Sonny

* Racer
* Casual

"*Looks like that hit to the head did more damage than we thought. I mean if you can't recognize the hotness that is me, then your brain must really be scrambled!*"
—Sonny to Tag[src]

**Sonny** is an anthropomorphic male sun bear.

## Official Description

"Sonny is a jovial racer with a love for racing, snacks and video games. Due to his optimistic and easy-going nature, he is quick to diffuse tension and provides the voice of reason even in heated situations.

He may be the friendliest guy to hang out with, but don't let his soft, fluffy exterior fool you – with his cool resolve and tricky moves, Sonny is still a force to be reckoned with."

## History

### RGP XIII

As revealed in "The New Guy", by the time of the thirteenth Rimba Grand Prix, Sonny had been racing for three years. In "Welcome To The Big Time", he and longtime friend Meika introduced themselves to Tag, whose obvious admiration for the more experienced pair won them over. Despite this, they decided to test Tag during the race at Desert Rose, and were initially disappointed to see him suffering from nerves. However, Sonny was stunned when Tag managed to jump a pile up, successfully completing the race in second place.

In "Playing With Fire", Sonny and Meika commiserated with Tag over his embarrassing endorsement with Jump Jump Power Drink; at the same time, Sonny had apparently guessed at a connection between Tag and Riq. After Tag was attacked and ended up in the hospital, Sonny and Meelo came to visit, and Sonny hinted at his suspicions about Tag's heritage to Miles as they took over watch duty at Tag's bed side. Sonny was present when Tag awoke, and the two bonded before quickly going to stop Miles from hurting Meelo, whom he had come to suspect was behind the attack. During the race at Highland Air Race Track, Sonny came to Tag's aid, using the Boomboxer's special feature to halt an attacking Wrecks.

In "Shakes, Rattles, & Rolls", Tag and Miles are hanging out with Sonny in his room when the next race is announced as taking place at Pinewood Reservoir. Seeing Tag despondent and struggling with his racing after the news, Sonny and Meika take him to see Meelo, and at the chameleon's insistence subject him to a number of grueling tests. However, Sonny realizes that Tag is not suffering from "the shakes", but with the idea of racing at Pinewood. At his coaxing, Tag admits that Riq-who apparently died during a race at Pinewood-was his father, confirming Sonny's suspicions. Sonny expresses his full support for Tag, who manages to pass him during the race to win first place.

In "Can I Get A Ka-Ching!", Sonny explains to an ignorant Tag that money is often a problem for racers, due to the need for repairs and retrofits to vehicles between races. He informed the displeased tiger that sponsors were his only real answer. Later, he commented on Tag's last second arrival for the Blizzard's Bite race, only to struggle himself with the icy conditions. He was less than thrilled when Tag passed him, though Tag himself was beaten by Axle.

In "Mostly True Confessions", Sonny tries to help Tag overcome his obsession with beating Axle by taking him to the gym, only for Tag to break the racing simulator. He and Tag then find Meelo cornered by Krom and Wrecks, and with help from Meika manage to drag him away to safety. After a nerve-wracking interview with Ms. Dira, Sonny hides out with his friends in Tag's garage, only for Meelo to sneak out. However, their friend proves more than a match for Krom; in gratitude for their concern, he then gives them five years' worth of Axle's race footage to study.

In "It's Just Business", Sonny and his friends move swiftly up the rankings in the RGP, with Sonny beating out the others in the Sandbox Offroad Extravaganza. As a result of a bet made among the group, Meelo is subjected to various forms of humiliation, much to the amusement of Sonny and the others. Later, when the group are discussing their early races, Tag is inspired to reject a recent offer to join King's team. Sonny later watches in horror as Tag falls off the course during the Jungle Gym Invitational, before Tag approaches him, Meika, and Meelo in the lounge.

In "Versus", Tag briefs Sonny and the others on how King has rigged the Rimba Grand Prix, making it into a charade made purely to appease corporate sponsors. They agree to work together to try and put a stop to King's manipulation of their beloved sport, though Sonny and the others are less than thrilled by Tag's attempt to dub their group "the Tag Team." However, the name does end up inspiring a strategy when the racers are split into teams-Tag's against King's-for the Dragonfly Swamp race. Unfortunately, their teamwork proves no match for King's inside information, and Krom knocks Sonny's car off the track and into a tree that crashes down on top of him. After the race, he is rushed to the Ark medical ward.

In "It's Good To Be The King", Sonny is left comatose, with Meika refusing to leave his bedside. Meelo informs Tag that Sonny is in particularly bad shape according to the doctor. Meanwhile, King takes advantage of Sonny's condition both to rack up publicity for the RGP and as a warning to Tag and the others against defying him. He sends the latter message through Tamira, whom Meika attacks in a fury for being involved with the ones who caused the accident, though in reality Tamira is just as saddened by Sonny's condition. Ultimately, Meika and Meelo choose to heed King's orders for the present, while Tag takes advantage of King paying a visit to Sonny's hospital room to announce that he's quitting the RGP.

In "The New Order", Sonny awakens from his coma shortly after Tag and Miles have departed the Ark. He is appalled by the state of affairs since his accident, and more so when King expects him to give a press statement putting the blame on Tag for his crash. Sonny is convinced to do so by Tamira, acting the part of King's threatening lackey, and condemns her loyalty to King. However, Tamira's true colors are revealed when she steals info from King's hard drive and flees, distracting King long enough that Sonny is able to give a statement absolving any of his fellow racers from blame in his crash. When questioned about the RGP given Tag's departure, Sonny replies "It's not over yet."

In "Rock & A Hard Place", Sonny joins Meika and Meelo in heading to Miles' garage after realizing that Tag is the only racer with a chance of wresting the championship from Axle. They quickly join in building the new and improved Ripper, but are left stumped as to how to get Tag back into the tournament. Sonny contacts Torres, who refuses to join in his efforts against King, but offers the advice "It is better to ask forgiveness than permission." Sonny and the others are baffled, but Tag eventually realizes how to apply the advice: by acting as though King has already approved his return to the RGP. The ploy works, allowing Tag to join the others in racing at Ruby Rock, where Sonny repays Krom for his accident by knocking him out of the race.

In "Finish Line (Part 1)" and "Finish Line (Part 2)", Sonny and his friends-joined by Tamira-hatch a plan to break into RGP Headquarters and steal King's black box, which contains incriminating information that can be used against him. As part of this plan, Sonny plans a device on the Boomboxer than he drops onto the track to be picked up by the Falcon Mach-1, allowing Meelo to hack into king's systems via the link between them and Axle's car. His contributions allow Miles and Tamira to steal the box, which he and the others access during the after-tournament festivities. Together, they summon King to a confrontation in which they threaten to expose him unless he abolishes the long-standing system of rigging races and favoring some competitors over others.

## Appearance

Sonny is a large, bulky figure, with a stockier build that leans more towards that of a bear than a human. He is nearly a head taller than Tag, though not quite as massive as Krom or Mr. King. Sunny's body is covered in black fur, with the exception of a peach face and a small matching patch on his chest, only visible in his racing outfit. He has small brown eyes, a large black nose, and small black ears.

Sonny's racing attire consists of a gray jumpsuit with a low neck and a black collar. Black stripes run down the front of the chest to the legs, and his gloves and the undersides of the arms are also black. Sonny wears a pair of clear protective glasses with silver frames, and a black helmet with gray patches on either side that exposes his face but accommodates the glasses. Sonny's casual attire consists of a long white, black and yellow-striped t-shirt with an orange collar, pale green shorts with a white belt, and large white shoes with orange soles and markings.

## Personality

"*Nothing like a workout to work out the stress and clear the mind. Don't let this soft, bouncy exterior fool you! Underneath: abs of GRANITE.*"
—Sonny to Miles[src]

Sonny is typically a laid back, jovial individual, with a quick wit and a sharp sense of humor. He takes insults and skepticism in stride, often cracking jokes and gently teasing. He is able to get along with most people, though he is quick to defend others from bullying. Friendship is very important to Sonny, and he is always willing to help a friend in trouble, though he respects everyone's right to have secrets. However, he has zero tolerance for friends lying to each other.

As a racer Sonny is a fierce competitor, not letting friendship stop him from doing his best to win, and at times demonstrating annoyed or vindictive behavior. However, he also isn't above helping out fellow racers during an event, particularly if they're in danger. Despite his bulky exterior, Sonny has an active mind, and was among the few to work out Tag's relationship to Riq based purely on having seen both of them drive. He seems to have set a goal of a balanced lifestyle, enjoying downtime alone or with friends and working out when he's not in the middle of a race.

## Relationships

### Axle

Sonny and Axle are competitors and members of opposing factions, namely King's team and the Tag Team. However, the pair have had little to no interaction off the track.

### Cuckoo

Apart from competing against each other in RGP XIII, Sonny and Cuckoo had no real interactions.

### Krom

Sonny and Krom are competitors and members of opposing factions, namely King's team and the Tag Team. Their antagonism became somewhat personal after Krom's tactics landed Sonny in the hospital. After recovering, Sonny would knock Krom out of the Ruby Rock race; however, he was nervous about competing on the same team as Krom during an RGP XIV event.

### Meelo

Sonny and Meelo are friends, though Meelo's quirks can be a bit unnerving to Sonny. Of course, Sonny has no qualms about teasing Meelo over embarrassing or sensitive subjects, and the two and their other friends have engaged in bets providing much material for Sonny to use.

### Meika

Sonny and Meika have been close friends for some time, Sonny having come to Meika's aid during one of their first races together. The two often spend time together when not racing, and will often help each other out during races. Sonny, comfortable with everyone having their secrets, did not become angry with Meika after seeing her talking to King during the RGP XIV. However, after she broke into Meelo's room in her work as an operative for the Ringmasters, a hurt Sonny confronted her for lying and warned her to stay away from his friends.

However, Sonny and Meika's long-standing bond allowed them to reconcile, and Sonny was able to convince Meika to help the Tag Team against her employers.

### Miles

Sonny's laid-back personality allows him to be perfectly at ease around the rather prickly Miles, and the young racer and the old mechanic have struck up a friendship. The pair enjoy teasing Tag over his relationship with Tamira, though Sonny is also amused by the love-hate friendship between Miles and Meelo.

### Mr. King

As nominal head of the RGP, King's influence and machinations have been a threat to Sonny and his friends. King has even used his power to intimidate Sonny, at one point attempting to convince him to frame Tag for an accident in which he was involved. However, Sonny has remained firm in defense of his friends, and committed to their efforts to bring King down as part of the Tag Team.

### Ms. Dira

As one of the more laid-back, outgoing racers, Sonny is on good terms with Ms. Dira and seems to have no issue with interviews.

### Ms. Torres

Sonny and Torres have a professional relationship, though he seems to find her fairly intimidating. While Torres doesn't seem to hold any soft spot for Sonny, she has offered him helpful-if somewhat cryptic-advice in the past.

### Ooaa

Sonny and Ooaa had no interaction apart from both competing in the RGP XIII.

### Pike

Pike and his fellow Ringmasters operatives are dedicated to bringing down Sonny and his friends and ending their racing careers. Of the Tag Team racers, Sonny seems to have attracted the least interest, though Pike did order him knocked out of a race on one occasion.

### Ringmasters

Sonny was the last member of the Tag Team to learn of the Ringmasters, and was thus shocked to learn of their existence. Despite this, he remained fully committed to helping his friends against them, even persuading Meika-previously one of their agents-to help.

### Riq

Sonny is a long-time admirer of Riq, and so familiar with Riq's driving style that he instantly recognized Tag's unconscious emulation of it. He quickly deduced a connection between the two, and eventually convinced Tag to confirm it. Later, upon actually meeting Riq, Sonny was both starstruck and stunned, having believed him to be dead for fourteen years. Riq's continued existence proved something of a sore spot for him as one of the secrets his friends had kept from him, despite Meelo admitting that he had likewise been in the dark about the legendary racer. Riq, for his part, seemed to appreciate Sonny's admiration, and considered him worthy of trust.

### Tag

Sonny took a liking to Tag upon their first meeting due to the rookie racer's admiration, but decided to test him during their first race together. Tag proved a stunning surprise, and Sonny quickly recognized the similarities between Tag's driving and Riq's. Sonny kept his suspicions quiet for a time, but became something of an older brother figure to the young tiger, dishing out advice and teasing in equal measure. Eventually he alerted Tag to his suspicions and had them confirmed, and their friendship has been firm ever since.

### Tamira

Sonny and Tamira are implicit allies as members of the Tag Team, but the two have not had much interaction.

### Vyxx

As a member of the Tag Team, Sonny is aligned against Vyxx, who is an operative for the Ringmasters.

### Wrecks

When Wrecks was still racing, he and Sonny were competitors, and on opposing sides of the conflict between King's team and the Tag Team.

### Xeno

As a member of the Tag Team, Sonny is aligned against Xeno, who is an operative for the Ringmasters. No particular antagonism exists between the two, though Sonny was once targeted by Xeno and knocked out of a race.

## Trivia

* According to the trivia section of his Rimba Racer character page:
	+ "Sonny has a huge collection of video games, comics, and trading cards of famous racers."
	+ "Sonny's music playlist is full of hip hop, rap and R&B tracks."
	+ "Sonny's favourite snack is honey or caramel coated popcorn."
	+ "Sonny's design is based on the Malayan sun bear and the Asian black bear."
	+ "Sonny has a huge family. They like to hold Sunday barbecues and watch racing shows on TV."
	+ "Sonny personally customised the Boomboxer's steering wheel to function like a game controller."
	+ "Sonny has been racing in the Rimba Grand Prix for three seasons."
	+ "Sonny loves to play video games. He even considered becoming a pro gamer before entering the RGP."
	+ "Sonny's favourite game is Rimba Racer Rush. He has the highest score among all the racers."
	+ "Sonny's look and personality were based on Chi-Ren Choong, the scriptwriter for Rimba Racer."

## References

1. ↑ http://rimbaracer.com/characters-sonny/