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Information in this article may not be canonical to the storyline of the games or any other Sonic continuity. |
Shadow the Hedgehog is a character that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog film series produced by Paramount Pictures. He is an anthropomorphic alien hedgehog who fell to Earth in a meteor and became part of a secret government experiment called Project Shadow led by Professor Gerald Robotnik. Upon his arrival, Shadow befriended Gerald's granddaughter, Maria. However, the Guardian Units of Nations, believing Shadow to be a threat, invaded Gerald's laboratory, causing an explosion that killed Maria while Shadow was placed in a state of suspended animation.
Fifty years later, Shadow was awakened from his suspended animation on Prison Island by Gerald to carry out his revenge plot against humanity for Maria's death with the help of Gerald's grandson, Dr. Eggman, coming into conflict with Team Sonic. By managing to infiltrate the G.U.N. HQ, Shadow and Team Robotnik managed to deploy the Eclipse Cannon with the intention of destroying Earth. In his decisive duel against his newfound arch-rival, Sonic the Hedgehog, Shadow was able to come to terms with his past and decided to help Sonic and his friends save the planet to honor Maria. Using the Chaos Emeralds, Sonic and Shadow worked together to stop the cannon, with Shadow and Dr. Eggman sacrificing themselves to destroy the weapon. However, Shadow survived and returned to Earth.
Quick Answers
What is the origin of Shadow the Hedgehog in the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movie?
What is the role of Shadow in the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3 film?
How is Shadow the Hedgehog related to Dr. Ivo Robotnik in the Sonic series?
What is the significance of Project Shadow in the Sonic the Hedgehog universe?
What are the distinctive physical features of Shadow the Hedgehog in the Sonic movies?
Concept and creation[]
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Appearance[]
Shadow's eyes, from Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film).
Shadow is a black-furred anthropomorphic alien hedgehog resembling Sonic himself albeit in black and red and multiple other differences. He has red eyes, a patch of white fur on his chest, a black nose, a tan muzzle and small and triangular ears with tan canals, he also has tan countershading on his muzzle that extends to the center of his nose ridge (though this is not always seen due to his constant scowling). He has a sextet of quills on the back of his head, four curving upwards and three downwards, and a short and pointy tail. Some red stripes adorn the tops of each quill, the edges of his eyes and extend down the sides of all four limbs from the elbows and knees.
For attire, Shadow wears white gloves with black cuffs and red tongues; red, white and black shoes, which, like his gloves, have black cuffs and red tongues. He also wears golden Limiter Rings, one on each of his wrists and ankles.
History[]
Past[]
Shadow being placed in prison, from Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film).
Little is known about Shadow's exact origins and birthplace. but one night in 1974, a strange meteorite crash-landed in a quiet corner of rural Oklahoma, United States. U.S. military personnel arrived at the scene and confiscated the meteorite, eventually finding within it an alien being, Shadow.
In an experiment dubbed "Project Shadow", scientists began experimenting with the hedgehog's Chaos energy power, believing it would usher in a new era of humanity. Shadow eventually formed a close friendship with project leader Gerald Robotnik's granddaughter, Maria Robotnik.
However, Shadow was eventually deemed to be a threat to humanity and the project was canceled, with soldiers from the government's shadow ops program being sent to capture him. As Gerald attempted to escape his lab with Shadow and Maria, a stray shot from the soldiers hit one of the tanks of chaos energy, causing an explosion that killed Maria. With Gerald blamed for the disaster and sent to prison, Shadow, deemed too dangerous to roam free but also too valuable to kill, was put into indefinite stasis and hidden away in a black site research facility on Prison Island by Captain Walters.
Film series[]
Sonic the Hedgehog 2[]
Shadow's pod being reactivated, from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (film).
Fifty years later in 2024, soon after Eggman's defeat at the hands of Super Sonic, Shadow's capsule is reactivated within a remote research facility. He awakens inside his capsule with his eyes crackling with chaos energy.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3[]
Shadow fights Sonic in Tokyo, Japan, from Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film).
When Prison Island's systems are hacked into by Gerald, Shadow, awakening in his capsule, swiftly takes out every guard present and escapes. Utilizing his air shoes to blast across the ocean, Shadow makes his way to Tokyo, where he sees on a television screen that it is the year 2024, revealing to him that he was trapped for 50 years. When more G.U.N. soldiers surrounded him, he swiftly took out all of them and wreaked havoc in Tokyo right until Team Sonic arrived to stop him. After a short argument with Sonic on why they look like each other, Shadow took on Knuckles after he initiated an attack swiftly sending him flying into a nearby store. After overpowering the rest of Team Sonic, Shadow got on a motorbike and picked up a nearby gun, telling them not to follow him. Naturally, Sonic gave chase, dodging blasts from Shadow's gun as the two of them weaved through traffic, even managing to warp both himself and Sonic (who was clinging onto the bike's rear at the time) to avoid an incoming train in the way at one point. Deciding to go vertical, Shadow drove up a nearby tower and launched himself off the bike toward Sonic. The two collided in midair, sending out an energy surge that knocked out Tokyo's power. Handcuffing Sonic to a pole, Shadow successfully made his escape.
Shadow returned to the now abandoned Shadow Base where he used to live, sorrowfully reminiscing over his memories with Maria. There, he was surprised to be reunited with Gerald, who had expected his arrival. Shadow admitted that he couldn't forget Maria and the pain from losing her was too much for him. Gerald agreed and stated resolutely that they must punish the people responsible for Maria's death. Team Sonic, together with Dr. Eggman and Agent Stone, arrived soon after. Shadow easily captured Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, chaining them, while Gerald recruited Dr. Eggman, whom Shadow recognized as Gerald's long-lost grandson. Shadow then took the keycard that Commander Walters entrusted to Sonic, intending to use it to activate Gerald's greatest weapon, the Eclipse Cannon, and use it to destroy G.U.N.'s main headquarters in London. Sonic tried to dissuade Shadow not to let his anger changed who he truly was, but Shadow dismissed Sonic's attempt and firmly stated that this was who he truly was. He left Team Sonic to be sucked by a miniature black hole, and then went to London to steal the remaining keycard necessary to activate the cannon. Shadow wished to infiltrate G.U.N. and steal the keycard himself for his vengeance, but Gerald convinced him to stand down and let him and Dr. Eggman to do the heist while Shadow and Agent Stone waited for their return.
Shadow remembering Maria's death, from Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film).
While waiting for Gerald and Dr. Eggman, Shadow and Agent Stone watched the telenovela that Dr. Eggman watched before, with Shadow commenting the woman in the show, Gabriella, should just kill both her suitors because she's not some prize to be won. Agent Stone told Shadow to be more relaxed since they're going to rule over the world soon, but Shadow replied that once they were done, there would be nothing left to rule, a statement that bothered Agent Stone and made him question what Shadow's motives really were. They were interrupted by Tails who activated the underground water system to drown them. Shadow escaped by warping himself out, entering G.U.N. headquarters himself like he originally intended. He encountered Walters who was holding the second keycard. Resentful of Walters for what happened 50 years ago, Shadow attacked him with a charged punch and took the keycard. However, he was confused and surprised when Walters turned out to be Tom Wachowski in disguise. Sonic arrived soon after and was horrified to see Tom unconscious. As Sonic runs over to his body in grief, Shadow is reminded of his reaction to Maria’s death. Sonic furiously asked Shadow what he had done, and Shadow simply responded that he did what he had to do before leaving.
Shadow rescued Dr. Eggman and Gerald when they were surrounded by G.U.N. soldiers and went to the cannon's location. Using the two keycards, they activated the Eclipse Cannon and flew from one of London's rivers into space. Shadow began to have second thoughts, asking Gerald whether Maria truly wanted revenge. Gerald answered that it wasn't about what Maria would've wanted, but it's about what the world deserves, reminding Shadow what Maria meant to them and what the world took from them. This caused Shadow to recall the moment when Maria died, renewing his rage. Shadow then powered up the cannon with his chaos energy until it was enough for Gerald to prepare the firing sequence that would be fully charged in 10 minutes. Shadow ponders that Maria will get justice when suddenly a light is heading towards the station, Shadow thinks that G.U.N. was able to launch a missile, but after the quill Sonic gave Dr. Eggman earlier turns yellow, they all discover that the "missile" is Super Sonic, who rams Shadow and takes him out of the station. Sonic furiously tells Shadow that he hurt his family and that the hedgehogs’ conflict ends at that moment, Shadow declares to Sonic that the vengeful rage the latter is feeling made him understand his anger and the pain that he has felt for 50 years and that they both made the decision to take revenge. Sonic tells him that he is not like him to which Shadow tells him that they're going to see about that.
Sonic and Shadow fight for the Chaos Emeralds, from Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film).
Sonic and Shadow start fighting and crash on Earth. Shadow hides in the dust from the impact and Sonic yells at him to show himself, calling him a coward. As if on cue, Shadow reveals himself and hits Sonic hard enough to knock the Chaos Emeralds out of him. Sonic and Shadow try to grab the Chaos Emeralds to use them against each other, but they both reach for them at the same time and simultaneously, transforming them into Super Sonic and Super Shadow. Sonic tries to hit Shadow, but Shadow easily blocks it and tells Sonic that he was right about everything ending at that moment.
They begin a brutal and cataclysmic fight around the world that takes them to Cape Sounion, Greece, causing lava to erupt from the ground and causing mountains to crumble. Shadow eventually gains the upper hand and knocks Sonic into the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon. Taunting Sonic, Shadow asks him why he's alone and questions him as a hero saying that he abandoned his friends and family to get revenge, Sonic warns him not to talk about his family, but Shadow goes too far and tells Sonic that he thought he cared about his family, especially Tom. The mere mention of his father figure completely fills Sonic with intense fury as he lunges at Shadow, delivering a punch to so hard and powerful it sends him flying out of orbit. Shadow crashes into the Moon and returns to his normal form. He recovers just enough to see Sonic barreling towards him, who attacks him and drags him against the moon's surface, leaving him immobilized at his mercy. Shadow dares Sonic to end everything and kill him, pointing at his own chest where he wanted Sonic to land the final blow. However, Sonic remembers what Tom told him about he didn't let his pain change him, which allows him to not make the same mistake as Shadow and let the pain and rage turn him into something he is not.
Sonic and Shadow watch the sunrise, from Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film).
Sonic frees himself from his rage, lets go of Shadow and returns to his normal form. Shadow gets confused and tells Sonic that he won and can get revenge, but Sonic tells him that revenge doesn't make anyone win, leaving him stunned. Looking at the stars, Shadow tells Sonic that the last time he was watching the stars, Maria was with him. He felt the pain for so long that it was all that he knew. Sonic mention that when he lost Longclaw, he felt the same way. Shadow asked if his pain eventually went away, to which Sonic denied, but with time he realized there was something stronger than pain: his and Longclaw's love for each other and that was something that Shadow must hold on to, telling him that even though Maria is gone, his love for her will always remain. With Sonic's help, Shadow finally manages to free himself from the rage that blinded him for 50 years and remembers what Maria told him about how the light of a star shines even if the star is no longer there. Sonic notices that the Eclipse Cannon is beginning to power up a laser while Shadow blames himself for his actions and that rage blinded him for so long that he thought he had no choice, but Sonic tells him that he'll always have a choice and that making the right one is never easy, helping Shadow up. Sonic then states that he learned one more thing: when one messes up greatly, they can't fix it by themselves. Sonic and Shadow summon the Chaos Emeralds again and enter their Super states before flying towards the station. Gerald notices Shadow's change of heart and sends an army of robots to stop them. However, Sonic and Shadow swiftly take every one of them out, with Shadow sending a wave of Chaos Spears to the remaining robots. They didn't manage to prevent the cannon from firing, forcing them to block the laser directly until Tails, Knuckles, and Dr. Eggman successfully redirected the laser away from Earth. Sonic lost his strength in the process and fell down to Earth while Shadow confronted Dr. Eggman, asking him what happened. Though they succeeded in redirecting the shot, Dr. Eggman revealed that the reactor core was overloading and would crash down to Earth. Shadow instructed Dr. Eggman to buy him some time by stabilizing the reactor until he could push the station away from Earth far enough before it explodes, firmly telling Dr. Eggman that this was their last chance for them to do the right thing. Shadow then removes the limiter rings on his wrists, increasing his power, and begins pushing the station. While pushing the station away, Shadow remembered the times he spent with Maria back in 1974 as the station finally explodes, seemingly killing him and Dr. Eggman. However, it is revealed that Shadow has survived the explosion, now back on Earth and in his base form. He finds one of his limiter rings and puts it back on.
Game appearances[]
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (promotional cartridge)[]
In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, alongside Team Sonic, Robotnik, Gerald, Tom, Maddie, Stone, Rachel, Randall, and Director Rockwell, Shadow appears, and the player can select a voice clip from Shadow, his poster says "KEANU REEVES IS SHADOW" and he says "Walk away... before you get hurt.".
Also, there is a game that where Shadow is riding on the Dark Rider down an endless looping highway.
In addition, there is an emblem depicting Sonic as seen in the game series is displayed, along with the release date for the final trailer: 25 November 2024. A clip from the film of Shadow punching the camera plays before booting the player to the menu.
Sonic Forces: Speed Battle[]
In Sonic Forces: Speed Battle, as a form of promotion for Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Shadow was added as a playable character to the game's roster as a part of the version 5.3.0 update. He has the following gameplay characteristics:
| Image | Rarity | Stats (n/100) | Items | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spd. | Acc. | Str. | Projectile | Boost | Trap | ||
 |
 |
97 | 93 | 67 |  |
 |
 |
Shadow Generations[]
Shadow the Hedgehog with the Movie Shadow skin, from Shadow Generations.
In Shadow Generations, Movie Shadow appears as a downloadable skin for his game counterpart, as part of the "Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Movie Pack" to promote the then upcoming film Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Upon selecting the skin, he is voiced by Keanu Reeves instead of Kirk Thornton. The skin is only playable on its DLC stage. In addition, it is not dubbed in Japanese, French, Italian, German or Spanish.
The Movie Pack serves as bonus content, that contains a small story, with Shadow getting to the movie universe by a Ring Gate, waking up in the body of his movie counterpart, in the time when he originally encountered Team Sonic, but with the consciousness of his game counterpart.
Sonic Dash[]
In Sonic Dash, as a form of promotion for Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Shadow makes an appearance as a playable character under the name "Movie Shadow". In this game, he can be unlocked after obtaining 500 of his Character Cards.
| Image | Rarity | Stats (Max Level) | Affinity Bonus | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dash Boost | x2 Multiplier | Magnet | Shield | Headstart | |||
|
Legendary | 9s | 15.7s | 14.1s | 12.6s | 7.3s | N/A |
Sonic Dash+ / Sonic Prime Dash[]
In Sonic Dash+ and Sonic Prime Dash, as a form of promotion for Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Shadow makes an appearance as a playable character under the name "Movie Shadow". In these games, he can be unlocked by obtaining 500 of his Character Tokens.
| Image | Affinity Bonus | Unlock Requirement | Upgrade Profile | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power-Up | Highest level | |||
|
 
|
Obtain 500 
|
Dash Boost | 11 |
| x2 Multiplier | 11 | |||
| Magnet | 10 | |||
| Shield | 9 | |||
| Headstart | 9 | |||
Sonic Rumble[]
In Sonic Rumble, Shadow makes an appearance as "Movie Shadow" during the "Sonic 3 Crossover" Event. In-game, he is treated as a skin for his mainline counterpart.
| Icon | Name | Unlocking requirement | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Movie Shadow | Open 6 Raffle Boxes during the Sonic 3 Crossover Event | Epic |
Personality[]
Shadow playing with Maria, from Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film).
During his first time on Earth, Shadow had a very stern and serious demeanor, having an angry glare on his face most of the time. He kept this facade up most of the time to hide his worries, only sometimes relaxed and even smiled when around Maria. Beneath his serious demeanor, Shadow was actually confused about himself, not knowing anything about his own origin and just went along with the tests given by the scientists who found him. Due to his alien nature, Shadow was not knowledgeable of Earth's culture, not understanding dancing or music. Meeting Maria changed Shadow's life. From Maria, Shadow learned to enjoy simpler aspects in life like learning how to dance, listening to her playing guitar, watching movies, and playing with her like children her age. However, his friendship with Maria also made Shadow start questioning his identity as he noticed most people around him feared him for his power, and as a result, Shadow was unsure about his place in the world. It was only through Maria's assurance that Shadow felt at ease. During his early life, Shadow was innocent and docile, with Commander Walters and Gerald referring to him as a child. His early life was similar to Sonic's early life on Earth but with different upbringing.
Shadow walking through the rain, from Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film).
After Maria's death, Shadow's heart was filled with nothing but pain, rage, and grief over her death. He was left deeply traumatized by the loss of the only person who had seen past his cold exterior to the confused and conflicted being within himself (which, as he openly admits, was brought about by the fact that for 50 years while he was imprisoned, he constantly relived that one moment). He was intensely resentful of G.U.N. for killing Maria and imprisoning him for 50 years. Though angry and resentful, Shadow's rage had yet to reach a murderous level. Shadow is not entirely ruthless, and he does have some mercy. He gives his enemies the chance to walk away from fighting him, and should they still choose to fight him Shadow, will back down after beating them down until they are too weak to fight anymore. This demeanor is shown when he warned Team Sonic to walk away and handcuffed Sonic when they first fought instead of further hurting even Sonic. Shadow only wished to be left alone to mourn, fighting back simply because he got attacked first.
Following Professor Gerald Robotnik's manipulation, Shadow developed a strong desire for vengeance, stemming from his belief that it would give Maria the justice that she deserved. When driven by his thirst for revenge, Shadow did not hesitate to get rid of whoever got in his way. Ruthless and brutal, when Shadow makes a threat, he has every intention of carrying it out. If anything, Shadow is arguably one of the most dangerous characters in the movie series. He even went as far as using the Mini Black Hole to try and kill Team Sonic, though it is unknown if he knew that this was wrong or not. Due to Gerald manipulating him, he is intensely loyal to Gerald and believes everything that is said by the latter up until Shadow realizes the mistakes of his ways.
Shadow started to have doubts in his quest for revenge after witnessing Sonic's concern for Tom. He showed hesitation at destroying the world, and he went so far as to ask Gerald whether vengeance was what Maria would have wanted. After being reminded of the pain of Maria's death, Shadow once again became enraged at what G.U.N. had done to her, deciding to continue his path. However, he eventually realized he was going against what Maria would've wanted after he and Sonic shared their respective pain of losing their loved ones. At heart, Shadow was simply at a loss of what to do with the anger and pain that had been built up in him, and decided to exact revenge only because he thought there was no other way to come to terms with it. When Shadow realized his mistake, he decided to save Earth together with Sonic, fulfilling what Maria would've wished for him to do.
Powers and abilities[]
Shadow utilizing his Air Shoes to skate, from Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film).
Shadow harnessing his Chaos Energy in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film).
Shadow is capable of harnessing Chaos energy, enabling him to generate and control golden-orange electrical energy, as evidenced by his eyes flashing with bright lightning. This energy was the subject of many tests and experiments held by G.U.N., most notably being used to power the Eclipse Cannon. Compared to both Sonic and Knuckles, Shadow is shown to be more adept at using his Chaos energy, as he infused it into his motorcycle to not only drastically increase its speed, but also enable it to scale up vertical surfaces.
Shadow punching Sonic out of his transformation, from Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film)
Shadow has the ability to teleport using Chaos Control and is shown to be much stronger than Sonic by breaking Knuckles' wrist with ease, as well as punching Sonic so hard that it forced him out of his transformation and get the Chaos Emeralds out of him; also, unlike Knuckles, Shadow shows more awareness of, and control over, his immense strength, as when he grabbed Sonic's hands to go Super on the moon, he didn't break his hands (as opposed to Knuckles who casually crushed Sonic's hand at the climax of Sonic 2). His ability to teleport can apparently be jarring to those unprepared, as Sonic commented that he felt nauseous when the two teleported to the Skytree. He is also shown to be a very skilled and fearsome fighter, as he hit Knuckles in midair several times while using Chaos Control. He also easily defeated Team Sonic. He also has the ability to breathe in the vacuum of space, presumably a unique trait to his alien nature.
Super Shadow[]
Super Shadow, from Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film).
By harnessing the power of the seven Chaos Emeralds alongside Sonic, Shadow can transform into Super Shadow. Like Sonic, he likely possesses god-like powers in this state, all of Shadow's abilities far surpass his normal ones. He is also able to fly and channel Chaos Spears. Super Shadow is also capable of fighting on par with and overpowering Super Sonic.
Equipment[]
Shadow with a gun, from Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film).
Shadow wears a pair of specialized shoes called Air Shoes. These footwear are the primary source of Shadow's speed, producing small jet streams that let him hover-skate and fly at immense speeds, while also giving him more control, as he showed no problems skating over the ocean while Sonic had numerous problems during the Master Emerald event. Shadow also wears four Limiter Rings, one on each of his wrists and ankles.
During his rampage through Tokyo, Shadow used a pistol and a motorcycle, both stolen from G.U.N.. He later utilized a Mini Black Hole to destroy the G.U.N. research facility once used for Project Shadow.
Weaknesses[]
While having no known physical flaws, Shadow's unstable and vulnerable emotional state after Maria's death was susceptible to being manipulated by others for their own purposes. This is best shown when Gerald reminds Shadow of Maria's death to get him enraged so that he could power the Eclipse Cannon. However, Shadow later realized that destroying the world went against what his deceased friend would have wanted, and he let go of much of his intense rage and some of his grief. As a result, Shadow is no longer so vulnerable to emotional manipulation.
Relationships[]
Maria Robotnik[]
Shadow and Maria stargazing together, from Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film).
Shadow and Maria Robotnik were very close friends. They first met 50 years ago when Maria discovered Shadow in a pod in a G.U.N. research facility. Unlike most people in the facility, Maria was not afraid of Shadow and took an immediate interest in him since the first moment they met, not hesitating to try befriending him. They quickly bonded, and the two friends did so many things together. Maria taught Shadow how to dance and play, and Shadow found happiness with her. Maria is the only person whom Shadow could confide to, allowing himself to be vulnerable in her presence, as shown when Shadow confessed his worries that he might be a danger to others. In turn, Maria told him that he is not dangerous, and that he can be whoever he wants to be despite his powers and alien origins, reaffirming their friendship. When Maria died, Shadow was deeply traumatized to the point that during his 50 years in prison he relived the moments he spent with her up until the moment she was killed.
When Shadow broke out of his pod 50 years later, he had a strong desire to avenge her death, even stating he couldn't get her out of his head, and that the pain was too much. While he was resentful, Shadow's main driving force in revenge was not due to his personal feeling, but more because he believed that he would give Maria the justice that she deserved. However, after a short heartfelt talk with Sonic, he realized that he had been blinded by his pain and rage over her death, and later sacrificed himself to save humanity in her name.
Gerald Robotnik[]
Gerald manipulating Shadow for his needs, from Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film).
Shadow and Gerald Robotnik were quite close, due to his connection with Maria, respectfully calling him "Professor". Gerald referred both Shadow and Maria as kids, indicating that Gerald considered Shadow as a child regardless of his power and alien origin, most likely because of the friendship formed between Shadow and his granddaughter. When Gerald heard G.U.N. intended to take Shadow away, Gerald quickly escaped with Shadow and Maria in tow to prevent Shadow from being taken away, showing Gerald's concern for Shadow. In their escape attempt however, an accident happened that resulted with Gerald being imprisoned for 50 years in which he created a new weapon to use. Shadow was later freed from Prison Island after Gerald secretly hacks G.U.N.'s system.
Shadow later returns to the lab, in which he reunites with Gerald Robotnik in-person, and the two of them plot to get revenge for Maria's death by destroying humanity. However, due to Shadow knowing Gerald for a long time and sharing the same pain of losing Maria, he did not realize Gerald was using his anger against him to motivate him into following his revenge plan. When Shadow showed hesitation in taking revenge, Gerald reminded him of Maria's death to ensure Shadow would continue to follow the course he had planned. And due to being overwhelmed by sadness and rage from losing his granddaughter, Gerald only considered Shadow as the means to an end, not hesitating to eliminate him when Shadow decided to betray him and help Sonic.
Dr. Ivo Robotnik[]
Although him and Dr. Eggman never knew each other, Shadow referred to him as the "long lost grandson", and joined his team alongside Gerald Robotnik and Agent Stone. Dr. Eggman treats Shadow like his arch-rival, annoyed that he's a hedgehog but is also frightened of him every time he teleports.
After Dr. Eggman electrocutes and kills his grandfather, the Eclipse Cannon became unstable, and was going to blow itself up and everything in its radius, including the Earth. Shadow tells Dr. Eggman to try and stabilize it while he pushes the cannon away from Earth, saying it's their last chance to do the right thing. In a life-threatening situation, Eggman and Shadow sacrifice themselves to save humanity.
Sonic the Hedgehog[]
Sonic and Shadow shaking hands, from Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film).
Shadow first met Sonic when he and his team were brought by G.U.N. to Tokyo in order to stop Shadow's rampage. Upon first seeing each other, they got into a brief argument regarding the similarities in their appearances. Although Shadow was able to easily overwhelm Team Sonic in their first encounter, Sonic continued to pursue him through the streets of Tokyo, culminating in a clash between the two that caused a citywide power outage. Shadow was distrustful of Sonic due to his association with G.U.N., and later became annoyed by Sonic's constant interference, having enough with repeatedly warning Sonic, seeing him as nothing but a mouthy nuisance. Shadow's opinion on Sonic started to change when he saw himself in Sonic after he witnessed Sonic's love for Tom, which reminded Shadow of his own love for Maria. This planted a seed of doubt in Shadow, questioning if revenge was what Maria would've wanted. When Sonic attacked him in rage, Shadow began to project himself into Sonic, pointing out the blue hedgehog's decision to take revenge was exactly the same as him. He then proceeded to goad Sonic into fulfilling his revenge, even telling Sonic to kill him when he got cornered.
Sonic, for his part, was empathetic to Shadow's past and tried several times to settle things peacefully as he understood Shadow's pain was similar to his own pain when he lost Longclaw. However, after Shadow gravely wounded Tom, Sonic became overwhelmed with rage towards Shadow, determined to avenge Tom by any means necessary. Sonic was close to getting his revenge until he was reminded of Tom's teaching, remembering how meaningless revenge was. Sonic's decision not to go through with his revenge prompted Shadow to truly reflect on his actions. It was at this time they properly came to mutual understanding, relating to each other from the love they have for their deceased loved ones, the pain from losing them, and the anger from seeing them being harmed. From Sonic, Shadow realized the love that he and Maria shared for each other would always remain, helping him to finally come to terms with his built up anger and pain while also learning not to tackle major mistakes alone, and led him to decide to save Earth together with Sonic for her sake. From there, Shadow developed respect for Sonic and their relationship improved to more friendly rivalry.
Tom Wachowski[]
Throughout the course of the third film, Shadow does not establish much of a relationship with Tom as he does not interact with him, but it is apparent that he viewed the sheriff of Green Hills as an enemy (similar to Dr. Robotnik and Tails in the second film). When Sonic and the others infiltrated G.U.N. Headquarters, Tom disguised himself as Commander Walters using Tails' hologram technology to trick Director Rockwell into giving him the second key, and Shadow, assuming he is the real Walters, attacks him in full force and steals the key from him, leaving him gravely wounded and hospitalized. However, when Sonic is seen lamenting Tom's injuries at his hands, he is visually reminded of the pain he felt when Maria died in his own hands. This causes Shadow to wonder if revenge is really the right decision. However, after Sonic attacked him and attempted to kill him as revenge, he became aware of the mirrored actions on Sonic's end, causing a brawl between the two. When Sonic is briefly knocked down in Rome, he briefly asks him of why he is alone and why he has made these bad decisions and brings Tom into the equation, causing Sonic to attack him hard. However, just before Sonic is about to finish Shadow off, Sonic is reminded of the wisdom Tom gave him prior and as such, Sonic informs Shadow that their decisions of revenge were pointless and Shadow takes these words to heart and teams up with Sonic.
Friends/allies[]
- Maria Robotnik † (best friend)
- Team Sonic
- Knuckles the Echidna
- Miles "Tails" Prower
- Sonic the Hedgehog (rival, former attempted victim and killer)
Neutral[]
- Guardian Units of Nations
- Team Robotnik (former teammates)
- Tom Wachowski (accidental attempted victim)
Enemies[]
- Gerald Robotnik † (former ally)
- Guardian Units of Nations
Quotes[]
- "2024? I've been trapped for 50 years?"
- —Shadow's first words, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film)
- "Why... won't you leave me... ALONE?!"
- —Shadow's breakdown, when surrounded by G.U.N. forces in Tokyo, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film)
- "You're a colorful bunch."
- —Shadow, meeting Team Sonic for the first time, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film)
- "I don't look like you. You look like me! Why do you look like me?"
- —Shadow's reaction to Sonic having a similar appearance to him, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film)
- "This is a waste of time. Walk away... before you get hurt."
- —Shadow warning Team Sonic to walk away, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film)
- "You jumped out of a G.U.N. helicopter. There's nothing to talk about."
- —Shadow expresses his hatred for G.U.N., Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film)
- "The more you talk, the harder I want to hit you!"
- —Shadow getting irritated by Sonic's talkativeness, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film)
- "The light shines... even though the star is gone..."
- —Shadow, stargazing with Maria, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film)
- "Maria, do you think I'm... dangerous?"
- —Shadow expressing his worries to Maria, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film)
- "You must be the long lost grandson."
- —Shadow the Hedgehog's first encounter with Dr. Eggman, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film)
- "I’ve spent 50 years reliving what they did to her. This is who I am inside."
- —Shadow, when Sonic tries to persuade him, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film)
- "When we're done, there won't be anything left to rule."
- —Shadow, when Agent Stone says they would rule the world, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film)
- "Now you know my anger. The pain I've felt for 50 YEARS! And you’ve made the same choice I did."
- —Shadow, after Super Sonic attacks him, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film)
- "You were right about one thing... This. Ends. NOW!"
- —Shadow, after becoming Super Shadow, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film)
- "Why are you alone? Where are your friends? They tried to stop you, didn't they? But you came anyway. Your anger was too much. What kind of "hero" abandons his friends to pursue revenge? Abandons his family? (...) And here I thought you cared for them. Especially the one, what's his name? ...Tom?"
- —Shadow questioning the choices Sonic had made, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film)
- "This whole mess is my fault. I've been so blinded by rage, I thought... I had no choice."
- —Shadow, to Sonic, realizing his mistake of what he's been doing to humanity, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film)
- "Don’t tell me you've got a catchphrase."
- —Super Shadow after Super Sonic says "Gotta go fast", Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film)
- "Just try to keep up."
- —Super Shadow working with Super Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film)
- "This is our last chance to do the right thing."
- —Super Shadow to Dr. Ivo Robotnik, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film)
- "Gabriella should kill them both. She's not a prize to be won."
- —Shadow watching La Última Pasión, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film)
Trivia[]
- In the second film, Shadow uses an altered version of Super Sonic's model due to time constraints.[34]
- Just like Knuckles, Italian is the only language where Shadow shares his voice actor with his video game counterpart.
- Much like Tails in the previous film, Shadow's appearance in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is in a mid-credits' stinger, foreshadowing his role in the next movie.
- Jeff Fowler, the director of the Sonic the Hedgehog film series, previously had experience with Shadow's mainline counterpart as he directed the CGI cutscenes of the 2005 game.
- In flashbacks where Shadow was with Maria, if you look closely, his eyes were goldish brown, but as for his loss of Maria, they turned red, showing a symbol of grief and the vengeance that fuelled him. On the moon when Shadow is reminded of the moment when he was looking at the stars with Maria, his eyes briefly turn back to the former.
- Despite not having his design for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 fully revealed at the time, multiple toys and figures (and his first render) for the film showcasing Shadow were released prior to his official reveal.[36]
- Shadow's entire story is notably a dark parallel of Sonic's:
- Both of them left their homeworld and felt like they didn't belong on Earth, due to deeming their own powers to be dangerous.
- Both of them met humans who gave huge impact on their lives. For Sonic, it was Tom and Maddie. For Shadow, it was Maria. They were also encouraged to follow their hearts and make the right choices by the said humans, Tom and Maria, respectively.
- Both of them lost a close person in their lives. Sonic lost his first adoptive mother, Longclaw, while Shadow lost his best friend, Maria.
- Both of them became consumed by vengeance. Shadow sought to destroy the world after Maria's death, while Sonic tried to kill Shadow after he greatly injured Tom.
- Overall, if Sonic became consumed by vengeance after Longclaw's demise or Tom's near-death experience, he would've ended up like Shadow.
- Toby Ascher, the producer of the Sonic the Hedgehog film series, stated that Shadow is the what-if version of Sonic if he didn't meet Tom and Maddie.[37]
- Four variations of his Jakks Pacific figure exist; the most common being the one with a closed frown expression and the second being one with an angry grinding expression. The closed frown version was used as the basis for his light up variant, where his eyes and quills light up red. The waist and butterfly joints were removed, along with the ball joint in his head to make room for the wires inside. And his release with the Dark Rider removes alot of the articulation joints etc. to make him sit stable on the bike.
- He is the first Sonic the Hedgehog character who appeared in the film series to have his voice actor (Keanu Reeves) in his game appearance.
- He has many differences from his game counterpart, even more so than the other movie versions of the game counterparts.
- Unlike his video game counterpart, Shadow was not created in a laboratory in order to find a cure for Maria's disease; In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, he instead originated in a meteor that crashed on Earth and his origins are unknown.
- Him coming from outer space is likely a nod to his game counterpart's origin of being created from the DNA of Black Doom, who is an alien. In addition, him originating from a meteor could be a nod to the Black Comet, potentially alluding to the Black Arms appearing in a future entry.
- Gerald Robotnik did not temper with Shadow's memories in order to make him think Maria wanted humanity to suffer for her death. Instead, Gerald manipulates him to avenge her through words, fueling his desire for revenge.
- Shadow is amnesiac in the movies, not being able to remember where he came from or anything else about his past before being found by humans. In the games, Shadow's memories were tempered by Gerald Robotnik for his plan to destroy the world, and got amnesia after his presumed death at the end of his game debut.
- Also, he is not as arrogant, doesn't gloat over the title of Ultimate Life Form (only Walters calls him that once when he tells Shadow's origin), nor does he ever proclaim his superiority, though he remains disdainful of his opponents.
- Before transforming into Super Shadow, Shadow manages to depower Super Sonic with a strike and taking the emeralds from him. This has never been done by his game counterpart, instead it was done by Knuckles the Echidna in his debut, sans the transformation.
- Shadow's model in Shadow Generations features some slight differences from how he appears in the film; the black design on his shoes is different and more closely resembles his video game counterpart's shoes, the jets on his soles are red instead of gold and the red stripes on his limbs are missing.
- Unlike in the games, Shadow is never mistaken for Sonic. However, their physical resemblance is still emphasized.
- Unlike his counterpart in the games, Shadow has an extra quill on the back of his head, making him seven quills instead of six.
- Shadow being called 'Hot Topic' by Sonic at one point could potentially be a reference to SnapCube's Sonic Adventure 2 fandubs, in which Shadow is often called the same thing (mostly by Sonic). This is yet to be confirmed, though.
- According to Pat Casey and Josh Miller, who wrote the film's screenplay, Tom was originally planned to be killed by Shadow, but they decided against doing so lest they risk alienating the film's audience.[38][39][better source needed]
See also[]
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[]
- ↑ Couch, Aaron (15 April 2024). Keanu Reeves Joins 'Sonic 3' as Shadow. Retrieved on 15 April 2024.
- ↑ 映画『ソニック×シャドウ TOKYO MISSION』公式 on Twitter (Japanese). Twitter. 映画『ソニック×シャドウ TOKYO MISSION』公式 (19 November 2024). Retrieved on 19 November 2024.
- ↑ คนรักหนังพากย์ไทย on Facebook (Thai) (9 December 2024). Retrieved on 15 December 2024.
- ↑ eurotroll.se on Instagram (Swedish) (1 December 2024). Retrieved on 6 December 2024.
- ↑ Соник 3, Russian voiceover credits. SC Produb.
- ↑ Grethmann, Sascha (18 December 2024). Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (German). filmtoast.de. Retrieved on 20 December 2024.
- ↑ 偉憶數位錄音 We Digital Media Co., Ltd, on Facebook (Traditional Chinese) (29 November 2024). Retrieved on 3 December 2024.
- ↑ 【公映】超音鼠大電影3 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Traditional Chinese). GordonDubbingDB (26 December 2024). Retrieved on 13 January 2025.
- ↑ paramountpicturesitalia on Instagram (Italian) (17 September 2024).
- ↑ JEŽEK SONIC 3 (Slovenian). si21.com (18 December 2024). Retrieved on 20 December 2024.
- ↑ Stolarz, Kuba (27 August 2024). „Sonic 3: Szybki jak błyskawica”: Keanu Reeves jako Shadow na pierwszym zwiastunie (Polish). CD-Action. Retrieved on 28 August 2024.
- ↑ jeongjaehaya on Instagram (Korean) (6 December 2024). Retrieved on 6 December 2024.
- ↑ 1man20voices on Instagram (6 September 2024). Retrieved on 26 November 2024.
- ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog 3 : La nouvelle bande-annonce est disponible (French). JVMag (25 November 2024). Retrieved on 25 November 2024.
- ↑ Greek Dub DB - Η Βάση Δεδομένων των Ελληνικών Μεταγλωττίσεων on Facebook (26 November 2024). Retrieved on 26 November 2024.
- ↑ Garso Architektūra on Instagram (Lithuanian) (3 January 2025). Retrieved on 13 January 2025.
- ↑ SONIC JUNTA-SE AO 5G DA NOS PARA UMA MISSÃO À VELOCIDADE DA LUZ (Portuguese). NOS (16 December 2024). Retrieved on 26 December 2024.
- ↑ Ježek Sonic 3 (Czech). DabDB (25 November 2024). Retrieved on 25 November 2024.
- ↑ Мережа кінотеатрів "Оскар" on Facebook (Ukrainian) (21 December 2024). Retrieved on 22 December 2024.
- ↑ entertainmentinmsa on Instagram (Arabic) (19 December 2024). Retrieved on 20 December 2024.
- ↑ eurotroll_fin on Instagram (Finnish) (27 December 2024). Retrieved on 27 December 2024.
- ↑ Dit zijn de Vlaamse stemmen van Sonic 3 De Film (Dutch). MoviePulp (22 December 2024). Retrieved on 23 December 2024.
- ↑ Ježko Sonic 3 / Sonic The Hedgehog 3 (Slovak). dabingforum.sk (14 December 2024). Retrieved on 23 December 2024.
- ↑ Bellido, Ayax (27 August 2024). Estos son los actores que darán voz a los personajes en el doblaje latino de Sonic 3 La Película (Spanish). 3DJuegos LATAM. Retrieved on 28 August 2024.
- ↑ [https://www.youtube.com/post/UgkxlW2hCDEp2TPrrpEAiT_b3qtLwqD2xo_p EU VIM FAZER UM ANÚNCIO... o Shadow, o ouriço... mudou de voz 🗣️] (Portuguese). Paramount Brasil (25 November 2024). Retrieved on 25 November 2024.
- ↑ Danesi, Victor (27 August 2024). O Shadow! Novo trailer de Sonic 3 apresenta aguardado personagem da franquia (Portuguese). Observatório de Games. Retrieved on 28 August 2024.
- ↑ Herreros, Raquel Díaz (25 November 2024). El nuevo tráiler de 'Sonic 3' explora los orígenes del temible Shadow y su voz en castellano (Spanish). Vandal Random. Retrieved on 25 November 2024.
- ↑ Sonic The Hedgehog 3 (Danish). Danske Film Stemmer. Retrieved on 20 December 2024.
- ↑ סוניק הסרט 3 (2024) (Hebrew). Retrieved on 26 December 2024.
- ↑ Siil Sonic 3 (Estonian). tallinn.ee. Retrieved on 23 December 2024.
- ↑ Điện Ảnh Lồng Tiếng on Facebook (Vietnamese) (4 January 2025). Retrieved on 4 January 2025.
- ↑ Smárabíó on Facebook (Icelandic) (12 December 2024). Retrieved on 4 January 2025.
- ↑ Sonic, a sündisznó 3. (Hungarian) (22 November 2024).
- ↑ Games Cage (8 April 2022). SONIC MOVIE 2 - FULL SPOILER REVIEW.. YouTube. Retrieved on 5 February 2024.
- ↑ Jeff Fowler (@fowltown) on X. X (27 August 2024). Retrieved on 2 September 2024. "One of my first jobs in the VFX industry was animating this amazing character for his first #SEGA standalone video game. Twenty years later, I could not feel more HONORED to bring SHADOW to the big screen in #SonicMovie3 ❤️🙏🖤"
- ↑ Sonic 3 Movie - 5in Figure - Walmart.com. Retrieved on 24 August 2024.
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbohuBUxcRU&list=LL
- ↑ https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/family-movies/tom-dying-in-sonic/
- ↑ https://screenrant.com/sonic-the-hedgehog-3-tom-death-consideration-casey-miller-explained/
