The following contains spoilers for Sonic the Hedgehog 2, in theaters now.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has raced into theaters and is a treat for fans of all ages. Seen as an improvement on the first movie, the film has been a breath of fresh air in the realms of video game adaptations, which are typically mediocre. And among the fun is a scene that takes potshots at one of the biggest cinematic moneymakers: the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
A scene in which Sonic and his red rival Knuckles go at it against each other has Sonic referring to the echidna as the "Winter Soldier." But while the trite comment appears to just reflect the dire situation, it's actually a rather clever double, if not triple, entendre. Here's how the joke is actually much funnier than it seems.
Why Does Sonic Call Knuckles the Winter Soldier?
One scene in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, which appears briefly in trailers and TV spots, sees Sonic shredding down a mountain on a snowboard. Knuckles the angry Echidna also appears on the slopes, clearly intent on wrecking Sonic's day. And while groaning at his would-be attacker, Sonic slyly refers to Knuckles as the "Winter Soldier." At first, the joke, beyond Sonic's cocky delivery, is a bit too on the nose. After all, it only makes sense initially because of their snowy surroundings. Beyond the surface-level humor, however, there's more that makes the joke work.
Why Sonic 2's Winter Soldier Joke Makes Sense
In the MCU, Winter Soldier is Bucky Barnes, the former friend and partner of Steve Rogers, the original Captain America. Believed dead, Barnes got brainwashed into becoming the Winter Soldier and used and manipulated into fighting others on behalf of Hydra. And that is exactly the situation that Knuckles finds himself in within the plot of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, as he's coerced by Robotnik to see Sonic and his new ally Tails as enemies. When they realize how they've been used, however, both Winter Soldier and Knuckles begin to shed their antagonistic layers and go more toward the side of good.
Perhaps the biggest element to the joke, though, would be the setting where it's made. Captain America's common nickname is "Cap," an obvious shortening of his rank. Likewise, the snowy mountain in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is heavily reminiscent of the iconic Ice Cap Zone stage from Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which was the first appearance of Knuckles. These two "Caps" could be pure coincidence, but given the level of fan service in the movie, it's more likely Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was having a lot of fun with its references.
To see Sonic reference the MCU, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is in theaters now.