Summary
When most people think of theSonic the Hedgehogfranchise, their mind often goes straight to the small animals that players can control throughout the games, such asTails, Knuckles, and, of course, Sonic himself. However, this world does still contain human beings, and though they don’t often tend to get as much of a spotlight as Sonic and his pals, some of them have still played very important roles in their games and in the wider lore of the franchise as a whole.
While a few of these individuals can end up being a little forgettable and not all that interesting, there are others who have made a significant mark on the story and other characters through their actions. With that being said, it’s time to take a closer look at these characters to see how they match up in terms of their development, memorability, impact on the series, and just how intriguing they are overall.
AfterEggman fractures the entire planetand turns Sonic into a Werehog at the beginning ofUnleashed,the Blue Blur and his newfound companion, Chip, manage to receive some much-needed guidance after running into Professor Pickle. Hidden away in the prestigious Spagonia University, Pickle is a goofy but still extremely intelligent lecturer who provides Sonic with the locations of the Gaia Temples that he must visit to finally fix the planet.
His quirky design, paired with his usefulness as an ally and the small tidbits of backstory he receives in the external material, makes him a pretty memorable character from the game, who has become a common inspiration for fan art and cosplays. Pickle has become so well-known among the fanbase that it wouldn’t be surprising to see him show up in one form or another for future installments.
As the last surviving member of the Soleannaroyal family, Elise plays an integral role in the story ofSonic the Hedgehog (2006)and even forms what is implied to be a romantic relationship with Sonic. Before the two eventually lock lips, though, which is admittedly a very bizarre moment, many scenes between the two simply show Sonic giving Elise the freedom to explore the world outside the royal palace, which makes for some very heartfelt sections of the story.
Another reason Elise has become so well-known among fans is her design, which looks almost too realistic for aSonicgame, though that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. While most humans will have a cartoonish look to them, it seems as though Sonic Team took a page out of Square Enix’s book when designing Elise, which has made her extremely recognizable.
GUN has been a prominent antagonistic force in theSonicseries ever since they were first introduced inAdventure 2, but one member who is actually explored in a fair amount of depth is Abraham Tower. It turns out that, while Shadow and Maria were trying to escape the destruction of the ARK, Abraham was also there, too, and would go on to blame Shadow for the death of his friend ever since that fateful day.
Despite only showing up now and again in the series, Tower’s backstory has made him an intriguing member of the cast who players can somewhat sympathize with. Additionally, his appearances in the story also allow players to get a glimpse into GUN as an actual organization since they are usually reserved to just being a big bad corporation and nothing more.
After Merlina, the granddaughter of thelegendary wizard Merlin, summons Sonic into her world, it seems as though she may end up playing the typical role of companion or damsel in distress. Thankfully, Merlina turns out to be a lot more important to the overall story ofSonic and the Black Knight, so much so that she actually ends up being pretty mischievous and even dangerous later in the game.
Since many human characters in theSonicfranchise tend to be a little one-note, either being loyal allies or full-on villains, it’s nice to see someone who’s a bit more unpredictable and mysterious. Despite only appearing in a single game, Merlina remains to be one of, if not the most memorable character fromSonic and the Black Knight.
Gerald Robotnik is one of the most complex yet fascinating characters in the series. In an attempt to save the life of his granddaughter, Maria, who has been living with a terminal illness, Gerald made a deal with the violent demonic entity known as Black Doom to create an ultimate life form in the hopes of also finding a cure in the process.
However, things went horribly wrong when the military considered his experiment, which ended up becoming Shadow, too dangerous, resulting in his capture and the death of Maria. It’s rare that Sonic Team ever flesh out a human character this much, but that’s why Gerald has been such an intriguing character for so many years, as he shows that the humans of this series can still be complex andeven a little dark.
Despite technically only showing up briefly in the story, Maria has gone on to become one of the most important humans in theSonicfranchise, primarily due to her relationship with Shadow. It was Maria’s terminal illness that led to the creation of Shadow in the first place, but she would also be the one to show him the importance of having love and compassion for the world and everyone in it at a time when the hedgehog was filled with nothing but rage and confusion.
What also adds to the intrigue of Maria’s character is her family, since while everyone is familiar with Gerald, nobody knows who Maria’s sister is, despite her mentioning them several times. Of course, no longtime fan can ever forget thetragic deathof Maria at the hands of a GUN Soldier, which has become one of the most iconic scenes in the entire series. Maria has had a huge impact on Shadow, and despite no longer being around, her influence can still be felt whenever the black hedgehog decides to show mercy or compassion to others.
By far, the most popular human from theSonicfranchise who has been appearingsince the very first gameis Dr. Eggman. In his mission to create his very own Eggman Empire, the doctor has gone to some pretty extreme lengths, which almost always involves plunging the world into chaos. Whether he’s firing a giant laser into the planet, kidnapping cuddly creatures, or even instigating an entire war, Eggman will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
Eggman’s appearance, with the hilariously long mustache and dark shades covering his eyes, allows him to look both silly and terrifying at the same time, which has only contributed to his popularity. Because of how outlandish his ideas are, it also means there’s no telling what weird and whacky schemes Eggman will conjure up for each new installment, making him an extremely fun and unpredictable villain who is always a joy to watch on-screen.
