Warning: SPOILERS for Sonic the Hedgehog 2!
One of Sonic the Hedgehog 2’s core themes called out the majority of heroes in both the MCU and the DCEU. This is despite Sonic the Hedgehog 2 not being a typical superhero movie. Based on the popular video game series, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 introduced many original video game elements, such as the Master Emerald, characters like Tails and Knuckles, and Sonic’s powerful Super Sonic form. However, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 still explored the theme of heroism in a way that reflected common problems in the MCU and DCEU.
In one of Sonic the Hedgehog 2’s opening scenes, Sonic tried to stop a robbery while the thieves were escaping in an armored car. Still an inexperienced hero, Sonic nearly ran into multiple pedestrians and accidentally blew up a garbage truck. He also threw a bomb down a sewer drain, causing manhole covers to fly into the air as water erupted onto the street. Although Sonic accomplished his goal of stopping the robbery and narrowly avoided hurting anyone, he also destroyed an entire city block.
In response to Sonic’s destructive hero mission, Tom Wachowski, Sonic’s friend-turned-father figure, spoke with him about responsibility. Tom introduced Sonic the Hedgehog 2’s theme by stating “You put people in danger, and that’s not what a hero does.” Throughout the movie, Sonic continued to learn the importance of this lesson, reaching the point of nearly sacrificing himself to save his rival, Knuckles. In contrast, putting innocent people in danger is a common problem in other superhero movies, especially those in the MCU and the DCEU. Both franchises have even addressed this issue in-universe, but little changed afterward. Due to this, Sonic the Hedgehog 2’s approach to heroism challenged heroes and their methods in both franchises.
Throughout the first two phases of the MCU, superheroes worked without having to consider the consequences of their heroics. Captain America: Civil War addressed this issue for the first time, questioning the Avengers for the destruction they caused in the Battle of New York, the Battle at the Triskelion, the Battle of Sokovia, and the explosion in Lagos. While not all of these events were the Avengers’ fault, and some were necessary for humanity’s survival, they all came with a great human cost. Due to this, the United Nations created the Sokovia Accords to regulate the Avengers’ activities. However, many Avengers refused to sign the agreement or broke its rules later. Moving forward, the Avengers tried to protect civilians, but some continued to endanger people, especially in more recent shows like WandaVision and Hawkeye. This means that while MCU heroes usually try to avoid causing harm, Sonic did a better job of taking direct responsibility for his actions and refusing to let others put themselves in danger for him.
Similarly, superheroes in the DCEU have caused mass destruction. In particular, Man of Steel featured Superman fighting with General Zod and his crew. During their first fight, the Kryptonians destroyed multiple buildings in Clark Kent’s hometown of Smallville. Later, Superman and Zod fought all over Metropolis, destroying much of the city and killing many of its inhabitants. After witnessing the devastation of this battle, Batman decided that Superman was a threat, leading to their fight in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. In later movies though, heroes, and villains in films like Suicide Squad, continued to take risks and endanger civilians. In contrast, one of the main themes in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was Sonic’s need to grow and learn to use his powers responsibly. Although MCU and DCEU heroes often put people in danger, becoming a true hero by protecting others became Sonic’s main goal in Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
