Next up, we catch a glimpse of both Sonic and Robotnik’s squads, but there’s something just a bit off about one of them. While Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails—sporting a snazzy jetpack—seem right at home dashing through the forests of Green Hill, the assembly of Robotniks, Shadow, and Agent Stone feels a tad peculiar. There’s an awkward gap between Stone and Robotnik that sticks out in an odd way. If Sonic the Hedgehog 3 happens to be drawing inspiration from Sonic Adventure 2, there’s a significant character who seems to be missing in action: Rouge the Bat.
Rouge, the treasure-loving spy, is Knuckles’ rival in the Dreamcast game, and it’s a real downer that she doesn’t seem to be making an appearance in the adaptation that introduces her with Shadow. Unless we’re in for a surprise, like the Spider-Man: No Way Home twist, where she—or perhaps another Sonic character—is meant to fill that peculiar void but has been digitally erased to keep things exciting for the premiere. There’s also a chatter that the mysterious gap might be reserved for Metal Sonic, with fans speculating since the first trailer that this mechanical hedgehog could make its debut in either this film or potentially the next.
If Robotnik is considering changing sides in this movie, crafting the robohog does seem logical. However, I can’t help but feel concerned that cramming in yet another Sonic storyline on top of an Adventure 2 adaptation might make the film too packed, especially when we already have one villainous hedgehog to tackle. Fingers crossed, let it be Rouge.
