BumbleKast #106 - Balancing Character and Plot in Stories

Ian and Kyle discuss character-driven and plot-driven narratives and how to balance the two when writing stories.  

Patreon Perk – Jump to the Q&A: 30:42  

PATREON PRIORITY Q&A 

EggmanInc
In S.U. #88, it’s stated that a “catastrophic event blasted Pancardina  into a series of islands, with the Trolls (Walter Naugus’ race)  being  all but wiped out overnight”, What was this event, or what caused it?  

IanWaffles
What do you think was the appeal of the Sonic and Sally relationship?  Also, correct me if I’m wrong, but it seemed like you changed their  romance from an “opposites attract” dynamic to one where the two cared  for each other so much that they could set aside their contrasting  personalities and stop bickering. Was this intentional or am I missing  the mark?  

Koopaling Krew
Without context or any continuity, what would happen if Marine and  Sticks got stuck alone on an island, meeting for the first time?  

Rael
What are your personal thoughts on Eggman’s backstory? What do you  imagine his family life was like? Was he always evil, or did something  cause him to turn? What was he up to before meeting Sonic?  

Andrew D.
In the latest issue, when Dr. Starline mentions the Warp Topaz altering  reality, were the mushrooms and feathers in the flashback panel  appearing as a result of reality altering, or were they already there?  2- Dr. Starline mentions that Eggman uses the Cacophonous Conch to  control the Zeti, but in the games it was called the Cacophonic Conch.  Are they two different names for the same item, was it purposely  renamed, is it a different item, or what?  

STANDARD Q&A 

PC-The-Unicorn
I really enjoyed the answer you gave about alternative What If Scenarios  of Sonic the Hedgehog would you like to do as stories, and now I want  to actually return to the thing I first referenced in the question,  about  Roll offering to fight the robot masters . Would it be a simple  one-shot, or would you have liked for it it have been a miniseries?  Would Roll have gone by Mega Woman or another name? In what ways would  pivotal moments differ from the original such as when Roll would be  fighting Proto Man before the events of Worlds Collide along with the  showdown at Willy Castle to stop Wily from using Gamma?  

ScruffyMatt
About this time last year, we saw the preview for Smash Bros. Ultimate’s  World of Light, and spent days sobbing into our pillows as we  helplessly watched Sonic valiantly trying to save Pikachu only for both  of them to be vaporised. A lot of fan art and memes came out of this  brief moment, portraying Sonic as having a soft spot for Pikachu, and  possibly Pokemon in general. So my question is: do you think a Sonic and  Pokemon crossover could work, whether it be a game, movie, comic, or  otherwise? And if Sonic were to have a Pokemon of his own, which do you  think he would choose?  

James M.
Ian, what is worse; Being turned into a robot by Zombots or being  roboticized in a roboticizer?