abstract | - "Dr. Robotnik's" disguise melts away as he reveals to the Freedom Fighters that he is actually Robo-Robotnik. He traps the group within a force field, gloating all the while. Bunnie tries to break the field with her fist, but is shocked and passes out. Sonic asks Robo-Robotnik how he survived their battle with the Giant Borg, and Robo-Robotnik graciously explains what happened. Robo-Robotnik managed to transfer his mind to his space station back in his own dimension and was trapped there until Dr. Robotnik arrived in his Zone. Robo-Robotnik sent Dr. Robotnik back to Mobius Prime, but scanned Robotnik's mind in the process and uncovered the location of the pieces of the Giant Borg. One of the pieces was located within his own Zone, and he used it to fashion a new body for himself. Robo-Robotnik then destroyed Mobotropolis, along with Sonic and the royal family. However, Robo-Robotnik discovered that his counterpart, Dr. Robotnik, had died. He decided to take Robotnik’s place in Sonic's universe in order to "fill the void" left by the deaths of their arch enemies. Sonic asks him why he didn't just announce his plans, but Robo-Robotnik simply says he wanted to lure them away from Mobotropolis. Sally wonders why he would want them away from the city. Meanwhile, Mobotropolis is under siege by Robo-Robotnik’s Shadowbots. Nate Morgan tries to escort Amy Rose to safety when they spot John and Jane Doe being captured by Shadowbots. They attack the robots and ask the couple to join them. At Castle Acorn, Geoffrey St. John is briefing King Max about the invasion. The king orders St. John to organize the troops and evacuate the citizens to Knothole Village. Max wonders where Sally is, only for Robo-Robotnik to contact him and reveal that he intends to roboticize the Freedom Fighters. Max offers himself to Robo-Robotnik in exchange for the freedom of the children. Robo-Robotnik rejects his offer, reasoning that he’s going to capture them all anyway, and has a team of Shadowbots break into the palace. Prince Elias freezes the robots using the cryo-tubes in the med-lab and everyone flees the castle. Back on the satellite, Sonic tries to stay positive by pointing out that they've found the missing Robians. Sally, however, points out that Robo-Robotnik has robbed them of their free will. Robo-Robotnik takes the opportunity to show Sonic that his entire family; his father, his mother, his uncle, and even his pet; has been converted into a set of mindless slaves. Sonic runs at him, furious, but is repelled by the force field. Robo-Robotnik gloats that nothing can restore the Robians, explaining that the Ultimate Annihilator somehow granted the Robians their free will and he has since fixed that “glitch.” In Mobotropolis, Rosie and her young charges have been cornered by a pair of Shadowbots. The Secret Service comes to their rescue, and Valdez decides to stay behind to hold off the Shadowbots. Geoffrey protests, but Hershey reminds him that their priority is saving as many people as they can. Sonic keeps attacking the force field, being shocked repeatedly. Sally tells him to stop hurting himself, but Sonic explains that he can’t bear losing his family again. Suddenly, the force field is shut off by none other than Snively. Sonic refuses to trust him, but Snively explains that if he doesn't stop Robo-Robotnik he'll be roboticized after the Robians are sent to Mobius. Bunnie asks why they should bother bringing him with them, but Sally asks the group to calm down and calls in the shuttle using NICOLE's keypad. Sally then plants a timebomb to take out the combined satellites. Sonic tells the gang to go without him, explaining that he can use Nate's super-charged Power Ring to rescue his family and make it back to the shuttle. Sally pleads for him to think reasonably, reminding him that Robo-Robotnik plans to send the Robians back to the planet and that his family may already be off the satellite, but Sonic decides it's a risk worth taking and dashes off. Robo-Robotnik watches the last of the Robians board his shuttle back to the surface when Sonic appears, picking a fight with him. They get into a fist fight, but Sonic is easily overpowered. Robo-Robotnik gloats over Sonic’s loss when a power ring hits him on the head. Jules and Bernie retained their free will due to their power ring wedding bands, and Jules demands the Robo-Robotnik release his son. Sonic then grabs his parents and dashes to the shuttle as fast as he can. The shuttle manages to escape as satellites explode. As the shuttle heads back to Mobius, Jules and Bernie explain how they ended up on Robotnik’s satellite. They saw the other Robians leave in a trance and followed them, pretending to be under Robotnik’s control. The sun sets over Mobotropolis, now rechristened as Robotropolis following the capture of the city by the Shadowbots. Deep below Castle Acorn, an assortment of robot bodies stand motionless. Suddenly, one of the robots springs to life, swearing his revenge.
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