Shadow the Hedgehog is a major character in the Sonic X anime and comic book series.
He initially serves an villain in the series. And then, he becomes an ally of the hero, even if he still has some bitterness with Sonic the Hedgehog and his friends. Shadow was created by Professor Gerald Robotnik, and he's the end result of Project Shadow. However, the project was closed, and Shadow was captured by G.U.N. and put into stasis on Prison Island after his best friend, Maria Robotnik, was killed. He also serves as the former archrival of Sonic.
Just like his video game counterpart, he was voiced by Jason Griffith (who also voiced Sonic) in the English version and by Kōji Yusa in the Japanese version.
Appearance[]
Shadow is an anthropomorphic black hedgehog, with red stripes on his quills, around the edges of his eyes, and on his arms and legs. He has red eyes, a patch of white fur on his chest, a tan muzzle with a black nose, and small triangular ears with tan channels. Five spines on his head, four of which curve upwards and one which curves downwards, he has two spines on his back and a short, pointed tail. He wears white gloves with black cuffs and red tongues and Air Shoes. On each of his wrists and ankles, he wears inhibitor rings.
History[]
Past[]
50 years ago, Shadow was Professor Gerald Robotnik's top secret experiment, "Project Shadow", on the Space Colony ARK. The professor had been given permission by the government to create "the ultimate creature" as a protector of the universe. Once he was alive, Shadow befriended Maria Robotnik, Professor Gerald's granddaughter, and they became close during their short time together. Maria always wanted to visit the Earth, but she was suffering from an illness. At the same time, Shadow also wanted to go there, as she wanted to find out the truth about her existence. Then, however due to Gerald's progress with Shadow were ruined when it was revealed at the United Nations how he was able to create the successful prototype. Frightened by the implications, it was decided to launch an invasion of the ARK and finish the job done there.
After the G.U.N. soldiers broke into the ARK and destroyed everything to arrest anyone involved in the Shadow project, Maria, Gerald, and Shadow ran from the soldiers at all times, and she convinced a reluctant Shadow to enter an escape pod. The last thing that she wanted was to give the people of the planet a chance to be happy. The two said goodbyes before being catapulted into a slumber and an instant before Maria was killed by the G.U.N. soldiers who had just burst into the room.
Hearing of his granddaughter's death, Professor Gerald soon became furious, vowing vengeance on humanity for taking away the only thing that ever mattered to him. While what exactly happened is obscure, it is known that Gerald and the escape pod that contained Shadow were found by the United Nations, with Shadow asleep in a stasis pod within Prison Island and Gerald incarcerated. While imprisoned, Gerald would draw calculations on his jail cell wall that led to him creating a doomsday plan. And then, he would create a program that would cause the ARK to crash into the Earth. One of the seven Chaos Emeralds were placed into the Eclipse Cannon. Gerald then brainwashed Shadow by altering his memories of what Maris wanted on him as her final wish to ensure that the professor's doomsday program aboard the ARK, which would wipe out humanity in revenge, would be activated once Shadow had awakened.
Sonic X[]
In Season 2, Dr. Eggman comes across Shadow's pod. When he wakes Shadow up, they team up to defeat Sonic, Chris, and their friends. A little while later, Dr. Eggman and Rouge find the former's grandfather's journal. And then, Rouge realizes that Shadow is actually the prototype. Afterward, Shadow, Dr. Eggman, and Rouge team up with Sonic, Chris, and their friends, so that they can stop Gerald's plan to destroy the world. After saving the world, Sonic gives Chris one of Shadow's inhibitor rings, revealing that the latter has sacrificed himself. Despite feeling sad about Shadow's sacrifice, everyone is glad that the world is safe.
In Season 3, Sonic and his friends are attacked by the Metarex. During the battle, Shadow, who has been rediscovered by Dr. Eggman and Rouge, arrives to help them. Everyone is shocked to see Shadow. Mostly because they thought that he was dead. A short time later, the gang's new friend, Cosmo, asks Cream who Shadow is. And then, Cream recalls the events of the second season as she tells Cosmo about Shadow and his sacrifice. At the end of the season, Sonic, Shadow, and Cosmo work together to stop the Metarex once and for all. Following Cosmo's death, everyone realizes that Shadow is gone. And then, Dr. Eggman suspects that he has sacrificed himself again, just like Cosmo. Despite this, they're glad that the world is safe from the Metarex. (The Japanese version of the series finale reveals that Shadow is still alive, and that he still misses Maria.)
External Links[]
- Shadow the Hedgehog on the Sonic X Wiki
- Shadow the Hedgehog on the Sonic News Network
- Shadow the Hedgehog on the Heroes Wiki
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 Villains
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Eggman Empire S.O.N.I.C.X. Metarex Others See Also | ||