalus Shadow and Silver become friends. Some members of the Daedalus Initiative research team develop a game based on the exploits of Daedalus Shadow. A game they call Shadow the Hedgehog was released for the Playstation 2. They made this game to control Daedalus Shadow, since he is the most powerful hedgehog they have besides Silver.

At some point after this, all information on the Daedalus Initiative, as well as Shadow, disappear without a trace, leaving Silver, the only survivor known to the government. Years later, Gerald Robotnik has taken the research from Project Shadow, attempting to use it to create The Ultimate Life Form. In the process, he creates The Horde. Some time after, Eggman tries to start using Gerald’s creations and his plans. Shadow steals Gerald's research and learns about the Daedalus Initiative, The other Shadow, and the bombing of Soleanna. At the same time, Eggman produces a copy of Elise. Presumably, to try and manipulate Green-Eyed Shadow and Sonic. One night, the fake Elise makes Sonic and Emerald Shadow promise not to leave their hotel room.

### "The End of the World?"

In the cold open, Dr. Eggman sets in motion his latest world domination plan, successfully testing his new satellite by leveling a city on Earth at night. He cackles as he releases an army of small robots from his ship, seeming to have it out particularly for Shadow and Princess Elise. Sonic and Green-Eyed Shadow, breaking their promise, go to stop Eggman. They cause enough damage to create a crater in the planet. Sonic then tries to go back to bed, but is woken up by the fake Elise, who screams at him for breaking his promise.

The opening title takes us to a hotel the next morning where Sonic the Hedgehog and Miles "Tails" Prower are staying. Sonic is showing signs of depression as he recalls having failed to keep a promise he made to Princess Elise, with the result that the planet is now dying.

Later that day, Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles survey a billboard showing a huge smoking hole in the Earth (possibly from Eggman's laser). The destruction was all over the news, including a newspaper article calling Sonic a hero. Knuckles proposes helping out the victims.

### All those Eggman's robots (and Gerald's creations)

Eggman seeks to accelerate his plan; he has one of his robots power up all 1,008 additional robots in the Gunhold. The robot troop is then seen to be on a hilltop, where they fail to detect Sonic and Tails nearby; Tails is curious about the new robot models, and he decides to inspect them to figure out how to stop them.

Back in the Gunhold, Dr. Gerald Robotnik contentedly surveys a series of tubes filled with his creations, the twisted beasts known as "the Horde", and in particular one black and red creature with a long, lizard-like tail and a gem in its stomach: the Ultimate Lifeform (but *not* Shadow). Gerald is pleased with the Ultimate Lifeform's progress and informs Eggman that it should be able to survive outside its tank in three months. Amidst swelling music, questionable cinematographic choices, and Gerald showing signs of senility, Eggman states he has a special mission for Gerald.

### A new Shadow appears

That evening, Sonic and Tails arrive at the casino in Station Square, both poorly disguised, though Sonic assures Tails it's not a problem, as he had tampered with the robots' scanners. Knuckles and Rouge then arrive, and Knuckles realizes that Sonic, Tails, and Rouge being here means that no one is in the city helping the others like they were supposed to be. Rouge assures him that they've got it under control.

Meanwhile, Shadow and Silver are also in the city, and Silver to visit his robotic friend Q-B. Shadow's insults are interrupted by Eggman appearing in his hovercar (with police lights) and demanding that Shadow return the research he allegedly stole. Silver confirms that a screen beneath Eggman's car says that Shadow is the culprit, but Shadow denies having even been to the city before. Suddenly Sonic puts his arm through the car window, fires a laser from his wrist, and tackles Shadow and Silver away from the car. Eggman fires missiles from the car to create a smokescreen to escape, but to no avail, as Sonic catches up and attacks the car, causing it to combust and crash into a tree. When they get there, Eggman is nowhere to be found.

Their thoughts are interrupted by a piercing cry, and when Sonic and Shadow run over to the source of the sound, they find... another Shadow (though with green eyes), who is distraught at having failed the world and the promise they made to an unspecified "her". This causes a catalyst for Daedalus, which makes Shadow and Daedalus a split personality disorder. Sonic tries to comfort Shadow, who has none of it and punches Sonic in the face, further revealing that his failure resulted in "her" death, which implies that either he does not mean Elise (who had randomly appeared in the previous scene) or he is misinformed. Sonic proceeds to belittle Shadow's grief by implying that getting some time together in the woods is more important, but before Shadow can react, we hear Amy crying out for Sonic from beyond the woods. With one last look back at Shadow, Sonic runs off into the woods.

Evening turns to night, and Shadow is surprised by a red-eyed, deranged Princess Elise in the woods. Elise tells a silently shocked Shadow that nobody else understands her and states that the two of them will do something amazing together, but first, he will need a disguise.

"Elise" is actually a projection of Daedalus, trying to push Shadow over the edge.

### Gaslighting and conspiracy theories

Sonic finds Amy yelling and running around in the woods. She accuses him of leaving her behind while she slept; Sonic lies that he has been in the woods the whole time, which Amy does not believe. Tails arrives and tells Amy to hear Sonic out, so they sit down around a campfire as Sonic relates how he and Shadow saved the city the prior night from Eggman's minions, but caused a lot of collateral damage in the process. After he returned to his hotel and went to sleep, he was woken up by Elise screaming at him for breaking his promise not to leave the hotel. During this story, Knuckles (who is also inexplicably present) posits that Eggman was the one who made a fake Princess Elise, which Sonic confirms. Sonic, his patience clearly wearing thin, returns to his hotel.

However, on arriving in his room, Sonic sees Shadow already there, who demands to talk to him about the Princess. Shadow informs Sonic that the Princess is evil and and somehow controlling Sonic, implying that his hairstyle and choice of favorite food are signs of this; Sonic believes none of it and orders Shadow to leave. Then, Daedalus, while within Shadow's mind, proceeds to take Sonic’s mind. As Shadow is leaving, Knuckles enters for a meeting (which Rouge and Silver have to miss) and hands Sonic a written list of people who can help. Sonic asks Knuckles about the situation on the ground; he replies that the city is safe and the military has things under control. Seemingly having forgotten about sleep, Sonic is now re-energized and ready to save the world.

### You see how unreasonable you're being?

We see Eggman in his control room ordering his robots to continue patrolling the city, when Sonic appears unannounced. He states that he is here not to stop Eggman from conquering the world, but from destroying it; Eggman asserts that the planet is already drained and beyond recovery. A very confusing conversation follows, containing the following in quick succession:

* Sonic claims to have power over the world's survival and considers destroying it himself; Eggman points out the hypocrisy
* Sonic claims Eggman has captured him, but won't finish him off and conquer the world
* Eggman claims to have lost already, as Sonic has stopped his world domination plans
* Sonic says he is here to help Eggman, to offer him a chance at "real" victory; Eggman does not believe this
* Sonic pivots from helping Eggman to helping the humans or the planet itself, which Eggman finds just as laughable

Finally, traditional roles reassert themselves as Sonic challenges Eggman to a race for the fate of the world; to answer the challenge, Eggman releases the Ultimate Lifeform, seemingly content to let it run loose even at the risk of killing everyone. Gerald's panicked objections are ignored as Eggman envisions the Ultimate Lifeform beginning a new era for the planet. The race begins, but quickly turns into a battle instead.

### They did not, in fact, have it under control

We return to the city to find it in flames, the people dying and unable to escape. Silver asserts to Shadow, Rouge, and Amy that the world is going to end and they must flee the planet; Rouge prefers to investigate. Shadow ignores both of them to tell Knuckles (who is *again* inexplicably present) that they need to find the others, but Knuckles replies that he saw everyone dead. Shadow, however, refuses to give up so easily.

In the center of the city, Princess Elise rides atop an orange scaly mechanical dragon and announces her intent to kill them all (misgendering Rouge in the process). Shadow sends Rouge to find help, while Silver insists on staying to fight to the death. Elise (who may or may not be on steroids) attacks Shadow with her dragon, alleging that he invaded her city, burned it to the ground, and slaughtered her people. Shadow is confused and tries to deny it, but Elise is beyond reason.

Inside City Hall, Jason King, the mayor of the city, is meeting with five masked figures, two of whom are Tails and Knuckles. Another is "obviously" Eggman, who claims that they saved the city, until Jason points out Elise and her dragon still rampaging through the city. Knuckles states that unexplained timeline shenanigans have caused the loss of the hero who once saved the city. Jason is furious and blames Eggman, before realizing he doesn't know who the masked figures even are.

### Come on, you [expletive]...

In Eggman's control room, Sonic and the Ultimate Lifeform are locked in battle, trading blows until the Ultimate Lifeform gets the upper hand. The monster sends Sonic flying into a computer screen; Sonic cannot avoid subsequently being crushed by the monster's weight, but before he dies, he does manage to press the button to open the airlock, flinging the Ultimate Lifeform out of the ship and down towards the city below. The ship enters autopilot and turns to head away from Earth.

Back in the city, Shadow, Elise, and the dragon notice the ship flying overhead and realize what has happened. The dragon chases the ship until the falling form of the Ultimate Lifeform crashes right into its head, after which Shadow puts two bullets through said head to kill it. Elise is in shock. Shadow tries to convince her they need to leave the city for their own safety. Elise reveals not only that the city was not her home, but also that this planet was in fact not Earth the entire time. She asks Shadow to take her home to Earth; Shadow picks her up and walks off toward the horizon.

### A prophecy fulfilled, a hero reborn

Back at City Hall, the mayor witnesses the destruction and declares that the government can no longer keep supporting the unnamed organization associated with the masked figures (which has made the protagonists all rich and famous). Knuckles, Tails, and Eggman protest, but Jason is unmoved and asserts that the organization has caused more harm to the world than *anything* in existence and must be ended for the good of the world. Amy and Rouge arrive, and Amy claims that Jason sent a message summoning everyone, but he denies it. They realize that no one knows why they all ended up there.

Silver and Eggman are about to leave, when in walks Gerald. Jason accuses him of causing the city's destruction; Gerald claims innocence, because he lived there. Jason then reveals the 7,000-year-old book of prophecies that claims the world will soon end due to Gerald; he tells Gerald that the government has been trying to stop him for years. Gerald gloats that those plans have failed and Sonic is dead, but Jason thinks that a mysterious figure in the corner is actually Sonic.

The figure steps out of the shadows and is indeed revealed to be Sonic... but now in human form. Jason takes this as a sign that the prophecy has been fulfilled.

## Characters

All characters in order of appearance.

* Narrator Stage Directions voiced by Robbydude
* Dr. Eggman voiced by Alfred Coleman
* Sonic the Hedgehog voiced by Penny Parker
* Miles "Tails" Prower voiced by Mar Katoto
* Knuckles the Echidna voiced by Scout Young
* 042
* Dr. Gerald Robotnik voiced by Dyvone
* Ultimate Lifeform
* Rouge the Bat voiced by Dollip Daze
* Shadow the Hedgehog (red-eyed) voiced by Ryan Mitchum
* Silver the Hedgehog voiced by Red Van Buskirk
* Princess Elise voiced by Sophie Armstrong
* Shadow the Hedgehog (green-eyed) voiced by Ryan Mitchum
* Amy Rose voiced by Holly Hollowtones
* Robot 1
* Elise's Dragon
* Jason King voiced by Jackson Ward

## Trivia

* Princess Elise singing "Steroids, steroids! Does whatever a spider can!" is a spoof of the *Spider-Man* theme song.