Dr. Starline

Dr. Starline is a reoccuring antagonist in the IDW Sonic the Hedgehog comic series.

Appearance
Dr. Starline is a mobian platypus with three long strands of hair combed over to his right side, with a streak of dark grey in his hair that matches his eyeshadow and bill. He wears a pair of orange tinted pince-nez glasses that rest atop his bill, a purple satin puffy armed shirt with a lighter purple waistcoat over the top done up with a singular swirly patterned button. His hands are webbed, and he is often seen with a glove over his left hand, which often contains his current gemstone of power. Beneath that glove his hand has been scarred from an accident whilst studying the Warp Topaz. Finally he wears a pair of boots with gold spurs that allow him to attack with a highly venomous poison. Unlike most platypus characters, Dr. Starline has a tail more akin to Knuckles the Echidna than the typical beaver like one.

History
Dr. Starline became fascinated by Dr. Eggman's endeavours ever since he had started his takeover of the world, finding the man to be brilliant scientist. This inspired him to follow his heroes footsteps and become an expert in robotics and arcane powers in his own right.

At some point Dr. Starline came across the Warp Topaz, and through careful studying and refinement managed to create a glove that would allow him to harness the dangerous power safely. By the time Dr. Starline had finished his research Sonic the Hedgehog and the rest of the resistance had managed to defeat Dr. Eggman, who had mysteriously gone missing.

Dr. Starline used the Warp Topaz' to open windows all over the world to search for Dr. Eggman, and searched tirelessly for his hero, making himself ill in the process from sleep deprevation. Upon coming across Windmill Village, Dr. Starline spotted an amnesiac Dr. Eggman, now going by the name of Mr. Tinker.

Planning to retrieve his hero and restore him to his once 'brilliant' ways, Starline broke the skunk brothers Rough and Tumble out of jail, promising if they helped retrieve Eggman from Windmill Village, Eggman would create weapons for them that would allow them to defeat Sonic and Knuckles who had defeated them prior. Whilst Rough and Tumble kidnapped Eggman, Starline set about collecting all seven chaos emeralds as a gift for his hero for when his memories returned.

Warping himself, Mr. Tinker, Rough and Tumble to the Final Egg, Starline hoped to jog the old memories within Mr. Tinker to return him back to Dr. Eggman. Mr. Tinker, terrified, pleaded for mercy, but Starline began aggressive hypnotherapy and electro shock therapy in order to bring his memories back, but nothing seemed to work until a beat up Metal Sonic appeared, having just lost a battle against the heroes. This immedietly returned Eggman's memories, and Starline wasted no time in offering the Chaos Emeralds as well as his and Rough and Tumble's services to the Eggman Empire.

Starline is accepted as Eggman's apprentice and begins to aid him in the creation of the Metal Virus, a deadly zombie like virus which transforms the victim into a 'zombot' capable of spreading the virus even further. Whilst Starline initially views this horrific creation with admiration and awe he is soon disgusted to find out that Eggman has no plans in place to combat the virus nor created a vaccine should they become infected.

Taking matters into his own hands, Dr. Starline researches into Eggman's past and discovers the Zeti have the power to control anything metallic. With the power of the Warp Topaz he travels to the Lost Hex to meet with Zavok without Eggman knowing. Starline and Zavok make a deal to work with one another suggesting that destroying Sonic will be their mutual goal, although both planned to betray the other. Starline for his part had found the Cacophonic Conch, the musical instrument that could control the Deadly Six. Upon presenting them to Eggman, Eggman accused Starline of betraying him.

Dr. Starline calmly denied this, but Eggman sends Metal Sonic to defeat the Zeti, who is easily immobilised by Zavok who reminds Eggman he can control any and all machines. Dr. Starline uses the Conch to try and control Zavok, but the moment he runs out of breath whilst blowing it, Zazz headbutts the Platypus, and Zeena steals the Conch off of them. Starline, confused opens a warp portal allowing himself, Eggman and Metal Sonic to escape to Angel Island, where they come across Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Amy. Sonic allows Eggman to explain the situation. The group attempt to come up with a way to rid themselves of the virus and of the Zeti, with Starline not wishing to use the Warp Topaz in conjunction to Super Sonic to remove the virus as the Warp Topaz was extremely unstable, refusing to attempt it and wishing to find a safer solution. He attempts to leave using the Warp Topaz declaring he'll find an antidote to the virus, but Eggman has had enough. They are out of time and he is out of patience. He has Metal Sonic grab Starline by the throat, removes the warp Topaz glove, tells Starline he is fired and has Metal Sonic throw him through the warp portal he attempted to leave by.

Starline, frustrated, makes a video blog later venting his frustrations about Dr. Eggman, although he still respects him a great deal. He decides to try and conquer the world himself to showcase how impressive and useful he is to Dr. Eggman, declaring he is still loyal to his hero despite what happened.

Starline later uses a hypnosis glove to break into a maximum security prison and busts Rough, Tumble, Mimic and the defeated and captured Zavok out of jail, proposing they form a new team. Zavok and Mimic both initially refuse although Starline proposes he can fake Mimic's death preventing Eggman from sending assassins after him, and declares his loyalty to Zavok putting him in charge of the group, whilst attempting to manipulate things from the background. Rough and Tumble are just happy to get new weapons to cause chaos with which Starline promises them. Zavok eventually agrees, and the new team use their combined skills and powers to defeat the guards, blow up the prison and escape.

Trivia

 * Dr. Starline has been said to be inspired by the ********** or 'Wechina' glitch character found in Knuckles' Chatotix that is thought to be the left over data of Tails. The glitch character appears as a white version of Knuckles with red gloves. A platypus was chosen as both it and the echidna are monotremes(mammals that lay eggs) and his name 'Starline' even comes from the glitch character's name just being a line of stars.
 * Dr. Starline's tricore invention references Sonic Heroes with the power of Speed, Fly(flight) and Power.
 * Dr. Starline's creations, Surge the Tenrec and Kitsunami the Fennec are, much like him, references to other glitch characters.