- "G.U.N. Commander" redirects here. For other commanders, see Commander (disambiguation).
Abraham Tower[2] (エイブラハム・タワー[2] Eiburahamu Tawā?), commonly known as the Commander[3] (司令官[4] Shireikan?), is a character that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. He is a human military leader and the highest-ranking commander of the Guardian Units of Nations.[3]
During his childhood aboard the Space Colony ARK, he befriended Maria Robotnik and witnessed the creation of Shadow the Hedgehog. After the ARK was invaded by G.U.N., Abraham blamed Shadow for the deaths of Maria and his family. He carried a grudge against the hedgehog for fifty years, until he finally discovered the truth.
Quick Answers
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Appearance[]
Commander Abraham Tower is a human man with a lined face, peach-tanned skin and short gray hair. He is well over 50 years old, having been a young child 50 years ago during the creation of Shadow. He has complete heterochromia, with his left eye being green and his right eye being brown. His attire consists of a gray service dress uniform with four gold stars on red backings upon the shoulder boards and jacket collar. There is a G.U.N. emblem on the upper left sleeve, and red and blue stripes on the lower sleeves and pants. The stripes, with gold detailing partially over a center red stripe, are present on the front left side of his jacket as well. He also wears black combat boots and white gloves.
In his childhood, he wore a red polo shirt with white trims, beige-brown shorts, white socks with a red trim, and red shoes with a white stripe down the center and white soles. Despite being younger, Abraham still had gray hair, suggesting that it's his natural hair color as opposed to the result of aging.
History[]
Past[]
A young Abe witnessing Shadow's creation, from Shadow the Hedgehog.
Abraham was born on the Space Colony ARK, thanks to an unexpected pregnancy of two of the staff working there.[5] As he grew up, he befriended Maria Robotnik, and because he had no siblings of his own, came to see her as an older sister.[note 1] One day, while playing with her, Abraham secretly stumbled upon Shadow the Hedgehog being created by Black Doom and Professor Gerald Robotnik, and was terrified at the sight. Burdened by this knowledge, he came to distrust Professor Gerald and remain fearful of Shadow.[6]
Abraham's location during G.U.N.'s raid on the ARK is unclear, though he evidently was not harmed. However, both his parents and Maria perished. Partly because of G.U.N. doing an extensive coverup of the raid to such an extent that future commanders weren't privy to the full story, Abraham blamed Shadow for the incident and developed a deep grudge towards him. Many years later, he became G.U.N.'s commander.
Shadow the Hedgehog[]
Abraham leading G.U.N. during the Black Arms' invasion, from Shadow the Hedgehog.
In Shadow the Hedgehog, when the Black Arms made a full-scale invasion of Earth, the Commander deployed G.U.N. troops all around the world to repel the aliens and protect civilians. Throughout the invasion, he received numerous reports on the state of the conflict. When he learned that Shadow was involved in the invasion in some way, he authorized his troops to kill Shadow on sight.[7]
The Commander can appear in a number of possible outcomes. Before Air Fleet, a cutscene shows him escorting the President to his escape craft. Before G.U.N. Fortress, he is again shown escorting the President to safety. He pilots the mech Diablon as the Dark boss of G.U.N. Fortress, Black Comet, or Final Haunt, fighting Shadow alongside Sonic the Hedgehog. Alternatively, the Commander can confront Shadow aboard the ARK before Cosmic Fall, telling him his backstory with Maria before attempting to shoot him; however, Shadow avoids his attack and departs, swearing that he will find the truth of what happened on the ARK.
Following a series of unspecified events, Shadow would collect the seven Chaos Emeralds and was about to hand them over to Black Doom, the infamous leader of the Black Arms, at the Black Comet. Meanwhile, the Commander would stay at the G.U.N. Fortress, where he would watch with the President a video feed being broadcast all around the world and the Black Comet by Team Chaotix, in which Gerald Robotnik revealed the truth about the black hedgehog's creation. When Shadow defeated Doom for good, the President stated how ironic it was that people treated Gerald like he was evil, and he ended up saving them all in the end. Abraham realized that he was wrong about Shadow's intentions and that he was truly a hero. The President declared they would pay homage to Gerald by working for a brighter future, and the Commander agreed.
Following these events, the Commander revealed that he had become a grandfather one week earlier and invited Shadow over as part of his apology to the hedgehog.[8]
Other game appearances[]
Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood[]
The Commander briefly appears in Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood. After G.U.N. had spent much time tracking the Marauders and their exploits,[9] Rouge the Bat provided the means for Tails to meet with the Commander in Central City under her escort, and Tails brought along Sonic and Amy.[10] Although the Commander was glad to see Sonic, he did not pay much attention to Amy, telling her to have a glass of milk and sit down while she was in the middle of speaking.[11]
The Commander, from Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood.
The Commander informed them that they did not know why the Marauders wanted the Chaos Emeralds, and that now they had all seven they were likely after the Master Emerald next. With G.U.N. troops guarding Angel Island, Tails' mission was to take his friends to find the person with the greatest intel in the Marauders: Knuckles the Echidna. With the information he knew, they could very well stop the Marauders. The Commander then got them started on where to search by providing them with the locations of four of Dr. Eggman's old hideouts in Green Hill and Central City, found by Team Chaotix and G.U.N.'s own satellites. These bases were currently being occupied by the Marauders and were likely where Knuckles was being held, so the Commander ordered the trio and Rouge (as their G.U.N. contact) to investigate the four hideouts and find Knuckles. The Commander wished them good luck and ordered them to go.[12] From this point on he's not physically seen for the rest of the game, as a G.U.N. Soldier will claim he's busy.
Shadow Generations[]
In Shadow Generations, while the Commander does not make a physical appearance, his younger self is mentioned in dialogue by Maria, who wonders about Abraham's whereabouts after she was transported to White Space.[13]
Personality[]
The Commander is described as having a "heart of stone", an unshakable resolve, complete confidence and an iron will.[3] This is something of a misnomer, as he is in fact passionate, though it has mainly been shown through his want for vengeance at those he cared for being killed. During the Black Arms incident, he was determined and willing to sacrifice anything to stop Shadow and the Black Arms, but mainly the former since he believed that Shadow was a monster as a child, causing Abraham to be disgusted with him and the hedgehog's creation led up to the deaths of Maria and his family. Although the Commander appears to be quite stern and was focused on revenge, it's shown that he was regretful after the Black Arms were eliminated and let go of his anger towards Shadow. Afterwards, he tried to make amends with Shadow and began behaving more like an ally to the hedgehog. During his youth, he is seemingly playful, even shown to be on good terms with Maria and his family.
Powers and abilities[]
The Commander cocking his Pistol, from Shadow the Hedgehog.
As the highest-ranking commander of G.U.N., Abraham is an exceptional military leader and tactician, his skills in the field being best demonstrated during the war against the Black Arms. He is also shown to be an expert mech pilot, having piloted the Diablon in a heated battle with Shadow during possible outcomes of the Black Arms' invasion.
Equipment[]
Abraham is known to carry a Pistol. His exact proficiency with it is unknown.
Relationships[]
Shadow the Hedgehog[]
Shadow and the Commander back to back, from Shadow the Hedgehog.
Abraham initially considered Shadow the Hedgehog his enemy. After seeing him being created by Professor Gerald and Black Doom in his childhood, Tower came to fear Shadow, eventually blaming him for the deaths of his family and Maria in the G.U.N. raid on the Space Colony ARK. During the Black Arms' invasion on the Earth, he had reason to believe Shadow was in league with them and ordered his troops to kill him on sight. Multiple times he swore to exact his revenge on the hedgehog. In one outcome, he furiously ordered the mobilization of Diablon in order to personally defeat Shadow.
In another scenario, Tower personally confronted Shadow and attempted to shoot him, believing that Shadow's claims of not remembering his past were lies to avoid being brought to justice. However, after Shadow dodged the bullet and stated he would submit to justice if what the Commander said was true, Abraham realized Shadow really was amnesiac and fell to his knees, apparently feeling guilt for what he nearly did.
After the Black Arms were destroyed, Commander Tower apologized to Shadow for his vendetta and even invited him over in an attempt to make amends. This was further shown in Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings, where he allows Shadow to steal a shuttle from G.U.N. and expresses with some frustration that he would have let Shadow take it, had the hedgehog asked before attacking the base.
Maria Robotnik[]
Maria embracing the young Abraham, from Shadow the Hedgehog.
During his childhood, Abraham became good friends with Maria Robotnik aboard the ARK. Because they were the only two children on the ARK and Abraham had no siblings, he formed a brother-sister relationship with Maria. The two of them would often play with each other, though Maria would sometimes be annoyed with his antics and chase him around, but they still cared for one another. Abraham and Maria are also shown in a photograph in Gerald Robotnik's Journal, where they are reading a book together. Abraham suffered a deep loss when Maria was killed during the G.U.N. raid on the ARK. Her death still affected him even after making amends with Shadow, as shown by his acknowledging with some grief that even now, Maria was probably the only one who Shadow might listen to when Rouge pointed this out.[14]
Gerald Robotnik[]
After seeing Professor Gerald Robotnik creating Shadow with Black Doom, Abraham came to distrust him and called him insane. He blamed him for the creation of Shadow, whom he vehemently hated. His opinion of the professor changed upon learning the truth of Gerald's deal with Black Doom, agreeing with the President that he ultimately saved the world and ought to be recognized for it.
Friends/allies[]
- Amy Rose
- Knuckles the Echidna
- Guardian Units of Nations
- Maria Robotnik (good friend, close as siblings)
- Miles "Tails" Prower
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Team Chaotix
- United Federation
Neutral[]
Enemies[]
In other media[]
Animation[]
Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings[]
Abraham Tower in Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings.
In Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings, Commander Abraham Tower appears several times, and this was where his name was first revealed. He is first seen as a child in "Finding the Way" during a flashback to 50 years ago aboard the Space Colony ARK. Maria bumps into him as he flees from Shadow and a room containing a Death Leech, expressing disgust on his way. Abe then watches through the door's window as Maria speaks tenderly with Shadow, with a troubled expression on his face.
Commander Tower returns in "To the ARK" during the present day. When Shadow steals a shuttle to reach the ARK, Abraham authorizes the launch at the last second, preventing G.U.N. security from shooting Shadow down. He expresses frustration that Shadow didn't request his help, and he and Rouge the Bat both agree that only someone like Maria could ever talk him down. Notably, this series was the first piece of official media to use the name "Abraham Tower" for the Commander's game counterpart because Maria only used his nickname "Abe" as opposed to his full name in the previous episode.
Books and comics[]
Sonic Chronicles (manga)[]
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Archie Comics[]
Abraham Tower, from Sonic Universe #59.
In the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by Archie Comics, the Commander is named Abraham Tower, which would later be carried into the game continuity. Originally, he was an Overlander who was born in Mega Central and lived with his scientist parents on the Space Colony ARK. There, he befriended Maria Robotnik, and witnessed the nightmarish creation of Shadow the Hedgehog. Shortly after Shadow's birth, Tower was whisked back to Mobius as the ARK went under military lockdown. Maria was one of the casualties cited, and the young Abraham blamed both G.U.N., for its seeming incompetence, and Shadow. He later joined the Overland Military and took part in the Heritage Project, designed to restore ties between the Overland and their ancestral kin in the United Federation. He later served as a general during the Great War. After the war he helped lead immigrating Overlanders, and his military experiences saw him quickly rise through the ranks of G.U.N., eventually to become supreme commander of the organization. As commander, Abraham made sweeping changes to G.U.N., diminishing its ruthlessness and self-importance and making it the military force he wanted it to be. Despite their past, Abraham later allowed Shadow to join G.U.N., where he acted as his superior and arranged the formation of Team Dark.
After the Super Genesis Wave re-wrote history, Tower and his history became virtually identical to that of his game counterpart. During the Shattered World Crisis, he also lead G.U.N. when the Black Arms returned to Sonic's World.
Film[]
Paramount[]
In the Sonic the Hedgehog film series produced by Paramount Pictures and its spin-offs, a similar character called Commander Walters is the highest authority of the United States Armed Forces.
Quotes[]
- "Shadow? Deploy the troops, NOW! And if you find Shadow with the black aliens...then kill them all!"
- —The Commander after being told Shadow is in Westopolis, Shadow the Hedgehog
- "You can't fool me, Shadow! This time, you're MINE!"
- —The Commander after finding out Shadow was in Westopolis, Shadow the Hedgehog
- "Well done, captain. What about Shadow?"
- —The Commander congratulating his captain, Shadow the Hedgehog
- "Alert all field commanders in sector B; I'm authorizing full use of all tactical weapons. I want both Black Aliens and Shadow stopped and buried. Failure is not an option."
- —The Commander ordering his captain to stop Shadow with the black aliens in the Death Ruins, Shadow the Hedgehog
- "(chuckles) It's over, Shadow. You'll finally be exposed and eradicated for the evil that you are."
- —The Commander determined to have the last laugh, Shadow the Hedgehog
- "The Black Creatures will feel their own bloody hell!"
- —The Commander before he and the President leave the White House, Shadow the Hedgehog
- "So he's finally to show himself! Attention all command units, mobilize all mech battle sections! Prepare all weapons to strike incoming vessels! Mobilize Diablon! (...) I don't care! We have no other option! We must protect the president and the Chaos Emeralds at all costs!"
- —The Commander ordering his soldiers to defend their objectives, Shadow the Hedgehog
- "Shadow... damn you! It's been fifty years. Justice will finally be served."
- —The Commander loading his Pistol to kill Shadow for intruding the G.U.N. Fortress, Shadow the Hedgehog
- "YOU! You're the one who destroyed the ARK and killed everyone on it! It's time to settle this once and for all!!"
- —The Commander teaming up with Sonic to defeat Shadow once and for all, Shadow the Hedgehog
- "It's been a long time, Shadow. (...) I know you... Shadow the Hedgehog! You killed everyone I loved: My family; Maria. I've been waiting all my life for this day!!!"
- —The Commander appearing in front of Shadow, confronting him, Shadow the Hedgehog
- "Maria was like a sister to me, she was the only family I knew... and because of you she was killed! Witnessing it all, the plan to create that horrifying evil creature... that black creature and that insane professor who unleashed it all! (...) You don't fool me! It's not just about Maria! Thanks to you, everyone I knew and loved was killed when the ARK was destroyed! Worst of all, MY family! Finally... JUSTICE IS SERVED!!!"
- —The Commander talking with Shadow in person for the first time, even when he tried to kill him, Shadow the Hedgehog
- "Excellent idea, Mr. President."
- —The Commander agreeing to the President that humanity will pay homage to Gerald Robotnik, in the end of Shadow the Hedgehog.
- "Shadow, do you read me? First... I want to apologize for the other day. Actually, I just became a grandfather last week, and I was thinking of maybe having you over. I know that training is tough, but try and do your best."
- —The Commander during the Expert Mode in Space Gadget, Shadow the Hedgehog
- "Tell that freak to stay away from me!"
- —Abraham expressing his hatred for Shadow to Maria, in the episode "Finding the Way" of Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings.
- "If that's the case... despite all that's passed between us, he saved the world from Black Doom, he should've known I would've supported him if he'd asked. (...) You could've talked him down, Rouge! (...) True... and she was lost to us a long time ago..."
- —The Commander stating how he would have supported Shadow taking a shuttle from G.U.N headquarters before lamenting about Maria's death, in the episode "To the ARK" of Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings.
Trivia[]
- On the back of the physical covers for the European Nintendo GameCube release of Shadow the Hedgehog, The Commander is labeled as "the General". This is most likely an error, as this is the only instance of when he is referred to as such.
- It happens that four silver stars are the formal insignia for a General in the United States Armed Forces. The Commander has four stars on the shoulder boards of his uniform, though they are gold in color.
- The Commander is one of the few Sonic characters with heterochromia (the other being Infinite), resulting in him having one green eye and one brown eye. This detail is not present in Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, where both of his eyes are black.
- In Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, the Commander's design was reused for the G.U.N. Official, who is encountered in Blue Ridge Zone.
- The Commander was not given a full name for most of his appearances in the series, being referred as only by his title, until his full name was first hinted in the episode "Finding the Way" of Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings, before being officially revealed as "Abraham Tower" in the episode "To the ARK". The name would later make its first appearance in the games in Shadow Generations. This name was carried over from his Archie comics counterpart of the same name.
- According to Ian Flynn, he wanted to give the Commander a name so that he could be utilized easily. He suggested and asked if they could use that name specifically for the Commander since he was a character from the games to begin with, and that it is what the character was called during his work on the comic series. After verification of the subject in matter, Sega agreed for the utilization of the name itself.[16]
- Additionally, he also asked if they could use the name "Walters" from Commander Walters. Sega denied as it was a film series-exclusive character, who served as an adaptation of the video game character. As a joke, he then asked if they could name him "Oliver Garden". Although that was obviously denied, it did cause the staff to have a hard laugh.[16]
- According to Ian Flynn, he wanted to give the Commander a name so that he could be utilized easily. He suggested and asked if they could use that name specifically for the Commander since he was a character from the games to begin with, and that it is what the character was called during his work on the comic series. After verification of the subject in matter, Sega agreed for the utilization of the name itself.[16]
- In one of the deleted scenes from Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings, Abraham is shown as a child in a flashback to a classroom aboard the ARK 50 years ago. It shows Shadow mocking Abe for having trouble with schoolwork until Maria defuses the situation and forces them to make up. This was meant to be his original appearance in the series, but it was moved to the second episode.
Notes[]
- ↑ In the English dub of Shadow the Hedgehog, the Commander calls Maria the "only family he knew", later contradicting this by claiming the raid took the lives of both Maria and his family. This has caused some confusion. The original Japanese version clarifies that Maria was the closest thing to a sibling he had, and that his parents were indeed present as family. Shadow Generations further clarifies this, with Maria directly referencing his parents in her White Space dialogue.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://x.com/sonic_hedgehog/status/1860133704859025419?s=46
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Flynn, Ian (10 October 2024). "To the ARK". Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings. Episode 3. YouTube.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Shadow the Hedgehog (Nintendo GameCube) United States instruction booklet, pg. 9.
- ↑ Shadow the Hedgehog (Nintendo GameCube) Japanese instruction booklet, pg. 11.
- ↑ Ian Flynn (22 October 2024). "Entry #428". Gerald Robotnik's Journal.
- ↑ Sonic Team (15 November 2005). Shadow the Hedgehog. Nintendo GameCube. Sega. "Commander: Maria was like a sister to me. She was the only family I knew! And because of you... she was killed! Witnessing it all... the plan to create that horrifying evil creature... that black creature, and that insane professor who unleashed it all!"
- ↑ Sonic Team (15 November 2005). Shadow the Hedgehog. Nintendo GameCube. Sega. Cutscene: After Westopolis. "GUN Captain: The black aliens have hit six major cities around the world, and every city is reporting significant damage and casualties. Among them, Westopolis has received the heaviest casualties due to its weakened defense system. Downtown Westopolis has been almost completely destroyed. Unconfirmed sources have also reported seeing a black hedgehog in Westopolis. / Commander: Shadow? Deploy the troops, NOW! And if you find Shadow with the black aliens, then kill them all! / GUN Captain: But sir, isn't Shadow on our side... sir?! / Commander: I gave you an order, soldier! He's evil and he's the enemy! You can't fool me, Shadow! This time, you're MINE!"
- ↑ Sega Studio USA (15 November 2005). Shadow the Hedgehog. Nintendo GameCube. Sega. Area/Level: Space Gadget (Expert Mode). "Commander: Shadow, do you read me? First.. I want to.. apologize.. for the other day. Actually, I just became a grandfather last week, and I was thinking of maybe having you over."
- ↑ BioWare (20 September 2008). Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood. Nintendo DS. Sega. "Commander: As you know, we've been tracking the Marauders for some time."
- ↑ BioWare (20 September 2008). Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood. Nintendo DS. Sega. "Rouge: Mmm. Hey there, sweetie. I see the gang's all here. Let's go see the Commander. / Sonic: Why should we follow you, Rouge? / Rouge: Because I'm the only reason you're getting in to see the Commander, and the Commander is the only one who can help you."
- ↑ BioWare (20 September 2008). Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood. Nintendo DS. Sega. "Commander: Ah! Tails! There you are. And you brought Sonic! Brilliant! / Amy: Actually, Sonic was nice enough to-- / Commander: That's lovely. Have a glass of milk and sit down."
- ↑ BioWare (20 September 2008). Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood. Nintendo DS. Sega. "Commander: Tails probably briefed you on the situation, so let us begin. We don't know why the Marauders wanted the Emeralds, but now they have them, they're likely to go after the Master Emerald next. / Amy: What about Knuckles? / Commander: Knuckles is the only one who has seen the Marauders up close. He knows more about them than anyone in the world. I believe that to stop the Marauders, you need to extract your friend Knuckles and learn everything you can about them. / Tails: But Knuckles could be anywhere! We have no idea where to look! / Commander: Ah yes. Where to look. We have just the thing. As you know, we've been tracking the Marauders for some time. For a while, we had no luck. But recently, our satellites noticed some activity at Green Hill Zone and Central City. / Rouge: Recognize those places? / Tails: Those are Eggman's old hideouts. / Amy: Could the Marauders be working for Eggman? / Commander: We don't jump to conclusions here. We have to work with the facts. Unfortunately, we can't tell which, if any, of these hideouts is the one where they're keeping Knuckles. We're not taking chances. We've posted soldiers in Mystic Ruins to watch over Angel Island. Vector the Crocodile and Team Chaotix have volunteered to scout for further clues. They're on the channel now. / Vector: Yo, Sonic. It's about time you came back. / Commander: They have been instrumental in pinning down these four locations. Now it's up to you to explore them for signs of Knuckles. Sonic, you and your team will go to each of the hideouts and investigate. Rouge will go with you as your contact with GUN. / Sonic: So, instead of GUN troops, you're giving us ROUGE? / Commander: I can't spare troops, son. The Marauders are a major threat, and I can't leave the land unsecured. Besides, rescuing the echidna takes the kind of small-unit tactics you and your team are known for. / Rouge: I'm better than any boneheaded GUN troops, anyway. I promise, with Rouge around, you won't miss those soldiers a bit. / Commander: Good. Our satellites have picked up activity at two locations in Green Hill Zone and two places inside Central City. We'll mark them on your map. Visit each one, and you should find the echidna. Good luck, team. Now go."
- ↑ Sonic Team (25 October 2024). Shadow Generations. Sega. "Maria: Have you seen Abe? You know, little Abraham Tower? I'm worried about him. He's the only other kid on the ARK with us. Sometimes he feels like my little brother, hee-hee!"
- ↑ Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings episode 3: "To the ARK". Commander: "You could have talked him down, Rouge!" Rouge: "There's only one person who could ever do that." Commander: "True. And she was lost to us a long time ago."
- ↑ Her name was listed in Gerald's Journal in the Japanese Copy addressed to Tower.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Talkin' Shadow Gens w/ KaiZenAmen | BumbleKast for Nov 29 - Ian Flynn Q&A (1000th Video Special!) (14:39). YouTube. BumbleKing Videos (29 November 2024). Retrieved on 1 December 2024.
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