 | |
| Series | Sonic Underground (DiC, 1999) |
| Season | Season 1 (the only season) |
| Episode | Episode 18 of 40 (production order) · production no. 418 · WildBrain no. 118 |
| French title | Vouloir c’est pouvoir |
| First aired (France) | 7 March 1999 · TF1 |
| First aired (US) | 22 September 1999 · BKN Kids II (syndication) · 18th in US broadcast order |
| Written by | Len Janson |
| Directed by | Marc Boreal, François Hemmen and Daniel Sarriet; Tom Smith (US) |
| Song | “Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way” |
| Previous episode | Head Games (S01E17) |
| Next episode | The Jewel in the Crown (S01E19) |
The Oracle’s testNo medallionsA Roman world
When in Rome… is episode 18 of Sonic Underground, DiC’s 1999 cartoon about Sonic, Sonia and Manic, the hedgehog triplets of Queen Aleena. It is number 18 in production order – the order TF1 first showed the series in France, where it premiered on 7 March 1999 – and it was the 18th episode to air in the United States, on 22 September 1999. It was written by Len Janson, and its song is “Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way”.
Synopsis
Tired and wondering whether their fight will ever end, the siblings visit the Oracle of Delphius for guidance. He makes them a deal: complete one more mission and he will show them their future.
The mission drops them into an alternate world in the style of ancient Rome, ruled by an emperor who looks remarkably like Sleet, and their power medallions are gone. With no guitar, keyboard or drums to fall back on, Sonic, Sonia and Manic have to rely on their own speed, strength, wits and nerve to free its people.
Their win ends with cheering crowds and a new emperor, and a beam of light carries the hedgehogs back to the Oracle. He keeps his word and shows them a vision of the siblings reunited with their mother, until Robotnik appears in it too: the future is not settled yet.
The Song: “Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way”
The song’s title, “Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way”, is the episode’s moral, and the French title says the same thing.
Key Moments
- The Oracle takes away the siblings’ medallions as a test.
- A Sleet look-alike rules the Roman-style world.
- The Oracle shows a vision of the family reunited, with Robotnik in it too.
Trivia
- The French title, Vouloir c’est pouvoir, is the French version of “where there’s a will, there’s a way”, the same as the song.
- The title comes from the saying “when in Rome, do as the Romans do”.
- Written by Len Janson, who also wrote Six Is a Crowd, another trip to an alternate world.
Watch the Episode
The full episode, uploaded by WildBrain’s official Sonic The Hedgehog – WildBrain 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.