 Japanese title card · “Birth! Super Sonic” | |
| Series | Sonic X (ソニックX), TMS Entertainment |
| Season | Season 1 (2003–2004) |
| Episode | Season 1, episode 26 · no. 26 of 78 |
| English title | “Countdown to Chaos” (4Kids) |
| Japanese title | 誕生！スーパーソニック (Tanjō! Sūpā Sonikku, “Birth! Super Sonic”) |
| First aired (Japan) | 28 September 2003 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 27 March 2004 · Fox Box (Fox) |
| Directed by | Hajime Kamegaki |
| Written by | Hiro Masaki |
| Storyboard | Hajime Kamegaki |
| Previous episode | A Dastardly Deed (S01E25) |
| Next episode | Pure Chaos (S02E01) |
Season finaleSuper Sonic
Countdown to Chaos is episode 26 of Season 1 of Sonic X and the 26th of the anime’s 78 episodes. In Japan it is called “Birth! Super Sonic” (誕生！スーパーソニック). It premiered on TV Tokyo on 28 September 2003, and the 4Kids English version followed on Fox Box (Fox) on 27 March 2004. It was directed by Hajime Kamegaki and written by Hiro Masaki.
Synopsis
Sonic races after the Egg Fort II as G.U.N.’s new Beetle robots open fire on Eggman’s ship. He saves Lucky from falling into the sea and takes the white Emerald, but the Egg Fort II transforms into a giant robot and flings him into the water. On board, Chris breaks free and seizes the other six gems, determined to stop Chaos Control.
Then Chris falls too. Rouge catches him, but the six Emeralds tumble into the sea, where they react with the one in Sonic’s hand – and Sonic rises out of the water as the golden Super Sonic. He reduces the giant robot’s fist to scrap, freeing Chris and Rouge, then destroys the machine in seconds.
Chaos Control erupts in another blinding flash, and Chris, sure his friend is gone for good, breaks down in tears. But this time nobody is sent home. Instead, Angel Island and the Mystic Ruins arrive on Earth, Knuckles goes back to guarding the Master Emerald, and Sonic turns up in front of Chris as if nothing had happened.
Key Moments
- Super Sonic appears for the first time in Sonic X.
- The Egg Fort II turns into a giant robot.
- Chaos Control strikes, but Sonic stays on Earth – setting up Season 2.
Japan vs 4Kids
- The Off Course insert song heard in the original Japanese broadcast is not in the 4Kids version, which uses its own score throughout.
More on the English version’s changes in the Season 1 dub differences box.
Trivia
- The original Japanese broadcast used Off Course’s song “Kotoba ni Dekinai” as an insert song; later broadcasts and home video replaced it with an instrumental of “Hikaru Michi”.
- Directed and storyboarded by series director Hajime Kamegaki, as was episode 1.
- On home video: Japanese DVD/VHS volume 7 (Victor Entertainment, 21 January 2004); 4Kids/FUNimation volume 6, Countdown to Chaos (12 April 2005); the Chaos Emerald Chaos DVD set (2008); and Discotek’s Sonic X Collection 1 (2016) and complete-series Blu-rays.
Watch the Episode
The full 4Kids English episode, uploaded by TMS Entertainment’s official “Anime! on TMS” YouTube channel (checked 6 November 2026).
Part of our Sonic X Season 1 guide. See the Sonic X series page for the cast, theme songs and home video.
Sources: titles, credits and air dates from Wikipedia’s list of Sonic X episodes and Sonic Wiki Zone, cross-checked with each other and with Luke’s original Sonic Scene episode table; synopsis written for Sonic Scene from the episode, Wikipedia’s summary and Sonic Wiki Zone’s plot notes; title card and screenshots via Sonic Wiki Zone, copied to our media library.