Media Essay: A Princess's Retrospective (Part 1)

Written by TCH2

Greetings and salutations, friends and readers and fans! I am Thomas Holmes, your friendly Mobian bard!

35 years...

35 years and Sonic the Hedgehog remains as cool as he ever was! And since this is the Blue Blur's Coral Anniversary (yes, that's the official term), I felt I would take the opportunity to talk about my favourite Sonic character...

Other than Sonic himself, I mean.

That's the one!

Yep, Princess Sally Acorn is my favourite Sonic character, besides the title character. And that might be surprising, considering this hybrid princess is arguably the most divisive and often outright polarising character in the entire Sonic franchise. Some fans, like myself, love her and see her as the perfect foil and love interest for Sonic; others fans hate her, regarding her as a whiny 'Mary Sue' who just drags Sonic down. Some fans write stories about her that highlight her strengths, while others might use such to drop bricks on her. Some have her fight with Amy Rose over who should have Sonic, while others have them be friends.

But why is Sally Acorn so controversial? How did she become such a noteworthy character in the franchise for better or worse, depending on who you ask? Well, that's what I'm going to tell you about. This is a retrospective on the story of Sally Acorn.

Creation:

Sally Acorn's story begins in 1992, during the early days of Sonic's tenure. Based on the Ricky squirrel, one of Sonic's non-evolved animal friends, Sally was first conceived by SEGA of America workers Alfred 'Al' Nilsen and Madeline Schroeder. At the time, SEGA of America had had little exposure to Japanese-original Sonic media, and so they were looking to develop their own distinctive backstory for the Blue Blur. One such concept involved the idea of Sonic being part of a resistance group known as the Freedom Fighters, of which Sally was also a member. A few early designs depicted Sally, or 'Princess Acorn' as she was also called, as fair in a red dress, and even as a human!

Notably, in media such as the Fleetway Editions UK comic Sonic the Comic, the Sonic the Hedgehog Adventure Gamebooks published by Penguin Books, and the Sonic books published by Ladybird, Sally Acorn was the name of a Ricky-styled character. In Sonic the Comic, specifically, she had a brother named Tuftee, served as a Freedom Fighter and ultimately became a news reporter. Now, I can't really give my thoughts on this portrayal of Sally, as I've not looked at the Fleetway comics in years, and honestly, they don't grab me.

Anyways, the Sally Acorn we're all familiar with today underwent quite a few changes in appearance. She originally looked like this:

Sally also went through some changes in the colour of her hair and fur, which I will discuss in a moment. Her design would finalised by artist Ken Kinoshita, who, fun fact, also worked as an animator on Disney. How fitting that a Princess has roots with Disney, am I right?

Debut:

Sally Acorn made her official debut in Sonic media in November 1992, in the first very issue of the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series published by Archie: Issue 0, written by Mike Gallagher and pencilled by Scott Shaw. But in this issue, this was what she looked like:

Yeah, you may have noticed Sally has a different look to the we all know today - orange-red fur with blond hair styled in a ponytail. This was based on early concept art for the character, who was still being developed. But regardless, this issue would establish the key traits of Sally Acorn: she was a Princess, the strong-minded and rather opinionated leader of the Freedom Fighters and someone who took her work seriously, preferring to plan ahead of every mission.

In the very next issue, Issue 1, Sally would look like this:

Now, she was pink-furred, with black hair - another early concept used for the comic. And she would retain this colour scheme for the next 14 issues. She would even cameo in Sonic Spinball with this design, her only resemblance in the games to date.

Eventually, as mentioned, Sally would eventually be finalised in appearance by Japanese Disney animator Ken Kinoshita for the 1993 Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon (later named 'SatAM' by fans for distinction):

This look would be incorporated into the comic with Issue 16. For a time, no explanation was offered for Sally's changing colours, but eventually, Issue 29 of the Knuckles the Echidna series would provide an explanation:

Anyway, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Sally and the Freedom Fighters with it, would arrive on television, courtesy of ABC and Ben Hurst, in September 1993, almost a year after the comic began. Because of this, some fans wondered whether the cartoon was based on the comic, when the truth was the inverse. The cartoon had been conceived alongside the comic, and since a comic requires less work than an animated show, it naturally came out first.

As in the comic, Sally Acorn was the leader of the Freedom Fighters in their guerrilla campaigns to undermine Robotnik's rule of Mobius. Voiced by veteran voice actress Kath Soucie, she was one of the show's main characters, appearing in almost every episode. Her personality was the same as the comic - smart, compassionate, no-nonsense, deliberate and strategically-minded. She was equipped with NICOLE, a small handheld AI computer who was always handy for information, translation, transmissions and more. She was frequently paired with Sonic, with whom she was good friends since childhood, despite the banter and arguments caused when Sonic's impulsive and carefree attitude clashed with Sally's more cautious and mature approach, which would become one of the show's most memorable aspects. She was also something of a maternal figure to Tails, who liked to call her 'Aunt Sally'.

In contrast to the light-hearted and often off-the-wall nature of the early comics and Adventures, SatAM was a darker and more serious show, with a lot of character-based drama. One of Sally's main sources was her search for her exiled father, wishing to bring him back. She also had to deal with the stresses of leadership and her responsibility as a Princess. And she was constantly being fawned over by several guys - mainly Sonic, Antoine and guest star Griff in one episode. Sadly, this would become an infamous aspect that still somewhat hangs over her significantly, but we'll get to that.

On a side note, Sally also guest-starred in the finale of Adventures, Sonic's Christmas Blast, sporting her finalised design but her pink and black colour scheme. Notably, she didn't actually speak in Christmas Blast, besides a few sounds, nor did she really do anything in particular. So I kinda wonder what the point was.

Sally's design received a noticeable upgrade with the beginning of Season 2, gaining visible pupils to her eyes and a blue vest, thus completing her iconic look:

Sally would continue to play a major role throughout Season 2, though many fans feel her positive aspects were overplayed to the point where she always seemed to be right, often while making Sonic look extremely foolish and also side-lining fan favourites like Rotor and Bunnie. This would be the beginning of one of the biggest criticisms of Sally Acorn - the 'Mary Sue' accusation. Again, we'll get back to this.

The second season of SatAM concluded with Sonic and Sally apparently vanquishing Robotnik for good and finally confessing their love for each other with a very passionate kiss which is still one of the sweetest moments in Sonic history.

Sadly, Ben Hurst's plans to explore their relationship further, including another guy trying to win Sally's heart, never came to be as SatAM was cancelled due to poor ratings on ABC. And despite his efforts for a revival, including a failed movie adaptation due to possible betrayal by Ken Penders, ultimately, SatAM would never be truly resolved as Ben Hurst passed away in 2010.

Stories on the comic panel:

With SatAM given the axe, it would ultimately be the Archie Comics that would shape Sally Acorn's legacy in the Sonic franchise... for better or worse, depending on who you ask.

Notably, the comic established that Sally had been mentored by a chipmunk named Julayla who ultimately died of old age, but bequeathed the iconic blue vest Sally wore to her. It also provided a backstory for NICOLE... though it would be needlessly convoluted: she was from an alternate possible future where Sally was Queen. Yeah...

Anyway, when Ken Penders joined the writing staff, the comic would start to emulate the more serious tone of SatAM, though, if the backstory for NICOLE mentioned above is any indication, it didn't guarantee high quality writing. Some of her more noteworthy adventures during the first 50 issues of the comic included dealing with Robotnik's Operation: Wasteland, a spotlight miniseries where she was temporarily replaced by a evil robotic double, clashing with the Freedom Fighters' evil counterparts, subjecting herself to Roboticization in a failed attempt to test Rotor's Neuro-Overrider to retain her free will, confronting her father during a trip to the Zone of Silence, and having to prosecute Sonic when it was believed he had allowed himself to be Roboticized, resulting the devastation of Knothole.

Near-death experience:

In the run-up to Issue 50, Ken Penders actually planned to have Sally killed off in his 'Endgame' saga. Yes, really. In Issue 47, during a mission in Robotropolis, as Sally was climbing a building, 'Sonic' cut the rope she was using and she plummeted several floors to the ground, the idea being that the fall killed her.

It was all an elaborate frame-up by Robotnik and Drago Wolf to get Sonic out of the way: newcomer Hershey the Cat dressed up as Sonic, the mask's eyes making her see everyone as Snively, so she thought she was killing the cowardly underling. Yeah, totally a dignified way to kill off one of the comic's main characters, right?

And why were they planning to give Sally the axe? Because they reckoned the return of King Max would make Sally unnecessary and the restrictions SEGA were imposing on the comic made it difficult to write her in a relationship with Sonic. Fortunately, SEGA vetoed the idea, as they had promotional plans for Sally, which I will cover shortly. Archie editor Justin Freddy Gabrie also rejected the idea, making Penders instead reveal Sally had merely fallen into a coma; Doctor Quack had only pronounced her dead because his family were being threatened, and Sonic subsequently revived her with a kiss, a la Snow White or Sleeping Beauty.

Linkara: "Comic books are weird, people."

Post-Robotnik struggles:

Following Robotnik's death at the end of the Endgame saga, Sally was now tasked with rebuilding her old kingdom, though naturally, it was by no means easy, what with Naugus trying to start a civil war between Mobians and Robians, accidentally setting Monkey Khan free, and Mammoth Mogul obtaining Enerjak's power. Her father, King Max Acorn, would eventually be restored to normal after becoming half-crystal, but this would lead to family problems. In contrast to the kindly father seen in SatAM, King Max was a staunch and strict traditionalist, who felt Sonic was an unsuitable lover for Sally. Sadly, he would often be portrayed as nothing short of emotionally abusive of Sally, demanding she abide by his wishes with no regard for her feelings, especially under Ken Penders' writing. To make matters worse, when Sally considered merging with the Source of All, which was some kind of god-like entity, she was told her father is always right. In other words, Max is right to be abusive of Sally: https://thankskenpenders.tumblr.com/post/184766304885/heres-your-big-spotlight-in-the-girls-rule

No! No, just... no!

Also, another tangent; the original print of Sally's encounter with the Source had her remove what little clothing she had. Later prints of the story would show her keeping her vest on, out of complaints that she was, quote-unquote, 'naked'. This is another criticism fans have of Sally - that she is 'naked', given most female Sonic characters tend to wear full-body attire that covers most of their bodies where Sally does not. But I ask you this: is it really nudity where you're covered in fur and nothing graphic is on prominent display?

In any case, unsurprisingly, Sally refused to capitulate to his demands, even when faced with the prospect of losing her title. But some happiness would come to her family when her elder brother Elias returned, along with her comatose mother Alicia. The former would become a fan-favourite in his own right.

G'day, Sydney:

What promotional plans did SEGA have for Sally? For Sega World Sydney, an indoor high-tech amusement park in, where else, Sydney. It was just one of several SegaWorld parks opened around the world during the 90s. Naturally, as SEGA's mascot, Sonic was heavily endorsed at the park, and, interestingly, Sally was also heavily promoted, with a statue outside...

...the access cards...

...various merchandise, as you can see here...: https://www.reddit.com/r/SonicTheHedgehog/comments/1272loz/im_honestly_shocked_at_the_amount_of_sally_acorn/

...and, most notably, as a central character in the daily half-hour live show, Sonic Live in Sydney. First debuting with costumed actors and dancers, the show involved Sonic, Tails and Sally striving to stop Robotnik from conquering Australia, and wacky hi-jinx ensue. The show is... very silly, in the vein of Adventures, Sonic even quoting some catchphrases from that show and having some corny voice-acting - Sally in particular sounding more like Bunnie. However, it's silly in an enjoyable way, and while no video footage of the show exists, the audio has survived the test of time, and can be found on YouTube, so check it out if you're curious. One aspect that is genuinely good is the three songs - 'What Are We Waiting For?', sung by Sonic; 'Give Me Chaos' sung by Robotnik; and, frankly one of the most beautiful songs in the entire Sonic franchise, 'Thank You For Being You', sung by Sally:

The costumed show was later replaced by a puppet show, but only photos of it survive, which you can find here: https://sonic.fandom.com/wiki/Sonic_in_Sydney

Sadly, Sally wouldn't be enough to sustain SEGA World Sydney, and the park closed down in 2000 due to lack of visitors. The statue of Sonic and Sally would later turn up in a junkyard in Londonderry in 2018. The owner has apparently refused to sell the statue for any price.

Back to the comic:

Sally would soon be thrust back into active duty when Robo-Robotnik took over as main antagonist of the comics, eventually rechristening himself 'Dr Eggman' for distinction. She would play an active role in most of the comics' big storylines, like travelling to Station Square in a Sonic Adventure adaptation, freeing the Robians from Eggman's control with the Sword of Acorns, wrestling with her connections to said sword, and finding a new competitor for Sonic's affections in Mina Mongoose on one of the comic's many infamous 'love dodecahedrons'. Curiously, though, throughout the comic, Sally would never directly compete for Sonic's affections with Amy Rose, the other most popular girl paired with Sonic.

Speaking of love, in addition to Sonic and Antoine's affections, and hints of fancy from Knuckles (a childhood friend), Sally also won the eye of Geoffrey St. John, which would cause some controversy, given he was established to be a decade older than her. To make matters worse, Ken Penders would later reveal on Twitter that one storyline he planned to write but wasn't allowed to involved Sally 'losing her virginity' to Geoffrey. No, I'm serious.

Do I even need to elaborate on how wrong this is? If anyone just felt a bit sick, I sympathise. And people have a go at Ian Flynn. At least he never sank this low, and even when he overstepped, he regretted it.

All these potential suitors, and another I'll cover in a bit, are another reason why Sally has been accused of being a Mary Sue, given how 'popular' with the men she seems to be. But, well, it's not like she seriously committed herself to all of them; at best, she only shared kisses with them, but that doesn't always mean you're officially together.

Fortunately, all this drama would start to be dialled back around Issue 123, written by Karl Bollers, when Mina took a bullet for Sally after seeing Sonic and Sally admit their love for each other.

The two would announce their engagement to Sally's parents, who welcomed it... only for tragedy to strike when the Xorda, the aliens indirectly responsible for the evolution of Mobians, came to Mobius intending to finish what they started millennia before. Sonic would apparently sacrifice himself to stop their plans, leaving Sally broken-hearted.

During Sonic's subsequent year in space, Sally would be subsumed in her despair, notably letting her hair grow out, leading to yet another change in her look:

And, personally speaking, while short hair will always be the definitive look of Sally, I have to say that long hair doesn't ill-suit her so much, though braiding it would certainly help.

Anyway, Sally would be happily reunited with Sonic upon his return to Mobius. But, again, their happiness was interrupted by villainous planned: this time, Eggman's Operation: Triple Threat, which necessitated Sonic going into the field, while Sally stayed behind. Man, they cannot catch a break, can they? During this kerfuffle, Sonic would suffer a serious arm injury while fighting Eggman's android 'daughter' Mecha, which would seriously upset Sally because she was afraid of losing Sonic for good.

And then... and then...

(sighs)

Yep... it's finally time. This is it. This, my friends, is the main reason Sally is so divisive today. Often considered one of, if not THE worst issue in the entire Archie Sonic run, Issue 134, released in March 2004, remains the bane of many fans' existence to this day. Anyone who knows the comic like I do will know what I mean, but for anyone who doesn't, here's the rundown:

Following a relatively calm, slice-of-life series of events that would have made for a nice breather issue after all the tension and drama of the last few issues, Sally was assigned to rule over Knothole while her parents went on a royal tour. She asked Sonic to rule by her side, but Sonic felt he still had a duty to defend Mobius from Robotnik. Sally pleaded Sonic to stop being the hero and stay with her, but Sonic, reluctantly, refused. And in response... (sigh) Sally did this:

And after a brief but intense argument, the two broke up and the issue ended just like that. Yes, really.

For more details, you can watch SonicComicWorld's review of this issue on YouTube (a reupload since he closed his channel in 2012):

I'm tempted to reiterate some of his points, plus some extra ones, but it's better reserved for an actual review of this issue. So, I'll keep it simple: fans felt betrayed by Bollers undoing his previous work; the break-up itself was very unpleasant; it happened without warning or build-up; the artwork, courtesy of Jon Gray, makes it look almost comical; and Sally was WAY out-of-character.

Regarding that last point, I don't care what some might say in Sally's defence; Sonic wasn't necessarily wrong to refuse Sally's offer. And Sally was in no position to call Sonic selfish, given she herself was clearly prioritising her own happiness above everything else.

In a previous essay, I explained how it was Jon Gray who was the most to blame for how the breakup happened as it did, as the slap was not in the comic's script, as elaborated on in this video. However, on his Sonic Wikia, it says he now regrets the slap scene, considering it his least favourite moment in the comic. He said he was asked to draw the slap. But there is no official source backing up his regret, and the video did note that Karl Bollers contradicted what Jon said. Seems like a case of 'he said, he said'. I don't know who's more to blame, and frankly, I don't really care. I will say, though, that I am not encouraging attacks on either guy as people. That is abhorrent.

Bottom line: this issue did Sally VERY dirty. And as mentioned, it is the biggest reason why Sally remains such a divisive character among fans to this day. Many still haven't forgiven Sally for how she acted in this issue, and continue to use it as 'proof' that she's a spoiled, selfish royal brat, even though she has long since proved that is not the case. Some fans have since mellowed out, and come to understand why she acted that way, myself included. It still wasn't right and I continue to take Sonic's side overall; but I do understand.

So, anyway, in the immediate issues after 134, Sally would continue to display very b***hy behaviour, which didn't help the fans' growing negative perception of her. Fortunately, this would start to die down, and we do get a glimpse of remorse from Sally over her actions in Issue 144, when she writes to other lovestruck ladies in Knothole under the alias 'Dear Aly'; she even acknowledges that maybe Sonic had a point in turning her down and maybe she was indeed the selfish one. However, this would really be one of the very few times the breakup, and its consequences, are significantly built upon. Otherwise, it's kind of treated as something of an afterthought, never really causing any significant appealing drama. And that's honestly one of my biggest gripes about it all; it was a missed opportunity to really delve into Sonic and Sally's characters and motives.

Sally would suffer another blow of indignity in Issue 155, when, after Max fell into a coma, Sally was pretty much forced into marrying Antoine (or at least who they thought was Antoine - it was really Patch, but that's another story). This was yet another demonstration of King Max's abusive and controlling behaviour under Penders' writing.

Did Penders have some issue with Sally at all? Why was he so determined to strip her of her agency? Did he really have no idea how sexist that came off as? Ugh...

Fortunately, this was the beginning of the end of Sally's slump. After Elias opted to take the throne in her stead, and Patch was outed, Sally's marriage was annulled, and she was able to return to active duty with the Freedom Fighters.

Plus, it wasn't all during this time. There was the time Sally switched bodies with Nicole, albeit for a very short time, which allowed the AI to create a Mobian avatar for herself, in the now-iconic form of a lynx:

To Be Continued in Part 2...

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