Princess Sally Acorn
From Sonic Blur
Princess Sally Alicia Acorn is a female, anthropomorphic, humanoid squirrel. Sally is considered to be part chipmunk (on her mother's side) and part squirrel (her father's side).
Contents |
History
Origins
Sally is the Daughter of King Maximillian Acorn and Queen Alicia Acorn. The younger sister of Elias Acorn, sister in law to Elias' wife Meg Acorn and aunt of Alexis Acorn. She is the heiress to the throne of the royal family, next in line after Elias Acorn (according to Ken Penders). Alexis, being his stepchild was barred from a chance at the throne, and Elias has made clear that he doesn't want his children involved in a life of politics.
Sally's family ruled over Mobotropolis for many generations. Their official dynasty ended shortly after the Great War, to which the treacherous Warlord Dr. Julian Ivo Kintobor (an overlander defector) staged a coup d'etat, usurping the Kingdom of Acorn. Re-christened Ivo Robotnik, the newly proclaimed dictator turned the city into a ruined place and used the horrific roboticization process to transfigure the city's population into his mindless robot slaves. A young Sally, of five years, was hidden from Robotnik's grasp and sent to live in the protected Knothole Village within the bowels of the Great Forest. Sally grew up to lead a band of ragtag rebel militiamen from Knothole starting at age 10, living with her friends, her governess Rosie, and her mentor Julayla.
Freedom Fighter
Early on in the fight, Princess Sally would lose her mentor Julayla, but through the long period of fighting lying ahead of her, Sally would rely on her deceased mentor for strength to lead the Freedom Fighters. The goal of the "Freedom Fighters" would be to oust their oppressive ruler. In relatively close proximity to Robotropolis (capital of Mobius), they carried out numerous guerrilla attacks against Robotnik, constantly striving for his overthrow. The Knothole Freedom Fighters soon discovered that they were not the only ones to start an insurrection and united their cause around the globe.
Finding the former Princess a definite threat to his reign, Robotnik devised an elaborate assassination plot, nearly taking the now 15-year-old rebel leader's life. Victory seemed to be in the dictator's grasp when he discovered the location of Knothole, to which he built a massive super-weapon in order to wipe it off the face of his world. His "Endgame" scheme was foiled by the rebellion and Robotnik ended up MIA during the weapon's destruction, presumed killed by its backfiring. During the years to follow, Sally worked hard to reestablish her father's government, encountering a myriad of hardships, including the arrival of an alternate reality Robotnik (Robo-Robotnik), who retook Mobotropolis. Robo-Robotnik was destroyed in battle, but through the digital transfer of his consciousness into a new robotic body, he was able to live on as "Doctor Eggman". Now she presides over the newly established Kingdom of Knothole, once a haven from the destructive powers of Eggman until he too, like his mighty predecessor, learned of the location. In addition, Sally has been forced to lead her friends against numerous other foes, such as Ixis Naugus, the Destructix, the Dark Legion, and even otherworldly threats such as the Xorda aliens.
She has a compact super computer with her called NICOLE, which can speak and perform other tasks and helps with research, this nifty computer being sent from an alternative future where Sally is queen, feeling that apparently this reality's Sally would seriously need a friend. Unlike in SatAM where Sally carried NICOLE on one of her boots, in the comic she would carry NICOLE via a retractable shoulder strap, or in a pouch on a belt around her waist in some of the more recent comics. Sally is also among the few individuals who can wield the Sword of Acorns, a legendary weapon capable of being wielded only by the ruler of Mobius that allowed its bearer to control minds at will. Other characters who have been able to use it include: Sonic the Hedgehog, Mammoth Mogul and King Max Acorn.
When the four-part saga known as EndGame was first written, the writers' intent was to remove Princess Sally from the comic permanently. An attempt was made to kill the character with enough dignity to not drive away any of the character's fans. The series featured Sally being killed, with Sonic framed for the crime. The reasoning at the time was that her father's arrival would displace her power, making her unnecessary, and that the restrictions placed on the book by SEGA made it too difficult to continue writing the character as having a relationship with Sonic. SEGA, however, had promotional plans for the character and ordered her to be revived. The character's return was written into issue #50, which interfered with the planned schedule and caused many pages to be cut. Later the issue was revised and reissued as a Sonic Super Special.
The Freedom Fighters were ultimately successful, and Sally found herself a royal princess of a now established kingdom. This has led to the character taking on a significantly different role, unable to lead her friends in combat enemy lines because the kingdom could not afford to risk their only heir to the throne. According to Karl Bollers, (the main writer of the Archie Sonic comic book at the time), there is no longer "Freedom Fighters" because the status quo has changed from a group of "ragtag" rebels to a group of soldiers fighting against Doctor Eggman's terrorism. Others took on the role of field commander (with Sonic occasionally filling that role, but ultimately preferring to act on his own). With the return of her parents, Sally's role has become increasingly unclear - while she was still considered too important to the kingdom to be allowed to endanger herself on missions, at the same time she was no longer allowed any meaningful power in government, with her father retaking the throne. More recent stories about Sally have focused on her growing lack of control over her own life, culminating in a royal marriage that her father had arranged - a marriage quickly annulled when her groom, Patch (the Evil Antoine from an alternate dimension) was revealed to be a traitor.
Since then, with her brother Elias Acorn taking the throne and her father falling ill, she has taken a more active role in aiding the Freedom Fighters, even joining them in combat against Ixis Naugus & the Destructix and in a sting operation that resulted in the capture of Naugus, Mammoth Mogul, Nack the Weasel, Bark the Polarbear, and Bean the Dynamite, expressing her regret at her lack of involvement with her friends during the mission. She also agreed to be the maid of honor at the upcoming wedding of Bunnie Rabbot and Antoine D'Coolette, with Sonic being the best man.
Possible Future
In the possible future of Mobius: 25 Years Later (which the Archie editors have stated is not the definite canon future) , Sally is now Queen while her husband King Sonic helps rule by her side. They have two children, Princess Sonia and Prince Manik (obviously named after Sonic's siblings, Sonia the Hedgehog and Manic the Hedgehog, from the Sonic Underground universe.) In the comics, Sonic is very sad and Sally wonders why. He tells Sally he does not feel suited to be a king, and only agreed to become King because he didn't know what he was getting himself into. Sally takes this complaint with a grain of salt, viewing it as part of a mid-life crisis.
Another possible future is revealed in an alternate Mobius: 25 Years Later where Sally is married to Shadow the Hedgehog, who rules with an iron fist with Knuckles as his enforcer and Dark Legion Grand Master Lien-Da as his chief advisor. This is due to King Sonic and Lara-Su going back in time and changing the timeline. Because she is married to Shadow in this future, her children Manik and Sonia cease to exist. However, when Sonic returned to this time line, he worked together with Lara-Su to defeat Shadow. This Sally then explained why she married Shadow, and she and Sonic get back together. Sonic then asks her if she would like to have children.
Still a third possible future is similar in nature to the Mobius: 25 Years Later timeline. In this future, Sonic and Sally are married and have two children, who are not mentioned by name. However, they appear to be similar to the 25 Years Later Manik and Sonia with the boy being a hedgehog and the girl being a ground squirrel. In this future, both children possess super speed. This future is the one from which NICOLE comes, as it was this future's Rotor who built her.
Love life
Ultimately, Sally's first love is her people, and it is for their wellbeing that she frequently sacrifices herself. Sally would reveal that while most of the world believed Sonic dead, there were times that her faith in him would falter, and the thought of their time together brought her great grief. "But then something opened my eyes and I saw my people," she said. "I saw what the war with Eggman had done to them, and seeing it again reminded me about something. It's true... I love Sonic... but I love my people more. And I'll do anything I can to help them."
Of her suitors, Sally had shown the most interest in Sonic the Hedgehog before their breakup. During their courtship however he was not her suitor/ love interest. In the comic she has shown interest in others, particularly Geoffrey St. John, (now married to Hershey the Cat), and Knuckles the Echidna, Sally's childhood friend (who has since fallen for Julie-Su). Geoffrey was the more serious case of those two, and for a period Sally felt she might have been in love with Geoffery. In the end she decided not to pursue Geoffrey until she learned what she had with Sonic.
Sonic, however, has clearly been the dominant figure in her love life. Initially (in much of the DiC cartoon and early comics) the two were portrayed as cute semi-sweethearts, with Sonic usually running away or changing the subject whenever confronted with the possibility of a romance (although Sally was known to bashfully dodge the issue herself). Over the years their relationship progressed, with Sally and Sonic eventually meeting with the King to discuss getting married when they came of age. The road to that point was far from an easy one. Aside from the other love interests they had both had, they had also faced strong opposition from King Max. The King, in accordance with royal tradition, had used the mystical Source of All to decide who Sally's husband should be. Upon learning The Source had decided her husband should be Antoine, Sally was outraged at the lack of control the King had decided she should have in the choice. She would quarrel with her father over this for some time, and thus it was a surprise when he gave his blessing to her and Sonic. Mere moments after the King had spoken with them, however, Sonic found himself in conflict with the alien Xorda - a battle that would result in his being sent to the other side of the galaxy. It would be a year before he would return home, during which time the people of Mobius assumed he had died a hero's death.
Upon returning, Sonic and Sally were quickly reunited, with Sally professing that she had never given up her belief that he was still alive (later however, Sally reveals that this is in fact not true, and that she was deeply wounded during their time apart because she believed he died). The two barely had time to be reunited before Sonic was faced with another crisis - Eggman was threatening to destroy Knothole and Station Square. Nearly losing Sonic again after having been without him for a year affected Sally deeply. When the king and queen decided to leave her in charge of the Kingdom while on a diplomatic tour of the world, Sally asked for Sonic to be at her side governing; but Sonic believed he would make a bigger difference in the world through direct actions. Not wanting to have her heart broken again, Sally gave Sonic an ultimatum - her or adventuring. Sonic felt that his role in the field was too important and refused to give it up, at which point she slapped him and ran away crying; a break up between Sonic and Sally soon followed.
In the issues that followed, the relationship between the two was strained - they had to work together, but cleary they were deeply affected by the breakup. Sally confessed that she still loved Sonic, but could not continue the relationship as it had been. The arranged marriage to Antoine finally came to pass, but what nobody knew was that the real Antoine had been replaced with his evil double from Anti-Mobius, Patch, who had preyed on Sally's uncertainty and feelings of royal obligation. Ultimately Anti-Antione used Sally's love for her people as a basis for convincing her it was her duty to go through with the marriage. The Anti-Antoine had been secretly poisoning the King for some time, with the intent of finishing the job after the wedding, and assuming the throne. Sonic reacted with surprise and jealousy upon learning of the engagement, however was clearly uncertain of his relationship with Sally. Later, Sally and Antoine married, but the reception was interrupted by Elias, who didn't trust Antoine. Although Elias had previously abdicated his position in line to the throne to marry a commoner, he declared his right as the eldest to be the new king. Patch, furious, attempted to assassinate the new king, but was stopped and sent back to his dimension.
Elias annulled Sally's marriage, telling her that with him as King, she could do whatever she wanted. While Sally became free to marry whomever she wishes, Sonic began dating Fiona Fox. Sally has patched things up with Sonic as a friend, but may still harbor romantic feelings for him, and with Fiona having dissolved her relationship with Sonic, there is at least a remote possibility of a future between the two. In issue 174 dropped hints to possibly the two getting back together.
Alternate Selves
Like several characters in the Archie Comics, Sally has a variety of other-reality counterparts. The first to appear is Anti-Sally/Sally Alicia Acorn, a villainous version of herself from the Anti-Mobius universe. Anti-Sally is evil in all fields in which Sally is good, and assumed leadership of the Anti-Freedom Fighters following Evil Sonic's expulsion from the group. Most recently, she and Anti-Bunnie were knocked into a pool of Octopods, and it is unclear what happened to them afterwards.
Another is Pretty Soldier Sally Moon, a version of Sally from a Sailor Moon themed Mobius. This version of Sally is the enemy of Ivana Robotnik and has a sidekick called Chibi Rose, an obvious parody of Chibi Usa. In addition, she is the girlfriend—to Sonic's eternal displeasure—of her dimension's Knuckles, known as Tuxedo Knux.
Yet another version is Sally McAcorn, an Ally McBeal style lawyer, and there is also Saleta, a superheroine with powers based on those of Guardians of the Galaxy member Aleta, and a high-society woman in a 1920s-style world who has a secret identity as "the Princess of the rebellion".
