Baby Sonic first captured the internet's heart in December 2019 when a Japanese trailer for the 'Sonic the Hedgehog' live-action film revealed the character's childhood form. Emerging shortly after the 'Baby Yoda' craze, Baby Sonic quickly became a symbol of pure innocence and nostalgia. The meme typically features the young hedgehog holding a sunflower, representing a 'protect at all costs' sentiment or a wholesome version of the normally high-energy protagonist. It is widely used to express excitement for new beginnings, childlike wonder, or to highlight something unexpectedly cute in pop culture.