But everyone, including the Sand-Blasters, gives him the credit for it.
He was there when it happened, sure, but Robotnik was killed by his own Ultimate Annihilator. Here’s the kicker that allows this parallel between Sonic and Snively to make sense: back in issue #50, when Robotnik was defeated? Sonic wasn’t actually the one who did Robotnik in. But he pretends to be their new fearless leader anyway, knowing that it’s probably his one ticket out. When the locks on their cells are mysteriously opened by a shadowy figure, Snively gets all the credit, and they immediately make him their new leader. See, Robotnik’s cowardly nephew Snively has been in jail since shortly after Robotnik’s defeat in issue #50, along with a bunch of the miscellaneous C-list villains - most of whom are incredibly jacked furry dudes. While this story is going on, Bollers also keeps cutting over to parallel events happening closer to Knothole. One story even showed that he had recurring nightmares about it. Sonic would regret his actions here for many issues to come. It was probably the right call, but it was a surprisingly dark note to end the story on.
Ultimately, in order to escape and get back to his important mission to find Ixis Naugus, Sonic destroys their force field (and, in a very symbolic gesture, their statue of him) and leaves the fanatical Sand-Blasters to fend for themselves against the robot horde. The Sand-Blasters wait on Sonic hand and foot, but when he and Tails try to leave, they aren’t afraid to use force. The problem? Since he’s the guy who defeated Robotnik, the Sand-Blasters worship Sonic as their hero, the greatest Freedom Fighter of all time, and their new personal savior… and they won’t let him leave. One of the most memorable stops along their globetrotting adventure was in Sand-Blast City, a very Mad Max inspired safe haven in a robot-infested desert. One such story was at the very start of his tenure as lead writer - “Icon.” This was part of what’s been dubbed the “World Tour” arc, in which Sonic and Tails left Knothole for nearly a year of comics in search of one of the major villains.