We open this episode as Sonic is witnesses Sally being captured by Robotnik. He rushes to save her, but gets caught in a rain storm, creating "mega muck" that keeps him from making it in time. He tries to cross a bridge to save her, only to fall to the chasm below. Sonic then wakes up. I guess this is the titular "Sonic's Nightmare". The next day, Sonic talks to Rotor about his rough dreams. Rotor claims it may have to do with personal fears.
Sally rushes in with some bad news from Nicole. Robotnik's latest is to fill the clouds near an island with chemicals to make toxic rain. The plan is to infiltrate the island dressed as Swatbots. Three suits are ready for Sally, Bunnie, and... of course... Antoine.
Good to see that usefulness from the last episode died quick.
They use a smoke grenade to stop the cloudburster in its tracks. While the Swat bots investigate, Sally sneaks into the vehicle to hack the security code. Everything goes well...
Until what you expected to happen... happens.
Sally also gets caught as it turns out it takes a helluva long time to hack the system. The trio are taken to Snively. Meanwhile, Sonic makes it to the island, which is now more an abandoned factory than a thriving society. Sonic doesn't find anyone and goes to the cloudburster, sensing that the group are captured.
Sally, Bunnie and Antoine are still tied up with the cloudburster as Robotnik makes his entrance. While he's happy to have the Princess captive, his real target is Sonic. Sally refuses to tell him where Sonic is, but Robotnik knows he'll be along soon enough. Sonic eventully does find the cloudburster in the sky and speeds his way there, only to find the others still captive om the island.
This prooves foolish, as Robotnik has booby traps ready, including a heat seeking fireball, that Sonic bests by just jumping in the water. When cornered by the swat bots, he manages to lure them into a watery grave as well. He goes to Sally and the others, but Sally says that they aren't what matters right now as the cloudburster is still a threat. Sonic begins to panic, remembering his nightmare.
The recurring saying from Sally during the nightmare is "Where were you when the brains were handed out?" Sonic eventually snaps out of his trance and realizes that the only way to stop the cloudburster is to actually use his brains for once. Kinda similar to Super Sonic where Sonic needed to solve a situation without just using his speed. His plan involves the wells in the factory to rain on Robotnik's parade. He drills into the ground to the well generator. Using his speed, he controls the pumps to create an oil burst that hits Robotnik.
Sonic returns to save the others in time as Robotnik and Snively make their escape. Using a stealth device, they escape without being seen (making this the second time the Freedom Fighters believe Robotnik to be killed, or technically first if you count production order). Robotnik has other plans as he wants to hit the Freedom Fighters with a missile barage, but with the ship badly damaged, they need to retreat. However, Robotnik would rather blast the Hedgehog. Conventiently, the missiles don't work.
But the problems are continuing as the island is sinking to the ground. Sonic's best plan is to use a power ring on the electric cage holding his friends to override the bars. It manages to work, as the trio manage to finally escape the sinking island. We end the episode as the Freedom Fighters still can't be sure on Robotnik's death. Sally tells Sonic to think before he acts, but Sonic would rather dream about chili dogs.
So, we've gone from one of the densest episodes to an episode with a lot more meat to it. This was a much better episode from our previous outing. A lot more happened throughout the story from the attempted infiltration of the cloudburster to the action on the island. The meat of the episode's plot involved Sonic dealing with what represents his worst fear, that in losing Sally to Robotnik's roboticization. I like that we're seeing a more vulnerable side to Sonic, beyond just the veneer of the "Way Past Cool", always cocky and nonchalant Sonic. And that's something that I do think SatAM does well. Showing a more three dimensional take on the Hedgehog, who ultimately has to learn how to use his mind and not just his speed to save the day.
Other positives to the episode are that it's one of the better looking episodes so far this season. Some great visuals in the nightmare, some great facial expressions, and a lot more action than what we've seen lately. It all looks great. I also like seeing Robotnik being more involved, and that he'd rather risk his own demise to destroy Sonic shows just how demented he really is. Downsides, other than Antoine again being kinda useless and the characters looking a bit too weird in the tall swat bot outfits, I can't think of too many that ultimately hurt the episode. Sonic's Nightmare is one of the season's best. And we only have three more to go until we wrap this first season up.