Sonic Rebound Episode 5: Mr. Tinker Review – The Story Must Go On

You ever watch an episode of a show that isn’t filler but feels like filler? That’s how I felt watching Episode 5 of Sonic Rebound, Mr. Tinker. Think Dragon Ball Z levels of “this probably matters later, but right now I’m just along for the ride.” It’s not a bad episode by any means—just the most self-contained one so far.

To be fair, that’s not really on GamerGuyd7Aces. He’s pulling straight from the IDW Sonic comics here, and this episode sticks close to the source. The big creative swing already happened in Episode 4 with the reveal that Dr. Robotnik from the Archie Sonic continuity is the real villain in Rebound. That twist still holds weight—and let me just say, Protagonist absolutely owns the role. His Robotnik voice is pitch perfect.

This time around, Sonic heads to a quiet mountain village where Team Chaotix—Vector, Espio, and Charmy—have discovered a familiar face. Only thing is, Eggman doesn’t remember being Eggman. He’s calling himself Mr. Tinker now, living a peaceful life and genuinely helping people. He’s kind, soft-spoken, and totally unaware of his past as the world’s biggest menace. Naturally, this raises a huge question: if the villain has no memory of his crimes, does he still deserve to pay for them?

I liked seeing the Chaotix crew again, and they were handled well. Charmy wasn’t nearly as irritating as usual, which is always a win. Vector was perfectly cast—Trevzed sounds almost exactly like pre-2010 Vector, and I respect the accuracy. Espio’s voice was just okay for me, and honestly, he hasn’t sounded great since the Sonic Rivals era. The uncredited VA here was fine, but something about the newer direction for Espio never fully clicks with me.

Visuals? Mostly strong. There were a few dips, but nothing that killed the vibe. The opening scene with Sonic and Espio running corkscrews through the mountain while fighting Badniks? That was sick. It was fast, colorful, and smooth—just not consistently that way all the way through. But the use of Sonic Unleashed music again? Always a win.

Voice-wise, Paxton Lee continues to impress as Sonic. I actually thought it was still BobbyDubs in Episode 3 and 4, which says a lot. Paxton stepped in quietly and nailed it. Politics aside, I still have a soft spot for Mike Pollock’s Eggman, so Colin’s version didn’t quite do it for me—but again, that’s more personal bias than anything else. The episode also gives us a quick tease of Shadow and Rouge at the end, and Mardiculous’ Shadow sounds so close to Jason Griffith’s take that I couldn’t help but get hyped.

So yeah, even though this one felt a little slower, it’s not filler—it really does move the story forward. It just felt like a side quest until Shadow and Rouge popped up. I still liked it more than Episode 3, but not as much as 2, and definitely not as much as 4. That said, it’s still a good episode. Five episodes in, and not a single one has been bad—and for a fan series, that’s seriously impressive. The second arc has officially begun, and tomorrow we’re diving into Episode 6, where Sonic and Shadow go head-to-head over the fate of Dr. Eggman. You won’t want to miss it.