Detoniks are specially-modified Badniks that were built as part of the New Robotnik Empire. Although potentially as easy to destroy as the first generation of robots, Detoniks had an extra twist in that, due to the unstable energy conversion, too much damage would cause it to self-destruct, killing the organic battery within.
History
Whilst on the run as a fugitive, Sonic the Hedgehog found himself deep in the hills of South Island and in a village ravaged by a Doctor Robotnik attack. It was explained to him that Robotnik had been capturing residents and storing them inside new flying batteries, mobile Badnik Processing Plants.
Sonic taunted Robotnik and mocked his method of offence, launching a series of bombs his way, but this aggravated Robotnik into launching four or five Detonik Badniks within individual Egg Capsules. Sonic was appalled at Robotnik's new low but was able to utilise the convenient of Death-Trap, particularly the genie-summoning powers of Prank. Talus the Tinkerer was summoned to pick apart the Detoniks without them noticing or triggering the self-destruct mechanism. To ensure no more Detoniks would be created by this Flying Battery, Kalus threw Sonic at the vehicle to destroy it.
Three days later, Sonic continued to hunt down other Detoniks but, without Death-Trap, had no feasible way of destroying them. Worse still, they would now self-destruct when threatened or when they had reached a target of importance. Indeed, a pair of Detoniks spotted Sonic and sped off, worrying the hero that he wouldn't be able to stop them. Fortunately again, Silver the Hedgehog arrived and dismantled the robots without touching them by using his psychokinesis powers.