Editing Sonic the Hedgehog (section)

===IDW Publishing===
[[File:Sonic playfully boasting.jpg|thumb|225px|left|Sonic playfully showing off after defeating some {{IDWlink|Badnik}}s, from [[IDW Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 1|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' #1]].]]
Always prepared to put his life on the line to protect others, be they friends or civilians, Sonic is a carefree spirit and a fearless daredevil at heart.<ref name="StH1">[[IDW Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 1|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' #1]], "Fallout, Part 1"</ref> He is driven by his own personal code of justice that compels him to respond to any form of evil, no matter how great or how overwhelming its threat is.<ref name="SonicTradingCard">[[Media:IDWTradingCards - Sonic2.jpg|Sonic the Hedgehog Trading Card]].</ref> This attitude sometimes gets him in trouble, but it also makes him the answer to evil anywhere and everywhere.<ref name="SonicTradingCard"/> Unlike most others, Sonic finds fun in fighting and thwarting evil, primarily in the form of {{IDWlink|Doctor Eggman|Dr. Eggman}} and his {{IDWlink|Eggman Empire|empire}}.<ref name="StH1"/> Even when locked in a battle to the death, Sonic cannot help finding excitement and entertainment in such situations, namely because he has experienced them so many times that the stakes of such fights hardly faze him anymore.<ref name="StH50">[[IDW Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 50|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' #50]], "Battle for the Empire"</ref> Regardless, he will still confront his enemies with a serious demeanor when the situation warrants it.<ref name="StH42">[[IDW Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 42|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' #42]], "Zeti Hunt, Part 2"</ref> Despite his usual cocky and laid-back attitude and massive ego, Sonic's defining traits have always been his pure heart of gold and his utter dauntlessness in the face of danger.<ref name="StH1"/> Despite his ego, Sonic is willing to swallow his pride for the greater good, as shown when he used obsequious flattery to convince his rival, {{IDWlink|Jet the Hawk|Jet}}, to help him save the world.<ref name="StH25">[[IDW Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 25|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' #25]], "A Sudden Shift"</ref> Also, despite his devotion to the greater good, he is notably rash, often throwing himself into trouble without much of a plan in mind.

{{Quote left|It's what I do. Just keep moving, doing good, saving folks, and living as free as the wind. Living by my way. My own way.|Sonic the Hedgehog, [[IDW Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 2|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' #2]]}}
In keeping with his footloose lifestyle, Sonic values freedom above all else and strives to live his life according to his own rules rather than the standards of those around him or for the sake of heroism and duty. As such, despite his loyalty to his friends and allies, Sonic is typically reluctant to commit to anything that requires him to act primarily under the authority of others, including his friends. As a result, he does not consider himself a part of larger organizations like the {{IDWlink|Resistance}} or [[Restoration]], believing that he knows what is best for himself and and can do much more on his own without being tied down by a greater power.<ref name="StH2">[[IDW Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 2|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' #2]], "Fallout, Part 2"</ref> At one point, Sonic found error in his ways as he was an indirect catalyst for Eggman's return and the spread of the [[Metal Virus]].<ref name="StH24">[[IDW Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 24|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' #24]], "The Last One Out"</ref>

Sonic is an optimistic individual; as mentioned by his friends, he always puts a positive spin on things.<ref name="StH12">[[IDW Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 12|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' #12]], "The Cost of the Battle for Angel Island"</ref> He thus refuses to give into despair, even when faced with a hopeless situation, although he has been known to drop his positivity in the darkest moments in favor of a more sympathetic outlook and somber mood.<ref name="StH23">[[IDW Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 23|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' #23]], "The Last Minute, Part 3"</ref><ref name="StH24"/> Despite this, he never gives up and always fights to the end, believing firmly in the righteousness of his decisions and refuses to compromise his ideals and morals out of fear.<ref name="StH23"/><ref name="StH44">[[IDW Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 44|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' #44]], "Zeti Hunt, Part 4"</ref> Also, since he is a hedgehog of action and is constantly looking for new adventures and challenges for himself, having nothing to on an adventure will severely bore Sonic, and staying cooped up for too long tends to make him uneasy due to his hatred of confinement.<ref name="StH34">[[IDW Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 34|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' #34]], "Chao Races and Badnik Bases, Part 2"</ref>

[[File:IDW_advert_Sonic.png|thumb|Sonic the Hedgehog, from [[IDW Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 1|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' #1]].]]
Sonic's personality is a juxtaposition of kindness and ferocity. Extremely benevolent, Sonic's heroism is an extension of his philosophy;<ref name0"FCB2021">''[[IDW Sonic the Hedgehog Free Comic Book Day 2021|Sonic the Hedgehog Free Comic Book Day 2021]]'', "Race to the Empire"</ref> preferring to keep things simple, Sonic lives for the moment and wants to see the world and enjoy all the thrills and adventures that come from that.<ref name="StH50"/> Sonic lives his life according to this sense of freedom and wants everyone else to have the freedom to do that too. As such, if he were to take a life, he would be taking away that person's freedom too, which goes against his own rules. Similarly, the peace he has made with several of his enemies in the past has taught him that there are better alternatives to neutralizing a threat than eliminating it, having experienced difficult cases of villains who wanted to destroy the world but were reformed by him and his allies.<ref name="StH50"/> As such, while he does everything he can to snuff out evil, he is always willing to give people that he has "a rocky start" with a chance to rebound and reform themselves so they can restart their relationships on better terms, a philosophy that he is willing to extend even to villains like Dr. Eggman or [[Doctor Starline|Dr. Starline]].<ref name="StH50"/> He similarly cannot turn away when someone is in need of aid. Most noticeably, after helping defeat {{IDWlink|Metal Sonic}}, he compassionately had the robot repaired in hopes he could convince him to abandon his evil ways.<ref name="StH12" /> He likewise believes that even the worst person has good in them.<ref name="StH23"/> Far from a pacifist, however, Sonic refuses to let anyone take away the freedom of others, even when they follow his own philosophy, and will willingly resort to physical methods when a peaceful route is not feasible.<ref name="StH50"/> As such, he recognizes that peaceful methods do not always work, especially when dealing with an unpredictable enemy. 

If Sonic has a flaw besides recklessness and a certain disregard for authority, it is that he tends to take things too much upon himself.<ref name="StH16">[[IDW Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 16|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' #16]], "Infection"</ref><ref name="StH31">[[IDW Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 31|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' #31]], "Recovery, Part 1"</ref> Another flaw of his is that he puts a lot of faith in the belief that everyone, even villains like Eggman, has some good in them and are redeemable, something that he himself sometimes regrets and individuals like {{IDWlink|Shadow the Hedgehog|Shadow}} and {{IDWlink|Espio the Chameleon|Espio}} challenge.<ref name="StH23"/><ref name="StH6">[[IDW Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 6|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' #6]], "The Fate of Dr. Eggman, Part 2"</ref><ref name="StH24"/> Also, because he knows that giving others a choice cannot prevent them from making poor decisions, Sonic tends to become disappointed when those he gives a second chance to choose an undesirable path.<ref name="StH50"/> This does not make him naïve, because he is still aware when enemies pose too much of a threat to be reasoned with.<ref name="StH25"/>

Sonic cares deeply for his many friends. Despite his loyalty to them, though, he never lingers too long in one place. However, his friends know he will be cruising back into their lives in no time.<ref name="SonicTradingCard"/>

As the amnesiac Mr. Needlemouse, Sonic was a more aloof and relaxed individual, taking great interest in learning new things he had not heard of before.<ref name="StH31" />