Rouge the Bat

Rouge the Bat
'Sonic the Hedgehog' character
File:Rouge2006.png Rouge the Bat as seen in Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)
Created by	Sonic Team

Rouge the Bat (ルージュ・ザ・バット, Rūju za Batto) is a video game character in the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series, who is a determined treasure hunter and part-time government agent who plans to make all the gems and treasures of the world hers. She is a white, female, anthropomorphic bat, and was officially introduced as a character on June 18, 2001. Her current jewel obsessions are the Master Emerald and Chaos Emeralds. She made her debut in Sonic Adventure 2, the last Sonic the Hedgehog game before Sega left the console market, and has been featured in the all Sonic the Hedgehog console games except Sonic and the Secret Rings, along with two handheld games since.

In most of her appearances, Rouge wears a skintight black bodysuit with a large pink heart for a chest plate, white gloves, and knee-high white boots with pink hearts on the toes. In Sonic Heroes, she wears a pink and purple bodysuit, which has a pink heart on the belt buckle. In Sonic Riders she wears black pants with a white floral pattern on the legs, a black halter top, and white gloves and shoes. In Sonic Adventure 2 as an unlockable costume for 2-player mode, Rouge wore a violet suit with bared hips, dark-violet boots, and gloves, and she wore purple eye shadow instead of blue. Also, in Sonic Adventure 2 Battle, as an unlockable costume, she wore black shorts, a black top, black gloves, and black boots, also with purple eye shadow. Rouge's costume in Shadow the Hedgehog features a purple bodysuit instead of a black one, but it is not considered one of her "real" costumes, as it is merely a programming error. It's interesting to note that she is one of 4 main characters with clothes (the other three being Amy, Cream and Dr. Eggman) and the only one that actually changes them.

Personality

Rouge is a strong-minded young woman, a fearless, ambitious, flirtatious, calculating narcissist who most people see as only caring for herself and her gems. She has been known to seduce people with her attractiveness to get what she wants, such as rare gems. However, she has, on occasion, shown that she can be heroic and sympathetic. In the final events of Sonic Adventure 2 Battle, she helped to save the planet. In Sonic Heroes, she stopped Shadow the Hedgehog and E-123 Omega from killing each other. In Sonic Battle, when Shadow was injured and needed a place to stay, Rouge helped him. In Shadow the Hedgehog, she did other laudable things, such as rescuing a Chaos Emerald from the doomed GUN mainframe, destroying the evil monster Black Bull, and assisting Shadow in defeating Black Doom as well as showing concern for Shadow's welfare at the end of the game. Recently, she has been becoming less selfish, as can be seen by her actions towards Shadow in Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Rivals.

Game appearances

File:Rouge 12.jpg

Rouge the Bat, as seen in Sonic Heroes.

File:SR Rouge.jpg

Rouge artwork from Sonic Riders.

Rouge first appears in Sonic Adventure 2 as the treasure-hunting character of the Dark Story. She also drives a car in one level. She fights the boss Flying Dog (a GUN robot), and her rival, Knuckles. In the last level, Cannon's Core, Rouge is the third of five characters to go through the level.

In Sonic Heroes, Rouge is the captain and flight member of Team Dark. She releases Shadow from his stasis pod, and (accidentally) activates E-123 Omega, who attempts to destroy all of Eggman's robots, including Shadow, who Omega thinks is a robot clone. Rouge stops Shadow and E-123 Omega from fighting, suggesting that they work together as a team to find Eggman.

In Sonic Battle, hers is the third story to be played. She is the owner of Club Rouge in the Night Babylon area (no relation to the Babylon Rogues from Sonic Riders). Most of her fighting techniques appear to be derived from kickboxing. She plans to use her position as a government agent to gather information on valuable treasures. She steals Emerl from Amy Rose, in order to train him as a master thief to steal more jewels for her. She fights with Amy numerous times, increasing the tension between the two. Rouge teaches Emerl to fight, evade capture, and pick locks. Rouge then uses Emerl to steal a Chaos Emerald (which he absorbs, much to Rouge's displeasure). At the end of the game, when Emerl thanks Sonic and his friends/acquaintances for taking care of him, Rouge is only mentioned in the Japanese version.

Rouge also appears in Shadow the Hedgehog, and helps on hero missions in the Digital Circuit, Death Ruins, and GUN Fortress levels. In Expert Mode, her voice can be heard at the beginning of Cryptic Castle, Lava Shelter (along with Omega's) and The Last Way (along with the voice of every other character that appears in Expert Mode).

She appears in Sonic Riders as an unlockable racer. She is a Flight type, and is the strongest Flight type character in the game. The English website also mentions that she has some kind of rivalry with Wave the Swallow. Rouge is one of only two characters in Sonic Riders who do not wear any sporting gear on their heads, with the other being Amy.

In Sonic the Hedgehog, Rouge appears as an occasionally-playable "Amigo" character. At the start of Shadow's story, she had gone on a mission to recover an item from Eggman's base, and Shadow is sent by GUN to help her escape. After being rescued, Rouge then works with him for most of the game.

Rouge appears in Sonic Rivals in Shadow's storyline. Rouge sends transmissions stating that she has stumbled across an interesting discovery about "Dr. Eggman's" true identity in the game, but the transmissions ended with her in danger. It is later revealed during Shadow's storyline that Rouge was turned into a card like Tails and Amy so Shadow sets out to save Rouge whilst also trying to discover what she was trying to warn him about.

Abilities

Rouge, as a treasure hunter, has similar hunting skills to those of her rival Knuckles (with the exception that she has a strapping lower body as opposed to his muscular upper body). Her signature attacks are powerful martial arts kicks. Rouge can fly and glide with her wings, and her flying speed is able to keep up with characters like Knuckles and even Sonic and Shadow (though she is still not as fast as them) as, in Sonic X she is able to keep up with Sonic and Knuckles as they are making a charge at Chaos.

Sonic Adventure 2

Rouge's special attacks in 2-player mode are "Hip Drop", which causes a small earthquake to trip opponents, "Black Wave", a black energy wave which hurts and confuses opponents, and "Charm Ray", which freezes her opponent for 10 seconds. Since Sonic Adventure 2 had upgrading for each character, Rouge also has some upgrades to make her and her skills stronger.

• Mystic Melody: A flute made of light that causes something special to happen if used in front of an ancient shrine.
• Pick Nails: Hard additions to the tips of her boots that allows her to dig through grounds and walls.
• Treasure Scope: A GUN-made device that allows her to see invisible items.
• Iron Boots: Stronger boots that allow her to break solid metallic items.

Sonic Battle

Rouge has many different abilities, all of which can be copied by Emerl. She has low gravity, affording her considerably more air-time than any other character, uses her voice to attack, can release "Bat Cracker" bombs and uses a large number of kick-boxing moves.

One of Rouge's most obvious distinguishing characteristics in Sonic Battle is her flight ability. While other characters have a double jump (achieved by pushing A twice, jumping higher with each push and then falling due to gravity), Rouge flies into the air and floats there slowly with the first jump, and quickly lands on the ground when A is pushed again.

Sonic Heroes

As the flight member of her team, Rouge can use "Thunder Shoot", where she charges her teammates with electrical energy and kicks them towards enemies. In a fight, when her other teammates are not available, she is able to throw out dummy rings, which shock opponents.

Sonic Riders

In the racing game Sonic Riders, Rouge can level up by collecting rings, and has three different attacks depending on the level she is.

• Level 1: Blows a kiss at the opponent, stunning them.
• Level 2: Delivers a powerful kick to the opponent.
• Level 3: Releases a flying Bat Cracker bomb like that in Sonic Battle.

Interaction with other characters

Rouge was first introduced as a rival for Knuckles the Echidna, both of them expert treasure hunters. While Rouge has a secret crush on Knuckles, he has not shown returning affections, with his only "nice" interaction with her being a scene in which he saved her life in Sonic Adventure 2.

Shadow is another of Rouge's close friends, both of them briefly working for Dr. Eggman. Their professional attitudes later changed, with Rouge growing to see Shadow as a friend. This is evidenced by her helping him to uncover the mysteries of his past, and in her offering him a place to stay during the events of Sonic Battle. Rouge has also sworn to stay by Shadow's side no matter what others may think of him, and the two have worked together numerous times.

Rouge's closest ally besides Shadow is E-123 Omega, all three of them members of Team Dark. Given Omega's emotionless nature, actual friendship seems unlikely. Omega has also displayed somewhat matter-of-fact consideration for Rouge's feelings.

Due to fighting alongside them for the same cause, Rouge can be said to have allies in the form of Sonic, Tails, Amy Rose, Cream the Rabbit, Big the Cat and the Chaotix. However, little interaction is seen between them, and it is clear that she and Amy don't think much of each other.

Unlike most of the other characters in the games, Rouge has no particular dislike for Dr. Eggman. Her reasons for opposing him are business related: she can't get her hands on the Chaos Emeralds if he already has them.

In other media

Sonic X

In Sonic X, Rouge is a jewel thief who gets caught by the government while looking for a Chaos Emerald. Despite previous jewel thefts, they sign her on as an agent, even allowing her to keep her stolen gems. Teamed with a human named Topaz, Rouge sets out to acquire the Chaos Emeralds and challenge Dr. Eggman. She has several near-misses, but never gives up. She often spies on Eggman from the rafters of his bases.

True to form, Rouge is constantly flirting with other characters. However, she often gets into heated disputes with Knuckles. Like several other characters, Rouge enters a fighting tournament with a Chaos Emerald as the prize. Managing to defeat Tails and Amy, she finds herself facing her match: Knuckles. She attempts to win by using her advantage in the dark, but in the end Knuckles is the victor.

Rouge teams up with both Eggman and Sonic several times, seeking the side that will let her grab the Chaos Emeralds. During the Metarex war, Rouge teams up with Dr. Eggman, seeking to get the Chaos Emeralds through him. She is often teamed with Shadow, who does not trust her until later in episode 68. Later on in the Metarex war, Dr. Eggman joins forces with the Metarex. At this, both Shadow and Rouge leave Dr. Eggman, and work together against the Metarex. Toward the end Rouge will move to Sonic’s team, and Shadow remain on native planet of Cosmo (later he temporarily joins the Chaotix).

Like in the games, Rouge is fond of heckling Knuckles, on whom she has a crush. Their friendly arguments often turn to violence, but end up with Rouge tickling Knuckles. Knuckles is also concerned for her safety, though he himself wouldn't admit it. In one episode he has even protected Rouge, after she was attacked by a giant and powerful robot, and in another one, he helped her up from the ground. In an attempt to tease Knuckles, she has called him names like "Knuckie", however Knuckles usually will respond to it with one of his outbursts. In fact, in one episode (in the dub version), she comments to Knuckles "You're cute when you're angry," but she is cut off.

Rouge's external side is a mask behind which her true person is hidden. In an episode 77 she has started up tears when it is found out, that Cosmo should die (in the American version this moment has been cut out).

Although Rouge's role in the series is somewhat "minor", she does help Sonic and the gang defeat Dr. Eggman on several occasions and even stands up to the Metarex, although fighting with Shadow and Dr. Eggman.

In the very last episode, after Chris leaves Rouge states that she is going to join up with Sonic and his friends stating that the team needs more glamour (4kids dub).

Rouge is also a recurring character in the Sonic X comic series.

Sonic the Hedgehog (comics)

Rouge has appeared in the American Sonic the Hedgehog comics, but has only made a handful of appearances. For the most part, she seems to be exactly the same as her video game counterpart, even being shown working as a covert operative for the president of Station Square. In the comics, Knuckles already has a girlfriend, however this hasn't stopped Rouge flirting with him in front of Julie-Su. She has made it clear to Julie-Su that Knuckles will soon belong to her, but may be as she wants him under her control. Mirroring the video games, instead of Knuckles, Rouge makes a pass at Knuckles' father, Locke, in an attempt to get near the Master Emerald; though there is no suggestion that she is romantically interested in the older Echidna. Instead of Shadow, Rouge then teams up with Evil Sonic, not knowing the difference between Sonic and his evil doppelgänger, in another attempt to steal the Master Emerald; after Evil Sonic makes off with a smaller gem for Rouge, they fly away to "discuss things in private".

They reappear later, once again trying to steal the Master Emerald; although the plan fails, Evil Sonic is able to touch the Master Emerald, and absorbs some of its power. With a new look, and calling himself Scourge the Hedgehog, Rouge prevents Scourge from killing Locke (claiming she doesn't work with murderers) then follows him as he heads for Knothole to challenge Sonic. Despite their seeming defeat and with Shadow chasing them, they manage to escape through a mysterious wormhole to an unknown location where she unwillingly joined the villainous Echidna scientist Dr. Finitevus.

She later reappeared after she stole a Warp Ring to escape Finitevus, who discovered that she had destroyed missiles in his base. She joined the Chaotix, who had placed her under surveillance, and assisted in halting an android-manufacturing scheme Eggman had underway in Casinopolis. Rouge also delivered valuable intelligence concerning Finitevus' activities, including his liberation of the Destructix and his stealing uncorrupted information from Isaac.

Rouge also had an encounter with Bunnie Rabbot, whom had been sent to rescue her when she was captured by Robotnik. Rouge manages to escape on her own and soon after encounters Bunnie, attacking her when she mistakes her for one of her captor's cronies, resulting in an 8-page brawl between the two girls, which is only ended when Sonic steps in and breaks it up, the girls exchanging somewhat half-hearted apologies. It is also made clear that she and Fiona Fox have a history together. The two are rivals in both fighting and robbery. They also competed in an illegal tournament, in which Rouge not only defeated Fiona but also her teammates Nic the Weasel, Bark the Polar Bear, and Bean the Dynamite.

Rouge later spread word that she had stolen the Master Emerald and was auctioning it off. This turned out to be a sting operation on her part, which lured in not only several villains but also the Freedom Fighters. Sonic, Sally Acorn, Bunnie, and Antoine D'Coolette fought in a series of battles against Nack the Weasel, Bark, Bean, Ixis Naugus, and Mammoth Mogul that resulted in the capture of all five villains. Confronted, Rouge revealed that the "Master Emerald" she had hidden under a cloth was just a table with a lamp, and that she had planned the whole thing to arrange the capture of the renegade criminals. When asked why she didn't inform the Freedom Fighters of her real plans, she claimed that she worked best alone and that it was an attempt to prove herself to Knuckles.

Voice actresses

• Video games, Sonic X - Rumi Ochiai (Japan)
• Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Heroes, Sonic Battle - Lani Minella (US)
• Sonic X, Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic Riders, Sonic the Hedgehog - Kathleen Delaney (US)

Theme songs

The Sonic the Hedgehog video games have featured several theme songs for the character.

• Sonic Adventure 2: "Fly in the Freedom" - Tabitha Fair, Todd Cooper.
• Sonic Heroes: "This Machine" - Julien-K. This was a team theme shared with Shadow and Omega.

The background music for the stage Security Hall (titled I'm a Spy) in Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Adventure 2: Battle is generally attributed to Rouge. Like most characters, Rouge is associated with a genre of music, specifically smooth jazz/bossa nova/fusion with some feminine sighs thrown in (similarly to how Knuckles is associated with the rap genre). It is interesting to note that the background music in her Club Rouge stage from Sonic Battle also has feminine sighing. No other BGM in the game has any form of vocal.

Also in the anime, Sonic X a BGM plays in the background of most of her events and appearances. The BGM is called "Mysterious & Sexy Thief Rouge" and was first heard in episode 11. In the American 4Kids dub, a saxophone jingle often plays in the same scenes.

External links

• Sonic Adventure 2: Battle Rouge's Sonic Adventure 2: Battle profile