Lingering Questions We Have After Playing Sonic X Shadow Generations

Many minds have been left pondering the deep lore implications that Shadow Generations has in its story. With Sonic X Shadow Generations, fans have been taken back to the good times when forums and chat rooms thrived with theories and unanswered questions circling them.

Sega appears to be setting out a strong story line for the now less edgy hedgehog, and looking to rewrite and alter previous stories to include him. Shadow The Hedgehog has a complicated past, and so we need to ask some of the itching questions he has left us with this time.

Slight Spoilers Ahead For All Of Shadow Generations And Gerald Robotnik’s Journal

10

Why Is Shadow Taken To Chaos Island?

Sonic Frontiers Lacked Any Trace Of Shadow

All the levels featured in Shadow’s story have a link to his past or future. From Kingdom Valley, one of Shadow’s stages in Sonic The Hedgehog (2006), to Sunset Heights, a level in the Episode Shadow DLC from Sonic Forces set in the future. There is one outlier, Chaos Island from Sonic Frontiers, which leaves us with a mystery to solve.

Shadow never appears in Frontiers, yet this level appears in his campaign, setting off alarms. Many fans have thought that Sega wanted to either include a location new fans would recognize or reuse high quality assets to quickly make an extra level. If you want to look deeper into this, we can theorize that Shadow may have been there without you ever knowing.

9

Is The Movie Universe Being Made Canon To The Games?

Rewriting Continuity And Series Staples

To hype up the release of Sonic The Hedgehog 3, Sega is launching a DLC level for Sonic X Shadow Generations letting you play some of the movie. Not only is it incredible to see Keanu Reeves voice Shadow in an official game, but this poses whether the movies are canon to the games.

Immediately, Sega clarified within the DLC’s description that this is an “Unknown Dimension”, but we do still wonder what this means for the future. The Sonic series is no stranger to time and dimensional traveling. This level may be making a change to how Sega fits the movies into the video game universe.

8

Is Shadow Stronger Now?

Stronger On The Inside, Still Strong On The Outside

Shadow gains many powerful new skills along the adventure, from growing wings to turning into a squid. All of these come from Black Doom, who is destroyed once again in the end. After this, Shadow loses all the new powers he gained and becomes free of Black Doom’s effects on his body.

This leads us to believe that Shadow will be the same or perhaps even weaker than before due to Black Doom’s second destruction. One thing that has definitely become stronger, however, is his heart for doing good and protecting the world. All thanks to spending more time with Maria.

7

Since When Did Maria Have A Sister?

Someone Who May Become Very Important To The Series

The in-game journal by Gerald Robotnik details about Shadows’ true origins. Previous questions get answered here but a few more spring up, such as the first time mention of Maria having a sister. Every piece of lore in the journal has been meticulously written, meaning this sister must be important to the future, especially Shadow’s future.

The brother-sister bond that Shadow and Maria show during Shadow Generations, creates tension about how her sister may feel. She may have gone through the same feelings that Shadow had after losing Maria. We would absolutely love a serious game focused on Shadow trying to stop her from taking revenge just like he tried to do and showing us his character development from this title. Maybe we could even see her trying to kill Shadow after being manipulated into believing he killed Maria.

6

Did Shadow And Gerald Robotnik Get Closer?

A Family Bond Once In Pieces, Now Reformed

Previously, it has been unknown how Shadow truly feels about his creator, Dr. Gerald Robotnik. They have a rocky history as shown in-game. As they spend more time together, and Shadow reads Gerald’s journal, this begins to shift.

At the end of the game, Gerald calls Shadow his son. Considering all the injustices Gerald was put through that Shadow now knows, he should feel neutral about his father. Shadow being Gerald’s son makes Eggman his nephew, which hopefully Sega will reference in a future game. It’s not only something that will make us laugh, but also shows us if Shadow took Gerald’s words to heart.

5

Have We Judged Gerald Robotnik Wrong?

His Reasons For Wanting To Destroy Earth Are Justified

Gerald Robotnik is considered an unjust antagonist from Sonic Adventure 2. Gerald has done questionable things to create Shadow and has even attempted to destroy the earth in a revenge act. However, after reading through his journal in Shadow Generations, you almost start to side with him.

Gerald was wronged in many ways by both G.U.N and Black Doom, even his family ends up forsaking him and Maria. He was pushed to absolute limits but still tried to do what was right for not just Maria and Shadow but the world. All of this and more is found within his journal, making us sympathetic to his side.

4

Is Shadow Ready To Move On From His Trama?

Shadow Will Always Have Maria’s Heart Inside Of Him

Shadow’s personality is mainly built off two things; his dark, sad past and his bond with Maria. After the final boss, Shadow has his final moments with Maria where he wishes to warn her of the events leading to her death. This, however, ends in Maria being a sweetheart, telling him he will always have her in his heart if they ever part.

We then later see Shadow crying for the first time ever. He might be ready to show more emotions now. We may see a more caring Shadow going forward, who is not only a badass, but also someone who understands others. Whether he can let go of losing Maria is going to be hard for him.

3

Why Was There So Much Sonic Adventure 2 Fan-Service?

Living And Learning From Sega’s Most Beloved

There is plenty of fan-service during both adventures for a bunch of Sonic games, and now that more remakes and remasters are on the table, will we get more of them in the future? You have heard some rumors for a while, but Shadow Generations points to another direction with its heavy love for a certain title…

Sonic Adventure 2 is one of the most beloved 3D Sonic titles with a great story that introduced us to Shadow. Shadow Generations is stuffed with Sonic Adventure 2 fan-service to create even more excitement around Shadow. The desire for a remake is more than ever with this newly added fuel to the fire.

2

Will Shadow Stay As A Main Character?

All Hail Shadow The Hedgehog

As a part of a big marketing push, 2024 was called The Fearless Year Of Shadow by Sega. This brought many new fans to both Shadow and the Sonic series as a whole. Sonic The Hedgehog 3 will continue to push this even further with the beloved Keanu Reeves voice acting as Shadow.

Sega have reintroduced Shadow’s backstory and given him a strong staring role in this title, meaning it is likely the next game will have him there, hopefully playable again. Sonic Frontiers prior did not have Shadow, so we hope to see more of him going forward. With how well received this title has been we have no doubts.

1

Will Future Titles Be Like This One?

There Are Other Characters Who Need A Spotlight

After a long drought of only being able to play as various forms of Sonic, Sega has let other characters in the series be playable again. This is the first game in nearly two decades where a character other than Sonic has taken the lead role. We have praised Shadow Generations as one of the best Sonic games because of this, which Sega should take note of.

The direction taken to explore another character’s potential and rejuvenate the series with unique abilities worked so well in this entry. This would be a great way to continue, even if future characters have to share the protagonist’s role with Sonic.