The Sonic Allegory

[Pete]

Ok, I came up with this idea a few years ago, and I think I might have posted it in the past. Anyways, it's long gone, so I'm curious as to what people will think about this.

I'm convinced that Sonic the Hedgehog is secretly a type of propaganda, or at least an allegory towards the Cold War. The two main games that this is relevant in are Sonic 1 and 2. When I refer to communism, I'm not talking about pure communism, but rather the communism of the Cold War era: authoritative, repressive regimes, where the leader is pretty much a dictator.

When you look at Sonic, you can see that he's primarily made of red, white and blue colors. These can be interpreted as American colors. Robotnik wears red, yellow and black. However, when in virtually all of his machines, you can only see red and yellow. These colors are the same as the Soviet (communist) flag.

Even the name Robotnik has a very Russian, or eastern European flair to it. This was the location of the USSR.

Robotnik's main goal is to rule the world. He takes ordinary citizens and turns them into robot enemies. Each robot falls in one hit and gives you the same 100 points (unless you chain them, but that's more of a game feature), so they are all considered equal, except for Robotnik, who traditionally takes 8. This could mean that no individual is greater than any other, yet they all have their own specific function and common goal: Stop Sonic. Robotnik would take more hits because he is the dictator and well, what fun would a game be if the boss fell in one hit?

Note that Robotnik is also heavily involved in machinery and means of production to attain his goals.

Sonic can also be seen as a Capitalist figure. He collects gold rings, which provide points in-game, and also work as a lifeline. The more rings you have, the safer you technically are, since 100 rings adds an extra life, and instead of losing a life when hit, you'll lose rings. So, in essence, it really helps to collect as much gold as possible.

Robotnik nor his minions have any need for gold, or rings. They just happen to do their thing, working towards their common goal of global domination.


Your thoughts?

[Jin]

You may be looking too much into this one. Just maybe.

Keep in mind, Sonic was made by Japos, not Americans. Though it's possible that the Japs were using America as an archetype for capitalism, I kind of doubt they'd deliberately use American colours. Also, Robotnik was not the original name of the villain, Dr. Eggman was. Though the translation may have been an attempt to brandish him as a communist, and perhaps Eggman is some kind of Japanese allegory to communism in itself, I don't know, but I doubt that was the original creator's intention.

But who knows. Cold War propaganda was pretty ubiquitous, so it's certainly possible.

[Tallulah]

Interesting theory, but I think the fact that Sonic was created by a Japanese company (as Jin said) makes it quite unlikely.

I'd like to know where Tails fits in, though! Perhaps he represents Britain; the way he's always up Sonic's butt all the time; if the Bush/Blair relationship was anything to go by! (That is why I prefer the first Sonic game to any subsequent titles; no Tails! )

[Pete]

You guys might be right about it all being coincidental, and that I probably am looking too closely into this. But in regards to Sonic representing America, I think that in terms of the Cold War, it was most heavily regarded as America vs Russia. I mean, yes, Europe played a huge role in everything, especially Margaret Thatcher, but maybe it's my American bias, and perhaps the Cuban Missile Crisis, but I think that America and Russia were like THE superpowers involved in it, and so they became the face of it more than anything.

As for Tails, I can't really place him within this. He could represent Britain, as in he was fighting for the same cause as Sonic, but Tails tended to get in the way more often than not, and was more of an inconvenience until the very end, where he helped Sonic to get to Robotnik's Sky Fortress and Death Egg, and then again when he caught Sonic with the plane. I can't really say for sure if Britain was really bumbling like Tails during the Cold War, but we're still speaking English, so I guess not!

[Rocky]

Oh, I figured it out. Sonic reps the USA, based on the points that Pete made. Tails can rep Britain, because they have always supported us, and vice versa. Plus, Tales's real name is Miles, if that isn't British, then I don't know what is. Knuckles is the representation of Japan, because on the exterior they look cooler then the US, when in fact they are just on the same level of life that we are. Plus, when Knuckles knocked out Sonic for all of his emerald gems, that was a symbolic symbol of Japan attacking Pearl harbor. When we became Super Sonic is when we gathered up all of our gems and went Hiroshima on Knuckles, saving the world (winning the game). But after all that, Knuckles and Sonic became friends, just like when Japan and the US stopped waging war on each other.

[Antidrall]

Not to sound like a douche, man but there is such a thing as over analyzing. It's a game, bro just go with it.