Ghost (species)

Ghosts are a species that appear in the Sonic the Hedgehog series.

Anatomy
Ghosts generally have a pale, white complexion, and a translucent appearance, though the level of translucency can vary. Ghosts can vary in appearances, ranging from looking very humanoid to being nothing more than floating heads with arms and tails. One of the best-defined physical characteristics of Ghosts is their lack of legs, which is present in all members of their species, including the Mimic Ghost even after it transformed into Sonic /Tails and the Pumpkin ghost despite how vastly different its anatomy is.

Characteristics and culture
While the nature of ghosts is unclear, Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)  seems to imply that Ghosts are the remains of those who have passed away, though given how vastly different Renzo and Antonio are in comparison to other ghosts in the series, this may not be the case. It may also be that the term “Ghost” refers to two separate creatures in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, with one referring to spiritual creatures such as King Boom Boo while the other refers to the spirits of dead creatures such as Antonio.

Most ghosts seem to have a mischievous and downright childish personality, as they appear to enjoy playing pranks on others, though will not actually physically harm them. This is exemplified by Lah, who spends most of her time laughing at the pictures of scared children. Also, Boos in Sonic Adventure 2 often scare the player after popping out of the ground and also hold onto them for sometime before letting go and vanishing, despite neither of these two maneuvers causing physical damage. Pumpkin ghosts are another example of the Ghosts’ prankster behaviour, as they will appear in front of the player without harming them, simply standing in place and laughing before disappearing the player attempts to attack them. However, with that said, there are still certain Boos and Pumpkin ghosts that will try and harm the player, which may hint at more malicious mannerisms. King Boom Boo is also an example of more malicious Ghosts, as he is shown laughing at the pain of others.

Ghosts appear to enjoy inhabiting abandoned areas, such as deserts, empty mansions , and graveyards , which is a direct parallel to certain real-life beliefs about where ghosts live.

Powers and abilities
Ghosts share a handful of similar powers, which include flying/levitating, turning invisible, and moving through physical objects, though some members possess individual powers. King Boom Boo has shown the ability to breath and crate blue flames, and the Bandana and Bow Tie ghosts have shown the ability to fuse with one another, while the Mimic Ghost has displayed the capability to transform its appearance into other beings.

As shown by King Boom Boo and the Hyudoros, Ghosts appear to generally be weak to light, which is why they reside in dark, indoor areas (such as Aquatic Mine and the pyramid of Sandopolis) and only come out at night and sunset when there is little to no light.

Ghosts have also shown the ability to merge with walls and floors, as demonstrtaed by King Boom Boo and the two male ghosts in Night of the Werehog.

Some Ghosts, such as Lah and the Mimic Ghost, have also shown th ability to shape shift at will, taking on the forms of other beings.

Sonic X
In the Sonic X anime and its comic book spin off, Boos, Boom Boos , and King Boom Boo are natural inhabitants of Earth rather than Sonic’s world. They reside in haunted mansions and are released from their sleep when the Talisman is removed.

Another Ghost, known as Captain MacGuffin, is he spirit of a deceased pirate.

Sonic the Comic
Hyudoros appear in Sonic the Comic, where their characteristics and abilities parallel their game counterpart.

Two other undead Ghosts who were formerly living beings appear in this series, namely Filch  and the Spirit of the Herd.