Sonar
Transforms into a giant bat. Highly intelligent. Addicted to a variety of controlled substances.
Embezzlement, extortion, drug possession, forgery, fraud, money laundering, perjury, cyberbullying
Intellectual
Hybrid
#ced0e8Sonar, real name Victor, is a supporting character and possible antagonist in Dispatch and one of the two protagonists of "The Last Bender" comic. He is a reformed villain employed as a superhero by the Superhero Dispatch Network (SDN) under the Phoenix Program.
Biography
Background
Sonar is a Harvard graduate who also orchestrated some of the most effective Silicon Valley investment frauds in United States history.
Prior to joining the Phoenix Program, Malevola was his Narcotics Anonymous (NA) sponsor, as Sonar is addicted to various controlled substances, most notably cocaine.
The Last Bender
Portaling into his room, Malevola excitedly tells Sonar that she has signed them up for SDN's Phoenix Program. Although initially dismissive about the idea, Sonar is convinced when Malevola suggests they go out partying to celebrate.
They start with a strip club where Sonar is seduced by a stripper, but is pulled away by Malevola before he can pay her for a private dance. Now at a club, the pair are approached by two obnoxious men, who try to invite them back to their place. Taking them up on their offer, Sonar distracts the men by talking about cryptocurrency while Malevola steals one of their wallets. Returning to the strip club, Sonar pays the stripper from earlier with the money they stole and returns to Malevola in his monster form.
The two former villains continue to party the night away until the morning, arriving at the SDN headquarters disheveled and hungover. As Malevola weakly celebrates that it is the first day of their new lives, Sonar pukes up a pigeon.
Onboard
Sonar first appears in a file shown to Robert Robertson by Blonde Blazer along with the rest of the Z-Team.
As Robert introduces himself to the Z-Team on his first shift as dispatcher, Sonar repeats his name in various ways. After Punch Up recalls Flambae and Robert's clash in Crypto Night, Sonar mocks Flambae for being humiliated by someone who was "just a guy". Later during the shift, Robert receives word that Willem Vanderstenk is looking for security and asks to be dispatched to him so he can meet his idol.
Sonar is in the breakroom as Robert enters to buy a snack and flinches at the hybrid's sudden screeching, causing him to crush his Twinkie. Robert is soon joined by Invisigal, and they get into an argument, which Sonar interrupts by screeching and grinding coffee beans. After Invisigal punched Robert to the ground and stormed off, Sonar asks Robert if he can have his Twinkies, which he erroniously refers to as 'twinks'. Robert attempts to correct Sonar, but gives up halfway, allowing him to take his snacks.
Turnover
Before the shift started, Sonar and the rest of the Z-Team were informed by Blonde Blazer that the lowest-performing member would be cut. This puts extra pressure on Sonar and Coupé, who are the lowest on the leaderboard along with Invisigal. To ensure her position on the leaderboard, Coupé tricked Sonar into getting cuffed on some weights in the office gym, forcing him to activate his distress beacon and ask Robert to send someone to free him while accusing Coupé of seducing him, which she denies. During the shift, the Z-Teamers start sabotaging each other, with Sonar being stunned by a high-pitched noise and pushing Coupé into the pool of a water aerobics class while sent to stop a landslide. Fed up with the team sabotaging each other, Robert recalls them back to base for an emergency meeting in the conference room.
Although the meeting starts heatedly, Robert gives a speech that convinces the rest of the team to work together, resulting in the second half of the shift running smoothly. Sonar and the rest of the Z-Team overhear Invisigal and Robert catch Lightningstruck and celebrate her success as she returns to the office. With Invisigal now ahead of both Coupé and Sonar, Robert is forced to pick between the two of them on who should be cut. If Coupé is cut, Sonar is seen watching her storm off. If Sonar is cut, Robert takes him to a private room to break the news to him. Sonar reacts with confusion and anger before turning into his mega bat form to threaten Robert before storming out of the building.
Restructure
If Sonar wasn't cut from the Phoenix Program, he remarks that it feels odd that Coupé is gone. Without their eight member, however, the Z-Team struggles to complete their duties.
The day after, Coupé is replaced with either Phenomaman or Waterboy, who, respectively, prove difficult to work with due to their depression and hazardous powers, respectively.
Team Building
If Sonar wasn't cut, he defends Vanderstenk during the shift despite multiple transit workers being trapped while constructing a tunnel for his VAD-GO project during the first half of the shift. Later on, Malevola warns the team that Sonar is in a mood, with him clarifying that he was unable to check on his stocks as the power was out at his place. During the second half of the shift, this is revealed to have been the Red Ring's doing, as they caused a blackout over all of Torrance.
With the blackout fixed and their shift at an end, the Z-Team decides to go out for drinks at The Sardine, inviting Robert to come with them. Sonar is playing pool as Robert is distributing drinks among the team, and sheepishly thanks the dispatcher for keeping him on the Phoenix Program, later being seen mocking a goon as he fails to win an arm wrestling contest against Malevola. As a bar fight breaks out between the Z-Team and the Red Ring, Sonar is seen doing cocaine in the bathroom and jumps to Robert's aid if he fails to grab the mirror shard to deflect the Dragon Goon's firebreath in time, knocking him out while in his Mega Bat form, before aiding the rest of the team in the fight.
With the battle won, the Z-Team goes out for Mexican food, during which the matter of Robert's old superhero identity comes up. No matter if Robert reveals it or keeps it a secret, the rest of the team reveals their real names, with Sonar proudly introducing himself as Victor "because [he] is a fucking winner," and the team enjoys the rest of their night.
Moving Parts
If Sonar was not cut and Robert revealed his identity as Mecha Man to the Z-Team, Sonar and the rest of the team attend the latest Proto Pulse test to confirm his identity as part of the bet they have. As the Proto Pulse starts to malfunction, Sonar helplessly watches as the Mecha Man suit explodes with Robert inside. Though Robert thankfully survives and lands in the infirmary. If Robert kept his identity a secret, Sonar and the team are ignorant of the incident.
Regardless, the team buys Robert an expensive bottle of vodka as a 'get-better' gift and is invited by Invisigal to have a housewarming party at the dispatcher's apartment to find a way to track the Astral Pulse down, as it has been recently discovered to be intact. With Robert indisposed, Blonde Blazer took over his post for the day and proves herself to be a rather rusty dispatcher. Fortunately, Robert recovers swiftly and reassumes his dispatching duties. At the end of the shift, the team makes plans to travel to Robert's apartment, with Sonar saying he will fly on his own.
Sonar arrives at the party with Punch Up and is later seen dancing with Malevola. He and the rest of the team would bear witness to Invisigal and Chase's argument over whether to storm the warehouse where the Astral Pulse is being kept or not, which swiftly turns personal as Chase lets it slip that Robert used to be Mecha Man. The argument ends with Invisigal punching Chase and storming off, after which the Z-Team is told by Blazer to leave and keep quiet over what happened.
Retrospective
Following the housewarming party, Invisigal disobeyed Blond Blazer's orders and assaulted the warehouse on her own. Although she was successful in retrieving the Astral Pulse with Robert’s reluctant aid, she was ambushed by Shroud soon after, who seemingly left with the pulse. This forced Chase to use his superhuman speed to rescue her, and he fell into a coma afterward because of his accelerated aging. As punishment, Invisigal was suspended from the Z-Team until further investigation.
This hit the Z-Team (including Sonar if he was not cut) hard, who decide to hold a meeting regarding Invisigal’s membership. Following the shift, the Z-Team holds its meeting, with Golem (and Flambae if Robert revealed his identity) being the only dissenting vote(s) against Invisigal’s expulsion. During the meeting, a heated Punch Up gets up close to Golem, who kicks him out of the boardroom door in response, earning Robert's attention. Entering the room, Robert demands an explanation. The team obliges and demands Invisigal to be cut from the Phoenix Program. If Robert defends Invisigal, Sonar suffers a morale decrease. Regardless of Robert’s verdict, the door swings open and shut, revealing Invisigal had been listening in on the meeting, and Robert leaves to pursue her.
If Sonar was cut, he reveals himself to have become a member of the Red Ring while Robert is drinking his worries away, knocking him out and torturing him at Shroud's orders for information on the Astral Pulse's location. Shroud soon discovers that Robert is ignorant of the Pulse's location and reveals to him that Invisigal had taken it for herself, leaving him none the wiser. Before Shroud can execute Robert, Blonde Blazer arrives at the bar to rescue the dispatcher, threatening that the bar will soon be swarmed with the Red Ring’s enemies. Although Sonar calls her bluff, Shroud silences him and orders the gang to leave.
Synergy
If Coupé was cut from the team, Sonar is captured by the Red Ring and put in a cage that was slowly being lowered into the ocean as they launched their assault on Los Angeles County, requiring the aid of a fellow Z-Teamer to free him. Once freed, Sonar joins the team in defending the county against the Red Ring. Sonar and the Z-Team later aid Robert in defending the SDN Torrance branch office from the Red Ring goons and Shroud’s mech suit.
Through their combined efforts, the Z-Team, Blonde Blazer, and a revived Chase manage to beat the Red Ring and Coupé, who joined the gang following her expulsion from the team. Unfortunately, their victory is short-lived as Shroud takes Beef hostage and forces Robert to hand over the Astral Pulse. Sonar and the rest of the team are forced to watch as the recovered Red Ring goons hold them back while Robert deals with Shroud. Regardless of the outcome, Shroud is neutralized and the Z-Team once again subdue the goons. Victorious, Sonar celebrates with his fellow Z-Teamers.
If Sonar were cut from the team, he leads a group of Red Ring goons in the siege, mocking the efforts of his former allies over and demanding to face Coupé and Blonde Blazer over the comms. If Sonar is defeated by the Z-Team, he and his goons are forced to retreat. Otherwise, they lay waste to the county. Regardless, he aids the Red Ring in the assault on the Torrance office. Despite his new augments, he proves no match for the combined power of Blonde Blazer and the newly upgraded Mecha Man suit. Following Shroud’s defeat, Sonar is arrested. If the Z-Team defeated him during the siege, Robert can forgive Sonar and allow him to rejoin the team, which the hybrid appears thankful for as he celebrates with his team. Otherwise, he is taken to prison with the rest of the Red Ring.
Personality
Sonar shows many traits of a stereotypical 'techbro', being overconfident, tech-savvy, business-oriented, and showing a profound appreciation of tech CEO Willem Vanderstenk, calling himself a 'high-ranking Vanderstenker'. Sonar often brings up the fact that he is a Harvard graduate to boast, a trait Chase finds typical of Harvard graduates: if downed in Chapter 8: Synergy, Robert exploits his pride by claiming that Harvard graduates are quitters, to which Sonar takes offense to, coming back into active service to prove him wrong. If Sonar fails a call, he will typically play it off, claiming he wasn't actually trying to succeed.
He is not without his vices. Sonar suffers from an addiction to a variety of controlled substances, especially cocaine, and is shown to be very interested in having sex with women, which Coupé claims to accidentally exploit, as he misunderstood her offer to 'show something cool' as an offer to mean her breasts. He has regular relapses into his addiction, snorting cocaine if dispatched to a drug bust mission in Chapter 3: Turnover, and again in Chapter 5: Team Building, doing a line in the bathroom. On a shift, he mentions being able to visit his old 'weed guy.'
True to his hybrid nature, Sonar shows habits typical of bats, including randomly screeching as well as eating bugs and dead mice; he also has several bat friends that he meets up with. Coupé claims that he defecates in the parking lot. He's also implied to have a form of blindness, regularly using echolocation to examine his lunch and turning on a blender to read a crypto magazine.
If Robert Robertson cuts him from the Phoenix Program, Sonar joins the Red Ring and grows bitter and vengeful, calling himself an 'alpha' and claiming to eat people (though Malevola disputes this), as well as demanding to fight Coupé and Blonde Blazer during the Red Ring siege on Torrance, though the worst of his wrath was reserved for Robert himself.
Appearance
In his hybrid form, Sonar has a human body and the head of a bat with grey fur, a pink snout, sharp fangs, and large ears. He has pure white eyes and wears a navy-blue suit with a red tie and black dress pants.
In his mega bat form, Sonar resembles a large, hulking bat, and all his clothes, except for his tie, disappear.
Powers
Default
Instincts: Sonar transforms after returning from a call. His Intellect swaps with Combat and his Charisma swaps with Vigor until the next call.
Flight School
Strong Back: If transformed, Sonar flies to call locations, greatly reducing travel time. He also carries non-flying heroes.
Hero Training
Bat Shit: In Mega Bat form, Sonar is immune to injuries and his resting time is reduced by half.
Talk Shit: When in his Hybrid form, if Sonar is sent on a call that fails, he will talk his way out of it and reattempt the call.
Abilities
- Sonic screeching: In his hybrid form, Sonar can let out a sonic screech strong enough to break glass and disable cameras.
- Mega Bat: Sonar can transform into a hulking, monstrous bat. Initially, this transformation occurred randomly, but Sonar has learned enough control over this power to transform at will. As a mega bat, Sonar can fly, possess superhuman strength and durability (able to trade blows with the Mecha Man suit), and has a pair of sharp claws and jaws. His screech has also become stronger, now capable of disorienting his foes.
- Skilled businessman: Sonar is a skilled businessman. A self-described 'professional bullshitter,' Sonar has been shown capable of calming a group of panicked rookie heroes and distracting a pair of men into paying attention to him while Malevola stole their wallets. He also has great economic insight, which allowed him to pull off the greatest Silicon Valley scams in United States history.
Equipment
- Red Ring enhancements: If Sonar is cut from the Phoenix Program, he joins the Red Ring and receives enhancements to boost his prowess in combat. By pressing a button on his implants, Sonar can fire a laser from his mouth. The only weakness is that his opponents can also press the button to turn the implants off again.
Relationships
Robert Robertson (Mecha Man)
Dispatcher and hero. Sonar is bemused and fascinated with his name, repeating different variations on it on-call when he introduces himself.
He’s grateful to Robert if his request to meet Vanderstenk is granted and seeks him out for support when he gets nervous on the mission.
In Chapter 2: Onboard, he calls him weird, and is indifferent to Robert getting punched by Invisigal, asking him if he’s going to eat his crushed twinkies.
If kept on the team, Sonar is grateful to Robert and tries to express it in Chapter 5: Team Building, awkwardly trying to thank him at the Sardine, and saving him from getting blasted by a red ring henchman if Robert fails to defend himself. In one shift, he auto-assigns himself to a mission, assuring Robert that he’ll get the job done, though doesn’t protest if Robert sends someone else instead.
This doesn’t dissuade Sonar from irritating Robert, repeatedly bothering him throughout a shift about his missing stapler, saying that ‘[Robert] was the last one who saw it.’ Robert, unamused, asks why he’s concerned with it while on-shift, and attempts to shut it down by saying he already has one- which Sonar retorts that he supposedly has two staplers now. When Sonar eventually finds his stapler in the locker room, Robert dryly comments that he’d ask about it, if he cared about the answer.
In Chapter 8: Synergy, Robert can exploit Sonar's pride as a Harvard graduate to encourage Sonar into getting back in the fight, claiming that '[he] didn't know that Harvard graduates were quitters.' Offended, Sonar tells him to take it back, which Robert agrees to do after they win.
Coupé
Co-heroes, potential enemies. Sonar finds Coupé attractive, having repeatedly asked her out for a date, much to her annoyance. He enjoys being threatened by her, saying it’s hot. In Chapter 3: Turnover, he’s easily tricked into getting sabotaged by her due to this, believing she was trying to seduce him.
In the same shift, he directly competes with Coupé on completing a job, having auto-assigned himself to the call and sabotaging her in revenge. He also asks her if the SDN would be amenable to bribes, to which she admits that they wouldn’t, though entertains the possibility that threats may work before it’s shut down by Robert.
If Coupé is cut, Sonar notes how weird the team feels without her around, though jokes that he ‘thinks about Coop and Visi all the time’ when Malevola mentions the two at risk of being cut. Coupé expresses her disdain for him to Robert, saying he defecates in the parking lot.
If Sonar is cut, Coupé notes his absence by saying ‘he was a pervert, but he was our pervert.’ Sonar expresses his disdain for her, telling Robert that she was stealing toilet paper from the bathroom.
Flambae
Co-heroes, potential enemies.
In Chapter 3: Turnover, Sonar tries to ingratiate himself with Flambae, who is currently at the top of the leaderboards, by offering his services for an insurance fraud scheme, working in tandem with Flambae’s engineered heroics through putting out his own fires. Flambae brushes him off with a laugh, saying if ‘[he] ever needs a rat with wings,' he knows who to call.
Malevola
Friends and co-heroes. As his NA sponsor, Malevola helps him with controlling his monster form.
When dispatched together, he shows excitement at the prospect, saying they should ‘fuck shit up,’ to her agreement. She acts as the voice of reason to him, pointing out that Vanderstenk needs protection from his fans when Sonar requests to go, interested in networking with him. Sonar regularly gossips with her, saying that the original building for the SDN Torrance branch was a cold war prison, which she expresses doubt over, due to the location. At the Sardine, he cheers for Malevola, mocking a goon for losing an arm-wrestling contest against her.
As his NA sponsor, she regularly tries to prevent him from relapsing, commenting her disappointment if he does cocaine in Chapter 3: Turnover, after he claimed he was going to cut back. She's also aware of his feeding habits, saying that eating humans gives him indigestion, and that ramen always leaves him cranky.
If Sonar is cut, Malevola reacts with shock and disgust at his betrayal. She responds to his claims of 'being the alpha' with scorn, saying 'that's the most beta shit [he's] ever said.'
Prism
Co-heroes, potential enemies. Prism scorns Sonar for liking Youtopia’s music, calling him a ‘basic bat bitch’ when he admits they’re catchy.
In Chapter 4: Restructure, she calls in a drug-related favour and rings the SDN line under an anonymous name, recommending Robert to send the ‘bat guy’ to handle the drug deal. If Sonar is sent, he relapses by sneaking cocaine from the mission, and Prism boasts about her sabotage, saying it was ‘worth it.’
Waterboy
Eventual co-heroes. If Waterboy is recruited in Chapter 4, Sonar is disapproving of his hero suit, commenting on it: with the latter misinterpreting as Sonar liking it, which Victor denies.
If Sonar is dispatched to save Waterboy in Chapter 8: Synergy, he threatens to ‘literally eat someone if Waterboy is dead.' If Waterboy is dispatched to save Sonar, Herman confidently proclaims that he will save him, lacking his usual stutter. Herman also claims that 'bats are magnificent creatures' after studying them for a semester in school.
Trivia
- The word "Sonar" means sound/sonic navigation and ranging which is quite similar to echolocation, a navigation method that bats use, using high-pitched sounds and their echoes to map out their surroundings.
- Danny Diaz claims Sonar got arrested for tax evasion, which Sonar wishes was true.
- He refers to Twinkies as 'twinks.'
- On Sonar's potential flight license, his date of birth is registered as 05/27/1991.
- Charles White remarks that he is a gassy person, and is surprised that the developers kept some of his sounds in the game.
- During Sonar's arrest, the Z-Team persuades the officer to release Sonar, will Flambae indirectly referencing Batman stating, "You got the wrong bat, man".
- Sonar serves as a parody of Man-Bat, mimicking the human-bat hybrid who fights to retain his mind. Similarly, Sonar struggles with controlling his transformations, as well as locked in a battle for his intellect while transformed into his Monster Bat form.
Gallery
Key art
Max Synergy with Maevola
Hybrid Injured
Monster Injured
