Shadow the Hedgehog

Before the events of the games…
The mankind created a space research facility – Space Colony Ark. Professor Gerald Robotnik (Doctor Eggman’s grandfather) along with a few dozen researchers worked on the colony on various projects that were dangerous to conduct on the planet. Along with Gerald on the colony lived his granddaughter, Maria Robotnik. Alas, Maria was terminally ill and Gerald’s strongest wish was to find a way to prolong her potentially short life. Therefore, Gerald began a project to create the Ultimate Life Form, an eternal life with the power to protect humanity from all dangers. Research into immortality in the process would find a cure for Maria’s disease. During the research process, Gerald tried to refine the ancient robot of Nocturnus (Gizoid Emerl), and succeeded, but the Gizoid, being Ultimate, was still more of a robot than a life form. The next step of the project was to mutate the lizard (varanus, probably) into something capable of absorbing Chaos energy. The result was a creature without a mind, unable to exist without a life support machine. Finally, Gerald realized that he was unable to create the Ultimate Life Form himself, so he began to develop an updated project – Project Shadow.

Every 50 years, the Black Comet, home to a race of alien beings called the Black Arms, passed near the planet. Black Arms fed on the energy of living beings, so they wanted to consume all life on the planet. However, the Black Comet could not overcome the atmosphere of the planet, so the Black Arms could not organize a full-scale invasion. Then, Gerald Robotnik contacted Black Doom, the leader of the Black Arms. Gerald proposed a deal – Black Doom helps to create the Ultimate Life Form by providing his biological sample and in exchange, in 50 years the Ultimate Life Form will have to give Black Doom 7 Chaos Emeralds so that the Black Comet, thanks to teleportation of Chaos Control, can pass through the atmosphere. Black Doom agreed to the deal and so, from his blood, the Ultimate Life Form named Shadow the Hedgehog is born.

As an Ultimate Life Form, however, Shadow did not know the reason for his creation. He cherished the dream of being on the planet, for he believed that once he got there, he would understand what he was created for. This was probably what led to Shadow’s close friendship with Maria Robotnik, for she, too, had never been to Earth. Shadow and Maria spent their days together, brightening up the dead blackness of space.

Gerald, however, was not going to keep his promise to Black Doom. He wanted to protect humanity, so he created a weapon capable of piercing stars – the Eclipse Cannon. It is hard to say whether this was the cause of further events, but the suspicious activity on the colony did not go unnoticed. GUN – Guardian Units of Nations decided to close the colony. Therefore, one day, a squad of soldiers raided the colony, killing many explorers and archiving projects. During the raid, Gerald was captured and Maria, sacrificing her own life, saved Shadow from the colony by evacuating him in an escape pod. In that moment Shadow was completely helpless. He failed to protect Maria and he will long remember that moment in his nightmares. However, despite Maria’s efforts, Shadow was caught by GUN immediately after falling to Earth and sealed right inside the escape pod. Thus, the Ultimate Life Form went to sleep for a full 50 long years. During this time, Gerald Robotnik, who was held captive by GUN, slowly went insane. After he learned of Maria’s death, hatred slowly but surely devoured his mind. Eventually, surrendering from fighting his own madness, Gerald changed Shadow’s memories and those of the prototype, Biolizard, to the attitude that Maria wanted revenge on mankind. Gerald created a special program that, using the energy of the 7 Chaos Emeralds, would force the colony Ark to fall directly on Earth, causing the death of all life on it.

Sonic Adventure 2 (2001)
Fifty years later, Gerald Robotnik’s grandson, Dr. Ivo Robotnik aka Eggman, learns of the existence of Ultimate Battle Life Form from his grandfather’s diary and is inspired from this power to create the Eggman Empire. Fighting his way through the GUN base, Eggman finds the sealed Shadow and uses the Emerald to free him from his 50-year sleep. After waking up with his memories already altered, Shadow promises to help Eggman take over the planet and use the Eclipse Cannon to do so. Shadow has stolen one of the Chaos Emeralds, thus attracting the attention of the GUN. During GUN’s attempts to thwart Shadow’s plans, Sonic the Hedgehog is accused and attacked because of the hedgehog’s outward resemblance. Sonic, believing Shadow is deliberately impersonating him, attacks the black hedgehog. But alas, Shadow, using the Chaos Emerald, teleports away from the attack using Chaos Control. In the central control room of the Ark, Shadow tells the Doctor about the Eclipse Cannon. In order to charge the weapon, all 7 Chaos Emeralds are needed. Eggman and Shadow decide to collect the Chaos Emeralds and charge the weapon, but suddenly Rouge the Bat, a mysterious thief who infiltrated Ark following Eggman, appears in the room. She offers the villains her help and her own Chaos Emerald in exchange for Eggman’s Emerald detector. Shadow and Eggman agree to the deal and so a team of villains are formed. 

They already possessed three Emeralds (another was used by Eggman to awaken Shadow). Using her sources of information, Rouge reports that 3 more Chaos Emeralds are protected by GUN on Prison Island. While Eggman distracts the military, Rouge infiltrates the vault and steals the Emeralds while Shadow installs bombs on the island that will blow it all up. Soon, Rouge calls Shadow on communicator and informs him that she is trapped in the Emerald vault and will die when the bomb explodes. Shadow, remembering Maria, decides to rescue Rouge, but suddenly, Shadow runs into Sonic on the island and they clash. Their fight is interrupted by Eggman, who, through a communicator, reminds Shadow of the explosion. Shadow manages to come to Rouge’s rescue and they teleport together to Ark using Chaos Control. Soon, the heroes manage to track down the villains’ position and Sonic, Miles “Tails Prower,” Knuckles the Echidna and Amy Rose land on the colony in order to stop Eggman’s plan. Eggman decides to take on the heroes himself and asks Shadow to make sure the plan comes to fruition in case anything happens to the Doctor. Afterwards, Rouge seeks the Ark command room to steal the six collected Chaos Emeralds, but is confronted by Shadow. It turns out that Rouge the Bat is the president’s personal agent, seeking information on Project Shadow. Shadow prevents her from stealing the Emeralds, but Rouge accuses him of not being an Ultimate Life Form, showing a picture of the real Ultimate Life Form indicated in the documents, which was a giant lizard. Shadow, surprised by this himself, claims that even if his memories are faked, they are all he has. 

In the end, Sonic is saved from death by copying Shadow’s Chaos Control and the two hedgehogs clash in a final battle for the fate of humanity. Having lost too much time, Sonic destroys Eclipse Cannon from the outside, preventing the shot. However, despite his best efforts, Eggman still manages to insert the last Chaos Emerald into the weapon. Suddenly, screens are activated showing the execution of Dr. Gerald Robotnik. In the video, Gerald explains his plan and promises doom to mankind. The video was broadcast all over the planet so that humanity would know what awaited them. Using the energy of the Chaos Emeralds, the Space Colony Ark rushes toward Earth at an incredible speed, after which it would destroy all life on the planet. Heroes and villains unite to stop the colony from falling, but an Ultimate Life Form prototype, the Biolizard, stands in their way. 

At this time, Shadow patiently awaits humanity’s demise. Suddenly, Amy Rose tries to talk to him. She tells him that some people are really cruel and indifferent, but many live for their dreams, for better things, that’s why protecting them is the right thing to do, so Shadow should give them a chance. Suddenly, Shadow’s real memories return and he remembers that Maria’s last wish was him to bring hope to humanity. Finally realizing his true purpose, with a tear in his eyes, Shadow rushes to help the heroes. Sonic and Shadow use their Super forms to defeat Biolizard’s final form – Finalhazard and teleport Ark back to its place. Shadow, completing his promise, gives up and falls to the Earth. Everyone says farewell to Shadow and the memory of his heroic deeds flies through the whole Earth. 

Sonic Heroes (2003)
Rouge the Bat sneaks to Eggman’s base to find a treasure but instead finds encapsulated Shadow. She accidentally releases him and suddenly Eggman’s robot attacks just released Shadow with words “Must destroy all Eggman’s robots”. Rouge stops the fight and talks to both Shadow and robot. While Shadow couldn’t remember anything because of amnesia, the robot, named E-123 Omega was sealed by Eggman in that room with a purpose to protect Shadow. Offended by this attitude, Omega decides to take revenge on Eggman and destroy all his machines. Shadow, Omega and Rouge team up as Team Dark and seek to find Eggman, each from their own motives. Soon, the team finds capsules with the same Shadows inside. With this, Shadow begins to doubt that he is alive and not an android. 

Shadow the Hedgehog (2005)
Black Doom, along with the Black Arms, finally arrive on the planet. Black Doom approaches Shadow with a demand to keep the promise made by Gerald. Shadow, unable to remember anything, decides that the 7 Chaos Emeralds are the key to his past. Suffering from amnesia, PTSD, personality disorder, and having done many heroic and villainous deeds, Shadow finally collects the Emeralds and learns from Black Doom about his past. The realization that he was created from the blood of the Black Arms breaks Shadow, and for a time he is in despair. Black Doom, using Chaos Control, teleports the Black Comet to Earth and begins to take over the land. Sonic and the other heroes can’t resist Black Arms because of the paralyzing gas. Shadow finally decides to end his cursed path and challenges Black Doom, but the villain uses the blood bond to paralyze Shadow. Suddenly, Team Chaotix, accidentally activates the message Gerald left for Shadow. In it, Gerald explains the reason for creating the Eclipse Cannon. Gerald and Maria give Shadow a message from the past – they believe in him. With renewed vigor, Shadow has finally managed to cope with his paralysis and uses 7 Chaos Emeralds taking Super form to defeat Black Doom. While fighting, Eggman tells Shadow that he is the original one and not an android – Eggman saved Shadow right after he fell on Earth after the fight with Finalhazard. After defeating Black Doom, Super Shadow destroys Black Comet using the Eclipse Canon and finally says “sayonara” to his past. 

Sonic Battle (2003)
One day, Shadow suddenly feels some strange call. After teleporting to the source of the call, Shadow finds himself at Eggman’s base and sees a strange robot. Soon, he meets Rouge, who has infiltrated Eggman’s base after learning that the doctor is hiding something valuable. It turns out that this robot is the Gizoid, a powerful fighting machine that has destroyed its own civilization. The Gizoid was able to copy the fighting abilities of his opponents and absorb Chaos Emeralds, becoming stronger. After absorbing all 7 Chaos Emeralds, the Gizoid would destroy the world. After getting the information they needed, Shadow and Rouge triggered an alarm at the base and were attacked by security robots. Despite the relatively easy victory, Shadow was hurt in the battle and a seemingly minor wound has very serious consequences and Shadow loses consciousness. Rouge takes the hedgehog to her club and he is delirious for weeks. Through the fever, he hears Professor Gerald and Maria’s words, remembers the past, and he hears calls. Twice he wakes up half-crazed and tries to destroy Gizoid. The first time he is interrupted by Sonic and the second time by Sonic’s best friend Miles “Tails” Prower. Finally waking up from his fever and fully recovering from his wound, Shadow finds out that Gizoid has already received 6 Chaos Emeralds, so Shadow takes his last Emerald and hurries to destroy the robot. Rouge, offended by this attitude, reminds him that she saved the hedgehog’s life. Shadow, apparently touched by this, calls Rouge his ally.

Soon Shadow meets Sonic and Emerl (the name the Gizoid was given by Sonic) again. Shadow demands that the Gizoid be given to him to destroy the robot, but Sonic argues that Emerl is not just a weapon – he is self-sufficient and aware, and therefore deserves to live. Shadow decides to verify this for himself and takes Emerl on a journey to discover Emerl’s true essence. Along the way, Shadow and Emerl encounter Chaos Gamma in battle, as an example of a brainless weapon that lacks consciousness and can only destroy. Such a demonstration upsets Emerl. Upon reaching Eggman’s base, Shadow and Emerl discover that Professor Gerald Robotnik has been working on Emerl. The professor has embedded a program in the robot that can disable the world-destroying system. To activate it, it was necessary to say Maria’s last words before she died – “Bring hope to humanity” at the moment when Emerl would devour the last Emerald. Feeling his connection with Emerl (for Shadow was also a weapon created by the Professor and could also be used for evil), Shadow activates the program and Emerl safely absorbs the last Emerald. Shadow, on the other hand, takes the power from his memories of Maria and learns to use the Chaos powers without the Emeralds.

In the process of his adventures, Emerl forms his own personality and he builds a very friendly relationship with Shadow, Sonic, Tails, Rouge, Amy, Knuckles the Echidna and Cream the Rabbit. Soon, however, due to the severe emotional turmoil caused by Eggman’s deception, Emerl goes out of control and triggers the system to destroy the world. Sonic has to fight Emerl and inflict severe damage on the robot. Emerl, defeated, says goodbye to Sonic and explodes. It turns out that Dr. Gerald Robotnik has embedded a program in Emerl that will explode him if he tries to destroy the planet. The heroes grieve for Emerl and say goodbye to him. They still believe that Emerl lives in the shards of the Chaos Emeralds, and when all the wars and conflicts in the world are over, Emerl will return to his friends.

In between of the games…
Shadow joins GUN along with Rouge and Omega with a purpose to protect humanity. As a team, Shadow, Rouge and Omega create a close friendship bond to the point when they’re ready to sacrifice themselves for the sake of each other. 

Sonic Rivals (2006)
Rouge was kidnapped by a new villain from the future – Eggman Nega and Shadow needs to join forces with Dr. Eggman and another guest from the future – Silver the Hedgehog to save his friend. In the process, Shadow and Silver build a friendship based on rivalry and respect. 

Sonic Rivals 2 (2007)
Eggman Nega again invades Sonic’s world with another villainous plan. He wants to open a portal into the dimension of the powerful Ifrit monster and feed the monster with live Chao to release it into the world. From Gerald Robotnik’s diary Dr. Eggman learns that 7 Chaos Emeralds are needed to open the portal, so Eggman sends Metal Sonic to Shadow and asks the hedgehog for help in finding the Emeralds. Shadow and Metal Sonic, working together, build a rather friendly, trusting relationship. Against all odds, Metal Sonic, along with Shadow, defeats Eggman Nega and even Ifrit himself, but finds themselves trapped in Ifrit’s dimension. Shadow is trying to figure out how to get out when suddenly, Metal Sonic destroys himself by extracting the Chaos Emerald from his body. Using the Emerald’s power, Shadow applies Chaos Control and teleports him and Metal Sonic back to their home dimension.

Sonic Free Riders (2010)
Shadow decides to help Rouge to win a world Race Grand Prix, but to join it they needed a third member, so they took a random robot of Eggmans, which was E-10000B. After winning a Grand Prix and waiting for a prize, E-10000B suddenly exploded and from its shell Metal Sonic appeared. During all of the races, Metal Sonic was collecting the race participants data to defeat Sonic in a race, but in the end, even with all that data, Metal Sonic failed in a race with Sonic. 

Sonic Forces (2017)
While destroying another Eggman’s base by GUN’s order, Shadow defeats another mercenary squad. The leader of the Jackal Squad cannot take defeat and decides to use Eggman’s help with his invention – the Phantom Ruby to become stronger. After learning how to use a Phantom Ruby’s power, the previous mercenary leader renames himself Infinite and decides to help Eggman to conquer the world. Team Dark, while attacking Eggman by GUN’s order another time, encounters Infinite. Using the Phantom Ruby’s power, Infinite shutting down Omega and almost defeats Shadow. After that, Shadow and Rouge joined The Resistance and together played a big part in defeating Eggman and Infinite, in the process repairing Omega.