Lottieās analysis of Vector The Crocodile
Vector is a fun, lovable, and complex character that a ton of non-Chaotix fans seem to misunderstand completely. Iām making this analysis to explain why I love Vector and why you should too.
From a glance, Vector just seems like a total brute. We know that he is loud, he is bossy, and he definitely has a short temper. Official material even states that heās loud-mouthed and says whatās on his mind! If you look further, youād see that he has a sincere kind quality to him that gives the croc an admirable heart of gold. Thereās been times in canon where heās even been embarrassed to talk about his kind heart because he has an image to maintain! Itās been stated before that heāll help those in need free of charge, all because he believes that helping those less fortunate than him is a reward in itself. This is a core part of his character, a core part of his morals and sense of justice too. It should be noted that he does this free work despite the fact that he is, well, dead broke. Guy canāt pay the rent to save his life. Thereās an idle chatter in Heroes where he mumbles about āforgetting to pay the electric bill for the office.ā If you know the Chaotix on a base level, you know that they are broke. But, theyāre broke out of Vectorās own generosity.
Iāve seen people say that they believe the Chaotix arenāt a family and are just merely coworkers. However, official interactions say otherwise. Yeah, Vector leads the Chaotix as their boss, but he is also a guardian of sorts to both Espio and Charmy. In CrossWorlds, Espio mentions a āfire-forged kinshipā between him and Vector. In the same game, Vector even asks Sage if she wants to have a play date with Charmy! Would someone who isnāt a parent ask a question like that? Vector also has such fun dynamics with Espio and Charmy. For instance, Charmy gets on Vectorās nerves a LOT. Like, to the point where Vector yells and starts chasing the kid around. Thereās nothing harmful behind that, though. Just family being family. We even see that Charmy really looks up to Vector, the kid is always imitating his bossā gestures and behaviors. It should also be noted that Vector puts a lot of trust in Charmy, despite the fact he is just a little kid. Vectorās relationship with Espio isnāt asā¦nuclear? If that makes sense? They still have a clear familial relationship, but it can be interpreted in all kinds of ways, as opposed to the father-son thing that Vector and Charmy have going on. Vector respects Espio deeply, and trusts him to be independent and successful. Vector even values Espioās judgments when the two of them disagree. What really makes the whole āfamilyā thing set in stone is the fact that Vector calls them his āBoys.ā Itās not just a one time thing, itās been happening consistently since Sonic Heroes. It tells the player that they arenāt just Vectorās employees, instead, they are his family.
I do want to mention the most common mischaracterization when it comes to Vector. Itās Sonic X that really hurt his characterization, turning him into a stupid guy who does things for himself. Lots of people write Vector off as being dumb because of this. Vector is much more than this. He has insane intelligence, he is a detective after all. Again in Heroes, he deduced that the client was Eggman really early into the game, he just went through with the case because heās a good detective! Even Espio and Charmy had no idea that the client was Eggman. Yeah, Vector may not be composed like Espio or cheerful like Charmy, but he has a bright mind and a golden heart.
Vector, in my opinion, is one of the best written characters in the entire Sonic series when he is given his time to shine. Heās rough around the edges, but he would do anything for you. Vector is the kind of person who would snap at you because he was having a bad day, but them go out of his way to apologize and make sure youāre doing alright. I love Vector, and so should you.