Rosie the Woodchuck is a female Mobian woodchuck, the cousin of the late Julayla, and the nanny of the Knothole Freedom Fighters, particularly Sally Acorn, when they were younger. She continues in this role for younger Mobians, living as a civilian in first Knothole and then New Mobotropolis.
Rosie was one of the many who aided in getting refugees out of Mobotropolis and safely to Knothole during Dr. Ivo Robotnik's military coup. Previous to this, she served as a nanny to the House of Acorn, Sally Acorn being her special charge. Her cousin Julayla Chipmunk served as Sally's tutor until her death, and Rosie continued to act as a mentor and friend to the younger generation in her memory. Rosie also survived the Original Freedom Fighters, whose leader Tig Stripe was also a close friend of hers. Since the demise of Robotnik, Rosie has acted as a nanny and baby sitter for younger Mobians and offered advice to Sonic the Hedgehog and others when they have needed it. (StH: #43, #54, #142, #143, CSE)
Nanny of Orphans[]
Rosie also aided in helping refugees escape from Robo Robotnik's hordes of Shadowbots when he retook the city of Mobotropolis. Upon arriving in Knothole, Rosie convinced Mina Mongoose to tell a group of young orphaned children she had taken in a story to calm them down. (StH: #75, #76, #78)
Rosie after telling Snaggle, Rory and Sasha a bedtime story.
She also took the three children—Snaggle, Rory, and Sasha—to a play put on by several of the Freedom Fighters and Chaotix. She also told the three a bedtime story featuring Pirate Sally helping the Elfin Fox against the evil Kintobor after he stole one of his tails. She and Sally assisted Bunnie Rabbot in preparing for her wedding to Antoine D'Coolette, joining Bunnie in teasing Sally about her own relationship with Sonic. Like the rest of Knothole's inhabitants, she was then captured by the Egg Fleet and sent to the Egg Grape Chamber in New Megaopolis, but was then freed and transported to New Mobotropolis. (StH: #148, #153, #174, #175, #176)
Iron Dominion[]
During the Iron Dominion, Rosie was one of the many citizens captured and placed inside Egg Pods, waiting to be legionized. However, she was later saved from this fate when Sonic and the rest of the Freedom Fighters fought the Iron Dominion and arrested the Iron Queen, where New Mobotropolis returned to normal. (StH: #208 - #211)
Death Egg's Attack and Aftermath[]
When Naugus appeared to claim the throne of the acorns alongside Geoffrey's help, Sonic and the Freedom Fighters tried to desperately stop the duo. But this conflict was interrupted when the Eggman returned with the Death Egg Mark 2, which appeared over New Mobotropolis. Rosie can be seen alongside many of the citizens looking in horror, where she clings onto Snaggle, Rory and Sasha. (StH: #224)
When the Death Egg retreated, and New Mobotropolis spared for the time being, Rosie was be seen in the crowd shocked at learning of Sally's roboticization and loss as explained by Sonic. She was further grieved as another of her old charges, Antoine D'Coolette, ended up in a coma after a mission some time later. (StH: #232, #235)
She later appeared at Rotor's Team Freedom Recruitment Drive at the Civic Center, alongside Vanilla. Where Rosie told Vanilla that she was surprised she allowed her daughter Cream the Rabbit to join Team Freedom, Vanilla replied that as much as she preferred to keep her daughter safe, Cream could never pass up the opportunity to help. Vanilla also commented on how Rosie's charges, who became the Freedom Fighters, turned out so well because of their willigness to help others, leading Rosie to remark that Cream had just as brave a heart. Naugus then arrived to convince the crowd that the team was unneeded, and Rosie was shown to be annoyed at his appearance. Suddenly, the Tails Doll in Vanilla's arms-which unbeknownst to anyone was a creation of Dr. Eggman-activated, sending out a nanite-disrupting energy pulse. This caused a part of the Civic Center to be destroyed, leaving the rest in danger of falling on the citizens in the crowd. However, Team Freedom proved its bravery by preventing the near tragedy. (StH: #236)
Personality[]
Rosie is a caring individual who cares deeply for all younger Mobians, particularly those whom she has served as a nanny for over the years. She is known to have a feisty and fun-loving personality, but can also be quite serious. In particular, she strives to help her charges prepare for the future.
Appearance[]
Rosie is a brown woodchuck with buck teeth. She wears a blue dress with gold/yellow linings. She has white hair, which was once blue. She is often seen going barefoot.
Background Information[]
According to penciller Jon Gray's website page on StH #144, the final letter readable from the
Rosie in the two-part episode Blast To The Past.
Dear Aly newspaper section Sally maintained was from Rosie and concerned her and Uncle Chuck. (1) It is unknown, however, if this is considered canon by the comic's writers. However, former writer Ken Penders' post-#159 plans would have had Uncle Chuck and Rosie going on a date in Knothole, with Sonic acting as a guardian angel to protect them from Robotnik's stealth-bots. [1]
Rosie's capture during the Iron Dominion arc wasn't mentioned in the comic itself, but on the Sonic the Hedgehog Blog. 2
Rosie is one of several characters who was introduced to the comic series from the Sonic the Hedgehog animated series, in which she had a similar role as caretaker of the young Princess Sally and other Freedom Fighters. Rosie appeared only in the two-part Blast to the Past episode, in which the present day Sonic and Sally encountered her in the past. She had apparently been Roboticized after leaving Knothole in the original timeline, but at the pleading of the Sally from the present didn't do so, and thus was a resident of the village when the pair returned to the present.
In both parts of Blast To The Past, Rosie was voiced by April Winchell.
