
CHARACTER INFORMATION
Name: Vector
Nicknames: N/A
Race: Crocodile
Gender: Male
Age: 20 years of age
Date of birth: Unknown
Birthplace: Unknown
(Speculation:
Isolated Island or Angel Island maybe? Just logical suggestions.)
Height: 180 centimeters (5 feet and 11 inches)
Weight: 200 kilograms (440 pounds)
Ability Type: Power
Physical techniques:
(1). Spin Attack
Description: While in locomotion, Vector can curl
down and take on a fetal position, rolling along the ground as a ball at a very
high speed rate of torque, meant primarily for breaking through barriers, or
destroying enemies. Vector seems to look more like a spinning tire than a
rolling ball.
In-game debut: Knuckles Chaotix, Sega Mega 32X, 1995
(2). Spin Jump
Description: Also referred to as the "spinball
jump," Vector is able to leap into the air and curl into a spinning,
tightly compacted ball of destruction which can destroy enemies and break
barriers. Vector seems to look more like a spinning tire than a rolling ball.
In-game debut: Knuckles' Chaotix, Sega Mega 32X,
1995
(3). Spin Dash
Description: Originally named the "Super Spin
Dash," Vector is able to curl down and begin revving up, taking on a
diagonally pivoted, ovular shape. Once unleashed, Vector blasts forward in an
acceleration roll of high speeds with limited airborne capability, meant to
break barriers or mow down enemies.
In-game debut: Knuckles' Chaotix, Sega Mega 32X,
1995
(4). Power Boost
Description: When airborne, Vector can do an abrupt
boost with his shoulder in a linear path in any direction. It is meant to
impact directly into his foes or break down barriers.
In-game debut: Knuckles' Chaotix, Sega Mega 32X,
1995
(5). Jump Attack
Description: Vector pounds down with his massive
weight, crushing anything beneath him and gaining a little jump height. He can
string jump attacks consecutively.
In-game debut: Sonic Heroes, Nintendo GameCube, Sony
PlayStation 2/Microsoft Xbox, 2004
(5). Fire Combination
Description: While in power formation, Vector stuffs
hi spinning teammates in his jaws and chunks them at enemies. When leveled up,
he can follow this up with his patented Vector Breath, circling in a 360 radius
to wipe out foes with bad singing, fire breath or explosive bubble gum bubbles.
In-game debut: Sonic Heroes, Nintendo GameCube, Sony
PlayStation 2/Microsoft Xbox, 2004
Abilities and aptitude:
(1). Very powerful.
(2). Most of his power lies in Vector's
jaws and he can be as gentle with them as he can be brutal. He can crunch metal
to dust in his mighty mouth yet he can store Espio and Charmy for Fire Dunk in
it without injuring them.
(3). Skilled at climbing.
(4). Good swimmer.
Hobbies and talents:
(1). Vector can also spit out all types
of projectiles ranging from explosive purple globs of bubblegum to fireballs
and musical notes, upping the sheer destructive power of those daunting jaws.
(2). Musical talent on piano/keyboard and
vocals…okay, actually, he is a horrible vocalist, but let's keep that to ourselves
and not discourage him.
(3). Very skilled detective, as Vector
can be incredibly resourceful and quick on the uptake.
Weaknesses:
(1). Rather slow.
(2). Vector’s large size can be a
hindrance at times. This also means it is easy for enemies to hit him.
(3). Can get a bit carried away with the
detective stuff from time to time.
(4). He can sometimes be quick to anger.
(5). Maybe a little too charitable? His
immense generosity means that the Chaotix Detective Agency is pretty much
eternally poor.
Physical Appearance:
- Vibrant green body covered in
contoured, smooth scales
- Broad green-scaled hands
- Very long snouted greenish-yellow
scaled muzzle with four teeth visible at the end of the snout, and two pitted
nostrils
- Largish eyes with vermilion colored
irises, black pupils and glassy white sclera
- Triangular red spikes going down his
back all the way to the tip of his tail
- Buff-chested physique that gets
skinnier as it goes further down, tapering all the way to the tip of his tail
- Long, thick arms colored in
greenish-yellow skin to match his muzzle
- Very thin short green-scaled legs
- Large-scaled chest in greenish-yellow
that goes down his body to the tip of his tail
Attire:
- Pair of black and gray cordless
headphones
- Thick golden chain around his neck
- Large black cylindrical cuffs striped
in orange with gold-colored buckle fasteners
- White gloves
- Black sneakers with white and orange
trim and white rubber soles
- Black… shoulder pads? (not sure what
those are)
Items & weapons: N/A
Vehicle(s): N/A
Personality details:
Vector
is head honcho of the Chaotix Detective Agency. He's the brains behind the
operation and unfortunately this crocodile lets it get to him. But when Vector
isn't worried about the next time a new client will come along or when he'll
get the money to pay the mortgage on the office, he is usually a real cool,
charming, and decisive crocodile. He'll handle pretty much any type of
business, but he is a crocodile with morals, so he won't get into anything
dirty. Although he takes his work seriously, Vector is still very giving and
charitable. He'll do things for people that are big tasks such as finding a
lost child or even the most meager things such as finding stolen candy for a
child!
In spite of his daunting appearance and sometimes mildly rude and snappy
attitude when he gets peeved, Vector is a child at heart and is a gentle giant
with a wealthy personality, charming conduct, a cool sense of humor, and a
knack for leadership. Just make sure you can catch him when he isn't too busy
listening to his tunes on his headphones or when he's not checking out the
local food courts!
Historical biography:
Vector, along with his good friends Espio and
Charmy, all have very blurry pasts, as you'd expect. Who knows where Vector was
born and when? But however he was raised and whoever he was raised by, he was
certainly taught well because he is a guy that anybody would be a fool NOT to
want to hang around with. Vector's first debut was when the likes of Dr.
Robotnik mounted his giant, amusement-park-themed base, Newtrogic High Zone
(AKA Carnival Island) upon what used to be a lush, tropical island that emerged
from the depths thanks to the presence of the Master Emerald soon after Angel
Island fell (after the events of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Knuckles).
Vector went to the mysterious island since he believes in God and the
ascension of this mysterious island right out of the ocean was something he
thought to be a miracle, so he obviously went to check it out. Unfortunately,
once he arrived, he was one of three visitors frozen in time in Dr. Eggman's
new Combi-Confiner machine, using technology from the Chaos Rings. Luckily for
him, Knuckles came to the rescue and freed him, Mighty, and Charmy. Along with
Espio, the four of them sought to stop Eggman; and after laying the smackdown
on Metal Sonic for the last time, they eventually did.
Afterwards, the five of them seemed to have gone their separate ways
except for Vector, Espio and Charmy. It is unknown as to whether or not the
three of them had the Chaotix Detective Agency running before they stopped
Newtrogic High Zone, or if they decided to start it afterwards. But to this
day, the Chaotix Detectives have always been at your service, and as leader,
Vector holds his business as a top priority. But that has never stopped him
from enjoying a nice tune every now and then or a huge feast (assuming he can
afford such a thing, of course).
Personal information:
Greatest friend(s): Espio the Chameleon, Charmy Bee, Mighty the Armadillo,
and Knuckles the Echidna.
Other friend(s):
Sonic the Hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prower, Amy Rose, Cream the Rabbit
& Cheese, Big the Cat and Shadow the Hedgehog.
Rival(s): N/A
Enemy(s): Dr.
Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik (mostly for not paying him for a case he took
on) and Metal Sonic.
Likes:
Jamming to music (even during his missions), playing the piano/keyboard,
dancing, performing in a band, basketball, eating, and making money.
Dislikes: Being
bored or when his business hasn't had a client for a long time, being ripped
off or completing a case unpaid, and sometimes gets pretty peeved at Charmy's
childishness. He doesn’t like working for the landlord either. Basically, the
kinds of things you'd expect an adult to worry about.
Favorite food(s):
Just about anything! Grape bubble gum seems to be a particular favorite.
Favorite color(s):
Unknown. Could be black.
Occupation:
Detective. In fact, he owns the Chaotix Detective Agency.
Place of residence: The Chaotix Detective Agency office.
GAME INFORMATION
Franchise name: Vector the Crocodile
Original purpose: Friend
of Sonic the Hedgehog, and to be the pianist of Sonic's rock band. The concept
was scrapped before Sonic the Hedgehog 1 was even made. His purpose was
officially revealed as to be a supporting role in Knuckles’ Chaotix.
Current purpose: Head
detective of the Chaotix Detective Agency; supporting role.
Date of first promotion/presence in the industry: Although Vector was actually designed before the
release of Sonic's first video game, he didn't actually make a public
appearance until the 32X title, Knuckles Chaotix, first released in the US on
March of 1995.
Years in service: 12 and
still going…
Impact on series: He’s
seen as a pretty cool guy by fans, but his popularity has been marred thanks to
Carter Cathcart’s abysmal portrayal of him in Shadow the Hedgehog. Critics hate
him, and would like nothing more than to see him, and the rest of the Chaotix
gone for good.
Original Designer: Unconfirmed.
Naoto Ohshima?
Design process: Unconfirmed.
Vector's design was actually very early in the development of even Sonic the
Hedgehog as we know it. Before Sonic 1's release, Sonic Team planned to
implement a background picture for the sound test depicting Sonic and his rock
band including his friends: Max the Monkey as a guitarist, Mach the Rabbit as a
drummer, Sharps the Chicken as lead guitarist, and Vector the Crocodile at the
keyboard while Sonic sung the vocals. Since the whole concept was scrapped
before Sonic 1's release, Vector's original design probably didn't involve many
preliminary sketches since it looks a lot like an actual crocodile, hinting a
lack of creativity or a rushed design. And since Naoto Ohshima was Sonic's
original designer at that time, then that means he probably designed his rock
band pals as well.
Vector was later re-designed for
Knuckles' Chaotix, which was his first official appearance, while Max, Mach,
and Sharps were forever rejected. (The one responsible for Vector's redesign is
unconfirmed. It could be any one of the six character designers for the game; one
of which included Ohshima.) His design for Chaotix was a lot more like
something you'd see in a Sonic game, so it's safe to assume a lot of thought
and initial sketches were thrown about before his first official design.
Possible design inspirations: No
known design inspiration. Vector seems to be completely original.
Prestigious design variations: 3
+ - current design
— - original design
- 1, Pre-Sonic the Hedgehog 1, before
1991 (image, Vector is all the way on the right - this design never even made
it to the video games and is technically unofficial, but is shown here to
clarify that Vector was actually made before Knuckles' Chaotix)
- 2, Knuckles' Chaotix, 1995 — (image)
- 3, Sonic Heroes, 2003 + (pictured at
the top)
Known Game Voice Actors:
Sonic Heroes (JP): Kenta Miyake
Sonic Heroes (US): Marc Biagi
Shadow the Hedgehog (JP): Kenta Miyake
Shadow the Hedgehog (US): Carter Cathcart
Sonic Rivals 2: Dan Green
Other
Known Game Voice Actors:
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (JP): Kenta Miyake
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (US): Dan Green
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (JP): Kenta Miyake
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (US): Dan Green
Non-video
game Voice Actors:
Sonic X (JP): Kenta Miyake
Sonic X (US): Carter Cathcart
Sonic Games he has been playable in:
(1). Knuckles' Chaotix (Mega 32X)
(2). Sonic Heroes (GameCube/PlayStation
2/Xbox)
- Sonic Heroes (PC)
Other games he has been playable in:
(1). Mario & Sonic at the Olympic
Games (Nintendo Wii/DS)
(2). Mario & Sonic at the Olympic
Winter Games (Nintendo Wii/DS)
Sonic Games he has made an appearance in:
(1). Shadow the Hedgehog
(GameCube/PlayStation 2/Xbox)
(2). Sonic Rivals (Sony PlayStation
Portable)
(3). Sonic Rivals 2 (Sony PlayStation
Portable)
Other games he/she has made an appearance in:
(1). Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Nintendo
Wii)
Non-video game portrayals:
(1). Sonic the Hedgehog, SOA-licensed by Archie comics (Comic
series)
(2). Sonic the Comic, SOE-licensed by Egmont Fleetway (Comic
series)
(3). Sonic X, made in Japan, then later dubbed for US release
(Anime TV Series)
(4). Sonic X, SOA-licensed by Archie comics, based on the
previously mentioned anime series (Comic series)
(5). Sonic Universe, SOA-licensed by Archie comics (Comic series)
Theme Song(s):
Sonic Heroes: "Team Chaotix" by
Gunnar Nelson of the Nelson Brothers (Shared with Espio and Charmy of Team
Chaotix)
Personal character analysis/commentary (by Nuclear Envoy):
It seems our friend Vector the Crocodile has has
traveled one of the more bumpier roads on his career. First off, he was
designed before Sonic's first game was even released, but never even made it to
the public, THEN was given an official design and released four years later (on
a rather rare title), and THEN hasn't even made an appearance since then allll
the way up until 2003. If Sonic Heroes wasn't released, Vector here would be in
the Scrapped Characters part of this sub-section.
I, for one, am glad Vector made a return with Espio & Charmy. It was
high in fan demand, not to mention Vector is the only one of the three that was
changed the least from his Chaotix design in 1995. The green croc is, without a
doubt, my most favorite Sonic character of all time. Why? The same reason
others may have picked him as a favorite: his personality. He probably has the
most realistic personality out of any Sonic character and is the oldest one
(that isn't human, created artificially or a parent).
Vector's age is probably what makes him act the way he is, but his
personality is really what makes him so appealing. He can be very charming if
he wants to, but usually he just goofs around a lot. His attitude is snappy
too, adding a sense of realism to his conduct. I couldn't help but laugh or
smirk when he called Rouge a broad or Amy a little brat in Sonic Heroes. To put
it simply, he is just a real funny guy with a Brooklyn-ish accent. He is one of
the more fun male characters of the cast, and combining this with his
appearance (which is pretty cool), you get a pretty neat character. Plus, he
has practical interests: music, food, and cash. (Which, with the exception of
cash, were left unchanged from his Knuckles' Chaotix design.)
Even though Vector is head of the Chaotix detectives, outside of the
story and into the fanbase, his popularity is usually shadowed by arguably the
most favorable member of the three Chaotix boys: Espio. Typical, since the fun
character is typically ignored if there is a silent and shady one abroad. His
crappy new voice ain't helping, either. But Vector holds an integral role in
the Chaotix group; albeit, not so much of one in the Sonic cast as a whole, he
still is one of the coolest, most original characters of the Sonic universe.
Let's hope that neither he, Espio, or Charmy are scrapped for another 8 years,
or worse… for good. Critics be damned.