The design of Spectre is really cool, and I kinda hope that the Metal Sonic in the movie universe takes influence from him considering both Eggman's mechs and Spectre share a similar color palette of mostly white with red eyes.
Having Spectre emoting like Amy would gave me a horrifyingly interesting thought. If they ever brought it back and gave it a personality, they could totally give it a kitbash of all of Sonic and his friends' worst character aspects. Sonic's cockiness and long-standing disdain of copycats, Amy's one-sided toxic affection at the time, Tails' crippling little brother syndrome issues, and Knuckle's thick-skulled temperament. all tied together with Eggman's programming targeting it all at the blue blur. The result would no doubt be this nightmarish, borderline deranged yandere murderbot who believes it being the one to kill Sonic and take his place is this twisted, demented way of showing it's love and adoration for him!
Sonic already has a number of nods to Dragon Ball Z, I imagine this bot could have some nods to Cell. It's already an artificial being made with the skills of the main heroes, it makes sense that it could end up with some of the worst traits of all of them. Would balance it out a bit, being potentially more powerful than Metal Sonic, but also 4 times the character flaws that can be exploited. It also reminds me not only of Cell, but also Super-Skrull from Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four, especially the main point that even if it has all their abilities, teamwork is the one thing that it *can't* have because it's alone.
Another good route is it simply leans into the identity of whoever it copies at the moment: Just a T-800 by default, a smug dasher as Sonic, a more intelligent ranger as Tails, aggressive but dimmer brawler as Knuckles, and a full melee yandere as Amy. Could even tie that into beating it, as those different mindsets really can't gel as one individual.
The idea that this guy might've migrated into the main Archie-Verse is so freaking cool to me. And imagining the way it might've changed over time to maybe adapt to other characters just sets my mind loose.
and hopefully Archie Sonic Online brings this guy back using the portal from near the end of Sonic X's second season yet instead of taking him back to Eggman, who has sent Chris back to his world at this time. he enters the main Archie universe and probably either helps Robotnik out or teams up with Scourge, who is on the run from the Zone Cops
Tracy Yardley is probably the first comic artist whose work I ever felt really enthusiastic for and actively looked forward to seeing more of! Super cool seeing how much thought he put into this one-off robot of the week.
I could see Spectre being a little sibling to metal sonic, not as agressive or experienced but has their own traits and ideals of how to take down Sonic and his friends.
i feel like they would work really well for a 3D sonic game boss fight. imagine him throwing boulders at you with Knuckle's hands, run around the arena with the same speed as Sonic, dodge you in the air with Tails' flight, and smack you around with Amy's hammer!
Aside from Metal Sonic, I miss the days when a cool executive robot like this was one of Eggman's subordinates.I'm begging you, please bring back a boss character like this in the next game.
Imagine if robot X or Specter was like a ring leader of the different robo doubles, and they led a rebellion against Eggman, planning their own evil intentions
This robot is actually so cool! I can't believe neat characters like these are almost never elaborated upon more often and are only used for like one comic.
Remember in Sonic X where Shadow one shot sonic, then proceeded to dunk on the rest of the team, mildly playing with tails with the express intention to kill Cosmo. Good times.
I knew of this obscure robot through Ultimate Sonic Fighter, and I’m surprised you were able to find enough information about it. The concept is honestly a good one, and I’d love to see it utilized in modern Sonic media. Also, props to you for getting the chance to see Tracey, it was nice of him to share this information with you. Also, good luck on reading the Archie Adaptation of Sonic X. While the show could get bizarre sometimes, the comic takes it up to 11. A particular agreed standout is the El Gran Gordo arc.
Reminds me of when I taught my siblings how to strategize, I used videogames as a basis so it's fun and makes them more interested in learning how to think critically to solve a problem and the value of teamwork. They first tried to attack me in-game without working together and I used their attacks against them knocking them into the dirt effortlessly but as soon as they started working together they actually managed to overpower me with their unique playstyles coming together to overwhelm my own strats and sheer skill. Basically taught them to work smarter not harder and you can take down Goliaths while only being Tiny Tim
The name "Robot X" does make sense beyond the obvious. It's a robot with mutable characteristics decided by the other characters. "X" is often used as an undefined or yet-defined expression, especially in algebra, in which it is ultimately defined by the determined numbers around it.
I remember loving this robot when I was a kid. I wanted it to come back so bad. It's also funny that I always wanted that comic to take on a tone like season 3, but that is what the archie book was for
Honestly wouldn't mind seeing the prototype designs revisited and always love work from Tracy Yardley as he always makes this brand we love better or just more fun.
Honestly I love the name Specter. On top of its ghost white design it also makes me think of spectator. Which is fitting because it watches and copies the moves of its opponent.
This kind of makes me think of a Sonic the Hedgehog interpretation of Amazo or the Superadaptoid, though I admit that can be redundant if you think about Emerl or the Heroes version of Metal Sonic. I think I might have personally nicknamed him "Omnibadnik" when I first saw him in that comic issue, though the term Badnik wasn't used in Sonic X so I don't think it would be fitting.
It's a rare overcharged design that work, combined with the plain and simple way is colored give of a experimental vibe, something that was made for test and have room to improvements.
It actually does, but be careful. Too much talk of echidnas in advanced battle armour risks bringing down the litigious wrath of He Who Shall Not Be Named (but has the initials K. P.)
Thanks for the early "mecha march madness," or I guess it would be "fecha february fadness." Also, the bot looks like it could've come from Sonic xtreme,"Not that there's anything wrong that."
To be honest when I first saw the video title I thought it was gonna talk about a dropped plot thread from Sonic X. In the Metarex saga in the episode Sonic goes Dark Sonic, he is tested by two robots meant to test his strength and speed. The Metarex general claims this is because they plan to build a robot to counter Sonic based on how the test goes. As a kid I thought this was gonna lead to Metal Sonic. Instead, it was literally never brought up again to the best of my recollection. I wonder what happened there.
Really hoping this month you cover Unit the Drone from that one Movie tie-in short “Sonic Drone Home”! With the next movie being an SA2 adaptation, I can’t help but wonder if its ability to add scrap metal to its body could make him part of the Cyclone since Tails is taking care of him.
Aw man, here we go. Another obscure, cool concept I'd get obsessed with. It's awesome you got Tracy to not just answer questions but show you some concepts. Big ups to him, he made this vid special Also, this is a _severe_ stretch, but the lower part of the head shape, specially the spikes on the sides make me think of a MAG Agent from Madness Combat. Bet it's not intended tho, just coincidence
I think Mecha March Madness might be my favorite series of yours, I find myself rewatching and revisiting it a lot. I just find the idea of Sonic Mechas, analyzing their designs, origins and their roles in their respective stories, very intriguing. Excited to see more of the series
i love it so much that its obscurity makes me cry. no other appearances, no fanart, no discussion other than this video. not even an official name. just a perfect design that deserves more love.
“It wasn’t around long enough to build a big fanbase” Neither was Stealth The Hedgehog, but it has a cult following Btw, can you make a video on Stealth and all the fanwork done for him?
Man, I remember this robot and got reacquainted with it like a year ago when I was reading the “thankskenpenders” blog, so it’s some fascinating stuff to see from Tracy Yardley himself as well.
i remember reading a little bit of this comic and hoping it would appear again together with neo metal sonic as they both take advantage of copying and improving the heroes powers like if after metal is defeated in sonic heroes he stumbles upon the discarded parts of spectre and uses them to improve himself further
Even though you don't want to do it, I would like to see a video about the Cheetha Bot from SatAm and besides you already did a video about Pseudo Sonic (A robot from AoStH) so it would be a perfect fit to talk about a robot from the other Sonic cartoon airing along with AoStH at the time. Also I enjoyed this video, can't wait to see more from this year's Mecha March Madness.
I mean he could be called Spectre X or Xpectre (it also makes a cool nod to Sonic Xtreme that way because it does remind me of some of the scrapped Metal Sonic designs for that game) I really find it funny that whatever i see from Sonic it has secretly some Evangelion inspired design or detail in there, its like they took the Hedgehog Dilemma a bit too literal there.
Never read the Sonic X comics, so I never knew this bot existed. Thanks for exposing it a little and even getting some more info on its creation from Tracy!
Finally. Adequate sustenance. We thank you father Nick. We have been filled to our brim. We shall be full until you next uploaded video for us to consume like the greedy little gremlins we are. We shall absorb your immaculate commentary and feed upon your top-notch editing until then. Yum yum
The robot can predict their moves? So what you're saying is that he knows everything they're going to do? But I don't think that's gonna help him, because that means they know everything he's going to do. Strange, isn't it?
It's a interesting concept, to be a prototype, I have really advanced abilities but a lot of sidebacks. I think the design work for a prototype robot because it's a little overcharged, like it go with the easy way to incorporate all necesary characteristics to perform all the replicated abilities. It like a improved version e-123 pi of Sonic battle. The personality change it's a good gimmick.
12:37 this design reminds me of perfect cell from Dragon Ball Z with the wings and tall headpiece, given the fact that it takes all the characters abilities and uses them against him I wouldn't be surprised if it was somewhat inspired by cell
Look, I love Neo Metal Sonic, but Spectre would've made a great villain for Heroes. Obviously the story would have to be a bit different, but it would make more sense for a villain that copies data and DNA of the characters. Hell, he could've been a secret boss for those who unlocked hard mode. The possibilities of this forgotten robot are endless.
Wait… I just thought of something… If Spectre has the Data of Sonic (Super Spammer), Tails (The youngest super with the most op hacks a.k.a. FLICKY ARMY OF DEATH), and Knuckle Head (Guardian of the Master Emerald), Could Spectre Potentially have a super form?
idk if this was stated or not but this might have been around the time of the "Battle/Emerl" Saga of the anime, which is maybe where they got the ideas of using muitiple abilities mid fight from as they did the same abilities (except tails being replaced with rouge). think sonic got punched in the balls in that arc and Cream and cheese remind us why they are gods.
MECHA MARCH MADNESS!!! My Birthday is next Wednesday . Hopes for my favorite Sonic Robot(and probably one of my favorite characters). The adorable Tails Doll.
Funnily enough, the idea of a robot that copies the unique fighting styles of each if Sonic's pals was also used by Sonic X the show. This is a lot like Sonic X's take on Emeryl.
I think besides the cool design and set of powers there really is a lot you could do with this character It has Amy's feelings for Sonic and in theory should also be able to feel what the others feel for each other You could both have it want revenge on Sonic for hurting it when at that moment all it felt was love for him and also have it get character development by starting to understand the emotions of the characters it copied as well as it's own emotions It'd be a genuinely different character with different motivations from Metal Sonic(who wants to prove himself as the True/Better Sonic) and Emerl(who's mentally just a child learning from his parents before being tragically turned into a weapon again) It's a character who understands Amy's romantic feelings and Tails's admiration for Sonic, Knuckles's loneliness and dutifulness, Sonic's own love of freedom and speed It'd be also rather queer in a sense, like not in a pushing "this character is LGBT now because I said so" for political reasons but in a natural character progression way as this robot has no sex because...its a robot, and it feels like how the other characters feel about *themselves* so in one sense it might feel more like a girl like Amy and in other more like a boy like the others, maybe even as neither when not actively taking the other characters traits into itself There's just so much you could do with it and they could enhance the story a lot, its a pity such a great concept was abandoned
Like you could write a story where Sonic tries to turn it good by going on a date and they have some fun together(STOP IT!) when they drop the Amy act and just start running together having Chilly Dogs You could have one where the robot hangs out with Knuckles and genuinely helps defending the Master Emerald, understanding how much it means to him Have nerd conversations with Tails about robotics or videogames, go shopping with Amy and talk about Sonic Work with Eggman again in some mischievous plan using Tails's smarts while teasing him a bit like Sonic would Its such untapped potential
A really cool design, this one. Shame it's so underutilised, but at this point that feels like a refrain that could be written about 70% of the characters in this series. Also, I'm just amazed to see the Sonic X version of Tails doing something other than sitting behind the controls of a generic sci-fi vehicle.
What if the used the ugly Sonic design as a start point to make a live-action version of pseudo sonic in the third movie is setting it up as if we're going to get the classic Shadow impostor story, but it's a fake out and shadow gets a newer story with pseudo being used for the impostor story. Granted I prefer to see metal Sonic over pseudo any day. It could be cool though as just like a background thing in a scene where he builds metal. Like you see pseudo in a tube in the background with his name displayed
I need Specter to fight Shadow. This is the #1 matchup I want from the franchise now. As an aside, I genuinely think that Espio would give Shadow a run for his money. We need more Espio in general.
