Maria Robotnik


 * This article is about the character from the games. For the Sonic X character, see Maria Robotnik (Sonic X). For the Archie Comics character, see Maria Robotnik (Archie).

"Shadow, I beg of you! Give them a chance to be happy!"

- Maria Robotnik, Sonic Adventure 2

Maria Robotnik (マリア・ロボトニック) is a fictional character from the Sonic the Hedgehog series. She was a young human and the granddaughter of Gerald Robotnik and the cousin of Dr. Eggman. Born and raised on the Space Colony ARK, Maria suffered from a terminal illness. To save Maria, Gerald agreed to work on Project Shadow in hopes of using the fruits of the research to find a cure for her. Gerald's research produced Shadow the Hedgehog, who Maria became close friends with. When GUN later tried to shut down the ARK, Maria was killed when trying to assist Shadow in his escape from the colony.

Appearance
Maria was described as overall frail in appearance. She was a normal, youthful and slim human girl, who was about two heads taller than Shadow. She had neck-long and voluminous dark blond hair, light skin, large blue eyes, and pink lips. Her hairstyle was wavy and held back with a blue hair band. For clothes, she wore a dark blue top with short puffy sleeves and light blue endings, a light blue dress, and slipper-like cobalt shoes with low heels. Other than that, she has been seen wearing a white surgery suit.

In Sonic Adventure 2, Maria's clothes were slightly different; her clothes were overall paler, her dress had long sleeves, and she walked around barefooted.

Early Life
Maria was born and raised onboard the Space Colony ARK. Before she could visit earth however, Maria contracted Neuro-Immune Deficiency Syndrome, an incurable and inevitably fatal disease. Because of her illness, Maria was left very weak and frail, and in need of constant attention which meant she could not leave the ARK's hospital, leaving her confined in outer space. Despite all her help though, Maria's condition only continued to weaken over time. While looking down at the earth from the ARK, Maria developed an interest in it and longed to go there.

While living on the ARK, Maria was looked after and cared for by her grandfather, Gerald Robotnik. Maria came to mean everything to Gerald, and the two of them would work and live together onboard the ARK. Maria also befriended a young Commander whom she would play with.

Living with Shadow
In an attempt to save Maria's life, Gerald agreed to work on Project Shadow, a medical project to create an immortal life form, in hopes that he could create a cure for Maria's illness through the creature they sought to make. Gerald's research eventually led to the creation of Shadow the Hedgehog, who Maria befriended and grew very close to. As Shadow was raised, Maria remained by his side and they would spend their time together grazing upon the earth, wondering what it was like and wishing to go there.

When the Artificial Chaos went on a rampage onboard the Space Colony ARK, Maria sought out Shadow and begged for him to help save the ARK, her grandfather and all the innocent. Shadow complied to Maria's wishes and the Artificial Chaos crisis was soon after averted. At another point, Maria joined Gerald when he was making a contingency video for Shadow about how he was meant to defeat the Black Arms, where Maria promised to help Shadow protect the world.

Death
Some time after the completion of Project Shadow, Maria's peaceful existence was shattered when GUN attacked the ARK to eliminate everything and everyone relate to the project and shut the ARK down due to Shadow being deemed too dangerous. Meeting up with her grandfather during the attack, Maria was entrusted with Shadow by Gerald, who told her to escape the ARK with Shadow. While Gerald distracted GUN, Maria and Shadow tried to escape the raid, but Maria was unwilling to leave the other researchers in the captivity of GUN and pleaded Shadow to help them. After Shadow had made his decision, Maria and him continued onward, but they were blocked by a Heavy Dog which Shadow defeated.

Eventually, Maria and Shadow got to the ARK's escape pods. There, Maria saved Shadow by initiating his escape pod's launch with him in it, but was shot and mortally wounded by a G.U.N. soldier in the process. With her last strength, Maria pleaded to Shadow as he was jettisoned from the ARK to protect the world for her and give everyone a chance to be happy. As she succumb to her wound, Maria's parting words were "Bring hope to humanity."

Legacy
Maria's death was a tragic event that deeply struck those close to her. Shadow, who witnessed Maria's death first-handed, was traumatized by this sight and came to loath humanity for what they did to her. The Commander also suffered a deep loss which made him develop a life-long grudge at both Gerald and Shadow for inadvertently killing her. However, none was more affected by Maria's death than her grandfather, Gerald, who went mad with grief and made a plan to destroy the world to avenge her. Before he went insane though, Gerald made Maria's last words the keywords that would activate Emerl's free-willed emotions-based AI.

Maria and her last request to Shadow would end up being a driving force in the hedgehog's life. For Maria's sake, Shadow made the promise to uphold her wish of him protecting the world and its people despite his general loathing of humanity. Because Gerald brainwashed Shadow for his own needs to believe that Maria wanted revenge though, Shadow initially sought to destroy the world for killing Maria, but he managed to remember Maria's true request. Shadow would then strive to keep his promise to her which has lead him to save the world multiple times.

Personality
While frail in appearance, Maria was strong in spirit. She was eternally cheerful, optimistic and positive despite her condition, and could see the good in almost anyone or anything. She was likewise a very kind, caring and thoughtful soul who always put others before herself, supported her friends, and held an unconditional love for the people of the world, even showing compassion to enemies. Because she never got down to earth, Maria was interested in it and wished to see it. She was as well very encouraging as she could make others accept themselves and calm others when in stressful situations, including Shadow.

Maria was one who found it easier than most to forgive and forget, not to mention trust, and was utterly selfless. Even after GUN violently raided the ARK and shot her, Maria did not hold any ill will or grudge towards the people on earth and only wished them to live happy lives. Also, she ultimately sacrificed herself for Shadow's sake, having faith he would carry out her dreams for her.

Despite her youth and frailness, Maria was brave, determined, and had a strong sense of righteousness. When the Artificial Chaos were on a rampage Maria wanted to stop them to save the innocent, and during the GUN's raid on the ARK she refused to leave the injured researchers behind. Even on her deathbed, Maria remained undeterred and only wished Shadow to fulfill his purpose.

Gerald Robotnik
Gerald Robotnik was Maria's grandfather and the one who took care of her when she was suffering under her disease. Like Maria was the jewel of Gerald's eye, Maria was very fond of Gerald and was always seen smiling and caressing him in his presence. She always referred to him as "grandfather" and she admired him for his creations that could help mankind, most noticeably his Heal Units.

Shadow the Hedgehog
Maria's most prominent relationship was with Shadow the Hedgehog, a creature created by her grandfather to help make a cure for her illness. The two of them were raised alongside each other onboard the ARK and they formed a very close bond, with Maria considering Shadow a brother of sorts. Maria also shared the same dream with him which was to visit earth, making them kindred spirits in a sense, and they tended to look at the earth from the ARK together and ponder about it.

While Maria was well-aware of Shadow's purpose to protect mankind, she was always behind him on this subject, being concerned for Shadow when he was confused about his purpose and promising to help him stop the Black Arms, and she had unwavering faith that he could accomplish it. Also, whenever there were problems, Shadow would be the one Maria sought for help, knowing she could always count on him. Ultimately, Maria's love for Shadow let to her sacrificing her life and dream of visiting earth to save him from the military. Even when dying though, Maria's only thoughts were for Shadow to carry out his purpose and she pleaded him to do it for her sake, knowing he could carry out her dream for her.

The Commander
The Commander was one of Maria's friends before she met Shadow. In terms of how they got along, Maria had basically a brother-sister relationship with the Commander. The two of them would often play merrily around with each other, though Maria would be annoyed with the Commander's antics and chase him around, but they still cared for one another.

Archie Comics
Maria also appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-off comic series published by Archie Comics. In this media, she was a female Overlander, the daughter of Geraldo Robotnik and Meredith Sanders, and a member of the House of Ivo (at least prior to the Super Genesis Wave).

Like in the games, Maria suffered from a disease called Neuro-Immuno Deficiency Syndrome and was looked after by her grandfather Gerald Robotnik, who made Shadow to develop a cure for her. When GUN attempted to seize Shadow for themselves, Maria was killed by them when trying to help Shadow escape. A year after his awakening, Shadow encountered a digital version of Maria who helped him uncover his purpose.

Sonic X
Maria makes a number of appearances in the anime Sonic X, partial in Shadow's memory. In this media, much like in the games, she was a human from earth, and the granddaughter of Gerald Robotnik and cousin of Dr. Eggman.

Like in the games, Maria was a terminal ill impatient confined to the Space Colony ARK. To help Maria, Gerald created Shadow to find a cure for her, and Maria became very close to Shadow. When GUN came to shut Project Shadow down and seize Shadow himself, Maria sacrificed her life to save Shadow, though not before asking him to protect the world for her sake.

Trivia

 * In the GameCube and PlayStation 2 versions of Shadow the Hedgehog, Maria can be played by P2 in the stages The Doom and Lost Impact where she can run at high speed and smash tough objects and enemies by slapping down on them. This is the only game in which she is playable.
 * In the original Dreamcast version of Sonic Adventure 2, Maria had lengthy eyelashes. In Sonic Adventure 2 Battle and all subsequent appearances, they were removed.
 * Her appearance and outfit are reminiscent of Alice, the heroine of Lewis Carroll's novels Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass.
 * Maria's name is the password for both activating Shadow the Hedgehog and accessing the ARK's files about Project Shadow. Also, the reason why the password is utilized as "Ma-Ri-A" is because of Japanese phonetics.
 * In Sonic Adventure 2 Battle a narrator with Maria's voice can be unlocked by getting all 180 emblems in the game. It can be bought in Chao World's Black Market for 30,000 rings.
 * The song that played during Maria's flashback scenes in Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Adventure 2: Battle was an instrumental mix of "Throw It All Away," Shadow's theme in the game.
 * A character called Marie from another Sega game, called Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure, has a similar design to Maria.