John Wick and The Matrix STAR Keanu Reeves is set to bring one of Sonic’s most popular characters to life with an intriguing video game origin story, unique powers, and a significant meaning behind his name.
The Hollywood A-lister will voice the character of Shadow in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which hits cinemas this week. Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails reunite to battle this new rival – a mysterious enemy with powers unlike anything they’ve faced before.
Outmatched in every way, they seek out an unlikely alliance to stop Shadow and protect the planet, reports the Mirror. But who exactly is Shadow the Hedgehog, voiced by Keanu Reeves? Which Sonic video game did he first appear in? Who created him, what are his powers, and what does his name signify? Here’s everything you need to know.
Shadow made his video game debut in Sonic Adventure 2, released in 2001. Originally developed for the Sega Dreamcast, it was later ported to the GameCube when the Dreamcast was discontinued, making it the first Sonic game on a Nintendo console. Initially, Shadow was only intended to appear in Sonic Adventure 2, but due to his popularity among fans, he returned in his own title in 2005.
The first game to introduce Shadow had players embarking on two distinct campaigns titled hero and dark. In the hero campaign, gamers took control of Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, who fight to save the world; in contrast, the Dark campaign saw players controlling Shadow the Hedgehog, Doctor Eggman and Rouge the Bat, battling to conquer it.
The new film appears to be reflecting some elements of this narrative. In his game origins, Shadow was born out of a government experiment led by Professor Gerald Robotnik, where he was fused with the DNA of an alien named Black Doom, transforming him into the ‘ultimate life form’. Shadow formed a bond with Gerald’s granddaughter, Maria.
However, after the base where he was created was raided, he was captured along with Gerald, and Maria was killed. Driven to insanity, Gerald manipulated Shadow’s memories to one day seek vengeance.
Shadow remained in stasis for decades until he was released by Gerald’s grandson, Doctor Eggman (Jim Carrey portrays both Robtoniks in the film). Shadow battled Sonic and friends until his ‘true’ memories of Maria were restored, inspiring him to help thwart a doomsday scheme.
However, Shadow fell to Earth and lost his memories once more. Shadow would only uncover the truth of his existence once he halted an alien invasion of Earth. He would continue to fight for Maria’s wish of peace, serving as a dark hero who safeguards the Earth. Fans will have to wait and see how much of this story is retained for the film’s plotline.
Shadow’s original name was Terios, meaning ‘reflection of’. Designed to be Sonic’s anti-heroic doppelganger, game creators rebranded him from a mere reflection to the more formidable shadow of Sonic, casting him as a darker variant of the iconic blue speedster.
His signature ability is Chaos Control, leveraging a Chaos Emerald’s power to manipulate time and space, a prowess hinted at in the latest Sonic 3 sneak-peek. Shadow boasts comparable speed and agility to Sonic, and rivals the strength of other protagonists, including Knuckles.
Keanu Reeves found voicing the complex character of Shadow both challenging and thrilling. Speaking to CBS, he confessed: “There’s something really special about the concentration and the way that you have to articulate the voice and express. I find it really exhilarating.”
Delving into Shadow’s enigmatic past, he divulged: “I went searching and looking…trying to find my inner Shadow and bring it out to the fore.”
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is in cinemas December 21.