Sonic Fans Disappointed in Sonic Prime’s Canonicity Due to Timeline Inconsistencies
Ian Flynn had clarified at the beginning of last year how Sonic Prime is canon and part of the same branch of the series as the video games, while the Sonic movies and Classic Sonic have their own branches. Flynn clarified the IDW comics and Sonic Prime are canon “to an extent” with details “in flux” at the time. Flynn stated he knew where Sonic Prime takes place in the timeline and intended to reveal where when the series ends.
Sonic Prime‘s third and final season has been released and Ian Flynn has revealed Sonic Prime takes place sometime after Sonic Advance 3. This announcement resulted in criticism from fans due to timeline inconsistencies which include:
- Sonic claims he has not seen badniks powered by anything other than flickies, despite several titles released prior to Sonic Advance 3 featuring badniks without flickies.
- Orbot and Cubot exist in Sonic Prime, despite only an early version of Orbot “SA-55” appearing in Sonic Unleashed, followed by Orbot and Cubot’s debut in Sonic Colors. Both titles take place after Sonic Advance 3 in the timeline.
- Sonic’s characterisation in Sonic Prime doesn’t fit with how the character is portrayed in the main canon.
- Sonic is unaware of the concept of a robot Sonic, despite Metal Sonic and Mecha Sonic existing earlier in the timeline.
- Knuckles lives in Green Hill instead of guarding the Master Emerald on Angel Island.
- Green Hill is described as being the entire world in Sonic Prime.
Flynn later responded to the criticism and clarified he did not make the decision to include Sonic Prime in the main canon and how it’s possible the animated series could also take place even later in the timeline after Sonic Unleashed or Sonic Colors.
It’s yet to be clarified specifically how Sonic Prime exists in the main timeline with all of these inconsistencies.
