Mephiles the Dark

"It's futile. The world will betray you. Why fight at all? Why risk your life for those who will persecute you later?"

- Mephiles the Dark, Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)

Mephiles the Dark (闇のメフィレス) is one of the primary antagonists in Sonic the Hedgehog (2006). He is the conscience, mind and will of the sun god Solaris. Mephiles was born during the Solaris Project when the experimentations on Solaris split him into Mephiles and Iblis. After his birth, Mephiles was sealed inside the Scepter of Darkness by Shadow the Hedgehog, but was freed ten years later during a skirmish between Shadow, Rouge and Dr. Eggman.

After his release, Mephiles orchestrated a centuries-long plan to release Iblis from Princess Elise and rejoin with it. Along the way, Mephiles attempted to sway Shadow to join him, but failed. Ultimately, Mephiles' plan succeeded when he killed Sonic the Hedgehog. He then reemerged with Iblis, remaking Solaris, but was defeated by Sonic, Shadow and Silver. Mephiles was then erased from the timeline when Elise and Sonic traveled back in time to before the Solaris Project and brought an end to Solaris.

Appearance
Mephiles has three forms. His original form, which is also his base, is an amorphous mass of darkness. In his second form, Mephiles appeared almost identical to Shadow the Hedgehog, aside from having green eyes with slit pupils, no mouth (though his muzzle moves when he speaks, as if he does have a mouth), and the fact that everything that is red on Shadow is a pale powder blue on Mephiles. His third and most common form was a crystalline, anthropomorphic hedgehog with no visible mouth, nose, or feet. His eyes also change color in this form, gaining a red sclera and lighter green irises.

History
Mephiles was accidentally created during the Solaris Project, under the supervision of the Duke of Soleanna. In one of the Project's experiments, Solaris was split into two separate entities: Iblis, its raw power, and Mephiles, its cunning mind. As Mephiles was trying to escape the facility, he was sealed in the Scepter of Darkness by Shadow the Hedgehog, who had traveled through time by ten years before the events of the game. As Mephiles was sealed inside the scepter, he vowed that he would not forget Shadow and that one day, he would kill him.

In the intervening years, Doctor Eggman somehow acquired the Scepter of Darkness. In the present day, the Scepter was shattered during a struggle between Eggman, Shadow, and Rouge the Bat, and Mephiles was released. Mephiles absorbed Shadow's shadow, and transformed into a copy of Shadow; in doing so, he absorbed Shadow's powers as well. Upon gaining his new form, he then expressed amusement at the irony about how he was resurrected by the shadow of the person who sealed him away before sarcastically thanking Shadow for releasing him. Realizing that Shadow did not know who Mephiles was (as Shadow had not yet traveled back in time to face Mephiles in the past), Mephiles transported Shadow and Rouge into the future.

Mephiles then sought to find the Chaos Emeralds in order to bring pain and despair to Princess Elise and release the "Flames of Disaster" (a.k.a. Iblis), who had been sealed inside Elise's soul until she cried. Mephiles intended to fuse with Iblis, reuniting them into a single entity, Solaris, their original persona.

To accomplish this, he traveled to the future and told Silver the Hedgehog and Blaze the Cat that Sonic the Hedgehog was the cause of Iblis being released, which led to the destruction of their world. Therefore, Sonic was referred to as the "Iblis Trigger" by Silver and Blaze. He sent the two back in time, making them believe that killing Sonic in the present would save their future.

Along the way, as all three storylines progress, the three main characters discover how Mephiles was somehow involved in the incident which created the "Flames of Disaster", wielded by Princess Elise. Mephiles has a very pivotal role in all of the story-lines, throughout the course of the game. He has the most direct role in Shadow's story. He also has a major role in Silver's story, as he manipulates Silver and Blaze into attempting to kill Sonic so that he can finally fuse with Iblis. While he himself has a very minor role in Sonic's story, where he is only seen when Sonic, Knuckles the Echidna and Miles "Tails" Prower are eavesdropping on his conversation with Silver and Blaze that ends with them time-traveling back to present-day Soleanna, his actions are still very much prevalent to Sonic's story, especially with his encounters with Silver.

When encountering Shadow again, Mephiles attempted to break Shadow's will to fight and join him (much like Black Doom had previously tried) by revealing that in the current future, the world and an unwilling E-123 Omega would turn against Shadow and imprison him in suspended animation (while keeping his hatred for Shadow a secret). Thus, he attempted to convince Shadow to join him, saying they would both get revenge on the world. However, Shadow proved immune to Mephiles' tactics, saying that he would determine his own destiny, leading to a battle between the two of them. Though Shadow took the upper-hand, Mephiles knocked him into a wall with an energy blast and incapacitated him when he lowers his guard, but Omega intervened and drove Mephiles off. Later, Omega met Mephiles again, who revealed to Omega that he was one that would imprison Shadow in the future, prompting the robot to shoot him with two mini-guns. Though stunned, Mephiles laughs and escapes from Omega before Shadow and Rouge arrive. As Shadow (along with Silver after Shadow foiled his second assassination attempt on Sonic) had traveled back into the past at that point, he learned of Mephiles' true nature (and Silver learned that Mephiles had lied about Sonic being the Iblis Trigger).

Shadow, Omega, and Rouge later meet Mephiles in a desert temple, though they are too late to stop him from getting the Chaos Emerald there. Again, Mephiles offers Shadow a chance to join him, but Shadow, knowing Mephiles' true intentions, flat-out refused the offer. Mephiles was fought again and lost. After his seeming defeat, however, Mephiles proved immune to being imprisoned in a new Scepter of Darkness that Shadow tried to use on him, saying that it wouldn't work on him anymore (he implies that the reason he was immune was due to his time traveling by ten years ago). Mephiles then uses two Chaos Emeralds to create an army of clones of himself. He then boasts to Shadow that he can't defeat him, and asks why he is even bothering to protect a world that will eventually turn against him. Shadow replies, "If the whole world decides to become my enemy, then I will fight like I always have!", then removes his Inhibitor Rings and destroys the entire army.

In the Last Story, Mephiles, having either escaped or simply survived the fight with Shadow, finds the purple Chaos Emerald. At this point, he (rather than progressing to the next scene) travels to the future to deceive Silver (this is not specified, but it would explain how he had the purple Chaos Emerald and the knowledge of Sonic at this point). Eventually, after Silver failed his mission, he uses it to warp to Sonic and Elise's location shortly after they escape Eggman's exploding Egg Carrier. He blinds them with the Emerald's powers, and projects an energy spear (dubbed the "Dark Chaos Lance") that impales Sonic from behind, killing him instantly. Elise cries over his death and, as a result, releases Iblis, allowing Mephiles to fuse with him and transform into Solaris (who is soon destroyed in the final battle against Shadow, Silver and a revived Sonic in their Super States).

It is also revealed in the Last Story that Mephiles' lie to Silver and Blaze about Sonic being the Iblis Trigger was partially true: Sonic is indeed the Iblis Trigger, but his death would not stop Iblis's resurrection; rather, his death would be the very event that would release Iblis from Elise's soul. The key to Iblis's freedom was an event that would cause Elise to become so consumed with despair and guilt that she would cry, as she had formed a very close friendship with Sonic.

Personality
Unlike most of the villains in the Sonic series, who are driven by a lust for power or revenge, Mephiles (according to Shadow) only seems to crave destruction. He is portrayed as a cold, manipulative, cruel, sadistic, and ruthless villain with no sense of compassion. He would do anything to accomplish his goals, even if it means taking innocent lives. Mephiles happens to take great pleasure and delight in hurting others and has been shown to have a very warped and twisted sense of humor, making him a very sadistic and psychotic individual. For example, he made it his sole mission to cause pain to Elise throughout the entire course of the game, and even broke out into a maniacal laughter after ending Sonic's life. This is also seen when he taunts Omega by telling him he would be reprogrammed to capture Shadow. Mephiles is also highly intelligent, capable of using and manipulating people to further his evil plans. This is shown when he preyed upon Silver's frustration and desire to save the world, by deceiving him into thinking that Sonic was responsible for the devastation of his future, knowing that killing Sonic would have done the exact opposite of what Silver was trying to achieve.

Mephiles also has nihilistic tendencies, as evidenced in his final fight against Shadow, where he asks why Shadow even bothers fighting at all, and why Shadow even bothers defending humanity when they will inevitably persecute him later. However, it seems that he has some manners, as he bowed to Shadow after taking his form, though this was most likely done as a mocking gesture.

It has also been speculated that Mephiles might also be somewhat of a coward, judging from several actions he displayed throughout the game:
 * Instead of fighting Sonic face-to-face, he appears behind him without Sonic or Elise knowing, and proceeds to impale him from behind. In battle, the action of attacking from behind is usually an act of cowardice.
 * In addition to this, he creates a distraction to keep either of them from noticing him while he proceeded to kill Sonic.
 * During both boss fights, Mephiles hardly attacks on his own without aid, either by summoning shadows, or cloning himself to use as distractions. He uses the shadows in the first boss fight as shields, and increases the number of them when you get too close.
 * During the boss fights, he waits to attack you until your back is turned.
 * He also doesn't fight you directly until you expel him from Shadow's shadow.
 * He managed to convince Silver and Blaze into attempting to kill Sonic before actually doing it himself, which would in turn release Iblis, though there was a much stronger form of Iblis already free in his time while he had a Chaos Emerald at hand.
 * In the second boss fight, you cannot face him until you clear the floor of the seething shade covering it, having to use Chaos Boost to expel him.
 * In the time ten years previous to the story that takes place, when Shadow corners the newly created Mephiles before sealing him away, Mephiles' voice sounds startled if not frightened before quickly shifting into his more recognizable tone as he makes a threat to Shadow.

Mephiles also seems to have a habit of waving his hands when he speaks, as he has been seen doing so in nearly all of his appearances. He ranges from holding his hands up high while making a declaration, to holding them out to the sides slightly or even in front of himself while making himself appear as an ally to Silver and Blaze. Mephiles also showed limited interest in people, taking particular interest in Shadow, Omega, Silver and Sonic, the latter only because he needed to kill him. Mephiles is shown to hold a particular hate for Shadow since it was he who sealed him in the Scepter of Darkness. This being said, Mephiles did not acknowledge Rouge, Blaze or Elise, whom he would have been aware of, while the rest of the game's cast did not know of him just as much as he did them.

Powers and abilities
As noted above, he can take various forms by absorbing an individual's shadow, which resulted in his gaining his common form. Subtle differences are applied, however, such as a far darker shade of various colors, a pale complexion, and bestial green eyes. Besides actually taking on a form with someone's shadow, he also can grow stronger by absorbing shadows, especially if it comes from the same type of shadow as the being whose shadow he absorbed earlier outside of time. This is especially evident with his second encounter, where he managed to effortlessly escape imprisonment from another Scepter of Darkness due to his present self having gone back in time absorbing Shadow's shadow while the latter was sealing away Mephiles' past self.

Mephiles can manipulate and move through time with an ability similar to Chaos Control. Whether or not this was due to taking Shadow's form through his shadow or he had this power all along is debatable; however, being one half of the time god Solaris, the latter seems more probable. In addition, he has enough control over his abilities of time manipulation to separate pursuing enemies, as evidenced by how he managed to escape Omega and Shadow after their first fight in the future. His primary offensive technique is a massive sphere of black energy that is spawned from his hands that home in on their targets. He can also use the energy spheres to move himself and others through time. Since Mephiles absorbed Shadow's shadow, he also has the ability to actually be his shadow, as seen in the first boss fight against him. Furthermore, he can alter his physical form to sink into the ground and merge with the shadow of another. He can also manipulate shadows to create "clones" of himself, although they are warped and imperfect without the power of the Chaos Emeralds. He can also merge the clones together to make large shadow monsters. With two Emeralds, he can create an army of perfect clones. As seen in the "Showdown with Mephiles" cutscene, Mephiles can also blast opponents away by firing shockwaves of energy at them. Mephiles' final attack used before fusing with Iblis to become Solaris was a beam of energy (dubbed the "Dark Chaos Lance" by fans) that he extends from his right hand to kill Sonic.

Mephiles appears to be immortal, surviving every fight he takes part in, and whenever he is beaten he seems to just shift into his base form. Whether or not he is capable of feeling pain is unknown; although he reacts to taking damage during his boss battles with Shadow, he merely stood and allowed himself to be shot multiple times when confronting Omega at Wave Ocean. Indeed, when defeated by Shadow a second time, he also declared himself to be immortal, and invincible. Since he is the mind and will of Solaris, Mephiles also happens to be very intelligent. This is shown in his ability as a skilled manipulator, being able to easily manipulate Silver and Blaze into nearly getting his desired result. He is also shown to have adept knowledge on using modern technology, as evidence by knowing exactly which files in Dr. Eggman's computer to use when trying to persuade Silver to assassinate Sonic. This is most likely due to his apparently endless lifespan and time travel power allowing him to study the world around him for as long as he needs to.

Mephiles has also demonstrated the curious ability to, with one Chaos Emerald in his possession, warp the other six Emeralds to his location instantly, which he did after the Flames of Disaster were released from Elise and before reuniting with Iblis. Presumably, he utilized the Chaos Emeralds' magnetic properties to pull this off.

Mephiles also was capable of creating and commanding various monsters, as evidenced by the various monsters that appeared.

Background
"Mephiles rises before Shadow The Hedgehog in the depths of Flame Core. The hedgehog presents a serious challenge to Mephiles’s plans of domination, so the sinister being has decided to stop Shadow before he can offer any more assistance to Sonic. To help keep Shadow at bay, Mephiles conjures up hundreds of small minions to run interference. Mephiles is so powerful that Shadow cannot defeat him unless he uses his chaos powers, and even then, E-123 Omega must follow Shadow into the fray to help ﬁnish off the dastardly creation."

Boss guide
When the battle begins, Mephiles melts into the ground, becoming Shadow’s shade. The player cannot hit Mephiles when he’s in this form, though Mephiles cannot attack either. Instead, he leaves his tiny underlings to keep you busy. These mini monsters are the key to defeating Mephiles. To beat Mephiles, the player must store up enough Light Cores to fill your Action Gauge and activate Chaos Boost by destroying the minions. The monsters swarm the player throughout the battle, glomming on if the player let them get too close. If enough underlings grab the player, they explode and deal heavy damage. Attacking the under-lings one at a time with Homing Attacks takes too long. Instead, wait for the underlings to surround you, then use Shadow’s Spin Kick to eliminate several at a time.

When the player activates Chaos Boost, the underlings retreat and Mephiles takes his corporeal form. At this point, the player can physical damage Mephiles. When the Action Gauge is completely drained, Mephiles becomes a shadow again and the player must reﬁll the gauge by destroying the underlings. Mephiles attacks with purple energy balls that grow in size as they chase you through the arena. The best course of action is to dodge these, though it is advised to close the grab between Mephiles and the player. The player can damage Mephiles with Homing Attacks, but he will often slip away. Freeze Mephiles for a few seconds with a Chaos Lance and move in for a Chaos Attack.

For the second phase of the battle, the player controls Omega while Mephiles remains in his physical form for the entirety of the ﬁght. Mephiles will try to hide behind his horde of underlings, so use Omega’s Lock-On Shot to keep the distance and target multiple enemies. As long as Mephiles is directly in front of the player when in the targeting phase, one of the shots is likely to hit him when the player release the attack button. After the player strike Mephiles one or two times, he sends forth his underlings to dive bomb Omega. When this happens, run around the arena to avoid getting pelted by the mini-monsters as they smash down to earth. Mephiles also fires the purple energy balls at Omega. These balls move in a straight line, so as long as the player keep moving, none of them will hit Omega. Don not try to target Mephiles during this attack, because as soon as the player slow down to line up a shot, he will blast Omega with a purple ball. Keep repeating this until Mephiles is defeated.

Background
"Shadow The Hedgehog’s second encounter with the wicked Mephiles is even more harrowing than the ﬁrst. The monster transforms from a shadow of Shadow to a colossus that dominates the arena with massive ﬁsts and a deadly laser attack, which can send Shadow reeling if he’s unlucky enough to be caught in the beam. Mephiles is so powerful that you cannot do any damage to this fearsome form with regular attacks. Chaos Spears don’t slow it down and spin kicks are as effective as boxing a glacier. Shadow must use his chaos powers to coax Mephiles’ physical form out and bring its terrible reign to an end."

Boss guide
When the battle begins, Mephiles unleash its brutish first form. Use this time to skate around the arena and pick up Rings. The player will need as many as they can scoop up, because when the monstrous manifestations of Mephiles smash the player with giant ﬁsts and burn the player with the laser. Mephiles’s monstrous form is anchored to the ground and only appears in the four corners of the arena. The player has to go to it in order to defeat it and earn Light Cores to initiate the Chaos Boost that can bring Mephiles down. Mephiles’s laser stretches the length of the arena, so either run from it or jump over it and close in on Mephiles while it’s busy ﬁnishing the attack. When the player see Mephiles arms rise into the air, move back or in toward the center of the monster’s body to avoid getting hit. Mephiles’s weak spot while in this form is the light core it reveals when opening its maw. Jump up and use a Homing Attack/Chaos Attack to slam into the core. When Mephiles' beast is defeated, multiple Light Cores are released. Keep repeating the attacks until the Action Gauge is full enough to start the Chaos Boost.

Once the player activate Shadow’s Chaos Boost, the colossal manifestations vanish and Mephiles is forced to attack Shadow in its normal physical form. Once this happens, it starts unleashing purple energy balls to streak across the arena. Rush around the arena in a zigzag pattern to avoid the blasts as you zero in on Mephiles. After the player chip away half of Mephiles’s health, it uses multiple dopplegangers to distract the player from the real enemy. All Mephileses can release the purple blasts, making it harder to dodge and zero in on the central ﬁgure. To ﬁnd the real Mephiles, the player needs to hit the ﬁgures with Chaos Lances. The false forms disappear when struck with the Chaos Lance. Mephiles moves quickly if it is difficult for the player to zero in on it with a Homing Attack and do damage, use Chaos Lances to temporarily freeze it. As soon as Mephiles canot move, hit it with a Chaos Attack. As soon as the Action Gauge runs out, Mephiles rises out of range and brings back the monster forms. The player must then attack them to earn light cores and start the process over again. Keep repeating this pattern and Mephiles will be defeated.

Stalkers
Stalkers, also known as Mephiles Biters, are lizard-like canines that have succumbed to the control of Mephiles. They behave very similarly to their Iblis counterparts in that they leap forward with claws outstretched and whip their tails to attack. However, Stalkers are also capable of blasting lasers from their mouths, unlike Iblis Biters, which breathe flames. A Stalker can be defeated in two hits.

Titans
Titans, also known as Mephiles Golems, are giants with thick, purple armor. Although the Titan's attack pattern is similar to that of its Iblis counterpart (throwing energy balls and making shockwaves with its fists), it is very tough and resistant, having the dubious honor of being the strongest non-boss monster in the game, and can only be damaged with Homing Attacks or thrown objects. Titans must be damaged eight times to be defeated.

Takers
Takers are airborne, skeletal bat-like creatures. They are mostly the same as Iblis Takers, except that they shoot black spheres of energy instead of fireballs and they swoop at their foes when in close quarters. A Mephiles Taker can be killed in two hits. They are useful for crossing large gaps by using Homing Attacks on them.

Worms
Worms are enormous purple leeches controlled by Mephiles. Just like Iblis Worms, they rise from floors, walls or ceilings when the enemy is nearby and attack by sweeping their bodies around. Mephiles Worms also exhale toxic gas for an extra attack. They take six hits to be defeated.

Sonic Rivals 2
Mephiles made a small appearance in Sonic Rivals 2, as one of the collectible cards in the game. It can be acquired by getting an S Rank in Knock Out.

Archie Comics
Mephiles was later revealed to have appeared in the Archie Comics' Sonic the Hedgehog comic book series, though he has yet to appear in person. Mephiles' presence within the comics was first hinted by writter Ian Flynn who confirmed that the events of Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) had occurred in the comics, and he was later officially revealed in Sonic the Hedgehog: The Complete Sonic Comic Encyclopedia. In this media, Mephiles was born during an experiment that split his original being, Solaris, into himself and Iblis. He was later trapped by Shadow the Hedgehog, but was freed and sought to rejoin with Iblis and remake Solaris. He eventually succeed in his plan, but was stopped and erased from existence by Sonic the Hedgehog and Elise. An alternate version of Mephiles also appeared in the Sonic Universe series, as a prisoner in the Zone Jail.

Etymology
Mephiles' name is derived from Mephistopheles, the demon from the legend of Faust, and possibly after Mephitis, the personification of the poisonous gases emitted from the ground in swamps and volcanic vapors.

Mephiles may also be inspired by the false prophet in the Book of Revelations of the Bible as he works in the shadows and manipulates the characters into doing things that would only further his own goals.

Silver's theme song, "Dreams of an Absolution", calls him a preacher who lies which could also be a reference to this.

Another possible origin for Mephiles' name may be from Arabic, similar to Iblis. Mephiles could refer to "Muffles" (مفلس), in Arabic Muffles means "broke", "a person with nothing". The term extends not just to material objects, but to everything non- material as well, such as good deeds, emotions, hopes, dreams. In religious context, Mephiles/Muffles/مفلس is a name for the devil (similar to Iblis) and it refers to him as having no good deeds, no hope for redemption, and no chance of salvation. Taken this in mind, and Mephiles nature in the game, they would seem similar.

Memorable Quotes

 * "AH HA HA HA HA! Oh, how ironic fate can be." Mephiles' first line in Shadow's story.
 * "I thank you, Shadow the Hedgehog." - Mephiles introducing himself to Shadow after escaping the Scepter of Darkness.
 * "I'm Mephiles, Mephiles the Dark! What, did you forget me?" - Mephiles walking towards Shadow.
 * "What you gave to me, I now return to you! A one-way ticket to oblivion!" - Mephiles transporting Shadow and Rouge into the future.
 * "Such foolishness... very well, let's see if you can entertain me." - Mephiles' battle opening in Phase 1.
 * "I'm your shadow...you can't even touch me." -Mephiles whilst battling Shadow.
 * "You're just a nuisance... robot." - Mephiles while battling E-123 Omega.
 * "Drown in darkness!" - Mephiles phase 2 battling Shadow
 * "Just as a flower comes from a seed, or a chicken comes from an egg, everything has an origin. You need to find the being originally responsible for this catastrophe." - Mephiles explaining how to alter the devastated future to Silver and Blaze.
 * "With my help, you can...because I have the power to travel through time." - Mephiles explaining to Silver and Blaze he can "help" them change the future.
 * "I was expecting you sooner, as you must know, you're already too late...but there is still time for you to change your mind...join me, Shadow. Let us teach this world a lesson, and rewrite the future..." - Mephiles offers Shadow again to join his side before the final battle.
 * "I'll make sure you regret this, Shadow the Hedgehog!" - Mephiles battle opening in Phase 2.
 * "The 'I' of now absorbed your power through your shadow in the past. What may have worked 10 years ago, no longer does!" - Mephiles breaking free from the new Scepter of Darkness.
 * "This just proves you were created to stop Shadow, the ultimate lifeform." - Mephiles to Omega after Omega shot him.
 * "You may have been programmed by humanity, but what you did to Shadow in the future, that was your-" - Mephiles to Omega before Omega whipped out dual miniguns and forced him away.
 * "Finally, the seal is broken! At long last, I'll be able to join with you! IBLIS!!!" - Mephiles when Iblis was freed.
 * "Now, Chaos Emerald! It's time for the final curtain call!" - Mephiles using his Chaos Emerald to call the other Chaos Emeralds to him and join with Iblis.

Trivia

 * Mephiles is the only character in the Sonic the Hedgehog series and in any other Sonic-related media who has actually successfully killed Sonic.
 * It can be assumed that Mephiles is physically very weak, as shown when Mephiles was overcome by two individuals and even has a bit of trouble regaining his balance after bouncing on the ground.
 * When in his crystalline form, Mephiles' white "crest" appears somewhat in the shape of a bird, the animal that makes up the Solaris emblem.
 * Dr. Eggman had shown an interest in capturing Mephiles. He tried to take the Scepter of Darkness, and later when Shadow asked Eggman who Mephiles was, he said he would tell him if Shadow brought Mephiles to him. It isn't stated why Eggman wanted to capture Mephiles, but based on his actions in the game, it can be guessed that he had hoped to harness Mephiles' powers to travel through time if he failed to do so with Iblis, or that he needed both Iblis and Mephiles to completely control time. This last possibility is the most likely, since the full Solaris is a being that exists throughout all of time, and Iblis does not appear to have any time travel powers.
 * Being that Mephiles took on Shadow's appearance by absorbing Shadow's shadow, it can be assumed that he could have taken on anyone's appearance if he was released into their shadow.
 * Even though Mephiles appears to lack a visible mouth, the general area on his "muzzle" moves in and out as he speaks in a manner similar to an inflating balloon.
 * When Mephiles is in the future, he has a purple Chaos Emerald, but later he doesn't have it or doesn't use it for some reason until the last story. However since he can travel through time, the actions he does throughout the game could be in any unspecified order.
 * It should be noted that Mephiles may have first heard his name while Shadow trails after him during the Aquatic Base level, as Shadow declares "Mephiles! I won't let you escape!". Since Mephiles had not taken a name at the time, Shadow may have inadvertently given him the idea for it, and the rest may have come from his element and the Scepter itself.
 * Many aspects of Mephiles, most notably his hateful connection to Shadow, his ability to make clones of himself, and his desire to flat out destroy existence in itself, bears several similarities to the Matrix villain Agent Smith. Also, his implied hatred of humanity mirrors Agent Smith's hatred of humanity. Shadow and Mephiles' final conversation in "Showdown with Mephiles" mirrors a similar conversation during the final fight between Neo and Agent Smith in "Matrix Revolutions".
 * Though considered a key character to the plot of Sonic the Hedgehog 2006, having been arguably the main villain, of 11 other key characters to the game, (all the playable characters, Eggman, Elise, excluding Solaris and Iblis), Mephiles interacted with only three of them directly (Omega, Shadow and Silver), was sighted for sure by Team Dark, Silver, and Blaze, glimpsed briefly by Team Sonic (who mistook him for a Shadow look-alike, and possibly never connected him to the events later). Amy and Eggman never meet him directly, and Mephiles never once directed his attention from Shadow, Omega, Silver, and to another extent, Elise and the task of killing Sonic to make her cry.
 * Mephiles never directly spoke to any female characters he encountered.
 * It's possible that Mephiles might have a low tolerance for aggravation, which can be seen when Shadow refused to join with him. The result of that was Mephiles changing form and during the following boss fight, as well as the followup one later, snippets of dialogue suggest a more aggressive side, in which he will growl and even make threats. However, being that both fights are paired against Shadow and only Shadow, it's also likely that due to Mephiles' hatred towards him, that this was merely a display of hostility.
 * In his crystalline form, it's possible that his quills and ears, and for that matter, the rest of himself, is as pliable as it would be in his Shadow form, as several cutscenes show the quills bending and being influenced by movement, and in one scene, his ear twitches slightly.
 * It is interesting to note that in Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, Shadow will bear a great resemblance to Mephiles after wiping-out on any skiing or snowboarding event.
 * Mephiles is one of few enemies that can be a hard enemy to Shadow.
 * It is unknown why Mephiles tried to go into the past to find Chaos Emeralds and trick Silver into killing Sonic instead of just using his purple Chaos Emerald to join with Iblis in the future. It could be because Iblis evolved so much he can't fuse with Mephiles, or to ensure that Sonic's death would still occur so that Iblis would continue to exist at this point in the future (it's also possible that he couldn't go back to the exact moment where he and Iblis became two separate entities because he was already present). Another reason why Mephiles didn't fuse with the future Iblis is that since Iblis is a mindless creature of pure destructive power, Iblis would've attacked Mephiles if he tried to fuse with him.
 * In the brief cinematic in which Solaris's core is destroyed, a faint "NOOOOOOOOOO!!!" can be heard in the background audio.  The source of Solaris's death scream is almost certainly Mephiles as he is being disabled with Solaris's defeat.
 * In the middle of the game, Mephiles travels to the present after being defeated by Shadow in the future. At this point, Mephiles is already in his Crystalline form. In Silver's Story, however, Mephiles is in the form he got after directly taking Shadow's shadow. This likely means he can change his form at will.
 * Ian Flynn, current head writer for the Archie Comics, has expressed the opinion that Sega intended the Time Eater to be a sort of reborn Mephiles, some portion of him surviving the defeat of Solaris and the paradox that prevented his existence. However, no Sega statement is known to have been issued in response.