Unleashed is a three-part Sonic the Hedgehog story beginning in Issue 266 of Sonic the Comic Online. It was presented on social media as STCO's major event of 2015.
Staff
- Story: Stephen Davies
- Art: Thalia Evans, Adamis, James Kennedy, India Swift, Michael Corker
- Colour: Pete Murphy
- Lettering: Chris G
Story
Following his battle with Silver and subsequent capture by Death Trap, Sonic awakens to find the bounty hunters standing over him with their employer: Dexter Bagstille. Dexter reveals that it was he who broke Sonic's cover as Bob Beaky, put the bounty on Sonic and tipped off the Babylon Rogues. He now intends to draw out Super Sonic and use him as a weapon to end the war with the aid of a Chaos Containment Collar, based on data from Robotnik's Anti-Chaos Nullifier and Doctor Zachary's Chaos Siphon. Ignoring Sonic's protests, Dexter attaches the collar to Sonic and Prank sets about bringing Super to the surface. Dexter is able to keep Super Sonic in check with the threat of the collar draining Super's power, and dismisses Death Trap, ordering them to destroy the location and wait at the rendezvous point for their paycheck. Later, Operation Solaris has begun, and Dexter is in the air keeping tabs on Super as they head for the Egg Bastion, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Meanwhile, Chaotix,the Ultimax, Amy, Knuckles and a horrified Silver have got wind of the situation as Super Sonic begins tearing into the Bastion. Chaotix begin making their way into the fray, but before they can even emerge from the Omni-Viewer, Super Sonic enters, drains Omni of the Chaos energy powering him and removes the collar before making his escape, leaving Chaotix trapped in the void. Super Sonic gloats as Dexter begins to break down and taps into the power he's gained from Omni, vanishing with a roar of 'Chaos Control!' A terrified Dexter radios into Commander Steele to report that Codename Iblis is loose.
Super Sonic begins attacking all shipping ports and transport, cutting off access to South Island while Tails frantically sends out a call to all available Zonerunners and Freedom Fighters. Silver stumbles in, revealing that according to his history, Iblis' first move was to strike the Emerald Hill Zone, and he begs Tails to fulfil his destiny. After a brief moment, Tails comes to a decision. In the Emerald Hill Zone, the army is attacking Super, but to no avail. He is unharmed, and he ploughs into the ground with an almighty blast, almost completely obliterating the zone. While Super gleefully tries to decide what to do next, he is suddenly attacked by Silver, whose attacks actually manage to hurt Super Sonic. Silver reveals that the zone was evacuated before Super Sonic arrives, but the demon is undeterred, intending to hunt the Emerald Hill folk down one by one and rip the planet apart with his bare hands. On the other side of the zone, Tails is helping evacuate the people via Star Posts and is in contact with Porker regarding those who couldn't get to the posts, but Porker reveals that Knuckles has left the island to help Chaotix, recharging Omni with the grey emerald . Tails realises that Super Sonic delayed in attacking the Emerald Hill Zone, intending to draw Knuckles out with the grey emerald, and as Super teleports away from the battle, Silver gives chase, refusing to let Mobius fall again. Knuckles, meanwhile, is just about to free Chaotix when Super appears, wielding a trump card to counter the grey emerald: Dexter's collar. The grey emerald's power is immediately filtered through the collar and into Super Sonic, giving him power beyond anything seen before.
Knuckles begins to fight Super Sonic to stop him from absorbing any more power, but Super Sonic easily outmatches the echidna. Arriving at just the right moment, Silver blasts Super Sonic into the ground. Omni-Viewer is able to get Silver to throw the collar at him to charge up his systems- the briefest moment's charge is all Omni needs to be recovered and bring the Chaotix Crew into the fray. Unfortunately, however, Super Sonic has no problem dispatching Chaotix. At this moment, Tails arrives with Holly and Theo. As Theo, Silver and Knuckles distract Super Sonic, Holly and Tails set up a Star Post. Omni recognises this plan from before and tells Tails that Sonic will die if he is sent into the void of the Special Zone. In actuality, Tails only needs to use the Star Post to hold Super Sonic in place for the briefest moment so he can put into action his real plan: the Floating Island is being piloted by Porker Lewis and Tikal towards Super Sonic.
Super Sonic is not afraid of the Floating Island's defence systems and breaks into the Emerald Chamber. He begins to absorb the power of the Chaos Emeralds- or so he thinks. Realising too late he has been tricked with a set of fake emeralds, Super Sonic is caught in a blast of energy as Porker and Tikal jettison all excess chaos energy from the Emerald Chamber and disperse it harmlessly across Mobius. Super Sonic has been stripped of all his excess energy too and flung across the planet- leaving an unconscious Sonic in a crater in an unknown location, while Tails vows to clear Sonic's name and restore his heroic reputation whenever he makes it back.
Trivia
- Despite the identical names, this story arc is not an adaptation of Sonic Unleashed, albeit sharing a superficially similar premise (Sonic being forcibly transformed into an aggressive and powerful state: albeit Sonic himself is fully conscious as the Werehog in the game and other media, while Super Sonic is a murderous spilt personality completely unto to himself).
- Ray is present at the evacuation of Emerald Hill Zone, silent as per usual.
Timeline
The previous Sonic the Hedgehog story was Sonic vs. Silver. This is the current story.