The first trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 dropped on Tuesday, August 27, and offered the audience the first look at Shadow the Hedgehog in the film. He is a fan-favorite character in Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, and the Hollywood superstar Keanu Reeves is voicing the cinematic version. Understandably, there is considerable interest in Shadow’s powers, origin, history in the franchise, and past with Gerald Robotnik, the grandfather of the antagonist Ivo Robotnik or Eggman.
Here’s everything to know about Shadow in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
What are Shadow the Hedgehog’s powers?
The trailer depicts Shadow easily outmatching Sonic and his friends Knuckles, and Tails and indicates that our heroes must join forces with Eggman to take on this new adversary. In the Sonic the Hedgehog video game franchise and related media, Shadow has been largely depicted as an antihero. His powers make him an equal to Sonic in almost every aspect.
Shadow can run and move at super speed and purportedly has something called the “ultimate speed.” While the source of his speed is apparently his Air Shoes, his incredibly strong and durable body lets him keep up with Sonic, who can move in the speed of light. Shadow can utilize his super speed in any given environment and appears to have limitless stamina. Besides, he is as agile as Sonic and possesses amazing reflexes and acrobatic skills.
Being an “ultimate life form,” Shadow doesn’t age or get affected by any disease. He is driven and determined and has an indomitable will. Shadow can also access arcane and chaos powers. One of the things that make him truly dangerous is his willingness to never hold back during combat. Shadow can cover himself in an orange energy field to increase his speed. In addition, he can undergo various transformations based on the thoughts running in his mind.
For instance, if Shadow ardently thinks of justice, he can become the Hero Shadow. But if evil thoughts occupy his mind, he will turn into Dark Shadow. He can become Super Shadow by utilizing the chaos emeralds and tap into an enhanced state called the Chaos Boost. Moreover, Shadow can transform into certain things — from a drill to a planet— by using color powers.
What is Shadow’s origin and when did he first appear in Sonic?
Shadow first appeared in the Sonic franchise in Sonic Adventure 2. It is a 2001 platform game that Sonic Team USA developed and Sega published for the Dreamcast. Takashi Iizuka, who directed the game, and Shiro Maekawa, who wrote it, are credited as the creators of Shadow.
What is Shadow’s history with Gerald Robotnik?
Within the Sonic the Hedgehog Universe, Gerald Robotnik created Shadow as an anthropomorphic hedgehog / Black Arms hybrid on board Space Colony ARK. Robotnik hoped of finding a cure for his terminally ill granddaughter Maria, who formed a deep bond with Shadow.
However, after Maria was killed during a G.U.N. raid, the government forced Gerald to continue his work on Shadow under their watchful eye. Before her death, she asked Shadow to give the people of Earth an opportunity for happiness. But Gerald twisted it, turning Shadow into a weapon against humanity.
