| Profile | |
|---|---|
 Emperor Robotnik. Art by Tanner Bates. | |
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Name |
Julian Ivo Kintobor |
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Alias |
Emperor Robotnik |
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Nickname |
Round Boy, Eggman, Dr. Robotnik, Julian |
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Born |
Day 253, 1159 (Age 47); Empire City, United Federation |
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Occupation |
Global dictator, Scientist |
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Height |
6'1' |
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Weight |
282 lbs |
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Nationality |
Empire (formerly Federate) |
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Species |
Human |
Julian Ivo Kintobor, better known as Robotnik, is the Emperor of the Robotnik Empire and primary antagonist of Sonic Shift. Many Mobians consider him a brutal dictator, but just as many view him as a great man, his Empire having ended many local disputes and brought a previously unheard of quality of life to many regions, if at a terrible cost in lives and some would say freedom. Unfortunately for him, Sonic the Hedgehog isn't one of those passive supporters.
He is a man of great genius, always graduating at the top of any class he took, and being able to quickly master any subject he sets his mind to. A common joke among those who acknowledge his intellect but dislike his rule is that his immense girth stems from the fact he ran out of room in his brain to put all the fat. Using his genius, Robotnik became the world's first trillionaire, bestowing countless advances on the United Federation and later exporting these to the world.
He is called Julian by those who are either very bold, very stupid or very close(though he dislikes it) and Dr. Robotnik by those who acknowledge his genius but refuse to recognise his right to rule over the planet. He is finally called "Eggman, "Egg-head" or other variants by the Resistance.
History
Born in the United Federation at the height of a struggle between the serfs and lords, Julian Kintobor lived through the rapid industrialization of the Federation that all the other Mobian states rejected. He saw the replacement of feudalism with capitalism, and though he was of the noble Ivo house, he nonetheless embraced the industrial lifestyle. He discovered he loved the odor of pollution, for it represented productivity, unlike what the filthy animals wanted in their bare bones living.
On the surface, Julian was a kind scientist, and he became a prolific inventor, far ahead of his time. He was the father of the internet, of lasers, and invented better and better automobiles and technologies by the year. At just age 21, he became a millionaire, and by age 25, a billionaire. Robotnik Enterprises was one of the largest companies in the Federation and the world.
However, Julian stayed true to his aristocratic roots despite actively promoting democracy and capitalism on the surface. He disliked the idea that filthy peasants could rise above the more noble lineages in the Federation, and that the rule of the mob was given priority over better concerns, such as stability and advancement. More than once, he had lost trademarks and patents to the public domain.
In secret, Julian had developed schematics for tanks, bombers, missiles, artillery, and even machines far ahead of what the United Federation could muster. But alas, even with his personal wealth, he could only manufacture a few in secret... Very expensive, and suspicious to boot! He was able to make a few hundred over the years, some capable of self-replicating, but a few hundred machines, no matter how advanced, would be curbstomped by the Federal Army, which numbered hundreds of thousands of troops in peacetime.
As such, he gave up his plans for years, manufacturing these weapons as a hobby and a "what if" measure. Eventually, however, he found a way to manufacture several times as many machines, and give them long-lasting power sources that made them extremely lethal. Julian was ready.
Coup and the Great War
New Years' Eve of 1199, as the world was about to celebrate a new century, Julian made his move. Donning the suit his machines had designed for him, he staged his coup. All over the country, seemingly endless hordes of robots mowed down army bases. Machines captured the capital and most of the government. Julian declared himself Doctor Ivo Robotnik, ready to catapult the Federation into a new age of prosperity...
With the collapse of the Federation's army, small units maintained local resistance. They were inititally potent, but as the months went by, their once top-notch resources degenerated. Worst of all, there was no nation that could supply them with more.
Day 78 of 1200, Julian triggered the Great War when he began to gobble up neighboring countries. Most nations on Mobius rallied against him, but by 1203, all were soundly beaten or had switched allegiance. Day 359 of 1203, the last belligerents surrendered in the Kingdom of Acorn.
Dictatorship
One fifth of Mobius' land and one quarter of its population were re-organised into the Robotnik Empire, with Dr. Robotnik as its Emperor, and many states became puppets, were ruled in personal union, or were left with some semblance of independence. Either way, Robotnik was now conqueror of the world, no army able to stop his advanced military.
Robotnik liked to feign some illusion of democracy and liberty, with rigged elections and show trials. Instead of the death penalty, Badnikisation was reserved for those convicted of the most heinous crimes. Propaganda was used to sway citizens against the Resistance, with such kneejerk quotes as, "Remember, 'Freedom Fighter' is just another word for 'terrorist.'"
Using the wealth from taxation and the many lucrative business deals his company had a front row seat to, Robotnik soon became the world's first and only trillionaire.
Abilities
Robotnik is widely believed to be the world's most brilliant individual, having made what some would see as magic reality through the power of science. There is practically nothing in society that hasn't been touched by his inventions or influence.
Besides his genius, he also has the world's greatest economy and military to use for his ends. This makes his reach unfathomable.
He also has great political genius to match his scientific prowess. He knows how to check and balance all possible rivals, and is always taking note of flaws and weaknesses.
Robotnik has some cybernetic implants throughout his body, boosting his strength and immune system. However, he has made sure not to use too many, for fear of being rendered weak in the event someone could compromise the electronics. The "gem" embedded in his forehead essentially allows him to directly interface with most systems as well as communicate; in layman's terms, it basically feeds him text and video without need for a keyboard or any other technology.
Personality
Robotnik is cold and manipulative. He has no friends, not seeing any profit in such relationships for himself. Everyone is either useful or dead weight. He maintains good relations with his family members, primarily because he sees the profit of the irrationality of blood loyalty.
Unlike his other canon counterparts, Robotnik actually keeps his word(most of the time). This helps preserve his legitimacy, and he is known as a fair, honest dealer throughout his empire. However, if a deal is just too good to not break, he can be tempted... like any good politician, he only has to be mostly truthful, not entirely truthful.
Robotnik has an appreciation for the finer things in life, enjoying such things as orchestra or literature. Thus, despite his rabid industrialism, he is still eager to preserve artifacts and history where possible. After all, if he can't respect other individuals' history, how will people respect his?
Due to his aristocratic upbringing as much as his great brain, Robotnik is formal and proper. This isn't so much because he genuinely believes in such things(after all, all beings are inferior to him), but that it feeds into his appearances. He'll even treat some of his greatest foes with respect, right up until he sends them to the Badnik Processing Plants.