Sonic 2 & 3 Are Too Early For Those Shadow Theories To Come True

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The upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 may prove to be too early for a heavily theorized character inclusion: Shadow the Hedgehog. Shadow the Hedgehog is a character introduced in the eighth installation of the Sonic the Hedgehog game franchise, Sonic Adventure 2. Shadow was designed as an opposite to Sonic, a black and red hedgehog, and created in-game to be the «Ultimate Life Form» by Professor Gerald Robotnik, Dr. Eggman's grandfather.

Shadow quickly became a fan-favorite, with his apparent death at the end of Adventure 2 being later reversed due to heavy fan appeals. Since then, Shadow has appeared in most mainline Sonic games, even featuring in his own standalone game Shadow the Hedgehog. Shadow's relationship with Sonic has evolved over the years, going from bitter enemies to rivals and occasional allies. Both hedgehogs' senses of morality and goals often align, with only their methods of achieving those goals, which put the two characters at odds.

Related: Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Can Explain An Original Movie Mystery

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is set for release in April 2022 and continues the story of the first film with Robotnik trying to conquer the world in order to exact his revenge on Sonic. This film introduces two major players from the Sonic games, with both Knuckles the Echidna and Miles Prower/Tails making their first full live-action appearances. The inclusion of more prominent Sonic characters from the games has led to heavy fan speculation on when and where other characters will appear, with Shadow often being at the head of many theories. However, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and the more recently announced Sonic the Hedgehog 3 are too early for a Shadow appearance for several different reasons.