EPISODE 36 "The Menace Comes from Outer Space!" The Episode kicks off with a recap of last weeks finale. Shadow, holding the Green Chaos Emerald, along with the Red, Purple, and Light Blue gems, prepares to ditch Rouge and Chris in the Prison Island vault. However, Rouge pricks his conscience, making him relent, as Shadow Chaos Controls the three of them from the GUN Base. The Eggman BomBom explodes, damaging the nuclear reactor, which destroys Prison Island in a massive atomic blast. Day 2 / 3:30 PM - In the Thorndyke penthouse apartment, Sonic and the others are watching the news, as another fill-in reporter states that GUN-operated Prison Island has been blown up. Whatever buildings are left on the island are mere shells. The good news is that every member of the Prison/Development Center escaped before the explosion. Sonic isn't impressed, as Chris's whereabouts are still unknown to them. Amy crosses her hands, remembering that black hedgehog from the previous day. Sonic thinks back to the night he arrived on Earth, when Chris saved him from drowning in his pool. On the TV, the reporter begins a new report, saying that Sonic the Hedgehog is still wanted by GUN. Before more can be heard on the subject, Ella clicks off the tube, as the others stare at their fugitive friend. Sonic stands, eager to go on a search for Chris. He juices outside, leaving the rest to wonder where young Chris could be. Tails knows that Dr. Eggman is sure to have a hand in the boys kidnapping. Deep in a desert wasteland, Knuckles the Echidna is closing in on the Master Emerald. Screeching to a halt on the top of a dune, Knux recalls Rouge heisting the gem from Angel Island. Suddenly, the ground trembles as a rumble fills the air. The Guardian hits the sand. As the shaking stops, Knuckles spots smoke rising in the distance. Streaking to another dune peak, the echidna locates Dr. Eggman's Hidden Base, where a smoke trail is rising from the tip. Knuckles is speechless, the Doc's pyramid headquarters is gigantic! Elsewhere, Chris stares out a viewport, looking at the magnificent spectacle of the Earth below him. Turning to his black captor, Chris asks where they exactly are. Shadow replies that they are on the Space Colony ARK. The boy continues his questioning, as Shadow answers that Professor Gerald created this space colony. Chris is confused, how could a space station of this size have ever been built in secrecy? As Chris presses for more information, Shadow spits him with a glare, making the boy recoil in fear. Returning to his stony silence, the hedgehog recollects his Maria, remembering their flight down the hallways of the station, the Professor puffing along behind them. A shot is fired by the pursuing soldiers, striking the girl in the back. Shadow is enclosed in a capsule, trying to help his friend, while she begs him to do something for her, and for all of the people on the planet. Explosions are heard in the background. Bidding him "Adios", Maria Robotnik pulls a lever, collapsing to the deck just as Shadow is launched toward Earth's surface. Shadow face forms a snarl of anger, as he mutters Maria's last wish to him. In the ARK Central Control Room, Decoe and Bocoe have finished inserting the six Chaos Emeralds into the Eclipse Cannon, while Eggman repairs fifty-year old wiring under the computer consoles. Eggman types in commands on the keyboard, as Rouge boredly watches. Eggman reminds her that the Eclipse Cannon requires the immense energies of the Chaos Emeralds in order to work. Bocoe and Decoe whisper for a second, until their master barks at them to get fixing. Rouge wipes a finger along a panel, collecting dust deposited for there decades. She blows the dirtiness from her hand, as Eggman chortles about his foolproof scheme. In downtown Station Square, Danny, Frances, and Helen are heading home as evening falls on the city. Danny wonders why Chris had to leave their school, as Frances worries about Sonic. Speaking of which, the blue blur jets right by them. Danny starts to yell his name, but Frances quickly claps her hand over his mouth. A policeman is standing right next to them. As Sonic blazes down the street, Helen distracts the officer by pointing at a high-rise building. Sonic escapes detection. Day 2 / 7:00 PM - On the edge of Station Square, Stuart and Scarlet Garcia are approaching a small hovel in a derelict area of the city. Stuart checks the address, as Garcia wonders who this person is if he knows about Project Shadow. Inside the dirty house, the former Presidential Aide is enjoying some French Fries like they are a culinary delight. The investigating duo enter, asking to speak with him, but the man points his thumb to his bedroom, still munching on the fries. In the ratty room, Stuart begins digging around in his bed. On the TV, a baseball game is playing, until Dr. Eggman interrupts the signal, chortling evilly. In Station Square, Eggman's face is plastered on every screen, even Tails's monitor in the X Tornado is overridden. As citizens, Ella, Chuck, and even the President and his assistant watch captivated, Dr. Eggman reintroduces himself. Asking the people to lend him their attention, he directs their gazes skyward. Sonic, watching the broadcast outside a families home, stares up. Inside the ARK, Eggman belts out with more sadistic chuckles, proclaiming that the Eggman Empire begins tonight! Chris is confused, asking Shadow what exactly the Doc is up too, but Shadow merely smirks at the boy. Chris begins to get worried. Eggman is in his element, shouting "It's show time!", pressing a button on a console. The asteroid-like space colony breaks apart, one half exploding away from the station. The Eclipse Cannon aligns, it's structure looking almost exactly like Eggman's mug. Sonic and his friends gasp in shock. The "nose" part of the Cannon splits into quarters, unveiling the inner firing mechanism. As Eggman and his lackeys giggle with fiendish glee, the Eclipse Cannon powers up, drawing on the infinite energies of the Chaos Emeralds. The Cannon lights up, power coursing it's way to the very tip of the devise. The energy builds up, then blasts away. A bright blue beam fires toward the moon, as the people below gape in horror. The beam smacks into the moon, blowing away a fourth of the satellite. Everyone cries out in terror, as Sonic and his friends watch large chunks of the moon drift away from the blast site. Above Station Square, Cream is shocked at the display, as Amy wonders how Eggman could have fired something that powerful. Tails tells the girls that the Chaos Emeralds must have been the source of the energy. In his control panel, the Yellow Chaos Emerald flares brightly. In the ARK, Chris demands that Eggman halt his demonstration, while Shadow grins behind him. Rouge is worried as well, she in deep, especially after helping the mad scientist obtain three of the legendary gems. Oblivious to his observers, Eggman laughs in triumph. Back on Earth, the Eggman continues his broadcast, warning folks that the countdown to the next firing has begun. They have twenty-four hours to surrender to him. Sonic growls in anger, his archenemy is going too far this time. Above his spiny head, the moon and it's debris float on. Day 3 / 6:00 AM - Back on the Space Colony, Shadow resumes his guarding of the Thorndyke boy in the research facility. Chris watches the sun rise on the planet below, the Earth doomed to servitude under Eggman. Shadow is occupied with his own thoughts, remembering staring out that very portal. In his mind, he recalls his conversation with Maria, about his existence, the reason why he was created. Shadow's reminiscing is broken up by Rouge, who asks why he is so melancholy. They achieved what they set out to do, unleash total havoc on the entire world. Shadow walks off, exiting the research facility, leaving Rouge to shrug her voluptuous shoulders at the bewildered kid. At the Thorndyke Mansion, Tails and Chuck are refitting the X Tornado. Chuck asks Tails to retrieve his grandson, while the fox reminds Chuck that they have to get the Chaos Emeralds away from Eggman as well. From a crate, the genius kitsune pulls out two yellow Chaos Emeralds. Chuck is confused, how could there by two Emeralds of the same color? Tails reveals that he made a copy after studying the real Chaos Emerald. Tails repacks the twin crystals, the pair working to reinstall the Power Ring Discharger. Day 3 / 12:00 PM - Stuart and Scarlet emerge from a seedy dive titled the "Bucket Hotel". The two suddenly realize that they are being watched by two men. One is black, the other white, both clutching strange, hi-tech weapons. The odd moment passes quickly, as Bokkun's voice bellows loudly. A number of cops come running, following the little monsters cries, as the puny monster rats out Sonic's whereabouts. Sonic juices down an alley, the officers trying in vain to catch up with the fugitive rodent. Sonic leads the men on a merry chase through the narrow alleys, finally ditching the tuckered-out police. Sonic breaks off his grumbling when he hears a certain echidna pounding the stuffing out of something. Rounding a corner, the heroic hedgehog spots Knux taking down numerous GUN robots attacking him. Sonic joins the melee, the pair making quick work of the Beatles, Hawks, and Laser Hunters. Suddenly, Mr. Tanaka roars by on a motorcycle, while doing his best karate moves. The bespectacled butler draws away the bots attention long enough for Cream to call the two down a manhole. Day 3 / 1:00 PM - On Route 101, the President and his assistant are deliberating conditions of surrender with Dr. Eggman inside his limousine. Eggman chuckles, waving his finger, reiterating the point that he has no choice but to surrender to the Eggman Empire. If he does not, the country will be wiped off the planet. Eggman demands a response, but the President can't give him an answer. Holding his head in frustration, he begs the Doctor to reconsider. Eggman refuses, warning him that his patience will only last so long. Eggman signs off, as the President despairs over the decision he will have to make for the good of the country. From the drivers seat, Sam Speed knocks on the divider glass, encouraging his chief with the confidence he has for him. Day 3 / 2:00 PM - In the desert area that Knuckles ran through earlier, the gang plus Knux travel along in a rented jeep. Knuckles fills in Sonic about the Eggman Base located deep in this wasteland. Tanaka calls out. Ahead of them sits Hidden Base. A short time later, the group locates the pyramid's entrance, ridding up on a snazzy escalator while Sonic warns everyone to be careful. Behind them, Topaz radios into GUN Command that Sonic has located Eggman's Base, and plans to follow the hedgehog. The interior of the Base is dark and dank. Amy Rose is whacking away at a very strong door, trying to get the gang into the center of the Base. Giving up, Amy pants as Tanaka remarks that they need a key to gain entrance to the Control Room. Everyone turns to face Knuckles, as he starts in surprise. Sonic says that he is a treasure hunter, surely he could find one, little key? The echidna refuses at first, but backs down as the rest berate him for his stubbornness. Knuckles walks the hallways, grumbling about those touchy people he has to put up with. In front of the Guardian, Bokkun leans casually against bulkhead, asking him what the problem is. Knuckles waves off the little maniac, telling him he has no time for his sick games. Bokkun warns him that he should be more polite. Knuckles readies to smash the black devil into the dirt, but reins in his temper, strolling off down the corridor. Bokkun gets steamed about receiving the cold shoulder. Pulling out a remote control, he mashes a button, calling out the Egg Golem. Back at the door, Topaz spies in on the waiting friends. A loud crash echoes through the Base, quickly followed by Knuckles sprinting away from a gigantic robotic statue. Bokkun rides in on the Golem's head, directing the robot to punch away the nasty echidna. The Golem swipes, knocking down the barricading door with a single blow. Angry at opening the way for his enemies, Bokkun orders the Golem to spin, it's arms twirling in a rapid spin around it's chest. The whistling appendages send Knux flying hard into a bulkhead. Sonic leaps to the offensive, running on the whirling limbs. Sonic leaps high to take down the Golem, but Bokkun presses another button, the humongous droid snagging Sonic in mid-air and headbutting him to the ground. Giggling insanely, Bokkun taunts the pair as they struggle to their feet. Sonic and Knuckles share a glance, then streak toward the Egg Golem. Sonic goes into a Sonic Spin, as Bokkun readies to headbutt Sonic again. Below, Knuckles strikes the robot's shin, forcing it off balance, allowing Sonic to smack the head of the Golem. Bokkun is thrown away from his mechanical pal, the statue smashing to the floor of the Base. However, Bokkun isn't through playing yet. Pressing the remotes buttons again, he directs the droid to it's feet, preparing for once more for battle. This time though, Bokkun has a hostage. In the Egg Golem's fist, Topaz shrieks for help. Tanaka won't allow this to develop any further. He goes into his martial arts moves, distracting the puny pyro as Cream snags away the remote control. Cream decides to have a little fun, pressing some buttons on the control devise. The Golem starts walking, dropping Topaz. The mechanical statue stomps toward Bokkun, who scrambles away, screaming at the idiots who set the robot after him. The Golem tries to smash the little imp into the pavement, but the black creature escapes being squashed. Bokkun flees from Hidden Base,the Egg Golem in hot pursuit. Sonic and Knuckles stare blankly at the dimishing robot, as Tanaka asks if Topaz is OK from her fall into his arms. In the sky above Hidden Base, Tails arrives in the X Tornado. The pinnacle of the pyramid yawns open, allowing the fox to lower his craft inside the massive hangar. Tails calls out for his friend, telling Sonic that the X Tornado is ready to head into outer space. Tails mentions one little problem, the Tornado only has room for four people. Sonic waves his hand behind him with a flourish, pointing out a waiting space shuttle that Dr. Eggman had left behind. Topaz tells the crew she will stay behind and monitor the situation, as Sonic pumps his fist with excitement. The takeoff sequence begins, the countdown lowering as Tails, Sonic, Knuckles, Amy, Cream, Cheese, and Tanaka strap in. In the shuttle cargo bay, the X Tornado lies stowed, as the massive rocket engines ignite. The Shuttle lifts off, streaking far into the atmosphere, Sonic vowing to save Chris. To Be Continued! ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This review was written by Eli Sheldon aka 'SHADOWBOT' - used with her general permission.