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An aspect of Sonic and Amy’s relationship that I’ve actually always really liked is whenever Sonic’s entirely caught off guard by Amy’s genuine affection.
I don’t mean whenever she’s physically affectionate, or whenever she exasperates him with her cheeky teasing because Sonic is more than well-adjusted and accepting of these behaviours. Rather, I mean whenever Amy slows down and does something to indicate or just tells him outright how much she loves him for him. The rarity of these moments, coupled with Sonic’s emotional privacy, tends to bring out rawer emotions like shock, bashfulness, and admiration. Moments like these are definitely more Sonic’s speed (ironically), and I feel this is why he’s more likely to show his reciprocation and “come around” (because he definitely is reciprocating, albeit not in the same way that Amy does). Sonic’s guard is struck down in these interactions, and his surprise and awe tend to speak for themselves.
I like to think that, in these moments, Sonic’s reminded that whatever he has with Amy is very real and very much not going anywhere, and I also enjoy how consistent of a trait/sequence this has been throughout the series.
Sonic X:
Episode 9, where Amy makes Sonic a good-luck charm to calm his phobia of water
Episode 52, where Amy absolutely spills her heart out to Sonic (a first in the show and in the entire series, at this point)
Episode 76, where Amy falls into the water sphere to be with him, no matter what happens
Sonic Unleashed, where Amy’s perception of Sonic really matters to him
- quick shoutout to @latin-dr-robotnik [tumblr user] for archiving all of Amy’s dialogue in the game
I know we don’t see Sonic’s reaction to Amy’s dialogue, but a lot of his reactions are implied.
After beating Rooftop Run, day, Act 1
I suppose it’s rather subjective, but I like to read this scene as Sonic checking out of the conversation (looking away, not responding) since Amy’s flustered him. I say this because 1) it happens all the time in canon, honestly, and 2) this exact exchange happens twice throughout the game:
After beating Arid Sands Day, Act 1, though this time only available at night:
I like to think that Amy’s support and softer flirting throughout the game encourages Sonic to take their relationship more seriously, because of course, the player is eventually allowed to do so:
A cute lil bonus:
IDW Sonic:
Issue 2, where Amy nonchalantly tells Sonic that she loves him, and he seems more phased by it than she does:
- In the previous issue, we establish that Sonic is open to company, period, when he asks if Tails wants to come, but it’s more so out of a brotherly-looking-out kind of way.
- With Amy, however, it’s a lot harder for him to ask that same question. He knows the true weight of it and exactly why he’s asking. It’s nerve-wracking and difficult, but Amy’s genuine love and acceptance of all of him makes him feel safe.
I think Sonic and Amy can have genuine moments of mutual attraction and bonding without it taking over the series and fundamentally changing Sonic’s current character.
I think about being in middle school or early high school (ages 12-15) and having mutual feelings with someone but knowing that you’re not ready for a relationship. Feelings are on the table and both parties know and understand the situation, but instead of being a couple, they’re just friends who love each other and (in a way) remain devoted to each other because they know that one day, they might be ready.
It’s subtle, pure, and sweet (alluding here and there to there being more private moments between them that the players don’t usually get to see) without being a canonical relationship.
These moments are genuinely few and far between in the franchise (which I think is by design), but I appreciate that they’ve been handled the same way every time. Consistency like this is what keeps me invested in the series and these hedgehogs. Wholesome.
My SonAmy thesis: I Love You - Come With Me