Chaos Spear

Chaos Spear (カオススピア) is a recurring Chaos Power in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It is one of Shadow the Hedgehog's signature techniques. When performing this technique, the user fires a bolt made of chaos energy.

Description
Chaos Spear is a technique where the user channels raw chaos energy as a form of electricity into a spear-shaped energy construct and then fires it as an energy bolt. The user can as well charge the Chaos Spear for greater size and power. Users like Sir Lancelot can also channel the Chaos Spear's energy through swords when firing them. Once manifested, the Chaos Spears are substantial enough to be physically grabbed and get embedded in surfaces.

The means of firing the Chaos Spear are numerous. The most recognized way is just by swinging the user's hands forward to fire them as arrows. Other methods include hurtling a cascade of spears in an energy burst, manifesting the spears in midair and shooting them at the target, firing them from the palm of the hand, or just grabbing and then throwing them manually like actual spears. Additionally, entering a Super State amplifies the Chaos Spear's power significantly.

Sonic Adventure 2
In Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Adventure 2: Battle, Chaos Spear is one of Shadow's special attacks. In gameplay, Chaos Spear targets the opponent wherever they might be and when it hits, it both causes damage and impedes the opponent's movements. Whenever Shadow uses the Chaos Spear, he shouts "Disappear."

Chaos Spear is first performed by Shadow during the final boss battle against him in the Hero story. Here, Shadow will perform this technique if Sonic trails too far behind on the runway. The attack can be evaded by running forward.

Chaos Spear can only be performed by the player by playing as Shadow in the games' two-player mode. To use it, the player must press // on the ground after collecting forty Rings. To use it again, the player has to collect another forty Rings. In two-player mode Chaos Spear is nearly impossible to avoid, unless the other player is Metal Sonic, who can use Black Shield to block it. Also, in the Dreamcast version of Sonic Adventure 2, Metal Sonic can use the Chaos Spear in multiplayer as well.

Shadow the Hedgehog
In Shadow the Hedgehog, the Chaos Spear can only be used in the final boss battle against Devil Doom. In this iteration, Super Shadow can charge up chaos energy into a large Chaos Spear that is shaped like a lightning bolt in order to wound Devil Doom. If it is released before being charged to its peak, Shadow unleashes a smaller blue lightning bolt called the Chaos Arrow. Despite being somewhat weaker and can only cause minor injuries on Devil Doom, they have the advantage of a faster rate of fire and are good to destroy debris and pop balloons containing Balloon Rings.

To use it in gameplay, the player must press and hold down // to charge up by the Chaos Spear, then release to shoot it.

Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)
In Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), the Chaos Spear can be performed in normal gameplay by Shadow the Hedgehog. In this game, Shadow shoots an arrow from midair that can paralyze enemies. Though it does not damage enemies or have any effect on bosses and stronger enemies, it can be used for other purposes, such as activating Purple Orbs and igniting torches in the Castle Town. To use it in gameplay, the player has to press / while jumping. By holding down the buttons, the player can charge the Chaos Spear in midair to extend the duration of the paralysis.

The Chaos Spear can be upgraded using the Memory Shard (blue). By using Chaos Boost at level 2 with this Level Up Item, the Chaos Spear is transformed into the Chaos Lance which is faster and can damage enemies and obstacles.

Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood
"Shadow hurls spears of raw chaos energy that ignore armor."

- Description, Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood

In Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, Chaos Spear is one of Shadow's POW moves. When performing Chaos Spear in this game, Shadow walks up in front of the opposing enemies and forms a purple Chaos Spear in each of his hands. He then grabs the Chaos Spears as if they were actual spears and throws both of them at the desired opponent.

In gameplay, the Chaos Spear deals attack damage to a chosen target with two strikes. When it deals damage, Chaos Spear pierces armor. However, if there are more enemies present on the opposing side of the battlefield besides the chosen target, there is a chance that one of the Chaos Spears will hit one of them instead of the chosen target, resulting the chosen only receiving one strike. The higher the level of Chaos Spear is, the more attack damage it will deal.

Quick time event
When performing Chaos Spear in gameplay, the player has to complete a series of Quick time events by performing certain actions on the Touch Screen, in order to execute Chaos Spear optimally:


 * 1) The player has to touch the inside of three circles in succession when the outer circles overlap the inner circles.
 * 2) The player has to touch and stay inside the outer circle that appears when it overlaps the inner circle and follow it in a straight line from the upper left corner of the screen to the lower right corner.

Missing or not touching these circles correctly will either result in Shadow missing a strike or the damage from the attack being reduced.

Sonic and the Black Knight
In Sonic and the Black Knight, Chaos Spears are red small arrows that are seem to have some toothed points. In this game, it is used exclusively by Sir Lancelot who demonstrated the ability to materialize Chaos Spears in midair and fire them in different formations. Regardless, the attack can be blocked by Guard.

During the mission "Lancelot Returns" in Deep Woods, Lancelot will use Chaos Spears in the fight against Sonic. When he gets too far away from the player, he will fire Chaos Spears either from the palm of his hands or in clusters above him. At first, he will fire them one by one, but as the battle advances, he will start firing barrages of them.

In gameplay, the Chaos Spears can be used by the player when Lancelot is equipped with the Skill Agility. They are useful for long-ranged attacks which can ignore armor, damage enemies and wipe out Will 'o Wisps. However, they cannot be triggered when riding a boat.

Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing
In Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, Shadow will use Chaos Spear during his All-Star move. Shadow will transform into Super Shadow and fly along the track, if you press the ITEM button Super Shadow will launch Chaos Spears on the track that will explode once they hit the ground. The explosion has a blast radius that will take out other racers as long as they're in range.

Sonic Generations
In Sonic Generations, Shadow uses Chaos Spear in the battle against Sonic. Here, Shadow uses Chaos Spear in two ways. Should Sonic fall too far behind Shadow, he charges up the Chaos Spear before firing several of them down the track at Sonic with great accuracy. If Shadow gets enough Energy Cores, he will launch several empowered Chaos Spears into the foothold where they will remain and cause damage upon contact, before firing one final, large, purple, Chaos Spear directly at Sonic.

Chaos Arrow
The Chaos Arrow is a weaker version of Chaos Spear used only by Super Shadow in his battle against Devil Doom in Shadow the Hedgehog. When using it, Super Shadow shoots small white arrow that can destroy obstacles and deal minor damage to Devil Doom.

Chaos Lance
The Chaos Lance is an enhanced version of Chaos Spear that Shadow uses when he is in the Chaos Boost state in Sonic the Hedgehog (2006). When using it, Shadow throws a red arrow of chaos energy that deals damage as opposed to the Chaos Spear.

Spear of Light
The Spear of Light is an upgraded version of Chaos Lance that Super Shadow used in his battle against Solaris in Sonic the Hedgehog (2006). When using it, Super Shadow throws nine Chaos Lances at the same time with enough power to damage Solaris and his core.

Sonic X
In the anime series Sonic X, the Chaos Spear is used by Shadow to great effect, allowing him to brush aside powerful, and occasionally physically stronger, opponents with ease. Using it, he has fought off numerous ships, punched holes in the Blue Typhoon and torn off the leg of the X-Tornado, all with minimal effort.

Archie Comics
In the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by Archie Comics, the Chaos Spear is one of Shadow's signature moves. However, unlike their game counterparts, the Chaos Spears are colored green as opposed to yellow and Shadow is able to grab and hold it as it was an actual spear.

Sonic Boom
In the Sonic Boom franchise, the Chaos Spear is a move used by Shadow the Hedgehog. So far, it has only appeared in Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric.

Trivia

 * Chaos Spear has changed over the years. First it was a yellow lightning arrow that damages in Sonic Adventure 2, then in Shadow the Hedgehog, it was a light blue oval that damages, and in Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) it was a white/blue bolt of electricity that stuns. In Sonic Universe, it was a green lightning bolt-like spear. In Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, when you used Chaos Spear, they looked like purple lightning spears. In Sonic and the Black Knight, it was a small red arrow, and finally in Sonic Generations, it was yellow again.
 * In an early screenshot of Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), Shadow is shown piercing obstacles with Chaos Spears. However the Chaos Spears cannot be used for this in the final version of the game.
 * Also in Shadow the Hedgehog, the Shadow Rifle weapon which is unlocked by beating the Last Story fires shots that resemble chaos spears in this game.
 * In Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, the Chaos Spear has displayed the ability to explode, a trait absent in the past games in which Shadow used Chaos Spear.