Spoilers ahead for Sonic #223 ahead.

So now Geoffrey reveals his wife, a major piece of his character development, and what peacefully buried his fixation on Sally, is dead. Poof. Like that. Off panel. Tralala.

Hershey death feels like a causality of the editor's need to turn Geoffrey into a bad guy rather than a good guy with some gray methods and black and white thinking.

To be frank, her death disappoints me, but DOESN'T surprise me.

AND Geoffrey being a villain doesn't explain why he was so ticked off at supposedly Sonic murdering Sally way back in End Game (when that would have made Nagus's ultimate goal much easier), OR that he felt bad about being domineering the prince (when him running away meant a smaller royal family for Nagus to control!).

Not to mention that Nagus' claim on the throne is insanity! King Max was under MIND CONTROL when he swore himself to Nagus! And he hardly said 'my kingdom is yours!' Geoffrey has a lot of character flaws, but not being rational was NEVER one of them!

If this is the editor's way of ultimately removing Hershey and Geoffrey from the comics, he could have simply gone with a heroic sacrifice or had them be among those will may die in Sonic 225! This felt more like appealing to character bashers than an organic progression of the characters or a shocking plot twist.

I have a powerful vision of Geoffrey and Herhsey having a lunch break and the comic's editor steps in hands Geoffrey a memo telling him he's now evil.

Hershey, "Well that sucks dear."

And then Hershey's handed a memo telling her she's dead!

That's how convoluted this feels.

The writers DO go to a lot of trouble of trying to make Geoffrey actions seem in character . . . but it all comes across as excuses from Geoffrey more than anything. And Hershey's death comes across as the biggest brush off death in the history of the comic. The vast majority of their deaths at least happened on panel!!!

If Hershey was being held hostage, or if Geoffrey was pulling an Anakin Skywalker and Naugus and only Naugus had a means of saving Hershey from something: THEN I could see him willing to betray anyone and everyone around him -for her- after having a total break down between his almighty sense of duty and his all too mobian feelings. Which would have given his ascension to villainhood an actual sense of story.

*twitch* ...damn, he already made that comparison...

I have a powerful vision of Geoffrey and Herhsey having a lunch break and the comic's editor steps in hands Geoffrey a memo telling him he's now evil.

Hershey, "Well that sucks dear."

And then Hershey's handed a memo telling her she's dead!

Off-panel material right here.

Yeah basically (other than the ridiculous idea that SEGA has any reason to dictate such a thing).

The only way it can make any sense is as a convoluted plot to get King Max back to power, and competence because Geoffrey knows he is crazy.

I vote we withhold judgement until the story is actually over. Also off panel death is probably the biggest joke in the world, we can't actually assume a person is dead until either the writer states it or their body is seen, it's just an excuse to keep Hershey away. She could come back at any moment. And who's to say we won't see her death later? There's still two issues left in this arc, that's a good chunk of time to have things make sense.

Yeah, Swanson speaks the truth. Ian even has a rule on his boards not to make harsh judgements until the story is completely told. That being said, Ian has given assurances that it would make sense once all was revealed and that he's not just gonna leave Hershey's "death" off panel and that it will be explained too. Also, Alex you make it sound like Geoff killed Hershey himself and that's not even implied in the issue; as a matter of fact, when you look at Geoff's face, it looks like he's reallly sad that she's dead, and I'm not entirely sure she is anyway.

I hope it makes more sense once everything's said and done. This whole sudden Geoffrey Face Heel Turn did just seem to come out of nowhere, and it's confusing the Pit out of me.

I vote we withhold judgement until the story is actually over. Also off panel death is probably the biggest joke in the world, we can't actually assume a person is dead until either the writer states it or their body is seen, it's just an excuse to keep Hershey away. She could come back at any moment. And who's to say we won't see her death later? There's still two issues left in this arc, that's a good chunk of time to have things make sense.

Agreed. Best to wait it out.

Ian even has a rule on his boards not to make harsh judgements until the story is completely told.

Pretty sure that's the reason why this thread exists here on not over there.

Well, I knew that just pointing it out.

That was a general comment, it wasn't directed at you.

Ah, gotcha.

I have a powerful vision of Geoffrey and Herhsey having a lunch break and the comic's editor steps in hands Geoffrey a memo telling him he's now evil.

Hershey, "Well that sucks dear."

And then Hershey's handed a memo telling her she's dead!

Off-panel material right here.

Thank you.

Sonic 224 SPOILERS AHEAD!!

First I want to take a moment to bow my head to the writers and editors in their admirable attempt to give a sense of reason and logic to the absolute insanity that is the premise of this story arch. They do their best NOT to ignore the very logical and rational flashes of 'Hey! Wait a minute!' that go through the readers mind when they dig through this issue and respond with the best rational that any person could reasonably put together.

I won't moan about the Acorn Council acting the way it does, most of them, since democracy is a new concept to the mobians as a whole their still struggling with some of the base concepts. Just because they've been elected to office doesn't mean they're now expected to be robots sitting on their tails when a proven dangerous mad man and clinically designated traitor making absurd claims is in the middle of being detained by their greatest national hero!

While Geoff does his best to try and paint Hershey's brush off death in a different light, it doesn't change how SOMEONE besides Geoff should have known about Hershey's death and given how secrets have done nothing but backfire on Acorn Kingdom again and again that someone would have known before hand since Geoffery says she'd have been dead for a while, then logically someone would have known and told others! And her being dead and no one knowing about it grants no one a tactical advantage! Not Naugus and Geoffery, not the FFs!

The average citizen of New Mobotropolis wondering if Naugus might be a good thing after learning he can kill Nicole's nanits (her emotional reaction to having a part of herself destroyed is handle very well) after the propaganda that he's help fan the flames of is about the only element in the New Mobotropolis neck that is handled logically. Naugus' repeated treason has never been in the central eye of the average mobian, falling into the shadow of Robotnik and Mogul respectively.

The writer as said try their best to try and shoe horn Geoffery's actions into something that resembles in character. But given how often Geoffery has been a double agent, he SHOULD KNOW that Naugus can NOT be trusted in any shape or form! He was born from three men who stabbed each other in the back, and while no one knows this, they HAVE seen him repeatedly manipulate and betray the Acorn Kingdom and the Humans and Overlanders!

NOT TO MENTION, even if an oath from a mind controlled and clinically insane at the time monarch could hold any weight what so ever, Naugus is a TRAITOR! He worked along side the guy who betrayed their king! And after Snivley I think they've learned not to take changes in sides at face value! And his treason you think would have AUTOMATICALLY NEGATE any fictional claim to the throne he has!

Geoffery should know that Naugus can not be trusted nor controlled, the Council should know that Naugus is already a traitor and thus his claims are null and void anyway, and Geoffery holding out on Hershey's "for a while" death until in the middle of a fight holds no tactical value and makes no sense since it has nothing to do with his inane plan of trusting the Council to be able to control a power mad wizard to use power mad wizard as a shield against Robotnik!

soo.. you liked it?

No. I did not like it.

Well all rightey then! Glad we cleared that up... who's hungry?

I'm surprised you didn't mention the skunks reaction to seeing sally and sonic together, He seem quite disgusted.
He shouldn't have any opinion in that fashion if he cared for hershey.

"I'm surprised you didn't mention the skunks reaction to seeing sally and sonic together, He seem quite disgusted.
He shouldn't have any opinion in that fashion if he cared for hershey."

I completely missed that one.

I guess that could be excused by his idea that Sally is too good for a commoner like Sonic, but yeah, it does -feel- again like the 'character regression pill' being handed out again.

Reading Sonic Archives volume 15, I've found perhaps the single proof that St. John is disloyal to King Max.

What is this proof?

HE DARED QUESTION KING MAX WHEN THE DEMENTED KING DEMANDED THE ROBIANS ALL BE DISMANTLED!

If you're an infiltrator, your job isn't to incur your supposed king's wrath by questioning a command that is just plain genocide, you smile and nod to stay in his favor! St. John would KNOW this!

Not to mention Geoffrey had nothing to do with Sally's solution of a constitutional monarchy or even directly opposing the Prower's wanting to tear down the old order, nor was he shown racing back to the capital to see that the kingdom remained a monarchy for his 'true master.' Granted this last part could be excused as 'off-panel' a lot like Hershey spontaneously dying by the divine will of the editor.

IF Geoffrey is really doing this for the sake of New Mobotropolis' people, he CAN'T be insane enough to believe a man like Ixis Naugus can be trusted to be content as a constitutional monarch! Being a double agent is one of his best talents, he KNOWS that Naugus is a backstabber at heart! You'd be better off with Mammoth Mogul on the freakin' throne!

Prowler's

That reply makes no sense what so ever.

I'm referring to the way you wrote their name.

Anyway, Geoffrey's traitor act is completely nonsensical by any known information, but it's early to say if that is because he's OOC or if there is a good explanation, and that explanation will probably be after #230.

ATM the most sensible guess is an Anakin Skywalker plot, but I do not think it is his motivation, especially since the way he talks to Naugus suggests their arrangement has been established a long time. I do think he will betray Naugus.

However the way he is writing Naugus is a lot better. It's very counter cliche to have an old wizard who is purely brawn and no brains.