Foreword: I have always been interested in the character of Eggman, or Doctor Robotnik as he is sometimes known. I mean, if he’s bald, how can he grow such a huge mustache? If he’s so smart, why can’t he design some kind of machine to beat Sonic that doesn’t explode when Sonic jumps on it enough times? And why is everything egg related? No, but seriously, he is an interesting character. Why exactly does he want to take over the world and establish his “Egg Empire?” It seems a little childish for a man with an I.Q. off the charts to sit in his secret lair tinkering with robots and plotting to take over the world all day. And if he’s really so evil, how is it that sometimes he can be good? We all saw a soft side to him in Sonic Adventure 2, and I’m sure that I’m not the only one who started to think about him a little bit more after that. It seems that if he had wanted to, he could have just escaped from the colony, let Sonic and friends and everyone else on earth die, and then established his beloved Egg Empire. As the matter of fact, it seems that if he really wanted to, he could have done away with Sonic many times before, but he never really quite has the heart to. He always leaves the job to some pathetic robot that he must know is no match for Sonic, and despite his teasing he seems to have some kind of respect for Sonic. Why? These are just some of the questions I’ve wanted answers too, so I’ve decided to answer them myself. Here is the story of Eggman’s life from the very beginning up until his final evil transformation, at least as I envision it.
Bad
The Story of Doctor Ivo Robotnik
“Doctor Robotnik, there’s a call for you in your office.”
Doctor Robert Robotnik had been in the middle of lecturing his eleven o’ clock physics class. He had been stopped right in the middle of explaining how a star creates energy in the form of light by the process of atomic fusion, and with a slight hint of annoyance in his voice told his class that he would be back to resume his lecture momentarily. He turned the corner from his small classroom into the wide and spacious hall of the university. As he made his way down to hall towards his new office, he caught sight of the row of portraits that lined the wall to his right, the faces of all the professors of the Science department at the university. The list of names and faces was long and prestigious; it was not easy to be accepted as a professor at the University, and almost all the faces had made important contributions in their particular field of study while they studied at the university. As he made his way to the end, the faces became familiar to him: Dr. Nova Robotnik, Dr. Orion Robotnik, Dr. Gerald Robotnik, and most recently, his own face, Dr. Robert Robotnik.
His family had a long tradition at the university, almost as far back as the university came into being the Robotniks had gone to school there, came out on the top of their classes, and returned as professors in their field of study, each one making invaluable discoveries in their field of science. Dr. Robert Robotnik had just recently gotten his job as head physics professor at the University’s science department, after years of hard work. It had always been his life’s dream to follow in his family’s footsteps; in fact, he had never even entertained the thought of any other job besides this. It was the job his father and his father’s father and fathers back generations farther had done, and nothing made him happier than to follow in their footsteps.
In fact, a lot of things were going quite well for Dr. Robert Robotnik right now. He had his dream job, he had just finished building his dream house in Station Square in the city, and he had just been married to the love of his life, Mary Robotnik. Mary. He had fallen for her the first moment he laid eyes on her. Just like his job, he had never even thought about having anyone else besides her, he knew it was her or no one else. And now, they were expecting their first child, a baby boy who could carry on his legacy. Dr. Robert Robotnik couldn’t have been happier.
These happy thoughts were still bouncing around in his head as he turned the corner again and walked through the open door of his office. In his foolish giddiness he almost walked right into his secretary who waited for him with the phone in hand. She was barely able to contain a smile as she handed over the phone to him. Dr. Robotnik wondered what she could be so happy about.
“Dr. Robotnik speaking, who’s this?”
“Robert?”
“Mary!”
“Robert, I have some very exciting news!”
Was this it, was this the big news? Dr. Robotnik tried to keep a level head.
“Yes….What’s the news?”
“Robert we’re going to have the baby……Today!!!”
Dr. Robert Robotnik almost dropped the phone. It was the news he had hoped for! He could barely contain his excitement.
“Wait….when? Are you sure? Right Now?!”
“Yes Robert, I’m sure! Meet my at the hospital as soon as you can!”
“I’ll come right away.”
“Hurry!”
With that she hung up. Robert had to stop to catch his breath. This was the big day…..Mary was having the baby! He almost ran out the door without saying anything to his secretary but then remembered to tell her to notify his class that he would not be returning today and that class was dismissed. She nodded, still grinning at the news. He bolted out the door and down the hall toward the parking lot as fast as he could. This was the happiest day of his life.
An hour later Dr. Robert Robotnik was again running down a hall, this time the hall of a hospital. He glanced at the nametags next to the doors, looking frantically for the one that bore the name of “Mary Robotnik”.
“No….not there…..not there either……THERE!!!”
There was the room. He came to a skidding stop before the door, panting heavily to catch his breath. This was it, this was the room. He stopped and looked at the door, a million thoughts zooming through his head as he tried to work up the courage to open the door and step inside. Finally, when he could contain the excitement no longer, he flung the door open and stumbled inside. There on the bed lay his wife, her eyes half closed in exhaustion, a small bundle cradles in her arms.
“Mary….did you…….is that?!”
She put her finger up to her lips.
“Shhhh…….you’ll wake the baby up.”
Dr. Robotnik took a few more steps forward. His stomach felt like it was filled with butterflies.
“Would you like to see the baby”, asked Mary with a smile.
All Dr. Robotnik could do was nod. He took the final steps forward to the side of the bed and reached out to receive the tiny package from Mary’s outstretched hands. He pulled back the soft blanket a little and gazed for the first time into his new son’s face. The baby was sleeping, his eyes closed and his round little face scrunched up into a funny little expression. Dr. Robert Robotnik looked on in awe. He couldn’t think of anything to say.
“He looks a bit like a little egg, don’t you think”, he finally said with a chuckle.
“Oh Robert, all babies do.”
Suddenly a thought struck Dr. Robotnik.
“What are we going to name him?”
Mary looked thoughtful for a moment, but only a short moment.
“Ivo. Ivo Robert Robotnik.”
“Ivo? What kind of a name is that?”
“It’s the name of a star. It’s always been my favorite star name; it’s such a beautiful name.”
“Alright my dear, if you like it, I also like it.”
They both looked at each other and smiled
“Isn’t this wonderful Robert! We have a baby boy!”
“It certainly is Mary. We’ll raise him to be the best little Robotnik there ever was!”
“Even better than his father?”
Dr. Robert Robotnik smiled.
“Even better than his father.”
They both looked into each other’s eyes, sharing the moment. They both were smiling uncontrollably; the happiness of the moment was just too much. As Dr. Robert Robotnik looked into Mary’s smiling face, he knew undoubtedly, without a question, that this was the happiest moment of his life. Then suddenly, without warning, Mary’s smile vanished and was replaced by an anguised scowl that lashed across her face.
“Mary…..what’s wrong?”
“I….. I don’t know. Something…..hurts!”
Dr. Robotnik rushed over and pressed the emergency nurse button on the wall.
“Mary……what’s wrong! Talk to me!”
She tried to speak, but nothing came out except an anguished moan. Suddenly she began coughing up blood.
“MARY!!!”
He grabbed her and shook her screaming to her and telling her to hold on. She was now shaking violently.
“MARY!!!”
She suddenly grabbed his arm, her eyes wide and fixed on his.
“Robert…… (cough). Take care of Ivo…… (cough). Tell him….. (cough)…..I love him.”
With that, her head fell limp.
End of Chapter 1
