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ship_manifestoTitle: Freedom In Obsession
Author: Destiny's Shadow (Or![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
destinyshadow25)
Fandom: Sonic the Hedgehog
Pairing: Sonic the Hedgehog / Amy Rose
Spoilers: Sonic CD, Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Heroes, Sonic Riders, Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity, Sonic the Hedgehog 2006 (aka Sonic Next Gen), Sonic Unleashed, and Sonic and the Black Knight. Also various episodes from the Sonic X anime.
INTRODUCTION:
I expect everyone's already heard of the speedy, blue pincushion and the video game series that shares his name, right? But incase you haven't, it's a series about the aforementioned hedgehog and his pals attempting to thwart the numerous schemes of a maniacal scientist, with a genius level IQ, and his seemingly neverending supply of mechanical minions. This particular essay focuses on the flagship character himself and his self-proclaimed girlfriend, who'll stop at nothing to earn his respect and ultimately win his heart.
You'll probably notice that most of the cutscenes and other clips I link to in the essay, are in Japanese, but that's because their english equivalents don't always manage to convey the same emotions, or at least not as effectively. This is especially true in the case of the pairing that I'm writing about, because it often reduces the shippyness and makes it look as though Sonic can't stand Amy (and sadly that's what most of the fandom believes, as well T.T). The reality is quite different, as you'll see.
Sonic the Hedgehog 
~ This is my escape, I’m running through this world and I’m not looking back.
'Cause I know I can go, where no one’s ever gone and I’m not looking back.
But how will I know when I get there? And how will I know when to leave?
We’ve all gotta start from somewhere, and it’s right there for me, the possibilities are never ending. ~
Age: 15
Likes: Running, speed, action, adventure, freedom, nature, exploring, chilaxing, doing as he pleases.
Dislikes: Water, injustice/oppression, not being able to run, being held back or tied down in anyway, rules/formalities.
At this point, we know next to nothing about Sonic's origins or where he came from, just that he's a drifter who never stays in one place for too long, and loves nothing more than travelling the world in an endless search for adventure and excitement. Not unlike a lot of teenagers, he's a habitual thrill seeker who willingly throws himself into potentially dangerous situations, just because he gets a kick out of it. A huge nature lover, he also enjoys admiring the beauty of the natural world and tends to view new sights and wonders very much like a child on Christmas morning.
On the flip side, he dislikes commitments, rules/formalities, and basically anything that he sees as a chore or a threat to his prized freedom. In that regard he can sometimes be quite selfish, always wanting to do as he pleases and follow his own pursuits. Let's just say that sometimes the "call of the wild" is just too much for Sonic to resist.
Quick witted and a total smartass, he finds great amusement inpissing off teasing his rivals and foes. He's also very egotistical, cocky, and at times even narcissistic, although he never allows these traits to get in the way of what's really important. Despite his flaws, he's the kind of guy you could trust with your life and will never let any of his friends down. Underneath all the attitude and teenage rebellion he has a very sweet and charming side, which he tends to combine with his natural playfulness, and he excels at giving others emotional support when they most need it.
Ever optimistic, he prefers to focus on the future and on moving forward, rather than dwelling on the past or letting it hold him back. That being said, it can be quite interesting when there actually is something he can't just shake off, because it causes quite a bit of internal conflict for him. While on one hand he's very open, social and extroverted, he can also be suprisingly introverted and secretive regarding his own feelings. Sometimes it can be nigh impossible to tell what's truly going on behind those emerald eyes, and there are several times when you really question just how much of his carefree demeanor is still genuine and how much is pure façade.
Amy Rose 
~ I got out my map and chose a place I wanted to go to (...Packed up my stuff, set out for adventure...)
I know that your lucky colour is that cool shade of blue (...Won't mind painting myself blue for you...)
I guess I'm so easy to understand. I just do whatever comes to me naturally ~
Age: 12
Likes: Sonic, chasing/hunting down/teasing Sonic, adventure, shopping, cooking, romance, independance.
Dislikes: Rivals for Sonic's affections, unkind/immoral/unfeeling people, being left behind or left out, boredom.
Amy is a very romantic character who has made it her mission to eventually marry Sonic. Not an easy task considering the object of her affections is continually on the move, and not fond of the idea of getting into a commitment anytime soon. But Amy is a very persistant girl, who knows what she wants and she's made it clear to all that she won't let anything stand in her way of achieving her goal. Very spunky, adventurous and driven, she looks to Sonic as her source of inspiration in life, however she doesn't spend it all on herself and is quick to pass her infectiously cheery personality onto everyone she meets. She excels at pulling the team together and providing the needed motivation to get things going and as such, has demonstrated pretty good leadership qualities. She enjoys cookery, shopping, and predicting the future with her tarot cards, but equally, she just loves to be a part of the action and excitement and absolutely hates it when she's ignored or left behind.
Being as open, social and warm as she is, she's always willing to help out whenever she can and she has a very caring, almost motherly side to her which she extends to anyone who needs it. She alone was the one to remind Shadow of Maria's true request, which is what made the difference between him deciding to save the earth and letting it be destroyed. And she was the one contributing factor in Gamma eventually choosing to turn against Dr. Eggman.
However, she's also quick to give others a piece of her mind when she doesn't agree with them. She won't take any nonsense from anyone and can be quite aggressive and hot-headed if provoked. Hence why she's also very good at maintaining control of a situation, because no one dares to defy her - she has a massive hammer as her weapon and she's not afraid to make good use of it. She is also extremely possessive of Sonic and gets jealous of those who she sees as potential rivals for his heart. Mostly though, she's worrying for no reason because Sonic, despite hanging with a lot of different people, pretty much never has romance even cross his mind.
VIDEO GAME INTERACTION: 
~ Follow me inside, outside, through the stratosphere. The moon is shining for you. It knows that I adore you.
Suddenly all the sadness will just slip away. And you will see what I mean. If you just follow me in my dreams. ~
Sonic and Amy's story begins with the release of Sonic CD in 1993, which was where Amy made her first appearance in the game series. Amy was already a huge fan of Sonic before they even met, but it was through the use of her tarot cards that she came to the conclusion that Sonic was her destined true love, and that if she went to the Little Planet, she would meet him there. So, off she went on the trail of her hero and it wasn't long before she ran into the very hedgehog she was looking for. But before anything could be exchanged between them, Sonic's robotic duplicate - Metal Sonic, grabbed a hold of Amy and made off with her, right in front of Sonic. And so the hero had no choice but to save her, as well as his original mission of stopping Eggman. Now, awesome as they are, the classic games were rather lacking in actual plot and characterization, so there's not an awful lot to go on from this. However there is the official art of Sonic saving Amy, which does give off the impression of an initially one-sided interest. Most likely at this point, Sonic only saw her as someone he needed to rescue, nothing more. Which probably explains his hasty exit afterwards. However, little did he know at the time, she wasn't the typical "Eggman victim of the week" who he'd save and then leave behind, never to see again. Nope, this was one admirer who wouldn't be so easy to shake.
The next game with any real significant interaction between them, is Sonic Adventure. Amy's story begins with her walking down the street carrying her shopping, and she makes an exclamation about how bored she is, and about how every day in the city is just the same as every other day. She then goes on to say that she misses her adventuring days with Sonic and that things were always exciting when he was around. At this point she has a flashback to the events of Sonic CD, and the two of them being chased by Metal Sonic. Despite the danger that they were in, and the fact that she was kidnapped at the time, she clearly remembers the events rather fondly. Already we have the first signs that she longs for something far more than a normal, average lifestyle can offer her. She also tends to talk about Sonic in a very loving and affectionate way, which I will add, is much more genuine in Japanese. The english version really does overblow the whole "hero worship" thing, something which needs to be mentioned because a commonly used arguement against the pair, is that her feelings aren't real love. Personally I disagree, but that's up to you to decide.
Anyway, after deciding that she's going to help the bird she meets, Amy suddenly spots Sonic walking down the street. And THIS is how their encounter goes. I don't think I really need to describe the shippyness in that, but basically, Amy is rather pleased to see Sonic and greets him in her usual cheery way, while Sonic on the other hand, looked as if he didn't know who she was at first - seemingly only recognising her when she got close. Incidentally that would make some sense, since her character had been officially bumped from 8 years old to 12 between games, and had gone through a bit of a change in character design. Anyway, as soon as he realizes who she is he suddenly becomes a stuttery bag of nerves, which you have to understand, is normally quite unlike him. (Personally I intepret that as "Who...? Amy?! How the hell did you get so sexy?!") And given her habit of glomping him tightly when she sees him, that probably does nothing to ease his nerves here.
Amy tells him about the bird being in trouble, and decides that Sonic should be it's bodyguard. Sonic is at a loss for words at this, and chooses that point to run off with Amy giving chase. Most people tend to regard this as him just trying to get away from her, but that doesn't make any sense when you consider the next part. She finds him actually waiting for her outside Twinkle Park, even tapping his foot as if to say "what took you so long". This suggests to me that he never really intended to get away from her. This is even more shippy in Amy's story by the way they stand there in silence for a moment, looking out at the sunset in a very typically romantic scene (pictured above).
This is also where the differences in their account of events comes into play, because it should be noted that this scene from Sonic's POV goes a little differently. According to Sonic's story, after she decides that he should be the bird's bodyguard, the scene ends there, and the next scene starts with him and Amy walking side by side until she notices the robot behind them. This further goes to prove that he didn't intend to lose her, because Sonic doesn't even register running from her in the first place. From his perspective, they were together the whole time. Thus, if the running part was canon, he ran with full intent on her catching him. Cute, no? ;)
The next part always makes me squee, because it's just too adorable seeing Sonic go from a protective and confident, "I can handle this guy!" attitude, straight back to nervous and stuttery again when Amy wants them to go into Twinkle Park together. He even does the whole looking off in another direction thing, trying to avoid making eye contact. As others have said, part of the charm of the pair is the fact that Sonic doesn't always understand Amy's feelings, or why she does the things she does. It's very reminiscent of a real teenage boy, who doesn't quite understand girls or the world of dating yet. And personally I think Amy enjoys playing with that. Just as Sonic knew that she'd follow him, she runs into Twinkle Park knowing full well that he'll follow her.
I'd also like to bring up the journal entries here, because Sonic has two pretty interesting ones at this point:
I'm Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog!
Oh no, it's Amy!
Why did I have to run into her now?
Danger always follows me wherever I go.
She doesn't seem to care about that though.
I have to protect her.
A bird? A bodyguard??
Well, that I can handle, but...
Hmm, I wonder if she's involved in trouble again.
And, after they get separated in Twinkle Park:
I'm Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog!
I can't believe I lost Amy...
Was she captured by that robot that was following us?
I just knew Amy was going to cause me trouble like this!
But I can't just ignore what happened
Amy, where did they take you??
Where should I start looking for you?
Most of the fandom will have you believe that he sees her as merely a nuisance and another obstacle in the way of his missions, but here you can see that he's quite genuinely concerned about her. (And to further prove that point, you can hear the sheer concern in his voice) This is also where me and other Sonamy fans are getting the whole "He avoids her because he feels he's only going to drag her into more danger" arguement from. Sonic pretty much said it himself there, in the first of the above journals. It's also worth noting that he specifically said "Why did I have to run into her now?" which indicates that, had he not been wrapped up in another Eggman plot, he likely wouldn't have minded meeting her.
In the second journal, he goes from a frustrated "I knew she'd be nothing but trouble!", straight to a worried "Amy, where are you??", typical of anyone who's concerned for a loved one's safety, and isn't sure how to feel or react. Or who to blame, for that matter.
Later, once Sonic and Tails have reached the Egg Carrier to save Amy, they all eventually meet up on the deck. This scene from Amy's angle just shows Sonic and Tails walk towards her calmly, but from Sonic's POV, as soon as he sees her being confronted by Eggman, he literally races towards them and jumps in front of her protectively. Regardless of who's account is the correct one, the fact that Sonic saw himself as rushing to her aid worriedly, at the very least says something about his inward concern for her safety.
Anyway, when Eggman orders Gamma, (a robot that Amy befriended) to destroy Sonic, Amy stands between them and attempts to reason with Sonic. What I really love about this scene is the understanding that passes between them. Gamma didn't give Sonic any reason to believe that he was anything other than another Eggman pawn, intent on killing him. Despite this, Sonic agrees to let him go simply because Amy seemed to believe in him. "You must have your reasons". Personally, whether the feelings are romantic or just friendship, I find that trust to be quite touching, and it makes this one of my favourite scenes in the entire game. When Amy really speaks from her heart, Sonic listens and responds to that, regardless of whether he himself truly understands her or not. ♥
She then decides that she should become more independant, and gain Sonic's respect. This is a development that I really like, because her becoming more independant and able to take care of herself would ease some of Sonic's concern about dragging her into danger. I don't think he's necessarily in love with her at this point, and he certainly attempts to keep focused on the problems at hand, which just happens to include keeping her safe. But thanks to Amy things don't seem to go as straightforward as he'd like them to, and if that isn't also shyness and awkwardness in his voice and actions, then I don't know what is. x3 It is possible that he likes her more than he's ready to admit, even to himself.
Next up is Sonic Adventure 2, where Sonic has been mistaken for Shadow and locked up in a cell on Prison Island. Locked up until a certain pink hedgehog arrives to bust him out, that is. Amy straight away starts teasing him with the fact that she has the key to his cell - which literally puts his fate in her hands. And I think she's enjoying this just a little too much. "Are you *sure* you don't need my help?". Sonic immediately changes the subject and says that he's in there because of his "fake", finally showing interest when Amy seemingly knows who he's referring to. But instead of just answering him directly, Amy wants to continue her little game, asking him if he'll marry her if she tells him. Sonic refuses and turns away awkwardly, resulting in "I thought I had you this time!" from Amy. She then proceeds to free him from the cell anyway, telling him that the black hedgehog she saw came there with Eggman. Curious at the writing on wall, she asks Sonic whether he wrote it, only to turn round and find him gone. "Wait, Sonic!" she calls, and gives chase.
I absolutely love the humour in this scene. I think it's hilarious how awkward he is at the thought of being broken out of prison by his 12 year old stalker. Then, if that wasn't enough, she just has to tease him with the prospect of marriage, something which any freedom loving teen isn't going to take too well. I also have to mention that the voice acting makes a huge difference here. In english, when Sonic rejects her marriage proposal he just sounds irritated and fed up. But in Japanese he says it more like "Oh no, I'm not falling for that", and it's in no way a rejection of her advances in general, which is what is commonly claimed. That's the biggest problem with this scene, that the fandom tends to take it completely at face value, and claim "See, he doesn't like her!", but I'm convinced there's more to it than that. I don't know about you, but I can't possibly see that as anything other than an attempt at flirting by Amy, with Sonic realizing he's completely out of his depth. That would also
explain his need for a quick getaway.
Another thing I need to mention is that Amy understands Sonic better than you'd think, and isn't serious with her mentions of marriage, hence why she never takes it hard when he says no. They're not the "agonising rejections" that people make them out to be. This is even more apparent by the fact that in Japanese Amy just tells Sonic to wait up, while the english version (for goodness knows what reason) decided to add in "he can be such a brat sometimes". She never says that in Japanese. The english version just seems to love to put more distance between them, than there actually is.
The only other Sonic and Amy moment in this game, is the one where Eggman traps Sonic in a capsule and ejects him into space. The capsule (and Sonic, as far as everyone else knew) exploded when it was ejected from the ark, and there's a heart-wrenching moment where Amy watches it explode right in front of her eyes. But more than that, there's a moment just before Eggman ejects the capsule where Sonic says a farewell to both Tails and Amy. When addressing the former, he straight away tells him "I'm counting on you Tails!" putting his full trust and faith in his abilities, something which Tails takes fully to heart. But when he comes to Amy, he says her name and then hesitates for a moment, before eventually deciding on "Take care of yourself." In the english version this can be easily overlooked, but in Japanese the pause is significantly longer. Far too long, in my personal opinion, for it to have meant absolutely nothing. Was he about to confess some kind of feelings for Amy there, but then ultimately decided against it? It'd make sense, since Sonic making that kind of confession and then being taken away from her, would be a heavy burden that he knows she could do without. Of course, there's no way of knowing what it really meant, but it certainly seems suspicious.
In Sonic Heroes, Amy is seen looking at a newspaper that has a photo of Sonic in it, wondering where he could possibly have gotten to, since she hasn't seen him for a while. It turns out that Cream the Rabbit and Big the Cat are also looking for friends of their's that have gone missing, so Amy decides that the three of them will search together as a team.
It isn't long before Team Rose and Team Sonic finally cross paths, and Sonic is immediately nervous again. And who can blame him, since Amy, now having the object of her undying affection right where she wants him, immediately shows just who wears the pants in this relationship, declaring "Now there's no way out of marrying me!" Of course this was a mistake on her part, seeing as Sonic can only take so much, and just like before, suggestions of marriage appear to be his limit. Needless to say, after their little face off he heads straight for the hills.
Later on though, Amy gets another shot at catching him, and seeing as this takes place at the end of both team's individual stories (where as far as they knew everything was sorted), Sonic seems more willing to return play. He runs from her so he's only just ahead of her, looking back over his shoulder to make sureshe's still following him she's not getting too close. If he'd really wanted to get away that badly, he could've done so with no problem. To me, this just reeks of a game between them. I see this as him trying to cater to both their needs, keeping enough distance between them that he doesn't get out of his comfort range, but not so much that he comes off as uninterested in her. Others will most likely disagree with this, but it's the only explanation that makes any sense to me. Since Sonic is a character who is completely honest about his stance on things, if he's not interested in something, he'll say so. Likewise, if he had no feelings for Amy whatsoever, I can't imagine him leading her on like that. It's just not in his character.
In Sonic Riders, when the triple threat first meet up with Amy she admits to entering the competition but she also mentions her other motive for being there - to keep an eye on Sonic, winking at him playfully. This causes him to become uncomfortable and change the subject quick. He seems to like doing that. Gee, I wonder why. Getting a little hot under the collar, are we? Or in the words of Amy in Sonic Rush, "Cat got your tongue, Sonic?"
Later on, Eggman uses Amy as a hostage in an attempt to prevent Sonic from stopping him. Sonic clearly hesitates at first, but then decides to attack anyway and unfortunately for Amy, she gets caught in the wind of the attack as well. After the babylon rogues have made their exit, Sonic and the crew are about to leave as well, when Amy's very angry voice stops him in his tracks. Amy is, of course, really peeved at the fact that Sonic would attack while she was there, and Sonic makes a somewhat guilty attempt at explaining himself. Unfortunately Amy doesn't accept his excuses and to Sonic's terror, begins chasing him with her hammer, while Knuckles and Tails look on.
I know most people would think of this as a reason not to support Sonamy, but I love the way they behave like a married couple here. Sonic clearly knows he's in the wrong, and while he doesn't exactly want to get hit by the hammer, he still turns it into a bit of a game, never running too far - just around his friends and attempting to dodge the blows, almost as if he's playing with her or feels he's getting his just desserts.
Realistically, Amy will always have her fair share of flaws, which includes her fierce temper when things don't go her way. What I love about Sonic at these moments, is that he sort of acts as a "placater". Despite being afraid of her, he's patient with her and allows her to vent with no lasting damage to their overall relationship. Most wouldn't take it as good naturedly as he does. This already sets the foundations for a beneficial relationship, because for a couple to work they've got to be able to handle each other's flaws as well as their strengths. Like-wise, Amy may get frustrated at times with Sonic's tendency to run from her, but she ultimately never lets it change her overall opinion of him, nor does she give up on trying to win his heart. This is important because to stand any chance whatsoever of getting into a relationship with someone who stubbornly avoids all commitments and ties, persistence really is key. Heck, for all we know Sonic may even secretly consider it a turn on. >.>
Next up is the sequel, Sonic Riders - Zero Gravity. Amy's introductory scene in this game is probably the scene that makes Sonic's shyness more evident than any other. In various other scenes it can be mistaken for just plain being afraid of her, but I think this one's somewhat more obvious. This is shown not only in his reaction to her "Fated lovers are always drawn together, silly!" line, but also his awkward reaction to her glomping him afterwards. The "fated lovers" part was likely a reference to the way they first met, but it's also important to note that, like most of her marriage proposals, she isn't being 100% serious when she says it. Which is why when he went all shy there (and judging by her expression, that's the result she was looking for) she quickly follows it up with "Okay, you got me" and gives the real reason for her being there. This leads me to believe that she's content simply with the knowledge that he at least has some feelings for her, and isn't actually in as much of a rush as people think, to dive into marriage and the like. She just enjoys teasing him with that. :P
From Sonic's end, there's one line in this game that totally cracked me up. When Jet rudely demands that Amy hand over the item she "stole" from him, Sonic follows it up with "Girls hate guys who rush them, Jet." It's quite hilarious to hear Sonic of all people, try to give advice on girls. xP But none-the-less, you could argue that it's insight into his view of relationships. A personal theory of mine, is that he holds off on having a relationship with Amy, partly for his own needs, but also for hers. 12 year olds shouldn't be rushing into full on commitments, and in his own odd way he could be biding his time until he feels that they're both ready for something like that. At the very least, that would certainly explain why he drops enough hints to keep her going, but still avoids getting "in too deep".
There's also another moment later on, where it seems as if the robots have spotted them and Sonic and Knuckles get ready to fight. Interestingly enough, instead of Sonic remaining where he was with Tails, and Knuckles with Amy, they switch sides, Sonic purposely pushing Amy out of harms way. And afterwards, while he leaves Knuckles and Tails to fend for themselves, he protectively shields Amy with his arm (pictured above). Coincidence? Who knows? But it's damn cute either way.
Then there's Sonic the Hedgehog 2006 (aka Sonic Next Gen). Since the main focus of this game seemed to be the relationship between Sonic and Elise, there isn't a lot of Sonamy here. But despite that, there's still one scene that seems quite significant to me.
Silver, believing that Sonic is the "Iblis Trigger" and therefore the one responsible for the destruction in his world, had arrived in the present with the mission of killing Sonic. However before he can get anywhere with this, Amy jumps in the way and refuses to let him touch Sonic. Sonic manages to pull himself to his feet and thanks Amy gratefully, gaining a response of "leave it to me" from her, as he goes to save Elise from Eggman. I really like the trust that was present between them there, especially since Amy has been trying to prove her independance and gain his respect since Sonic Adventure. It makes this quite a significant development between them that he now trusts her to be able to handle the situation alone.
Next, having allowed Sonic to escape, she attempts to get some answers out of Silver:
Amy: The person you were looking for was Sonic? Were you planning to kill him?
Silver: He's responsible for destroying my world.
Amy: That's a lie! Sonic would never do that!
Silver: But it's true! In the near future, his actions caused the destruction of the world! That's why I--
Amy: I don't believe it! I won't. Even if it was true. If I had to choose between the world and Sonic...I would choose Sonic!
She's received a bit of fandom criticism for this, but personally I think it's an awesome scene. Yes to a degree it's selfish, but love can be selfish. To me this scene just helps to prove that her love is sincere and not just the usual "hero worship" she's accused of. She's absolutely devoted to Sonic and will stick by him no matter what. I'm also actually rather fond of the selfishness in it, because it gives her real human emotions, rather than just making her a flawless mary sue. Realistically if someone you're in love with, or heck, someone you care for in any kind of sense is in danger of losing their life by someone else's hands, you're not going to take very kindly to that nor are you going to be particularly willing to see things from the potential killer's side. This is an example of just how deep her faith in Sonic really is. She doesn't know whether there's any truth to what Silver is saying, she simply refuses to believe it, choosing instead to put her full trust in Sonic. I guess it's also her way of saying to Silver "That's not how it works around here", something that I think he actually really needed to hear. It's thanks to Amy that Silver gets a fresh perspective on things and begins to question his mission for the first time, rather than just believing everything Mephiles tells him. I know Sonic does turn out to be the Iblis Trigger, but it's not by his own hands or choice and it was an important lesson for Silver to learn, that the ends don't always justify the means. Personally I think it was a great scene for both of their characters, as well as the Sonamy pair.
Next is Sonic Unleashed. Basically, after a failed attempt at stopping Eggman's latest scheme, Sonic is now cursed with the burden of transforming into a "werehog" at night, due to the power of Dark Gaia. Not only does the transformation look to be quite painful, but it also brings out darker emotions such as anger and aggression in anyone affected by it. Even worse for Sonic, it takes away the thing he loves the most - his trademark speed. So it's not difficult to imagine that Sonic isn't particularly fond of this form. With his pride in the dirt, his freedom severely limited, and stuck in a hideous form, a chance encounter with Amy probably wasn't what the doctor ordered.
At first she throws her arms around him and hugs him tightly like she usually would upon finding him (and it should be noted that his protests are not only rather feeble, but he also doesn't exactly try very hard to get her off), but after she finally opens her eyes and really takes a look at him, she doesn't recognise him for who he really is. Believing that she's once again caught the wrong person (she mistook both Shadow and Silver for Sonic, when she first met them), she apologises and then runs off, leaving a rather confused and hurt Sonic behind. Considering the fact that earlier Tails had recognised him almost instantly, the fact that Amy didn't, seems to really upset him. This makes you think, because if Sonic was as uninterested in her as people believe, why would he be hurt that she didn't recognise him? You'd think he'd see it as a good thing. Why would he have reached out his paw as she was running away, as if he wanted to call her back but couldn't quite find it in himself, if he truly had no feelings for her at all? Of course Chip then goes and brings up his change in appearance, and once again Sonic has to face the reality that yet another part of his normal identity has been stolen by this form. He's also been made to understand the hard way, what it feels like to have someone you care for run away from you. A rather ironic twist of fate, considering he's usually the one doing the running.
The results of this can be seen in the next cutscene, after Sonic saves Amy from Dark Gaia's minions. He also saves a whole bunch of other humans who were under their influence, but it's Amy who he takes the time to gently lift to her feet. The significant part though, is when she turns round to see her rescuer and Sonic looks away sharply, before taking off into the night. This really makes you feel for him, since he's so ashamed of his appearance in this form, that he can't even bear to have her look at him anymore. D:
Sadly, the one disappointing thing about this game, is that the writers didn't choose to expand on their relationship any further after this, instead focusing on the main plot more. However, Amy does express faith in Sonic later, when the final battle is taking place.
Finally we have Sonic and the Black Knight, which centres around Sonic being dragged into the world of King Arthur and his Knights, who happen to be none other than alternate versions of his friends/rivals. Understandably this involves swordplay and Sonic's quest to become a true knight, with the help of his talking sword - Caliburn. Sonic as expected, is not fond or familiar with the rules and customs of old, such as honour and chivalry. As he later makes it known, he obeys no master and plays by no rules but his own. So throwing him into a situation where "code of conduct" is taken so seriously, was bound to have some consequences. This proves to be very amusing to watch, as you can see from his first meeting with the Lady of the Lake, this world's version of - you guessed it - Amy Rose.
This is another example of Sonic showing some hints of his own interest in Amy, and this time quite clearly so, since he certainly doesn't get that close to anyone normally. It's actually a rather nice change to see him making the moves for once, because it's usually Amy who starts the flirting. Of course, this isn't the Amy that he's familiar with, but he treats the storybook versions of his friends (and foes) no different than their real world equivalents, so it's safe to say that his behaviour here is in response to his feelings towards the real Amy.
The only difference is that Nimue is a much calmer, more mature version of Amy. Thus without the need to be cautious of her, it makes sense that Sonic feels more confident with expressing his feelings, and sees this as a chance to flirt back without having to face the consequences. Sorta like people who practice what they're going to say to their date in front of a mirror, before the actual date starts. That's what it reminds me of, anyway. x3
It's clear from this scene that if the real Amy was to calm down and tone down the obsession a bit, Sonic would no longer be inclined to run at first sight of her. It seems in a rather ironic way, that the energy and over enthusiasm that Amy puts into trying to catch Sonic, is actually the main thing that keeps them apart. When she isn't obsessing over him, Sonic is actually rather attracted to her. I guess we'll just have to see where this leads the pair in future games. :3
ANIME INTERACTION:
~ Our world is under a spell, even the excitement of our love is sealed in our tears
Boy, let's go together to find that charm, to the land where forbidden dreams may come true ~
Since I've done most of their interaction in the games, I should mention a bit about their relationship in the anime too. Sadly, Sonic X is widely regarded as non-canon because a lot of things are changed from the game series, including the sagas that are actually adapted from the games. (Think of it like anime vs manga. People generally consider the mangas to be the "true" canon and tend to frown at any changes the anime makes to the original story. In the Sonic series, the video games are the manga equivalent.) However despite this, the personalities of the characters are mostly the same as their game counterparts, with only a few differences due to more character development being possible in the anime. I won't go into every Sonamy moment in the series, because there are just too many, but I'll try to get a few of my favourites at least.
Episode 09 - Amy on the Beach:
This episode is actually centred around Sonic and Amy. Basically the main crew all want to go on a trip to the seaside, with the exception of Sonic, who instead gives them a load of attitude over it, before taking off on his own. Amy however, despite her initial anger at Sonic's display, sees through his mask, explaining that he's just weak around water because he can't swim. While at the beach, Amy feels sad that Sonic couldn't be there to share the experience with her and that's when she overhears a girl telling her boyfriend that the bracelet of shells she made him, will help him to swim. Naturally, Amy then decides to make one for Sonic.
Later, after an Eggman plot did infact manage to bring Sonic to the coast, Amy decides to give Sonic the bracelet she made for him. Awestruck that she'd made something like that especially for him, he reaches out to accept the gift, but suddenly vibrations knock the bracelet out of Amy's hands and it gets crushed under the weight of one of Eggman's mechas.
Amy is devastated that her gift was destroyed, but her tears quickly turn to anger and she single handedly defeats both Eggman and his mecha, using her hammer and fueled by her anger. Unfortunately her fight ends with her taking a tumble into the sea, which Sonic witnesses from the shore. Forgetting about his own fear of water and inability to swim, he dives straight in after her, worriedly. As she's sinking beneath the waves, Amy opens her eyes just enough to see the image of Sonic coming to save her from above, before losing consciousness.
The next thing we see is Amy and Sonic running together on the beach, seemingly enjoying themselves, but it's not long before Sonic pulls ahead of her, and she reaches out towards him, calling out to him to wait for her. At first it seems to have no effect, but suddenly Sonic pulls up sharply and comes to a halt. As Amy stops behind him, unsure of how to react, Sonic turns to her with a warm smile on his face. This is actually one of my favourite scenes in the entire episode, because it pretty much symbolizes their whole relationship. There may be times when it seems as though he's leaving her in the dust with no way for her to catch him up, but in the end he'll always wait for her and she'll never truly be left behind. She regains consciousness at this point to find that this was just a dream, but to me that makes it somehow more meaningful, because it proves that even though she's not fully aware of it, deep in her subconscious mind she knows that Sonic will never leave her.
Cream explains that Sonic has already left and Amy looks a little unhappy at this, shedding a few tears again at the loss of her bracelet. However she then resolves to make a new one, deciding that if Sonic can't swim, they'll never be able to go to the ocean together. The episode ends with Sonic sitting on the beach by himself, watching the sunset and sneezing, having caught a cold. He then stands up and the camera travels down to reveal that Sonic is actually wearing the bracelet, having taken the time to find the pieces and fix it himself. ♥
Next up is Episode 35 - Escape From Prison Island.
This episode is a part of the anime adaptation of Sonic Adventure 2. I already went through the game version of this scene, but I felt I needed to mention this version as well, since it has it's differences. (Character limit forced me to remove the quotes, but you can watch this specific scene here)
This version shows a little more of the "partners in crime" dynamic, than it's video game counterpart, and the teasing is from both sides rather than just from Amy. It also shows the way they bounce their sense of humour off each other, and how they can work together really well as just friends. To me it's important for there to be a good foundation with which to build a romantic relationship on, and these two have definitely got it. What better a foundation than an already strong friendship, and ability to work well together as a team?
Episode 45 - "Sonic Battle - Face Off!!"
In this episode, the government is trying to get Eggman's attention by holding a tournament with a Chaos Emerald as a prize. As expected, Sonic and the gang are roped into it as well and unfortunately for Sonic, his first match is against, of all people, Amy: (As above, you can watch this specific scene here)
This particular episode is based off the Sonic Battle game, where most people believe Amy was really delusional with her feelings and the way she interpreted Sonic's actions. However, while she did go a bit extreme at points, it's not difficult to see that there's some definite truth to Amy's interpretations there, as shown by this scene. This episode seems to be the first time in the anime at least, that the possibility of Sonic being shy has been mentioned. Interestingly enough, this is also exactly what was said in the Disney Adventures Scan. This isn't usually taken seriously by the fandom, but it's a bit of a coincidence that the magazine (who's writers were equally suprised at the news, proving that it wasn't made up by them) claims that SEGA confirmed the exact same thing as Amy in this scene. That Sonic is too shy to admit that he has feelings for her. Amy's interpretations are really not as far out as people think. Besides, it's always fun to see Sonic sweat, since he's usually so calm and in control. Funny how Amy is one of the only things in the universe that has that effect on him. ;)
You can also see this in one of the Metarex saga episodes:
Celebration aboard the Typhoon.
Amy makes her entrance to the party wearing a beautiful dress, and Sonic literally just stands there staring at her, slack-jawed incomprehension written all over his face.
Amy: *Enters and does a twirl* Look at me Sonic~ Do I please you in this dress?
Sonic: *Gawks*
Cream: Amy-san, it's so pretty!
Amy: I'm like a flower floating in the air~ *twirls until she's in front of Sonic* I'll be a princess for this party. *Reaches for Sonic's hand and brings him closer* And you...you'll be my prince.
Sonic: *sweating buckets*
Amy of course realizes that she has Sonic right where she wants him, and takes this moment to lay on the heat. Personally, I think Sonic needs a bucket of cold water, stat.
Aside from all of her continual attempts to win Sonic's heart, Amy does also show genuine care and concern for his well being. She isn't just a hysteric fangirl, with nothing but romance on her mind, and she isn't always the one who's in need of rescuing. Considering Sonic's reckless lifestyle, she worries over him a lot, almost like a motherly figure who, for all we know, Sonic may never have had.
The Lost Planet:
Amy: *Spots Sonic leaving by himself* Wait Sonic, your wounds are not healed yet!
Sonic: Don't worry about me, I'll be back quickly. *Takes off*
Amy: Wait! I'll come too! .... Oh! You won't escape me! *Runs to get a ship to follow him*
And there are many other similar moments, such as these:
All of them are moments when she's concerned about him, worries over the danger he's putting himself in, and/or plays nurse to him. Sorta like those traditional wives taking care of their "wounded soldiers". It's important to note that she never asks him to give up his free lifestyle, or the fight against evil, nor does she try to force him to settle down with her. I'm sure she'd love to marry him one day, but the only times in the series when she's brought up marriage, she hasn't been totally serious and just likes to use it to tease him. But nevertheless, she is always there to make sure her rebellious teen is still in one piece at the end of the day. He's usually so independant and self-reliant, that I'll bet it's a bit uncomfortable for him to have someone fuss over him and give him so much TLC, but he likes having her attention on him, more than he'd care to admit. ;3
Finally, there's the famous scene from:
Episode 52 - Memories of the Wind
Upon returning to his own world and saving Tails' life, the very next thing that Sonic does is head off to Amy's house. Of all the people that he felt he needed to see, Amy was his highest priority. During the time that he'd been gone, Amy had been spending time at Cream and Vanilla's house, but as she's sitting there looking sadly out the window, she suddenly sees Sonic flying across the night sky as Super Sonic. Wasting no time, she immediately runs all the way from Cream's house to her own, and it's there that she and Sonic have their reunion.
This is a scene that you've really got to see and hear for yourself, to get a feel for just how emotional it really is. There are two versions - from what I hear, one of them was the tv version and one was the DVD equivalent. Here's the Hikaru Michi version, with lyrics. And here's the Natsu no hi version, sadly without translated lyrics.
I think this scene pretty much speaks for itself really, although the fandom is still divided over what Sonic actually said there. Personally, I think it's a fairly sure thing that he did tell her he loved her, or at least something on a similar level. Aside from the clear romantic music, the fact that it was originally intended to be the last episode in the series, and the fact that there would have been no reason to mute it if he just said something like "Oh hi Amy, how're you doing?", nothing else really fits with the context of the situation. She was desperate and emotional and specifically asked him to tell her those exact words, so if he had said anything other than what she wanted to hear, there's no way she would have reacted in that way - with a look of disbelief before hugging him tightly. It just wouldn't have made any sense. And as I said earlier, it's not in Sonic's character to lead someone on like that and give them false hope, if he honestly doesn't feel the same way.
Also, according to various sites on the web, giving someone a lilac rose can have quite a significant meaning. From here:
Lilac roses, also called lavender roses, when given as a gift has the meaning of "love at first sight" and implies that the sender was enchanted and instantly charmed by the person receiving these eye-catching blooms.
Suffice to say, regardless of what his actual words were there, the intended meaning really doesn't leave all that much up to the imagination. ;)
[NOTE TO MODS - If this gets accepted, I'll add my interpretations/reasons for shipping AND the fandom recommendations in a comment underneath. I've already had to cut out a lot of this essay because of exceeding the character limit, (I quote: "Error updating journal: Client error: Post too large.") and I really can't cut anything else. ;__; ]
Author: Destiny's Shadow (Or
destinyshadow25)Fandom: Sonic the Hedgehog
Pairing: Sonic the Hedgehog / Amy Rose
Spoilers: Sonic CD, Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Heroes, Sonic Riders, Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity, Sonic the Hedgehog 2006 (aka Sonic Next Gen), Sonic Unleashed, and Sonic and the Black Knight. Also various episodes from the Sonic X anime.
INTRODUCTION:
I expect everyone's already heard of the speedy, blue pincushion and the video game series that shares his name, right? But incase you haven't, it's a series about the aforementioned hedgehog and his pals attempting to thwart the numerous schemes of a maniacal scientist, with a genius level IQ, and his seemingly neverending supply of mechanical minions. This particular essay focuses on the flagship character himself and his self-proclaimed girlfriend, who'll stop at nothing to earn his respect and ultimately win his heart.
You'll probably notice that most of the cutscenes and other clips I link to in the essay, are in Japanese, but that's because their english equivalents don't always manage to convey the same emotions, or at least not as effectively. This is especially true in the case of the pairing that I'm writing about, because it often reduces the shippyness and makes it look as though Sonic can't stand Amy (and sadly that's what most of the fandom believes, as well T.T). The reality is quite different, as you'll see.
~ MEET THE HEDGEHOGS ~
Sonic the Hedgehog ~ This is my escape, I’m running through this world and I’m not looking back.
'Cause I know I can go, where no one’s ever gone and I’m not looking back.
But how will I know when I get there? And how will I know when to leave?
We’ve all gotta start from somewhere, and it’s right there for me, the possibilities are never ending. ~
Age: 15
Likes: Running, speed, action, adventure, freedom, nature, exploring, chilaxing, doing as he pleases.
Dislikes: Water, injustice/oppression, not being able to run, being held back or tied down in anyway, rules/formalities.
At this point, we know next to nothing about Sonic's origins or where he came from, just that he's a drifter who never stays in one place for too long, and loves nothing more than travelling the world in an endless search for adventure and excitement. Not unlike a lot of teenagers, he's a habitual thrill seeker who willingly throws himself into potentially dangerous situations, just because he gets a kick out of it. A huge nature lover, he also enjoys admiring the beauty of the natural world and tends to view new sights and wonders very much like a child on Christmas morning.
On the flip side, he dislikes commitments, rules/formalities, and basically anything that he sees as a chore or a threat to his prized freedom. In that regard he can sometimes be quite selfish, always wanting to do as he pleases and follow his own pursuits. Let's just say that sometimes the "call of the wild" is just too much for Sonic to resist.
Quick witted and a total smartass, he finds great amusement in
Ever optimistic, he prefers to focus on the future and on moving forward, rather than dwelling on the past or letting it hold him back. That being said, it can be quite interesting when there actually is something he can't just shake off, because it causes quite a bit of internal conflict for him. While on one hand he's very open, social and extroverted, he can also be suprisingly introverted and secretive regarding his own feelings. Sometimes it can be nigh impossible to tell what's truly going on behind those emerald eyes, and there are several times when you really question just how much of his carefree demeanor is still genuine and how much is pure façade.
Amy Rose ~ I got out my map and chose a place I wanted to go to (...Packed up my stuff, set out for adventure...)
I know that your lucky colour is that cool shade of blue (...Won't mind painting myself blue for you...)
I guess I'm so easy to understand. I just do whatever comes to me naturally ~
Age: 12
Likes: Sonic, chasing/hunting down/teasing Sonic, adventure, shopping, cooking, romance, independance.
Dislikes: Rivals for Sonic's affections, unkind/immoral/unfeeling people, being left behind or left out, boredom.
Amy is a very romantic character who has made it her mission to eventually marry Sonic. Not an easy task considering the object of her affections is continually on the move, and not fond of the idea of getting into a commitment anytime soon. But Amy is a very persistant girl, who knows what she wants and she's made it clear to all that she won't let anything stand in her way of achieving her goal. Very spunky, adventurous and driven, she looks to Sonic as her source of inspiration in life, however she doesn't spend it all on herself and is quick to pass her infectiously cheery personality onto everyone she meets. She excels at pulling the team together and providing the needed motivation to get things going and as such, has demonstrated pretty good leadership qualities. She enjoys cookery, shopping, and predicting the future with her tarot cards, but equally, she just loves to be a part of the action and excitement and absolutely hates it when she's ignored or left behind.
Being as open, social and warm as she is, she's always willing to help out whenever she can and she has a very caring, almost motherly side to her which she extends to anyone who needs it. She alone was the one to remind Shadow of Maria's true request, which is what made the difference between him deciding to save the earth and letting it be destroyed. And she was the one contributing factor in Gamma eventually choosing to turn against Dr. Eggman.
However, she's also quick to give others a piece of her mind when she doesn't agree with them. She won't take any nonsense from anyone and can be quite aggressive and hot-headed if provoked. Hence why she's also very good at maintaining control of a situation, because no one dares to defy her - she has a massive hammer as her weapon and she's not afraid to make good use of it. She is also extremely possessive of Sonic and gets jealous of those who she sees as potential rivals for his heart. Mostly though, she's worrying for no reason because Sonic, despite hanging with a lot of different people, pretty much never has romance even cross his mind.
VIDEO GAME INTERACTION: ~ Follow me inside, outside, through the stratosphere. The moon is shining for you. It knows that I adore you.
Suddenly all the sadness will just slip away. And you will see what I mean. If you just follow me in my dreams. ~
Sonic and Amy's story begins with the release of Sonic CD in 1993, which was where Amy made her first appearance in the game series. Amy was already a huge fan of Sonic before they even met, but it was through the use of her tarot cards that she came to the conclusion that Sonic was her destined true love, and that if she went to the Little Planet, she would meet him there. So, off she went on the trail of her hero and it wasn't long before she ran into the very hedgehog she was looking for. But before anything could be exchanged between them, Sonic's robotic duplicate - Metal Sonic, grabbed a hold of Amy and made off with her, right in front of Sonic. And so the hero had no choice but to save her, as well as his original mission of stopping Eggman. Now, awesome as they are, the classic games were rather lacking in actual plot and characterization, so there's not an awful lot to go on from this. However there is the official art of Sonic saving Amy, which does give off the impression of an initially one-sided interest. Most likely at this point, Sonic only saw her as someone he needed to rescue, nothing more. Which probably explains his hasty exit afterwards. However, little did he know at the time, she wasn't the typical "Eggman victim of the week" who he'd save and then leave behind, never to see again. Nope, this was one admirer who wouldn't be so easy to shake.
The next game with any real significant interaction between them, is Sonic Adventure. Amy's story begins with her walking down the street carrying her shopping, and she makes an exclamation about how bored she is, and about how every day in the city is just the same as every other day. She then goes on to say that she misses her adventuring days with Sonic and that things were always exciting when he was around. At this point she has a flashback to the events of Sonic CD, and the two of them being chased by Metal Sonic. Despite the danger that they were in, and the fact that she was kidnapped at the time, she clearly remembers the events rather fondly. Already we have the first signs that she longs for something far more than a normal, average lifestyle can offer her. She also tends to talk about Sonic in a very loving and affectionate way, which I will add, is much more genuine in Japanese. The english version really does overblow the whole "hero worship" thing, something which needs to be mentioned because a commonly used arguement against the pair, is that her feelings aren't real love. Personally I disagree, but that's up to you to decide.
Anyway, after deciding that she's going to help the bird she meets, Amy suddenly spots Sonic walking down the street. And THIS is how their encounter goes. I don't think I really need to describe the shippyness in that, but basically, Amy is rather pleased to see Sonic and greets him in her usual cheery way, while Sonic on the other hand, looked as if he didn't know who she was at first - seemingly only recognising her when she got close. Incidentally that would make some sense, since her character had been officially bumped from 8 years old to 12 between games, and had gone through a bit of a change in character design. Anyway, as soon as he realizes who she is he suddenly becomes a stuttery bag of nerves, which you have to understand, is normally quite unlike him. (Personally I intepret that as "Who...? Amy?! How the hell did you get so sexy?!") And given her habit of glomping him tightly when she sees him, that probably does nothing to ease his nerves here.
Amy tells him about the bird being in trouble, and decides that Sonic should be it's bodyguard. Sonic is at a loss for words at this, and chooses that point to run off with Amy giving chase. Most people tend to regard this as him just trying to get away from her, but that doesn't make any sense when you consider the next part. She finds him actually waiting for her outside Twinkle Park, even tapping his foot as if to say "what took you so long". This suggests to me that he never really intended to get away from her. This is even more shippy in Amy's story by the way they stand there in silence for a moment, looking out at the sunset in a very typically romantic scene (pictured above).
This is also where the differences in their account of events comes into play, because it should be noted that this scene from Sonic's POV goes a little differently. According to Sonic's story, after she decides that he should be the bird's bodyguard, the scene ends there, and the next scene starts with him and Amy walking side by side until she notices the robot behind them. This further goes to prove that he didn't intend to lose her, because Sonic doesn't even register running from her in the first place. From his perspective, they were together the whole time. Thus, if the running part was canon, he ran with full intent on her catching him. Cute, no? ;)
The next part always makes me squee, because it's just too adorable seeing Sonic go from a protective and confident, "I can handle this guy!" attitude, straight back to nervous and stuttery again when Amy wants them to go into Twinkle Park together. He even does the whole looking off in another direction thing, trying to avoid making eye contact. As others have said, part of the charm of the pair is the fact that Sonic doesn't always understand Amy's feelings, or why she does the things she does. It's very reminiscent of a real teenage boy, who doesn't quite understand girls or the world of dating yet. And personally I think Amy enjoys playing with that. Just as Sonic knew that she'd follow him, she runs into Twinkle Park knowing full well that he'll follow her.
I'd also like to bring up the journal entries here, because Sonic has two pretty interesting ones at this point:
I'm Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog!
Oh no, it's Amy!
Why did I have to run into her now?
Danger always follows me wherever I go.
She doesn't seem to care about that though.
I have to protect her.
A bird? A bodyguard??
Well, that I can handle, but...
Hmm, I wonder if she's involved in trouble again.
And, after they get separated in Twinkle Park:
I'm Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog!
I can't believe I lost Amy...
Was she captured by that robot that was following us?
I just knew Amy was going to cause me trouble like this!
But I can't just ignore what happened
Amy, where did they take you??
Where should I start looking for you?
Most of the fandom will have you believe that he sees her as merely a nuisance and another obstacle in the way of his missions, but here you can see that he's quite genuinely concerned about her. (And to further prove that point, you can hear the sheer concern in his voice) This is also where me and other Sonamy fans are getting the whole "He avoids her because he feels he's only going to drag her into more danger" arguement from. Sonic pretty much said it himself there, in the first of the above journals. It's also worth noting that he specifically said "Why did I have to run into her now?" which indicates that, had he not been wrapped up in another Eggman plot, he likely wouldn't have minded meeting her.
In the second journal, he goes from a frustrated "I knew she'd be nothing but trouble!", straight to a worried "Amy, where are you??", typical of anyone who's concerned for a loved one's safety, and isn't sure how to feel or react. Or who to blame, for that matter.
Later, once Sonic and Tails have reached the Egg Carrier to save Amy, they all eventually meet up on the deck. This scene from Amy's angle just shows Sonic and Tails walk towards her calmly, but from Sonic's POV, as soon as he sees her being confronted by Eggman, he literally races towards them and jumps in front of her protectively. Regardless of who's account is the correct one, the fact that Sonic saw himself as rushing to her aid worriedly, at the very least says something about his inward concern for her safety.
Anyway, when Eggman orders Gamma, (a robot that Amy befriended) to destroy Sonic, Amy stands between them and attempts to reason with Sonic. What I really love about this scene is the understanding that passes between them. Gamma didn't give Sonic any reason to believe that he was anything other than another Eggman pawn, intent on killing him. Despite this, Sonic agrees to let him go simply because Amy seemed to believe in him. "You must have your reasons". Personally, whether the feelings are romantic or just friendship, I find that trust to be quite touching, and it makes this one of my favourite scenes in the entire game. When Amy really speaks from her heart, Sonic listens and responds to that, regardless of whether he himself truly understands her or not. ♥
She then decides that she should become more independant, and gain Sonic's respect. This is a development that I really like, because her becoming more independant and able to take care of herself would ease some of Sonic's concern about dragging her into danger. I don't think he's necessarily in love with her at this point, and he certainly attempts to keep focused on the problems at hand, which just happens to include keeping her safe. But thanks to Amy things don't seem to go as straightforward as he'd like them to, and if that isn't also shyness and awkwardness in his voice and actions, then I don't know what is. x3 It is possible that he likes her more than he's ready to admit, even to himself.
Next up is Sonic Adventure 2, where Sonic has been mistaken for Shadow and locked up in a cell on Prison Island. Locked up until a certain pink hedgehog arrives to bust him out, that is. Amy straight away starts teasing him with the fact that she has the key to his cell - which literally puts his fate in her hands. And I think she's enjoying this just a little too much. "Are you *sure* you don't need my help?". Sonic immediately changes the subject and says that he's in there because of his "fake", finally showing interest when Amy seemingly knows who he's referring to. But instead of just answering him directly, Amy wants to continue her little game, asking him if he'll marry her if she tells him. Sonic refuses and turns away awkwardly, resulting in "I thought I had you this time!" from Amy. She then proceeds to free him from the cell anyway, telling him that the black hedgehog she saw came there with Eggman. Curious at the writing on wall, she asks Sonic whether he wrote it, only to turn round and find him gone. "Wait, Sonic!" she calls, and gives chase.
I absolutely love the humour in this scene. I think it's hilarious how awkward he is at the thought of being broken out of prison by his 12 year old stalker. Then, if that wasn't enough, she just has to tease him with the prospect of marriage, something which any freedom loving teen isn't going to take too well. I also have to mention that the voice acting makes a huge difference here. In english, when Sonic rejects her marriage proposal he just sounds irritated and fed up. But in Japanese he says it more like "Oh no, I'm not falling for that", and it's in no way a rejection of her advances in general, which is what is commonly claimed. That's the biggest problem with this scene, that the fandom tends to take it completely at face value, and claim "See, he doesn't like her!", but I'm convinced there's more to it than that. I don't know about you, but I can't possibly see that as anything other than an attempt at flirting by Amy, with Sonic realizing he's completely out of his depth. That would also
explain his need for a quick getaway.
Another thing I need to mention is that Amy understands Sonic better than you'd think, and isn't serious with her mentions of marriage, hence why she never takes it hard when he says no. They're not the "agonising rejections" that people make them out to be. This is even more apparent by the fact that in Japanese Amy just tells Sonic to wait up, while the english version (for goodness knows what reason) decided to add in "he can be such a brat sometimes". She never says that in Japanese. The english version just seems to love to put more distance between them, than there actually is.
The only other Sonic and Amy moment in this game, is the one where Eggman traps Sonic in a capsule and ejects him into space. The capsule (and Sonic, as far as everyone else knew) exploded when it was ejected from the ark, and there's a heart-wrenching moment where Amy watches it explode right in front of her eyes. But more than that, there's a moment just before Eggman ejects the capsule where Sonic says a farewell to both Tails and Amy. When addressing the former, he straight away tells him "I'm counting on you Tails!" putting his full trust and faith in his abilities, something which Tails takes fully to heart. But when he comes to Amy, he says her name and then hesitates for a moment, before eventually deciding on "Take care of yourself." In the english version this can be easily overlooked, but in Japanese the pause is significantly longer. Far too long, in my personal opinion, for it to have meant absolutely nothing. Was he about to confess some kind of feelings for Amy there, but then ultimately decided against it? It'd make sense, since Sonic making that kind of confession and then being taken away from her, would be a heavy burden that he knows she could do without. Of course, there's no way of knowing what it really meant, but it certainly seems suspicious.
In Sonic Heroes, Amy is seen looking at a newspaper that has a photo of Sonic in it, wondering where he could possibly have gotten to, since she hasn't seen him for a while. It turns out that Cream the Rabbit and Big the Cat are also looking for friends of their's that have gone missing, so Amy decides that the three of them will search together as a team.
It isn't long before Team Rose and Team Sonic finally cross paths, and Sonic is immediately nervous again. And who can blame him, since Amy, now having the object of her undying affection right where she wants him, immediately shows just who wears the pants in this relationship, declaring "Now there's no way out of marrying me!" Of course this was a mistake on her part, seeing as Sonic can only take so much, and just like before, suggestions of marriage appear to be his limit. Needless to say, after their little face off he heads straight for the hills.
Later on though, Amy gets another shot at catching him, and seeing as this takes place at the end of both team's individual stories (where as far as they knew everything was sorted), Sonic seems more willing to return play. He runs from her so he's only just ahead of her, looking back over his shoulder to make sure
In Sonic Riders, when the triple threat first meet up with Amy she admits to entering the competition but she also mentions her other motive for being there - to keep an eye on Sonic, winking at him playfully. This causes him to become uncomfortable and change the subject quick. He seems to like doing that. Gee, I wonder why. Getting a little hot under the collar, are we? Or in the words of Amy in Sonic Rush, "Cat got your tongue, Sonic?"
Later on, Eggman uses Amy as a hostage in an attempt to prevent Sonic from stopping him. Sonic clearly hesitates at first, but then decides to attack anyway and unfortunately for Amy, she gets caught in the wind of the attack as well. After the babylon rogues have made their exit, Sonic and the crew are about to leave as well, when Amy's very angry voice stops him in his tracks. Amy is, of course, really peeved at the fact that Sonic would attack while she was there, and Sonic makes a somewhat guilty attempt at explaining himself. Unfortunately Amy doesn't accept his excuses and to Sonic's terror, begins chasing him with her hammer, while Knuckles and Tails look on.
I know most people would think of this as a reason not to support Sonamy, but I love the way they behave like a married couple here. Sonic clearly knows he's in the wrong, and while he doesn't exactly want to get hit by the hammer, he still turns it into a bit of a game, never running too far - just around his friends and attempting to dodge the blows, almost as if he's playing with her or feels he's getting his just desserts.
Realistically, Amy will always have her fair share of flaws, which includes her fierce temper when things don't go her way. What I love about Sonic at these moments, is that he sort of acts as a "placater". Despite being afraid of her, he's patient with her and allows her to vent with no lasting damage to their overall relationship. Most wouldn't take it as good naturedly as he does. This already sets the foundations for a beneficial relationship, because for a couple to work they've got to be able to handle each other's flaws as well as their strengths. Like-wise, Amy may get frustrated at times with Sonic's tendency to run from her, but she ultimately never lets it change her overall opinion of him, nor does she give up on trying to win his heart. This is important because to stand any chance whatsoever of getting into a relationship with someone who stubbornly avoids all commitments and ties, persistence really is key. Heck, for all we know Sonic may even secretly consider it a turn on. >.>
Next up is the sequel, Sonic Riders - Zero Gravity. Amy's introductory scene in this game is probably the scene that makes Sonic's shyness more evident than any other. In various other scenes it can be mistaken for just plain being afraid of her, but I think this one's somewhat more obvious. This is shown not only in his reaction to her "Fated lovers are always drawn together, silly!" line, but also his awkward reaction to her glomping him afterwards. The "fated lovers" part was likely a reference to the way they first met, but it's also important to note that, like most of her marriage proposals, she isn't being 100% serious when she says it. Which is why when he went all shy there (and judging by her expression, that's the result she was looking for) she quickly follows it up with "Okay, you got me" and gives the real reason for her being there. This leads me to believe that she's content simply with the knowledge that he at least has some feelings for her, and isn't actually in as much of a rush as people think, to dive into marriage and the like. She just enjoys teasing him with that. :P
From Sonic's end, there's one line in this game that totally cracked me up. When Jet rudely demands that Amy hand over the item she "stole" from him, Sonic follows it up with "Girls hate guys who rush them, Jet." It's quite hilarious to hear Sonic of all people, try to give advice on girls. xP But none-the-less, you could argue that it's insight into his view of relationships. A personal theory of mine, is that he holds off on having a relationship with Amy, partly for his own needs, but also for hers. 12 year olds shouldn't be rushing into full on commitments, and in his own odd way he could be biding his time until he feels that they're both ready for something like that. At the very least, that would certainly explain why he drops enough hints to keep her going, but still avoids getting "in too deep".
There's also another moment later on, where it seems as if the robots have spotted them and Sonic and Knuckles get ready to fight. Interestingly enough, instead of Sonic remaining where he was with Tails, and Knuckles with Amy, they switch sides, Sonic purposely pushing Amy out of harms way. And afterwards, while he leaves Knuckles and Tails to fend for themselves, he protectively shields Amy with his arm (pictured above). Coincidence? Who knows? But it's damn cute either way.
Then there's Sonic the Hedgehog 2006 (aka Sonic Next Gen). Since the main focus of this game seemed to be the relationship between Sonic and Elise, there isn't a lot of Sonamy here. But despite that, there's still one scene that seems quite significant to me.
Silver, believing that Sonic is the "Iblis Trigger" and therefore the one responsible for the destruction in his world, had arrived in the present with the mission of killing Sonic. However before he can get anywhere with this, Amy jumps in the way and refuses to let him touch Sonic. Sonic manages to pull himself to his feet and thanks Amy gratefully, gaining a response of "leave it to me" from her, as he goes to save Elise from Eggman. I really like the trust that was present between them there, especially since Amy has been trying to prove her independance and gain his respect since Sonic Adventure. It makes this quite a significant development between them that he now trusts her to be able to handle the situation alone.
Next, having allowed Sonic to escape, she attempts to get some answers out of Silver:
Amy: The person you were looking for was Sonic? Were you planning to kill him?
Silver: He's responsible for destroying my world.
Amy: That's a lie! Sonic would never do that!
Silver: But it's true! In the near future, his actions caused the destruction of the world! That's why I--
Amy: I don't believe it! I won't. Even if it was true. If I had to choose between the world and Sonic...I would choose Sonic!
She's received a bit of fandom criticism for this, but personally I think it's an awesome scene. Yes to a degree it's selfish, but love can be selfish. To me this scene just helps to prove that her love is sincere and not just the usual "hero worship" she's accused of. She's absolutely devoted to Sonic and will stick by him no matter what. I'm also actually rather fond of the selfishness in it, because it gives her real human emotions, rather than just making her a flawless mary sue. Realistically if someone you're in love with, or heck, someone you care for in any kind of sense is in danger of losing their life by someone else's hands, you're not going to take very kindly to that nor are you going to be particularly willing to see things from the potential killer's side. This is an example of just how deep her faith in Sonic really is. She doesn't know whether there's any truth to what Silver is saying, she simply refuses to believe it, choosing instead to put her full trust in Sonic. I guess it's also her way of saying to Silver "That's not how it works around here", something that I think he actually really needed to hear. It's thanks to Amy that Silver gets a fresh perspective on things and begins to question his mission for the first time, rather than just believing everything Mephiles tells him. I know Sonic does turn out to be the Iblis Trigger, but it's not by his own hands or choice and it was an important lesson for Silver to learn, that the ends don't always justify the means. Personally I think it was a great scene for both of their characters, as well as the Sonamy pair.
Next is Sonic Unleashed. Basically, after a failed attempt at stopping Eggman's latest scheme, Sonic is now cursed with the burden of transforming into a "werehog" at night, due to the power of Dark Gaia. Not only does the transformation look to be quite painful, but it also brings out darker emotions such as anger and aggression in anyone affected by it. Even worse for Sonic, it takes away the thing he loves the most - his trademark speed. So it's not difficult to imagine that Sonic isn't particularly fond of this form. With his pride in the dirt, his freedom severely limited, and stuck in a hideous form, a chance encounter with Amy probably wasn't what the doctor ordered.
At first she throws her arms around him and hugs him tightly like she usually would upon finding him (and it should be noted that his protests are not only rather feeble, but he also doesn't exactly try very hard to get her off), but after she finally opens her eyes and really takes a look at him, she doesn't recognise him for who he really is. Believing that she's once again caught the wrong person (she mistook both Shadow and Silver for Sonic, when she first met them), she apologises and then runs off, leaving a rather confused and hurt Sonic behind. Considering the fact that earlier Tails had recognised him almost instantly, the fact that Amy didn't, seems to really upset him. This makes you think, because if Sonic was as uninterested in her as people believe, why would he be hurt that she didn't recognise him? You'd think he'd see it as a good thing. Why would he have reached out his paw as she was running away, as if he wanted to call her back but couldn't quite find it in himself, if he truly had no feelings for her at all? Of course Chip then goes and brings up his change in appearance, and once again Sonic has to face the reality that yet another part of his normal identity has been stolen by this form. He's also been made to understand the hard way, what it feels like to have someone you care for run away from you. A rather ironic twist of fate, considering he's usually the one doing the running.
The results of this can be seen in the next cutscene, after Sonic saves Amy from Dark Gaia's minions. He also saves a whole bunch of other humans who were under their influence, but it's Amy who he takes the time to gently lift to her feet. The significant part though, is when she turns round to see her rescuer and Sonic looks away sharply, before taking off into the night. This really makes you feel for him, since he's so ashamed of his appearance in this form, that he can't even bear to have her look at him anymore. D:
Sadly, the one disappointing thing about this game, is that the writers didn't choose to expand on their relationship any further after this, instead focusing on the main plot more. However, Amy does express faith in Sonic later, when the final battle is taking place.
Finally we have Sonic and the Black Knight, which centres around Sonic being dragged into the world of King Arthur and his Knights, who happen to be none other than alternate versions of his friends/rivals. Understandably this involves swordplay and Sonic's quest to become a true knight, with the help of his talking sword - Caliburn. Sonic as expected, is not fond or familiar with the rules and customs of old, such as honour and chivalry. As he later makes it known, he obeys no master and plays by no rules but his own. So throwing him into a situation where "code of conduct" is taken so seriously, was bound to have some consequences. This proves to be very amusing to watch, as you can see from his first meeting with the Lady of the Lake, this world's version of - you guessed it - Amy Rose.
This is another example of Sonic showing some hints of his own interest in Amy, and this time quite clearly so, since he certainly doesn't get that close to anyone normally. It's actually a rather nice change to see him making the moves for once, because it's usually Amy who starts the flirting. Of course, this isn't the Amy that he's familiar with, but he treats the storybook versions of his friends (and foes) no different than their real world equivalents, so it's safe to say that his behaviour here is in response to his feelings towards the real Amy.
The only difference is that Nimue is a much calmer, more mature version of Amy. Thus without the need to be cautious of her, it makes sense that Sonic feels more confident with expressing his feelings, and sees this as a chance to flirt back without having to face the consequences. Sorta like people who practice what they're going to say to their date in front of a mirror, before the actual date starts. That's what it reminds me of, anyway. x3
It's clear from this scene that if the real Amy was to calm down and tone down the obsession a bit, Sonic would no longer be inclined to run at first sight of her. It seems in a rather ironic way, that the energy and over enthusiasm that Amy puts into trying to catch Sonic, is actually the main thing that keeps them apart. When she isn't obsessing over him, Sonic is actually rather attracted to her. I guess we'll just have to see where this leads the pair in future games. :3
ANIME INTERACTION: ~ Our world is under a spell, even the excitement of our love is sealed in our tears
Boy, let's go together to find that charm, to the land where forbidden dreams may come true ~
Since I've done most of their interaction in the games, I should mention a bit about their relationship in the anime too. Sadly, Sonic X is widely regarded as non-canon because a lot of things are changed from the game series, including the sagas that are actually adapted from the games. (Think of it like anime vs manga. People generally consider the mangas to be the "true" canon and tend to frown at any changes the anime makes to the original story. In the Sonic series, the video games are the manga equivalent.) However despite this, the personalities of the characters are mostly the same as their game counterparts, with only a few differences due to more character development being possible in the anime. I won't go into every Sonamy moment in the series, because there are just too many, but I'll try to get a few of my favourites at least.
Episode 09 - Amy on the Beach:
This episode is actually centred around Sonic and Amy. Basically the main crew all want to go on a trip to the seaside, with the exception of Sonic, who instead gives them a load of attitude over it, before taking off on his own. Amy however, despite her initial anger at Sonic's display, sees through his mask, explaining that he's just weak around water because he can't swim. While at the beach, Amy feels sad that Sonic couldn't be there to share the experience with her and that's when she overhears a girl telling her boyfriend that the bracelet of shells she made him, will help him to swim. Naturally, Amy then decides to make one for Sonic.
Later, after an Eggman plot did infact manage to bring Sonic to the coast, Amy decides to give Sonic the bracelet she made for him. Awestruck that she'd made something like that especially for him, he reaches out to accept the gift, but suddenly vibrations knock the bracelet out of Amy's hands and it gets crushed under the weight of one of Eggman's mechas.
Amy is devastated that her gift was destroyed, but her tears quickly turn to anger and she single handedly defeats both Eggman and his mecha, using her hammer and fueled by her anger. Unfortunately her fight ends with her taking a tumble into the sea, which Sonic witnesses from the shore. Forgetting about his own fear of water and inability to swim, he dives straight in after her, worriedly. As she's sinking beneath the waves, Amy opens her eyes just enough to see the image of Sonic coming to save her from above, before losing consciousness.
The next thing we see is Amy and Sonic running together on the beach, seemingly enjoying themselves, but it's not long before Sonic pulls ahead of her, and she reaches out towards him, calling out to him to wait for her. At first it seems to have no effect, but suddenly Sonic pulls up sharply and comes to a halt. As Amy stops behind him, unsure of how to react, Sonic turns to her with a warm smile on his face. This is actually one of my favourite scenes in the entire episode, because it pretty much symbolizes their whole relationship. There may be times when it seems as though he's leaving her in the dust with no way for her to catch him up, but in the end he'll always wait for her and she'll never truly be left behind. She regains consciousness at this point to find that this was just a dream, but to me that makes it somehow more meaningful, because it proves that even though she's not fully aware of it, deep in her subconscious mind she knows that Sonic will never leave her.
Cream explains that Sonic has already left and Amy looks a little unhappy at this, shedding a few tears again at the loss of her bracelet. However she then resolves to make a new one, deciding that if Sonic can't swim, they'll never be able to go to the ocean together. The episode ends with Sonic sitting on the beach by himself, watching the sunset and sneezing, having caught a cold. He then stands up and the camera travels down to reveal that Sonic is actually wearing the bracelet, having taken the time to find the pieces and fix it himself. ♥
Next up is Episode 35 - Escape From Prison Island.
This episode is a part of the anime adaptation of Sonic Adventure 2. I already went through the game version of this scene, but I felt I needed to mention this version as well, since it has it's differences. (Character limit forced me to remove the quotes, but you can watch this specific scene here)
This version shows a little more of the "partners in crime" dynamic, than it's video game counterpart, and the teasing is from both sides rather than just from Amy. It also shows the way they bounce their sense of humour off each other, and how they can work together really well as just friends. To me it's important for there to be a good foundation with which to build a romantic relationship on, and these two have definitely got it. What better a foundation than an already strong friendship, and ability to work well together as a team?
Episode 45 - "Sonic Battle - Face Off!!"
In this episode, the government is trying to get Eggman's attention by holding a tournament with a Chaos Emerald as a prize. As expected, Sonic and the gang are roped into it as well and unfortunately for Sonic, his first match is against, of all people, Amy: (As above, you can watch this specific scene here)
This particular episode is based off the Sonic Battle game, where most people believe Amy was really delusional with her feelings and the way she interpreted Sonic's actions. However, while she did go a bit extreme at points, it's not difficult to see that there's some definite truth to Amy's interpretations there, as shown by this scene. This episode seems to be the first time in the anime at least, that the possibility of Sonic being shy has been mentioned. Interestingly enough, this is also exactly what was said in the Disney Adventures Scan. This isn't usually taken seriously by the fandom, but it's a bit of a coincidence that the magazine (who's writers were equally suprised at the news, proving that it wasn't made up by them) claims that SEGA confirmed the exact same thing as Amy in this scene. That Sonic is too shy to admit that he has feelings for her. Amy's interpretations are really not as far out as people think. Besides, it's always fun to see Sonic sweat, since he's usually so calm and in control. Funny how Amy is one of the only things in the universe that has that effect on him. ;)
You can also see this in one of the Metarex saga episodes:
Celebration aboard the Typhoon.
Amy makes her entrance to the party wearing a beautiful dress, and Sonic literally just stands there staring at her, slack-jawed incomprehension written all over his face.
Amy: *Enters and does a twirl* Look at me Sonic~ Do I please you in this dress?
Sonic: *Gawks*
Cream: Amy-san, it's so pretty!
Amy: I'm like a flower floating in the air~ *twirls until she's in front of Sonic* I'll be a princess for this party. *Reaches for Sonic's hand and brings him closer* And you...you'll be my prince.
Sonic: *sweating buckets*
Amy of course realizes that she has Sonic right where she wants him, and takes this moment to lay on the heat. Personally, I think Sonic needs a bucket of cold water, stat.
Aside from all of her continual attempts to win Sonic's heart, Amy does also show genuine care and concern for his well being. She isn't just a hysteric fangirl, with nothing but romance on her mind, and she isn't always the one who's in need of rescuing. Considering Sonic's reckless lifestyle, she worries over him a lot, almost like a motherly figure who, for all we know, Sonic may never have had.
The Lost Planet:
Amy: *Spots Sonic leaving by himself* Wait Sonic, your wounds are not healed yet!
Sonic: Don't worry about me, I'll be back quickly. *Takes off*
Amy: Wait! I'll come too! .... Oh! You won't escape me! *Runs to get a ship to follow him*
And there are many other similar moments, such as these:
All of them are moments when she's concerned about him, worries over the danger he's putting himself in, and/or plays nurse to him. Sorta like those traditional wives taking care of their "wounded soldiers". It's important to note that she never asks him to give up his free lifestyle, or the fight against evil, nor does she try to force him to settle down with her. I'm sure she'd love to marry him one day, but the only times in the series when she's brought up marriage, she hasn't been totally serious and just likes to use it to tease him. But nevertheless, she is always there to make sure her rebellious teen is still in one piece at the end of the day. He's usually so independant and self-reliant, that I'll bet it's a bit uncomfortable for him to have someone fuss over him and give him so much TLC, but he likes having her attention on him, more than he'd care to admit. ;3
Finally, there's the famous scene from:
Episode 52 - Memories of the Wind
Upon returning to his own world and saving Tails' life, the very next thing that Sonic does is head off to Amy's house. Of all the people that he felt he needed to see, Amy was his highest priority. During the time that he'd been gone, Amy had been spending time at Cream and Vanilla's house, but as she's sitting there looking sadly out the window, she suddenly sees Sonic flying across the night sky as Super Sonic. Wasting no time, she immediately runs all the way from Cream's house to her own, and it's there that she and Sonic have their reunion.
This is a scene that you've really got to see and hear for yourself, to get a feel for just how emotional it really is. There are two versions - from what I hear, one of them was the tv version and one was the DVD equivalent. Here's the Hikaru Michi version, with lyrics. And here's the Natsu no hi version, sadly without translated lyrics.
I think this scene pretty much speaks for itself really, although the fandom is still divided over what Sonic actually said there. Personally, I think it's a fairly sure thing that he did tell her he loved her, or at least something on a similar level. Aside from the clear romantic music, the fact that it was originally intended to be the last episode in the series, and the fact that there would have been no reason to mute it if he just said something like "Oh hi Amy, how're you doing?", nothing else really fits with the context of the situation. She was desperate and emotional and specifically asked him to tell her those exact words, so if he had said anything other than what she wanted to hear, there's no way she would have reacted in that way - with a look of disbelief before hugging him tightly. It just wouldn't have made any sense. And as I said earlier, it's not in Sonic's character to lead someone on like that and give them false hope, if he honestly doesn't feel the same way.
Also, according to various sites on the web, giving someone a lilac rose can have quite a significant meaning. From here:
Lilac roses, also called lavender roses, when given as a gift has the meaning of "love at first sight" and implies that the sender was enchanted and instantly charmed by the person receiving these eye-catching blooms.
Suffice to say, regardless of what his actual words were there, the intended meaning really doesn't leave all that much up to the imagination. ;)
[NOTE TO MODS - If this gets accepted, I'll add my interpretations/reasons for shipping AND the fandom recommendations in a comment underneath. I've already had to cut out a lot of this essay because of exceeding the character limit, (I quote: "Error updating journal: Client error: Post too large.") and I really can't cut anything else. ;__; ]
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no subject
Date: 2009-07-09 03:59 pm (UTC)~ Welcome to the dangerzone, feel the poison in my veins. Tell me are you strong enough, to keep up with my life?
Welcome to the dangerzone, what you see ain't what you get. Let us fly this aeroplane, tonight!
Come with me. Feel the need. You're mine tonight. I will win this fight. Come with me. Hold the key. Of destiny ~
How did I become a Sonamy shipper? Well...originally it caught my attention simply because I was really fond of both Sonic and Amy as individual characters. They had a lot in common, but had enough differences between them, to keep things interesting and make them entertaining to watch. However, after some time I started to grow really attached to the idea of the two of them as a couple. What originally seemed like nothing but a childish obsession from Amy's end, soon stood out to me as much more than that. I honestly believe that Amy's feelings for Sonic are genuine, and I know she's only 12 years old but who's to say what age is truly the "right" age to fall in love? It may have begun as pure hero worship, but I think it's clear it goes far beyond that by now. Similarly, Sonic may not have had any interest in her at the start, but he certainly seems to have developed some kind of feelings for her along the way, although it's unclear exactly when. After my initial realization, whenever I played the games I'd always watch the two of them like a hawk, and only by doing so did I notice just how many subtle hints that Sonic dropped Amy in return. That was when I became obsessed with the pairing, and fell in love with their sheer chemistry.
For starters, their relationship reminds me of a lot of other relationships I'm a big fan of:
Like Tarzan and Jane, they have this wild/tame dynamic that I love. The spunky city girl who teaches the wild, untamed guy a thing or two, while still having enough of a wild side herself, so as not to tie him down. In the case of Amy, she'd love nothing more than a chance to join Sonic on his adventures, and that's not as far off a goal as it might seem because she's been getting stronger and faster in recent times, which can only aid her cause. For Sonic, I find it interesting that while he's usually a very social sort, he does actually have some similarities with Knuckles when it comes to handling the more everyday, mundane things in life, like how girls work, etiquette, and matters of the heart. Amy seems to know exactly how she feels relationships should work, while Sonic really doesn't have a clue. As I said earlier, this is a huge part of the charm behind the pair.
Like Ranma and Akane, they care for each other but express their emotions in different ways. Sonic hides his fears and insecurities with attitude and/or a hasty exit, while Amy displays her sadness and hurt outwardly as anger. He has his flaws and she has hers, and it's because of those flaws that they frequently misunderstand each other. However, neither of them truly means to hurt the other and such issues are always forgiven and forgotten quickly. Their sheer care and concern for each other always takes a higher priority than their trivial misunderstandings, hence why I believe their strengths far outshine the flaws in the relationship.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-09 04:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-09 04:03 pm (UTC)In return, Sonic is her source of inspiration and motivation for everything she does in life, and is also the only one who can rival her sheer energy and determination. He gives her something to strive for, keeps her close to the action and excitement, and also acts as her ticket to freedom - a life beyond the boring everyday routine. Which gives her something else in common with Sonic - the need for an escape. He's the only one wild enough to truly challenge her, keep her on her feet, and satisfy her appetite for adventure. He also can be quite sweet and romantic, which I'm sure she'd appreciate once she manages to really bring it out in him. Despite shipping them both with plenty of other characters, longterm I honestly can't see Amy really being happy with anyone but Sonic.
Overall, this pair has shyness and flirtiness, humour and drama, romance and a strong friendship. With all the loyalty and devotion you could ask for. For me, it just ticks all the right boxes. :3
It's also a sort of forbidden love. It's clear there is some form of mutual feelings between them, and both would willingly give their life to save the other. They're so close to being the perfect couple but they just keep on missing each other.
Amy is a 12 year old, still practically a child, who's immaturity causes her to be overly enthusiastic with her feelings - perhaps too much so. Her over eagerness makes Sonic more and more uneasy, (especially when she mentions marriage, even if just jokingly) because of his need for freedom, and the view that a relationship would violate that. This keeps Sonic on the run, perhaps for freedom's sake, or perhaps to avoid having to dwell on his own feelings. He's usually so calm, confident and in control, and Amy makes him feel anything but those things, which he isn't comfortable with.
From my perspective, I think Sonic struggles with feelings that he probably never wanted, but equally, can't deny. Of course, his need for an escape causes Amy to believe she has to try even harder to catch him, not knowing that this is the very thing causing him to run from her in the first place. It's such a messed up, vicious circle and it makes the pair almost tragic, without really being angsty at all - which fascinates me. Who knows? Maybe they'll just run forever, eternally bound to their little game. ♥
Sonamy
Date: 2012-05-22 12:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-09 04:06 pm (UTC)~ I'm in heaven when you kiss me, heaven when you kiss me, you were sent to me from wonderland
I go crazy when you kiss me, baby don't resist me, take me with you back to wonderland ~
Out of all the pairings in this fandom (and there are a lot), Sonamy is actually one of the most popular. This isn't suprising, since Amy's obsession with Sonic is indesputably canon, and it makes sense that most canon or almost-canon pairs tend to have a lot of fans. However on the flip side, it also means that it has a lot of haters and one of the worst reputations among Sonic series shippers. Sonamy fans are usually regarded as the fanbrats of the fandom, intolerant to rival pairs and "as delusional as the girl they're shipping". Sadly there are a lot of us who do fit the stereotype, but even so, it can be a little tiresome never being taken seriously just because we interpret Sonic's feelings a little differently than the general consensus. With any luck, I've at least given you a little look at our side of things. We're not all pitchfork carrying demons, I swear! D:
Anywho, as with most fandoms there are good fanworks for the Sonamy pair and bad ones as well. In fact I actually have a sort of fear of reading Sonamy fanfiction, incase I come across an awesome concept that's just excecuted badly. Not that I can write, mind you, so everything I'm going to recommend to you is by the awesome people out there who actually can. :P I do have a video though, so I can at least contribute something. Yay!
Sites and LJ Communities:
Lovely Couple (http://fandomish.net/steph/sonamy/) (Sonamy fanlisting)
no subject
Date: 2009-07-09 04:08 pm (UTC)Sonic:
X (http://saku666.deviantart.com/art/Rainy-season-123889216) X (http://funkyalien.deviantart.com/art/Kaze-A-New-Dawn-16574838) X (http://mri.deviantart.com/art/Super-Sonic-95477271) X (http://airlight.deviantart.com/art/Forest-Ring-Dash-28276467) X (http://tommy-05.deviantart.com/art/Moonlight-103525168) X (http://yukikiai.deviantart.com/art/SONIC-21974046) X (http://kate-v.deviantart.com/art/Sonic-126930669) X (http://chicaramirez.deviantart.com/art/sonic-131944777) X (http://mri.deviantart.com/art/Dark-Spine-88368475)
Amy:
X (http://kaoru-chan.deviantart.com/art/A-Girl-s-Simple-Heart-11050463) X (http://moaze.deviantart.com/art/Take-me-higher-59571865) X (http://sonicsister.deviantart.com/art/Amy-hit-you-58454017) X (http://zachary-moonlight.deviantart.com/art/Amy-Rose-13556702) X (http://chicaramirez.deviantart.com/art/music-101850861) X (http://prittyred.deviantart.com/art/Amy-Rose-134263611) X (http://fried-jelly.deviantart.com/art/Amy-Rose-133804566) X (http://dcaarmus.deviantart.com/art/Amy-and-Random-Happiness-3679433) X (http://naplez.deviantart.com/art/Sonic-Amy-Rose-55705599)
Sonamy:
X (http://kycha.deviantart.com/art/Make-a-wish-75961189) X (http://sorata-s.deviantart.com/art/Stardust-road-82138526) X (http://aisonikkuxemmy.deviantart.com/art/Comfortable-With-You-94180803) X (http://ihearrrtme.deviantart.com/art/WerehogSonicxAmy-sketch-100635224) X (http://blu3blurs0n1c.deviantart.com/art/Sonamy-Collab-77791348) X (http://tlwelker.deviantart.com/art/sonic-and-amy-o-57206490) X (http://ezume.deviantart.com/art/soine-79179113) X (http://looby-the-pirate.deviantart.com/art/Sonic-and-amy-detailed-16890571) X (http://chicaramirez.deviantart.com/art/protect-94824888) X (http://elessthehedgecat.deviantart.com/art/The-romantic-90417431) X (http://amertist.deviantart.com/art/Happy-V-day-112206728) X (http://waterfall-ice.deviantart.com/art/S-your-knight-118974405) X (http://rx-wolfblade.deviantart.com/art/Good-Knight-Kiss-Chu-132774841) X (http://ritibut.deviantart.com/art/Sonic-and-Amy-88757653) X (http://darklyla.deviantart.com/art/Sonic-embarrassed-105711703)
Cosplay/Tegaki/Other:
X (http://jamberrii.deviantart.com/art/Gotcha-124576306) X (http://jamberrii.deviantart.com/art/Unwritten-124203506) X (http://pipa.jp/tegaki/VBlog.jsp?ID=246491&TD=7273364) X (http://pipa.jp/tegaki/VBlog.jsp?ID=246491&TD=8243022) X (http://pipa.jp/tegaki/VBlog.jsp?ID=106531&TD=1438256) X (http://pipa.jp/tegaki/VBlog.jsp?ID=82966&TD=1613074) | 1 (http://m516.web.fc2.com/s19.html) 2 (http://m516.web.fc2.com/s20.html) From here (http://m516.web.fc2.com/) | Several pics here (http://bluepirate.web.fc2.com/)
I'd also recommend anything Sonic, Amy or Sonamy by these people:
ihearrrtme (http://ihearrrtme.deviantart.com/) / chicaramirez (http://chicaramirez.deviantart.com/) / darkshasta (http://darkshasta.deviantart.com/) / amertist (http://amertist.deviantart.com/) / QTStartheHedgehog (http://qtstarthehedgehog.deviantart.com/) / sorata-s (http://sorata-s.deviantart.com/)
no subject
Date: 2009-07-09 04:10 pm (UTC)Cliffhangers (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4503164/1/Cliffhangers) by Scarabbug
Summary: There is a time and a place for romance. And that time and place are never hanging off the edge of a cliff. Oneshot. Hints of SonicAmy.
Waiting For Wind (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3620543/1/Waiting_For_Wind) by NetsirkBlue
Summary: Amy Rose was always waiting for the wind to blow her way. Sonamy.
run, sonic, run (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4092483/1/run_sonic_run) by keem
Summary: The rules of the game are simple: he runs, and she follows. it is a guilty indulgence in which both parties have engaged in for years.
Playing With Fire (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4739148/1/Playing_With_Fire) by Canderous Ordo
Summary: Sonamy one-shot! While decorating for a Christmas party, Amy goes a little overkill with the mistletoe. Armed with only a Zippo lighter, Sonic feels the need to thin the numbers just a smidge. What could possibly go wrong?
Just Friends (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4483573/1/Just_Friends) by wolf-howl91
Summary: Sonic is absolutely fine with Amy wanting to be just friends. Really. Honestly fine.
It's Like, Wow (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1309897/1/Its_Like_Wow) by Brie-chan
Summary: SonicxAmy. Sonic and Amy come to an... understanding... over a snack. ^.~
Fan Videos:
Sonic:
~*Bring On the Fire*~ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AV5Y4dQwRSk) by OokamiAzura
Sonic Moves Along (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMwQszVDiLM) by RiptideX1090
Amy:
~ Just Freak Out Let It Go ~ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_U_JdhYKS88) by SensationalRunt
Amy Rose: Best Damn Thing! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMVTgW0T3ng) by gabalooly
Sonamy:
Little Date (Ranma 1/2 OP) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkPLdEiYqDY) and Heart's Dilemma (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpJMQEI-FW8) by Me
Out of My League (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6fPukr_8hs) by Entoxica
Carved Fate (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOJbfRBtRFI) and Sonic wants to marry his stalker! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShWK5W9Cr6Q) by Gangstalicious624
The Greeting (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBvyZBoeODo) by DarkShelby101
Honey Honey (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdS4pt36BPk) and Contagious (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCklrbRYwpE) by SensationalRunt
Summer Nights (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6YIL6JDhMw) by BluPhnx12
7 Things (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rORXrwnIYVw) by delicateluxii
Does Your Mother Know (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbyuJslVhgQ) by xZombiexKitty23
Feel The Love (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sA5y7jke0hM) and Rush of Love (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN1lGrG5m4s) by Kirvee2
Pics by me | Animated gifs from The Sonic Comic (http://www.freewebs.com/thesonicthehedgehogcomic/index.htm), Unbreakable Bonds (http://unbreakable-bonds-2.tripod.com/index.html), and Comical Highway (http://www5d.biglobe.ne.jp/~aoi-k/).
Banners by
no subject
Date: 2009-07-09 05:44 pm (UTC)I would very much like to read the whole essay - I feel sad that you had to cut some things out. But it isn't against the rules to have two sections to your essay. Meaning you can easily transfer the sections you had in your comments to another page - just a thought.
Thanks for the wonderful essay!
no subject
Date: 2009-07-11 01:01 am (UTC)Sadly I no longer have the parts that I removed, because I really thought I wouldn't be able to include them. I knew I should have made an extra backup. >< But thanks a lot for the suggestion, I honestly didn't know that we were allowed more than one part. I'll definitely keep that in mind for the future. :)
Thanks again!
no subject
Date: 2009-07-10 01:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-11 01:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-10 04:42 am (UTC)Darn you! XD But this is what fandom is about, isn't it? Super awesome job on this essay, I'm glad I took the time to read it. If you post a full version, let me know! ♥
no subject
Date: 2009-07-11 01:09 am (UTC)Gosh, I don't know what to say. It really means something to hear that from you, especially since you're not a Sonamy shipper. Thank you. ^___^
I'm really glad you didn't think I was too pushy or anything. I always worry about that because it's difficult to get the right balance between being firm enough and going too far. That's a real relief. ^^ Sadly, I no longer have the parts I removed because I was a douche and didn't think to keep more than one draft. But I think most of the main points were included, so you're probably not missing much. It was just frustrating at the time, trying to remove enough to get it below the limit. I think I've learned my lesson about always keeping a backup though. xD; Again, thanks a lot for taking the time to read and comment!
Also, icon love <3 Wally is a sweetie. :3
no subject
Date: 2009-07-11 07:43 am (UTC)I think it's great how much thought you put into this. You even opened up a few more thoughts to my mind, like that opening scene in Zero Gravity.. Haha, I would have never thought of that. Nice catch. It's great that SEGA keeps dropping in hints every once and awhile.
And although Sonic Chronicles isn't really considered fandom, I like how BioWare handled the pairing. Amy calmed down a bit from her obsessive fangirling, and while Sonic still isn't ready to tie himself down.. They through in a couple scenes that make you ♥.
Yeah, I think some people just dislike this coupling because of how "annoying" Amy is. C'mon, she's 12 years old.. Give her a break, people.
You should post this up over at
no subject
Date: 2009-07-12 11:22 pm (UTC)Oh yes, I LOVE Chronicles! :D I'm just hoping the sequel will be as good
and shippyas the first. I would have liked to have mentioned some of those scenes in the essay, but sadly they're all multiple choice answers, so Chronicles can't really be used as evidence of anything. *pouts*I agree. 12 year olds really can't be expected to be completely mature all the time. She's just a little over enthusiastic with expressing her feelings, is all. Underneath that she's a real sweetie. ♥
Aww, thanks for the offer. ^^ I'd love to post it there too, but I really don't want to be too "in your face" if that's the right term. I don't want people to get fed up with me, or anything. ^^;
EDIT: Also, I LOVE your icon. That's almost too adorable for words. <333
no subject
Date: 2009-07-13 12:48 am (UTC)Amy is such a cheerful girl, I love her optimism throughout the games. She isn't as useless as some people make her out to be.
Pfft, the community has been rather dead lately. I don't think it'd be in your face at all, I'm sure they would be very appreciative if you did.. There hasn't been much to post in their lately due to the quiet over on SEGA's side.
Thanks. ♥ Even heroes need their rest.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-12 07:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-12 11:00 pm (UTC)It's not so much that the english versions aren't shippy at all, but they just seem so much more...debateable? To me, English Sonic tends to overdo the attitude sometimes, even when it's not appropriate for the situation. Whereas Japanese Sonic seems to have a wider range of emotions and sounds much more like he genuinely cares. That's how it's always sounded to me at least. :)
As for the Unleashed cutscenes, I didn't think they were all that bad, but I definitely agree about the Sonic/Amy ones being the best. ;3
no subject
Date: 2009-07-22 06:30 pm (UTC)But still, very well done! If I may, I'd like to contribute two SonAmy videos I've made before. You can add them to the recs list if you want.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sA5y7jke0hM&feature=channel_page
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN1lGrG5m4s&feature=channel_page
The second one is, personally, better than the first one, but they're both suitable tributes, I believe. I was very selective with the songs I used.
I'm also linking this on the Sonic half of my website, if you don't mind. This is an excellent manifesto, after all, and really shows the couple is canon. Great job! ^_^
no subject
Date: 2009-08-30 07:01 pm (UTC)Great song choices, by the way. I especially liked the version of "can you feel the love tonight" that you used. And I also liked how sometimes the subtitles actually added something to the video. Mine always prove to be annoying and distracting instead. ^^;
As for Chronicles, you're absolutely right, there were some very potentially shippy moments in the game. ^^ I just didn't think I could use them in the essay because the answers were all multiple choice, meaning that the hints are entirely dependant on the person playing. While to some of us it was a Sonamy story in itself, to others it was just a chance to direct as much snark at her as possible. Sadly, that means it can't really be used as evidence for the pair. ;~; Shame though.
Thanks for the comment and the contributions! And I don't mind at all, in fact I'm happy you liked it enough to want to link to it. ^_^
no subject
Date: 2009-08-30 09:05 pm (UTC)Thank you, I'm glad you liked them! Yeah, some people may find subs annoying but meh. With practice you can sometimes manage to effectively get a good clip with appropriate movement and subtitles for a part of a song.
Ah, good call on Chronicles. I completely forgot about the fact it has branches. I've heard some people who've also considered it a Sonic x Rouge (wtf?) story.
Hehe ^_^. Btw, your icon is lulzy, lol.
no subject
Date: 2009-08-30 10:36 pm (UTC)No problem~ ^_^ And yeah, it can be difficult to come across non-subtitled footage, so I really don't mind when people have subs in their videos. Even better when they work well with the video. But I still need practice with that part, myself.
Ah, I can sort of understand where the Sonouge support is coming from. Rouge was a lot more flirty with Sonic in Chronicles than she usually is, although I suspect that was because they wanted to focus on Knuckles' relationship with Shade. I guess it all depends on what responses everyone chooses, just like with the Sonamy hints. I'm really hoping for some more Sonamy in the sequel though. *crosses fingers*
Ya, I love that scene in the anime. So when I found an icon of it, I just had to use it. ^_^
no subject
Date: 2009-08-30 10:59 pm (UTC)Chronicles actually ALMOST turned me into a multishipper with Knuckles. Since before that game, I was a solid Knuxouge fan. After that game, though, I started thinking Knuxade would work just as well. GAHH!!!
I still like Knuxouge though, XD.
I hope there'll be more in the sequel, too! I'm sure the sequel will be awesome, the ending of Chronicles was just...such a shock even though you knew you should've expected it. At least, it was for me, anyway.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-25 07:32 pm (UTC)YES, Infact some of us are multishippers! *points to icon*
Great job on the essay! <3 I do find the jap. version more shippy then the english one. Another reason I want to learn the language D:
I agree with iheartsushi, you should post this at lovely_couple!
And thanks for using my banners, It always makes me smile to see people using them! :D
no subject
Date: 2009-08-30 10:07 pm (UTC)Sorry for the late reply, but thanks a lot for the comment, I'm glad you enjoyed the read. ^^ I'd like to learn Japanese as well, it's such a fascinating language. And it'd certainly help when watching anime and such, to fully understand what they're saying.
Thanks for the rec, but I think iheartsushi has already done it for me. ^^
No problem, I think I've already told you how much I love your graphics and I really wanted a chance to use them. This seemed like a good opportunity. :D
no subject
Date: 2010-01-12 01:19 am (UTC)I love Sonamy with my life, not a fanbrat though lol Thank you SO much for doing this <3 It made my day! ♥
Oh Lordie <33
Date: 2010-09-30 03:17 am (UTC)SO. I've pretty much agreed with everything stated. Your grammar is near perfect, so that's always a good thing. I'm such a grammar freak nowadays it isn't even funny. I love what you've done here. I've thought about doing this before but never got around to do it, so... props. My hat is off to you.
You understand why I love the pairing completely. :D I'm in such awe right now.
And I swear to GOD, my heart skipped a beat when I was going through the videos section and I saw that some of my videos were on there (Haha, I'm SensationalRunt~) I almost peed my pants, I was like OH MY GOSHHH~ THEY KNOW MEEEE.
I've been a SonAmy fan since I joined the fandom, and I'm glad there are others out there who aren't rabid fanbrats, as our stereotype states. We're not all rabid and insane. Some of us actually have good heads on our shoulders. (:
no subject
Date: 2011-02-06 05:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-28 05:09 am (UTC)I just lkdjlkfd excellent job~