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| Series | Sonic Underground (DiC, 1999) |
| Season | Season 1 (the only season) |
| Episode | Episode 13 of 40 (production order) · production no. 413 · WildBrain no. 113 |
| French title | Objet de voleur |
| First aired (France) | 17 February 1999 · TF1 |
| First aired (US) | 15 September 1999 · BKN Kids II (syndication) · 13th in US broadcast order |
| Written by | Michael Edens |
| Directed by | Marc Boreal, François Hemmen and Daniel Sarriet; Tom Smith (US) |
| Song | “You Can’t Own Everything” |
| Previous episode | A Hedgehog’s Home Is Her Castle (S01E12) |
| Next episode | Bug! (S01E14) |
Mobu PinchuBombs, not treasureManic’s temptation
Artifact is episode 13 of Sonic Underground, DiC’s 1999 cartoon about Sonic, Sonia and Manic, the hedgehog triplets of Queen Aleena. It is number 13 in production order – the order TF1 first showed the series in France, where it premiered on 17 February 1999 – and it was the 13th episode to air in the United States, on 15 September 1999. It was written by Michael Edens, and its song is “You Can’t Own Everything”.
Synopsis
Disguised as waiters at one of Robotnik’s society parties, the siblings hear him announce that the lost city of Mobu Pinchu is real, then auction two priceless “artifacts” from it to pay for more Swatbots. Sonic wrecks the sale, and the hedgehogs escape with both pieces.
Sonia and Sonic take theirs to Professor Fuddle at Mobius University, who finds that it is not ancient treasure at all but a bomb from a war only five hundred years ago. Manic, meanwhile, has sold the other one to a shady dealer called Vince to raise money for the Resistance, and it is a bomb too, with twelve minutes on the clock.
Vince has already sold it on to Bartleby, so the siblings race to his mansion with Sleet and Dingo in pursuit, then head for the real Mobu Pinchu to stop Robotnik’s dig. There Manic is tempted by the treasure, but a “QA” mark on the floor shows that their mother has been guarding it for the people of Mobius. Unseen, she watches them from a clifftop.
The Song: “You Can’t Own Everything”
“You Can’t Own Everything” is aimed squarely at Robotnik’s looting, and at Manic’s itchy fingers.
Key Moments
- The “artifacts” turn out to be bombs.
- Manic sells one to raise money for the Resistance, then has to get it back.
- The siblings find Queen Aleena’s mark on the real treasure.
Trivia
- The French title, Objet de voleur, means “a thief’s object”.
- Written by Michael Edens, who also wrote The Last Resort and Head Games.
- Robotnik opens the bidding for the fake artifacts at 100,000 Mobiums.
Watch the Episode
The full episode, uploaded by WildBrain’s official WildBrain Hero Tower YouTube channel (checked 6 November 2026).
Part of our Sonic Underground episode guide. The series page covers the characters, the songs, the prophecy and the show’s history.
Sources: titles, writers, songs and air dates from Luke’s original Sonic Scene guide, cross-checked with Wikipedia, Sonic Wiki Zone and Sonic Retro (Wayback copy); synopsis written for Sonic Scene from the episode, its official description and several fan references; title card and screenshots via Sonic Wiki Zone, copied to our media library.