Sticks the Badger is a mess. Honestly, that’s why she works. When Sega and Big Red Button introduced her back in 2014 for the Sonic Boom spin-off franchise, she felt like a total wild card. While Sonic is all about speed and Knuckles became—let’s be real—a bit of a meathead in that universe, Sticks brought a frantic, paranoid energy that the series desperately needed. She isn't just another animal with a color-coded personality. She’s a badger who lives in a burrow, fears the "government," and thinks technology is out to steal her soul.
It’s weirdly charming.
Most people first saw Sticks from Sonic the Hedgehog in the Sonic Boom animated series, voiced by the talented Nika Futterman. Futterman gave her this gravelly, high-strung voice that perfectly matched her design: messy orange fur, hair tied with literal pieces of rope, and a boomerang made of junk. She wasn't born from the "Chaos Emerald" lore we’ve known since 1991. Instead, she was a jungle-dweller who stumbled into the group and stayed because, despite her distrust of everything, she found a family.
The Problem With Being "The New Girl"
Introducing a new character into a legacy franchise is always a gamble. Fans are protective. When you look at the history of the series, characters like Silver or Blaze had to earn their keep through complex backstories. Sticks didn't do that. She just showed up with a boomerang and started screaming about conspiracy theories.
Initially, the gaming community was skeptical. The Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric game was, to put it lightly, a technical disaster. It’s hard for a character to shine when the floor textures are disappearing under their feet. But then the TV show happened. The Sonic Boom show is genuinely funny—it’s a meta-comedy that pokes fun at the franchise’s own tropes. In that environment, Sticks thrived. She became the audience surrogate for how ridiculous the world of Sonic actually is. If Dr. Eggman builds a giant robot, Sonic thinks "I should spin-dash that." Sticks thinks "The giant robot is recording my brainwaves for the lizard people."
One of those thoughts is objectively more entertaining to watch.
Why Sticks from Sonic the Hedgehog Actually Makes Sense
You’ve gotta look at the dynamic of the "Core Five." You have the leader (Sonic), the brain (Tails), the muscle (Knuckles), and the heart (Amy). Usually, that’s a complete set. But Sticks adds the "instinct." She’s the survivalist. In episodes like "Can Bots Race?", her feral nature is used as a foil to the high-tech gadgets Tails creates. There is a fundamental tension there. Tails represents progress and logic; Sticks represents the raw, unpredictable natural world.
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She's basically the anti-Tails.
But don't mistake her for being "crazy" just for the sake of a gag. The writers often made her conspiracies come true. In the world of Sonic, where a mad scientist literally builds theme parks in space, being paranoid is actually a very rational survival strategy. She’s the only one who treats Eggman like the genuine threat to privacy and nature that he is. Everyone else treats him like a weird neighbor; Sticks treats him like an existential crisis.
Crossing the Dimensional Divide
For a long time, Sticks was trapped. She was a "Boom" character, meaning she existed in a separate continuity from the "Modern" Sonic games like Sonic Forces or Sonic Frontiers. For years, fans wondered if she’d ever be "canon" in the main timeline.
Then came Sonic Frontiers in 2022.
In a small but massive piece of dialogue, Amy Rose mentions Sticks by name. This blew the collective minds of the fandom. It wasn't a major plot point, just a casual reference to a friend back home. But it confirmed that Sticks—or at least a version of her—exists in the main Sega universe. This is a huge deal because it bridges the gap between the experimental Boom era and the core series. She's no longer an outlier. She's part of the family.
The Design Philosophy of a Feral Badger
Take a look at her kit. She doesn't have super speed. She doesn't have flight. She has a handmade boomerang. This weapon is unique in the Sonic gear-set because it requires skill and precision rather than just raw power. In the Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, she was actually a playable character, showing off her agility.
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Her design by Big Red Button was meant to look "prehistoric" compared to the sleekness of modern Sonic.
- She uses organic materials (fur, wood, flint).
- Her fur is unkempt, suggesting she doesn't use the "industrial soaps" she rants about.
- Her eyes are wide, always scanning for "the unseen."
It’s a masterclass in character silhouette. Even if you only saw her shadow, you’d know exactly who she was. That’s the hallmark of a great Sonic character. Think about Shadow’s quills or Knuckles’ fists. Sticks fits that "instant recognition" mold perfectly.
Misconceptions About the "Boom" Era
A lot of people skip over Sticks because they associate her with the Rise of Lyric Wii U game. That’s a mistake. While that game was a low point for the brand, the Sonic Boom TV series is often cited as some of the best Sonic media ever produced. It’s 104 episodes of pure character-driven comedy.
If you only know Sticks from the box art of a broken game, you’re missing the character who once tried to "re-educate" a toaster because she thought it was spying on her. You’re missing the character who formed a legitimate, touching bond with Amy Rose, providing a female friendship dynamic that the series had been lacking for decades. Before Sticks, Amy was often just "the girl" or "the one obsessed with Sonic." With Sticks, Amy became a mentor, a sister, and a grounded friend.
How to Play as Sticks Today
If you want to actually control Sticks from Sonic the Hedgehog, your options are surprisingly varied despite her "spin-off" origins.
- Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal (3DS): This is arguably her best outing as a playable platforming hero. Her boomerang is used for puzzle-solving and hitting distant switches.
- Sonic Dash: She’s a recurring unlockable character in this mobile runner.
- Sonic Forces: Speed Battle: She appears as a Rare-tier runner. She uses her "Hunting Boomerang" and "Quad-Homing" attacks to mess with other players.
- Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games: As mentioned, she’s a "Guest" character in the 2016 Rio edition for the 3DS, specializing in Archery.
She’s also a staple in the IDW comic series, specifically in the Sonic Boom run, though the main IDW series has focused more on the "Modern" cast lately. However, with the Frontiers mention, the door is wide open for a comic appearance that could redefine her for a new generation.
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The Cultural Impact of a Conspiracy Theorist
It’s funny—Sticks felt like a caricature in 2014. In 2026, her "everything is a scam" energy feels almost prophetic. She’s the ultimate Gen Z/Gen Alpha icon in the Sonic world. She’s stressed, she’s skeptical of big corporations (Eggman Industries), and she just wants to live in the woods with her friends.
There’s a nuance to her character that often gets overlooked. She struggles with social anxiety. She knows she’s "the weird one," and there are moments in the show where she tries to act "normal" to fit in, only to realize that her friends like her exactly as she is. It’s a surprisingly deep message for a show about a blue hedgehog who runs fast.
Where Does She Go From Here?
The future of Sticks is looking brighter than it has in years. Now that the "canon" wall has been kicked down, we might see her in a mainline 3D platformer. Imagine a version of Sonic Adventure 3 where Sticks is the "stealth/gadget" character. Or a spin-off game where she has to defend her burrow from an alien invasion that only she believes is happening.
There’s a vocal part of the fanbase that wants her to join the "Team Rose" lineup permanently, replacing Big the Cat in the racing and platforming rosters. While Big has his charms (and his fishing rod), Sticks offers a more active, high-energy gameplay style that fits the modern pace of the games.
Final Thoughts for the Fans
If you’re looking to dive deeper into the lore of Sticks, don't just look at the games. Watch the Sonic Boom episode "The Curse of the Buddy Buddy Temple." It perfectly encapsulates her relationship with Sonic—how he finds her annoying but ultimately respects her skills and her loyalty.
Next Steps for Sonic Fans:
- Watch the Show: Track down the Sonic Boom series on streaming platforms. Focus on Season 2, where the writing really hits its stride.
- Check the IDW Comics: While she’s a guest star, the Sonic Boom comic run (2014-2015) by Ian Flynn is excellent and captures her voice perfectly.
- Replay Frontiers: Listen closely to Amy’s end-game dialogue to hear the official confirmation of Sticks' existence in the main world.
- Unlock her in Mobile: If you play Sonic Forces: Speed Battle, save your red star rings for her event rotations; she’s one of the most annoying (in a good way) characters to play against because of her projectile-heavy kit.
Sticks isn't just a relic of a failed spin-off. She’s a character with staying power because she represents something different. She’s the chaos in a world that’s often too polished. She reminds us that it’s okay to be a little weird, a little paranoid, and a lot messy, as long as you’ve got a boomerang and friends who have your back.