Sonic The Hedgehog 3's Big Death Must Stick Now After Big Fakeout – But Will It?

The following contains spoilers for Sonic the Hedgehog 3, now playing in theatersSonic the Hedgehog 3‘s biggest death was a genuine surprise and shouldn’t turn out to be a fake-out — even if previous entries in the franchise make that a very distinct possibility. Sonic the Hedgehog has never been a necessarily realistic franchise, but it has found a grounded sense of emotion thanks to the bonds formed between Sonic and those around him. The films have steadily developed themes about found family and the importance of focusing on positives over negativity, something that continues to build in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

These themes even play into the emotional arcs for characters like Sonic the Hedgehog 3‘s villains. Shadow and Dr. Robotnik are both confronted with the power of love in the face of their personal vendettas with the world at large, leading to important emotional turns in the third act. This sets up the pair to seemingly sacrifice their lives to save the world in Sonic the Hedgehog 3‘s ending. This feels like a fitting farewell to Dr. Robotnik in particular, giving him a death that would be genuinely undercut if the character is brought back for another sequel.

The Franchise Can’t Reverse Dr. Robotnik’s Death After The Previous Fake-Out Before Sonic 3

Giving Dr. Robotnik Another Fake-Out Death Would Feel Repetive & Unearned

Dr. Robotnik’s apparent death at the conclusion of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 shouldn’t be reversed following a similar fake-out in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Dr. Robotnik has been the overarching villain of the cinematic Sonic the Hedgehog universe, appearing as the central threat of the first two films in the series. Both films effectively found ways to remove the character from the equation, leaving him in another dimension in the first film and seemingly killing him off in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. However, this was quickly ret-conned in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, with Robotnik escaping certain death with little explanation.

Jim Carrey as Dr. Gerald Robotnik looking ready to go in Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Related

How Gerald Robotnik Lived For 110 Years Before Sonic The Hedgehog 3

Gerald Robotnik is 110 years old at the time of Sonic the Hedgehog 3, but the reason he was able to live that long is not explained in the film.

Having already done an easy death fake-out for the character, it would feel repetitive to do the same thing after his sudden return. There’s also the nature of the death scenes. While Sonic the Hedgehog 2 cut away before he “died” and left plenty of ambiguity surrounding Robotnik’s fate, the character is shown on-screen being consumed by an explosion in Sonic the Hedgehog 3‘s climax. Having him suddenly bounce back from that blow, especially given the character’s emotional state in the scene, would feel ridiculous even for a movie starring a super-fast talking blue hedgehog.

Bringing Back Robotnik Would Undo His Big Emotional Beat

Robotnik’s Redemptive Moment Is Good Enough That It Deserves To Stand

Actor Jim Carrey as Ivo and Gerald Robotnik in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

The biggest indicator that Robotnik’s death was real is the way Sonic the Hedgehog 3 plays it as a genuine emotional beat and redemptive moment for the character. After spending the film trying to bond with his grandfather Gerald, Robotnik discovers that Gerald intends to destroy the world and has little concern for him. The film plays up his realization that Agent Stone has always actually been his friend, and that Robotnik does genuinely care about him. This leads directly to Robotnik’s sacrifice, as he stays behind to save the Earth and shares an emotional farewell to Stone.

Robotnik sacrificing himself to save his only Earthly connection was an unexpected and effective emotional turn for the character. Undoing it by revealing he survived would undercut the heroic inspiring qualities baked into the scene. Robotnik genuinely giving his life for a good cause gives the character a fully rounded arc that ties into the trilogy’s overall themes about the importance of friendship and making good choices in the face of rage and grief. It gives Robotnik a genuine arc in the series that would be cheapened by a sudden return.

Why Robotnik’s Sonic 3 Death Is Difficult To Fully Believe

There’s Plenty Of Reasons (And Ways) To Bring Back Robotnik For Sonic The Hedgehog 4

However, there remains some strong precedent that Dr. Robotnik could come back from the dead. Shadow also seemingly died in the same explosion as Robotnik but is shown in the post-credits scene of the film to be alive. Robotnik could easily do the same. The fact that Dr. Robotnik has bounced back from death before makes it easy to believe Robotik could return in the confirmed Sonic the Hedgehog 4. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 established cloning as a possibility, setting the stage for a new version of Robotnik to appear while keeping the original’s heroic death untouched.

However, it would be better for [Dr. Robotnik] to genuinely remain dead.

There’s also the fact that Jim Carrey is an absolute blast in the role and could decide to reprise the part again in some shape or form. However, it would be better for the character to genuinely remain dead. With new characters like Metal Sonic and Amy Rose entering the franchise, the series could continue to grow in new ways by allowing past villains like Dr. Robotnik to rest. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was able to make Dr. Robotnik’s death actually feel genuine and emotionally affecting, and it’s best for the franchise’s future if it doesn’t bring the character back.