Well, this episode was pretty clever and funny. Not as funny as last week's episode, but it wasn't bad. From the name of the episode, I figured it would have something to do with either unionism or bowling. Part of me kind of hoped it was bowling. XD
Right, that being said, here's my review of the latest Sonic Boom episode which aired on January 14th, 2017.
"Strike!"
The episode starts with Sonic & Amy fighting Eggman in his Egg Tank while Tails flew overhead in his plane. The tank fires a grenade which lands by Amy's feet. Amy used her hammer like a golf club while yelling "Fore!" and swatted the grenade up. It ends up exploding near Tails! Tails told Amy watch it and try aiming for the tank! Amy apologized as another grenade was fired. She hit it back towards the tank, but it ricochets off of it and heads up in the air, once again, exploding near Tails! XD Inside the Egg Tank, Eggman was telling his "bumblling bolt buckets" to hurry up loading the ammunition. Cubot said the he didn't say the magic word. Eggman: "Pawn Shop!" Orbot: "We were thinking 'Please', but 'Pawn Shop' gets the job done." :D The Egg Tank soon fires another grenade only for Sonic to grab it and shoots it through the turret making the Egg Tank explode... and having one of its pieces almost hit Tails! :D As Sonic celebrated, Orbot pointed out that maybe Eggman should have used grenades that explode on impact instead of ones with a timed explosion since they can be thrown back at them. Eggman accused him of saying this failure is his fault to which Orbot replied that he'd never do that, regardless of how true it is. XD Eggman got mad and flew off in his Egg Mobile, telling both henchbots that they can find their own way back to the lair. Soon, we see Orbot and Cubot in the middle of the village, trying to hitchhike their way back home. (Dang, Eggman... Making your lackies hitchhike their way back... That's low, even for you...) The Golgoba Chief passes by in his wagon. Orbot asks if they could get a ride back to Eggman's lair. The Chief says of course, but since Eggman's lair is on an island and his isn't really water resistant and would most likely sink to the bottom of the ocean. Orbot understood and says they'll wait for another ride as The Chief rides off. Then, Soar the Eagle flies by on his jetpack. Cubot asks Soar if he could fly them over to Eggman's lair only for Soar to say he'll give them something more valuable: the motivation to do it themselves. He continues on by telling them to close their eyes and imagine being back at the lair and a ride will manifest itself. As Soar flew off, Orbot & Cubot closed their eyes... only to get splashed with mud by Leroy and his passing mail truck. :D Amy approaches the two robots and says that she can't believe that Eggman just abandoned them. She also asks why they put up with his abuse. Cubot says he's not so bad and that he may get upset sometimes, but deep down he really cares. Orbot added that he he just has a funny way of showing it. Soon, Sonic shows up in a wicked sweet hoverbike! Looks like something from Sonic Riders... and the drawing on Eggman's wall in last week's episode, "Multi-Tails"! :D Amy asks Sonic if he could give Orbot & Cubot a lift back to Eggman's lair in Blue Force One. (That name is awesome! :D ) Sonic says sorry, but there's a reason it's called Blue Force One and not Blue Force Three and rides off, causing Amy to shrug while giving a nervous, apologetic smile. Later, we see Orbot & Cubot rowing on a wooden raft back to Eggman's lair! :D When the two robots finally make their way to the entrance of the lair, Eggman shows up and asks where they've been. Before Orbot could say anything, however, Eggman told them that he needs them to head to the village to get 100 decorative rocks for his garden. The two robots sighed as they rowed their way back to the village. Back at the village, Orbot & Cubot are seen dragging bags of rocks. Amy sees this and claims that this is pathetic and they need to stand up to Eggman and if he continues to treat them this way, they should go on strike. (Heh, not the first time we've seen Amy try to make an Eggman robot rebellious. :D ) Orbot says that it's not really a good time and that Eggman really needs these rocks. Cubot said that Eggman could have sent his Rock Transport Bot for this assignment, but Eggman's the evil genius, not them. (I can't tell if Cubot was serious or just being dumb again...) Later, back at Eggman's lair, Orbot & Cubot dragged the bags of rocks in Eggman's living room only for Eggman to say he didn't need them anymore. Orbot complained that it took them 18 hours to carry them all the way here to which Eggman replied that they can carry them all the way back to the village and return them. Cubot told Eggman that they've been carrying grenades and rocks around all day and they needed a break to which Eggman said they could take a break in the garbage compactor. The two robots finally had enough and declared that they're going on strike. The next day, outside Eggman's lair, we see Orbot & Cubot with picket signs, boycotting working for Eggman. As the robots chanted a pretty clever slogan, Eggman stepped outside to see what all that noise was that was interrupting his television watching. Cubot told him they were on strike to which Eggman told his two nincom-bots they won't last a day out there and returned inside. Soon, Eggman watched from his monitoring station Orbot & Cubot still striking. Eggman commented on how stupid those robots were and how they needed him more than he needs them. As he said that, his mug full of coffee fell off his desk and shattered on the floor. Eggman bellowed out for Orbot & Cubot to clean up that mess... until he remembered they were on strike. :D Eggman then said that he has plenty of other robots... He tried to get Burnbot to clean it, but since it got metal pincers for hands, that didn't work. And when Eggman calls it a useless hunk of metal and says what good is a destruction robot if it can't do light housework, we see Burnbot join Orbot & Cubot in their picket line! XD He then tries to get Ballot-Stuffer Bot (from "My Fair Sticksy") to clean up the mess, only to have it shoot several index cards of Eggman's logo at it, creating a bigger mess! After Eggman calls it a one-trick pony, we see the Ballot-Stuffer Bot join the others in the picket line! XD (At this point, you'd think Eggman would have a maid bot for this kind of stuff... XD ) He then tries to get the Firebot (or the evil anti-fireman robot from "Buster") to clean the mess, it sets fire to the whole thing! After stomping out the fire, he demonstrated how to clean up the mess by taking the ashes and broken mug pieces and holding them over the trash can before putting the mess back where it was and calling Firebot a "flaming piece of--" (I can only guess failure was the ending of that sentence. XD ) Soon, wee see ALL of Eggman's robots in the picket line! Firebot, Obliterator Bot, The Mega (from "Unlucky Knuckles"), and several Motobugs, Buzz Bombers, Crabmeats, and Ball Bots! Eggman proclaims out loud that he doesn't need them and that he can run his lair without minions. Once he heads back inside his lair, he quickly says he can't run his lair without minions and he needs to end this strike and he knows just how to do it... Later, at the village square, Eggman is on a stage, trying to have some villagers apply for jobs as Eggman's minions! :D He talks about how his employees work in a creatively challenging environment while gaining access to his rumpus room. To no surprise, everyone walks away. Eggman then offers ludicrously high salaries, to which a coyote(?), Mike the Ox, and Fastidious Beaver agreed to work for him. As Eggman carried the 3 in his Egg Mobile, Sonic & Amy see this and believe that he's holding them hostage as they head to Eggman's base to stop him. Back at Eggman's lair, Eggman brings the 3 villagers in through the entrance as the protesting robots booed and threw garbage at the villagers, calling them scabs. Once inside, Eggman tells them to clean up the mess, which they do effectively. Soon, Sonic & Amy arrive at Eggman's lair to see the protesting robots. Sonic was about to head inside, only for Amy to tell him not to, for it would undermine the robots' fight for independence. Sonic argues that they have to rescue the villagers. Then Eggman leaves with the 3 villagers, saying he's taking his workers to get ice cream for successfully doing their job. Cubot said he never gave them ice cream to which Eggman said they never earned it. Sonic hears this and asks Mike if what Eggman was saying about him and the other 2 are just working for him willingly and are not actually prisoners was true, asking him to blink twice if he's in any danger. Mike didn't blink... like, at all... creepy... So, Sonic says there's no need for a rescue since no one's in trouble and leaves. Later, at the village, Eggman and the villagers are at an ice cream cart. Fastidious, once again, has a hard time deciding which flavor to get. Eggman then told him he didn't have to decide, just destroy the cart and steal all the ice cream to which Fastidious responded that it would make more sense to steal the ice cream first and then destroy the cart. Mike then asked why even destroy the cart if they've already stolen the ice cream. Eggman gets annoyed, saying at least his robots did what he said... usually. (You'd think Eggman would learn that using villagers as willing minions would end poorly. Remember Dave the Intern? XD ) Back outside Eggman's lair, Amy is still with the protesting robots as their strike attempts seemed to have soured after seeing Eggman with his new workers. Amy tries to keep their spirits up by telling them to hang in there. Cubot counters by saying the should practice their grovelling, to which Orbot agreed. Meanwhile, back at the ice cream cart, Eggman demanded that his workers attack the ice cream vender and burn his cart down to which the ice cream vender offered free ice cream to the villagers if they didn't attack him. Eggman then said that's not evil to which vender said it was extortion. Eggman responded that technically it's not extortion because the vender is offering and he's not demanding and described it more like bribery, but benefiting the evil on the vender, not Eggman. Mike then said that he votes on taking the bribe. Eggman said minions don't get to vote. Sonic hears the nonsensical bantering and came to put a stop to it. Eggman demanded that his new minions attack Sonic to which the coyote refused saying Sonic'll kick their butts. Eggman commented on how these 3 were the worst minions he's ever had, and the bar is pretty low. XD After demanding that they attack Sonic, all Sonic did was stare them down before all 3 of them ran away. (Guess that's their resignations, huh? :D ) With that, Eggman ran away screaming, making a hasty retreat back to his lair. Back outside Eggman's lair, Amy and the robots see Eggman in his Egg Mobile coming back. Amy tells Orbot & Cubot to stand strong and not to back down. Orbot then asks the group if they're ready to fall at Eggman's feet and beg for his merciful forgiveness which cause them all to cheer. Eggman then exits his Egg Mobile and begs his robots to come back! XD Amy then bluffs, saying that the robots will continue to strike for months. Eggman asks what their demands are. Orbot said they wanted Casual Fridays, paid maternity leave and Cubot said they get to choose the radio station on the Egg Mobile every other Tuesday. Eggman then said every 3rd Tuesday and they got a deal. Amy stepped in and said they also demand regular tune-ups, high grade motor oil, use of the Egg Mobile for cross-water errands, and he had to treat them in a respectful manner. Orbot then said for things not to be unreasonable and that they're willing to scratch that last demand if he agrees to everything else. Eggman agrees and the deal is done. Eggman then tells his digital dunces to get inside. As soon as Eggman and his entire robot armada enters his lair, Amy realized something... How is she supposed to get back?! We then see her rowing the wooden raft back home! XD (Wait... how the heck did Amy get to Eggman's island in the first place?! :D )
Like I said before, this was pretty smart and funny. I like how Amy tried to inspire a rebellion with Eggman's henchbots. As mentioned, we've seen something like that before back in Sonic Adventure. As someone who laughs when Eggman insults his flunkies, the banter used in this episode made me giggle, too. On a side note, was this the 1st time we've heard Mike Polluck's version of Eggman call his henchbots "nincom-bots", a phrase commonly heard towards Scratch & Grounder back in the AOSTH days. And I'm asking throughout his voice work (Sonic X, Sonic Boom, and the countless videogames he's voiced him since Shadow the Hedgehog). Plus, awesome that we got to Sonic's new ride, Blue Force One. Seriously, such an awesome name! I hope to see a sprite version of that soon. Might use that in my comics. :D In any case, this episode was pretty enjoyable. Only downside was this episode didn't have Sonic do much, but he was enjoyable and entertaining in those short scenes he was in. And I get the feeling this won't be the last time we'll see Amy involve herself with an Eggman robot in this season...
