Shadow the Hedgehog

Shadow the Hedgehog is a character who appears in Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. He was created by Takashi Iizuka and Shiro Maekawa and first appeared in Sonic Adventure 2 (2001). Within Sonic's fictional universe, Shadow is an anthropomorphic black hedgehog created by Professor Gerald Robotnik, the grandfather of the series' antagonist Doctor Eggman. After witnessing the death of his best friend Maria Robotnik, Shadow initially seeks revenge, but later vows to keep his promise to her that he would protect the world from danger. An antihero, Shadow has good intentions but will do whatever it takes to accomplish his goals, putting him at odds with Sonic the Hedgehog.
Shadow shares many attributes with Sonic and controls similarly in games, but is distinguished by his use of vehicles and firearms. The idea for Shadow originated during the development of Sonic Adventure (1998). Iizuka and Maekawa sought to portray him as a subtle, "cool" character players could care about. Sonic Adventure 2 was intended to be Shadow's only appearance, but his popularity among fans led to Sonic Team including him in Sonic Heroes (2003). Shadow has since featured in numerous Sonic games, including the spin-off Shadow the Hedgehog (2005). He also appears in Sonic adaptations, comics, and merchandise.
Shadow is one of the series' most popular characters and was named one of the greatest video game characters by Guinness World Records in 2011. However, he has proven divisive among video game journalists. Some have praised his role in Sonic Adventure 2 and his levels' preservation of the Sonic theme, but others have criticized his dark and brooding characterization, particularly in later games. Writers have ranked Shadow among the worst Sonic characters. The Shadow game received generally unfavorable reviews, though it sold well.
==Physical Appearance==
Shadow is an over 50-year old hedgehog who doesn't age. According to official sources, he is 3'3" (100 cm) in height and rather slender. He is black with red outlines on his quills and limbs, has red eyes, and wears white, black, red, and yellow hover shoes, white gloves with black and red-tongued cuffs and Inhibitor Rings.
== Powers and abilities ==
* Immortality
* Immense speed
* Superhuman strength
* Superhuman durability
* Superhuman jumping
* Absolute stamina
* Extreme acrobatic skills and reflexes
* Indomitable will
* Hand-to-hand combat skills
* Weapon and firearm combat skills
* Vehicle intuition
* Extreme Gear riding skills
* Grinding
* Telekinesis
* Harnessing Chaos Emerald energy
** Chaos Boost transformation
** Chaos powers
** Hero Shadow and Dark Shadow transformations
** Super transformation
* Hyper-go-on usage
==Portrait==
*Name: Shadow the Hedgehog
*Nicknames/Aliases: Shadow, Ultimate Life Form, Agent Shadow, Faker (by Sonic)
*Real Name: N/A
*Gender: Male
*Age: 50+ (physically ageless)
*Alignment: Neutral, good (sometimes)
*Birthday: Over 50 years ago
*Family: Black Doom (biological father), All Black Arms, Gerald Robotnik (creator)
*Friends: Rouge the Bat, E-123 Omega, Maria Robotnik (best friend; deceased), Hope Kintobor
*Allies: Dr. Eggman (sometimes), Sonic the Hedgehog (sometimes), Miles "Tails" Prower, Knuckles the Echidna, Amy Rose, Cream the Rabbit, Team Chaotix, Blaze the Cat, Silver the Hedgehog, G.U.N. Soldiers
*Rivals: Sonic the Hedgehog (arch-rival), Knuckles the Echidna (sometimes), Silver the Hedgehog (sometimes)
*Enemies: Black Doom (arch-enemy), Dr. Eggman (sometimes), Biolizard/Final Hazard, Mephiles the Dark, Infinite
==Voice actors==
===Official media===
*David Humphrey (2001-2004)
*Jason Griffith (2005-2010)
*Kirk Thornton (2010-present)
*Ian Hanlin (Sonic Prime)
*Keanu Reeves (live action franchise, since 2024 film)
===Fanon projects===
*Dante Basco (Sonic: Rebirth series)
*Jake Gyllenhaal (film series, Coolot's version)
*Christopher Daniel Barnes (Justice League: Rings of the Force, and Marvel's All-Star Multiverse)
*Will Arnett (Sonic Underground (reboot))
*Josh Keaton (Sonic: Mobius Journeys)
*Ben Affleck (James Cameron's Sonic, voice and motion capture)
*Adam Baldwin (Sonic Mania: The Animated Series, Sonic and the Tomb Raider)
*Jason Marsden (Sonic the Hedgehog: The Next Generation)
*Dwayne Johnson (Sonic the Hedgehog 3: Project Shadow)
==Appearances in Idea Wiki works==
===Iago PUC's ideas===
*Shadow also appears in James Cameron's Sonic Cinematic Universe, played by Ben Affleck through voice and motion capture. His role in the franchise is the same as in his current video game appearances, on which he is an officer and agent-later-commander of G.U.N. (Guardian Units of Nations) and a rival-turned-ally to Sonic. His origin story (revealed in Shadow and Rouge) is the same as in Sonic Adventure 2 and the 2005 video game.
*Shadow appears as one of the protagonists in Justice League: Rings of the Force, voiced by Christopher Daniel Barnes.
*Shadow appears in Sonic Mania: The Animated Series, voiced by Adam Baldwin.
*Shadow appears as a supporting character in Sonic and the Tomb Raider, voiced by Adam Baldwin.
*Shadow appears in the Disney+ animated crossover miniseries Marvel's All-Star Multiverse, voiced by Christopher Daniel Barnes. Along with being a top agent and member of G.U.N., this version of the character is partnered and romantically related to a Mobian tigress named Maria. He first appears in the Free Adventures short episode "Shadow Drift", on which Shadow is assigned to stop a illegal street racing competition in Tokyo, Japan. Fulfilling his mission, Shadow is invited by Peter Parker for a good time with his friends in Tokyo's theme park. Initially reluctant due to his long services with G.U.N., Shadow accepts when G.U.N. Commander Abraham Walters rewards him with a day-off, and joins in. Appearing in the main episodes, Shadow makes a silent appearance in "The Sky's the Limit", on which he and his fellow G.U.N. soldiers watch Princess Athena's public presentation of the Skycruiser Commandos. Shadow makes his official appearance in "Ultimates", where he, Maria and Rouge the Bat are assigned by Walters and S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury to organize and lead the episode's titular task force team to hunt down and apprehend the Power Broker (revealed in the end as Taneleer Tivan the Collector), and stop the assassins and bounty hunters hired by the crime-lord against the elite leaders in Babylon-6. In "War of the Realms", Shadow and his team assist the Alliance in stopping the supervillain riots orchestrated by Thane in the Multiverse. Returning in the finale "One Multiverse, One Realm", Shadow and the Ultimates join the Alliance for the final battle against Thane and his army on Titan.
*Shadow also appears in Comic Con Incorporated as one of the managers in the titular fictional hotel. He works as the night shift security guard.
*Shadow appears in Sonic Presents... Chao in Space: Behind the Scenes, a comic book tie-in/prequel to Sonic Presents... Chao in Space. Serving as a member of Sonic's filming crew for the titular fictional movie, he and Blaze the Cat were the screenwritters. He is also the one who suggests the core concept of the Galactic Chao Alliance (which he describes as a Chao-owned variant of G.U.N. forces) and the Dark Emerald Empire (which he describes as a family-friendly amalgam of the Eggman Empire and the "dark and gritty" Black Arms) in the movie. Later, during the movie's premiere release night, Shadow is shown in the Red Carpet wearing a militaristic tuxedo with a G.U.N. medal of honor in it.
*Shadow is also a DLC playable character in Injustice 2, voiced by Christopher Daniel Barnes.
*Shadow is a guest DLC playable character in the kart racing game Marvel Superhero Adventures: Intergalactic Grand Prix, voiced again by Kirk Thornton. His karts are his motorcycle the Dark Rider (from the 2005 video game, Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) and Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing) and his race car the Dark Reaper from Team Sonic Racing.
===MarvelDCandFantasyFanBoy12's ideas===
*TBD
===Moon Silvight's ideas===
*TBD
====Video Games====
*He appears as one of the Playable DLC Guests for Tekken 7, with Kirk Thornton voicing him once again (similar to his fellow Sonic the Hedgehog Multiverse Guests such as Sally and Blaze, all of his dialogues would be spoken in English, even though Blaze, Sally and Shadow came from different places across the Sonic series as a whole itself).
**Similarly, he would be a playable Guest for the sequel to PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale in place of Sonic himself, much like how Akuma is playable in Tekken 7. 
*TBD 
*TBD
===MemeyManRulez's ideas===
*He was voiced by Dwayne Johnson in the new Sonic movie coming out in 2024.
===Joint Ideas===
*Shadow appears in the Sonic: Rebirth series, being voiced by Dante Basco.
*Shadow is a playable character in DC vs. Sega voiced again by Kirk Thornton.
**Shadow appears in the game's comic book sequel DC vs. Sega: Aftermath.
*Shadow also appears in Sonic and the Power Rangers.
==Gallery==
===Images===
File:Shadow (head) - MaS.png
File:TSR Shadow.png
File:Sonic X E38108 Shadow.jpg
File:Sonic 2020 Shadow Render 3D.png
File:Fanfiction-sonic-x-shadow-prologo-negro-1598727,050220141338.jpg|Shadow and Terra
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File:Super Smash Bros Dominion Shadow concept.jpg
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File:Chara shadow 02.png
File:Shadow and Chaos Emerald (2005 game pose).jpeg
File:Sonic Channel Tanabata 2020 Shadow and Maria.jpg|Shadow with Maria Robotnik
File:Shadow and Maria studying together.jpeg
File:Sonic Comic Holo Maria.png
File:Sonic Movie 2 - Project Shadow cameo.jpg|Shadow the Hedgehog in his cameo appearance in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022)
File:Shadow the Hedgehog IDW cover.jpg
File:Sonic Prime - Shadow.jpeg
File:Shadow awakening.jpg
File:ShadowTheHedgehogWallpaper800.jpg
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File:Shadow in Sonic Prime.jpg
File:Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic Adventure 2 Pose 4).png
File:Shadow.jpg
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File:Shadow 2.jpg
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File:Sonic Boom Shadow.jpg
File:Sonic series shadow 2D.png
File:Sonic Heroes (Sonic X style) - Team Dark.jpg
File:Shadow and Maria Egyptian Counterparts.jpeg
File:Shadow during Christmas.jpg
File:FB IMG 1673728127008 Shadow in Motorcycle.jpg
File:FB IMG Shadow and Cream.jpg
File:Surge snarls, Shadow just snarls back.png
File:Black Doom with Shadow.jpg
File:Shadow in Black Doom's illusion.png
File:Shadow and Black Doom above Earth.png
File:FB IMG Shadow 1683427849236.jpg
File:FB IMG Beatles walking (Sonic style).jpg
File:Shadow and Maria FB IMG 1685645243924.jpg
File:Shadow and the Lost Little Bunny 1.jpg
File:Shadow and the Lost Little Bunny 2.jpg
File:Shadow and the Lost Little Bunny 3.jpg
File:Shadow and the Lost Little Bunny 4.jpg
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File:Sonic Bohemian Rhapsody.jpg
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File:Sonic Shadow and Silver 600784591003161 n.jpg
File:Shadow and Maria FB IMG 1711362704185.jpg
File:Sonic X style Team Dark (1).jpeg
File:Shadow and Hope FB IMG 1713261395693.jpg
File:Shadow the Hedgehog SSBU Assist Trophy Render.png
File:Shadow 2.png
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File:ShadowTheHedgehogOriginalDesign.webp
File:SCSB - Shadow.png
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File:Sonic 06 Shadow intro.jpg
File:SonicxShadowAnnouncement2.png
File:ShadowGenScr1 Doom's Eye.jpg
File:Shadow FB IMG 1717621415547.jpg
File:Shadow vs Infinite IMG 1719598590215.jpg
File:Shadow the Hedgehog FB IMG 1720002863026.jpg
File:Idol Shadow.png
File:Sonic, Shadow and Dodon Pa FB IMG 1723114022139.jpg
File:SonicMovie3TrailerShadow5.jpg
File:Sonic Movie 3 Shadow.png
File:SonicMovie3TrailerShadowandMaria.jpg
File:Shadow and Maria FB IMG 1725103271822.jpg
File:FB IMG Sonic and Shadow - Sonic Prime 1725319759807.jpg
===Super Shadow===
File:Shadow .png
===Videos ===
File:Sonic The Hedgehog (2020) - Shadow The Hedgehog Unused Voice Sound
File:Sonic and the Black Knight 2 - Shadow The Hedgehog Sir Lancelot Unused Voice Clips
File:Evolution of Shadow the Hedgehog in Movies & Cartoons(2003-2022)
File:Shadow the Hedgehog PlayStation 2 Trailer - Official
File:Shadow the Hedgehog GameCube Trailer - E3 Trailer
File:Sonic the Hedgehog 3 - Official Trailer (2024 Movie) Ben Schwartz, Jim Carrey, Keanu Reeves
==Trivia==
*He is 3 feet and 3 inches.
*He is the third rival character while the first, being Sonic, the second, being Knuckles, and the fourth, being Silver.
*His serial number is SRN-000003.
*He is the son or creation of Gerald Robotnik.
*He is the biological son of Black Doom.
==External links==
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Category:Characters
Category:Fictional characters
Category:Sonic the Hedgehog
Category:Sonic Characters
Category:Anti-heroes
Category:Heroes
Category:Villains turned to the Good Side
Category:Military Characters
Category:Fictional characters who can move at superhuman speeds
Category:Leaders
Category:Mobians
Category:Canon characters
Category:Time Travelers
Category:Agents
Category:Characters who can teleport
Category:Gunners
Category:Sonic the Hedgehog characters
Category:Shadow the Hedgehog
Category:Fictional characters with superhuman strength
Category:Immortals