The SatAM manages to rise above its cartoon trappings with a display of maturity found in an unexpected place: Sonic and Sallys relationship. Yes, Sonic is the hero, Sally is the princess and their romance is inevitable. The ways in which the two characters interact, however, are portrayed in a realistic manner that accurately represent a number of teenage and young adult relationships in America.
Sonic is what one could call a bad boy, something of a jerk. He is self-absorbed, spontaneous and inconsiderate. Hes also very exciting. Its worth noting that Sonics jerk persona easily gets the upper hand over Antoines nice guy groveling routine over the course of their love triangle with Sally. The princess, in turn, constantly complains about how much of a jerk Sonic is; nonetheless, this does not change the way that she feels about him. Although they constantly bicker, this merely serves as a front for their mutual attraction with Antoines spineless coward left on the sidelines. Sally is often exasperated at Sonics behavior but at the same time, constantly worries for his safety. Such a dynamic is not uncommon in real life relationships. While its doubtful that the series writers meant to explore male and female relationships in detail, they stayed true to the characters, thus letting the characters speak for themselves and act accordingly.
Furthermore, the banter that Sonic and Sally share, whether playful teasing or outright bickering isnt out of line with the behavior of two friends who have known each other since childhood. Perhaps this is why the SatAM has stood the test of time. Its fans could identify with the characters because they were so real. This isnt to say that the character interactions displayed in the cartoon represent all or the majority of American cultural communication, but the type of exchanges that the series boasted are not unheard of in the real world.
In the end, Sonic benefits from the time- worn fairy tale tradition of the hero rescuing and falling in love with the princess. However, unlike a few other such tales, the spiny blue one actually earns that love, and in a realistic manner at that.
In addition to what you've said, I consider the relationship between Sonic and Uncle Chuck to be among the most emotionally honest instances in the show. I watch the ep "Ultra Sonic" and the whole thing just feels natural.
Agreed. I ranked that as the series' most moving moment.
yes...Satam's relationships seemed to hit a soft spot in most everyone's hearts...besides the Sonic/Sally moments, my favorite has got to be little Sonic's witnessing the robotization of Uncle Chuck...his helpless sobs make me tear up everytime I see it...and the older Sonic's line "I don't know how and I don't know when, but I'm going to make you crash and burn Robuttnik!" just added to the whole moment. A defeated hero (he and sally didn't stop robo's takeover {note: this is the Blast to the Past two parter}), who nonetheless won't go down without a fight...kinda like Mrs Dubose from Harper Lee's "To Kill A Mockingbird"...
this is from a paper I did 3 years ago...After her death, Jem and Scout find out the real story behind Mrs. Dubose. Atticus told them she was a morphine addict. She said she didnt want to die attached to anything. He said she was a real lady.
-I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. Its when you know youre licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. (112).
Atticus wants them to learn this lesson. It explains why he is going to defend Tom Robinson. He wants Scout and Jem to see what real heroism is. Standing up for what is right. If Jem and Scout had not learned this lesson, they would have continued to judge people by their actions alone.
Well said RookieReaves. That is what makes what Archie and Sega has done to these relationships or friendships so heartbreaking. Its hard to understand why they took something that was great and ruined it. It wasn't broken so why did they have to change things for the wrose?
Because it shows that just like in real life you can have a fall out even in a "perfect" relationship. Nothing lasts forever and when you unwillingly break up with someone you really love, it seems like your entire world is falling apart. That's what I see here: when Sonic and Sally broke up, the image of their relationship was shattered and this is just how the broken pieces are falling together. Some placements don't seem quite right, while others just don't fit at all. Given the way people's "love-lives" and "relationships" often seem to end by being with someone else before a break-up or by murder in this day and age, I'm honestly not too affected by the development so far. Bunnie and Antione have each other again, same with Ash and Mina, Tails is too young for Fiona, Sonic Sally and Fiona are all single, and Sonic and Sally are "officially" broken up. I don't see what's so hard here.
Realistic? You're joking. It was a cliche relationship that shows up in entertainment media all the time.
Yeah, I remember that DiC toon... the hero was always running around being a total jerk, even though her loved her, and the princess was wise and practical and did everything sensibly and gave exasperated groans whenever our star shrugged and said "Wellllll EXCUUUUUUUUSE ME! PRINCESS!"
:3
That said, the entire concept of SatAM is "Zelda with Sonic". Seriously, the shows are totally interchangable in the same way that Harry Potter is Star Wars.
DiC video game adaption series... So, we have our game hero and the obligatory princess in a stronghold battling against the evil opression of the game villain. Game sidekick will also feature a bit piece and the rest will be filled by random characters who get their own focus episodes but aren't all that important.
It feels like every episode involves them leaving the stronghold to sneak into the villain's domain or the villain tries to get into theirs.
Hero is a jerky boyish rogue who is smug and sure of himself, he's not related to the battle in any way other than he wants to fight for good.
Princess is smart, competant and often either leads the hero through his tasks or performs them herself (getting captured in the meanwhile?)
Plot involves 2 objects of ultimate power which, when brought together, will conquer the world or save it.
Hero and princess are in love, but act like they're not, because they're stupid teenagers.
King and Queen are seen once in a blue moon, if at all.
Sidekick is 10 times more annoying in the show than the games.
Oh and none of this has anything to do with the games!
Tell me something CharlesRocketboy, and I mean this with absolutely no malice....have you ever been in an adult relationship? You know, had a girlfriend (as a teenager or young adult)? While I'm not trying to say that Sonic and Sally's relationship is the only one of its kind on the screen, the fact remains that it does accurately represent the types of relationships seen everyday in the real world. My point is that this is part of the reason fans can relate to the characters.
Thankyou RookieReaves! Seriously!
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have you ever been in an adult relationship?
You are not seriously trying to tell me Sonic and Sally were an adult relationship, are you? We are talking the same relationship that, as Craig says, was in Zelda*? And involving mid-teens, one of whom (Sonic) has never acted much like an adult at all? That relationship?
* Zelda's had a better catchphrase though.
What I'm trying to say is that the "SatAM" handled its relationships in a realistic manner. The characters were very believable because of this. Ask any fan what they liked about the series the most and many will point to the characters. This is simply my latest example demonstrating why it is that the characters connected to the audience so well. You're under no obligation to like these characters as they were presented but I don't think you can contest the fact that Sonic and Sally's relationship mirrors some in real life.
EDIT: Also, damn- the "no relationship discussion" rule extends to SatAm too, doesn't it?
*scrub scrub scrub*
I do want to point out that there are real relationships that do end up being life long, and I rather see those type of relationships. It has been painful for me, what has happened, because I have come to care about what happens to the characters. I hope I don't get in trouble.
I agree with everything craig said. Sonic was kind of a jerk.
Sadly, some people dont belive that 'Relationships' and 'Love (hidden or not)' dont belong in the TV show, or the comic. They say it should be Action/Adventure only (and in Shadow's case, angst).
Scr** that! If i want total A/A i would buy the games.
But anyway, it is a bit fanitsy like (look at the issue where Rosie talks about the adventures of Pirate Sally, and before you write anything i found the ending quite funny). bit in a fanfic that said 'Sonic is more than a fast, cocky hero'
True or False?
Shendu... your first statement is a double negative, meaning people do believe love and relationships belong in both the show and the comic. Which one are you trying to say?
Also I agree that not every relationship ends up in sorrow and ruin. Some do turn out quite successful, even better than could have been hoped for. That's why I mentioned Ash and Mina & Bunnie and Antione earlier. What I'm geting at is that the comic would be even less realistic than it is right now if none of the heros went through heartbreak and grief due to a failed romance as opposed to only mourning as a result of a friend's noble sacrifice (Tommy should have stayed dead)and never from having amorous pursuits.
Guys, this is a SatAM "Sonic The Hedgehog" topic. That means no Fiona, no Mina, no Ash, no appeared in Archie-only characters should be in this topic at all--nor should the comic be mentioned in this topic. It also means that there should be no Bunnie & Antoine romantic talk at all since that did not ever happen in SatAM. ;p
Charles, it depends on what you mean by relationship discussion for this topic. RookieReaves started this topic by focusing on how characters developed and their interactions with each other. That's perfectly fine and the main reason I didn't give it an automatic lock. If the only thing you guys are going to discuss is whether or not character relationships are generic or related to real-life, that's relatively legal. Discussion based on who should go out with who and why is outlawed period.
Pardon me for asking, but why are you so.... uppity about the development of this topic, relationship aspect aside? I recall complaining a few months back about the unwanted directions some discussions took when they began having nothing to do with what got started. I also recall being told that that was just how things happened here and you could either go along with it or just not have anything to do with it at all. So what gives? Really?
Because there is no reason for the admission of the Archie characters other than to make this into a relationship topic and those aren't allowed.
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If the only thing you guys are going to discuss is whether or not character relationships are generic or related to real-life, that's relatively legal.
Ah good. Wasn't sure how far the "no relationship discussion" ban went- like, if there's a story in the comic that is specifically based around one of the character relationships, how do we discuss it and that.
Basically its there because a LOT of users cannot handle the topics and they become fan cesspools ready to backflash the second someone says anything that anyone can constrew into something they can scream about.
~Rico
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like, if there's a story in the comic that is specifically based around one of the character relationships, how do we discuss it and that.
You're basically limited to what happened in the issue itself if it's talking about love. If it's some other form of character relationship, we're nowhere near as strict and basically allow it in full.
