Spoilers Alert: This article contains potential spoilers for Sonic the Hedgehog 3!Sonic the Hedgehog 3brought the popular character Shadow to the big screen, but the question of where exactly the mysterious hedgehog came from remains. The third installment in theSonicfilm franchiseintroduces Shadow the Hedgehog(Keanu Reeves), two years after his brief appearance at the end ofSonic 2,and he serves as the antagonist against Sonic (Ben Schwartz), Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey), and Knuckles (Idris Elba). Throughout the movie, Shadow works alongside bothGerald and Ivo Robotnik, played by Jim Carrey in dual roles, to obtain the necessary equipment required to activate the Eclipse Cannon and obliterate Earth.
Since its release in theaters,Sonic 3has broken Rotten Tomatoes audience recordsand has been cited by many critics as the best movie of theSonicfranchise.Keanu Reeves, in particular, received high praise for his voice work as Shadow,withdirector Jeff Fowler comparing Reeves' Shadow to his performance in theJohn Wickfranchise. Sonic 3offers startling insight into Shadow the Hedgehog’s past and how he eventually grew to resent humanity, but it’s still a mystery as to how he arrived on Earth and where exactly he came from.
Shadow Likely Came From The Black Comet In Sonic 3
Shadow’s Origins Were Explored In The Sonic Game Series
InSonic 3,viewers discoverShadow the Hedgehog’s originsand are shown his life at Gerald Robotnik’s laboratory. Established by flashbacks, Shadow underwent various tests as part of Project Shadow and formed a close bond withRobotnik’s granddaughter, Maria(Alyla Browne). Project Shadow was eventually forcibly shut down by G.U.N., after being deemed too dangerous to continue, and Maria is killed in an explosion; her death leads to Shadow desiring revenge.Shadow arrived at Robotnik’s laboratory after crashing on Earth in a meteorite, which most likely came from the Black Cometseen in theSonicgames.
In Shadow’s 2005 spinoff game,Shadow the Hedgehog,it’s revealed that Gerald Robotnik made a deal with Black Doom, the overlord of the Black Comet; the deal was that the two would work together to create the Ultimate Lifeform, which Black Doom wished to use to obtain the Chaos Emeralds when the comet returned after 50 years (viaSonic Retro). Black Doom’s blood was also used during Shadow’s creation. However, Gerald turned against Black Doom and designed the Eclipse Cannon to destroy the Black Comet once it returned in the future.
Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Connecting Shadow’s Asteroid To Black Doom Helps The Future
Black Doom Could Be Explored Further In Sonic 4
Sonic 3’s endingsees Shadow and Doctor Robotnik destroying the Eclipse Cannon and saving Earth from destruction. While it initially appears that Shadow is gone, the post-credits scene shows he survived the cannon’s explosion, indicating his return in the 2027 sequel.Shadow’s potential return inSonic 4could lead to Black Doom appearing as the next villainafter Doctor Robotnik’s apparent demise. The spinoff seriesKnuckleshas already hinted towards Black Doom’s future appearance, and Shadow’s connection to the Eclipse Cannon depicted inSonic 3helps the franchise’s future.
Now That Keanu Reeves Is In The Franchise, Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Secretly Obsesses Over Another Actor
Sonic the Hedgehog referenced Keanu Reeves before casting him as Shadow, and now Sonic 3 has a new actor it’s obsessed with. Will they be cast next?
As depicted in the video game, Black Doom contributed to the creation of Shadow with plans to use him to locatethe Chaos Emeralds on Earth. In the game, Black Doom takes advantage of Shadow’s amnesia to ensure he locates the Emeralds; inSonic the Hedgehog 3, Shadow retains his memories of the past, which could impact plans for the sequel’s plot. However, Shadow’s connections to the Black Comet could potentially be explored in the sequel and may allow Black Doom to step in as the spectacular new villain in theSonicfranchise.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Cast
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 reunites Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails as they face a formidable new adversary, Shadow. With Shadow’s unprecedented powers posing a significant threat, Team Sonic seeks an unexpected alliance to thwart his plans and safeguard the planet.
