tvtropes.org

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Phantom Riders Arc - TV Tropes

  • ️Tue May 28 2024

Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW): Phantom Riders Arc Recap

Written by: Evan Stanley
Year: Seven
Saga: None
Arc Duration: #69 - #75

It's off to the races, as Sonic and friends participate in an Extreme Gear competition, the Clean Sweepstakes! Sponsored by the newly established partnership of the Restoration and Clean Sweep Inc., there's a number of familiar faces looking to win it all. Team Sonic; the Restoration's new recruits, Surge and Kit; and even Sonic's arrogant avian adversaries, the Babylon Rogues, are competing; the Diamond Cutters acting as referees. Unfortunately for Team Sonic, their boards go haywire, and the trio are disqualified from the proceedings.

Things aren't what they seem, as Clutch wanted to make sure Team Sonic is kept out of the loop, thanks to Surge and Kit's participation. As the heroes mull over the suspicious sabotage, Dr. Eggman comes to them with a brand-new "Eggstreme Gear," asking them to investigate Clean Sweep after they've made a mockery of his name.

Donning the identity of the Phantom Rider in the next race, Sonic gets all eyes on him as he causes mayhem while Tails and Amy sneak onto the Restoration's Shuttle. Following some accidental property damage courtesy of Lanolin, Sonic is almost unmasked by an attacking Surge, though he manages to get away before his identity is revealed. This incident inadvertently puts the spotlight on Surge and Kit for their seemingly heroic actions.

Tails and Amy find a bound Belle in the Restoration's workshop, who was forced into a locker by Clean Sweep. Amy quickly realizes who the shady leader of the organization is, while Clutch gets Mimic to investigate the identity of the masked rider, suspicious of his intentions. The octopus, impersonating the Phantom Rider, attacks the remaining competitors and officials in the next event at Misty Spire. Taking advantage of the chaos sown, Mimic unmasks the unsuspecting hedgehog, framing him in the process. The Babylon Rogues, Tangle, Whisper, Surge, and Kit are all shocked, but Sonic has no time to explain himself before the day ends.

The Babylon Rogues are the first to realize something is amiss, believing Sonic to be too much of a hero to be paid to cause chaos. The Diamond Cutters are split on how to deal with the Phantom Rider, but Tangle and Whisper find some clues about the truth of the incident. Lastly, Clutch is angered to learn that Sonic is meddling in his affairs.

Surge, after seeing the admiration she gets from a young kid, is conflicted, but resolves to try out and earn the praise of being real heroes. She and Kit try to quit Clean Sweep Inc., only to get a haughty, condescending laugh from their employer, Clutch intimidating the two into staying.

While the Clean Sweepstakes continues moving to its next destination, Surge fires her electricity into a thunderstorm. Sonic tries to lay low until his Phantom Rider gear can be repaired, but is caught in the middle of the traffic jam caused by Surge's storm. The Babylon Rogues arrive to guide the traffic to safety, though Jet breaks off to try and get answers from Sonic. The hedgehog manages to lose the hawk, but is then caught by Nite the Owl and Don the Rooster, who provide Sonic protection from the rain and any onlookers, believing him not to be the one responsible behind the Misty Spire incident.

Nite fills Sonic in about their role in the Clean Sweepstakes, providing support to Team Chaotix as the detectives investigate the competition. After Don fixes up Sonic's gear, the hedgehog takes off once again, while a discharged Surge collapses to the ground, despondent at being trapped in a villainous role.

After freeing Belle, Tails and Amy try to reach Jewel's office on the Restoration's ship, only to be met with Dr. Yolk and Nick, the mascots of Clean Sweep. A quick fracas later, it's revealed that the Skunk Brothers, Rough and Tumble, were the ones in the costumes. Seeing that Tails and Amy have infiltrated the ship, they call for backup.

The final event of the Sweepstakes comes to a halt as Sonic, once again donning the Phantom Rider guise, attempts to disrupt the proceedings and keep eyes on him. Surge, managing to unmask him in front of the audience, also throws a lot of suspicion Clutch's way.

Meanwhile, Amy, Belle and Tails stumble upon Don, who was trying to locate the Chaotix himself. They find the detectives locked in the Engine Room, to which Vector informs the group that they've managed to find a USB drive that details the crimes perpetrated by Clean Sweep Inc. Before they can celebrate, Clutch arrives with his security team and the skunk brothers, siccing them on the group. Charmy manages to grab hold of the drive, flying off to deliver it to Nite. Clutch gives chase, but the Restoration members, along with Jewel and her reinforcements, keep the opossum at bay.

With the drive, Nite publicly broadcasts Clutch's crimes to the event's attendees, listing several environmental infractions. As the opossum shoves the radio host off his chair, he inadvertently blurts his true nature live, prompting the crowd to immediately turn on him. In a last-ditch move, the opossum tries to steal all the profit he made from the event, but Jewel sets off a self-destruct sequence for the shuttle. With the Clean Sweepstakes in shambles, Clutch directs the Restoration's ship on a crash course for Central City.

Sonic and the Diamond Cutters take off to stop the ship, followed by the Babylon Rogues. While rushing towards the falling shuttle, Clutch accidentally exposes Duo's real identity as Mimic, making the octopus flee from Whisper and Tangle, whilst a shell shocked Lanolin stays behind processing the reveal.

Clutch himself tries to flee in his personal hovercar, but is stopped by Sonic. Surge and Kit enter the fight as well, wanting to get back at the Opossum themselves. Though Sonic tries to propose an alliance with Surge and Kit, they don't take, and Clutch turns the turrets against the trio, planning to escape using Sonic's Eggstreme Gear. To his surprise, the Eggstreme Gear transforms into a robot, Dr. Eggman formally introducing himself to Clutch remotely. Finally meeting screen-to-face, Eggman kicks the Opossum to the curb, telling him to stop stealing his tech and selling it for scrap.

A four-way fight breaks out, with Surge overloading her electricity on the trio in order to try and take them down for good. However, since the Eggstreme Gear was prepared for the Tenrec's powers, Eggman takes the now unconscious Clutch as his prisoner. As Eggman bids farewell to Sonic, Surge and Kit similarly make their leave, vowing to face Sonic again another day.

Tails, Belle, Amy manage to get out with the help of Rough and Tumble, who, with their strength combined with Vector's, manage to open the vault door. The team rushes to the control room, only to find the shuttle is melting down and unstoppable in its collision course. The Babylon Rogues surprise everyone by arriving with several spectators, where their combined efforts manage to tow the Restoration's Shuttle. With no time left, Jewel tells them to divert it to Restoration HQ, stating with tears in her eyes that destroying it would be better than the city full of people.

Whisper and Tangle try to capture Mimic, who takes advantage of an explosion to hide himself amongst the crowd. Whisper screams at the top of her lungs to show himself, scaring everyone in the crowd in the process. With the racetrack still falling apart, Lanolin, Tangle, and Whisper re-gather their bearings to prioritize rescuing the audience, admitting they all fell for Mimic's deception.

With Restoration HQ about to be destroyed, Sonic plays up to Jet's ego, convincing the hawk into a game of "how many Restoration members they can save before the Shuttle explodes." The hawk immediately accepts, managing to get everyone out, save for the Chief mechanic, Tails, and Belle, who stayed behind in hopes to finally fixing Motobud. With their combined efforts, they all get out, Motobud now fixed and able to fly.

The Neo Diamond Cutters manage to get the remaining spectators safety, though what remains are the ruins of Restoration HQ, the injured being tended to. As Jewel cries, Tangle comforts her, saying the Restoration was made by the ones who joined the cause, not the building hidden beneath the surface.

The next day, Sonic and Tails both return to the latter's home, only to find it has been broken into, the Chaos Emerald which served as his lab's power source now stolen.

These issues contain examples of the following tropes:

  • 11th-Hour Superpower: Belle, Tails, and the machine shop owner upgrade Motobud with spare Extreme Gear parts at the climax of the arc, enabling it to use its shell casing as wings to fly (much like a real ladybug, as Charmy lampshades). It comes in handy when they and Sonic have to get out of dodge before the airship crashes into Restoration HQ.
  • Aborted Arc: Surge and Kit originally joined Clean Sweep Inc. in Issue #67 because Clutch promised them information on what he knows about their past. With his capture by Eggman in Issue #75 before Surge could get the answers out of him, the plot point seems to be abandoned by the end of Phantom Riders, though she may have forgotten about it in the chaos.
  • Accidental Hero: As Sonic/the Phantom Rider makes his escape after the massive glass track shatters, Surge, itching for a fight, rams him with her bike. Her electricity briefly shorts out Sonic's disguise, with the hedgehog breaking off to prevent his cover from being blown. However, because she was the last person to go after him and wasn't involved in the race track's damage, the spotlight went to her and Kit instead of the Babylon Rogues, the actual winners of the segment, much to Jet's chagrin. Surge is actually surprised and smiles when they see they're being treated like heroes, but at the same time feels conflicted and even guilty at the praise. This is especially prevalent after finding out Sonic is the Phantom Rider and a little girl subsequently hero-worships her. Kit is confused, too, but is encouraged by how happy Surge is when the crowd cheers for her—which, as her sidekick, he wants to see more of; Surge thus decides to make their heroics legit, starting with quitting Clean Sweep Inc. for good.
  • Accidental Public Confession: Issue #74 has Nite listing the crimes that the opossum believes is over the intercom, believing it to only be a "smear campaign" from the Chaotix and the owl. He inadvertently confesses to a live audience what he truly thinks, realizing too late that he said it out-loud and to the watchers of the Clean Sweepstakes.
  • Angst Nuke: After Surge and Kit are cornered into playing along with Clutch and his plans, it cuts to the two of them outside, where Surge is screaming to heavens and discharging her electricity. Her lightning ends up being confused for a storm, and it strikes a nearby hovercar following the Clean Sweepstakes.
  • Announcer Chatter: Sunset City's own radio announcer, Nite the Owl, is the emcee for the Clean Sweepstakes, and provides his own lively banter during the race, even when the Phantom Rider gets caught by the Diamond Cutters or starts causing chaos. Thanks to him being a good friend of the Restoration, it gives Nite an in so he and Don can provide support to Team Chaotix, who are doing their own investigation about the race. He pretends to be shocked when Sonic is unmasked as the Phantom Rider in Issue #73 (as he already knows his identity by that point) and his position makes it real easy for him to start airing Clutch's crimes live at the race in Issue #74.
  • Art Shift: In Issue #72, the moment Belle remembers being wrapped up by the same ribbon from the Mr. Yolk costume is presented like it was drawn with crayons.
  • Attention Deficit... Ooh, Shiny!: In Issue #69, Tails' Gadgeteer Genius tendencies get the best of him right out of the starting line. He immediately gets distracted by the other racers' Extreme Gear, noting how a certain board is out of production, or a yacht-type Extreme Gear has a modified sail (with the two competitors next to Tails having a small Sweat Drop). Sonic simply asks if Tails wishes to go into the stands to analyze the tech or test ride their new boards, which gets the fox back on track.
  • Badass in Distress: The Chaotix were captured off-page while investigating Clean Sweep, with Tails, Amy, Belle, and Don finding the trio caged in the engine room of the Restoration's airship.
  • The Bad Guy Wins: Eggman regains his lost mojo and eliminates Clean Sweep by proxy, with both sides none the wiser until too late. In helping take down Clutch, he also indirectly contributes to Restoration HQ's destruction, dealing a huge, however temporary, setback to the heroes while he devises a new Evil Plan.
  • Battle Cry: Courtesy of Clutch while he sics his security team plus Rough and Tumble after the Chaotix, Don, Amy, Belle and Tails.

    Clutch: (while pointing his gun cane) Show 'em how it's done, boys!

  • Big Honking Traffic Jam: Zig-Zagged. In Issue #72, the traffic jam made up of flying carsnote  don't have them honking, justifiably as there's already a roaring thunder accompanying a downpour, but when Surge's electricity causes a storm, one car crashes into the tour bus while giving an audible honk to avoid Sonic.
  • Big "NO!": Clutch lets one out in Issue #74 after Nite accesses the contents of the drive the Chaotix got him, and another one whilst Nite is exposing the crimes of Clean Sweep Inc. to the audience of the Clean Sweepstakes.
  • Big Word Shout: "DISQUALIFIED?!"note 
  • Bittersweet Ending: Clean Sweep Inc. has been exposed, Clutch is Eggman's prisoner, Mimic has been left out in the open while Rough, Tumble, Surge and Kit quit. The 2024 Annual even shows Surge and Kit trying to become legitimate heroes due to them being free. On the flip side, Restoration HQ is destroyed by the exploding Shuttle with the people inside evacuated beforehand and Mimic manages to escape after being exposed due to the Neo Diamond Cutters needing to evacuate the audience. Clutch being Eggman's prisoner means that he escapes justice (though considering Eggman's lack of mercy to anyone who isn't Sonic, Clutch will probably be wishing he was arrested instead). Lastly, Sonic and Tails return to the latter's lab to rest while the Restoration personnel clean up the overall mess in Silver's garden, only to discover that the Chaos Emerald that they found in Issue #68 has vanished and has appeared in an unknown location.
  • Body-Count Competition: A case where they aren't trying to destroy or take down enemies, but rather save civilians. Sonic and Jet, seeing that the Restoration's ship is going to destroy Restoration HQ, have a competition to see who can save the most civilians, the two getting into a squabble when they point out the logistics of counting how many they "save" in the end. Jet and Sonic concede to a tie, with Jet promising Sonic that they'll face off again in a real race with no distractions.
  • Bound and Gagged: At the end of Issue #70, Tails and Amy find Belle locked up in a locker, bound together by red ribbons.
  • Brick Joke:
    • In Issue #70, Amy tells Tails not to cry to her if he gets gum stuck in his hair after choosing to go dumpster diving, with Tails getting some on top of his head in the following page, and spends some time picking it out of his fur.
    • In Issue #75, Nite brags and rhetorically asks if Don still thinks the RV, their getaway vehicle, was a "bad investment," as the rooster called it back in #72.
  • Burning with Anger: Eggman does this upon witnessing Clean Sweep's mascots making a mockery of him and his work on TV.
  • Cassandra Truth: Back in Issue #64, Whisper and Silver tried to convince Lanolin that Duo was Mimic in disguise. Thanks to Mimic's manipulations and no proof to back up Whisper's claim, this results in Silver getting kicked out of the Neo Diamond Cutters. #73 has Surge and Kit working to get Clutch exposed, and the events that follow add pressure to both him and Mimic. The Chaotix's evidence of Clutch in #74 leads to him unwittingly calling for Duo as "Mimic" on speaker in #75, within earshot of the team. Tangle and Whisper go after the octopus now that his cover is blown, while Lanolin can only stare in horror that Whisper was right all along and they were all played.
  • Cathartic Scream: In Issue #72, Surge lets one out after being humiliated verbally by Clutch, realising that she just unknowingly landed her and Kit back under the thumb of a manipulator again.
  • Cell Phones Are Useless:
    • When Amy suspects that something is up after Clean Sweep Inc. actively prevented her from talking to the Restoration staff in Issue #69, nobody considers the idea of calling Jewel directly, as that would practically end the story immediately. This is lampshaded in Issue #70, where Duo tells Jewel that Amy's phone went straight to voicemail when trying to reach her.
    • Played for Drama in Issue #75. When the self-destructing Restoration Shuttle is going to a nosedive, Jewel resorts to having it crash on Restoration HQ instead of Central City. A reporter below notes that there is no way to contact the falling ship, meaning that until the ship is literally right at the vicinity of Restoration HQ, the people inside are blissfully unaware of the danger and would've been sent to a fiery grave if it wasn't for Sonic and company racing ahead of the ship and evacuating them.
  • Chase Scene:
    • After spotting Sonic amongst the cars, Jet drops the task of guiding the traffic caravan in order to chase him through it.
    • When Mimic is exposed, an enraged Tangle and Whisper pursue him among the Clean Sweepstakes air fleet, with him and Whisper exchanging gunfire.
  • Cliffhanger: At the very end of Issue #75, Tails and Sonic come back to the fox's place, only to find that it has been broken in, the Chaos Emerald they found back in Issue #68 now gone. The issue ends on a shot of the Emerald somewhere deep underground, hooked up to something.
  • Close-Call Haircut: One of Tails' bangs catches on fire after Clutch grazes him with a shot from his gun.
  • Cloth Fu: Sonic throws the tarp of a pickup he was hiding with to blind Jet, buying enough time for the hedgehog to make an escape.

    Sonic: (after blinding Jet with the tarp) Sorry, Jet, but that’s not happening!
    Jet: (trying to pull the tarp off his face) Grrr... you cheater!
    Sonic: Go tell it to the refs!

  • Color Failure: When Amy sees a robotic hand crawling on the ground, she goes entirely pink in shock, complete with an exaggerated Jaw Drop and Blank White Eyes.
  • Comical Coffee Cup: Nite has two, with one appearing to be one advertising Apotos from Sonic Unleashed, while the other is a parody of the CD cover from Crush 40's The Best of Crush 40 - Super Sonic Songs album.
  • Company Cross-References: Don and Nite have various memorabilia in their RV inspired by Crush 40 (changed to Brush 42 in the comic), specifically a mug that parodies of the CD cover of The Best of Crush 40 - Super Sonic Songs album, along with a poster based on the 2003 Crush 40 album.
  • Console Cameo: One of the spectators watching the race appears to be recording the event through their Nintendo 3DS.
  • Continuity Cameo:
    • In Issue #69, Barry the Quokka from The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog can be seen working in the stands, handing out hot dogs.
    • In Issue #69, Ian Jr. (a popular depiction of the Sonic Forces Avatar who is the "son" of storyboarder Ian Mutchler) can be seen as one of the participants in the race.
    • In Issue #71, the conductor's wife from The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog and her kid, Ivy, make an appearance to praise Surge for fending off the Phantom Rider.
    • In Issue #75, Big the Cat, once again, makes a nonverbal background cameo while watching the crowd panic in Central City.
  • Continuity Cavalcade: Sonic Riders and its sequels, Zero Gravity and Free Riders, get a lot of love in this arc. In just the first few pages of Issue #69, Sonic, Tails, and Amy are wearing the same clothes from the Riders games, and all types of Extreme Gear are represented, some being from the games. For example, Tangle uses the Grinder skates, Whisper uses the Angel • Devil Air Ride, and Lanolin uses the Heavy Bike. Issue #70 gets a similar establishing shot that shows all types of Gear that originate from the three Riders games.
  • Continuity Porn: Whisper's mask. The mask had previously catalogued her missions and had live recordings of her backstory and various events. Whisper initially stopped using her mask's video recording function after the events of the Tangle and Whisper miniseries, but after the Misadventures arc, she started using it again, unable to trust her own feelings. Through the mask's live recording feature, she is able to spot various inconsistencies between the two Phantom Rider incidents, and likely how Sonic was only involved in the first one. While Whisper apologizes for using it, Tangle is bolstered by the recording, giving her a hug and telling the wolf they're going to figure things out.
  • Continuity Nod:
    • Tails and Sonic's new Extreme Gear boards are prototypes they're trying out, as Tails previously tested his Yellow Star Turbo in Issue #68.
    • While going over the docket of racers, Clutch recalls how he had a run-in with Amy Rose all the way back during the Chao Race incident at White Park, noting their cover could be blown if she finds out about his presence.
    • Cubot has a dakimakura/body pillow of Cyber Singer Mika, a Virtual Idol that he is a big fan of, as established back in the Overpowered arc.
    • Surge is seen wearing her quills down without her ponytail, making her resemble her old self pre-brainwashing as seen in Imposter Syndrome.
    • When a guard claims that the Restoration blimp is secure as Prison Island, the other guard tells him that he heard the island exploded, an event that took place during Sonic Adventure 2.
    • From the mist, "Surge" provokes Whisper into attacking her by bringing up the Central City incident during the Overpowered arc, where the tenrec stole her Wisps to power her Dynamo Cage and beat the wolf so soundly she had to be hospitalized.
    • When Belle notices something being off about Yolk's costume, she realizes it's that his bow is missing. The same bow that had Bound and Gagged her before the Clean Sweepstakes started. Dr. Yolk and Nick then grab at her, with Amy and Tails charging in immediately afterwards.
    • Belle once again pulls her own tail to trigger her donkey kick mechanism, kicking Mr. Yolk in the face while he has her face in his grasp.
    • Sonic, while still disguised as the Phantom Rider, does a Diving Kick while saying "TERIAAA!", the same Kiai he yelled out when fighting the Egg Golem in Sonic Adventure 2.
    • In Issue #75, Espio asks Rough and Tumble about why they came back to Clean Sweep after promising they'd turn a new leaf back in Issue #66, which Tumble claims they only joined Clutch when he said they'd only just be wearing costumes, only to be asked to do way more than that.
    • Tails' lab in Issue #75 is shown to have a poster for the Spring Festival, the main event of Spring Broken.
  • Costume Copycat: In order to make the Phantom Rider look bad, Mimic uses a combination of his shapeshifting abilities and other pieces of gear to pretend that he is the Phantom Rider, framing him for the misdeeds he causes during the dodgeball game and luring the real one out into the open to unmask him.
  • Cue the Rain: In Issue #72, after Clutch gives Surge and Kit a brutal verbal takedown, it cuts to Surge and Kit outside in the pouring rain.
  • Cut His Heart Out with a Spoon: Upon hearing that Sonic is the Phantom Rider, Clutch swears he'll pull out each of Sonic's quills and feed them to him one-by-one as he clutches his cane in a Suppressed Rage, which manages to unnerve Mimic.

    Clutch: I'll pull out [Sonic's] quills one by one and make him eat 'em. And when I find out who let this slip...

  • Cutting the Knot: In Issue #73, when Tails, Belle, Don, and Amy are face-to-face with a giant locked door, Belle says she's got it. Tails tries to bust out the Miles Electric in order to unlock it, only for Belle to plainly remind him that she works on the ship, inputting the passcode to simply open the door.
  • Data Drive MacGuffin: Amy, Tails, Belle, and Don find the Chaotix in a cage inside the airship's engine room near the end of Issue #73. It is revealed that they were investigating Clean Sweep Inc. as well, but were captured, though they did get a USB drive that contained information on the company's dirty dealings. With this evidence, they would be able to expose Clutch's for the criminal that he is and shut down his Sweepstakes scheme. Clutch catches them all in the act, and Issue #74 has the Chaotix trying to protect and deliver the drive to Nite in order to air his dirty laundry, which Charmy manages to do.
  • Deliberate Injury Gambit: In Issue #73, Surge tricks the Phantom Rider into attacking her, allowing her to get close enough to rip off his wrist remote, thus exposing his identity to the entire audience, but getting noticeably banged up on the process; she's holding her side as she falls, and her scrunchie has been knocked off as well.
  • Didn't Think This Through:
    • Jewel attempts to revoke Clutch's authority as he is clearly overstepping and using extreme measures without even informing her, let alone getting her permission. When she calls for security, she fails to notice that all of the security guards present work for him and the Restoration crew are clearly intimidated into submission. She can only meekly step back and go to Tangle and Whisper for help.
    • Tangle grabbing Surge with her Prehensile Tail predictably backfires and gets her electrocuted. Surge even quips "Wrong move" before zapping the lemur.
  • Dodgeball Is Hell: One of the events has the racers playing dodgeball with each other atop of their Extreme Gear. As Sonic prepares to disrupt the events as the Phantom Rider, Mimic beats him to the punch, impersonating the Phantom Rider and throwing the ball at both the racers and officials.
  • The Dog Bites Back:
    • In Issue #73, Surge blurts out Clutch's orders for her to kill the Phantom Rider/Sonic in the middle of the event as retaliation for him threatening her and Kit.
    • In Issue #74, the Restoration workers Clutch had been bullying with his security in the previous issue trip him and physically restrain him from stopping Charmy. They are soon joined by Jewel, accompanied by a pair of Restoration members armed with Wispons, who declares that their partnership is over.
  • Drama-Preserving Handicap: Issue #74's first act ends with only Charmy escaping the engine room due to Clutch shooting the control panel as he is chasing the bee down, locking Vector, Espio, Tails, Amy, Belle and Don inside. As a result, Jewel's attempt to retake the bridge means that she only has Charmy, two Restoration employees and the unarmed bridge crew against him and his security, resulting a struggle that barely manages to air his dirty laundry to the public. By the end of it, only her and Clutch are left standing, and the latter's attempt to seize the ship itself via admin access gets denied by Jewel's own, prompting her to activate the ship's self-destruct sequence and Clutch angrily sending it on a crash course to Central City out of spite.
  • Dramatic Irony: Issue #74 has Lanolin calling out Tangle and Whisper for keeping her in the dark about Sonic being the Phantom Rider, directly accusing them of wanting to "protect a dangerous criminal", all the while completely unaware that this is exactly what she's doing in regards to Duo.
  • Dramatic Thunder: Whilst trying to put his disguise back on (thanks to Mimic breaking it in Issue #71), Sonic's self-monologue is interrupted by it making him jump in surprise, courtesy of Surge's electrokinesis.
  • Dramatic Unmask:
    • Mimic manages to impersonate the Phantom Rider and attack the other racers in Issue #71, much to Sonic's shock and concern. As Mimic causes chaos and gets the other competitors to fight against each other, he takes off Sonic's helmet, shocking the hedgehog. As Mimic slinks back into the mist, a helmetless Sonic appears before Surge, Kit, Whisper, Tangle, and the Babylon Rogues, and Sonic has no time to explain that he wasn't the one causing the damage that day.
    • Tails manages to unzip Nick's costume in Issue #72, which reveals a giant navy tail. Amy recognizes the tail (and the smell) coming from it, which is followed by Rough and Tumble revealing themselves, in their typical rhyming fashion.
    • As she and Sonic exchange blows in Issue #73, Surge rips out the power supply from his Phantom Rider disguise, causing it to deactivate in front of the onlooking crowd.
  • The Dreaded: Issue #72 shows the Phantom Rider has already established himself as someone to be feared, with someone nearly causing car crash because of them spotting him on in the skies. He apparently still has one fan during the final race, as seen with a crowd shot showing someone holding a heart-shaped fan adorned with his helmet.
  • Dumpster Dive: Once Tails and Amy make it onto the Restoration's blimp, they begin searching for clues about their sabotaged boards. When Amy points out that the first place he's searching is a dumpster, Tails excitedly hops in, saying that he knows from experience to check the trash, making Amy look away with a disgusted look on her face.
  • Enemy Mine:
    • After Eggman's last plan literally blew up in his face, he took a "sabbatical" to find his creative drive again, finding motivation in the mockery of his own image during the Clean Sweepstakes. Incensed by this and Team Sonic being eliminated early (he wanted to see Team Sonic and the Babylon Rogues squabbling on the track), he offers a new "Eggstreme Gear" for Sonic to get back in the race while Tails and Amy investigate their Extreme Gear being sabotaged, with his "angle" being finding out who is running Clean Sweep Inc. As soon as Eggman discovers Clutch's identity as Clean Sweep's ringleader in Issue #75, he breaks off the alliance with Sonic to get at the opossum, as It's Personal for the doctor.
    • Defied in Issue #75, where Sonic tries to enact a truce with Surge and Kit so they can both take down Clutch together after they both quit on him. Just because the three have the same enemy doesn't mean that they will work together. Since neither Surge nor Kit bite and Eggman commandeers his Gear back, it leads to a scuffle between the three parties fighting for Clutch's fate.
  • Evasive Fight-Thread Episode: The Clean Sweepstakes was initially billed as an opportunity for Team Sonic to win against the Babylon Rogues and his other rivals in a friendly race to decide who is the fastest. However, Clutch's schemes end with Sonic being disqualified, denying a potential race between him and Jet. The event continually gets disrupted by the Phantom Rider as well, ending with no conclusion or winner once Clutch decides to destroy everything as a last-ditch move. Sonic and Jet's final competition in Issue #75 ends with them deciding on a draw, the two promising a rematch with each other in the future without any interference.
  • Exact Words:
    • Clutch tells Surge and Kit to "destroy the Phantom Rider", which they do — or rather, they destroy the Phantom Rider disguise/alter-ego Sonic is using while leaving the Blue Blur himself (physically) unscathed. Surge then boastfully throws Clutch's order back at him on TV, exposing Clean Sweep's true colors by revealing they want Sonic dead.
    • Eggman offers Sonic his Eggstreme Gear, saying there's "no angle" and that he just wants him to find the person in charge of Clean Sweep Inc. because he has a grudge against whomever is using his technology to mock him. When Clutch is exposed, Eggman makes his move by using the gear as a Mini-Mecha to attack the opossum. Sonic tells him that this isn't part of their deal, but Eggman never specified exactly what he would do with Clutch once he found out Clean Sweep's leader.

      Sonic: This wasn't the deal, Eggman!
      Eggman: Sure, it was. You just weren't listening. Hand the geezer over. He's mine!

  • Extra-Long Episode: Spanning seven issues (including a double-length milestone one), this is the longest single arc of the comic. Evidently, the trade paperbacks splits the arc into two volumes; Extreme Competition (Issues #69-71, Spring Broken!, and Winter Jam) and Collision Course (Issues #72-75).
  • Extreme Sports Plot: The setting of the story arc revolves around a series of Extreme Gear contests and races that take place all over Sonic's world, visiting new and familiar locales. Team Sonic don't get very far before they end up being disqualified, leading to them hatching a plan with Eggman to find out who sabotaged them, discovering that the race is a front for Clean Sweep to take over the Restoration. The event itself ends with no conclusion, due to Sonic being unmasked as the Phantom Rider during the finals, along with Clutch's schemes being exposed on-air.
  • Facepalm Of Doom: When Belle realizes that Mr. Yolk's ribbon is missing and it was used to tie her up, she tries to leave, only for Mr. Yolk to grab her by the face and hold her off the ground.
  • Failed a Spot Check: In Issue #73, Amy, Tails, and Belle try to hide from Rough and Tumble by ducking behind a dead end, which has a very visible corner. The skunks are told by someone that the three ran past him, which the duo follow and completely miss the three hiding nearby. Don the Rooster, the one who misled the skunks, bluntly tell the three they suck at hiding.
  • Fauxrrari: The hovercar that Storm catches during the storm in Issue #72 has a brand badge that looks like Citroën's but turned to the right side.
  • Foreshadowing: In Issue #72, Sonic gets pulled aside by Nite and Don, where he learns that the Chaotix have been investigating Clean Sweep Inc. long before anyone else did. Near the end of the same issue, as Rough and Tumble call for more Clean Sweep Inc. security, they mention that more infiltrators are on the ship. In Issue #73, it's shown the Chaotix were indeed captured by Clean Sweep Inc., having been thrown down into the ship's Engine Room.
  • Forgiven, but Not Forgotten: After Mimic's exposure, Lanolin realizes how much his actions as Duo affected her judgement while trying to lead the Neo Diamond Cutters, such as kicking out Silver. She vows to make it up to them, but Tangle and Whisper cut her a break since they all fell for his deception, though the lemur Tangle admits she's still pretty ticked off and makes it clear she wants to talk things out after they finish cleaning up Clutch's mess.
  • Frothy Mugs of Water: Clutch continues indulging in his fondness for Chaos Cola from the Misadventures arc, which he treats like he's drinking Luxurious Liquor.
    • In Issue #69, one variant of Chaos Cola he pours to celebrate the start of the Clean Sweepstakes is the Limited Edition Chaos Cola X-treme Berry Blazzt, which he describes it like one would with a limited-edition wine, pouring it into a pair of champagne glasses and saying it's an "acquired taste" after Jewel says it's a bit "too sweet" for her.
    • In Issue #72, Clutch takes his first cola of the day very seriously, drinking it from a plastic tumbler with a red straw, though he holds the cup from the rim like an old fashioned glass for whiskey.
  • Funny Background Event: As Nite reads off a script that acknowledges how the Phantom Rider has been causing problems for the racers and they'll bring him to justice, as the crowd cheers, one fan is seen pouting, holding a heart-shaped fan that has the Phantom Rider's visage on it.
  • Gasp!: The crowd lets one out en masse when Surge exposes Sonic as the "Phantom Rider".
  • Get Out!: Lanolin forcing Team Sonic into disqualification is needlessly harsh, with her outright saying that they themselves are hazards and were fated to cause a pileup had Whisper not been such a good shot. Tangle lampshades how curt she's being, but Lanolin isn't shaken whatsoever.
  • Glad I Thought of It: Jet takes the credit and even boasts about it for being The Leader of the Babylon Rogues, all the while Wave was the one who actually thought of guiding the traffic caravan trough the storm using Aircraft Marshalling wands.

    Jet: Another great plan from yours truly. This is sure to get us back on top!
    Wave: It was my plan, and you know it.
    Jet: Sure, but I'm the leader so I get the credit!

  • The Good, the Bad, and the Evil: The three main factions during the story's conflict are Team Sonic and Restoration (the Good), the Babylon Rogues (the Bad), and Clean Sweep Inc. itself, including the moles of Mimic, Surge, and Kit in the Restoration (the Evil), with Surge and Kit gently sliding into the Bad instead of Evil. Right after his reveal as the Phantom Rider in Issue #73, despite his good intentions, Lanolin still wants him to "face justice" in her own words. Sonic says there's a bigger threat, and afterwards, the Neo Diamond Cutters can do whatever they think is right with him. Surge and Kit are fine with the ship crashing, showing no signs of intending to help, although they are more than willing to beat up Mimic while focusing only on Clutch. The Babylon Rogues (mainly because of Jet's ego) go after Sonic to demand a fair finish from the hedgehog, but they end up needing to help the heroes stop the Restoration's Shuttle from harming innocents.
  • Goofy Suit: Clean Sweep has a pair of mascots named Dr. Yolk (a giant talking Egg) and Nick (a crabmeat Badnik), who look like two goofily constructed costumes. The two do a skit during the opening ceremonies, with Nick snapping at Yolk with his claws, followed by the doctor calling him a "Bad Nick", and a group of workers singing the jingle for Clean Sweep. The two mascots being modeled after Dr. Eggman and one of his Badniks is to uphold the image of the company "cleaning up" after Eggman's messes, which the public eat up and laugh at. Eggman, on the other hand, is not amused when he sees it live. As it turns out, Clutch asked Rough and Tumble to wear the suits after they were fired and rehired by the Opossum.
  • Gosh Dang It to Heck!:
    • Amy yells "so why'd it jump on my freakin' face" when she sees that it was Belle's detached hand that grabbed her.
    • Sonic yells "shoot!" When he spots a car falling after getting hit by Surge's electrical blast.
  • The Guards Must Be Crazy:
    • Justified in Issue #70, as Sonic's presence as the Phantom Rider clears out a lot of the security on the blimp, along with Tails and Amy entering through the same metal hatch that the guards exited. As Tails and Amy accidentally bang into a stack of metal crates, one of the guards on high-alert hears the noise. The guard next to him dismisses the sound as probably nothing, snarking that it was obviously the sound of the door closing and calling the other guard jumpy.
    • In Issue #73, Amy, Tails, and Belle try to hide from Rough and Tumble, ducking behind a dead end with a very visible corner. The duo meet with a shadowy figure, who simply tell the skunks they ran past him, which they follow and completely miss the three hiding nearby. The figure is immediately revealed to be Don the Rooster, who is definitely not a part of Clean Sweep Inc.'s staff either.
  • History Repeats:
    • After getting talked down by Clutch, Surge is despondent over how they are once more Trapped in Villainy, just like with Starline before. Kit, however, reassures the Tenrec, promising things will be different this time.

      Surge: (Surge whilst on her knees with a Thousand-Yard Stare) First Starline, now Clutch... no matter what we do, someone's always controlling us.
      Kit: (giving her a Cooldown Hug) ...I know... but it's okay. I have an idea.

    • The last time Restoration HQ fell was due to the rising Zombot threat thanks to Eggman's Metal Virus. This time, it was because of the Restoration airship's collision course. With the controls completely destroyed, Jewel makes the difficult decision of directing the ship there to minimize the casualties, while Sonic and Jet led the evacuation underground to ensure there are no casualties at all.
  • Hitler Cam: Zig-Zagged. In Issue #74, the top panel of the first page is drawn at an angle showing Clutch standing tall above all the heroes, despite being surrounded by his taller lackeys as well as Rough & Tumble. The shot is over the shoulders of The Chaotix, Don, Belle, Amy and Tails respectively; the reader's POV too, if counting.
  • Hostage for MacGuffin: In Issue #74, Clutch demands the USB drive from Vector after Rough manages to grab hold of Charmy. It doesn't stick, thanks to Vector and Espio catching him off-guard during a pretend surrender and allowing Charmy to make a beeline for Nite.
  • In the Back: Clutch gets shot in the back with a Hover Wispon, courtesy of a Restoration member. It doesn't stop him for long.
  • It's the Journey That Counts: Tangle says so to Jewel it wasn’t a building that made the restoration what it was but the folks who joined to fight for a good cause and for the greater good.
  • In the Hood: Following the Phantom Rider's disguise being damaged by Mimic and Sonic being exposed as said Phantom Rider, Sonic borrows a brown tarp from a pickup truck as a makeshift hoodie to keep his cover and protect himself from the rain in Issue #72. In the same issue, after being pursued by Jet, Sonic immediately ends up ditching it, though he ends up getting "captured" by a passing Nite and Don.
  • Internal Homage: Very hard to spot, but two pictures in Jewel's office in Issue #69 depict two covers of the IDW comics, though cropped to focus on Tangle. One is from Issue #31 Cover A, where Tangle is celebrating with the other heroes in Spiral Hill. The other is Issue #57's RI Cover, where Tangle has a nervous smile, when the cover originally showed Whisper, Lanolin, and the lemur teaming up for the first time in Urban Warfare.
  • Internal Reveal:
    • Lanolin was the first one injured and essentially knocked out by Mimic in Issue #71, being the only Neo Diamond Cutter who didn't get to see the Phantom Rider's true identity, with Whisper, Tangle, and Mimic/Duo being the only ones to learn the truth. Whisper and Tangle, while already knowing the truth of the situation, confide in themselves and Jewel about what to do, while Lanolin was left out out of Tangle's fear for what she'll do once their leader hears the truth. In Issue #73, as Tangle stops Lanolin from hitting the Phantom Rider and reveals that it's actually Sonic, the sheep incredulously asks "Hit who?!"
    • The reader, who is well-aware of Duo the Cat actually being Mimic the Octopus, finally gets outed in Issue #75 to the Neo Diamond Cutters, angering Tangle and Whisper into chasing him, while leaving Lanolin with a brief Heroic BSoD.
  • Is This Thing Still On?:
    • In Issue #74, Clutch's Villain with Good Publicity status is ruined when he unknowingly announces his callous feelings toward the general public and environment, not realizing that Nite was not only broadcasting audio, but video as well.
    • Duo, after managing to keep his cover and evade suspicion from the Diamond Cutters, forgets that his communication device with Clutch was still on, which bites him in the butt in Issue #75. Clutch using his real name while shouting his orders is loud enough to expose him to the Neo Diamond Cutters, blowing his cover wide open as Tangle and Whisper pursue him while Lanolin freezes in shock.
  • I Surrender, Suckers!: Of the heroic type in Issue #74. After Charmy gets caught by Rough, Clutch demands Vector hands him over the drive, the croc fakes their surrender, giving Espio an opportunity to throw a shuriken at Rough, freeing Charmy from his clutches.
  • Just Following Orders: Said verbatim by Surge when Sonic asks what she's up to after she blows his cover in Issue #74. By doing this live on-air, she effectively exposes Clutch, revealing how Clean Sweep's leader wants the Blue Blur dead.
  • Kubrick Stare:
    • Jewel gives one to Duo/Mimic behind his back as he leaves her office in Issue #70, showing she's onto him.
    • Clutch sports one as part of his Nightmare Face at the end of Issue #71.
    • Kit gives off one in Issue #72 while Cooldown Hugging Surge and assuring her he has a plan.
  • Laser-Guided Karma:
  • Layman's Terms: Clutch does a villainous version of this after seeing Surge and Kit squirming, being the final nail in the coffin to let them know they're under his thumb.
  • Let's You and Him Fight: Invoked in Issue #71, as part of Mimic's ploy to expose the Phantom Rider: He throws a ball at Lanolin while disguised as the Phantom Rider, escapes into the mist; under the low visibility, he disguises himself as Surge, provoking Whisper into attacking the real one, believing what she heard was from "Surge" and not Mimic, causing a fight to break out with the Babylon Rogues also getting caught up in the kerfuffle. It quickly ends when Sonic's identity as the Phantom Rider is revealed to the group courtesy of Mimic.
  • Liar Revealed: Zig-zagged. Thanks to Surge ripping off the cloaking device on his arm, Sonic ends up being revealed as the Phantom Rider to the world live on air. However, not only did most of Sonic's friends already deduce that he was the Phantom Rider, him being outed also played a part in Clean Sweep Inc. being exposed as an illegitimate business and Clutch's evil being revealed, meaning that the citizens of Sonic's world ended up not taking umbrage with him specifically. The only one who ended up being angry with Sonic for putting up the Phantom Rider façade is Lanolin, both because she never put two and two together, and she sees the Phantom Rider as a dangerous criminal.
  • Lightning Can Do Anything: Surge shoots her electrical powers up into the down-pouring clouds, turning it into an electrical storm and hitting a hovercar, all while she was down in the ground, 62 milesnote  away from the sky.
  • Mêlée à Trois: What starts as a three-way dance in Issue #75 between Sonic, Clutch, and Surge plus Kit evolves into a Mêlée à Quatre, when Eggman finally makes himself known to all parties involved. The doctor breaks off his alliance with Sonic as he personally pursues Clutch into defeating him, though Sonic also tries to Save the Villain so Clutch can be held responsible for his mess. The battle comes to a quick end as Surge uses all of her power to electrocute Sonic, Clutch, and Eggy, and while Sonic and Clutch are winded and knocked out, Eggman had built the remote Eggstreme Gear mecha with a Surge protector, allowing him to escape with Clutch in tow.
  • Morton's Fork: In Issue #74, Surge gladly enjoys making Mimic decide between trying to maintain his cover as Duo by going up with the Diamond Cutters, or trying to face off against Surge and Kit, who are not holding back, neither option being beneficial to the octopus.

    Surge: (With a Slasher Smile) What it'll be tentacles? Try your luck with the Diamond Cutters and Clutch up there… or with us?

  • Never Say "Die":
    • Continuing on from his previous Implied Death Threat in Issue #71, Clutch asks Surge and Kit to "destroy" the Phantom Rider next time they face him. This backfires big time when Surge blows the wording right back at his face on live TV after exposing Sonic, counting it as "destroying" him.
    • Zig-Zagged in Issue #74, where Nite says Clean Sweep Inc. "violently silenced" whistleblowers and victims of their negligence, followed by saying "killing machines" in the next sentence.
  • Noodle Implements: Mimic manages to unmask Sonic as the Phantom Rider, accidentally pressing the hedgehog's pad of buttons, which fires several weapons that Eggman had prepared for the Phantom Rider to use. These include several pieces of miscellaneous junk and items, like a gold club and ball, a bowling ball, a mouse trap (that has a huge block of cheese), a small grand piano, and a Chao head with a rainbow afro, among other things.
  • Nostril Shot: Done In-Universe. Charmy puts his face way too close to the camera, jump scaring the audience after resuming the transmission so Nite can start listing Clutch and Clean Sweep Inc.'s crimes.
  • Nothing Is Scarier: The final shot of Issue #75. All we see is the yellow Chaos Emerald set into a pedestal deep underground; where it is to be exact and how the heck it got there is left ambiguous.
  • Not Just a Tournament: The Clean Sweepstakes is an elaborate ploy by Clutch to take over the Restoration, knocking Team Sonic out of the running in the first few issues and ensuring his plans come out on top. However, his plan goes askew after the Phantom Rider's interference, Surge and Kit's heroism and defiance, along with his dirty laundry being aired.
  • Not Me This Time: Justified. Sonic did not have time to appear at Misty Spire, giving Mimic the chance to make an appearance as the Phantom Rider instead, hogging the spotlight to frame him. When Don asks if Sonic was behind the incident, Sonic denies his accusation, and he believes it, telling Nite never to bet against his gut.
  • Oh, Crap!:
    • Lanolin's reaction upon seeing the structurally-compromised the glass tube race track shatter while trying to subdue the Phantom Rider. She has another in Issue #74 when she sees Sonic flying away towards the falling shuttle.
    • Sonic gets one when he sees his Phantom Rider alter-ego being impersonated, and again when his disguise is disabled by Surge, exposing him as the Phantom Rider in front of thousands of spectators.
    • Mimic has one of his own when he accidentally unmasks Sonic and sees he's the Phantom Rider. He gets a much bigger one later on when Clutch loudly calls him by name in the Neo Diamond Cutters' presence, blowing Mimic's cover.
    • Belle says it in her own manner, in Issue #72 after spotting Yolk's missing bowtie that was used to Bound and Gag her.
    • Jewel has this reaction in Issue #73 after she attempts to have Clutch stripped of his authority when he oversteps his boundaries, only for Clutch to reveal that almost all the security on the Restoration airship works for him, effectively giving him complete control of everything.
    • When Clutch realizes he's live on TV after blurting out he doesn't care about environmental issues or sick children, his face contorts in shock once he sees the Clean Sweepstakes crowd turning against him.
  • The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: Eggman says he is the only one allowed to sabotage Team Sonic's Extreme Gear; he would've liked watching them fight with the Rogues if this hadn't been the case.
  • Pimped-Out Car: Issue #75 reveals Clutch owns a Lowrider hovercar with golden details such as golden door handles, rims, bumper, hood ornament, grills etc. along with red seating, making for a very gaudy vehicle that fits his image.
  • The Plot Thickens: Nite says so when he pulls Sonic inside his RV, discovering the Phantom Rider's true identity, complete with Scary Shiny Glasses and a Sinister Silhouette.
  • Punk in the Trunk: On page 4 of Issue #72, Sonic's eyes can be seen peeking underneath a pickup's tarp, which the hedgehog takes as a makeshift hoodie to hide himself after being exposed as the Phantom Rider by Mimic.
  • Red Filter of Doom: The engine room of the Restoration's airship, where Tails, Amy, Belle, and Don find the Chaotix imprisoned and, after freeing them, are cornered by Clutch, Rough, Tumble, and the Clean Sweep Security.
  • Right for the Wrong Reasons: Issue #74 has Surge correctly guess that Clutch was "taking the ship down with him" by forcing it on a downward course, since he just got exposed. She isn't aware that the real reason why he would do that wasn't because he was exposed, but because Jewel intentionally triggered the ship's self-destruct sequence and he decided to take the ship down out of spite since it was going to blow anyway.
  • Say My Name:
    • "AMY!" "SONIC!" "DR. EGGMAN!" All in just the first issue of the arc, no less.
    • Issue #71 begins with Tails and Amy shouting Belle's name in unison upon finding her tied up and gagged in a locker.
    • Surge does so with CLUTCH! at the beginning of Issue #72, which doubles as Incoming Ham. Jewel yells Clutch's name at the start of Issue #73 in the same manner, right before she's about to give a stern talking to him.
    • Issue #72 has it coming from the speakers themselves, where Rough and Tumble do their rhyming intro upon being unmasked and shouting their names together and finishing Amy's sentence.
    • Issue #73 starts with an angry Jewel yelling CLUTCH! due to the person in question clearly undermining her authority.
    • Issue #75 has Mimic's name being shouted by Tangle and Whisper at the same time upon discovering he was Duo the Cat all along.
  • Screw This, I'm Outta Here!:
    • Subverted in Issue #72, where Surge and Kit try to quit, power walking inside the office confidently, making Clutch spit out his drink. Clutch then reminds the two teenagers they're only popular because he made them so, threatening to rip it all away in an instant if they decide to actually call it quits. He pays dearly for it.
    • Played straight with the Security Guards in Issue #75 as they see the wrath of Surge and Kit, with one even attempting to excuse himself by stating it was his "lunch break".
  • Scylla and Charybdis: In Issue #74, Mimic is given the choice of either keeping pace with the Neo Diamond Cutters and try his luck in maintaining his Duo disguise, or face Surge and Kit whom are no longer tied to Clutch; either option is bad for the cowardly cephalopod, but he ultimately sticks to following the Neo Diamond Cutters and Sonic. In Issue #75, Clutch accidentally blows his cover when screaming through a walkie-talkie the octopus had stashed inside his scarf, exposing his identity and requiring him to hide from Tangle and Whisper.
  • Season Finale: Of the Clean Sweep Saga.
  • Sequel Hook: Issue #75 ends with several plot hooks to follow up on in the future:
    • Tangle and Whisper put aside their desire to talk to Lanolin about her attitude so they can focus on saving people.
    • Dr. Eggman, after re-hijacking the Eggstreme Gear and turning it into a robot, flies away from the Restoration airship's deck, taking an unconscious Clutch with him to discuss "business."
    • Surge and Kit, following them quitting Clean Sweep, let Sonic go so they can have a real fight later, cementing their Wild Card status.
    • Mimic manages to escape from Tangle and Whisper's pursuit, hiding amongst the crowd as a dog after the Diamond Cutters re-prioritize their duties.
    • Upon arriving back to the latter's lab, Sonic and Tails discover that the Chaos Emerald they retrieved back in Issue #68 has been pilfered by an unknown force, with it being shown that it is now resting in a mysterious temple.
  • Series Continuity Error: Surge's scrunchie that was undone thanks to Sonic's kick in Issue #73 is miraculously fixed and holding her quills back in her usual ponytail in the next issue without explanation, with the injuries she sustained from her Deliberate Injury Gambit also being randomly cured.
  • Ship Tease: Amy hugs Sonic when they reunite in #75, and, as is common in IDW, Sonic smiles and doesn't seem to mind.
  • Shut Up, Hannibal!: Nite simply refuses to listen to Clutch's orders by dropping this:
  • Slipknot Ponytail: Surge gets her scrunchie undone while trying to attack the Phantom Rider in Issue #73, her hair quills flowing freely, but succeeding in her plan to expose his identity to the entire audience.
  • Spotting the Thread:
    • While Tails and Sonic were reasonably disqualified for using experimental Extreme Gear that nearly caused a hazardous accident to the other racers, Amy notes the "whole situation stinks," as her board wasn't one of Tails' prototypes, but was disqualified for it malfunctioning as well. Their suspicions only rise further when the Clean Sweep staff rudely prevented them from contacting anyone else at Restoration.
    • Jet is initially angry at Sonic for disrupting the race as the Phantom Rider, but also confused as to why he would do such a thing. Storm initially suspects someone paid him to do it, but Jet and Wave shoot that theory down, as Sonic is too good and heroic for that. Wave then puts forth how Sonic always looks to stop the bad guys, with the trio quickly realizing that if Sonic is interrupting the proceedings, then Clean Sweep is hiding something and that the event is likely being used to profit off the Restoration's goodwill.
    • Whisper states that she stopped using her mask's video recording function after she and Tangle defeated Mimic, but restarts it after her attempts to expose Duo led to Silver being kicked out of the reformed Diamond Cutters. She manages to get footage of the Phantom Rider's attacks in both races. However, she recognizes that during the two incidents, they were riding two different Extreme Gears, and that Sonic was only riding atop the first board. On top of that, she notes that the Phantom Rider didn't attack anyone directly in the first incident, but the second one has him claim he knocked out Duo before holding his scarf like a trophy. This gives Tangle a boost of confidence into figuring out the truth and believing in Sonic.
    • Don had a "gut feeling" that Sonic wasn't the one causing problems as the Phantom Rider in Misty Spire, though it's because Sonic was "way funnier" than the imposter.
  • Status Quo Is God: Zig-Zagged. At the end of #75 things are back to normal, for better or worse, but the ending leaves things open for later development:
    • Clutch's crimes are exposed, and his efforts to take over the Restoration are squashed. Eggman captures him after, hinting that he is about to return as the main villain once again and Clean Sweep Inc. is all but no more.
    • Duo is finally outed as Mimic and forced to escape from the Neo Diamond Cutters. Without Clutch to fall back on, he is on his own again and Whisper once more vows to hunt him down.
    • Tired of Clutch's abuse, Rough and Tumble announce their resignation from Clean Sweep Inc, though it's unknown if they will finally turn good once and for all, or cause trouble down the road. At the very least, they join the rest of the Restoration to clean up the crash site on Don's orders as a "favor" for saving their lives.
    • Surge and Kit betray Clutch and Mimic, quitting Clean Sweep Inc. for real. After Eggman takes the opossum, they also leave the Restoration and vow to settle the score with Sonic one day.note 
    • While Restoration HQ is destroyed again, this time by its airship thanks to both Clutch (who wrecked the controls) and Jewel (who initiated a self-destruct sequence beforehand to prevent him from accessing any data), its people are rescued before the crash. With Clutch's plot to take over foiled, they can proceed to rebuild.
    • Sonic and Tails return home, only to learn that someone, or something, has snuck in and made off with the yellow Chaos Emerald while they were away, meaning that it and the other Emeralds are up for grabs.
  • Stealth Hi/Bye: Lanolin is so busy berating Whisper & Tangle that she doesn't notice Sonic flying away in his Eggstreme Gear towards the falling shuttle, it takes Surge pointing it out figuratively and literally with her thumb.

    Lanolin: You protected a dangerous criminal? You lied to me? We're supposed to be a team!
    Tangle: We protected Sonic! I'm sure he's got a good reason—
    Lanolin: He needs to face justice!
    Surge: (off-page) Yo!
    Lanolin: This is important!
    Surge: Sure, but… (now on-page with a unamused stare) Sonic left.

  • Stealth Pun:
    • Whisper using the Angel • Devil Air Ride Extreme Gear is a multilayered one. In Japanese, the bike is called "Angel Whisperer • Devil Whisperer", which not only plays off her actual name and has the same colors as her Diamond Cutters uniform, it also alludes to the "Guardian Angel" moniker that was coined for her.
    • When Lanolin pulls over in response to Jet's roughhousing during the race, the latter remarks that "it is the fuzz". "Fuzz" is a slang term for police (which fits Lanolin's character) and Lanolin is a very wooly aka fuzzy sheep.
  • Suppressed Rage: After Clutch learns that Sonic is meddling in the event as the Phantom Rider, he seethes, shaking and snarling threats about how he'll feed him his own quills, before calming himself down and giving a "reassuring" hand on Mimic's shoulder. Despite this, Clutch is clearly trying to keep himself sane and suppress his anger, else he blows his fuse entirely.
  • Take This Job and Shove It: Zig-zagged: it's first Defied in Issue #72, as Clutch does not take kindly to Surge and Kit trying to quit on him, jeopardizing his plans of taking over The Restoration even further. He takes the time to "calmly" remind them why they're under his contract, threatening that he can easily have the world condemn them as monsters as quickly as they became heroes. It's then played straight in Issue #75, as Clean Sweep Inc.'s exposure meant that Clutch can't threaten them anymore, not that it matters much to Surge by then.
  • Taking You with Me: Clutch, in one last desperate attempt to gain the upper hand after being foiled by Jewel, sets the shuttle on a crash course towards Central City, blowing up the main panel to prevent them from changing flight paths.
  • Tear Up the Contract:
    • Symbolically by Jewel after Clutch's real nature is exposed to everyone and sees the Leonine Contract she signed.

      Jewel: Clutch, I've had some time to think… and I’ve decided it’s time to terminate our business partnership.

    • Rough & Tumble quit in Issue #75, at the encouragement of the Chaotix and Don, not realizing they could quit since they've always been fired before they could.

      Rough & Tumble: (in unison) Okay… WE QUIT!

  • There Is No Kill Like Overkill:
    • As Sonic heads for the Restoration's airship after being tipped off by Nite and Don, Clutch has his goons swarm it and reactivate its weaponry to deal with him in Issue #73. Lampshaded by Jewel, for whom this action (which she didn't authorize or was even informed about beforehand despite being supposed equals) is The Last Straw that prompts her to confront Clutch directly.
    • Jewel's response to Clutch trying to seize the airship with his admin access in Issue #74 when only these two are left standing? Set the whole ship to self-destruct in 30 minutes. Even Clutch is shocked at such a move and asks about a failsafe, to which Jewel replies that there is none.
    • Surge uses an "overcharge" attack on Sonic, Clutch and Eggman's Eggstreme Gear Robot, burning out all of her electricity in the process. Unfortunately, only Clutch is affected as Sonic already used to her electricity as well as the Eggstreme Gear having a built-in "surge protector".
  • Thousand-Yard Stare: In Issue #75, Lanolin is left staring agape and wide-eyed in shock after the real identity of Duo as Mimic is accidentally revealed by Clutch while Whisper & Tangle give chase to the cephalopod.
  • Thunder Equals Downpour: Inverted. It's already a downpour when Surge discharges her own lighting out of anger towards Clutch in Issue #72.
  • Trailers Always Spoil:
    • Preview blurbs for the second issue and onwards heavily imply (and outright state) Sonic is the Phantom Rider, something only set up at the end of the first issue (and other preview material implied said person was a new character).
    • Preview for #75 spoiled Duo's identity revealed as "Mimic" before the Issue came out.
  • Transformation Sequence: In Issue #70, Sonic assuming the guise of the Phantom Rider is triggered by him pressing the red button on his bracelet, which covers him in a hexagonal pattern, and the Phantom Rider's suit forming across his body.
  • Transforming Mecha: The Eggstreme Gear is revealed to be one of these. Once Clutch is exposed as the head of Clean Sweep, it transforms into a Mini-Mecha remotely piloted by Eggman himself.
  • Trash the Set: Issue #75 ends with not only the destruction of the Restoration's airship, thanks to Jewel setting off its self-destruct sequence, but the entirety of Restoration HQ is destroyed for a second time.
  • Twisted-Knee Collapse: After her Angst Nuke, Surge falls to her knees with a Thousand-Yard Stare, recalling her past of being controlled by Starline and now being under Clutch's thumb.
  • Vehicular Sabotage: Thanks to Clean Sweep Inc. keeping everyone's Extreme Gear in possession for "pre-race inspections" before the event, it gives Clutch and Mimic the chance to tamper with the racers' gear, targeting Team Sonic to ensure none of them get too close in discovering the Opossum's involvement. Clutch orders Surge and Kit to mess with Team Sonic's boards during the event, which is triggered via a proximity-based remote. With Surge's interference, the heroes go off-track, Whisper is forced to use her Wispon to disable their Extreme Gear, and the trio gets disqualified by Lanolin for being hazards to the other racers. He even ensures that the Restoration's own mechanics, like Belle, are out of the way and are unable to stop them from sabotaging their gear.
  • Verbal Salt in the Wound: Mimic, disguised as Surge, does this to Whisper, intending to provoke her into attacking the real one by recalling her one-sided and No-Holds-Barred Beatdown from the tenrec in Overpowered.
  • Villain: Exit, Stage Left: Happens thrice over in Issue #75.
    • Via his Eggstream Gear Robot, Eggman takes his leave with Clutch in tow after the latter is subdued.
    • With Clutch defeated, the airship going down, and Surge's power used up, she and Kit leave the Restoration in peace for now, though Surge vows to settle her score with Sonic down the line and orders him to survive the imminent crash to that end.
    • After being exposed, Mimic cuts his losses and bolts to avoid arrest. Tangle and Whisper give chase, but he manages to shake them by hiding among the spectators.
  • Villain Reveals the Secret:
    • Happens to Sonic twice for his Phantom Rider disguise.
      • The first instance is when Mimic takes off his helmet and Tangle, Whisper, Surge, Kit, and the Babylon Rogues see him unmasked. They're quickly forced to retreat by a collapsing rock spire, but Tangle feels betrayed until Whisper reveals there were two Phantom Riders at that particular event, indicating Sonic's innocence.
      • The second instance has Surge disable Sonic's guise altogether, live on-air in front of countless spectators. She then goes on to incriminate Clutch by announcing her boss wants the Blue Blur dead.
    • Issue #75 has Clutch call Mimic for backup using his real name, exposing him to the other Neo Diamond Cutters.
  • Villains Out Shopping: Eggman, wearing a dapper purple coat and hat, meets with Team Sonic at a diner in order to get their help in his latest scheme. Rightfully distrustful of the villainous doctor, the three immediately try to take him on, only for Eggy to calm them down by stating he's not here for a fight, though he does rudely ask the nervous waitress next to them to get him some food. When Sonic asks if he just showed up to the diner to eat, Eggman bluntly says yes, as he had a heck of a time tracking down Sonic. He's later seen scarfing down his meal while Tails inspects the Eggstreme Gear he brought.
  • "We're Live" Realization: When Clutch wrestles the mic away from Nite in Issue #74, he didn't know he was on a live broadcast feed, realizing too late to even have a chance to come up with some sort of excuse as the crowd violently boos him.
  • Wham Episode:
    • In a surprising turn of events, Sonic, Tails, and Amy are taken out of the Clean Sweepstakes race in the very first issue of the arc, thanks to Surge and Clutch. In that same issue, Eggman returns, and Team Sonic teams up with him willingly to fight back against Clean Sweep, setting up how it won't just be a simple racing story.
    • By Issue #75, this arc ends up completely upending the comic's status quo. Restoration HQ has been destroyed in the Shuttle's crash, "Duo" has been exposed as Mimic to the Neo Diamond Cutters and has made a run for it, Surge, Kit, Rough and Tumble have all ditched Clean Sweep, with the latter two in particular having seemingly pulled Heel-Face Turns, Clutch is now at the mercy of Eggman, Belle has finally fixed Motobud, and to top it all off, the Chaos Emerald inside Tail's lab generator has been warped away to a mysterious, vine-covered altar.
  • When It Rains, It Pours: In Issue #72, there's a huge rainstorm going on, with flying cars in a traffic jam downpour instead of road.
  • Why Didn't I Think of That?: When Mimic asks Clutch if the Phantom Rider disrupting the race is a possible liability, Clutch says he isn't yet, as he's doing wonders for viewership of the race, even admitting he wished he'd thought of the idea himself. However, Clutch notes that the Phantom Rider is still a possible menace, so he asks Mimic to quietly and discreetly unmask his identity to know who they're dealing with.
  • Xtreme Kool Letterz: The flavor of Chaos Cola that Clutch and Jewel drink at the start of Issue #69 is spelled out as "X-treme Berry Blazzt," instead of "Extreme Berry Blast," mainly to serve as a reference to Sonic X-treme. The use of this trope and its logo presents it as a returning nostalgic flavor that was marketed in the '90s, where this type of misspelling was done to make a brand sound cool and edgy.
  • "You!" Exclamation: While Sonic tries to camouflage himself among the traffic to keep himself out of the public eye, Jet spots him, screaming "YOU!" as he gives pursuit.
  • Zero-Approval Gambit: Kit devises one to free himself and Surge from Clutch's control. Despite knowing they'll lose their 15 Minutes of Fame if they move against the Restoration or Clean Sweep, the two openly attack the Babylon Rogues and the Neo Diamond Cutters to get at the Phantom Rider and expose him as Sonic; Surge then loudly announces to the crowd that the Phantom Rider has been destroyed as ordered by Clean Sweep, exposing it as a crime syndicate and ruining Clutch's scheme. Sonic, confused, is left demanding answers from Surge as Kit checks on her, while Clutch seethes with rage as he realizes he's been Out-Gambitted.