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Sonic the Hedgehog Publication Details Issue  14 Date Published  June 1994 Publisher  Archie Comics Production Staff Cover Artist Dave Manak Jon D'Agostino Writer Angelo DeCesare Mike Kanterovich Ken Penders Pencils Art Mawhinney Inks Jon D'Agostino Letters Dan Nakrosis Colors Barry Grossman Editor Scott Fulop Managing Editor Victor Gorelick Editor in Chief Richard Goldwater First Appearances Characters Shredbot

Archie Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 14 was the fourteenth issue of the main Sonic the Hedgehog comic series.

Summary

Story One

"Tails' Taste of Power"

Tails finds Sonic in Rotor Walrus' greenhouse, apparently being attacked by one of the plants, but it turns out to be a harmless passion flower trying to kiss the Hedgehog. Sonic offers to let Tails take over for him, and the excited Fox believes that Sonic is referring to his role as leader of the Freedom Fighters. Sonic quickly sets him straight, informing him that he is talking about the chore Rotor gave him of watering the planets in the greenhouse. Tails is disappointed, and Sonic points out that Tails isn't ready to be a leader before dashing off. The Fox completes the chore, and feels that Sonic's assessment of his abilities is right, as he doesn't even know where to get something to eat. He then spots a large, delicious looking fruit hanging from one of the plants. Soon afterwards, Rotor learns that Sonic pawned his responsibility off on Tails, though the Hedgehog brushes it off thinking that Tails can't get into trouble watering plants.

To their astonishment, the pair enter the greenhouse to find that all the plants have grown huge, and Tails reveals himself as the source of their change-in uncharacteristically intelligent speech. After hearing the Fox's explanation as to how he accomplished the feat, Rotor asks how he learned so much, and Tails responds that he figured it out while eating the fruit he had noticed earlier. Rotor realizes that Tails has eaten the only fruit he's managed to grow on the Tree of Wisdom, which he found years ago in the Great War. The fruit is reputed to give its eater super-intelligence, meaning that Tails is now a genius. Antoine then comes rushing in calling for help, and reveals that Sally and Bunnie are at the mercy of Dr. Robotnik's Shredbot. Sonic runs off and finds the exhausted pair, but Tails flies in and confronts the Shredbot, tricking it into destroying its own sawblades. Sonic is shocked to realize that Tails is moving as quickly as he can, resulting in yet another complicated explanation.

Tails promptly asserts that he should now lead the Freedom Fighters, stunning his older teammates. Later, back in Freedom HQ, Rotor is terrified by the appearance of a robot, and believes it to be a creation of Robotnik's. Sonic attempts to destroy it, but is unable to, and Tails then reveals that it is his own creation, the Vacubot. Created to do housework, it is made of a special alloy that is not only impossible for Sonic to destroy, but also undetectable to Robotnik's sensors. Tails also reveals a "badger of leadership" he made for himself out of the material, only for Sally to reason with him that his intelligence isn't enough to make him a leader. Determined to prove himself, the Fox takes off for Robotropolis in order to defeat Robotnik by himself. His smarts enable him to evade Robotnik's minions and defenses and reach the doctor's control room, but then fade away, allowing Robotnik to trick and capture him.

Back in Knothole, Rotor discovers that the fruit's properties only last for twenty-four hours, and Sonic rushes off to save his young friend. He gets into the control room, and warns Robotnik not to do anything to Tails unless he wishes to perish. Bluffing, Sonic informs Robotnik that Tails was sent on a mission to destroy Robotropolis at any cost, claiming that Tails' medal is in fact a bomb with enough power to level the city. Doubting Sonic's words, Robotnik orders Snively to scan the medal, but Snively is unable to identify its true nature. Sonic threatens to activate the "bomb" unless Robotnik releases Tails, and the doctor buys his ruse and agrees. The two friends then head home, with Sonic giving Tails a lesson in true leadership. Back in Knothole, Antoine gives Tails a stern-and rather egotistical-lecture on leadership, but is then frightened when the "bomb" hits the floor next to him, apparently unaware that Sonic was lying. Tails then jokes that a leader must be someone who is looked up to, much to Sonic and Sally's amusement and Antoine's displeasure.

Story Two

"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!"

As Robotnik is examining a set of defective Freedom Fighter dolls, sexist stereotypes uttered by the Bunnie and Sally ones give him some inspiration. Hiding the toys as Snively walks in, Robotnik reveals his new scheme: to divide and conquer the Freedom Fighters, starting with their two female members. That night, the two girls notice spotlights in the sky, and upon investigation discover a tiny "shopping mall", which is in fact a trap set by Robotnik. The doctor has the captured pair brought to him, gleefully anticipating that they will provide the bait needed to draw in Sonic and eliminate him. Insulted at the thought that they need to be rescued, the pair break free of their guards and quickly decimate the SWATbots, tying up Robotnik and Snively in the bargain. They then return Robotnik's dolls, which have been modified with "political corrections," spouting out more girl-power oriented phrases. The pair return home to find Sonic clipping coupons to buy video games, and have a private joke at his confused expense over men thinking only about "fun, games, and shopping."

Quotes

Key Events

• Tails eats a fruit from the legendary Tree of Wisdom, giving him increased intelligence.
• With Tails' increased knowledge, the FFs are able to defeat Dr. Robotnik's Shredbot.
• Sonic rescues Tails from Robotnik after he attempts to take him on alone; Tails' increased intelligence subsequently wears off.
• Sally and Bunnie are led into a trap by Robotnik so he can use them as bait to capture Sonic, but escape unaided.

Background Information

• Features a 3-page ministory that is already drawn, but can have dialogue submitted by fans as part of a contest. The 3 winners and their submissions were revealed in StH: #23. Prizes included subscriptions, original artwork from issues 21 and 22, and autographed copies of issue 25.
• The Shredbot that ambushes Sally, Bunnie and Antoine looks almost identical to the Shredder robot from the SatAM episode "Hooked on Sonics," although the colouing is different.
• The Complete Sonic Comic Encyclopedia infers that while Tails did lose his advanced intelligence by the end of the first story, some lingering effects of the Tree of Wisdom perhaps did gain a slightly more advanced intuition. This would explain how years later in the comic he became a very capable mechanic and partially experienced scientist.