Summary
Sonic the Hedgehog 3introduces many new characters and also brings back some familiar faces. Among the returning cast members is Jim Carrey, whocame out of retirementto pull double duty inSonic 3as his regular villain Dr. Robotnik, plus Robotnik’s grandfather Gerald.
TheSonic the Hedgehogmovies draw on many of the iconic characters introduced in SEGA’s video games. Sonic (Ben Schwartz), Knuckles (Idris Elba), Tails (Colleen O’Shuagnessey), and Shadow (Keanu Reeves) are some of the notable characters who have made the jump from game to screen. Another is Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik, aka Eggman, who has served as thevillain in all threeSonic the Hedgehogfilms.
What Happened to Dr Robotnik in Sonic 3?
The rest of this article contains spoilers for Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Dr Robotnik seemingly meets his demise at the end ofSonic the Hedgehog 2. But that turned out not to all be a lie after Agent Stone led Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails to the metal crab that Robotnik had been hiding out in. The mustached villain had let himself go in the time since his defeat but eventually agreed to an unlikely alliance with Team Sonic to get at the heart of G.U.N’s operation. However, Eggman quickly changed sides upon learninghis grandfather, Gerald, was aliveand working with Shadow, to bring a world-ending Eclipse Cannon to life. Eggman and Gerald took the opportunity to bond, but eventually, Eggman learned his grandfather’s true plan was to destroy the Earth rather than save it, as he sought vengeance for what G.U.N.did to his granddaughter, Maria.
Rattled by his grandfather’s true plan and the knowledge that his only family member despises rather than loves him, Eggman switches sides again. Forming an agreement with Shadow, the two work to alter the trajectory of the Eclipse Cannon and push it far enough into space for it to explode safely away from Earth. Everything points to this being Eggman’s swan song, with both he and Shadow sacrificing their lives to save Earth. However, that’s never stoppedEggman from returning before.
Sonic the Hedgehog Needs To Find New Villains
While Eggman is one of Sonic’s most recognizable villains he has now been the blue hedgehog’s major foe in all three of his big-screen films and it’s starting to get stale. After the first movie, theSonic the Hedgehogmovies resorted to pairing Eggman with other major characters, like Knuckles and Shadow, to create interesting villains for Sonic to fight. They would all eventually turn on Eggman and become allies with Sonic. Nevertheless, theSonic the Hedgehogmovies have persevered in trying to make Eggman a main character, despite introducing much more interesting characters around him. A fair amount ofSonic the Hedgehog 3was dedicated to exploring Eggman and Gerald’s relationship, which many might consider the least interesting part of the movie, considering there are new elements like Shadow and G.U.N. to explore. The film tried its hand at makingKrysten Ritter’s Director Rockwellan antagonist in the third movie, but the character was largely wasted and received very little screen time, nor a compelling arc.
While Eggman is one of Sonic’s most recognizable villains he has now been the blue hedgehog’s major foe in all three of his big-screen films, and it’s starting to get stale.
With Eggman seemingly finally laid to rest at the end ofSonic the Hedgehog 3, it’s time for the franchise to let him die. The character has already cheated death multiple times, so bringing him back again runs the risk of becoming repetitive and boring. Instead,Sonic the Hedgehog 4should introduce a new villain, one who can challenge Sonic in new ways. It appears the franchise is already laying the groundwork for this, thanks to the hint at Metal Sonic inSonic 3’spost-credits scenes. Metal Sonic would be an ideal direction for the franchise to go post-Eggman, with the robotic hedgehog known to be one of Sonic’s more dangerous foes.
It’s long been time for theSonic the Hedgehogfilms to introduce higher and more mature stakes, which started to happen inSonic 3, but could become even more present inSonic 4. Introducinga more serious villain is one way for the Sonicfranchise to grow with its audience - provided they can resist the temptation to bring Eggman back one more time.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3is in cinemas now.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024)
Directed by Jeff Fowler, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 sets up a new threat for Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails by introducing Shadow the Hedgehog. Shadow presents such a big danger to planet Earth, that the heroes have to team up with Dr. Robotnik.
