Archie Sonic X Issue 40

Archie Sonic X Issue 40 is the fortieth and final issue of the Sonic X comic series published by Archie Comics.

Official solicitation

 * "The End": A peaceful gathering of Sonic and his friends remains anything but when Shadow the Hedgehog and Metal Sonic crash the party - literally! Even Dr. Eggman is reeling in horror over the souped-up Metal Sonic, but that doesn't stop him from forming an alliance to attack the blue blur. Meanwhile, Shadow remains inextricably linked to Metal, the only one who can help him find his correct place in the universe. It's a mélange of friends, foes and overlapping alliances... and Sonic and his friends are caught in the middle! This issue's title is only the beginning, as it leads into a brand-new series called SONIC UNIVERSE that promises to chronicle the outcome of the Shadow and Metal Sonic conflict, as well as the further adventures of the entire Sonic-verse!

The End!

 * Writer: Ian Flynn
 * Pencils: David Hutchison
 * Inks: Terry Austin
 * Letters: Phil Felix
 * Colors: Jason Jensen
 * Editor & Managing editor: Mike Pellerito
 * Editor-in-Chief: Victor Gorelick
 * Special thanks to: Kristin Parcell and Cindy Chau at SEGA Licensing

Synopsis
The story opens with Sonic having a tea party at the Thorndyke Mansion with Cream the Rabbit, her pet Chao Cheese, and her mother Vanilla the Rabbit the due to Sonic promising to do so on a slow day. Suddenly, Shadow the Hedgehog and Metal Sonic appear on top of the table via Chaos Control and Metal's new Zone-warping engine. Shadow manages to kick Metal away from him, but the robot then flies off in search of the resident Dr. Eggman.

After Shadow explains how he ended up in this Zone and Sonic tells Shadow that they are from another world too and that their Shadow is supposed to be dead in this world, Sonic then gives Shadow the grand tour of Station Square starting with the Chaotix Detective Agency, who are busy rebuilding their detective office. Once Vector sees Shadow, he asks Sonic if that really is Shadow with him, while confusing him with his world's Shadow. Sonic then simply replies "Long story. He's better now." Shadow then inquires as to what happened to their detective office, and Sonic explains how an organization known as S.O.N.I.C.X. turned Vector into a forty-foot monster inside the office causing him to grow the roof of it. They then head off to Station Square Elementary School to greet Chris Thorndyke, who is glad to see Shadow and gives him a rather painful hug. Shadow then tells him that he must keep moving and that he'll be back one day.

Meanwhile, Dr. Eggman's messenger robot, Bokkun, goes to answer a knock at the door of Eggman's tower. Bokkun attempts to tell the visitor that if he isn't selling cookies he can get lost, but as soon he sees it's Metal Sonic, he flies away screaming. This alerts Decoe and Bocoe who are cleaning the glass tube around Eggman's El Gran Gordo disguise. They see Metal Sonic and run to their master who is "scheming" in his room, while really looking at pictures of the Thorndyke Family maid, Ella. Metal Sonic bows before Eggman and tells him he is from the Prime Zone and awaits his orders. Eggman deduces that the Prime Zone is an alternate reality; A world similar to theirs, but at the same time different. Decoe finds this preposterous, but Bocoe thinks it just as preposterous as a world of talking animals and beings like Eggman. Eggman then begins scheming how he could use Metal Sonic to his advantage.

Meanwhile, Shadow is introduced to Chris's uncle Sam Speed, the leader of the High Speed Police. Sam says that Chris had spoke highly of Shadow before, but thought that Shadow was dead. Sam then explains that the High Speed Police use special race-cars to enforce the law in order to catch speedsters. As they talk, a hidden camera in Sam's car is being operated by S.O.N.I.C.X. as part of "Operation: Infiltrate the High Speed Police". Just as they're about to launch the rest of their plan into action, Jerome Wise notices that Shadow is there with Sonic. They then decide to scrap the plan as taking on both Sonic and Shadow would be too much for them.

Back in Eggman's tower, Eggman boasts about his great genius and once he finishes, he tells his henchbots to watch the tower while he goes to finish off Sonic. He then takes off in his Egg Mobile with Metal Sonic close behind.

Meanwhile, Sonic and Shadow are close to the sea, and Shadow remarks about how peaceful Sonic's world is while Big the Cat fishes not too far off. Sonic offers to let him stay here, but Shadow doesn't accept as he still has his duty to fulfill. Shadow then gets the idea of using Chaos Control on Metal Sonic again to warp home again, and Eggman and Metal then appear in front of the two hedgehogs. While Eggman sees Shadow and is baffled by this, Metal attacks Shadow and the hedgehog does the same and uses Chaos Control and warps way. Left without a robot to fight his battle, Eggman returns to his base as fast as he can while Sonic says that he'll meet with Shadow again some day.

Back at Eggman's tower, the doctor crashes his Egg Mobile and runs down to a small chamber holding his zone's Shadow the Hedgehog, and wonders what it was he saw just now.

Meanwhile, Sonic is running back to Thorndyke Manor and is met by his zone's Amy Rose, Miles "Tails" Prower, Knuckles the Echidna and Rouge the Bat and ask about Eggman's attack and if Shadow is really back, but Sonic says everything has been taken care of. Sonic and his friends then enter the mansion, and Rouge's partner, Topaz offers her sympathies about Shadow not being there. Sonic then tells Chris that Shadow is gone, and tells him that he has gone on another adventure, and come tomorrow, so will they. The two friends then give the thumbs up to each other and say "To the next adventure!".

Appearances
Characters:
 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Shadow the Hedgehog (Archie)
 * Metal Sonic v3.3
 * Dark Chao
 * Doctor Eggman
 * Decoe
 * Bocoe
 * Bokkun
 * Cream the Rabbit
 * Vanilla the Rabbit
 * Cheese
 * Chaotix
 * Vector the Crocodile
 * Espio the Chameleon
 * Charmy Bee
 * Christopher Thorndyke
 * Helen
 * Danny
 * Frances
 * Mister Stewart
 * Sam Speed
 * S.O.N.I.C.X.
 * Doctor Kai Narasu
 * Howard Watcher
 * Card Passer
 * Li Yan
 * Hector Dragg
 * Jerome Wise
 * Organizer
 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Amy Rose
 * Knuckles the Echidna
 * Rouge the Bat
 * Mister Tanaka
 * Ella
 * Topaz
 * Chuck Thorndyke
 * Nelson Thorndyke
 * Lindsey Thorndyke
 * Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic X)
 * X Robot

Quotes

 * Vector: Hey, Sonic! Is that Shadow with you?
 * Sonic: Yeah!
 * Vector: Isn't he dead?
 * Sonic: Long story. He's better now.
 * Vector: Cool!
 * Charmy: Weee! Hammer! Hammer! Hammer!
 * Shadow: What happened here?
 * Sonic: Huh? Oh! A shadowy organization turned Vector into a forty-foot monster and he grew through the roof!


 * Eggman: I was there! I rescued him myself! You're still here. Then what did I see out there?

Trivia

 * This is the last issue of the Sonic X comic series. However, Sonic Universe would later replace this series.
 * Shadow and Metal Sonic appeared in this world via Chaos Control from Moebius in Sonic the Hedgehog #196. At the end, Shadow would use Chaos Control again, this time ending up in the Sol Zone, as seen in Sonic Universe #1.
 * This issue came out before Sonic the Hedgehog #196, despite taking place after that issue.
 * While Eggman is introducing Metal Sonic to his lair, some Dark Chao from Sonic X #5, the destroyed X Robot from Sonic X #24 can be seen in glass cases and the robot used to attack the St Patrick's Day parade in Sonic X #17.
 * The two pictures on the cover of this issue show two moments from the Sonic X anime. The first being Sonic destroying Missile Wrist in "Missile Wrist Rampage" and Sonic defeating Chaos 2 in "Pure Chaos".
 * Decoe and Bocoe are seen cleaning tubes containing the El Gran Gordo costume from Sonic X #26 and his 'Robbie Nick' costume from Sonic X #20.
 * After seeing Prime Shadow, Dr. Eggman runs back to the lair and looks upon a tube containing their Shadow, foreshadowing the events of the Metarex Saga and Shadow's return.
 * Apparently, the Sonic X zone does not have its own version of Metal Sonic, as stated by Eggman, who claims to have never seen a robot like Metal Sonic in his life.
 * The issues cover heading, "Fastest Thing Alive!" could be a reference to the theme song of the Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon series.
 * Sonic's pose on the cover is identical to his pose on the cover of Sonic X #1.