Warning! Spoilers ahead for Sonic the Hedgehog #49!
Tails' latest invention that prevents Sonic the Hedgehog. While constructed by Eggman's hands, it's more accurate to say that the highly complex wooden marionette comes from the mind of Eggman's good alter ego Mr. Tinker who took control of the villain after the mad scientist began suffering from a major case of amnesia.
For sometime now Belle has known that her creator, Mr. Tinker, is really Eggman, a realization she doesn't much care for, as she espouses the kind-hearted nature of the evil mad scientist's good alter ego and doesn't condone Dr. Eggman's philosophy on life. Earlier issues had created the impression that Belle had somehow moved on from her past as she now struggled with fitting in with Sonic's friends and their restoration efforts.
Fortunately, this unappealing character development did a much welcomed 180 in Sonic the Hedgehog #49 by writer and artist Evan Stanely, colorists Matt Herms and Heather Breckel, and letterer Shawn Lee. In the issue, Belle is not only forced to face her past once more when she stumbles upon a letter of farewell written to her by the old Tails modifies an earlier invention he made against the villainous group the Deadly Six that blocks Eggman's waves and restores Belle's freewill.
What Tails first says to Belle after forcibly installing his genius repurposed prototype could serve as an ominous foreshadowing for what could happen to her: "Are you...sure you're okay?" His uneasiness sets the stage for his invention failing and Belle falling under Dr. Eggman's control again. This needs to happen, and not just because Belle, Sonic, and Tails are currently rushing towards the villain's city. It's because this would force Belle to come to with the fact that her beloved creator is gone forever and replaced with a horrible person. Before this latest issue, IDW's Sonic oddly made her clumsiness a major theme of her character development as opposed to her connection to Eggman and Mr. Tinker. Now, Belle is dealing with regret for not being able to protect Mr. Tinker as well as sadness for the fact that he's gone.
Belle having to fight to retain her free will and stave off Eggman's influence on her, much like Mr. Tinker tried and failed to achieve, would embellish this whole dynamic. Better yet, Belle recently expressed anger at Dr. Eggman for always pushing her around. Her getting pushed around again should inflame these feelings once more. This is an exciting time for Sonic fans, especially for those who have been struggling to accept IDW's series over the original Archie Comics discontinued comic. Although the tie-in Imposter Syndrome mini-event that switches back and forth between the main series is quite good, the latter storyline has been suffering ever since the Metal Virus ended. This latest development with Belle in regard to her relationship with Dr. Eggman and Mr. Tinker is bringing new interest to the series, and hopefully, this momentum will continue for the rest of Sonic the Hedgehog.
Look for Sonic: The Hedgehog #49 available now from IDW!
