 Japanese title card · “Emergency Launch! X-Tornado” | |
| Series | Sonic X (ソニックX), TMS Entertainment |
| Season | Season 1 (2003–2004) |
| Episode | Season 1, episode 8 · no. 8 of 78 |
| English title | “Satellite Swindle” (4Kids) |
| Japanese title | 緊急発進！Ｘトルネード (Kinkyū Hasshin! Ekkusu Torunēdo, “Emergency Launch! X-Tornado”) |
| First aired (Japan) | 25 May 2003 · TV Tokyo |
| First aired (US) | 25 October 2003 · Fox Box (Fox) |
| Directed by | Makoto Bessho |
| Written by | Masahiko Shiraishi |
| Storyboard | Makoto Bessho |
| Previous episode | Party Hardly (S01E07) |
| Next episode | The Last Resort (S01E09) |
X-Tornado debutSpace
Satellite Swindle is episode 8 of Season 1 of Sonic X and the 8th of the anime’s 78 episodes. In Japan it is called “Emergency Launch! X-Tornado” (緊急発進！Ｘトルネード). It premiered on TV Tokyo on 25 May 2003, and the 4Kids English version followed on Fox Box (Fox) on 25 October 2003. It was directed by Makoto Bessho and written by Masahiko Shiraishi.
Synopsis
Eggman has realised the military is watching him from orbit, so he picks E-90 Super Sweeper from his robot cards and sends it into space to vacuum up the satellites for spare parts. All over Station Square the TV screens fill with static, and Cream and Cheese are sure the television has died.
Sonic and Tails chase the robot in the Tornado, but the old biplane can’t climb high or fast enough, and they come home beaten. That night Sonic broods on the mansion roof while Tails and Chuck work in the garage.
Powered by the green Chaos Emerald, the Tornado is reborn as the X-Tornado, and with Chris aboard it carries Sonic into the stratosphere. Sonic freezes solid in the cold until Tails routes a Ring’s energy through a cable to thaw him out, and Sonic bursts through the Super Sweeper. Back home, warming his feet, he gives the credit to Tails and Chris.
Key Moments
- Tails and Chuck build the X-Tornado, powered by the green Chaos Emerald.
- E-90 Super Sweeper steals satellites for Eggman.
- Tails thaws a frozen Sonic with a Ring’s energy.
Trivia
- The Japanese title, “Emergency Launch! X-Tornado”, gives away the episode’s big reveal; the 4Kids title focuses on Eggman’s scheme instead.
- On home video: Japanese DVD/VHS volume 2 (Victor Entertainment, 21 August 2003); 4Kids/FUNimation volume 3, Satellite Swindle (12 October 2004); the New World Saga DVD set (2007); 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.