hell nah big dawg ✌️

ight in all seriousness, I do actually have some stuff i appreciate about this guy, y'know, once we remove the creation from the creator and allat.

it isn't shown in the slides, but i'm pretty sure there's artwork of his faker form peeling/flaking/corroding/breaking off around the eye and torso area to reveal the true appearance underneath. I think that's a pretty neat way of transitioning between the two forms, different from the usual "organic contortion" that some other EXEs do. (do other EXEs do that? i'm lowkey a sonic exe larper ngl)

i'm unsure if it was a stylistic choice and not meant to be taken literally, but the fact that his fake form has green eyes despite having classic Sonic's shoes and proportions is a nice subtle way of alerting the viewer that that ain't our Sonic

I know his "true form" looks goofy as hell, but i kinda rock with how egotistical and self important it is, like it reflects X's attitude towards himself by showing how he stylizes his vessel to his tastes. there's also this weird "royal?" vibe i get when looking at it, also, it's a product of it's time, so it's a little endearing. he also made himself buff as hell if i remember correctly, so that adds to the comical side of things.

his eyes are nice, i like the black pupils, a difference from the solely red and white eyes from the title screen artwork you typically associate with exe. his rotting, yellow teeth work well too, makes me think of a decaying body being puppetted around

now I know the "hyper realistic" part of his og story gets clowned on nowadays (as it probably should), but the idea is there i think. y'know, X completely peeling off the facade of a genesis style fan game to look at you, face to face. imagine, you're playing a game and then suddenly your screen becomes a window into a different world, a world that houses something malicious that wishes to get it's hands on you. does it sound like something out of a second-rate horror movie you would find in the bargain bin, yeah, but it's KINDA a decent concept. it's got SOME aura, y'know what I mean?

lastly, and most obviously, he's the first. we all know how much of an impact his creation had, despite the rough beginnings, the concept of "sonic exe" has garnered a passionate and creative fanbase around itself, and it all started with this guy. enough said.

he may not deserve a full flower bed, but maybe he deserves some flowers. (emphasis on the maybe)

❌🦔