Maria Robotnik

**Maria Robotnik** (マリア・ロボトニック, *Maria Robotonikku*) is a supporting characters who appears in the *Sonic the Hedgehog* series. She was a young human, the granddaughter of Gerald Robotnik, the cousin of Dr. Eggman and Shadow the Hedgehog's close friend and companion, who Gerald's produced in his research. Born and raised on the Space Colony ARK, Maria suffered from a rare but terminal illness disease known as N.I.D.S.. To save Maria, Professor Gerald agreed to the current President's proposal to create immortality and worked on Project Shadow in hopes of finding a cure for her. He managed to make a potential cure with the help of Black Doom. When GUN later shut down the ARK, Maria was shot and killed by a soldier when trying to assist Shadow in his escape from the colony when the project was terminated. Her passing proved to be an event that would strongly influence the fate of the world in the decades that followed.

"*Shadow, I beg of you! Give them a chance to be happy!*"

—Maria Robotnik.

## Appearance

*Voice actor:* Rebecca Honig (English), Yuri Shiratori (Japanese), Not Known (French), Not Known (Italian), Not Known (German), Not Known (Spanish), Not Known (Filipino), Not Known (Dutch), Not Known (Portuguese), Not Known (Korean), Not Known (China), Not Known (Hong Kong), Not Known (Polish), Not Known (Russian), Not Known (Swedish), Not Known (Arabic), Not Known (Hebrew), Not Known (Poland), Not Known (Latin Spanish), Not Known (Latin America Spanish), Not Known (Brazilian Portuguese)

### Appearance

Maria was described as overall frail in appearance. She was a normal, youthful and slim human girl, who was about two heads taller than Shadow. She had neck-long and voluminous dark blond hair, light skin, large blue eyes, and pink lips. Her hairstyle was wavy and held back with a blue hair band. For clothes, she wore a dark blue top with short puffy sleeves and light blue endings, a light blue dress, and slipper-like cobalt shoes with low heels. Other than that, she has been seen wearing a white surgery suit.

* Hair Color: Dark Blonde
* Skin Color: Peach
* Eye Color: Dark Blue
* Age: 12 (deceased)
* Height: 140 cm. (4 ft. 7½ in.)
* Weight: 32 kg. (70 lbs.)

## Personality

While frail in appearance, Maria was strong in spirit. Eternally cheerful, optimistic and positive despite her condition, Maria could see the good in almost anyone or anything. She was likewise a very kind, caring and thoughtful soul who always put others before herself, supported her friends, and held an unconditional love for the people of the world, even showing compassion towards her enemies when they were distressed. Because she never got down to the world, Maria was very interested in the planet and wished to see it. She was as well very encouraging as she could make others accept themselves and calm others down when in stressful situations, including Shadow.

Maria was one who found it easier than most to forgive and forget, not to mention trust. Even after GUN violently raided the ARK and shot her down, Maria did not hold any ill will against the people on earth and only wished for them to live happy lives. She was also was utterly selfless as she sacrificed her life for Shadow's sake, having faith he would carry on her dreams for her.

Despite her youth and frailness, Maria was brave, determined, and had a strong sense of righteousness. When the Artificial Chaos were on a rampage, Maria wanted to stop them to save the innocent, and during the GUN's raid on the ARK she refused to leave the injured researchers behind. Even on her deathbed, Maria remained undeterred and only wished for Shadow to fulfill his purpose.

## Relationships

### Friends/Allies

* Shadow the Hedgehog
* Abraham Tower

### Family

* Gerald Robotnik (grandfather) †
* Jennifer Robotnik (grandmother) †
* Geraldo Robotnik (father) †
* Meredith Robotnik (mother) †
* Bertha Robotnik (aunt) †
* Ivon Robotnik (uncle) †
* Colin Robotnik (cousin) †
* Dr. Eggman (cousin)
* Irving Pavlov (second cousin) †
* Jack Robotnik (first cousin once removed)
* Hope Robotnik (first cousin once removed)
* Dr. Eggman Nega

## History

### Past

#### Early life

Maria was born and raised onboard the Space Colony ARK. Before she could visit the planet below however, she contracted Neuro-Immune Deficiency Syndrome, an incurable and inevitably fatal disease. Due of her illness which left her frail and weak, Maria needed constant attention, meaning she could not leave the ARK's hospital, leaving her confined in space. Despite getting medical help though, Maria only grew weaker over time. While looking down at the earth from the ARK, Maria developed an interest in it and longed to go there.

Onboard the ARK, Maria was looked after and cared for by her grandfather, Gerald Robotnik. and the two of them would work and live together onboard the ARK. Maria also befriended a young Abraham Tower whom she would play with.

#### Living with Shadow

In an attempt to save Maria's life, Gerald agreed to work on Project Shadow, a medical project for creating an immortal life form, in hopes that he could make a cure for Maria's illness with the creature they sought to make. Gerald's research eventually led to the creation of Shadow the Hedgehog, who Maria befriended and grew very close to. While raised together, Maria remained by Shadow's side and they would spend their time together gazing down upon the earth, wondering what it was like and wishing to go there.

When the Artificial Chaos went on a rampage onboard the Space Colony ARK, Maria sought out Shadow to help save the ARK. Shadow complied to Maria's wishes and the Artificial Chaos crisis was soon after averted. At some point, Maria joined Gerald when he was making a contingency video for Shadow to tell him about how he was meant to defeat the Black Arms, where Maria promised to help Shadow protect the world alongside him.

### Death

Some time after the completion of Project Shadow, Maria's peaceful existence was shattered when GUN attacked the ARK to eliminate everything and everyone related to the project since Shadow was deemed too dangerous. Meeting up with her grandfather during the attack, Maria was entrusted with Shadow by Gerald, who told her to escape the ARK with Shadow. While Gerald distracted GUN, Maria and Shadow tried to escape the raid, but Maria was unwilling to leave the other researchers in the captivity of GUN and pleaded Shadow to help them. After Shadow had made his decision, they continued onward, but were attacked by a Heavy Dog which Shadow defeated.

Eventually, Maria and Shadow got to the ARK's escape pods, where Maria saved Shadow by initiating his escape pod's launch with him in it, but was mortally wounded by a GUN Soldier's gunshot in the process. With her last strength, Maria pleaded to Shadow to protect the world for her sake and give everyone a chance to be happy, just as he was jettisoned from the ARK. As Maria perished, her parting words were "Bring hope to humanity."

## Synopsis

### Legacy

Maria's death was an event that deeply struck those close to her and would have a strong influence in several conflicts that would determine the fate of the world. Shadow, who witnessed Maria's death first-handed, was traumatized by this sight and came to loathe humanity for what they did. The Commander also suffered a deep loss which made him develop a life-long grudge at both Gerald and Shadow for inadvertently killing her. However, none was more affected by Maria's death than her grandfather, Gerald, who went mad with grief and made a plan to destroy the world to avenge her. Before he went insane though, Gerald made Maria's last words the keywords that would activate Emerl's free-willed emotions-based AI.

Maria's last request for Shadow to protect the world and its people would be a driving force in the hedgehog's life, which Shadow made the promise to keep despite his loathing of humanity. When Shadow was reawaken nearly fifty years later though, his subsequent actions were motivated by avenging Maria's death (due to Gerald manipulating his memories) by destroying the human race. It was not until the eleventh hour that Shadow remembered Maria's dying wish, and he aided Sonic the Hedgehog and his allies in stopping the very plan he had set into motion, seemingly sacrificing his life in the process. Shadow survived his ordeal only to lose his memories, with the exception of a disturbing image of Maria being shot. When the Black Arms invaded and set Shadow out to rediscover his purpose, Black Doom would use Maria's demise at the hands of the humans to sway Shadow to his side. Fortunately, Shadow learned of his true purpose from a final video message from Maria and Gerald, which gave him the motivation needed to obliterate the Black Arms.

Currently, Shadow strives to keep his promise to Maria, which has made him save the world multiple times.

## Notes & Trivia

* In comics, manga, and video games, they say Maria was killed. However, in the animated series or Japanese anime, they say she was taken away.
* Christopher Thorndyke and Molly both reminds Shadow of Maria because of their similar selfless natures and the kind, loving look in their eyes.