Emeraldville Ruins

Emeraldville Ruins,^[2] also known as Emeraldville,^[1] is a location that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by IDW Publishing. It is a war-torn town ruined by the Eggman War, in which the Restoration is headquartered. Rather than restoring them, it was decided to leave the Emerald Ruins be as a reminder of what the inhabitants once lost.^[3]

Description

Emeraldville Ruins is the remains of a town that was laid to waste during the Eggman War.^[3] As such, the Emeraldville Ruins is full of dilapidated houses. The soil is as well acidic here due to chemicals from bomb attack having soaked into the ground.^[4]

In the area is a small sunflower and vegetable garden, located within a bomb crater at a road intersection.^[4][3] The sky above the ruins is almost perpetually orange or hazy pink, creating a sunset-like aura.

History

Past

A battlefield at some point during the Eggman War, the Emeraldville Ruins were bombarded by bombs. As a side effect from the bombs' chemicals, the earth became hard and acidic, making it a unsuited place for growing most plants.^[4]

Victory Garden

At some point after the battle for Angel Island, Silver came to Emeraldville Ruins per a suggestion from Amy, hoping to make a garden. He tried growing vegetables at the bottom of a bomb crater, but the polluted soil was unsuitable for growing. Blaze later came to the Emeraldville Ruins in search of Silver after receiving information of his whereabouts from Amy. When she found Silver and heard how he was trying to set up a garden, Blaze burned the ground for him, explaining that they could get rid of the contaminants in the soil this way. Shortly thereafter, Silver's little garden successfully cultivated Silver's plants.^[4]

Crisis City/The Last Minute

Silver's Garden makes a cameo in the Crisis City and The Last Minute arcs by being a location featured in Cream's world map that features in issues 18 to 24.

Test Run!

Following the end of the Metal Virus pandemic, Restoration HQ was relocated underground beneath Emeraldville Ruins, as the original building had been destroyed by Zombots. As a back door, a secret elevator leading to the base was built in the tool shed of Silver's garden. Sonic and Tails led Belle through the ruins and took the secret elevator in Silver's shed into Restoration HQ when they went to introduce her to the Restoration.^[3]

Zeti Hunt!

In an attempt to kidnap Belle, Dr. Starline snuck into the Emeraldville Ruins and infiltrated Restoration HQ, where he managed to kidnapped Belle as intended.^[2] Later, with the Deadly Six overwhelmed by the Zeti Zappers, Sonic and Tails would usher the group through the Emeraldville Ruins, where they were loaded onto the Zeti Launcher and deported back to the Lost Hex.^[5]

Trial by Fire

While jogging around the Emeraldville Ruins, Tangle found Whisper and her Wisps departing from Restoration HQ. Learning that Whisper was leaving because Mimic was free, which put everyone around her in danger, Tangle tried to convince Whisper to stay nonetheless. However, Whisper stood by her choice and departed.^[6]

Future Growth

Members of the Restoration harvested produce from Victory Garden. Silver joined them, though he was uncertain why he returned to the past. After a talk with Espio in the nearby woodland where the chameleon offers Silver some words of advice, the pair return to the garden to help finish the harvest.^[7]

Misadventures

After an unsuccessful training session with the Neo Diamond Cutters, Silver finds himself sulking on the roof of the Restoration HQ, until he is jumped by Whisper appearing from behind him. The two discuss a plan on the roof pertaining to the suspicious nature of the Diamond Cutter's newest member - Duo. ^[8]

After both he and Whisper are unsuccessful in their attempts to catch Mimic in the act, Silver finds himself sulking once more in his garden after he is asked to leave the Diamond Cutters. Meanwhile, Blaze and Sonic are returning from their trip to Spagonia where Blaze spots the upset Silver and rushes over to the dejected hedgehog. Silver explains to Blaze how he can't put Espio's words of advice into practice without being proactive, while Blaze explains that he should think of it like the garden they had set up together. After a brief interruption by Sonic where he calls them a great pair who work in sync, Silver and Blaze go on to complement one another before Blaze offers Silver the opportunity to come on her world tour. The pair leave Emeraldville with plans to visit 'Soleanna'.^[9]

Phantom Riders

When the shuttle was set to self-destruct and crashing down to Central City during the Clean Sweepstakes race, Jewel decides that instead of stopping the ship, they will have to change its course to the Emeraldville Ruins, where Restoration HQ is. Sonic informs the Babylon Rogues of the change in plans, and Jet begrudgingly cooperates after being reminded by Wave that they do not have time to argue. Amy asks Jewel if Restoration HQ is empty, to which the beetle tearfully responds that it would be a better crash site than the city. Sonic comes back into the main bridge, asking why everyone looks upset. Amy tells him that the ship is going to crash into and explode on top of a building full of people, but Sonic notes that they still have time before that happens. As Jet informs him that they have turned the ship, Sonic challenges the hawk to a friendly competition: whoever can evacuate the most people from Restoration HQ first wins. Jet accepts, and he, Sonic, Tails, Amy, Belle, and Team Chaotix head the HQ while Nite, Don, Jewel, Rough, and Tumble remain behind.

Sonic's group arrives at Restoration HQ, warning the people there about the imminent disaster. While Sonic and Jet begin competing, Tails follows Belle into the machine shop, which is too far away from the main hall for anyone in there to hear any warnings. Once the shop is clear, Belle plans on saving the incomplete Motobud, who she had been struggling to repair for weeks before the Clean Sweepstakes. Since moving his exposed circuitry could risk causing him to lose his memory, Belle decides to finish repairing him first. Despite her wanting them to leave, Tails and the Chief Mechanic volunteer to help her out while they can. Meanwhile, Sonic and Jet continue evacuating people, constantly trading the lead until they manage to save a total of ninety-two lives, forty-six each. The timer for the self-destruct sequence finally reaches zero as the shuttle crash-lands into the HQ, exploding and completely demolishing it. After dropping off the rescuees outside, Sonic decides to go back to take one more look despite Amy's protests. He tries to invite Jet to join him, but the hawk refuses, unwilling to risk his life by going back when the place is already in ruins.

Returning to the now-destroyed Restoration HQ, Sonic calls out for any survivors. Tails shouts back as he walks forward from the nearby rubble, pointing to where Belle, Motobud, and the Chief Mechanic are trapped under some debris. Sonic instructs Belle to kick the beam above her on his mark, and for Tails to follow his lead. After he counts down to zero, Belle does as she is told, allowing Sonic to dash in and grab them. When Sonic is knocked back by a piece of rubble, Motobud suddenly takes flight, allowing them all to safely escape. Amy once again embraces Sonic, happy to see that he and the others are okay. Charmy is impressed by Motobud's ability to fly, to which Belle responds by explaining that although she borrowed some leftover Extreme Gear parts, it was Tails who got it working. The Chief Mechanic praises Tails for living up to his reputation as a genius, wondering if he can still convince the fox to work for him. Nite, Don, Jewel, Rough, and Tumble then arrive at the scene aboard The Bad Investment, with Nite bragging to Don about the RV being a good idea.

At the sight of the destroyed HQ, Jewel drops to her knees and begins sobbing. While Amy tries to comfort her, Jet approaches Sonic and tells him that he is willing to concede to a tie on one condition: a rematch between the two with no distractions or conditions of any kind. Sonic accepts the challenge, eager to have some fun against his rival. The Diamond Cutters then arrive as well, with Tangle running over to check on Jewel. Distraught by the loss of Restoration HQ, Jewel believes that she has failed, and that the Restoration is over, but Tangle points her attention to all the members who are alive and well, helping Jewel as well as Lanolin realize that the people are what truly define the Restoration rather than a building. The heroes prepare to go clean up the mess and rebuild, with even Rough and Tumble being forced to help as payment for the ride down.^[10]

Scattered Pieces

Many days after the destruction of Restoration HQ, the destroyed shuttle is still on top of the building's remains. Silver and Blaze return to Emeraldville Ruins are checking the Victory Garden, which is still standing after the HQ's destruction, but all the flowers and vegetables were destroyed. Although Silver is upset, claiming how it seems like his efforts to stop the peril in the past always lead to another disaster to clean up, he decides to make a new garden. Blaze compliments on how Silver's first thoughts in the face of adversity is on how to resume and make things better, which she finds commendable. Silver, flattered, responds things are only over when they give up. He then decides to turn the Victory Garden into an orchard with many apple tress, which Blaze approves.

In order to fix her mistakes, Lanolin plans to restore Emeraldville to make it a safe and clean space for people to live again, to which she asks nervously if it's reasonable. While Tangle whispers it seems like a large thing to do, Jewel asks Lanolin if she has experience to do it, to which the latter awkwardly responds she doesn't. But Jewel claims she doesn't have either, but has learned a lot of things while managing things. She offers for her and Lanolin to work together on restoring Emeraldville slowly, which the latter tearfully accepts and thanks. Tails, Amy and Blaze eventually leave Emeraldville to go look for rebuilding sources to rebuild Restoration HQ, Belle and Motobud would also leave to start their journey, while Jewel and Lanolin stayed behind planning their first steps on restoring the town.

Points of interest

• Restoration HQ (Destroyed)
• Victory Garden

Trivia

• Although it first appeared in Sonic the Hedgehog Annual 2019, Emeraldville Ruins was not named until Sonic the Hedgehog #42.
• While the town itself is not mentioned, "TailsTube No. 6 (Surprise Gift Exchange Bonanza)" has Tails mention the Restoration HQ.

References

External links

• Emeraldville Ruins at IDW Sonic Hub Wiki, the IDW Sonic wiki.