Throughout the years, the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise has spawned several video games as well as television series, with one of the most well-known being the Sonic X anime. During a scuffle with his arch-enemy Dr. Eggman, Sonic and the others are transported from their home planet Mobius to Earth. Upon arriving, they look for a way to return home while learning about the world they are in.
While fans of the titular blue hedgehog have found the show to be enjoyable and well-written, Sonic X is not exempt from criticism. Aside from the fact that the English dub was produced by 4Kids -- which was infamous for making several unnecessary changes to the original script -- one other component that came into play was the inclusion of Chris Thorndyke, who serves as the series' human protagonist and takes Sonic and his friends in.
Chris Was Not Received Well By Sonic X Fans
Chris Thorndyke is Sonic X's most disliked character, and one of the most panned in the entire franchise. While this is for a variety of reasons -- such as taking up too much screen time and being overly dependent on Sonic -- it is mainly because he claims to have been lonely before Sonic and the others arrived, despite already being surrounded by many who love and care about him.
Given the fact that Sonic X is set in a world filled with humans, there is no question that there would be a human protagonist to help Sonic and the others out. While fans have expressed interest in Chuck, Chris' science-driven grandfather fulfilling that role, another character who would have done the job just as well was Chris' friend and classmate Helen.
Helen Looked at the Positive Side of Things
Sonic first encounters Helen in Season 1, Episode 14 "That's What Friends Are For" when she is having trouble moving her wheelchair. When she explains to him that she was trying to visit an island that contained hundreds of alluring flowers, he decides to take her since her parents are constantly working so they can continue supporting her.
Although this was the only episode in Sonic X to place a lot of focus on her, enough was learned about Helen that would make her an arguably better human protagonist. While she does express her frustration over not getting to spend time with her parents due to their long working hours, she understands they are doing it because they love her and want to care for her. She is grateful for all the times she gets to have with them, even if they do not last as long.
Helen's Much Broader Personality Would've Made Her a Better Protagonist
Despite Chris being created to be an audience surrogate, most of the fanbase does not find him to be relatable or sympathetic. Other than his parents not being present for a large portion of the time, not much is known about him personally. Throughout Sonic X, Chris is mainly interested in hanging out with Sonic and nothing more. This is further demonstrated when he is shown doing a writing assignment for homework.
Meanwhile, Helen shows that she is extremely fascinated with nature when she wishes to see the flowers. On top of that, while she is wheelchair-bound, she doesn't let it define her, and she enjoys the adrenaline rush of an adventure. She is even enthusiastic when she tells others about the times she spends with Sonic, which shows how lively she can be. Thanks to these factors and more, Helen would have surely been a better Sonic X human protagonist than Chris.