Information in this article may not be canonical to the storyline of the games or any other Sonic continuity. |
Longclaw the Giant Owl[4] is a character that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog film series produced by Paramount Pictures and its spin-offs. She was an anthropomorphic owl warrior and the last of her kind, and served as the guardian of the Master Emerald. She was also the guardian of Sonic the Hedgehog during his early childhood. She ultimately met her end while sending Sonic to Earth in order to protect him from her kind's arch enemy, the echidnas.
Appearance[]
Longclaw was an anthropomorphic owl, albeit notably more realistic in appearance than any of the other anthropomorphic animals from Mobius. She possessed purple-brown feathers on most of her body, while her face was covered in white feathers, with light brown feathers extending from her nose ridge and over her eyes, forming eyebrows. She also possessed blue eyes and a short and curved black beak. Additionally, she had two light brown and black-striped feathers coming out from behind her ear-tufts that are reminiscent of a great horned owl, and large mottled brown wings. Longclaw had small dexterous digits on her wrist joints, which were separate from her primary feathers, not unlike the forelimbs of a small, feathered dinosaur.
For attire, Longclaw wore golden armor with notable details engraved on it that covered the front of her torso and was held in place by a collar around her neck and brown straps on her lower abdomen.
History[]
Film series[]
Past[]
Longclaw was the last of the owls, an order of heroes who had been fighting the echidnas for centuries over the Master Emerald, the most powerful weapon in the universe, which the owls had hidden away on a distant planet called Earth. As the last of her kind, Longclaw served as the protector of the Master Emerald's secrets.
Sonic the Hedgehog[]
On Mobius, a now elderly owl Longclaw would take care of Sonic the Hedgehog during his childhood, living with him on a distant island. From early on, Longclaw urged Sonic to keep his extraordinary powers hidden. Being a kid, however, Sonic did the opposite.
Learning, however, that someday she will pass away, Longclaw prepared a holographic message for Sonic in a map. In it, Longclaw tells Sonic about the Master Emerald and how to find it, and that she would entrust him with the task of safeguarding the relic.
One day, Longclaw was awoken when Sonic arrived at their house after returning from a run with a flower for her. While Longclaw was touched, she noticed that the echidnas had followed Sonic to them. As she escaped with Sonic however, Longclaw's wing got wounded by an arrow from Pachacamac. Now unable to take Sonic anywhere, Longclaw opened a Ring portal to Earth for Sonic to hide on. As they parted ways, Longclaw gave Sonic her Rings and instructed him to stay in hiding and escape to another world if he was discovered. Once Sonic was through the portal, Longclaw made a stand against the incoming echidnas, saying goodbye to Sonic as the portal closed behind her.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2[]
The legacy of Longclaw would live on with Sonic, who kept one of her feathers in his room in the Wachowski house and sought to make Longclaw proud by becoming a hero. When Knuckles later came after Sonic, he and Tails looked for a connection between him, Longclaw and the Master Emerald in a map of safe worlds that Longclaw had left Sonic. Upon taking a look at it, Sonic triggered the holographic message from Longclaw in the map that she had left for him.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3[]
In this movie, Sonic pays tribute to Longclaw in his former place of residence, the Hedgehog Cave.
Comics[]
Sonic the Hedgehog: The Adventures of Sonic & Donut Lord[]
On Mobius, Longclaw served as the sensei of Sonic the Hedgehog, living with him on a distant island. She always told Sonic to keep his extraordinary powers a secret. One day however, power-hungry bad guys came to their island, and Longclaw gave her life in order to send Sonic to Earth. Before parting ways with Sonic though, Longclaw gave Sonic her bag of Rings and instructed him to stay hidden and to use a Ring to flee to another world if he was ever discovered.[5]
Sonic the Hedgehog 2: The Official Movie Pre-Quill[]
After Longclaw fell, the place where she died, Green Hill Zone, became sacred ground, which no one would visit for years out of respect. In addition, a memorial to Longclaw would be set up in the now-abandoned home where she raised Sonic.[6]
TV shows[]
Knuckles[]
The Flames of Disaster[]
Jack Sinclair is shown costuming as her.
Game appearances[]
Sonic Dash[]
In Sonic Dash, as a form of promotion for the Sonic the Hedgehog film, Longclaw was added as a playable character. In this game, she can be unlocked by obtaining 500 of her Character Cards.
Image | Rarity | Affinity Bonus | Upgrade Profile | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Power-Up | Highest level | |||
Legendary | N/A | Dash Boost | 9 | |
x2 Multiplier | 11 | |||
Magnet | 9 | |||
Shield | 11 | |||
Headstart | 10 |
Sonic Forces: Speed Battle[]
In Sonic Forces: Speed Battle, in promotion for the Sonic the Hedgehog film, Longclaw made an appearance as a playable character. She was added to the game's roster in the version 2.17.0 update. She has the following gameplay characteristics:
Image | Rarity | Stats | Items | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Projectile | Boost | Trap | |||
Special |
Speed: 8/10 Acceleration: 10/10 Strength: 6/10 |
Lightning | Wind Boost | Cyclone Charge |
Sonic Dash+[]
In Sonic Dash+, as a form of promotion for Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Longclaw makes an appearance as a playable character. In this game, she can be unlocked by obtaining 500 of her Character Tokens.
Image | Affinity Bonus | Unlock Requirement | Upgrade Profile | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Power-Up | Highest level | |||
Obtain 500 | Dash Boost | 9 | ||
x2 Multiplier | 11 | |||
Magnet | 9 | |||
Shield | 11 | |||
Headstart | 10 |
Personality[]
Longclaw was a wise, maternal and noble owl, having been described by Sonic as "basically Obi-Wan Kenobi, if Obi-Wan Kenobi had a beak and ate mice." Akin to a zen master,[5] Longclaw was peaceful and calm as well; she would never raise her voice in front of Sonic, even when he disobeyed her. As a warrior owl, she would likewise stay courageously steadfast and composed in even the worst of situations.
Opting to stay hidden rather than fight, Longclaw showed an overprotective way of thinking, believing that the only way to stay safe from bad people that seek what one possesses is to remain in hiding and escape to a new hiding place if discovered. This reasoning led her to instruct Sonic to live in hiding for the remainder of his life so that he could stay safe.
Powers and abilities[]
Thanks to her wings, Longclaw was capable of flight. She also had the unique ability to use both her wings and talons as prehensile limbs.
Relationships[]
Sonic the Hedgehog[]
Somewhat of a mentor and foster mother for Sonic the Hedgehog, Longclaw loved Sonic very much and recognized him for the special heart that he possesses. She was likewise extremely protective of Sonic, so much that she urged him to keep his powers hidden in order to keep him safe, and instructed him to live in isolation for all his life so that he would not be targeted by people seeking him for his powers, although it was on the grounds that she knew that someone who always seek him for his powers. Although she would get upset with Sonic when he disobeyed her or acted recklessly, she would never raise her voice in front of him and would appreciate the kindness Sonic would show her by bringing her gifts from his runs. She also cared extremely much about his well-being, having done everything in her power to keep him safe until they parted ways, even though it meant giving up her own life, all while sincerely regretting their separation.
Friends/allies[]
- Owls
- Sonic the Hedgehog (apprentice)
Enemies[]
Trivia[]
- Longclaw somewhat resembles the owl head-shaped tiles which can be seen in Labyrinth Zone in the original Sonic the Hedgehog.
- One of said tile designs makes an appearance near the start of the film engraved into a rock.
- It is possible she may have gotten some influence from Old Man Owl from Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie as well.
- In the film, Longclaw's relationship with Sonic may be a reference to Stay Sonic, a book in which Sonic the Hedgehog was stated to be found by an owl named Sophocles.[7]
- Longclaw's role in the narrative of the movies mirrors that of different characters from the game's source material. It is unknown if this was a conscious decision from the movie's staff.
- As the last member of a tribe of warriors, and the protector of the Master Emerald, Longclaw' role is similar to that of Knuckles the Echidna, whose movie's counterpart is reworked to make him a treasure hunter looking for the Master Emerald.
- Longclaw, like Chaos, protected the Master Emerald and caused the extinction of the Echidnas in response to the tribe attacking for control of the gem.
- In a deleted scene, Longclaw's original fate is revealed to be different from the final film's: after the echidna attack, she flees to Earth with Sonic and she lives in isolation with him until she dies of old age.
- Longclaw is named differently in several languages, some of which have different meanings.
- The literal translation of "long claw" is adopted in the following dubs:
- Brazilian Portuguese: "Garra Longa"
- Cantonese: "長爪" (coeng4 zaau2)
- Hungarian: "Hosszúkarom"
- Icelandic: "Langkló"
- Latin Spanish: "Garra Larga"
- Mandarin Chinese (mainland and Taiwan): "长爪/長爪" (Cháng zhuǎ)
- Romanian: "Gherălungă"
- Russian: "Длинный Коготь" (Dlinnyy Kogot)
- Turkish: "Uzun Pençe"
- Vietnamese: "Móng Dài"
- In the Canadian French dub of the Sonic the Hedgehog film series, Longclaw is called "Grand-Bec", which is French for "Big Beak". Her name in the European French dub, however, remains the same as her English name.
- The Bulgarian dub adopts the name "Дългоноката" (Dŭlgonokata), which translates to "The long-legged".
- The Croatian dub adopts the name "Sova", which translates to "owl".
- The Polish dub adopts the name "Szpona", which translates to "talon".
- The Ukrainian dub adopts the name "Гострокігтя" (Hostrokihtya), which translates to "Sharpclaw".
- The singular name "claw" is adopted in the Serbian ("Kandža") and Slovene dubs ("Krempelj").
- The literal translation of "long claw" is adopted in the following dubs:
- According to Pat Casey (one of the writers of the Sonic the Hedgehog film series), he does not know if Longclaw is dead, even though she was confirmed to be dead in 2022's Sonic the Hedgehog 2.[8]]
- Sonic refer to Longclaw as Obi-Wan Kenobi who ate mice which have similarities like:
- Both protecting a young ward who has potential so save the world. (Luke, Sonic)
- Gets hunted down by an enemies wearing mask (Empire, Echidnas)
- Young ward witnesses their deaths.
- Both appeared in their later life as a hologram (Force Spirit, Message)
Notes[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Could use this move in Sonic Dash.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Could use this move in Sonic Forces: Speed Battle.
References[]
- ↑ Concept for Sonic the Hedgehog, Bayard Wu. Artstation (29 March 2020). Archived from the original on 31 March 2020.
- ↑ ソニック・ザ・ムービー (Japanese) (16 June 2020). Archived from the original on 17 June 2020. Retrieved on 19 May 2021.
- ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog 2: The Official Movie Pre-Quill, "Two For The Road"
- ↑ Taccone, Jorma (26 April 2024). "The Flames of Disaster". Knuckles (TV series). Season 1. Episode 4. Paramount+.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Sonic the Hedgehog: The Adventures of Sonic & Donut Lord, "The Adventures of Sonic & Donut Lord"
- ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog 2: The Official Movie Pre-Quill, "Two For The Road"
- ↑ Pattenden, Mike (4 January 1993). "Sonic the Hedgehog". Stay Sonic. Fantail. pp. 17–18. ISBN 978-0140903904. "No-one is quite sure how Sonic arrived in the Green Hill Zone. He was found wandering in a daze one day by Sophocles, a sharp-eyed owl. A number of different possibilities have been suggested, though there is little hard evidence to support any of them. Quite simply, one day he wasn't there, the next he was."
- ↑ [1]