WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Sonic the Hedgehog #47, on sale now from IDW Publishing.
Since it was revealed that she was one of Eggman's most unique creations, Belle the Tinkerer has been dealing with the complicated legacy of her "father". Although he created her when he had forgotten his evil ways and become the kind inventor known as Mr. Tinker, Belle was horrified to learn what Eggman really was when she reunited with him recently. Even though Sonic and his allies have been there for her and befriended the badnik, she still can't help but feel alone.
Fortunately, that all changed in Sonic the Hedgehog #47 (by Evan Stanley, Matt Froese, Matt Herms and Shawn Lee). Before the fire that's been ravaging the forest in the last few issues even began, Belle was startled by one of Eggman's Motobug Badniks. This mechanical menace first appeared in the original game's first level, Green Hill Zone. Although there are many of these robots in Eggman's army, this one is very different.
Just like Belle, this little Badnik means no harm to anyone. On the contrary, it's actually friendly and helped Belle escape the fire and reunite with her friends. Belle sees a lot of herself in this malfunctioning Motobug. Even though it wasn't designed to be good from the start like she was, it's on the same path as her now.
Belle takes the robot to Tails, who is surprised to discover that such a simple and common Badnik is on their side. It's not new to see some of Eggman's creations turn their backs on his wicked ways but, as Tails notes, those robots were far more advanced than a simple Motobug.
The first example of one of the evil scientist's creations turning on him came in the 1998 Sega Dreamcast game Sonic Adventure. One of the playable characters in that game was the advanced robot E-102 Gamma. The robot initially followed Eggman's orders to the letter, but he later started to question them and developed his own sense of morality. The advanced robot didn't survive past that game, but another similar robot, E-123 Omega, turned on his creator as well in 2003's Sonic Heroes. Since then, Omega has been a friend to Shadow the Hedgehog and Rouge the Bat, as well as the rest of Sonic's friends, and has been an active part in foiling many of his creator's schemes.
Seeing this type of thing happen to less advanced robots has inspired hope in the heroes. Tails and Belle will attempt to find out where this odd little Motobug went wrong in his evil programming, in the hopes of replicating it with other Badniks in Eggman's vast mechanical armies.
Her finally meeting Eggman recently didn't go well for Belle. Learning that he really is as evil as everyone says was a lot to deal with, but it looks like she's found the perfect way to work through it. Making it her mission to turn all of Eggman's evil creations into something kinder and friendlier like herself is the perfect way to change her creator's legacy from the evil it is now into something kinder. Plus, along the way, she'll have made even more friends and finally feel a little less alone.