Professor Gerald Robotnik (プロフェッサー・ジェラルド・ロボトニック, Purofessā Jerarudo Robotonikku?) is the grandfather of Maria Robotnik and Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik. Space Colony ARK, the Biolizard, Artificial Chaos, and various other projects. Fifty years before the main series, he attempts to create the "Ultimate Life Form" under the funding of the United Federation, hoping that it can help cure Maria's illness. He fails various times until meeting with the alien, Black Doom, and using his DNA to help his force. He learns of Black Doom's true plan (to destroy the planet), and prepares the ARK to act against Black Doom when the time comes. Gerald soon found the Gizoid, and took it to the Space Colony ARK for research. He managed to create a Link with the Gizoid, and figured out that it could learn how to do anything, and that it got stronger when absorbing Chaos Emeralds. He then started Project: Gizoid and equipped the robot with a "heart", a free-willed emotions-based AI. Unfortunately, the project was never finished as Gerald had to hand over the Gizoid. However, the Gizoid soon absorbed a large amount of weaponry, and devastated a large section of the ARK. After the accident, the government decided Gerald's experiments were dangerous to humanity, and sent the G.U.N. Agency to shut them down, killing Maria in the process. This caused Gerald to lose his grip on reality, and create plans to crash the ARK into the planet. He is then captured by the government and executed( he was shot in the chair he was chained in). His intentions to protect the Earth from Black Doom are revealed and he is respected as a hero. He is voiced by Chikao Ōtsuka in Japanese, Marc Biagi in the English version of Sonic Adventure 2, and Mike Pollock in Sonic X and Shadow the Hedgehog.
(Source: Wikipedia)
