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{{CharacterSheet|image1=Sa2 shadow.png|image2=Shadowth shadow withgun.png|charcolor=darkred|charname=Shadow the Hedgehog|debut=Sonic Adventure 2 (2001)
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{{cleanup|*Superfluous plot information should be covered elsewhere on Sonic Retro
Age:Ageless (Created to be 15)}}
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*There are not enough references to back up claims
:''For the eponymous game, see [[Shadow the Hedgehog (game)]].''
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}}
'''Shadow the Hedgehog''' is known as the "dark incarnation" of [[Sonic the Hedgehog]] and first appears in the [[Dreamcast]] game ''[[Sonic Adventure 2]]''.
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{{CharacterBob
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| image1 = Sa2 shadow.png
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| image2 = TeamSonicRacing Shadow.png
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| charcolor = darkred
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| charname = Shadow the Hedgehog
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| debut=Sonic Adventure 2
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| debutyear = 2001
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| species = [[Hedgehog]] / [[Black Arms]]
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| gender = Male
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| age = Chronologically 50, Physically 15
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| height = 100cm (3'3"){{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20190526152703/http://sonic.sega.jp/SonicChannel/character/shadow.html}}
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| weight = 35kg (77lbs){{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20190526152703/http://sonic.sega.jp/SonicChannel/character/shadow.html}}
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| likes=Nothing{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20190526152703/http://sonic.sega.jp/SonicChannel/character/shadow.html}}{{intref|Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing/Collection}}
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| dislikes=Humanity{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20190526152703/http://sonic.sega.jp/SonicChannel/character/shadow.html}}
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| creator = [[Shiro Maekawa]]{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20190626110752/http://sonic.sega.jp/SonicChannelOld/creators/006/003.html}}, [[Takashi Iizuka]]{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20090626042050/http://uk.playstation.com/games-media/news/articles/detail/item87848/Fast-talking/}}
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}}
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{{otherPage|desc=the eponymous game|page=Shadow the Hedgehog (game)}}
  
==History==
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'''{{PAGENAME}}''' (シャドウ・ザ・ヘッジホッグ), also known as "The Ultimate Lifeform," is a recurring character in the ''[[:Category:Games|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' series of games and related media. First introduced in ''[[Sonic Adventure 2]]'' as a villain, he soon took on the role of anti-hero, becoming yet another rival of Sonic. Because of his nature, he has also become a fan favorite, especially among those who discovered the series after [[Sega|SEGA]] ceased production of the [[Dreamcast]].
Shadow is known as the '''ultimate life form'''. He was created by Prof. Gerald Robotnik, the grandfather of [[Dr. Ivo Robotnik]] (aka [[Dr. Eggman]]) aboard the space colony ARK. He developed a fast friendship with the Professor's granddaughter, [[Maria Robotnik]], and often looked down to Earth, wondering what the purpose to his life was. When the military attacked ARK, hoping to shut down the Ultimate Life Form project, Maria sacrificed herself in order to let Shadow escape to Earth in an escape pod. On Earth, Shadow was captured by the military and placed in suspended animation for 50 years until [[Dr. Eggman]] attacked the complex looking for "his grandfather's legacy" and freed him. As a reward for freeing him, Shadow granted the doctor one wish, which was the domination of Earth. Shadow also has an alternative motive- to fulfill Maria's last wish, which was revenge on Earth for causing her death.
 
  
Shadow led Eggman to the ARK and the ultimate weapon: the Eclipse Cannon, which required seven [[Chaos Emeralds]] to reach full power. Joined by a treasure hunter named [[Rouge the Bat]], the three succeed in breaking into a military base and managing to gather three Emeralds, which, combined with the one Eggman used to free Shadow, an Emerald Shadow stole (which in turn framed [[Sonic the Hedgehog]]) and one that Rouge offered for her services, was enough power to destroy half the moon. They retrieve the last Emerald when Sonic leads an assault of [[Miles Prower|Miles "Tails" Prower]], [[Knuckles the Echidna]] and (reluctantly for the boys) [[Amy Rose]] on the ARK. Sonic, however winds up being captured and supposedly destroyed. In their final duel, Shadow is defeated by Sonic, and the Eclipse Cannon is destroyed. However, the ARK is set on a collision course with Earth, which means that Maria's "revenge" would be carried out anyway.
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==Character conception==
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After the success of ''[[Sonic Adventure]]'', it was only natural to assume that a sequel would be produced. Hoping that the game would be what ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (16-bit)|Sonic the Hedgehog 2]]'' was for the [[Mega Drive]], a portion of the team responsible for the first ''Adventure'' title was sent off to work at SEGA of America. Dubbed "Sonic Team USA," it was led by Director [[Takashi Iizuka]], while [[Yuji Naka]] remained back in Japan to work on other properties, including ''[[Phantasy Star Online]]''. With the team in place, brainstorming soon began on what form ''[[Sonic Adventure 2]]'' would take.
  
That is, until Amy manages to remind the Black Blur that Maria's true last wish was for the people of Earth to be happy, not revenge. ''(Note: Exactly why Shadow did not remember this promise is never revealed. Some argue that Shadow's memories were altered by Gerald Robotnik. Some believe that the stress of seeing Maria die and Shadow's own thirst for vengeance caused Shadow to subconsciously re-write history in his own mind in order to justify his actions.)'' Shadow rushes to redeem himself by helping Sonic and Knuckles seal the power of the [[Chaos Emeralds]] To buy them time, he fought the [[Biolizard]], the Prototype of the Ultimate Life Form. Though he wins, he cannot stop it from merging with ARK and continuing ARK's path towards Earth as the Final Hazard. Using the power of the Chaos Emeralds, he transforms with Sonic into [[Super Shadow]], and together they destroy Final Hazard and use [[Chaos Control]] to stop the free-falling ARK from destroying the Earth. However, Shadow uses the last of his energy to do so, and falls to Earth. He is assumed to be dead.
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Early on, it was decided that one of the main themes of the game would be the dichotomy between good and evil, and to help explore that the creators came up with new characters that would both assist [[Dr. Eggman]] and challenge the established cast of heroes. Though [[Yuji Uekawa]] was tasked drawing the final design of the character, it was Iizuka who came up with the idea to use a dark, anti-hero figure who was similar to [[Sonic the Hedgehog|Sonic]] in shape but not in personality. When being designed, his original name was Terios, which translates to "reflection of," more than likely to play off the hero/villain dynamic within the game.
  
In the next game, ''[[Sonic Heroes]]'', Rouge discovers that Shadow is alive, and in a stasis tube located in the deepest part of one of [[Dr. Eggman]]'s bases. After saving Rouge from a rampaging robot called [[E-123 Omega]], it is revealed that Shadow has amnesia and cannot remember anything before his release from the stasis tube. He joins forces with Rouge and Omega to form [[Team Dark]] (as their speed member and second-in-command) and hunt down [[Dr. Eggman]].
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Once ''Sonic Adventure 2'' was announced, the identity and nature of Shadow was a heavily guarded secret, his existence teased at the end of the first trailer for the game.{{ref|http://ghostarchive.org/varchive/xmbnZa9H6go|2=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmbnZa9H6go}} Details of the character were leaked when [[ReSaurus]] announced they were making figures of Shadow and [[Rouge the Bat|Rouge]], much as they had for the first ''[[Sonic Adventure|Adventure]]'' title. Ironically, the company went out of business before they could release these figures to the masses. The push to build hype for the new character put other characters on the backburner, [[Miles "Tails" Prower|Tails]] not even being announced for the game until a few months later. The marketing push for the character was so great that, when players reached the end of ''Adventure 2'' and saw the "death" of Shadow, there were many who doubted this was the last time Shadow would appear. As it were, Iizuka would later admit that he always had future plans for the character, hoping to have him star in his own game. This eventually happened with the release of ''[[Shadow the Hedgehog (game)|Shadow the Hedgehog]]'' for the three main systems of the era.
  
After battling the ''Egg Albatross'', and hearing [[Dr. Eggman]] proclaim that he "has no past to remember", Shadow discovers a half destroyed Shadow robot and realises that he too might just be a robot. Despite this, he continues his mission, proclaiming that "even if I'm not real, I'm still the ultimate life form, Shadow the Hedgehog!" They defeat [[Dr. Eggman]]'s ''Egg Emperor'' and discover that the person they have been chasing is a fake Dr. Eggman. Meanwhile, Rouge sneaks off to look for Dr. Eggman's treasure, and discovers a whole room filled with hundreds of cloned Shadow robots. As Omega arrives to destroy the room and everything in it, Rouge deduces that the Shadow of [[Sonic Heroes]] is just a robot. However, Omega reassures her that when you clone something, there is always an original, and the original may still exist.
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===Revival after ''Sonic Adventure 2''===
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{{sectstub}}
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The fact Shadow uses guns in ''[[Shadow the Hedgehog (game)|Shadow the Hedgehog]]'' was based on suggestions mailed to Sonic Team, where kids were asking for a game where Sonic could use a gun. Feeling it out of his character, they decided to give the ability to Shadow, hoping to both fulfill these requests and broaden their playing audience. The look and feel of the game was based on such movie franchises as Underworld, Constantine, and The Terminator.{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20090622050009/http://uk.cube.ign.com/articles/645/645487p1.html}}
  
When [[Metal Sonic]] transforms into '''Metal Madness''', Shadow works with Rouge and Omega to distract Metal Madness long enough for Sonic to power up into his [[Super Sonic|Super Form]]. At the end of the game, he is last seen with Omega and the defeated Metal Sonic.
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During the promotion of his spin-off game, Shadow was used as a guest announcer and performer for the Japanese wrestling league Pancrase, jumping and posing in the ring. The night ended in Shadow giving the winner of that night's matches ten SEGA games.{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20160324024549/http://www.1up.com/news/shadow-wrestling-hedgehog}}
  
In ''[[Sonic Battle]]'', Shadow has regained all of his memories (though it's never explained how, much to the pain of continuity buffs and Shadow fans alike).
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Though Shadow has been voted one of the most popular Sonic the Hedgehog characters, he is also one of the most controversial. Having become synonymous with the downturn of the Sonic franchise, there are those who argue that he is the embodiment of what has gone wrong with the series, showcasing how far it has strayed from its Mega Drive roots. Other fans argue that while the series may have strayed, Shadow has also allowed the games to evolve, and broaden Sonic's universe and appeal. Regardless of which way one looks at the argument, it cannot be denied the importance of the character in regards to the history of the Sonic franchise, be it good or bad.
  
His upcoming solo game, ''[[Shadow the Hedgehog (game)|Shadow the Hedgehog]]'', will most likely explain what happened to him between ''Heroes'' and ''Battle''. In the battle with Devil Doom, survive for about ten minutes. Eggman explains that when Shadow fell from Earth, he was rescued. How? Eggman sent out one of his robots, which broke his fall. A theory is that Eggman put Shadow into a capsule and researched him, then created the body of the Shadow Androids. They don't have Shadow's mind and just seem to be mindless androids however. They are similar to Metal Sonic in every way, except for the mind.
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For years, the elements of Shadow's backstory have been the subject of much fan debate. Even with the translation of story elements from Japanese guidebooks and the subsequent release of ''Shadow the Hedgehog'', the many plot holes and inconsistencies in Shadow's story still inspire argument after argument over the black and red hedgehog, making any sort of explanation of the character a difficult endeavor.
  
==Abilities==
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==History==
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===Origin of Shadow===
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[[Image:Ozkurt Ark2.jpg|thumb|190px|Concept art for the [[Space Colony ARK]], as depicted in ''[[Shadow the Hedgehog (game)|Shadow the Hedgehog]]''.]]
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:''Source: [[Sonic Adventure 2 - The Truth of 50 Years Ago...]]''
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Fifty years ago, a top-secret project known as "[[Project Shadow]]" had begun on the [[Space Colony ARK]]. Led by [[Professor Gerald Robotnik]], it was a government-sanctioned initiative to create "The Ultimate Lifeform," an immortal being that could be used for the benefit of the nation. Using the blood of the [[Black Arms]] leader [[Black Doom]] Gerald was able to successfully create Shadow the Hedgehog.
  
Shadow's trademark move is called [[Chaos Control]]. Using the power of a single [[Chaos Emerald]], he can freeze time and warp through space (teleportation). He is never seen freezing time in ''[[Sonic Adventure 2]]'', but in ''[[Sonic Heroes]]'' the time freeze is an effect of Team Dark's '''Team Blast''', known as "Chaos Inferno". He uses the teleportation ability three times in ''[[Sonic Adventure 2]]'': once to escape from Sonic with the green emerald, once to rescue [[Rouge the Bat|Rouge]] from the military base before it blows up, and during the final duel against Sonic. Chaos Control was not an in-game ability of Shadow for SA2. In the [[GameCube]] remake, ''[[Sonic Adventure 2: Battle]]'', Shadow is able to use Chaos Control in the two player versus mode, where he can freeze time for the other player. Sonic can also use Chaos Control, even with a fake emerald, though he only realizes this later. Nowadays, Sonic only uses Chaos Control as a last resort.
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Once brought to life, Shadow immediately befriended Gerald's granddaughter [[Maria Robotnik|Maria]], and they became close during their short time together. However, Gerald's progress was ruined when it was leaked to [[G.U.N.]] how he was able to create the successful prototype. As ties between the ARK and the [[United Federation]] had already been strained, hearing the news of the dealings with an alien race scared those in charge. Afraid of the implications, it was decided to launch an invasion and put a stop to the work being done there. G.U.N. troops descended onto the ARK, causing chaos and confusion wherever they went. Knowing that the G.U.N. forces would be there at any moment, Maria convinced Shadow to enter an escape pod, her final wish to him that he give the people on the planet a chance to be happy. Wishing him goodbye, Shadow could do nothing as he watched the G.U.N. soldiers storm into the lab, firing a shot which would forever change the artificial hedgehog.
  
Shadow shares every ability of Sonic, meaning that they are truly rivals. The only reason Sonic is known as the fastest hedgehog is because the Blue Blur has broken the sound barrier before, something Shadow has yet to accomplish. His light trail is gold instead of blue. Why it isn't black, no one knows.
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Learning of his granddaughter's death, Professor Gerald soon went mad, swearing vengeance on humanity for taking away the only thing that ever meant anything to him. Though just what exactly transpired is cloudy, what is known is that both Gerald and the escape pod that held Shadow were gathered by G.U.N., Shadow being placed in G.U.N.'s military bunker on [[Prison Island]],{{intref|TailsTube}}{{ref|https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/TfYieaXmqrA|2=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfYieaXmqrA}} and Gerald being incarcerated and charged with the crimes that happened aboard the ARK. At some point he manipulated Shadow's memories so he would carryout his revenge.{{intref|Sonic the Hedgehog Encyclo-speed-ia}}
  
==Character analysis & popular theories==
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Fifty years later, [[Dr. Eggman]], Gerald's grandson came across his grandfather's journals. Eggman became aware of Project Shadow, and broke into Prison Island to recover what the mysterious weapon could be. Once he reached the center of the complex, he was startled to see a hedgehog, immediately thinking it must be [[Sonic the Hedgehog|Sonic]]. Quickly, though, he realized his fears were for naught, and that some grand twist of fate caused Gerald's greatest invention to resemble his arch-nemesis. When awoken, Shadow offers Eggman his help, asking for the Chaos Emeralds in return. Remembering Maria's senseless death, Shadow seeks out the remaining Chaos Emeralds, not relying on just the Doctor. The second emerald collected is also at the hand of Shadow, stolen from a facility that immediately gained the attention of G.U.N. Watching security footage, the organization believed the criminal to be Sonic the Hedgehog, a case of mistaken identity that runs through the rest of ''Sonic Adventure 2''. When the two meet after the events of [[City Escape]], a fierce rivalry begins, each subsequent encounter the two share ending in a fight.
  
Shadow was a character supposedly created by Yuji Naka to have a typical Japanese shady, dark hero, rival to the more Americanised (but increasingly, a quirky Japanese take on it) Sonic, making the game more anime-like.
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[[Image:Biolizard.png|thumb|190px|Shadow confronting [[Biolizard]]. From ''[[Sonic Adventure 2]]''.]]
  
Shadow is somewhat of a marmite character - many love him, others feel that they're being "forced" to love him, and therefore hate him.
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Dr. Eggman eventually collected all seven Chaos Emeralds, and with Shadow's help Eggman learned how to access the Eclipse Cannon aboard the Space Colony ARK. Immediately, a videotaped message of Gerald Robotnik began, declaring his hatred of humanity in his final days, hoping that the Chaos Emeralds would be gathered on the ARK and that the cannon would be turned on those who took everything away from him. Everyone knew the ARK needed to be stopped, but Shadow refused to do anything helpful about it, believing he was carrying out Maria's final wish. However, a conversation with [[Amy Rose]] triggered one of Shadow’s lost memories, which allowed Shadow to finally recall her true final words. Realizing his folly, Shadow decided to join the fight, helping Sonic to stop [[Biolizard]], a creature which was Shadow's immediate prototype. Forced to take the battle to the stars, Sonic and Shadow unite, transforming into their Super forms and taking down Biolizard's final form, [[Finalhazard]]. Using [[Chaos Control]], they are able transport the space colony back into its original orbit, saving the planet at the presumed cost of Shadow's life.
  
Shadow could be influenced by Shadow from Final Fantasy 6. He is also meant to be somewhat of a Goth Hedgehog, adding a touch of magic and darkness to the series, also probably influenced by the likes of Vincent from FF7.
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Shadow was rescued however by one of Eggman's robots and put into a stasis tube, guarded by [[E-123 Omega]]. Eggman soon started making [[Shadow Android|android copies of Shadow]], and Rouge rescued the real Shadow from his base, albeit with no memories of his past.{{intref|Sonic Heroes}} He tries to find the answers of his existence on his own. His journey takes a dramatic turn when, just outside the city of [[Westopolis]], the Black Arms race decides to attack the planet. He is immediately contacted by the force's leader, Black Doom, who tells Shadow that humanity betrayed him and that he belongs with the invading force. As an incentive, he promises to restore Shadow's memories if he collects the seven Chaos Emeralds. In the end, Shadow is able to collect the emeralds, and decides to give them to Black Doom, hoping he will finally find the answers he seeks. In doing so, Shadow is finally able to realize the truth of his creation. Every memory that Shadow once had returns, discovering the pact that Gerald had made with the Black Arms race, and the hope the professor originally had, that Shadow would stop the invading force once the time came. Renouncing the hatred of humanity that Black Doom had tried to force on him during the game, Shadow sets off to stop the invading force from using Chaos Control to transport all their forces onto Earth at once. With everything cleared up, Shadow is able to defeat Black Doom, and throws the Black Comet into the path of the Eclipse Cannon, fulfilling the hope that both Gerald and Maria had for him.{{intref|Shadow the Hedgehog (game)}}
  
Whatever way you look at him, he still adds depth to the newer games Sonic the Hedgehog series, which aren't welcomed as warmly as the older ones, although often because of Shadow's existence.
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==Personality==
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Though he is often compared to Sonic, Shadow's personality is quite the opposite. Instead of being a joyful, carefree spirit, Shadow the Hedgehog is often a moody, discontented soul. Born through a more artificial means, he began questioning his true purpose while on the [[Space Colony ARK|ARK]], long before the moments that would scar his life. The only thing he has ever truly cared about, the only person he ever considered a friend, was [[Maria Robotnik]], and when he watched her get murdered in front of his eyes, everything changed. Most of his life has been spent thinking of her, and wishing to honor her memory, even when he wasn't sure what it was she would have wanted. Because of this, he has never been trusting of humans, something which manifested during the events of ''Shadow the Hedgehog''. Even though he now remembers his past and has fulfilled Maria's promise thrice over, he still has a great dislike for humanity, something he tries to work through now that he works directly for them.{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20201202021133/http://sonicjam.wikidot.com/sisghz:other-sonicchannel-cp-shadow}} Indeed, his trust for humans has shown to increase slightly, balking at Mephilis' prediction that humanity would turn against him and blame him for the destruction Solaris would cause in the future. However, as those events took place in the 2006 ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' game, the entire plot was retconned, though it can be assumed that Shadow's attempt at accepting humanity is still occurring. He has been shown to at least accept assistance from others, including [[Rouge the Bat]] and E-123 Omega, as they don't question his methods.{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20231116150857/https://sonicthehedgehog.com/fastfriendsforever/|https://sonicthehedgehog.com/fastfriendsforever/}}
  
A popular opinion is that Shadow is an evil clone of Sonic. This is never stated in any of the games. Shadow is the '''ultimate life form''' and that he was created by [[Prof. Gerald Robotnik]]. His resemblance to Sonic character-wise is a pure coincidence. Sonic is fifteen years old, and Shadow was created approximately fifty years ago, so Sonic could not have been cloned.
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On the ''[[Fast Friends Forever]]'' website, it was said that Shadow is always protecting the world from danger in honor of Maria's memory. He will fight everyone and everything to save the world Maria loved.{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20231116150857/https://sonicthehedgehog.com/fastfriendsforever/|https://sonicthehedgehog.com/fastfriendsforever/}}
  
Despite Shadow being "created" and being said to be artificial, [[Shadow the Hedgehog (game)]] denies this. It claims that Shadow was actually ''born'' and he is a real hedgehog, just with Black Doom's blood, meaning the two have similar abilities and it explains why the Black Arms have Shadow's colours.
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==Abilities==
 
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Shadow the Hedgehog is a black and red [[hedgehog]], and though his physical appearance points to him being the same age as [[Sonic the Hedgehog|Sonic]], he is actually much older due to his time spent in hibernation under the care of [[G.U.N.]] Though his physical appearance is purely hedgehog, his DNA is a combination of hedgehog and that of the [[Black Arms]] alien race, and it is because of this combination that allows his ease of using the energy of the [[Chaos Emeralds]] for his own purposes. Designed to be "The Ultimate Lifeform," it has been said that Shadow is nothing short of immortal, though this claim has been untested. It has been shown that Shadow is incredibly resilient, if his fall from space is anything to go by.  
What exactly is the '''ultimate life form''' that Gerald Robotnik was working on? Shadow the Hedgehog answers this by explaining that Shadow is the ultimate life form Gerald was working on, and Biolizard was the one he wrote about in the diary in Sonic Adventure 2.
 
 
 
In the speech before his execution at the end of ''[[Sonic Adventure 2]]'', Gerald explains how the Ultimate Life Form project was supposed to be for the good of mankind. The military interpreted it as a weapon which led to the attack that killed Maria and supposedly destroyed the Ultimate Life Form. Gerald goes on to claim that, filled with hatred for the military for killing Maria, he completed the Ultimate Life Form based on what he remembered and programmed it to carry out his revenge. He also implores the listener to free it.
 
 
 
This speech is quite confusing. We ''know'' that Shadow escaped ARK in an escape pod, and that same Shadow was the one freed by [[Dr. Eggman]]. But based on his speech, Gerald does not know that Shadow has survived. He would have realised that Shadow had survived if the military had delivered Shadow to him so he could continue his work. It is unknown why would the military continue to allow Gerald to work on Shadow if they already perceived him as a threat.
 
 
 
There are three possible explanations. One is that ''Shadow is the only true Ultimate Life Form'' and that the professor improved Shadow even further after he was captured by the military. Secondly, ''there is a third, more powerful Ultimate Life Form in existence which has not been discovered''. A third possibility is that, ''the Final Hazard is the true Ultimate Life Form''. Relating to this second theory, some believe that Sonic actually is the ultimate life form, seeing as he is very similar to Shadow in various ways, saying that Sonic is actually an upgraded version of Shadow, some say this can be proved by various things Sonic can do that Shadow can't (Sonic can run fast without the rocket shoes, Bounce Attack, etc). This cannot be proved, however, so that theory should be regarded purely as speculation, and not fact. Shadow the Hedgehog denies this and proves that the third ultimate life form is in fact [[Black Doom]], from a line in the game Black Doom says when defeated "What? This can't be! I am the supreme being that rules this universe, the Immortal Life Form! I am the ultimate power... graaaggghhh!"
 
 
 
Before he was executed, Gerald modified the Bio-Lizard so it could fuse with ARK using [[Chaos Control]] and destroy Earth by ramming into it. [[Sonic the Hedgehog|Sonic]] and [[Knuckles the Echidna|Knuckles]] "free" the Bio-Lizard when they approach the core of ARK, and the voice of Gerald plays as it is released. The Bio-Lizard was also just a "prototype" of the Ultimate Life Form- an incomplete version. This would leave it open to being improved by Gerard. Finally, by using [[Chaos Control]] to fuse with ARK, it is carrying out the mission it was programmed for: to destroy Earth. Seeing that Shadow was not originally programmed to destroy Earth, it is improbable to suggest that his predecessor, the Bio-Lizard, ''was'' originally a weapon of destruction, especially considering that the whole Ultimate Life Form project was supposed to bring peace to the world. The only viable explanation is that it was re-programmed by Gerard. The only disproof of this theory is the subtitle of "The Prototype of the Ultimate Life" in the description of the Final Hazard.
 
 
 
Another popular theory is that the Shadow in ''SA2'', ''Sonic Heroes'', and ''Sonic Battle'' is a real, organic Shadow and Metal Sonic used this original Shadow to clone his army. Proof to this theory is that Metal Sonic says "Ultimate Life Form data has been copied" after the Egg Albatross is defeated. Thus, Shadow in ''Sonic Heroes'' and ''SA2'', and thus ''[[Sonic Battle]]'' (Battle's Shadow has ''SA2'''s memories) is the real one as Metal Sonic indirectly implies there that he couldn't copy the Ultimate Life Form data from one of the clones. However, the fake Dr. Eggman (Metal Sonic) tells Shadow that he 'has no past to remember' ''before'' he copies the Ultimate Life Form data, although this could just be to throw him and make him think he's a clone, therefore stopping him from realizing that he can warp in time and space. Obviously, Shadow realizing that would be a huge blow to Metal Sonic's plans. Also, why would a normal Shadow clone be kept in a different place to all the others? Shadow's solo game explains that Eggman rescued Shadow with one of his robots, and Eggman decided that he could use "Shadow Androids" (robotic copies of Shadow) to conquer the world. Metal Sonic apparently didn't know about this and believed Shadow did die.
 
 
 
Yet another popular theory is that Shadow's memories of Maria are entirely false, and that, in fact, the hedgehog form of Project Shadow never even set foot on Space Colony ARK prior to the events of ''Sonic Adventure 2''. The likely scenario is that, somehow, Gerald was able to continue work on Project Shadow while incarcerated by GUN (as indicated by ''[[Sonic X]]''). How, we do not know -- Perhaps they were using the professor for other research purposes and he secretly did the work on the side. Regardless, planning to utilize Shadow for vengeance on GUN and, for that matter, the entire world, the very angry professor would have programmed fabricated memories of Maria and her death into Shadow's subconscious. Shadow's game proves that these memories are true. Remember that Shadow has been in a capsule for fifty years, so his memories are probably cloudy.
 
 
 
This theory doesn't quite explain why Shadow had the change of heart he did toward the end of the ''SA2'' story arc, but if anything, it can probably be accredited to emotional mental instability. Of course, many people [supporting this theory] say that since Shadow's memory contained the anger of Prof. Gerald, when he had his change of heart it actually represented Prof. Gerald's inputted anger realizing what was really happenning, and repenting. The answer is that Shadow remembered more of Maria's wish. Earlier in the game, he doesn't remember the "Give them a chance... to be happy!" part of the wish.
 
 
 
*Also, it should be noted that the story of ''Sonic Battle'' cannot be considered canon material without completely disregarding the history laid out by ''Sonic Adventure 2''. There are far too many discrepancies in the story relating to Professor Gerald's journal entries (unlockable by playing through the story a second time) that completely nullify any direct sense of continuity with ''SA2'', where Shadow was created for the purpose of vengeance. Why would Gerald have intentionally programmed the final version of Shadow with a conscience if the very reason it was brought into existence was to destroy the world? The plot holes created by ''Sonic Battle'' are simply too large to disregard.
 
 
 
*Note: This is personal opinion, and not fact. An alternate explanation is that Shadow is simply *not* a robot, and can't be purely programmed, only hypnotised and influenced to implant thoughts and emotions. ''Sonic Battle'' fits quite well as canon development as Shadow's character. Shadow has been going through much self discovery since he wa awoken in ''Sonic Adventure 2'' - this is simply a natural stage in his development. He is a living humanoid creature, with a mind and conscience of his own. He disagrees in ''Sonic Battle'', but it's made quite obvious by the other characters reactions that it's just another mood swing.
 
 
 
Lastly, there is nothing that states that the Chaos Emerald-empowered Shadow seen at the end of ''Sonic Adventure 2'' is "Hyper Shadow." The proper terminology is Super Shadow, as, according to ''Sonic 3'' and ''Sonic & Knuckles'', a character absorbing all seven Chaos Emeralds is always referred to as "Super" instead of "Hyper", no matter who that character is. "Hyper" is a second stage achieved by absorption of the seven Super Emeralds (powered up forms of the Chaos Emeralds), as seen from [[Hyper Sonic]] and [[Hyper Knuckles]] in ''Sonic 3 & Knuckles''.
 
 
 
=== What truly happened in the end of Sonic Adventure 2 ===
 
In Sonic Adventure 2, Shadow is seen falling to Earth and apparently getting killed in the process. After he returned, many fans wondered if Shadow is the real one, or an android. Here are the theories stated in Shadow the Hedgehog:
 
 
 
*In the neutral story, Eggman ''tricks'' Shadow into believing he is one of the Shadow Androids created in the beginning of the game and in the end of Sonic Heroes. Shadow believes this as he doesn't have any memories, but he goes to Eggman's base and he and [[E-123 Omega]] kill the doctor. In the heroic Lava Shelter ending, Shadow plans that he will kill Eggman and he and Omega will rule an android utopia. Then he kills Eggman and the credits roll. In the darker one, Shadow obeys Eggman but uses the Chaos Emeralds to destroy the Egg Dealer. Shadow claims that he will be better than the other Shadow Androids, and the original Shadow. Then he kills Eggman and the credits roll. It should be noted that these endings are not canon as Eggman is in the Last Story.
 
  
*Shadow is hinted to have only just survived in the pure evil storyline, and that it is GUN's fault. Shadow decides that the best thing to do is carry out revenge and destroy Earth. In the heroic ending, Shadow kills Black Doom but conquers the universe anyway. And in the evil storyline Shadow claims that he and Black Doom (who he believes is his lord and master) will rule Earth.
+
With his trademark "[[Chaos Control]]" ability, he can bend space and time around him at will, with the need of only one Chaos Emerald. It allows him to traverse great distances in only a short amount of time. He can manifest Chaos energy as a physical force, and use it to attack his enemies. [[Chaos Spear]], his most often used form, is the formation of energy into a lightning bolt, Shadow throwing it to deliver damage. A cruder form of this, [[Chaos Blast]], is a generic explosion which is designed to damage anything around him. Along with [[Chaos Boost]], and [[Chaos Attack]], Shadow has developed a wide variety of attacks which utilize a Chaos Emerald. With one of those magical gems, Shadow is a nearly unstoppable force. Even without a Chaos Emerald, Shadow can preform a short range teleport with [[Chaos Snap]].{{intref|Sonic the Hedgehog (2006 game)}}{{ref|1=https://youtu.be/N_v5DGcmvLE?si=fMSxsCpZ3gDssFpk&t=947}} For longer distances he needs a Chaos Emerald with him. Shadow can awaken as [[Hero Shadow]] or [[Dark Shadow]] by doing good or bad deeds, by touching either [[Hero Energy Core]]s or [[Dark Energy Core]]s and breathing dark mist. With them activated, Shadow has [[Invincibility|invincibility]] and unlimited ammunition. However, he can only maintain these states for a limited amount of time.{{fileref|Shadow GC US manual.pdf|Page=20}}
  
*In one storyline, Shadow realizes he is the original and decides to stay on the ARK. While he manages to destroy one of Eggman's robots, he does it because he plans to ''protect'' ARK from any and all outsiders, and he lets Eggman off with a warning.
+
[[Image:Shadowth shadow01.png|thumb|190px|The infamous promo art, from ''[[Shadow the Hedgehog (game)|Shadow the Hedgehog]]''.]]
 +
Even without an emerald, Shadow is still a being to be reckoned with, as he has many of the same abilities that Sonic the Hedgehog possess. Just like Sonic, he can curl up into a [[spin attack]] and attack enemies. He can build up speed with the classic [[spin dash]], and aim at combatants with the homing attack. However, Shadow does not possess the same blistering speed that Sonic has. To make up for this shortcoming, Shadow wears a pair of [[Air Shoes]], which give Shadow's running an extra boost, allowing him to keep up with Sonic most of the time. It also gives Shadow the ability to hover over the ground for short periods, though he doesn't often exercise this. Standing on pools of [[Red Slime]] allows Shadow to travel on speedy transport paths with the [[Dark Spin Dash|dark spin dash]].{{fileref|Shadow GC US manual.pdf|Page=16}}
  
*Finally, in the Last Story, Eggman explains what happened to Shadow. To do it, survive in the battle with Devil Doom for about eight-ten minutes. Eggman says this "Shadow... can you hear me? Th--this may be the last t-time I-I get to sp-speak to you... everyone th-thought you d-died aboard the ARK on that tragic d-day... w-well you didn't... I r-rescued you w-with one of m-my robots. Y-you j-just l-lost your m-memory, that's all. Y-you really are the U-ultimate Life F-form my gr-grandfather created!", proving that the Shadow we play as is the real one.
+
While Shadow's physical abilities are nothing to be trifled with, Shadow is not against the idea of using weaponry if need be. Guns, missiles, bazookas, or any other armaments that the military force G.U.N. has at their disposal are fair game for the artificial hedgehog to use. Even vehicles like tanks are not off-limits to Shadow, many of the preceding weapons serving him in numerous situations.{{intref|Shadow the Hedgehog (game)}}{{intref|Sonic the Hedgehog (2006 game)}}
  
Just to stop all the theories and put up a fact.
+
Like many other characters in the games, Shadow is able to use the power of the seven Chaos Emeralds to transform into [[Super Shadow]], though he is still bound by the same ring-consumption limitation that the other characters in the series have.
  
== Japanese Backstory: The TRUTH About 50 Years Ago ==
+
==In other media==
 +
Just as the case has been for [[Sonic the Hedgehog]], Shadow the Hedgehog has been adapted to fit in other media.
  
After ''[[Sonic Adventure 2]]'' was released, a strategy guide was fashioned with the guidance of Sonic Team. This official strategy guide offered eager players the chance to also learn a bit more about Shadow's past, in the form of a report written by [[Rouge the Bat]]. The report, a partial transcript, explained her findings on "Project: Shadow" which explains quite a bit about some questions we all have, and brings up a slew of new ones. This backstory is also what the Journal Entries in ''[[Sonic Battle]]'' work with. Here is the translation of this report. (Translation provided by [[KojiChao]])
+
===[[Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie comics)|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' (Archie comics)]]===
 +
[[Image:SonictheHedgehog Archie US 171.jpg|thumb|190px|Shadow, featured on the cover of ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie comics)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' [[Sonic the Hedgehog 171 (Archie)|Issue 171]].]]
 +
Introduced in [[Sonic the Hedgehog 098 (Archie)|Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 98]], Shadow the Hedgehog's origins are played out in a similar way to the game. His captivity in [[Prison Island]], his emergence by [[Dr. Eggman]]'s hand, his creation by [[Professor Gerald Robotnik]], and his relationship with [[Maria Robotnik|Maria]] aboard the [[Space Colony ARK]] are all present. Seeking out the [[Chaos Emeralds]], Shadow even reproduces the case of mistaken identity, causing the forces of [[Station Square]] to go after [[Sonic the Hedgehog|Sonic]]. However, unlike the games, the comics make it clear that Gerald was able to get a hold of Shadow after the tragic events aboard the ARK, and was responsible for his fuzzy memories of what Maria wanted.
  
<table border=1><tr><td>
+
After defeating [[Finalhazard]], it was not Eggman who rescued the falling Shadow but the alien race known as the [[Bem]], a peaceful species who felt that Shadow needed to be saved for the upcoming [[Xorda]] invasion. Once he awoke, the Bem made Shadow transform into his [[Super transformation|super state]], setting him against the Xorda ship entering [[Mobius]] space. Though he fought valiantly, he was unable to stop them, crashing back onto the surface where he was subsequently discovered by the residents of Knothole. Forming a temporary alliance with them, he joined Sonic and the gang to fight off the Xorda invasion, who wanted to wipe out intelligent life on the planet to pay for crimes that had been committed millennia ago by human beings to a Xorda ambassador.
''During my latest criminal investigation, I  found secret information about Project Shadow through a Security Hole in GUN, and informed the President. It was a letter addressed to Professor Gerald from the President of the time, 13 Presidents ago, confidentially requesting from him some new research. The subject of the letter is as follows.''
 
  
 +
After the Xorda's defeat, Shadow was left to drift alone, deciding to eventually confront Dr. Eggman. It was there that he met [[Hope Kintobor]], Eggman's cousin who looked extremely similar to Maria. Becoming protective of her, Shadow would become angered if she was placed in danger, his feelings for Maria influencing any action involving Hope. It was because of Eggman's relation to Maria that made Shadow join forces with him for a time, although he only stayed a part of his force until he could get a hold of Gerald's diaries (Hope having already found refuge in [[Knothole Village|Knothole]] and, later on, Station Square). Asking for help from the [[Freedom Fighters]], Shadow was able to talk to holographic versions of Gerald and Maria, learning about his [[Black Arms]] heritage and how they would eventually be coming, ready to attack the planet.
  
''"Mankind's ultimate eternal dream, researching for immortality."''
+
With this knowledge, Shadow went off to Station Square, where he joined up with G.U.N., working alongside [[Rouge the Bat]] once again. Eventually recruiting [[E-123 Omega]] and forming "[[Team Dark]]," Shadow is once again able to keep an eye on Hope, all the while trying to keep peace on Mobius, waiting for the day where he may be called to fight against the oncoming forces of [[Black Doom]].
  
 +
===''[[Sonic X]]''===
 +
[[Image:092shadowmaria.jpg|thumb|190px|Shadow looking out to Earth, with [[Maria Robotnik|Maria]] at his side. From ''[[Sonic X]]''.]]
 +
[[Image:111sonadow.jpg|thumb|190px|[[Sonic the Hedgehog]] and Shadow, from ''[[Sonic X]]''.]]
 +
Once again, Shadow the Hedgehog's introduction in ''[[Sonic X]]'' is quite similar to that of ''[[Sonic Adventure 2]]''. Revealed in episode 33, "[[The Puzzle of Project Shadow]]," he is awoken by [[Dr. Eggman]] in yet another attempt at global domination. Many of the same events occur as they do in the games, as the arc Shadow is used in is a direct adaptation. Driven by his promise to [[Maria Robotnik|Maria]], the anime makes one notable difference as it is [[Chris Thorndyke]], not [[Amy Rose]], which triggers the return of Shadow's memory and his true promise to Maria. Realizing his folly, he joins Sonic to battle [[Finalhazard]], the result being his assumed death.
  
''Gerald had refused this request stubbornly, for it crossed over Man's limits. However (although ironically), in the end, Gerald's dearest granddaughter "Maria Robotnik" gave him a reason to look over the plans. Maria suffered from an illness, "NIDS: Neuro immunodeficiency syndrome", by which medical treatment was difficult to provide. Although she seemingly could not expect recovery from this, medical treatment research was still continued aboard the ARK. Before they finally thought the incurable disease could be conquered, Gerald had declared his new immortality studies. Advanced research was strictly confidential, inside the ARK. Records state, "Project Shadow" was named this because of the sarcasm involved in not actually being able to create a Shadow (Which didn't exist in the world).''
+
It is discovered in the second series that Shadow did not perish, but was instead rescued by Dr. Eggman, who put him in stasis. His fate is discovered in episode 60, "[[The Return of Shadow]]," and when he is awoken he remembers nothing of his past, save for a vague image of Maria. He once again takes on the role of anti-hero, helping to fight off the [[Metarex]] while at the same time not getting along with Sonic and the gang. There is one episode in which Shadow befriends [[Molly]], a teenage girl that reminds him of Maria. However, he is unable to prevent fate from happening again, Molly sacrificing herself to save others during a Metarex attack. At the end of the series, Shadow once again becomes instrumental in stopping the villain, doing it not only for Maria but for Molly.
  
 +
In the ''[[Sonic X (Archie comics)|Sonic X]]'' comic book series, Shadow only appears once, though it is the Shadow from the [[Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie comics)|main Archie series]]. Sent there during a battle with [[Metal Sonic]], Shadow encounters the ''Sonic X'' cast some point after his doppelganger was presumed dead.
  
''At first, everyone thought that this plan was far too reckless and far-fetched to have ever been fabricated by Professor Gerald's gifted mind. Chaos Emeralds were researched and resulted in the creation of Chaos Drives, which were a test to apply their infinite energy to a life, while the main project would only be started once the prototype was complete. The "Prototype of the Ultimate Life-form", made after the image of a lizard, showed many signs of wonderful growth. Regeneration, restoration, and self-reproduction(*1). The researchers were thrilled at this.''
+
===''[[Sonic Boom (series)|Sonic Boom]]''===
 +
[[Image:SonicBoom_ItTakesAVillageToDefeatAHedgehog.png|thumb|right|200px|Shadow and Dr. Eggman in ''[[Sonic Boom (TV series)|Sonic Boom]]''.]]
 +
Shadow appears within the ''[[Sonic Boom (series)|Sonic Boom]]'' universe, looking mostly the same as his main series counterpart, except for a few physical and clothing differences, mainly his longer, slimmer build, cowlick spikes from his quills and long red cuffs on his gloves. His first appearance is in the video game ''[[Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric]]'', where Shadow silently watched Dr. Eggman and Metal Sonic from a distance at [[Lyric]]'s tomb. Later on, he confronts Sonic and Tails at the Abandoned Research Facility where he prevents the two from going to the past and taunting Sonic for being weak due to his loyalty to his friends, thus he engages the two heroes in a battle across time. Upon his defeat, he is kicked into a portal that transports him to the near future, and is not seen again until the end of the game where he gives Sonic and his team his approval for beating Lyric. In ''[[Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal]]'', Lyric implants a mind control device on Shadow and was used to attack the heroes. Upon his defeat, the device broke, and the now-liberated Shadow goes off to get his revenge on Lyric. He shows up again in the finale to save Sonic and co. from being destroyed by Lyric.
  
 +
Shadow then made an appearance in the Season 1 finale of the [[Sonic Boom (TV series)|TV series]], "[[It Takes a Village to Defeat a Hedgehog]]", where he was invited by Eggman and various other villains to join their circle of villainy so they can defeat Sonic together. However, Shadow quickly grew tired of the group due to how much they waste their time on silly games, and would rather take out Sonic by himself while the hedgehog and his friends were trying to assemble Amy's bookcase. While the other villains were busy causing trouble in the village, Shadow beats down Sonic in a one-on-one duel, but ultimately loses when Eggman accidentally blinds him with a camera flash while taking a "victory selfie" which allows Sonic to strike back. Shadow then tells Eggman that he is unable to properly defeat Sonic when he's around, and swears to fight the blue hedgehog again on his own terms.
  
''But, while their joy of how well the Prototype was doing quickly went to their heads, it became unruly and hard to control causing many problems. A voice of doubt soon arose, as they questioned their continuation on this project, as well as the safety of others aboard(*2). The truth is uncertain, about who had leaked private information about the Project to GUN, however it was considered to have been one of the few who were concerned with the Prototype, as it became reckless.''
+
===''Sonic Comic''===
 +
[[image:Sonic Comic Act006.png|thumb|120px|Shadow the Hedgehog in ''Sonic Comic'' from ''[[Sonic Channel]]''.]]
 +
{{sectstub}}
  
 +
===[[Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW comics)|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' (IDW comics)]]===
 +
{{sectstub}}
  
''Those who were among the top ranking of GUN, had a strong disliking of the research organization, and formulated a plan to shut down the ARK itself, taking advantage of its current situation. Their secret plan was code named, "ARK's Indestructible Seal(*3)"''
+
===''Sonic Channel cover stories''===
 +
{{sectstub}}
  
 +
===[[Sonic the Hedgehog (film series)|''Sonic the Hedgehog'' (film series)]]===
 +
While the government was wiping Dr. Robotnik off their database they found a file buried deep in their system dating back from over 50 years. They contained coordinates to a secret research facility. After hearing this Commander Walters realized this must be Project Shadow. Shadow then awakens from his stasis pod with his eyes glowing with electricity.{{ref|[[Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (film)]]}}
  
''All of the colony's residents were to be evacuated from a bio hazardous calamity generated from within the ARK research institution, and it would be sealed away. This was their ostensible(*4) purpose of the strategy. Of course, the true purpose was to close the ARK research facility, erase Project Shadow, and put the blame to Professor Gerald as the person who had caused the accident.''
+
===''[[Sonic Prime]]''===
 +
On [[South Island]], Shadow was searching for the green Chaos Emerald while Sonic and his friends were fighting Dr. Eggman. The battle caused an earthquake which Shadow claimed shook the world. The black hedgehog encountered Sonic about it and the two of them butted heads. Shadow ended up loosing his fight against Sonic and followed behind him to the excavation site of the [[Paradox Prism]]. Once there, he saw Sonic destroying the Prism and he used his Chaos Emerald to teleport out of the blast with Chaos Control. Shadow ended up in the void within the [[Shatterverse]].
  
 +
===''Otherworld Comedy''===
 +
{{sectstub}}
  
''The plan was carried out, on the premise that GUN knew nothing, and within only seven days of the Plan's commencing, all the residents of the ARK were moved to the planet. All the research facilities aboard the ARK were frozen by GUN, and all persons involved in Project Shadow, except for Professor Gerald, were announced as victims of the disaster. The plan was finally completed, when the "Prototype of the Ultimate Lifeform" was found, and then sealed away in the deepest part of the Colony.''
+
==Appearances==
  
 +
===Video Games===
  
''But, there was a miscalculation in their plan. It seemed Professor Gerald was already finishing off the Ultimate Lifeform "Shadow"(*5), but using another desirable form, when the plan was being executed. When GUN's Special Forces rushed into the research institute, Gerald escaped, and entrusted it to Maria, his granddaughter, checking to make sure that the one escape capsule was ejected toward the planet(*6). (In addition, the whereabouts of the capsule at that time were not known, either.)''
+
*''[[Sonic Adventure 2]]''/''[[Sonic Adventure 2: Battle|Battle]]''
 
 
 
 
''Now, it is not known if the hedgehog "Shadow the Hedgehog", being the "Shadow" that was sealed away in Prison Island, was a copy created by someone else(*7), or was the original "Shadow" that was ejected toward the planet. (There is no real way to confirm this anywhere...)''
 
</td></tr>
 
<tr><td>
 
'''(*Footnotes*)'''
 
 
 
*1: The Biolizard was able to take damage, and heal itself, regenerate any lost limbs, like a lizard, and it could reproduce asexually (The pink Eggs Shadow "Homing Attack"s on). Unfortunatelly, it required its Life Support System, fuel by Chaos Drives, to continue.
 
 
 
*2: The Biolizard reacted violently when it had the power of the Chaos Emeralds.
 
 
 
*3: Ehh, not too sure on the ACTUAL name on this. ^_^; So, it might be off...
 
 
 
*4: Ostensible: The 'Good guy Image' GUN was trying to convey, making the public think they were doing the right thing, when they had ulterior motives.
 
 
 
*5: "Shadow" was created during the week GUN's plan was executed, so he never knew about the Prototype, or the destructive powers it possesed.
 
 
 
*6: Gerald had told Maria to escape with Shadow, and ran in the opposite direction to draw unwanted attention away from the two. He looked at a monitor/out a window, to see the capsule leaving the colony.
 
 
 
*7: The text mentions an "Original piece" of Shadow. Most likely pertaining to the fact that Rouge doesn't believe that the "Shadow" we know, was actually the one from 50 years ago. She believes, that, perhaps, the Original Shadow was in the capsule, DIED upon impact. Someone else found 'Shadow', and made a CLONE. In most Sci-Fi movies, the clones of original lifeforms usually can retain certain memories that they had before. However, as stated, she can't proove if he's the original, or a clone.</tr></td>
 
</table>
 
 
 
==Games Shadow has appeared in==
 
*''[[Sonic Adventure 2]]''
 
*''[[Sonic Adventure 2: Battle]]''
 
 
*''[[Sega Superstars]]''
 
*''[[Sega Superstars]]''
 
*''[[Sonic Battle]]''
 
*''[[Sonic Battle]]''
Line 136: Line 131:
 
*''[[Shadow the Hedgehog (game)|Shadow the Hedgehog]]''
 
*''[[Shadow the Hedgehog (game)|Shadow the Hedgehog]]''
 
*''[[Sonic Riders]]''
 
*''[[Sonic Riders]]''
 +
*''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (2006 game)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]''
 +
*''[[Sega Superstars Tennis]]''
 +
*''[[Sonic Rivals]]''
 +
*''[[Sonic and the Secret Rings]]''
 +
*''[[Sonic Rivals 2]]''
 +
*''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games]]''
 +
*''[[Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity]]''
 +
*''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' (as an [[mariowiki:Assist Trophy|Assist Trophy]])
 +
*''[[Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood]]''
 +
*''[[Sonic and the Black Knight]]'' (as [[Sir Lancelot]])
 +
*''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games]]''
 +
*''[[Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing]]''
 +
*''[[Sonic Free Riders]]''
 +
*''[[Sonic Colours (Nintendo DS)]]''
 +
*''[[Sonic Generations]]''
 +
*''[[Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games]]''
 +
*''[[Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed]]''
 +
*''[[Sonic Dash]]''
 +
*''[[Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games]]''
 +
*''[[Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS]]'' / ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U|Wii U]]'' (as an [[mariowiki:Assist Trophy|Assist Trophy]])
 +
*''[[Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric]]''
 +
*''[[Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal]]''
 +
*''[[Sonic Runners]]''
 +
*''[[Sonic Dash 2: Sonic Boom]]''
 +
*''[[Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games]]''
 +
*''[[Lego Dimensions]]''
 +
*''[[Sonic Runners Adventure]]''
 +
*''[[Sonic Forces: Speed Battle]]''
 +
*''[[Sonic Forces]]''
 +
*''[[Sega Heroes]]
 +
*''[[Team Sonic Racing]]
 +
*''[[Sonic Racing]]''
 +
*''[[Sonic Speed Simulator]]''
 +
*''[[Sonic Frontiers]]'' (mentioned)
 +
*''[[The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog]]''
  
==Critiscm==
+
===Television Series and Film===
Shadow has recieved a large amount of critiscm from Sonic fans and big-name gaming sites such as IGN and GameSpot. One of them is that his "death" in Sonic Adventure 2 made a great ending, and that having him return cheapened his death. Shadow is also criticized due to the fact that he curses a lot in his game (especially his over-use of the word "damn"). He is also hated because he is believed to simply be a "dark Sonic", despite having a backstory.
+
*''[[Sonic X]]'' (Anime, Japan)
 
+
*''[[Sonic Boom (TV series)|Sonic Boom]]''
== Quotes ==
+
*''[[Sonic Prime]]''
* "My name is Shadow. Since you were so kind to release me, master, I shall grant you one wish."
+
*''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (film series)]]''
 
 
* "It all starts with this, a jewel containing the ultimate power!"
 
 
 
* "Chaos... CONTROL!"
 
 
 
* "You'll regret this, doctor! Even if I'm not real, I'm still the ultimate life form... Shadow the Hedgehog!"
 
 
 
* "Where's that DAMN fourth Chaos Emerald?!"
 
 
 
* "(repeated line) Damn it!"
 
  
* "Now... witness my true power!"
+
===Comic Books===
 +
*''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie comics)|Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' ([[Archie Comics]], US)
 +
*''[[Sonic X (Archie comics)|Sonic X]]'' ([[Archie Comics]], US - [[Sonic X 40 (Archie)|Issue 40]] only)
  
* "Finally, I have ALL the Chaos Emeralds!"
+
==Theme songs==
 +
*[[Throw It All Away]]
 +
*[[This Machine]]
 +
*[[I Am... All of Me]]
 +
*[[Waking Up]]
 +
*[[Almost Dead]]
 +
*[[Chosen One]]
 +
*[[All Hail Shadow]]
 +
*[[Never Turn Back]]
 +
*[[All Hail Shadow (Crush 40)]]
  
==Voice Actors==
+
==Voice actors==
* ''[[Sonic Adventure 2]]'', ''[[Sonic Battle]]'', ''[[Sonic Heroes]]'', ''[[Shadow the Hedgehog (game)|Shadow the Hedgehog]]'', ''[[Sonic Riders]]'' (Japanese) - [[Koji Yusa]]
+
* [[Koji Yusa]] (Japanese game voice (2001-present) plus ''[[Sonic X]]'')
* ''Sonic Adventure 2'', ''Sonic Battle'', ''Sonic Heroes'' (English) - [[David Humphrey]]
+
* [[David Humphrey]] (English game voice (2001-2004))
* ''[[Sonic X]]'', ''Shadow the Hedgehog'', ''Sonic Riders'' (English) - [[Jason Griffith]]
+
* [[Jason Griffith]] (English game voice (2005-2010) plus ''[[Sonic X]]'')
 +
* [[Kirk Thornton]] (English game voice (2010-present) plus ''[[Sonic Boom (TV series)|Sonic Boom]]'')
 +
* [[Ian Hanlin]] (''[[Sonic Prime]]'')
 +
* [[Benoît Du Pac]] (French game voice (2011-present) plus ''[[Sonic X]]'' and ''[[Sonic Boom (TV series)|Sonic Boom]]'')
 +
* [[Klaus Lochthove]] (German game voice (2011-present))
 +
* [[Manuel Gimeno]] (Spanish game voice (2011-present))
 +
* [[Claudio Moneta]] (Italian game voice (2011-present) plus ''[[Sonic Prime]]'')
  
 +
==References==
 +
<references/>
  
 
{{Characters}}
 
{{Characters}}
[[Category:Characters]]
 

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Sa2 shadow.png
TeamSonicRacing Shadow.png
Shadow the Hedgehog
First seen: Sonic Adventure 2 (2001)
Species: Hedgehog / Black Arms
Gender: Male
Age: Chronologically 50, Physically 15
Height: 100cm (3'3")[1]
Weight: 35kg (77lbs)[1]
Likes: Nothing[1][2]
Dislikes: Humanity[1]
Created by: Shiro Maekawa[3], Takashi Iizuka[4]
For the eponymous game, see Shadow the Hedgehog (game).

Shadow the Hedgehog (シャドウ・ザ・ヘッジホッグ), also known as "The Ultimate Lifeform," is a recurring character in the Sonic the Hedgehog series of games and related media. First introduced in Sonic Adventure 2 as a villain, he soon took on the role of anti-hero, becoming yet another rival of Sonic. Because of his nature, he has also become a fan favorite, especially among those who discovered the series after SEGA ceased production of the Dreamcast.

Character conception

After the success of Sonic Adventure, it was only natural to assume that a sequel would be produced. Hoping that the game would be what Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was for the Mega Drive, a portion of the team responsible for the first Adventure title was sent off to work at SEGA of America. Dubbed "Sonic Team USA," it was led by Director Takashi Iizuka, while Yuji Naka remained back in Japan to work on other properties, including Phantasy Star Online. With the team in place, brainstorming soon began on what form Sonic Adventure 2 would take.

Early on, it was decided that one of the main themes of the game would be the dichotomy between good and evil, and to help explore that the creators came up with new characters that would both assist Dr. Eggman and challenge the established cast of heroes. Though Yuji Uekawa was tasked drawing the final design of the character, it was Iizuka who came up with the idea to use a dark, anti-hero figure who was similar to Sonic in shape but not in personality. When being designed, his original name was Terios, which translates to "reflection of," more than likely to play off the hero/villain dynamic within the game.

Once Sonic Adventure 2 was announced, the identity and nature of Shadow was a heavily guarded secret, his existence teased at the end of the first trailer for the game.[5] Details of the character were leaked when ReSaurus announced they were making figures of Shadow and Rouge, much as they had for the first Adventure title. Ironically, the company went out of business before they could release these figures to the masses. The push to build hype for the new character put other characters on the backburner, Tails not even being announced for the game until a few months later. The marketing push for the character was so great that, when players reached the end of Adventure 2 and saw the "death" of Shadow, there were many who doubted this was the last time Shadow would appear. As it were, Iizuka would later admit that he always had future plans for the character, hoping to have him star in his own game. This eventually happened with the release of Shadow the Hedgehog for the three main systems of the era.

Revival after Sonic Adventure 2

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The fact Shadow uses guns in Shadow the Hedgehog was based on suggestions mailed to Sonic Team, where kids were asking for a game where Sonic could use a gun. Feeling it out of his character, they decided to give the ability to Shadow, hoping to both fulfill these requests and broaden their playing audience. The look and feel of the game was based on such movie franchises as Underworld, Constantine, and The Terminator.[6]

During the promotion of his spin-off game, Shadow was used as a guest announcer and performer for the Japanese wrestling league Pancrase, jumping and posing in the ring. The night ended in Shadow giving the winner of that night's matches ten SEGA games.[7]

Though Shadow has been voted one of the most popular Sonic the Hedgehog characters, he is also one of the most controversial. Having become synonymous with the downturn of the Sonic franchise, there are those who argue that he is the embodiment of what has gone wrong with the series, showcasing how far it has strayed from its Mega Drive roots. Other fans argue that while the series may have strayed, Shadow has also allowed the games to evolve, and broaden Sonic's universe and appeal. Regardless of which way one looks at the argument, it cannot be denied the importance of the character in regards to the history of the Sonic franchise, be it good or bad.

For years, the elements of Shadow's backstory have been the subject of much fan debate. Even with the translation of story elements from Japanese guidebooks and the subsequent release of Shadow the Hedgehog, the many plot holes and inconsistencies in Shadow's story still inspire argument after argument over the black and red hedgehog, making any sort of explanation of the character a difficult endeavor.

History

Origin of Shadow

Concept art for the Space Colony ARK, as depicted in Shadow the Hedgehog.
Source: Sonic Adventure 2 - The Truth of 50 Years Ago...

Fifty years ago, a top-secret project known as "Project Shadow" had begun on the Space Colony ARK. Led by Professor Gerald Robotnik, it was a government-sanctioned initiative to create "The Ultimate Lifeform," an immortal being that could be used for the benefit of the nation. Using the blood of the Black Arms leader Black Doom Gerald was able to successfully create Shadow the Hedgehog.

Once brought to life, Shadow immediately befriended Gerald's granddaughter Maria, and they became close during their short time together. However, Gerald's progress was ruined when it was leaked to G.U.N. how he was able to create the successful prototype. As ties between the ARK and the United Federation had already been strained, hearing the news of the dealings with an alien race scared those in charge. Afraid of the implications, it was decided to launch an invasion and put a stop to the work being done there. G.U.N. troops descended onto the ARK, causing chaos and confusion wherever they went. Knowing that the G.U.N. forces would be there at any moment, Maria convinced Shadow to enter an escape pod, her final wish to him that he give the people on the planet a chance to be happy. Wishing him goodbye, Shadow could do nothing as he watched the G.U.N. soldiers storm into the lab, firing a shot which would forever change the artificial hedgehog.

Learning of his granddaughter's death, Professor Gerald soon went mad, swearing vengeance on humanity for taking away the only thing that ever meant anything to him. Though just what exactly transpired is cloudy, what is known is that both Gerald and the escape pod that held Shadow were gathered by G.U.N., Shadow being placed in G.U.N.'s military bunker on Prison Island,[8][9] and Gerald being incarcerated and charged with the crimes that happened aboard the ARK. At some point he manipulated Shadow's memories so he would carryout his revenge.[10]

Fifty years later, Dr. Eggman, Gerald's grandson came across his grandfather's journals. Eggman became aware of Project Shadow, and broke into Prison Island to recover what the mysterious weapon could be. Once he reached the center of the complex, he was startled to see a hedgehog, immediately thinking it must be Sonic. Quickly, though, he realized his fears were for naught, and that some grand twist of fate caused Gerald's greatest invention to resemble his arch-nemesis. When awoken, Shadow offers Eggman his help, asking for the Chaos Emeralds in return. Remembering Maria's senseless death, Shadow seeks out the remaining Chaos Emeralds, not relying on just the Doctor. The second emerald collected is also at the hand of Shadow, stolen from a facility that immediately gained the attention of G.U.N. Watching security footage, the organization believed the criminal to be Sonic the Hedgehog, a case of mistaken identity that runs through the rest of Sonic Adventure 2. When the two meet after the events of City Escape, a fierce rivalry begins, each subsequent encounter the two share ending in a fight.

Shadow confronting Biolizard. From Sonic Adventure 2.

Dr. Eggman eventually collected all seven Chaos Emeralds, and with Shadow's help Eggman learned how to access the Eclipse Cannon aboard the Space Colony ARK. Immediately, a videotaped message of Gerald Robotnik began, declaring his hatred of humanity in his final days, hoping that the Chaos Emeralds would be gathered on the ARK and that the cannon would be turned on those who took everything away from him. Everyone knew the ARK needed to be stopped, but Shadow refused to do anything helpful about it, believing he was carrying out Maria's final wish. However, a conversation with Amy Rose triggered one of Shadow’s lost memories, which allowed Shadow to finally recall her true final words. Realizing his folly, Shadow decided to join the fight, helping Sonic to stop Biolizard, a creature which was Shadow's immediate prototype. Forced to take the battle to the stars, Sonic and Shadow unite, transforming into their Super forms and taking down Biolizard's final form, Finalhazard. Using Chaos Control, they are able transport the space colony back into its original orbit, saving the planet at the presumed cost of Shadow's life.

Shadow was rescued however by one of Eggman's robots and put into a stasis tube, guarded by E-123 Omega. Eggman soon started making android copies of Shadow, and Rouge rescued the real Shadow from his base, albeit with no memories of his past.[11] He tries to find the answers of his existence on his own. His journey takes a dramatic turn when, just outside the city of Westopolis, the Black Arms race decides to attack the planet. He is immediately contacted by the force's leader, Black Doom, who tells Shadow that humanity betrayed him and that he belongs with the invading force. As an incentive, he promises to restore Shadow's memories if he collects the seven Chaos Emeralds. In the end, Shadow is able to collect the emeralds, and decides to give them to Black Doom, hoping he will finally find the answers he seeks. In doing so, Shadow is finally able to realize the truth of his creation. Every memory that Shadow once had returns, discovering the pact that Gerald had made with the Black Arms race, and the hope the professor originally had, that Shadow would stop the invading force once the time came. Renouncing the hatred of humanity that Black Doom had tried to force on him during the game, Shadow sets off to stop the invading force from using Chaos Control to transport all their forces onto Earth at once. With everything cleared up, Shadow is able to defeat Black Doom, and throws the Black Comet into the path of the Eclipse Cannon, fulfilling the hope that both Gerald and Maria had for him.[12]

Personality

Though he is often compared to Sonic, Shadow's personality is quite the opposite. Instead of being a joyful, carefree spirit, Shadow the Hedgehog is often a moody, discontented soul. Born through a more artificial means, he began questioning his true purpose while on the ARK, long before the moments that would scar his life. The only thing he has ever truly cared about, the only person he ever considered a friend, was Maria Robotnik, and when he watched her get murdered in front of his eyes, everything changed. Most of his life has been spent thinking of her, and wishing to honor her memory, even when he wasn't sure what it was she would have wanted. Because of this, he has never been trusting of humans, something which manifested during the events of Shadow the Hedgehog. Even though he now remembers his past and has fulfilled Maria's promise thrice over, he still has a great dislike for humanity, something he tries to work through now that he works directly for them.[13] Indeed, his trust for humans has shown to increase slightly, balking at Mephilis' prediction that humanity would turn against him and blame him for the destruction Solaris would cause in the future. However, as those events took place in the 2006 Sonic the Hedgehog game, the entire plot was retconned, though it can be assumed that Shadow's attempt at accepting humanity is still occurring. He has been shown to at least accept assistance from others, including Rouge the Bat and E-123 Omega, as they don't question his methods.[14]

On the Fast Friends Forever website, it was said that Shadow is always protecting the world from danger in honor of Maria's memory. He will fight everyone and everything to save the world Maria loved.[14]

Abilities

Shadow the Hedgehog is a black and red hedgehog, and though his physical appearance points to him being the same age as Sonic, he is actually much older due to his time spent in hibernation under the care of G.U.N. Though his physical appearance is purely hedgehog, his DNA is a combination of hedgehog and that of the Black Arms alien race, and it is because of this combination that allows his ease of using the energy of the Chaos Emeralds for his own purposes. Designed to be "The Ultimate Lifeform," it has been said that Shadow is nothing short of immortal, though this claim has been untested. It has been shown that Shadow is incredibly resilient, if his fall from space is anything to go by.

With his trademark "Chaos Control" ability, he can bend space and time around him at will, with the need of only one Chaos Emerald. It allows him to traverse great distances in only a short amount of time. He can manifest Chaos energy as a physical force, and use it to attack his enemies. Chaos Spear, his most often used form, is the formation of energy into a lightning bolt, Shadow throwing it to deliver damage. A cruder form of this, Chaos Blast, is a generic explosion which is designed to damage anything around him. Along with Chaos Boost, and Chaos Attack, Shadow has developed a wide variety of attacks which utilize a Chaos Emerald. With one of those magical gems, Shadow is a nearly unstoppable force. Even without a Chaos Emerald, Shadow can preform a short range teleport with Chaos Snap.[15][16] For longer distances he needs a Chaos Emerald with him. Shadow can awaken as Hero Shadow or Dark Shadow by doing good or bad deeds, by touching either Hero Energy Cores or Dark Energy Cores and breathing dark mist. With them activated, Shadow has invincibility and unlimited ammunition. However, he can only maintain these states for a limited amount of time.Media:Shadow GC US manual.pdf[17]

The infamous promo art, from Shadow the Hedgehog.

Even without an emerald, Shadow is still a being to be reckoned with, as he has many of the same abilities that Sonic the Hedgehog possess. Just like Sonic, he can curl up into a spin attack and attack enemies. He can build up speed with the classic spin dash, and aim at combatants with the homing attack. However, Shadow does not possess the same blistering speed that Sonic has. To make up for this shortcoming, Shadow wears a pair of Air Shoes, which give Shadow's running an extra boost, allowing him to keep up with Sonic most of the time. It also gives Shadow the ability to hover over the ground for short periods, though he doesn't often exercise this. Standing on pools of Red Slime allows Shadow to travel on speedy transport paths with the dark spin dash.Media:Shadow GC US manual.pdf[17]

While Shadow's physical abilities are nothing to be trifled with, Shadow is not against the idea of using weaponry if need be. Guns, missiles, bazookas, or any other armaments that the military force G.U.N. has at their disposal are fair game for the artificial hedgehog to use. Even vehicles like tanks are not off-limits to Shadow, many of the preceding weapons serving him in numerous situations.[12][15]

Like many other characters in the games, Shadow is able to use the power of the seven Chaos Emeralds to transform into Super Shadow, though he is still bound by the same ring-consumption limitation that the other characters in the series have.

In other media

Just as the case has been for Sonic the Hedgehog, Shadow the Hedgehog has been adapted to fit in other media.

Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie comics)

Shadow, featured on the cover of Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 171.

Introduced in Sonic the Hedgehog Issue 98, Shadow the Hedgehog's origins are played out in a similar way to the game. His captivity in Prison Island, his emergence by Dr. Eggman's hand, his creation by Professor Gerald Robotnik, and his relationship with Maria aboard the Space Colony ARK are all present. Seeking out the Chaos Emeralds, Shadow even reproduces the case of mistaken identity, causing the forces of Station Square to go after Sonic. However, unlike the games, the comics make it clear that Gerald was able to get a hold of Shadow after the tragic events aboard the ARK, and was responsible for his fuzzy memories of what Maria wanted.

After defeating Finalhazard, it was not Eggman who rescued the falling Shadow but the alien race known as the Bem, a peaceful species who felt that Shadow needed to be saved for the upcoming Xorda invasion. Once he awoke, the Bem made Shadow transform into his super state, setting him against the Xorda ship entering Mobius space. Though he fought valiantly, he was unable to stop them, crashing back onto the surface where he was subsequently discovered by the residents of Knothole. Forming a temporary alliance with them, he joined Sonic and the gang to fight off the Xorda invasion, who wanted to wipe out intelligent life on the planet to pay for crimes that had been committed millennia ago by human beings to a Xorda ambassador.

After the Xorda's defeat, Shadow was left to drift alone, deciding to eventually confront Dr. Eggman. It was there that he met Hope Kintobor, Eggman's cousin who looked extremely similar to Maria. Becoming protective of her, Shadow would become angered if she was placed in danger, his feelings for Maria influencing any action involving Hope. It was because of Eggman's relation to Maria that made Shadow join forces with him for a time, although he only stayed a part of his force until he could get a hold of Gerald's diaries (Hope having already found refuge in Knothole and, later on, Station Square). Asking for help from the Freedom Fighters, Shadow was able to talk to holographic versions of Gerald and Maria, learning about his Black Arms heritage and how they would eventually be coming, ready to attack the planet.

With this knowledge, Shadow went off to Station Square, where he joined up with G.U.N., working alongside Rouge the Bat once again. Eventually recruiting E-123 Omega and forming "Team Dark," Shadow is once again able to keep an eye on Hope, all the while trying to keep peace on Mobius, waiting for the day where he may be called to fight against the oncoming forces of Black Doom.

Sonic X

Shadow looking out to Earth, with Maria at his side. From Sonic X.
Sonic the Hedgehog and Shadow, from Sonic X.

Once again, Shadow the Hedgehog's introduction in Sonic X is quite similar to that of Sonic Adventure 2. Revealed in episode 33, "The Puzzle of Project Shadow," he is awoken by Dr. Eggman in yet another attempt at global domination. Many of the same events occur as they do in the games, as the arc Shadow is used in is a direct adaptation. Driven by his promise to Maria, the anime makes one notable difference as it is Chris Thorndyke, not Amy Rose, which triggers the return of Shadow's memory and his true promise to Maria. Realizing his folly, he joins Sonic to battle Finalhazard, the result being his assumed death.

It is discovered in the second series that Shadow did not perish, but was instead rescued by Dr. Eggman, who put him in stasis. His fate is discovered in episode 60, "The Return of Shadow," and when he is awoken he remembers nothing of his past, save for a vague image of Maria. He once again takes on the role of anti-hero, helping to fight off the Metarex while at the same time not getting along with Sonic and the gang. There is one episode in which Shadow befriends Molly, a teenage girl that reminds him of Maria. However, he is unable to prevent fate from happening again, Molly sacrificing herself to save others during a Metarex attack. At the end of the series, Shadow once again becomes instrumental in stopping the villain, doing it not only for Maria but for Molly.

In the Sonic X comic book series, Shadow only appears once, though it is the Shadow from the main Archie series. Sent there during a battle with Metal Sonic, Shadow encounters the Sonic X cast some point after his doppelganger was presumed dead.

Sonic Boom

Shadow and Dr. Eggman in Sonic Boom.

Shadow appears within the Sonic Boom universe, looking mostly the same as his main series counterpart, except for a few physical and clothing differences, mainly his longer, slimmer build, cowlick spikes from his quills and long red cuffs on his gloves. His first appearance is in the video game Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, where Shadow silently watched Dr. Eggman and Metal Sonic from a distance at Lyric's tomb. Later on, he confronts Sonic and Tails at the Abandoned Research Facility where he prevents the two from going to the past and taunting Sonic for being weak due to his loyalty to his friends, thus he engages the two heroes in a battle across time. Upon his defeat, he is kicked into a portal that transports him to the near future, and is not seen again until the end of the game where he gives Sonic and his team his approval for beating Lyric. In Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal, Lyric implants a mind control device on Shadow and was used to attack the heroes. Upon his defeat, the device broke, and the now-liberated Shadow goes off to get his revenge on Lyric. He shows up again in the finale to save Sonic and co. from being destroyed by Lyric.

Shadow then made an appearance in the Season 1 finale of the TV series, "It Takes a Village to Defeat a Hedgehog", where he was invited by Eggman and various other villains to join their circle of villainy so they can defeat Sonic together. However, Shadow quickly grew tired of the group due to how much they waste their time on silly games, and would rather take out Sonic by himself while the hedgehog and his friends were trying to assemble Amy's bookcase. While the other villains were busy causing trouble in the village, Shadow beats down Sonic in a one-on-one duel, but ultimately loses when Eggman accidentally blinds him with a camera flash while taking a "victory selfie" which allows Sonic to strike back. Shadow then tells Eggman that he is unable to properly defeat Sonic when he's around, and swears to fight the blue hedgehog again on his own terms.

Sonic Comic

Shadow the Hedgehog in Sonic Comic from Sonic Channel.
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Sonic the Hedgehog (IDW comics)

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Sonic Channel cover stories

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Sonic the Hedgehog (film series)

While the government was wiping Dr. Robotnik off their database they found a file buried deep in their system dating back from over 50 years. They contained coordinates to a secret research facility. After hearing this Commander Walters realized this must be Project Shadow. Shadow then awakens from his stasis pod with his eyes glowing with electricity.[18]

Sonic Prime

On South Island, Shadow was searching for the green Chaos Emerald while Sonic and his friends were fighting Dr. Eggman. The battle caused an earthquake which Shadow claimed shook the world. The black hedgehog encountered Sonic about it and the two of them butted heads. Shadow ended up loosing his fight against Sonic and followed behind him to the excavation site of the Paradox Prism. Once there, he saw Sonic destroying the Prism and he used his Chaos Emerald to teleport out of the blast with Chaos Control. Shadow ended up in the void within the Shatterverse.

Otherworld Comedy

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Appearances

Video Games

Television Series and Film

Comic Books

Theme songs

Voice actors

References


Characters in the Sonic the Hedgehog game series
Recurring characters
Heroes Sonic (Super, Starfall, Hyper, Darkspine, the Werehog, Excalibur) | Tails (Super) | Knuckles (Super, Hyper) | Amy (Super, Hyper) | Mighty (Super) | Ray (Super) | Espio | Charmy | Vector | Cream | Big | Blaze (Burning) | Silver (Super) | Sticks
Anti-heroes/Neutrals Shadow (Super) | Rouge | E-102 Gamma | E-123 Omega | Jet | Wave | Storm
Villains Dr. Eggman | Metal Sonic (Rocket, Neo, 3.0) | Mecha Sonic (8-bit, Mk. II, Mk. III, Super) | Fang | Tails Doll | Metal Knuckles | Chaos (Perfect) | E-Series | ZERO | Biolizard (Finalhazard) | Black Doom (Devil Doom) | Eggman Nega | Orbot | Cubot | Deadly Six (Zavok, Zazz, Zomom, Master Zik, Zeena, Zor)
Teams Sonic/Heroes | Rose | Dark | Chaotix | Babylon
Other Animals (Flicky) | Froggy | Chao (Hero, Dark) | Tikal | Pachacamac | Omochao | Chaclon | Gerald & Maria Robotnik | President | King Boom Boo | Cheese | Chocola | Vanilla | G.U.N. Commander | Wisps | Mother Wisp
One-off characters
Heroes Emerl | Marine | Lumina Flowlight | Chip | Shahra | Knights of the Round Table | Caliburn | Yacker | Avatar | Barry | Trip (Super)
Anti-heroes/Neutrals Bean | Bark | Shade | Merlina | Sage
Villains Witchcart | Hocke-Wulf | Bearenger | Carrotia | Battle Kukku Army (15th, 16th, Dr. Fukurokov) | E-101 Beta | Void | Chaos Gamma | Gemerl | Shugo-hei | Iblis | Mephiles | Solaris | Erazor Djinn | Captain Whisker | Johnny | Master Core: ABIS | Ix (Super) | Dark Gaia | King Arthur | Hard Boiled Heavies | Infinite | The End | Mirage Express
Teams Vector | Eggman
Other Birdie | Illumina | Secretary | Elise | Duke of Soleanna | Sonic Man | Coconut Crew | Vikings | Professor Pickle | Wentos | Don Fachio | Dodon Pa | Koco | Ancients | Conductor | Conductor's wife | Ariem | Heavy | Bomb | Tiara Boobowski | Honey