Sonic Frontiers takes place earlier in the IDW Sonic the Hedgehog comic timeline than many fans believed, according to new clarification from comics writer Evan Stanley.
Why it matters: It resolves a bit of confusion around Sage's introduction and the Chaos Emeralds, but also highlights the difficulty of keeping the games and comics in sync with continuity.
What she said: Responding to fan questions on social media, Stanley said Frontiers does not occur after the latest 83rd issue. Instead, the game is set shortly before the 68th issue from this past January, even though Sage is expected to debut in Issue 84.
- The writer said Frontiers' handling of the Chaos Emeralds makes a later placement unworkable without major continuity problems. Setting the game earlier avoids larger conflicts, though she acknowledged it is not a perfect fit.
- It's assumed that Doctor Eggman kept Sage safe after the events on the Starfall Islands, delaying her on-page debut for the 84th issue.
Between the lines: Stanley also revealed that Issue 84 originally included dialogue and an editor's note explaining the timeline placement.
- Those clarifications were removed during script review to keep the story "continuity-light," despite concerns from Stanley and writer Ian Flynn that the omission would confuse long-time readers.
- Some minor continuity issues remain, including Rouge possessing the white Chaos Emerald in the 2022 Annual, which she also acknowledged.
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