Roboticized animals from Sonic the Hedgehog's planet who later regained their individuality and free will were once discriminated against and wanted to form their own colony, much like how the X-Men's mutants later sought the protection of Krakoa from the wrath of mankind. In X-Men, those born with the mutant gene through natural selection mutate into powerful entities who each possess different types of abilities. Unfortunately, mankind naturally fears what it both doesn't understand and can't control, which soon results in discrimination against mutants, forcing many of them to hide in the shadows to avoid ridicule and, in some cases, violence. Despite Professor Xavier's valiant efforts to ensure man- and mutantkind could live in harmony, his disciples later escape to Krakoa, a sentient living island that the mutant people of Earth make into a safe haven and their home nation.
In Archie's discontinued Sonic series, Robotnik utilized an inhumane method of transforming the indigenous species of Mobius into robotic slaves known as roboticized. It was originally believed that these poor souls would be forever doomed to serve under Robotnik, until his death proved otherwise at the end of the EndGame arc. This soon set into motion quite a few events, one of which included the return of roboticized animals' personalities and free will, though they were still robotic versions of themselves.
It was later revealed in issue #53 that these freed victims, now referred to as Robians, wanted to form their own colony. Then two issues later, they were subjected to fear and distrust from their friends, culminating in many Mobians ganging up on them. In one instance, a young Robian had been caught snooping around Robotnik's old lab and became the victim of a mob, complete with torches. In her defense, she had been forced to go there on a dare, but the Mobians weren't having it and believed something more nefarious was afoot; the terror that Robotnik inflicted on them was just too great to think otherwise. Soon afterward, the monarch of Sonic's world, King Acorn, proclaimed that all Robians be dismantled. Luckily, it appears as though his proclamation was overridden as a result of his illness, allowing his daughter, the much more empathic Princess Sally, to resume command and belay his order.
The plight of the so-called Robians is twofold when compared to X-Men's mutants. First, although in most cases both Robians and mutants had no say in their respective mutation, the evolution of mutants is natural, while Robians were physically captured and forced to undergo a terrifying experience known as robotization that turned them into Robotnik's robotic slaves. The mutants' powers were a gift that, unfortunately, mankind just did not view as such, while Robians were a victim of violence and torture. Second, the Robians' discrimination began after they had been partially cured and Robotnik suffered his first of many defeats. It should have been celebrated that the Robians had regained their free will, especially as it came on the heels of Robotnik's demise. And yet, that victory was somehow contorted into something hideous and deformed.
While a compelling plot line that added yet another darker layer to an already more mature version of Sonic that other renditions greatly lacked, this story line fell victim to one of the series' most tragic downfalls. Oftentimes, the series would introduce incredibly engaging content that vastly improved the Sonic the Hedgehog mythos overall, only to drop it randomly soon afterward, never to be revisited again (like the whole "Sonic contains human DNA" thing). This particular story is unfortunately just one of many such occurrences. Probably worst of all was that the series presented it as an afterthought, as it was written as the second story that came after the main feature. The Robians' plight might have been darker than what mutants experience in Marvel comics, but at least the mutants' story continues and is the main focus in X-Men.
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