Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Ending Explained

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home December 21, 2024 6 Views 9 Min Read
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Ending Explained



Summary

  • Sonic the Hedgehog 3 ends with the characters saving the day, but not without some casualties.
  • Sonic the Hedgehog 3 features two post-credits scenes teasing characters’ appearances in future films.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has arrived in theaters and, as promised, the film has multiple post-credits scenes to dive into and a dramatic ending that sets up the franchise’s future.

Paramount Pictures began adapting SEGA’s iconic platformer mascot in 2020 with the release of the first Sonic the Hedgehog film. The films re-imagine Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) living on Earth with a human family. A sequel film and spin-off TV series introduced further SEGA characters to the screen, including Knuckles (Idris Elba) and Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey), and the third film will bring Shadow the Hedgehog (Keanu Reeves) into the fold. A fourth Sonic the Hedgehog film was recently confirmed to be in development and the ending of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 sets things up for an interesting future.

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Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s First Reactions Are In

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has received praise from critics who already watched the film weeks before its theatrical release.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3: How Did it End?

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Director

Jeff Fowler

Cast

Ben Schwartz, Idris Elba, Colleen O’Shaughnessy, Keanu Reeves, Jim Carrey, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Krysten Ritter

Release Date

December 20, 2024

The plot of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 revolves around Shadow the Hedgehog awakening from stasis, where he’s been kept by the secretive G.U.N. organization for fifty years. Shadow seeks vengeance on G.U.N. for the death of his best friend, Maria (Alyla Browne) who also happens to be the granddaughter of Dr. Gerald Robotnik (Jim Carrey). Gerald and Shadow plan to steal two master keys from G.U.N. which will give them access to Gerald’s Eclipse Cannon, a devastating weapon he designed. Gerald recruits his grandson, Ivo Robotnik (also Jim Carrey), to assist with their evil plan, but after they successfully steal both keys and launch the Eclipse Cannon into space, Gerald reveals his true intentions. He plans to use the cannon to annihilate Earth and everyone on it, believing humans are not worthy of saving after Maria’s death.

After Shadow fatally wounds Tom, Sonic goes against his team’s wishes and uses the Master Emerald to transition into his Super Sonic form and go after Shadow. However, Shadow can absorb the energy of the chaos emeralds to become Super Shadow, leading to a climactic space battle between them. When Sonic gains the upper hand on Shadow he cannot bring himself to kill the other hedgehog, realizing he has been so consumed by rage he’s lost himself. Sonic and Shadow connect over the losses they’ve experienced and Shadow agrees to help Sonic stop the Robotniks. Working together, the pair manages to alter the trajectory of the Eclipse Cannon away from Earth, before Shadow and Ivo maneuver the cannon into space where it explodes. The film ends with Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles reuniting with Maddie and Tom (who survived his injuries) and the trio engages in one last race to determine who is the fastest.

Who Died in Sonic the Hedgehog 3?

Did Shadow Survive the Events of Sonic the Hedgehog 3?

Image of Shadow in his past in the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 trailer

Unfortunately, after making his debut in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Shadow’s time in the franchise seemingly ends. The hedgehog sacrifices himself to help push the malfunctioning Eclipse Cannon into space, where it explodes and takes him with it. Shadow was consumed by rage to the point he wanted to end the Earth and everyone on it during the film, but his final actions to save Earth, even at the expense of his own life, redeem him as a hero. All that being said, a post-credits sequence may hint at a future for Shadow (more on that later).

What Happened to Ivo and Gerald Robotnik?

Ivo and Gerald Robotnik spent much of Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s runtime in a glorious reunion after fifty years apart. However, Ivo turns on his grandfather after learning of his true plans to destroy Earth. Sonic, Knuckles, Tails, and Shadow arrive to put a stop to Gerald who ends up being disintegrated in the chaos energy of the Eclipse Cannon. Ivo and Shadow then agree to do what’s right for the people of Earth and keep the Eclipse Cannon from exploding just long enough for Shadow to push it to a safe distance away in space. Robotnik goes out in a supernova of glory, but not before transmitting a goodbye message to Earth, and a tribute to his friend and henchman Agent Stone (Lee Majdoub).

Sonic the Hedgehog 3’s Post-Credits Scenes Explained

Sonic’s Mid-Credits Scene Introduces Some Major Characters

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 has multiple post-credits scenes. The first of which has major implications for the fourth Sonic the Hedgehog film. After outrunning Knuckles and Tails in the race, Sonic finds himself in a New York state park where he is quickly surrounded by an army of metal hedgehogs who look like him. This is no doubt a set-up for Metal Sonic in the future. In the games, Metal Sonic is an evil robot version of Sonic, created by Dr. Robotnik to take down the blue hedgehog. He can mimic if not exceed all of Sonic’s abilities and is one of his most dangerous foes.

Thankfully, Sonic is not left to fight these metal robots alone as a savior in a hooded robe also arrives in the post-credits scene. Under the hood is Amy Rose, a pink hedgehog who is known as one of Sonic’s greatest allies and love interests in the video game franchise. Amy wields her iconic weapon, the Piko Piko Hammer in the scene, and the two prepare to deal with the metal army around them. This scene makes it clear that Amy Rose and Metal Sonic will be major players in Sonic the Hedgehog 4.

This scene makes it clear that Amy Rose and Metal Sonic will be major players in Sonic the Hedgehog 4.

The Final Post-Credits Scene Confirms Shadow’s Fate

Sitting through the full credits will reward audiences with one more post-credits scene. The short snippet reveals a close-up of a set of familiar shoes landing on the ground before a pair of hands lean down to pick up two golden bracelets. The scene all but confirms that Shadow survived the explosion of the Eclipse Cannon as the hedgehog was seen removing his golden bracelets before the final act. It seems he has now returned to Earth to retrieve them after miraculously surviving his ordeal. Whether Shadow’s next move is to reunite with Team Sonic or to wander Earth on his own, it seems likely he’ll be roped into the action in the fourth Sonic film, or perhaps his adventures will be explored in his spin-off series like Knuckles.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is now in theaters.

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