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- Don't look so sad, Shadow. I don't know what will happen after you win. Maybe we won't see each other for a long while. But I love you, and nothing can change that. No matter how far apart we are, my love will always be with you. Please, always remember that.
- —Maria to Shadow, Sonic X Shadow Generations
Shadaria is the het ship between Shadow the Hedgehog and Maria Robotnik from the Sonic the Hedgehog fandom.
Canon[]
In most canons, Shadow is a creature who was created by Maria’s grandfather, Professor Gerald Robotnik, in the hopes that he could cure her fatal illness, N.I.D.S.[1][2][3] Shadow and Maria grew up together[1][4][5][6][7][8][9] aboard the Space Colony ARK and became very close. They were like siblings[4][5][8][9][10][11][12]—Maria was like a sister to Shadow,[13][4] and in turn, she considered him a brother of sorts.[1] Maria was Shadow’s only friend[14][15][16][17][18][19] and best friend.[20][21][22]
According to Gerald’s Journal in Shadow Generations, Shadow’s physical and mental prowess came second to his relationship with Maria. “I had hoped they’d get along, but it’s far better than that. She is his guide to the world, and he is her stalwart companion. Never have I seen such instant, mutual friendship and trust between two beings. I am truly moved,” Gerald wrote.[23]
Shadow loved Maria deeply—he was devoted to her, assisting her with her condition and protecting her. He very much cared about her well-being and safety, and would get furious whenever she would be placed in harm’s way. He’d also get very concerned whenever her illness got the best of her, rushing over to her when she’d almost faint from overexertion.
Maria loved Shadow deeply as well. She cared about him greatly, always worrying about his well-being and safety. She wanted him to be happy and safe, and she would get sad or concerned when he was feeling down or angry. She trusted and believed in him–she had faith that he would cure her illness, and he was the one she’d go to for help when something was wrong.
Maria was a guiding force in Shadow’s life, doing her best to erase any doubts he had about himself. Even after discovering that Shadow and Black Doom were related, Maria never stopped loving him, believing that his actions are what define him. Maria was the light of Shadow’s life, the most important person in his life, and his reason for living. He trusted her enough to be vulnerable with her, sharing his inner conflicts with her, such as the purpose of his existence, his frustration at not curing her illness, and his Black Arms heritage. Maria, in turn, always comforted and reassured Shadow whenever he suffered from these conflicts. She was the one person who could talk him out of something, and the one to calm him down whenever he was in a rage. She also always defended him from anyone who insulted or opposed him, such as a young Abraham Tower or Black Doom. Maria is by far the only person who made Shadow truly happy, and they shared the same dream: to go to Earth. While raised together,[24][25][26] they would often spend time together looking at Earth and space through the windows and domes of the ARK, admiring the beauty of the planet, the stars, the sunrises, and the aurora borealis.
Unfortunately, Shadow and Maria's peaceful existence together was abruptly brought to an end by Guardian Units of Nations (G.U.N.) military forces who invaded the ARK to capture Shadow, deeming him too great a threat to the world. In the end, Maria's love for Shadow led her to sacrifice herself and her dream of visiting Earth to save him from G.U.N. She was fatally shot in front of Shadow's eyes—even as she lay dying, her only thoughts were of him. Maria's death had a tremendous impact on Shadow's psyche, traumatizing him.
Shadow's love for Maria and his grief over losing her were so great that he swore revenge on all of humanity for what happened to her and sought to destroy the planet However, after remembering Maria's true wish, Shadow joined forces with Sonic and his friends to stop the ARK from destroying Earth, and ultimately sacrificed his life to fulfill her wish. However, he survived his fall to Earth, but at the cost of his own memories—the only things Shadow could remember were his own name and images of Maria's death. Shadow would eventually regain most of his memories and learn the truth about his existence after he stopped the Black Arms' invasion of Earth. He has since moved on from his past, but he currently strives to protect the Earth that Maria loved in honor of her memory.
This story is roughly identical in all canons where Shadow appears, excluding Sonic Boom.
So far, Maria is the only person whom Shadow has wept for. This has occurred in Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic X, the Archie comics, The Jet Black Hedgehog: Shadow the Hedgehog, and Shadow Generations.
Maria is a fundamental part of Shadow’s being, identity, and story: he was created for her, his body hoped to be the source of her cure; he has her heart and soul; he holds her in his heart and mind; she is his motivation, his moral center and rationale; and he protects the world and its people for her sake and fights for her wish of peace.
In some canons, Shadow has felt some sort of affection for people who remind him of Maria. Examples include Amy Rose, Christopher Thorndyke and Molly from Sonic X, and Hope Kintobor from the Archie comics, the latter of whom was actually related to Maria.
Games[]
Sonic Adventure 2[]
Fifty years ago before the events of Sonic Adventure 2, Professor Gerald Robotnik began Project Shadow, a top-secret medical and military research program funded by the United Federation, on Space Colony ARK. The purpose of the project was to achieve immortality. The United Federation desired a weapon of mass destruction, but Gerald wanted to find a cure for his ailing granddaughter, Maria, who was suffering from N.I.D.S., an incurable illness. The project resulted in two beings being created: the Biolizard, the prototype; and Shadow the Hedgehog, the final product. However, doubts over the safety of Project Shadow resulted in G.U.N. raiding the ARK, resulting in the deaths of everyone involved in Project Shadow, except for Gerald, who was taken to Prison Island to be imprisoned, and Shadow, who was ejected to Earth. When Gerald learned that Maria died during the raid, he went insane, and implanted false memories in Shadow’s mind so he could avenge her. Shortly after, Gerald was executed, and Shadow was sealed away.
In the Dark Story, Shadow is released from stasis by Doctor Eggman, Gerald's grandson. In gratitude, Shadow offers his servitude to him and tells him to find more Chaos Emeralds and to meet him at the Space Colony ARK. That night, Shadow, who has been mistaken for Sonic, steals a Chaos Emerald in Central City. He gets flashbacks of running with Maria and her last moments with him on her deathbed. Brainwashed to think that she wanted revenge, he races through the city, escaping military pursuit. He soon encounters Sonic, whom he easily evades using Chaos Control, and meets up with Eggman on the ARK at the central control room. Shadow tells him of the Eclipse Cannon, a weapon powered by the Chaos Emeralds that’s capable of destroying the whole planet. Rouge the Bat, who has infiltrated the ARK through a transporter in Hidden Base, joins up with them, telling them that there are more Chaos Emeralds in Prison Island.
The next day, the three of them meet up at Prison Island, planning to steal the three Chaos Emeralds there and then explode the island–Shadow plants the bombs, and Rouge sneaks into Security Hall to take the emeralds. Rouge steals the emeralds, but a guard robot appears and the vault is sealed, leaving Rouge trapped inside with the emeralds as Eggman’s bombs are about to go off. Shadow, reminded of Maria, rushes to save Rouge and retrieve the emeralds. Once he gets to her he uses Chaos Control to teleport them and the emeralds to the ARK.
Shadow then has a flashback of Maria and himself looking at Earth together. Maria asks him what he thinks Earth is like. Shadow replies that Professor Gerald said his life’s work was dedicated to all the people who live there, and that he once told that the reason for his existence was making people happy through the power of science. Maria says “Shadow…” and Shadow tells her that he just doesn’t know anything anymore, and that he often wonders why he was created, and what his purpose is for being here. He says that maybe if he goes down to Earth, he’ll find the answers. He then says, “Maria…”
Rouge asks Shadow why he’s so melancholy, and tells him that it was so unexpected and so unlike him to come and rescue her. Shadow tells her that he didn’t come to save her, but to retrieve the Chaos Emeralds. Rouge replies that that isn’t the whole story.
It is later revealed that Rouge is a government agent who was investigating Project Shadow and the Ultimate Lifeform. Rouge shows Shadow a report of Project Shadow detailing the Biolizard, and she claims that it, not Shadow, is the real Shadow. Rouge asks Shadow if he actually believes that he is the real Shadow, and Shadow answers “No doubt!” Rouge says that even his memories might not be real, but Shadow replies that even if his memories aren’t real, he is still Shadow, and he will fulfill his promise to Maria, which is the only thing that matters to him now.
In the Last Story, once the seven Chaos Emeralds are installed into the Eclipse Cannon, instead of it firing, it activates Professor Gerald’s doomsday program, triggering the fall of the ARK towards Earth. In a video, Gerald reveals that he made this program to avenge Maria. Sonic, Eggman, Rouge, Tails, and Knuckles all head to the Cannon’s Core to stop the Professor’s plan. Amy goes and asks Shadow to help the others, but Shadow is indifferent, believing that everything is going to plan, and that there’s no way to save anyone. Amy says that there has to be. She says that she knows that people fight over the most trivial things, and that some people are selfish like the Professor said, but they’re basically good, and that if they try their best and never give up on their wishes, they always have a reason to be happy, which is why Shadow should help them out. Shadow then suddenly remembers Maria’s true wish–giving the people of Earth a chance to be happy. Shadow says that that’s what he’s promised her and that he must keep that promise, as it’s what Maria wished for, before shedding a tear of sadness for almost breaking his promise to her. Shadow then tells Amy that he has to go now and keep his promise to Maria and her.
Shadow went to Sonic and Knuckles in the ARK’s core and defeated the Biolizard, but the Biolizard used Chaos Control to fuse with the ARK, continuing its fall to Earth. Sonic and Shadow then use the Chaos Emeralds to become Super Sonic and Super Shadow, and together, they destroy the Biolizard, now the Finalhazard after fusing with the ARK. Shadow hears Maria’s voice, begging him to give the people a chance to be happy, before he and Sonic both use Chaos Control to teleport the ARK away from Earth. Exhausted, Shadow falls down to Earth, asking Maria if this is what she wanted and that this is the promise he made to her, and is presumed dead.
Sonic Battle[]
As Shadow was recovering from his injuries at Club "Rouge" from his earlier fight at Gimme Shelter, he hears voices from his past, including Maria’s voice pleading with him. After recovering, Shadow heads to Emerald Town, where he finds Sonic and the Gizoid. Shadow demands to Sonic that he give him the Gizoid so he could destroy it, but Sonic refuses, and they fight. Shadow is defeated due to not regaining his full power, and he leaves.
Later, Shadow meets with Tails and the Gizoid, now named Emerl. Shadow tells Tails to destroy Emerl before he gets all the Chaos Emeralds. Tails is hesitant, and Shadow tells him that there’s no need to repeat past tragedies, and that nobody else ever needs to go through the things he went through. Tails tells him that he respects him, but then says that Emerl is their friend, and that if Shadow attacks him, he’ll do anything to protect him.
Later, Shadow heads to Emerald Beach and meets Sonic, demanding to him Emerl’s whereabouts. Sonic replies that he’s at Tails’ house, and asks him why he’s after him. Shadow says that he’s after him to “welcome” him as a fellow weapon of war. He says that he currently has six Chaos Emeralds, and that his true power will be awakened once he gets the last one that he has. Sonic asks Shadow if he thinks awakening Emerl is dangerous, and Shadow says that he’s a weapon created with enough power to destroy the world, and that awakening him is sheer madness. Sonic says that he doesn’t think Emerl has it in him to do that, and that he’d never destroy the world, and tells Shadow that he was the military’s ultimate secret weapon but ended up saving humanity instead of destroying it. Shadow replies that that was for Maria. Sonic tells him that Rouge said there’s a passcode that can “free” Emerl, and that if they find out what the passcode is, Emerl can become a normal robot. Shadow doesn’t listen to him, fully intending to destroy Emerl. Emerl feels the presence of Shadow’s Chaos Emerald, and comes to them and demands its power. Shadow tells Sonic that he cannot deny Emerl’s true identity. Sonic then tells Emerl to go with Shadow to Gimme Shelter to find out who he really is.
When Shadow and Emerl arrive at Gimme Shelter, Shadow is confused, wondering who and what he is, and why he and Emerl have hearts and souls despite being weapons. Rouge tells Shadow that Professor Gerald gave him and Emerl souls. Shadow asks why, and Rouge says it’s because Gerald wasn’t interested in making weapons of war, and was researching a way to bring happiness and hope to everyone, but was forced by the military to use his research for war, and so, he gave Shadow and Emerl a “soul” identical to Maria’s (In the Japanese version, Rouge says that Gerald gave Shadow and Emerl Maria’s heart). Gerald hoped that no matter how obsessed with destruction humanity might become, the weapons themselves would never fight. Rouge then tells Emerl that Gerald programmed him with a special passcode, and if the passcode were to be activated, he’d become an ordinary robot. Shadow asks Rouge what the passcode is, and Rouge replies that it is “bring hope to humanity”–Maria’s last words before she died. Shadow comments that it’s kind of touching, and asks Rouge how to input the code, and Rouge says that we have to input it when he awakens. Shadow, not having any other choice, then gives Emerl his Chaos Emerald. Rouge is surprised by this, but Shadow says that it’s alright, as he will always be with Maria. (In the Japanese version, Shadow says that “everything that I am… is with Maria…”)
After Emerl awakens, Shadow tells him that he is free now, and then asks him to fight him one last time, to prove who the stronger of the two is. Emerl asks if he’s sure about it, as he doesn’t have his Chaos Emerald, but Shadow replies that he no longer needs it, because he has Maria in his heart.
Shadow the Hedgehog[]
Shadow is suffering from amnesia, and doesn’t remember anything save for his name and the gruesome image of Maria getting shot by a G.U.N. soldier. He witnesses the Black Arms’ invasion of Earth, and Black Doom appears to him, telling him that the “day of reckoning” will soon come, and instructs him to find the seven Chaos Emeralds and bring them to him “as promised”. Shadow then goes to find the emeralds, believing that they are the key to his past.
Throughout the game, Shadow struggles to choose between the paths of good and evil. He’s unsure whether to destroy the humans and the planet to avenge Maria, or to keep his promise to her and protect them.
In the Hero route, when Shadow heads to the ARK on a spacecraft with Sonic and takes the cyan Chaos Emerald, an alarm goes off which triggers flashbacks of Maria asking him for help to protect the Professor and those on the ARK from the rampaging Artificial Chaos, helping her destroying said Artificial Chaos, and her final moments with him on her deathbed. Shadow says “Maria…” and Sonic spots the Black Comet racing through space. Shadow, sensing the Black Arms’ presence in the comet, sets off for it, believing that the answers are there.
Shadow and Sonic confront Black Doom in the Black Comet. Black Doom says that he is very impressed that Shadow made it this far, and Shadow replies that his rule ends here and now. Black Doom says that the Black Arms are perfect, and asks Sonic and Shadow if they really think they can defeat them. Shadow replies that Black Doom should be the scared one, because he made a promise to Maria to save the planet she loved so much, and he will. After defeating Black Doom, Shadow says that he made a promise that he intends to keep, and with the power of the Chaos Emeralds, Black Doom and his army are finished.
In the Semi-Hero route, when Shadow goes to the ARK on a spacecraft with Sonic, he thinks to himself about how familiar the ARK is but not knowing why, when suddenly images of himself fighting the Finalhazard with Sonic and his fall to Earth afterwards emerge. Shadow realizes that the ARK is where Maria died. When he boards the ARK, Shadow meets Commander Abraham Tower, who points a gun at him, telling Shadow that it’s been a long time. Shadow asks who he is and how he knows his name, and Abraham replies that he knows him, and that he was the one who killed everyone he loved, his family, and Maria, and that he’s been waiting his whole life for this day. Shadow exclaims “What?! Me… and Maria?”
Abraham then recalls his past with Maria when he was a child on the ARK, saying how she was like a sister to him, and blames Shadow for her death, before saying that he witnessed the plan by Black Doom and Professor Gerald to create him. Abraham says that Shadow doesn’t fool him, and that it’s not just about Maria, but that Shadow is responsible for the deaths of everyone Abraham knew and loved, and worst of all, his family, when the ARK was destroyed–raided by G.U.N. Abraham shoots his gun at Shadow, but Shadow teleports behind him before he could get hit. Shadow tells Abraham that if what he says is true, then he will accept his fate. Abraham asks him if he truly doesn’t remember anything, and Shadow replies that he needs some time to uncover the real truth. Abraham then collapses onto his knees in defeat.
When Shadow confronts Black Doom with Vector, Shadow asks Black Doom if he is what the humans refer to as the “Evil One”. Black Doom says it’s true, and that he created him. Shadow replies that if it’s true, then he’ll have to accept his responsibilities for his crimes, and that he will avenge the victims of the ARK who died on the day of the G.U.N. raid. After defeating Black Doom, Shadow laments that he is a research experiment gone deadly wrong, having caused so much destruction, and that he shouldn’t have been created–indirectly blaming himself for Maria’s death.
In the Semi-Dark route, when Shadow walks through a forest, he asks himself what’s going on with him and how the Black Arms know who he is, and says that he can’t get the images out of his mind. He asks himself who he was before this. He is then transported to space, and Black Doom appears behind him. He tells Shadow that he seemed troubled, and Shadow looks back at him, surprised at seeing him. Black Doom then tells him to look towards him, and he sees the ARK, which he recognizes. The alien warlord says that this is the ARK from fifty years ago, and Shadow sees his past self and Maria fleeing hand-in-hand from G.U.N. soldiers. Black Doom says that this will remind him what the humans did to him, and to never forget that horrifying image–the image of Maria’s death.
Once on the ARK, Shadow finds Maria who wants him to help the injured researchers using Heal Units, while G.U.N. soldiers are raiding the space station. After helping her heal the researchers, they run hand-in-hand, having escaped the raid, but the Heavy Dog blocks their path. Maria gets scared, but Shadow raises a hand in front of her, intending to protect her. The image of Maria’s death and her voice calling him for help then go through his mind, and he clenches his fist, getting angry. Doom’s Eye appears behind him and says that humans are willing to sacrifice their own when overcome by greed, and that they are a foolish race. Shadow calls the humans heartless and orders them to get out of his way.
In The Last Way, Shadow, on the Black Comet, gets all the Chaos Emeralds, ready to uncover the truth about his past. Black Doom appears, and demands Shadow give him the emeralds to begin the “prosperity ritual”. Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Rouge, and Eggman then appear. Sonic tells Shadow to give him the emeralds, and Eggman tells Shadow not to give him the emeralds, with Rouge saying that the Black Arms plan to destroy the planet. Black Doom tells Shadow and the others that humans are greedy, self-destructive megalomaniacs, and that the Black Arms will “save” them by keeping them as an energy source for them. Black Doom then uses the Chaos Emeralds to teleport the Black Comet to Earth, and says that it was his plan all along to use the emeralds to do this, which is why he needed the Professor to help him–he then recalls the bargain he made with the Professor to help create Shadow in exchange for the emeralds. The others, except Shadow, are then paralyzed by a special gas produced by the Black Arms. The voices of various people, including himself, go through Shadow’s head–Black Doom, Abraham, and Eggman, but the voice of Maria calling him for help prompts him forward, and he tells Black Doom that he has left his past behind him and that no one can tell him what to do now.
When Shadow confronts Black Doom, Black Doom tells him that he’s impressed he’s made it this far, and that the future the Black Arms offer to the humans is their only option. Shadow doesn’t want to hear it, and Black Doom laughs, telling him that they are more alike than he thinks, and that the same blood runs through their veins. Shadow is shocked by this, and Black Doom begins to control his mind, telling him that he was created with his blood, that he is a part of him, and that he can’t escape him or his past. But then, a video from a then-sane Gerald appears in front of Shadow and Black Doom. Gerald explains to Shadow that the government plans to shut down the ARK and imprison everyone who knows him. He tells Shadow that he has made a terrible mistake making a deal with Black Doom, and that in fifty years the Black Comet will return, so he made the Eclipse Cannon for Shadow to use to stop the Black Comet. Gerald then tells Shadow that he is mankind's only hope, and that Earth’s future depends on him. Maria then appears in the video, telling Gerald not to worry, as she and Shadow will protect the planet. Shadow breaks free from Black Doom’s mind control, and tells him that he now understands why he’s here–he made a promise and he’s here to keep it. Shadow then uses the Chaos Emeralds to transform into Super Shadow, and after defeating Devil Doom, uses Chaos Control to teleport the Black Comet back into space and then the Eclipse Cannon to destroy it.
In the end, Shadow is on the ARK, holding a picture of Maria and Gerald, before throwing it away and walking away, signifying that he has now put his past behind him.
Shadow Generations[]
In Shadow’s Story, it’s stated that Shadow was raised alongside Maria, and that they were inseparable. Shadow awakened fifty years later after her death, filled with anger and sadness. He was haunted by Maria’s last words to him, and was bent on revenge, seeking to destroy the world. But, at the last moment, Shadow remembered Maria’s final wish–to protect her beloved planet and all who lived there.
While Sonic’s birthday party is going on, Shadow’s on the ARK, investigating an unusual bio-signature that G.U.N. detected. While in the now desolate room where he was created, he has a flashback of Gerald and an excited Maria entering the room. Maria eagerly runs to Shadow’s capsule, and grins at him, wanting to meet her new friend. Maria asks Gerald if they can wake him up now so she can meet him, and Gerald says yes, it’s time to awaken him. Shadow sees a mysterious aura distorting the ARK, and skates to it. It turns out that the bio-signature he was tracking is Doom’s Eye. While Shadow pursues him, reality is being warped around him. He ends up at the ARK again after beating Doom’s Eye, and sees the Fake Emerald, and takes it. Suddenly, Time Eater appears through a Time Hole outside the ARK, which generates a massive wave of time energy that engulfs the ARK and Shadow with it.
Shadow ends up in White Space. After leaving the ARK stage, he looks at his hands, which are pulsating with Black Arms energy. He wonders what this new power is, and that he’s never done anything like that before, as it’s not something he should be normally able to do, yet it felt natural. Shadow walks to the edge of the land he’s on and notices another landmass across him, separated by water. He gasps in shock upon seeing Maria in the distance, who also notices him and eagerly runs towards him, but Gerald stops her. Reluctant to obey her grandfather, she looks back at Shadow. Shadow says “Maria…?”, but then stops himself, reminding himself that she’s gone and that he’s seeing things. He then gets a flashback of her final moments with him on her deathbed. Shadow shakes his head, telling himself to stay focused and deal with the problem at hand instead of chasing dreams–the thought of Maria being alive again is a dream for him.
When Shadow skates away from the Sunset Heights stage, he hears Maria scream and stops. He sees her being chased by three Black Warriors, and, with his Doom Powers active, he goes after them. Maria is soon cornered by the hulking aliens, and she screams in fear and cowers, but Shadow saves her, defeating the Black Warriors before they could lay a hand on her. Shadow looks at her, and she slowly lifts her head to see him. He doesn’t recognize her at first, but his eyes widen in shock when he does. Maria happily runs to him and hugs him. Gerald then runs up to them, and she lets go of him. Maria asks Shadow where he learned to fight like that, and he looks away from her. He turns his back on her and Gerald and tells himself that they must be from a point in time before G.U.N. raided the ARK, and that perhaps he can change their fate. Maria asks Shadow if he’s alright, as he looks grim, and Shadow turns to her and replies that he’s fine and they’ll all be fine, and to find somewhere safe to hide, as he’ll take care of everything. He then skates away.
After defeating Metal Overlord, Shadow, looking at his hands, walks up to Gerald and Maria, who stare nervously at the Black Moon. Maria notices him approaching them and goes up to him, asking him if he’s in pain. Shadow says no, but he feels a connection to the Black Moon, which gives the same tingly feeling as the Doom Powers. Gerald says that it’s the power of Black Doom, and explains how he made a deal with him to create Shadow, and says that Black Doom wanted him to make a perfect warrior for him, so the Doom Powers are by design. Maria freezes up at this, then gasps in shock, covering her mouth with her hands and shaking her head, when Gerald further adds that Shadow and Black Doom are linked by blood. Gerald then tells Shadow that Black Doom will either control his mind and make him his ultimate weapon, or take over his body and be reborn in him. Shadow grunts dismissively at this, and Maria looks at him worriedly as he tells Gerald that he made him the ultimate lifeform, and that Black Doom is a fool–he’ll use the Doom Powers as his own.
After defeating Mephiles the Dark, Shadow approaches Maria and Gerald, who are talking to each other. When they spot Shadow, they go up to him–Maria is happy to see him. Doom’s Eye then appears behind the trio, and creates a projection of Black Doom. Maria gets scared and runs to Gerald, and Shadow gets in front of the two, raising his hand in front of them, intending to protect them. Black Doom tells Shadow that the promised time is near, and he’ll soon be his. Maria defends Shadow, angrily telling Black Doom that he will never serve him and that he’s nothing like him. Black Doom says that Gerald may have given Shadow the unassuming form of a hedgehog, but the blood of the Black Arms flows in his veins, and that he is a warrior, a destroyer. Shadow replies that yes, he is a warrior, a warrior that will destroy him. Black Doom laughs and says that he’s learned from their last encounter and that there will be no mistakes this time, and that Shadow will be his. Maria notices Shadow’s furious expression and becomes worried. After the alien warlord leaves, Shadow asks Gerald what he meant when he said he learned from their last encounter–Maria still looks at him worriedly, and clasps her hands together. Gerald replies that he guesses that Shadow defeated him at some point in the future, and that he’s grown a new body, and used the nature of time in White Space to accelerate his revenge plans. Shadow starts to get angry, and his Doom Powers flare up. Shadow furiously says that Black Doom is right–there will be no more mistakes, and that this time, he’ll crush every last one of the Black Arms. Maria exclaims, “Shadow, no!” and kneels down in front of him, taking his hand–Shadow is confused by this. Maria tells him that it breaks her heart to see him so angry, and that this isn’t who he is. She asks him if he knows why she named him “Shadow”, and he looks down at his shadow as she explains that she did because without light there’s only darkness, but a shadow will show you where to find the light, and then asks him if he understands. She adds that she doesn’t want him to be driven by darkness, and that she wants him to be happy. Rays of light shine upon the pair, and Shadow’s eyes stop glowing, and he looks back at her as she tells him to stand in the light with peace in his heart, a smile on her face as she is bathed in the light. Shadow then steps away from Maria and skates away from her, which startles and worries her, reaching out for him.
Once Shadow gets his Doom Wings, White Space transforms into Doom Zone. Shadow flies down to Maria and Gerald, but before he could get to them, the Black Moon induces pain upon Shadow–his eyes glow red and he yells out, panting. The voice of Black Doom tells Shadow that he cannot deny him, and that he’s finally complete, and to come and face him, telling him that he’ll claim him and become the perfect being. Shadow’s Doom Powers flare up and he screams as a yellow aura emanates from him–Maria stares in shock and worry behind him. Shadow then turns to Gerald and Maria, telling them that it’s time. Gerald apologizes to Shadow for putting him on this path, but says that he’s proud of how he walked through it and that he believes in him. Maria breaks free from her grandfather’s hold on her and runs to Shadow, calling out to him, but he raises a hand in front of her, telling her that it’s alright and that he’s letting go of that destructive anger–Maria looks at him worriedly. He adds that he will continue to fight. White Space then trembles, which causes Maria to fall, and Shadow runs to her and holds out his hand for her to take. She takes his hand and he helps her up, and he takes her hands in his. Shadow tells her to fight with her wish in his heart, her wish for everyone to have a chance to be happy, before smiling at her. Maria smiles back, and he reluctantly lets go of her hands. Shadow then flies away to face Black Doom.
After Black Doom is defeated, the Black Moon explodes and White Space returns to normal. Gerald and Maria wait for Shadow–Maria has a worried expression on her face, and her hands are clasped together. Maria’s eyes then widen and she calls out for him, and he jumps off of a floating platform. Maria is relieved and joyful, telling Shadow that she knew he could do it, before collapsing due to overexertion, but Gerald catches her. Shadow, concerned, calls her name and runs to her, reaching out for her. Maria looks at her grandfather and says that she’s really okay. Shadow notices that Gerald’s hand is fading away, and he takes it, asking him what’s happening. Maria’s hand is also fading, and Shadow takes it as well. Gerald replies that, without Black Doom’s influence, the time anomaly is beginning to heal, and that he and Maria are returning to their own point in time. Shadow, surprised and desperate, says that he’ll stop Rouge from switching the Fake Emerald with the real one, use Chaos Control, and stop this moment in time, and he tries to run off, but Maria calls his name, and he stops in his tracks and looks back. She says no, she and Gerald don’t want to be frozen in one place in time, and that his friends need his help. Shadow tells her that she doesn’t know what’s going to happen, but Maria goes and cups his face in her hands, and leans in to touch her forehead with his. She tells him that she knows she’ll see him again, and that if fate draws them apart, she’ll always be in his heart. Shadow shivers, shuts his eyes, and says “Maria…” She then lets go of him and stands up, slowly disappearing with Gerald. Shadow reaches out a hand to them, saying "Wait...!" but then clenches his fists and shuts his eyes, before skating away from them, shedding a tear.
Lego Dimensions[]
In the Sonic Level Pack, there is a quest in the Sonic the Hedgehog World that Shadow can give the player called A Floral Dilemma. Shadow explains to the player that revenge is not what Maria wanted at all and that all she ever wanted was for him to bring hope to humanity. Shadow has been trying to figure out how to best achieve that goal for a long time. While he's saved the world a few times and that he's the Ultimate Lifeform, those things aren't enough, and he says that the only true way to inspire people to live their dreams is through the medium of flower arrangement. However, he knows nothing about flowers, let alone how they should be arranged.
When the player finishes the quest, Shadow says he thinks that the arranged flowers are even starting to make him hopeful, and that they have provided the ultimate inspiration. However, his work isn't done–he won't rest until he's seen Maria's wish through to the very end, and thanks the player for helping him fulfill that wish, saying that they're not so bad after all.
Sonic X[]
Shadow Saga[]
In episode 33, Project: Shadow, Eggman hacks G.U.N.’s main computer. After looking at pictures of various G.U.N. robots, he finds a database entry on his grandfather, Gerald Robotnik, and goes through it. Shocked by what he read, he realizes that he was born on Earth rather than on Sonic’s world, and concludes that the two are parallel dimensions. Eggman wonders why his grandfather’s name is in G.U.N.’s database, and continues his research, but is required to input a password. After trying multiple times, he can’t seem to get in. But then he remembers the photo of his grandfather with Maria, and he types in her name as the password. It worked, and he gained access to his grandfather’s diary, detailing that he has completed the ultimate creature, Shadow.
Eggman breaks into the G.U.N. base on Prison Island, intent on releasing Shadow. He soon finds Shadow’s capsule, and enters Maria’s name for the password. The capsule then opens, and he is shocked to see the silhouette of a hedgehog come out of it.
In episode 34, Shadow Knows, Shadow steals a Chaos Emerald from the National Museum of Art, but is later mistaken for Sonic. At Downhill Street, Sonic soon meets Shadow while fighting G.U.N. robots who are after him. Shadow tells him that they actually do look alike and that it’s like looking in a mirror. Sonic realizes that Shadow’s the one who’s been pretending to be him and causing chaos everywhere, and calls him an impostor. He tries to fight him, but he teleports to the roof of a building and calls him the fake instead. Sonic runs up the building to fight him, but Shadow teleports again to the roof of another building. Sonic then challenges him to a race through the city. Chris, Mr. Tanaka, and Chuck soon arrive to get Sonic, and Shadow then teleports away before attacking Sonic from behind.
As Sonic is arrested by the police and G.U.N., Shadow is seen standing on top of a building, thinking “I won’t let anyone get in my way. Right, Maria?”
When Rouge arrives at Eggman’s base to talk with him, she shows him a Chaos Emerald, and tells him that she’ll reveal the locations of the other Chaos Emeralds if he agrees to let her work with him and Shadow. An image of Maria then appears in Shadow’s mind. Rouge asks him his name, to which he answers “Shadow the Hedgehog.” Rouge is alarmed at this.
In episode 35, Sonic’s Big Break, as Sonic and Shadow fight on Prison Island, Eggman tells Shadow that the bombs are going to explode soon, and if he doesn’t leave, he’ll be blown up as well. Sonic runs away to evacuate everyone, and Shadow looks up at the sky. Chris finds Shadow, and, mistaking him for Sonic, runs to him, but quickly realizes that he isn’t Sonic. The image of Maria in a pink, sparkly background flashes through Shadow’s mind, and he thinks “Maria.”
Shadow then contacts Rouge and asks her if she has the Chaos Emeralds, and Rouge, happy to hear him, says she has three of them. Shadow replies that he’ll come over, but she realizes that he’s just coming to get the emeralds. He then contacts Eggman and says that he’s going to retrieve the Chaos Emeralds, before Maria appears in his mind again, pleading with him. Shadow tells her that he’ll get revenge on everyone. He then performs Chaos Control, but Chris runs to grab him before he can teleport, and they teleport together to Rouge. Shadow knocks Chris away and snatches the emeralds from Rouge. Shadow is about to perform Chaos Control again, but Rouge asks him what he’s going to do about Chris, and he replies that he doesn’t care what happens to him. Chris tells him that his friend, Sonic, is in trouble because he was mistaken for him, and pleads with him to save him. Shadow sees Maria’s face pleading with him overlap Chris’ face, and Shadow uses Chaos Control to teleport himself, Chris, and Rouge out of Prison Island at the last second before it explodes.
In episode 36, Shadow World, Chris and Shadow are on the Space Colony ARK. Chris is shocked that he’s in space, and wonders if he’s the first child ever to come to space. Shadow says no, and Chris asks if there was someone before him, but Shadow doesn’t answer and averts his eyes. Chris then asks him if he’s Sonic’s brother, but Shadow only glares at him, which scares him. Shadow then looks at the window, and Chris’ reflection is replaced with Maria’s. He then gets a flashback of the day Maria died–they’re running hand-in-hand from the G.U.N. soldiers. The scene then shifts to Shadow inside a capsule as a wounded Maria pleads with him, but her words are unintelligible, before bidding him goodbye and pulling the lever, falling to the ground. Shadow, in the present, tells Maria that he promises her that he’ll get revenge on everyone living on Earth.
After Eggman blows up half the moon with the Eclipse Cannon, Shadow ominously tells Chris that this is the final time that mankind will see the sunrise. Chris is surprised and scared by this, and asks Shadow why he saved him back at Prison Island. Shadow doesn’t answer, and he sees Maria’s reflection in place of Chris’ again. He gets another flashback—as Shadow is looking at the window, Maria walks up to him, saying that he sure likes looking at Earth. Shadow tells her that the Professor says that his research is for the people who live there, and that his purpose in life is to use the power of science to make everyone happy. He says that he can’t figure out why he was born and what he’s supposed to do, and wonders if he’ll find the answer if he goes down to Earth someday.
In episode 37, Robotnik’s Revenge, Shadow confronts Rouge, who is revealed to be a government agent investigating Project Shadow. She shows him a progress report for Project Shadow, detailing its prototype, the Bio Lizard. Shadow says that he knows that’s the prototype, and that he is the ultimate lifeform they created afterwards. Rouge informs him that two capsules were ejected—by Maria—when the ARK was shut down, but they were never found. She adds that G.U.N. can’t lock up in Prison Island what they couldn’t find, and wonders who Shadow really is. She asks him if he really believes he’s the real Shadow, and adds that his memories might be fake. Shadow replies that even if his memories are fake, they’re all he has, and that all he cares about is carrying out Maria’s wishes.
In episode 38, Showdown in Space (Japanese: Maria’s Wish, Everyone’s Wish), after Gerald’s doomsday protocol was activated, triggering the ARK’s descent to Earth, Sonic and Shadow continue to fight. Sonic spots a Ring and uses it to defeat Shadow. As the ground trembles, Shadow tells Maria that it’s time, and leaves. Sonic notices the countdown for the ARK’s impact to Earth.
As the ARK falls to Earth, Shadow confronts Chris, Mr. Tanaka, and Amy in the observation deck. Chris approaches him, pleading with him to save everyone, and says that he doesn’t believe that he was created to be a tool for revenge because he saved him before. He then puts his hands on Shadow’s shoulders and says that he knows that in Shadow’s heart, he doesn’t want anyone to die. Shadow tells him to let him go before knocking him away, but he slowly gets up and approaches him again. Shadow says that all he’s going to do is carry out Maria’s wish. Chris replies that Maria doesn’t want revenge, and that no one wants their friend to do something horrible. He puts his hands on Shadow’s shoulders again and says that it’s not right for him to live for revenge and then die afterwards. Shadow angrily tells him to shut up, and knocks him away again. He tells Chris that there’s nothing on Earth worth saving. The scene shifts to a flashback of Shadow and Maria looking at Earth together, with Shadow saying that the humans took Maria away from him, and that she wasn’t allowed to leave the ARK because her body was weak since birth. In the flashback, Maria tells Shadow that she wants to get better as soon as possible so she could go down to Earth and that she wants to make many friends that are like him. The scene then shifts to Maria laying on the ground, dying, and Shadow angrily says that the humans killed her to protect their pathetic happiness. As an injured Chris struggles to get up again, he tells Shadow that he’s right—humans fight everyday on Earth, and everyone may be selfish, self-centered, and foolish, but they’re all living, and they’re doing their best to live so that they can all live together in happiness someday. As Chris staggers towards Shadow, he tells him to not take that future away from them, and to give them a chance.
Shadow then suddenly has a flashback—a dying Maria reaches out her hand towards him, pleading with him. Shadow, in the capsule, shouts out her name, and Maria pleads with him to give everyone living on Earth a chance to attain happiness, and to grant everyone’s wish, as it’s what he was born to do. The scene then shifts to a fantasy—Shadow and Maria are on Earth, relaxing under a tree together, and she says that he’s like a shadow that always watches over everyone.
Chris, now out of energy, collapses, but Shadow catches him, and tears are in his eyes, having remembered Maria’s true wish. Mr. Tanaka takes Chris, and Shadow says to Maria that that's what she was actually hoping for, before smiling.
Shadow and Sonic transform into Super Shadow and Super Sonic and fight the Final Lizard. After they do, the ARK continues to descend to Earth, and it starts to enter its atmosphere, and they hold their hands in front of it in the hopes that they could slow it down. Shadow hears Maria’s voice calling his name, pleading with him to grant everyone’s wish, which prompts him to remove his Limiters. He along with Sonic use Chaos Control to teleport the ARK away from Earth. Shadow, exhausted, falls to Earth, asking Maria if this is what she wanted.
Homebound Saga[]
In episode 50, Running out of Time, Shadow and Maria are seen holding hands on the ARK, before the Eclipse Cannon activates on its own and fires at the interdimensional portal, activating it, so Sonic and his friends can return to their own world.
Metarex Saga[]
In episode 63, Station Break-In, Shadow, Rouge, and Chris sneak into the Metarex Space Fortress in an organized plan by Eggman to get the two Chaos Emeralds that are there. Rouge thinks to herself that she needs to get away from Chris and Shadow so she can look for the emeralds, and suggests that they split up and look for them, since the fortress is so huge. Shadow says no, as he doesn’t want to look for her if she gets lost. Rouge notices that he’s on guard, and that she’ll have to get him off his guard. She then says that, when they used Chaos Control to get in the fortress, it was like when they escaped Prison Island back then. Chris says that they then flew to the ARK, and Rouge adds that the ARK was filled with memories of Maria. Shadow—who is suffering from amnesia—is surprised and says “Maria!” before he holds his head in pain and agony and drops to his knees as memories come flooding back.
In episode 68, A Revolutionary Tale, after Molly's death, Shadow erects a grave for her in Cascade. Rouge tells Shadow that perhaps she was similar to her—Maria. Shadow says that Maria wasn't clinging to the past like Molly, but instead wanted to see the future.
Comics[]
Archie Comics[]
Pre-Super Genesis Wave[]
In issue #98, As the Shadow Awakes!, Professor Gerald Robotnik is trying to unlock the secrets of immortality for the sake of all, especially for his beloved Maria, as he hopes to cure her from the ailment that cripples her. Gerald tells Shadow, who is inside a tube, that it's time for him to awaken. Shadow begins to move inside the tube, which shocks Gerald. The sudden power surge frightens Maria, who calls Gerald to ask him if he’s alright, and he replies that he’s fine, and asks her if she’s okay. She says that she is, and tells him that there’s a Station Square military carrier just outside coming towards the ARK. Surprised by this, Gerald orders Maria to get down to him, and tells Shadow that he won’t let the Station Square military lay their hands on him and that he’s too unstable in his current condition.
Maria, worried about her grandfather, climbs up a ladder to get to the escape pod, but Gerald tells her not to worry about him and that she sees to it that she and Shadow get to the escape pod. Maria follows Shadow, telling him to keep going and that she’s right behind him. Once he gets into the escape pod, Maria tells him that they’re almost there and that she’ll get in with him as soon as he clears the hatch, but a Station Square military soldier shoots her in front of Shadow’s eyes. The escape pod’s hatch closes, and is ejected.
Gerald is taken to Prison Island, forced by the Colonel to make another Shadow. The escape pod washes up ashore, but it is empty. Gerald asks the Colonel if Maria is alright, and he replies that she was killed while trying to assist Shadow’s escape. Livid, Gerald makes a microchip containing a complete record of his plans and hides it in the lab for anyone who may want to follow in his footsteps. He also remembers that he built the Eclipse Cannon in the ARK to destroy the planet, and that his Bio-Matter (DNA) was downloaded into Shadow to ensure, should he die, he becomes his agent of revenge. Shortly after, because of the dangers Project Shadow imposes, it is discontinued, and Gerald is executed. Prison Island is then sealed and abandoned.
In issue #124, Sonic Adventure 2.5: Alpha, Shadow, in space and in his Super form, wonders where he is, feeling disoriented. He observes two spacecrafts–one approaching him, and the other leaving. He has many questions, but he remembers that he is Shadow the Hedgehog, the Ultimate Lifeform, bio-engineered nearly a century ago by Professor Gerald Robotnik as a weapon for the Station Square government. The only friend that he made during his brief time aboard Gerald’s lab, the ARK, was Maria, who was kind, but then tragedy occurred as he helplessly witnessed her death first-hand. He was locked away in stasis, until Gerald’s descendant, the evil Doctor Robotnik, freed him, and he became his ally. Shadow wanted the world to pay for Maria, but Sonic made him see the light, and he made the ultimate sacrifice to save Mobius. He fell towards Mobius, blacking out, but then was saved by the Bem, whose ship was in orbit. They restored him to health, and when they detected the approaching spacecraft, they reawakened him and imbued him with enough energy to retain his Super form to battle the approaching spacecraft while they escaped. Shadow wonders if it’s enough to battle the spacecraft, and concludes that it should be with the power of Chaos Control that can breach any defense. However, the spacecraft fires a laser at Shadow, and he descends to Mobius again.
The loud sound of Shadow’s impact on Mobius alerts Sonic, and he rushes to the source of the sound along with the rest of the Freedom Fighters. Sonic sees Shadow lying in the crater he made and goes to him, but Shadow attacks him, and they fight. Sally Acorn stops them, saying that they don’t have time for this, and they all go to Castle Acorn. It is later revealed that the spacecraft that attacked Shadow, as well as Megapolis, Knothole, Station Square and its President, is the ship of the Xorda, an alien race returning to Mobius to destroy all life there three-thousand years later after finding out that their Gene Bombs didn’t extinguish all life on Mobius the first time. Sonic asks why it took three-thousand years for them to find out, and Hope Kintobor appears, who was also at the castle, and explains that, while travelling through space, the Xorda attacked the Overlander ships. Shadow stares at Hope, thinking that she somehow reminds him of "his lost Maria".
In issue #145, Shadows of Hope, Shadow has been watching Hope from the bushes at Knothole for several weeks. He thinks to himself about how she looks like Maria but says that her name is Hope. Locke then confronts Shadow, seeking out his abilities. Hope overhears the two and goes to them, and recognizes Shadow. Shadow refuses to be involved with Locke’s affairs, but he doesn’t take no for an answer and attacks him. Shadow attempts to retaliate, but Locke teleports them, along with Hope, to an unknown location. Hope watches the two fight, and Locke traps Shadow in a glass chamber. Shadow thinks about how this is a chamber unlike any other that’s held him before–he remembers the times when he was awakened by Gerald, witnessed Maria’s murder, and revived by the Bem. Shadow demands Locke’s intentions, and Locke replies that he’s on a quest, and asks Shadow if he has any idea what it’s like to lose everything. Shadow replies that he wouldn’t know, as he’s never had anything, and Locke says that that’s not surprising, and from what he can tell, he’s neither biological, mineral, nor vegetable. Locke adds that despite this, he exists, and may be the key to assisting him in his goal to find his presumably dead family.
Hope demands to Locke that he let Shadow go, and says that if he means him no harm, he should let him go. Locke tells her that she shouldn’t be here as it isn’t safe, and Hope points to Shadow and asks Locke what he’s going to do with him. Locke, appearing as a human man in Shadow’s perspective, tells Hope that she’s too young to understand. Shadow sees the look of fear in Hope’s face and, reminded of Maria, breaks out of the chamber and furiously attacks Locke. Hope steps in and tells Shadow not to hurt Locke, and says that, while he may not have been nice to him, it doesn’t mean he can treat him the same way. She adds that she thought he was better than that, and, right now, she’s more scared of him than she is of Locke. Realizing that Hope isn’t Maria, he tells her that she’s not Maria, and she replies that she isn’t, but she is a friend. Shadow then leaves by crashing through the ceiling, saying that she’s not Maria and that he doesn’t need any friends.
In issue #158, System Reconfiguration, Shadow awakens from unconsciousness and confronts Eggman. Mecha attempts to stop him, but Eggman tells her that this is no way to treat family. Both Mecha and Shadow are confused by this, and Eggman tells Shadow that he finds it amazing that, as a sentient being, he fails to see the family resemblance. Shadow replies that they are nothing alike. Eggman replies that he's not talking about them but about he and Professor Gerald, revealing that he’s his grandson. Shadow is surprised by this, and says that everyone he knew is gone. Eggman replies that that depends on one’s perspective, and he refers to Maria as his half-sister as he recalls her demise. Shadow is intrigued by this, and a tearful Eggman says that he was only an infant at the time of her death, but that Shadow wasn’t the only one who suffered from her loss. Shadow says that they appear to share common enemies, and Eggman proposes an alliance, saying that maybe they can find closure. Shadow says that that would be agreeable.
Shadow sees a swarm of Metal Sonic Troopers approach Hope’s home in Knothole on Eggman’s screen. Eggman says that the chance of anyone surviving that onslaught of Metal Sonics is slim to none, but Shadow rushes to save Hope, saying that as long as she lives, she will endure. As he approaches her home, he thinks ‘Not again! Not this time!’ and that, though he failed to save Maria, he won’t repeat that mistake with Hope. Shadow fights off the Metal Sonic Troopers along with Sonic, but Sonic accidently knocks a Trooper into Hope, rendering her unconscious. Shadow shouts out "Hope!" then furiously tells Sonic that if she dies, he will kill him.
In issue #159, System Reboot, Shadow and Sonic fight each other, but Rosie stops them, reminding them that Hope is injured and that she’s in need of medical attention. Sonic takes Hope to Castle Acorn and Shadow follows him. Shadow thinks to himself that he was created for a purpose still unknown to him, but what he does know is that there have been only two sentients who have ever expressed compassion for him–Maria and Hope. He failed long ago to save Maria, but surely there is something he can do to save Hope. He reaches out for her and creates a portal via Chaos Control, instantly taking him, Sonic, and Hope to the castle. Hope is brought to Doctor Quack for treatment, and Shadow tells him to see that she gets real good care.
In issue #171, I Am, Shadow demands to Eggman and Snively where Professor Gerald’s diary is. Snively says that it’s in Eggman’s private study. After ripping out Snively's remaining hairs, he goes to the study and finds Gerald’s diary and takes the disc within it, saying that he can’t safely investigate it here. Shadow heads to Freedom H.Q. and gets attacked by Eggman’s robots on the way, also damaging the disc, but Sonic and Tails come and destroy the robots. Shadow is dismayed that the disc is damaged, and tells Sonic that he should’ve shown up earlier, but then apologizes and tells him that he is the only one he can turn to, and that the disc is the diary of Professor Gerald which contains all the answers as to who he is and what he’s meant to be. Sonic agrees to help him.
Back at Freedom H.Q., Tails tells Shadow that the data in the disc is so old and damaged that if they tried to dig into what’s left, the whole thing might be corrupted. Nicole suggests that if they physically interface with the data, they might be able to find out what they need. Sonic and Nicole accompany Shadow as they enter Gerald’s diary. Shadow finds Maria, who welcomes him, and he takes her hands in his and tells her that he thought he’d lost her forever. Maria says “Don’t be silly, Shadow,” and tells him that as long as he holds her in his heart and thoughts, they’ll never be apart. Shadow tells Maria that he has been in captivity for the past fifty years and that he’s forgotten his purpose, and pleads with her to tell him who he is. Maria, surprised that it’s been fifty years, takes him to Gerald, who tells him that he is the ultimate protector of life on Mobius. He explains that initially, Shadow’s body was to be the source for a cure–Maria developed the rare and incurable N.I.D.S. and Gerald hoped to make a cure in him, but he sought Black Doom for help, who wanted Shadow to be his greatest weapon. Shadow asks Gerald if he’s a cure or a weapon, and Gerald replies that he is a savior, created with the old scientist's love for the people of Mobius so that he may protect them. As the digital matrix starts to collapse around them, Sonic tells Shadow that it’s time to leave, but Shadow says that he still has questions and that he can’t leave Maria again. Maria then cups his face in her hands and tells him that he has to go and protect everyone now, and that he’ll always have her, and a tearful Shadow says “...if I hold you in my heart…!” and bids her goodbye. He looks back with a worried look before leaving.
Mobius: 25 Years Later[]
In issue #144, The Die is Cast, Sonic decides to use the Tachyon Displacement Chamber to go back in time to collect data so the problem of Mobius’ impending destruction could be rectified, but when he got inside the chamber, something went wrong and he vanished, and the timeline was irrevocably altered.
In issue #166, Part One: Tempus Fugit, it is revealed in the altered timeline that Shadow has become king of Mobius in place of Sonic and has founded a religion around Maria, with statues of her donning angel wings having been erected in the city of Portal and people bowing down and worshiping them. In fact, a devastated Sonic said “Oh, sweet Maria have mercy,” and “Maria help me,” when he lamented to Tails about his lost kids and life, as if she were a goddess.
In issue #167, Part Two: Tempus Aeternus, when Knuckles and Sonic break into Castle Mobius to confront Shadow and rescue Sally, a Maria statue can be seen in the throne room.
Pre-Super Genesis Wave[]
In issue #4, The Ultimate Lifeform, after failing to get the Chaos Emerald from Feist in the Special Zone, Shadow, feeling angry and disappointed in himself, goes to Guardian Mountain to brood, and Hope finds and joins him. After seeing his gloomy expression, she tells him that it’s okay that he didn’t get the Chaos Emerald. Shadow replies that no, it’s not okay, and that he is the Ultimate Lifeform, built to be perfect, and that he’s not supposed to fail. Hope explains that she failed badly once, too, when she listened to Snively’s words to leave Knothole and explore the United Federation on her own, only to return and find Knothole destroyed by Eggman. She tearfully says that she can’t go back and face Sonic and the others now–they took her in and made her feel like family, and she left them behind. Shadow looks at her with sympathy and puts a hand on her shoulder, saying that no one could have foreseen Eggman’s attack on Knothole. Hope tells him that now that he knows how Feist works, he can plan a strategy instead of going in blind. She then hugs him and says that when they first met, she thought he was scary, but now knows that he’s just as lost as she is in the big, crazy world, but they’ll look out for each other. Shadow is reminded of Maria, looking up to see her smile down at him, and he cheers up.
Mobius: 30 Years Later[]
In issue #7, What’s Old is New Again, Shadow is awakened by Lien-Da and the Dark Presence in the catacombs of Castle Mobius. He is briefed by Lien-Da on what has happened while he was in stasis, and she says that the world is ready for him to return and set it back on track. Shadow says no, before unlocking the entrance to Tikhaos’ room with the vocal password “Maria’s Wish”, and adds that regaining control isn’t enough–the world must be punished for disgracing him. Lien-Da is surprised by this, and pleads with Shadow not to release Tikhaos, as she released him to bring back his stern rule and punish those who locked him away, and that Tikhaos is too much. Shadow doesn’t listen to her, and he grabs her arm and destroys her armband, causing her to fade away.
In issue #8, The Freedom Fighters of the Future, after releasing Tikhaos and feeding her enough Chaos energy to transform into Perfect Tikhaos, Shadow monologues as if he’s speaking to Maria, telling her that it is done and that he’s sorry. He tells her that he tried to lead by example, but they didn’t see, and that he tried to lead by force, but was rejected. He says that he promised Maria that he’d bring peace to the world, but the world demands only anarchy and chaos, but Tikhaos will destroy the world and wash it clean, and only when they have learned their lesson will Shadow return and lead them to the peace Maria so desperately wanted for them.
Post-Super Genesis Wave[]
In issue #60, Part Two: A Shadow in the Dark, Eclipse tries to convince Shadow to join him and the Black Arms, but Shadow refuses, saying that he made a promise to protect the world. Black Death then assists Eclipse as they both get into Shadow’s head. Flashbacks go through his mind, including an image of Maria reaching out her hand, as Eclipse tells Shadow that promises were made to be broken, and that there is nothing in that world for an immortal like him. Black Death eventually succeeds in brainwashing Shadow.
In issue #61, Part Three: A Matter of Trust, Rouge and Omega try to fight off the brainwashed Shadow. Rouge decides to talk to Shadow, saying that he’s the Ultimate Lifeform and that he’s too strong and stubborn to let the Black Arms control him. She figures that he’s got some kind of inner struggle, and asks him if he’s going to get his act together, or is she going to have to get sappy and invoke Maria for the hundredth time. Shadow then fires a Chaos Spear that almost strikes Rouge but was meant for Death’s Eye. Shadow, now in control, tells Rouge that he nearly hurt her, but she assures that he didn’t. Shadow asks her how she knows he wouldn’t hurt her, and she says it’s because she trusts him and that he’s got her back. She jokingly adds that she knew that crack about Maria would tick him off.
In issue #62, Part Four: A Matter of Survival, while fighting Black Death, Shadow tells him that he swore to Maria he would protect the billions of individuals on the planet, the people she loved unconditionally, and to prepare for his end.
In issue #68, Total Eclipse Part Two: Tipping Point, Eclipse tries to convince Shadow to join him again, but Shadow refuses, telling him that he swore to Professor Gerald he would protect the world, and that he swore to Maria he would give the people a chance to be happy, which means ending him.The Jet Black Hedgehog: Shadow the Hedgehog[]
In chapter 1, after defeating a giant lab animal that was on the loose on the ARK, a scientist praises Shadow, calling him “the Ultimate Lifeform.” Surprised by this, he then walks away to approach a Death Leech contained in a tube. He finds it laughable that he’s the Ultimate Lifeform, and says while he was created from the DNA of a large space organism, he didn’t turn out to be the “wonder drug” for diseases he was hoped to be–he failed to cure Maria’s illness, and now, there’s no point to his birth. Maria then comes and reaches out her hands to playfully cover Shadow’s eyes from behind. Shadow recognizes her, asking her what she’s doing. Maria is surprised by this, asking him how he knows it’s her. Shadow says that she’s the only one who would play a prank on him. Maria says that it’s because he was looking so grim again, and Shadow says that it’s what he usually looks like.
Maria then excitedly grabs his hand to his surprise, telling him that she has something to show him, and runs. Shadow exclaims that while she may be subdued by the low gravity of the ARK, she’s still very sick, and adds “if you get too worked up–” but Maria cuts him off saying that they have to hurry for this. She stops at a room with windows that overlook the Earth and space, and they stand together, watching the sunrise on Earth, with Maria commenting that the Earth is shining. Shadow says that it’s just a sunrise and that she’s seen it many times, and Maria replies that it’s true, she must’ve seen it everyday, but she finds the Earth to be a beautiful planet. She then almost faints from overexertion but Shadow rushes to catch her, exclaiming “I told you, didn’t I?! You’re very sick!” Maria apologizes, saying that she’s just a bit dizzy, and Shadow puts her down. He tells her that it doesn’t matter what she shows him, but Maria, out of breath, replies that he was expected to help cure her–brought into this world arbitrarily–but it didn’t work out, tearing up as she says that he’s been struggling with the meaning of his birth because of that. She then cups his face with her hands and says that she wants him to someday see and feel many beautiful, kind, and strong things. She leans in to touch her forehead with his and says that she wants him to believe that there is a meaning to being born into this world. Shadow then picks her up, saying that there’s no such thing, and carries her to her room so she could rest. Shadow watches over her as she lays in bed with a fever. He thinks to himself about how all the things he’s been doing are just a means of killing time–whether it’s dealing with Maria, who’s always a hassle, or suppressing lab animals that are too much for the researchers to handle. Yet, somehow, dealing with Maria might not be so bad after all (in the Japanese version, Shadow says that being Maria's partner isn't so bad).[27]
After getting better, Maria brings Shadow to the room again and he asks what they’re doing today. Maria replies that they’re going to watch the shooting stars. Shadow says that those aren’t unusual. They then look out the window to see many spaceships of the Earth Defense Forces. Shadow tells Maria that he needs to get her to safety, but Maria tells him to take care of those in need more than her.
The Earth Defense Forces soldiers open fire at the scientists, but Shadow saves them by defeating the soldiers. The scientist who praised Shadow earlier begs the soldiers to save him, and asks them why he should be killed because of a “mere lab animal”. Shadow is shocked by this, and the scientist adds that “this thing”, Shadow, is worth nothing, but he is killed anyway. Shadow zooms through the soldiers, thinking to himself that there’s Maria and he has her, at least he has her–he realizes that none of the scientists truly care for him, and that the only person who does is Maria. As he rushes to the room she’s in where she’s being interrogated by the Earth Defense Forces soldiers, Maria tells the soldiers “I know a lab animal? That’s disgusting.” Shadow is utterly shocked by this. A soldier tells her to not lie to them, and that they know from their intel that she’s often with Shadow. Maria responds that she knows nothing of the sort. Shadow, depressed, thinks that he should never have been born, and tears up.
Maria then says that the one she loves is someone who is always troubled, a little bit lonesome, but is really kind–a boy named Shadow. She tells the soldiers that it doesn’t matter what they do–they can hit her, pull her hair, and break her fingers. Shadow starts to cry, and she then tearfully says that even if she’s dead, she won’t say anything about him. A soldier shoots his gun at Maria, and Shadow shoots forth, remembering Maria’s words about how he wants him to someday see and feel many beautiful, kind, and strong things, before thinking she’s all of those things, and that, all this time, she was right there. He stands in front of her, catching the bullet that was meant to pierce her, and tells her that he found the meaning of his birth–her. The soldiers aim their weapons at them, and Maria, crying, begs Shadow to run, but Shadow attacks the soldiers in a flash, defeating them all. He then glares at the pile of soldiers and tells them to not come near him and Maria again. Shadow then goes to Maria, asking her if she’s okay, and she hugs him tightly and bursts into tears. He then says that it’s time for her to get to safety, and he attempts to help her up, but a remaining soldier in the distance shoots Maria. She is knocked down to the floor, and Shadow stares at her in shock, saying, “Ma…ri…a?”
In chapter 2, Maria is sent flying from getting shot, leaving her shocked and Shadow speechless. As she lays on the floor, Shadow screams “MARIA!” and runs to her, picking her up and shaking her, begging her to answer him. An Earth Defense Forces soldier aims his weapon at Shadow, and he suddenly begins to get throbbing headaches. He then sees a Death Leech behind the soldier, and asks it if it manipulated the soldier to shoot Maria. Shadow instantly rams through the soldier, but stops due to more painful headaches. He then sees that all of the soldiers have Death Leeches looming over them, and he says that he’ll kill them all. Maria, smiling, then tells Shadow that he’s looking so grim again. Shadow, relieved and calmed down, approaches Maria, telling her that he has to get her to the sickbay, but he collapses, panting. Maria smiles, and a capsule falls over him. Realizing that Maria did that, Shadow asks her what he’s doing. Maria tells him to never let himself be consumed by anger or resentment, as he could easily end up alone. Shadow exclaims at her to open up the capsule, and Maria tells him to give everyone on Earth a chance to live happily, just as he did for her. Shadow begs her again to open the capsule, but Maria goes to him, thanking him for being born and telling him that he loves him, before collapsing, rendering Shadow speechless. The capsule is then ejected, and Shadow screams in agony and rage.
All of a sudden, a portal appears, and Shadow’s vision goes white as he is sent off to White Space. Shadow is confused as to where he is, but says that it doesn’t matter and that he just needs to go back to the ARK, but the image of Maria getting shot flashes through his mind, and he goes into a mindless rage, destroying everything in his path. Shadow then rams into Gyoro who was in his way. Shadow demands to him where he is. Gyoro asks if he’s crazy or something, and tries to get away from him, but Shadow easily catches up to him. He relents and tells Shadow that he’s in White Space, a place where space and time have lost their meaning. Shadow then sees Maria in the distance. Shocked by this, he immediately runs to her and attempts to hug her, but he goes through her. Surprised, he calls out to her, but she doesn’t notice him. Shadow realizes that she’s an illusion, and Gyoro asks if she’s his loved one, and Shadow silently confirms it. He then tells Shadow that he can bring her back to life. Shadow is initially shocked by this, but then shrugs it off as a joke. Gyoro says it isn’t a joke, and explains using an example–suppose that an egg that broke in the outside world got in White Space. If you fix the egg in White Space, when you go back outside, it’ll be back to a whole egg. Shadow, surprised, asks Gyoro what he should do. Gyoro, smirking deviously, says that Shadow knows how to act when asking for things. He encourages him to get frustrated, saying that it must be torture for a prideful person like him to ask for something. Shadow then punches a massive hole in a building in White Space, and Gyoro is speechless. Shadow says that he’s never asked anyone for things, and that he hopes this is the right way, but he would like to know how to bring Maria back to life.
Gyoro tears up in fear, and tells Shadow that there are three Wishing Orbs he has to collect. He explains that they are hidden in White Space, and that those who absorb them will have enormous power and the ability to make their wishes come true. Shadow says “...I see.” and Gyoro exclaims “You believe me?!” Shadow says that he doesn’t know if he believes him, which is why he’s taking him with him, much to Gyoro’s dismay. Shadow then clenches his fist and thinks that it’s an aimless goal, but tells Maria to wait for him, and that he’ll bring her back to life and protect her this time. The two then head off to the Space Colony ARK stage to collect the first Wishing Orb.
In chapter 3, Shadow and Gyoro walk through the ARK. Gyoro says that this seems to be the place where Shadow lost his loved one–Maria. He asks him if they should proceed any further. An image of Maria’s last moments with Shadow crosses his mind, and tells Gyoro to not joke around with him again, and that he will bring Maria back to life with the Wishing Orbs–nothing else matters. They eventually find the Wishing Orb–a Sealing Device–and Shadow punches through it. Shadow absorbs the dark power, and his head throbs in pain. Gyoro asks how he’s feeling, and Shadow says that the power feels agreeable, somehow. Grinning deviously, Gyoro says that that’s good to hear.
Shadow soon encounters the Biolizard, and he fights it. After realizing that the Biolizard is too powerful but that its anger is a weakness, he decides to use his newly acquired power, the Doom Spear. The Biolizard throws a massive energy ball at Shadow, but he tanks the attack, leaving him majorly damaged, but with multiple Doom Spears around him. Gyoro realizes that when Shadow said that nothing matters except bringing Maria back to life, that may also include his own life, and tells Shadow that he’s out of his mind.
After Shadow defeats the Biolizard, he and Gyoro return to White Space. Shadow spots Maria and calls out to her, but realizes that it's futile, as he thinks back to when he couldn’t even touch her and that she didn’t notice him when he called out to her in front of her, but Maria, now able to hear Shadow, asks him where he is, to his surprise. She then asks if he’s alright, if he’s blind, deaf or mute, and if he’s hurt. Shadow reassures Maria that he’s here and that he’s fine. Maria, shaking and crying in relief, says “thank goodness.”
Maria tells Shadow that she’s blinded for some reason and that she couldn’t hear or speak until just now. Shadow then tries to take her hand, but his hand goes through hers. Shadow thinks to himself that she still can’t see or feel him, but it’s true that Maria is close to coming back. Maria tells Shadow that it’s unfortunate because she’d have loved to see the shooting stars with him, and adds that she hopes her eyes heal quickly too. She then says that today is the day when you can see a lot of shooting stars from the observation deck. Shadow is confused by this but remembers the day of the ARK raid, and thinks to himself that they saw shooting stars on that day, and wonders if she remembers the raid and if she knows that she’s dead.
In chapter 4, after defeating Metal Overlord and absorbing the second Wishing Orb, Shadow returns to White Space with Gyoro. Maria gains back her vision, and tells herself that she doesn’t recognize this place like Shadow said, recalling when he told her that she was caught in a space-time disturbance and sent here, and for some reason, she was the only one who lost all her senses at that time. She then explores White Space with joy and wonder, asking herself when was the last time she was outside the ARK. Shadow then finds her, telling her that he’s been looking for her, and Maria says that White Space is amazing and that there are so many things she doesn’t recognize–Shadow realizes her eyesight is back.
Maria gasps upon noticing that Shadow is hurt and reaches for him, but her hand goes through him much to her surprise. Shadow explains that that is due to the space-time disturbance, but tells her that she must be patient a little longer. He reflects on how she’s able to hear, speak, and see now that he has two Wishing Orbs, and is certain that her body will be restored once he gets the last one. He then tells her to wait a little bit longer before leaving, but Maria goes after him, telling him to wait and that he’s in tatters. She reaches out for him, but her hand goes through his, and he skates away. Maria then tells Shadow not to push himself too hard.
After absorbing the last Wishing Orb, Shadow goes to fight Mephiles. During their fight, Mephiles calls Shadow powerless at one point, and Shadow, recalling how he failed to save Maria, becomes enraged and transforms into Doom Morph.
Mephiles, now defeated, says that with power, he can fulfill his wish. Shadow asks if he was also after the Wishing Orbs. Mephiles is confused by this, and explains that he just heard that the one with power can make wishes come true, so he went after Shadow to prove his strength. Shadow asks who he heard this from, and Mephiles answers Black Doom. Shadow is confused by this, and Mephiles laughs and says that he’s way beyond forgetting him, and that Black Doom could even be called his parent. Shadow is surprised by this, and Mephiles asks him if it’s time that he started questioning his memory itself.
Back at White Space, Shadow wonders what Mephiles was talking about, and thinks about how the only thing he can remember is that he lost Maria at the ARK and came to White Space. He then notices that Gyoro is nowhere to be found. He hears Maria’s scream and rushes to her, and sees someone else with her. Shadow demands that he get away from her right now, and asks him who he is. He introduces himself as Black Doom.
In chapter 5, as Black Doom introduces himself, Maria is seen behind him shaking in fear. Shadow lunges at him, saying that he doesn’t know who he is but he had warned him to get away from Maria, but as he attempts to punch him, his fist goes through him. Shadow is surprised by this and crashes into a wall. Maria calls his name and runs to him, but Shadow emerges from the rubble, asking her if she’s alright. Maria says “Yes! But what about you?!” Shadow then gets in front of her and raises a hand in front of her, intending to protect her, and tells her to just stay close to him. Black Doom tells Shadow how impatient he is and that he’ll always act the way he expects him to. Shadow asks him what he knows about him, and he replies that he knows everything, and that he was born of his cells. Shadow is surprised by this, and Black Doom tells him that, fifty years ago, research on bioweapons was being conducted on the ARK, and that he provided his cells on the condition that he would receive the results of the research. Shadow and Maria are surprised by this, and Black Doom adds that that is where Shadow came from, but the human—Professor Gerald—who made the deal with him seemed to have other intentions than developing weapons. However, due to ethical issues and potential dangers, the humans destroyed the research along with the ARK. Shadow is surprised as he realizes that the ARK raid was fifty years ago as he was sent to White Space right after that happened. Black Doom further explains that after the raid, Shadow escaped to Earth and was in stasis for some time, and fifty years later, he defeated him when he came to take him. As Shadow hears this, he thinks to himself that he knows nothing about these events. Black Doom tells Shadow that he probably doesn’t remember a thing, and Shadow asks him what he did.
Black Doom explains that his goal is to complete the restoration of his body, and that to achieve this goal, he needed Shadow's power to connect with his. He then revealed that he was in White Space before Shadow and that he manipulated his memories while he was unconscious. He either kept the human foolishness intact or made it as if his cells were behind the ARK raid so that Shadow would come to despise everything, and adds that all his other memories—memories of Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Rouge, and Omega—were erased. Shadow is utterly shocked by this, asking himself what he’s supposed to believe, and wonders in horror if Maria is also a manipulated memory. Black Doom then revealed that when he had no body, he created Gyoro to trick Shadow to absorb the Wishing Orbs, and Gyoro nervously appears from behind a wall. As Shadow looks at him, he anxiously explains that it was his job from the beginning to get him to absorb the orbs and that he used Maria as bait to wheedle him. Black Doom says that because of the power Shadow gained through the orbs, his power to connect with him is returning. Suddenly the Black Moon shoots out a beam, darkening the sky and the landscape, and Black Doom transforms into Devil Doom. He punches through a building and shoots out lasers, and delightfully says that all that’s left is to absorb Shadow and he will be completely restored but there is not enough hatred in him yet. Maria is scared and asks Gyoro and Shadow what they should do, as they must do something. Gyoro smirks deviously and tells her that she’s obviously done for. Maria asks him if he knows how to escape from here, and he replies that his work here is done—he has no power, so he has served his purpose, and is just waiting to be absorbed or erased. Maria then tells him that even though he tricked Shadow, because he helped him, she got to see the outside of the ARK, and with a bright grin, thanks him. Gyoro is utterly shocked by this, asking her where did he get the right to be thanked, and Maria asks him why shouldn’t he be thanked, and Gyoro blushes in embarrassment.
Black Doom comes up with a plan to increase Shadow’s hatred—erasing Maria. As his finger descends on her to crush her, she fearfully exclaims at Shadow to run. Shadow, who was still as a statue, suddenly comes back to reality, and Maria runs to him. Gyoro fights back against Devil Doom, holding back his finger. He asks Gyoro what he’s doing, and he replies that he doesn’t know, and that he just had to do what he could. He explains that he was treated outrageously this entire time, but when he saw Shadow working so hard for someone else—Maria—he became envious, but then Maria appeared before him, even if only by an inch. He cries as he says that after all, she thanked someone like him. Devil Doom then grabs Gyoro by his fingers, and Gyoro pleads with Shadow to protect Maria before Devil Doom crushes him to death. Suddenly, Shadow’s eyes flash, and Maria looks at him worriedly as he starts to grow his Doom Wings, the power of darkness consuming him as he screams. Maria screams in fear as dark sludge surrounds him, and Devil Doom laughs and says that that is the power he’s been seeking—the power to destroy all, consumed by hate. He then tells Maria that the only thing he didn’t expect was her, as he thought he had erased all of Shadow’s memories save for his hatred, and that he didn’t expect her to be the only one he couldn’t erase.
Shadow hears the faint voice of Maria calling his name, and asks himself what he is anyway and tells himself he doesn’t know anything and that he despises everything. Suddenly, Maria cups his face and shouts at him to get a hold of himself. Tears run down her face as she tells him that he’s not the type of person to be consumed by hate, and that someone with such immense power manipulated his memories yet he still remembered her. She says that he watched the planet with her and took care of her and that he remembers all of it which proves there was something more important to him than hatred, and that is that he has a heart that cares for another—her. Suddenly, a piece of the building they were standing on breaks off and Maria falls, pleading with Shadow to be safe as she reaches out for him. As Shadow remains still on the building, he asks himself what was the voice he was just hearing, and says that it was a voice very dear to him. He then recognizes Maria as he regains control of himself. As Maria falls to her demise she braces for impact, but Shadow catches her. Opening her eyes, she sees Shadow carrying her in mid-air with his Doom Wings, reassuring her that it’s all right now.
Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings[]
Episode 1: Shadow and Maria[]
Fifty years ago on the ARK, Maria is urgently running with Shadow in tow, excited to show him something. Once she reaches her destination, Shadow asks her what’s wrong, and she replies that there’s nothing wrong and to look at the window. Confused, he says “it’s…lights?” Maria says that it’s the aurora borealis, before running up to the window, explaining that they can only see them from certain latitudes down there, but up here, they can see the whole thing. Maria is suddenly out of breath and almost faints, but Shadow rushes to her and catches her before she could hit the floor. Breathless, Maria thanks him, and reassures him that she just pushed it a little. Shadow says that the low gravity here only keeps her condition in remission, and that she should know better than to exert herself. He picks her up and then sets her down on the floor, and they sit together. Maria says that she knows he’s right, but when it comes to the Earth’s beauty, she can’t help herself, and that she can’t wait for the day when they can finally go back there. Shadow tells her that he was created here on the ARK, and that he doesn’t know if there’s a place for him on Earth. He further adds that Professor Gerald made him the Ultimate Lifeform, so that he should be the key to all manner of medicines–to curing her–and punches the floor in frustration. Maria rushes to him and hugs him, before letting go to cup his face in her hands. She reassures him that he and Gerald are doing their best, and that she’s just as happy to spend time with him here while they both research a cure. Suddenly, an explosion occurs outside–Emerl is on a rampage. As the Gizoid rams through the ARK, Maria yelps and tells Shadow that he was heading towards Gerald’s lab. He grabs Shadow’s hand and begs him to save her grandfather. Suddenly, the image of G.U.N. soldiers pointing their weapons flash through his mind, and Shadow gasps.
Shadow then reassures Maria that he’ll handle this and tells her to wait here, before promising her that he’ll return. Maria smiles, and he leaves. He sees Emerl with Gerald, and he rushes to them. He and Emerl fight, but when Shadow attempts to punch Emerl, reality itself cracks and shatters to pieces like glass. Shadow is confused by this, saying that this isn’t right. He then sees G.U.N. spaceships approaching the ARK, intending to raid it. Shadow says that it’s too soon, it’s happening too quickly, but then the ARK suddenly tilts on one side, and Shadow slides down and smashes into the window overlooking the G.U.N. ships, but reality breaks into pieces again. Shadow then finds himself in Gerald’s prison cell. He goes to him, intending to get him out, but Gerald suddenly teleports back, with the cell warping into a long hallway. Shadow skates after him, reaching out for him, but is thrust into a void of darkness with crimson lightning and floating debris. Shadow then sees a vision of Maria frantically running away from G.U.N. soldiers and getting shot. She reaches out for him and her voice exclaims “Shadow, remember!” Shadow calls out her name and reaches out for her as he falls, but Black Doom reaches out his hands to take him. He then jolts awake and throws a Chaos Spear at a nearby tree. He realizes it was all a nightmare, but not an ordinary one. He looks at the ARK and the shattered moon, and wonders if Black Doom could have survived. Desperate for answers, he rushes off.
Episode 2: Finding the Way[]
Fifty years ago on the ARK, Maria walks through a hallway, a clipboard in her arms and about to enter a room, when Abraham Tower comes rushing out of the room, telling Maria to tell “that freak”, Shadow, to stay away from him, before running away. Maria gets annoyed at him for his rudeness, but then turns to Shadow, seeing him staring at a Death Leech inside a tube. Maria, concerned, goes to him and touches his arm, asking him if he’s alright. He looks at her and tells her he’s fine. He looks back at the tube and tells her that Gerald created him using alien DNA, the same DNA as “this ugly heartless creature”, the Death Leech. Shadow says that he may look like a hedgehog, but in reality, he’s no different than it. Maria then hugs him, telling him that that’s not true, and that he has a big heart–it may be difficult for him to express it, but she knows that deep down, he really does care about her and everyone else, as she places a hand on his chest. Abraham watches from the door’s window, looking sad, then angry. Maria then takes his hand and tells him that what he does is what defines him. She says she knows he’s having a hard time finding answers, but she’s certain he will one day, and smiles at him. She also adds that he’ll find even more people he can trust.
Episode 3: To the Ark[]
Once the space shuttle takes off with Shadow in it, the system detects an unauthorized launch, and the G.U.N. base’s turrets and machine guns, as well as G.U.N. Beetles, prepare to open fire to stop the shuttle. Rouge, surprised and desperate, begs Omega to hurry and take out those guns, but Abraham goes and places his hand on the scanner, overriding the system and ordering all forces to stand down. Rouge sighs in relief, and tells him that she brought the intel he requested, which was data on the Time Eater. Abraham tells her that she also aided in the destruction of millions in G.U.N. assets. Rouge apologizes and says that Shadow needed help saving the world. Abraham says that despite all that’s passed between them, he saved the world from Black Doom, and he should've known Abraham would have supported him if he asked him. Rouge says that Shadow never asks permission, and Abraham suggests that she could’ve talked him down. Rouge laughs, and says that there’s only one person who could ever do that–Maria. Abraham agrees, and says that she was lost to them a long time ago.
While on the shuttle, Shadow starts to fantasize about a future he and Maria would’ve had had she not died–they’re sitting together in a field of lilies, and she’s putting a blanket over him when he falls asleep. These thoughts start to negatively affect him, and he tells himself to stop, saying that that life was taken from him long ago, and that he needs to focus on the mission at hand–eliminating the threat aboard the ARK.
Playstation Bonus Scene[]
On the ARK, Shadow and Maria watch Earth together. Maria says that when they can start their new lives on Earth, they’ll see all it has to offer and learn, all there is to know first-hand. She looks at Shadow and asks him if that would be lovely. Shadow looks at her, then to the floor, a solemn look on his face. He’s then sitting in a field of lilies, and tells Maria that he doesn’t know if going to Earth will be right for him, as he’s not like her, and wonders if he’ll ever find where he belongs. Maria then puts a hand on his cheek and turns his head to look at her, and tells him that he believes in him, and that with his courage he can do anything, before hugging him. She adds that if he ever has trouble, he can always count on her to help him, before fading away into the night.
Playstation Animatic[]
Episode 1: Shadow and Maria[]
Fifty years ago on the ARK, Maria is urgently running with Shadow in tow, excited to show him something. Once she reaches her destination, Shadow asks her what’s wrong, and she replies that there’s nothing wrong and to look at the window. Confused, he says “it’s…lights?” Maria says that it’s the aurora borealis, explaining that it’s an atmospheric phenomenon that occurs when the solar winds interact with Earth’s magnetosphere. She goes up to the window and says that they can only see them from certain latitudes down there, but up here, they can see the whole thing. Maria is suddenly out of breath and almost faints, but Shadow rushes to her and catches her before she could hit the floor. Breathless, Maria thanks him, and reassures him that she just pushed it a little. Shadow says that the low gravity here only keeps her condition in remission, and that she should know better than to exert herself. He picks her up and then sets her down on the floor, and they sit together. Maria says that she knows he’s right, but when it comes to the Earth’s beauty, she can’t help herself, and that she can’t wait for the day when they can finally go back there. Shadow tells her that he was created here on the ARK, and that he doesn’t know if there’s a place for him on Earth. He further adds that Professor Gerald made him the Ultimate Lifeform, so that he should be the key to all manner of medicines–to curing her–and punches the floor in frustration. Maria rushes to him and hugs him, before letting go to cup his face in her hands. She reassures him that he and Gerald are doing their best, and that she’s just as happy to spend time with him here while they both research a cure. Suddenly, an explosion occurs outside–Emerl is on a rampage. As the Gizoid rams through the ARK, Maria yelps and tells Shadow that he was heading towards Gerald’s lab. Shadow looks at her, before picking her up and leaving, skating through the hallway as he carries her. He watches through the windows as Emerl destroys everything in his path. Shadow skids to a stop at a door and puts Maria down, telling her to wait by the door as he’ll handle this. Maria looks at him worriedly before taking his hand, and an image of a G.U.N. soldier pointing his weapon flashes through Shadow’s head, and he gasps. As the door opens, Maria pleads with Shadow to save Gerald and to be careful. She then starts to cough, and Shadow concernedly reaches out a hand towards her. Once she stops coughing, he then gets up and enters the door, with her looking at him worriedly.
He sees Emerl with Gerald, and he rushes to them. He and Emerl fight, but when Shadow attempts to punch Emerl, reality itself cracks and shatters to pieces like glass. Shadow is confused by this, saying that this isn’t right. He then sees G.U.N. spaceships approaching the ARK, intending to raid it. Shadow says that it’s too soon, it’s happening too quickly, but then the ARK suddenly tilts on one side, and Shadow slides down and smashes into the window overlooking the G.U.N. ships, but reality breaks into pieces again. Shadow then finds himself in Gerald’s prison cell. He goes to him, intending to get him out, but Gerald suddenly teleports back, with the cell warping into a long hallway. Shadow skates after him, reaching out for him, but is thrust into a void of darkness with crimson lightning and floating debris. Shadow then sees a vision of Maria frantically running away from G.U.N. soldiers and getting shot. She reaches out for him and her voice exclaims “Shadow, remember!” Shadow calls out her name and reaches out for her as he falls, but Black Doom reaches out a hand to take him. He then jolts awake and throws a Chaos Spear at a nearby tree. A Flicky lands on the destroyed tree, looking at Shadow. He realizes it was all a nightmare, but not an ordinary one. The Flicky then flies away, and Shadow looks at the ARK and the shattered moon, and wonders if Black Doom could have survived. Desperate for answers, he rushes off.
Episode 2: Finding the Way[]
Fifty years ago on the ARK, Shadow’s in a room, staring at a Death Leech in a tube. Maria then enters the room, a folder in her arms, and tells Shadow that she has the files. She asks him if he found the sample Gerald wanted. When Shadow doesn’t answer, her smile turns into a worried frown and goes to him, touching his arm. She asks him if he’s alright, and he looks at her and says he’s fine. He looks back at the tube and tells her that Gerald created him using alien DNA, the same DNA as “this ugly heartless creature”, the Death Leech. Shadow says that he may look like a hedgehog, but in reality, he’s no different than it. Maria then hugs him, telling him that that’s not true, and that he has a big heart–it may be difficult for him to express it, but she knows that deep down, he really does care about her and everyone else, as she places a hand on his chest. Shadow then looks back at the tube and says that he can still feel and sense the Death Leech, and that they are connected somehow. Maria then takes his hand and tells him that what he does is what defines him. She says she knows he’s having a hard time finding answers, but she’s certain he will one day, and smiles at him. She also adds that he’ll find even more people he can trust.
Episode 3: To the Ark[]
Fifty years ago on the ARK, Abraham and Maria are taking a test in a classroom. Abraham, feeling irritated, says that the test is impossible. Shadow, leaning against the wall, scoffs that it’s pathetically easy. Abraham angrily gets up from his desk and tells him to shut up, and asks him what does he know, he’s just a monster anyway. Maria gets up from her desk as well and tells Abraham to not be mean, but he asserts that he is a monster, as he watched Gerald make him with the Death Leech. Maria says that Shadow isn’t a monster and that he’s special and he’s her friend, and that it breaks her heart that he and Abraham don’t get along. Shadow apologizes to Maria and Abraham, and Abraham apologizes as well, though half-heartedly. Maria then takes Abraham’s and Shadow’s hands and links them together, thanking them both, saying that when they return to Earth, she hopes they can all still be together.
Once the space shuttle takes off with Shadow in it, the system detects an unauthorized launch, and the G.U.N. base’s turrets and machine guns, as well as G.U.N. Beetles, prepare to open fire to stop the shuttle. Rouge, surprised and desperate, begs Omega to hurry and take out those guns, but Abraham goes and places his hand on the scanner, overriding the system and ordering all forces to stand down. Rouge sighs in relief, and tells him that she brought the intel he requested, which was data on the Time Eater. Abraham tells her that she also aided in the destruction of millions in G.U.N. assets. Rouge apologizes and says that Shadow needed help saving the world. Abraham says that despite all that’s passed between them, he saved the world from Black Doom, and he should've known Abraham would have supported him if he asked him. Rouge says that Shadow never asks permission, and Abraham suggests that she could’ve talked him down. Rouge laughs, and says that there’s only one person who could ever do that–Maria. Abraham agrees, and says that she was lost to them a long time ago.
While on the shuttle, Shadow’s thoughts wander, and he starts to fantasize–on the ARK, Shadow and Maria watch Earth together. Maria says that when they can start their new lives on Earth, they’ll see all it has to offer and learn, all there is to know first-hand. She looks at Shadow and asks him if that would be lovely. Shadow looks at her, then to the floor, a solemn look on his face. He’s then sitting in a field of lilies, and tells Maria that he doesn’t know if going to Earth will be right for him, as he’s not like her, and wonders if he’ll ever find where he belongs. Maria then puts a hand on his cheek and turns his head to look at her, and tells him that he believes in him, and that with his courage he can do anything, before hugging him. She adds that if he ever has trouble, he can always count on her to help him, before fading away into the night.
Shadow then tells himself to stop, saying that there’s no point in distracting himself with such foolish thoughts, and that that life was taken from him long ago–all that’s left for him is an endless line of battles. He says that he thought he’d left his past behind him, but here it is, haunting him and prompting him to act, before adding that he needs to focus on the mission at hand–eliminating the threat aboard the ARK.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film)[]
On Prison Island in Tokyo Bay, Japan, Shadow is being kept in stasis while G.U.N. monitors him. One of the guards expresses concern for Shadow, but the other guard, Kyle, tells him to relax as he’s been sealed for fifty years and is unlikely to awaken. However, the unconscious Shadow starts to recall old memories–Maria playing Live and Learn on her guitar, him watching the stars with her, and him running away from G.U.N. soldiers with her. Shadow’s heartbeat starts to spike, and the guard asks if that’s normal. Kyle says no, and says that someone’s hacking the system and that the containment tank is destabilizing–he’s waking up. The two guards immediately call for security, and multiple armed G.U.N. soldiers come to surround the tube Shadow’s in. Shadow finally awakens, punching through the tube’s glass, and teleports out of sight. He defeats the soldiers one by one with his teleportation. Kyle says that they need more soldiers, but the other guard says that that was all of them. Shadow then breaks out of Prison Island and teleports onto the water, skating through the ocean towards Tokyo.
When Shadow walks through the now-abandoned G.U.N. facility he and Maria lived together in, he spots one of Maria’s roller skates lying in the dirt, and picks it up, causing him to reminisce about her. The scene then shifts to a period from fifty years prior, where Maria, having recently arrived at the facility/lab, is skating through the hallways of the facility, carrying a box with her belongings in it. As she approaches the lab, a guard tells her that this is a restricted area, but a young Commander Walters says that it’s okay as she’s the Professor’s granddaughter. He then welcomes her to the lab, and introduces himself as Captain Walters. Maria asks him where her room is, and he tells her that it’s down the hall and to the right, and to make herself at home. He also tells her to lose the skates, and Maria says okay. She then skates down the hall, and shortly after, she comes across a room where Shadow is being held in a tube. Curious, she walks in, staring at Shadow the whole time. She then hesitantly approaches his tube, slowly putting her hand on the glass, but Shadow suddenly turns around and glares at her. Maria steps back, surprised by this. On seeing his glare, she playfully glares back, then takes out a black marker from her bag. She then draws a funny rabbit face on the tube, and grins at him. She then hesitantly puts her hand on the glass again, and Shadow puts his hand up as well to meet hers, and smiles back at her.
The scene then cuts to Maria in her room putting a vinyl record on her record player and starting to dance around, with Shadow watching her. The scene then shifts to Shadow being examined by the doctors at the med bay, but Maria sneaks in and mischievously wiggles her eyebrows at him, and when the doctors weren’t looking she took him away and replaced him with her teddy bear. The scene then shifts to them in the hallway–Shadow is preparing to run, and a rope is tied around his body. Maria, behind him, is holding the rope, and is wearing her roller-skates, a pair of goggles, and a snapback. Maria gives him a thumbs-up, and Shadow skates through the halls with Maria trailing behind as she screams in joy. The scene shifts back to her room, where Maria takes Shadow’s hands and dances with him to the music, much to his confusion. The scene shifts back to him skating with her through the halls, and back to him dancing with her in her room, then back to them skating. As Shadow skates through the halls, Maria spots two men pushing trays of sweets, and exclaims at him to look out. She then braces herself as they both crash into the men. They both lie on the floor, covered in and surrounded by the destroyed sweets, but Maria grins at Shadow as they make “snow” angels together. The scene then cuts back to her room, where they’re watching a movie together on the television under a blanket fort. Maria throws a popcorn at Shadow and he looks at her, and Maria looks back, playfully feigning ignorance. When they look back to the television, a Godzilla-like monster–the Biolizard–and the title “Beware the Alien Freak” appears. Seeing this, Shadow gets upset. Maria notices, and looks away from him solemnly.
The scene then cuts to Maria stealing a keycard from a sleeping scientist and using it to take Shadow to the G.U.N. facility’s roof, where a field of daisies lies. As they lay together in the field, looking up at the stars, Maria tells Shadow that the stars are like diamonds, and that her grandfather told her that it can take hundreds of years for the light of a star to reach Earth, and by the time they see it, the star might not even exist anymore. Maria then looks at Shadow and says “isn’t that crazy?” Shadow then says that the light shines, even though the star is gone. Maria says yeah, it does, and wonders which star he came from. He says he doesn’t know, and that he doesn’t know anything about his home. Maria then tells him that the Earth is his home. Shadow then sits up with a sad look, and asks Maria if she thinks he’s dangerous. Confused, she sits up as well and asks him what he’s talking about. He explains that the way the scientists look at him, he can tell they’re afraid of him, like he’s the horrible thing from the movie they watched. He then looks at her sadly and tells her that he doesn’t know what he is. Maria, also looking sad, pauses for a moment before telling him that she’s his friend, and that he can do or be anything he wants, not because of his powers, but because of who he is–Maria then points a finger to his heart–in there. Shadow, now reassured, tells her that he doesn’t know what he’d do without her. Maria then smiles at him before taking his hand in hers, continuing to watch the stars.
The scene then cuts to Shadow, now in the ruins of Maria’s room, attempting to play her record player. The scene then shifts to him in the room where they first met, walking up to the now destroyed tube he was in, staring at the shattered glass, before placing his hand on it, silently grieving. He then senses someone walking behind him and gets ready to fight, but when he sees that it’s Professor Gerald, he stops. Gerald tells him that it’s good to see him, and that he knew he would come home. Shadow replies that he can’t get Maria out of his head and that the pain he feels is too much, and Gerald says that’s why they have to punish G.U.N.
When Team Sonic, Dr. Robotnik, and Agent Stone arrive at the G.U.N. facility, Shadow notices them and gets ready to fight, but Gerald tells him to calm down as those are the guests he’s been expecting, and suggests they give them a “warm welcome.” When Sonic and Robotnik explore the facility together, they enter Maria’s room. Sonic comments on how much stuff there is, and says that this was more than just a military base or a lab–it was a home, and people lived there. When he approaches Maria and Shadow’s blanket fort, he picks up a cracked photo of them smiling together, and adds that Shadow had a family.
When Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, now tied up, watch Eggman, Gerald, and Stone leave for the Crab, Sonic pleads with Shadow to not go along with Gerald’s plan to destroy G.U.N. He says that he knows he’s hurting but that shouldn’t let him change who he is inside. Shadow coldly replies that he’s spent fifty years reliving what G.U.N. did to Maria, and that this is who he is inside, before dropping a Mini Black Hole and teleporting away.
In London, when Tom Wachowski, disguised as Commander Walters, gets the final key for the Eclipse Cannon, Shadow breaks into G.U.N. Headquarters. Enraged at the sight of Walters, he attacks him, knocking him unconscious, and grabs the key. Shadow is then confused when he discovers that Walters was Tom in disguise. Sonic then comes to inform Tom that the others have cleared the building, but sees his unconscious body in front of Shadow. Horrified, he rushes to him, desperately trying to wake him up. As Shadow watches this, he suddenly recalls the moment where he was at Maria’s side, calling out her name, as she lay dead.
After the Eclipse Cannon ascends to space, Gerald walks up to Shadow, who looks out the window, and tells him that it’s time. Shadow asks him if revenge is really what Maria would’ve wanted. He replies that the question isn’t what Maria would’ve wanted, but what G.U.N. deserves. He then tells Shadow to remember what she meant to them and what G.U.N. took from them. Shadow then walks away from him, and recalls the day she died–he was in her room, listening to her play guitar under their blanket fort, when Gerald comes rushing to them, urgently telling them that they have to go now. The scene shifts to Shadow running hand-in-hand with Maria as they are chased by G.U.N. soldiers. Gerald tells Maria that they want to take Shadow away from them. A soldier aims his gun at the trio, but Walters rushes in and stops him, asking him what he’s doing and reminding him that Shadow and Maria are children, but the soldier fires his gun at one of the tanks filled with Chaos energy, causing a massive explosion. Shadow slowly gets up, holding his head, and quickly realizes what’s going on. He runs to Maria, calling out her name, and kneels beside her as she lies on the ground. She looks at her sadly, then at a tearful Gerald, before realizing that she’s dead. She then looks back at her, holding her hand in his, as G.U.N. soldiers approach them. Shadow’s eyes glow as he starts to get enraged. As the scene shifts to the present, he yells in rage and agony before teleporting to skate around the Eclipse Cannon, powering it with Chaos energy.
Shadow teleports back and tells Gerald that it’s done. He then puts his hand against a window, and tells Maria that it’s almost finished, and that she will have justice.
When Shadow and Sonic sit on the moon together, Shadow looks up at the stars and hears Maria’s voice, and tells Sonic that the last time he sat beneath stars like this, he was with her, and that he felt this pain for so long that it’s all he knows. Sonic replies that when he lost Longclaw, he felt the same way. Shadow asks him if his pain eventually went away. Sonic says no, but in time, he learned there was something even more powerful than pain, and it’s the love they felt for each other. He then tells Shadow that that’s what he needs to hold on to–Maria might be gone, but his love for her will always remain.
After taking off his Limiter Rings, Shadow, in his Super form, pushes the Eclipse Cannon away from Earth before it could explode. As he does, he recalls all his memories with Maria. The Eclipse Cannon then explodes, taking Shadow with it.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3: The Official Movie Novelization[]
From chapter 2, "Once upon a time, Shadow's life had been a happy one. He had been born in a lab and only saw creatures that looked nothing like him. But he had Maria, and she was enough. The young girl showed him the stars and that a world existed outside his lab. She shared the beauty of music and the meaning of fun. But it was not meant to last. Because Shadow's guardians—his captors, really—could not let them live in peace."
From chapter 8, "For as long as he could remember, Shadow the Hedgehog had dreamed of escape. The doctor always told him that his origins and destiny lay beyond the stars, but from the moment he first opened his eyes, all he ever knew was G.U.N. When Shadow awoke in their clutches, he wanted to believe the system built by these so-called men was honest and true. They called themselves guardians. They said they worked to preserve the peace of nations. And of course, one way or the other, they brought Maria into his life. But that was before they so cruelly took her away."
When Shadow returned to the now-abandoned G.U.N. facility/lab he and Maria lived in in chapter 8, "The wind blew cold and stung like a needle outside the lab of the so-called Project Shadow. Fifty years had passed since he was last here, but underneath the faded CONDEMNED PROPERTY signs on the outside fence, the place was as empty and sterile as Shadow remembered it. Only the girl gave this place life."
From chapter 8, “Inside the facility, the cryo-tank in which Shadow was once studied looked just as harsh as his memories even though its glass was now shattered to pieces. He traced a finger over a jagged edge and remembered. This was where they’d first met. Day after day, still shocked from his intergalactic arrival on Earth, Shadow would open his eyes to a room full of the strange, hairless creatures. That was until one morning when a small human—barely taller than him—approached and touched the glass. He eyed her suspiciously, but the small one simply pulled out a stubby writing tool and marked the tank with a curious symbol. A smile. Shadow could not help but return the gesture, and their friendship was born.
It was hard not to think back on that bond now as the hedgehog stalked the silent hallways that were once filled with laughter. Here, they would race the hallways on roller skates. They’d stay up late and watch monster movies. And sometimes, they’d even be able to sneak out and lie on the compound lawn to watch the night sky. Why had he ever gone back inside?
- ‘Wow. Look at all those planets and stars,’ Maria once told him. ‘I wonder which one you come from.’
- ‘I don’t know. I don’t know anything about my home.’
- ‘This is your home, Shadow. Earth.’
- ‘It doesn’t feel like it. The way the scientists look at me. They’re afraid of me. Like I’m the monster in one of your scary movies. Do you think that’s who I am?’
- Maria rolled up on an elbow and crinkled her brow at him in a way that meant all his internal anguish was silly. ‘I know exactly who you are,’ she said. ‘You’re my friend. And you can do—or be—anything you want. Not because of your powers, but because of who you are…’ She pointed to the center of his chest. ‘...In here.’
Those early months were a whirlwind. Maria was the only person in that lab who offered Shadow her own name—not the authoritative titles of ‘Captain’ or ‘Doctor’ so many other humans insisted on. She would bring him treats and draw him pictures. She showed him the joy of running, even if he could only ever run on a circular track. She showed him what it meant to be alive, even if it was living in a cage.
But the reality of their life always found ways to bleed in. As he made his way to the living quarters they once shared, Shadow was struck with a much sadder memory: the first fight G.U.N. had over Maria’s existence. In retrospect, that was the beginning of the end.
- ‘This is highly unorthodox, Walters!’ a lab-coated technician barked. ‘You’ve got a child scrawling messages in marker all over one of the most important scientific laboratories in the world. It’s not just a joke…it’s dangerous!’
- ‘Maria is our lead researcher’s granddaughter!’ the young G.U.N. captain snapped back. ‘Keeping him happy is priority one for you. And as for her creative streak, it appears to keep the Ultimate Life-Form subdued, which is frankly all I care about. So unless you have a better suggestion for achieving our objectives, I suggest you…oh! Shadow!'
They shut up once they knew he was listening, but the damage was done. From there on out, Shadow knew that he and Maria were on their own. He just didn’t realize how soon after they would come for her…or that Walters would be the agent of their destruction. But vengeance was not far off now. The doctor had promised him that. All he had to do now was wait here, in their living quarters. Shadow stood still as stone in the only place he’d ever been happy. It was so pathetic to think of it that way, but it was true. This was his home. And once it was taken from him, there was only one thing to do in response.
‘This is for you, Maria,’ he said. ‘All of this is for you.’”
From chapter 9, “The pair of foes searched the dusty remains of the base. The airy echoes of their footsteps bounced around each new pathway or laboratory. But nothing useful presented itself. At last, they came upon a room that wasn’t stripped bare for parts: an apartment of sorts with couches, beds, even an old TV. And Sonic could tell by the dust motes floating in the air, someone had recently been in this room.
‘Whoa,’ Sonic marveled as Robotnik shined a light on the scene. ‘This place wasn’t just a base or a lab…it was a home. A family lived here…’”
When Sonic entered the room where Shadow and Maria first met in chapter 9, “On the far side of the space, a splash of color shone between two discarded computer banks. As he approached, Sonic could make out a series of children’s drawings. There was a field of shining stars climbing up the wall, and beneath those, two figures stood hand in hand with big toothy smiles beaming out. One was a little girl with blond hair, and the other one was…Shadow. It looked so much like Sonic’s own cave drawing of himself next to Longclaw that his heart skipped a beat. At the very bottom corner, Sonic could just make out one final clue. Written in a kid’s hand was the message ‘To My Best Friend Shadow…Love, Maria.’”
Shadow then showed up to fight Sonic, thinking that he was sent by G.U.N. to kill him. However, after seeing the drawing, Sonic wanted to talk to Shadow and help him. As Shadow fights Sonic, Sonic says that he knew something terrible happened to him here. Shadow angrily replies that he doesn’t know anything about him or what he’s been through. Sonic replies that he thinks he does, because he knows what it feels like to lose someone he cares about. After being punched by Shadow, he landed right next to Maria’s drawing, and he pointed to it, saying that when he came to Earth, he’d lost the most important person in his life—Longclaw. He thought he had no one. But, he was lucky enough to meet a friend, Tom, and if anything ever happened to him, he’d be just as angry as he is. Shadow calms down a little, and Sonic says that he may not believe him, but they’re a lot more alike than he knows, but Shadow, livid, says that Sonic’s nothing like him, and punches him.
In chapter 11, Gerald explained how G.U.N. tried to steal Shadow’s power from him, and that they wanted to create a superweapon, and that when they were exposed, his granddaughter paid the price. At the mention of Maria, Shadow squeezed his eyes tight in pain.
In chapter 16, after attacking Tom disguised as Commander Walters in G.U.N. Headquarters, “Victory was in Shadow’s grasp at last. It had been fifty years of waiting with the tortured memories of Maria’s last day playing over and over in his mind. But now the man responsible was going to pay. And so would the entire rotten race that spawned Commander Walters.”
Sonic x Shadow TOKYO MISSION -Episode 0-[]
At Tokyo, Shadow stands upon a bridge as G.U.N. vehicles surround him, with soldiers demanding he calmly surrender. Shadow doesn’t listen, grinding off the railing of the bridge and skating away to Shibuya. At Shibuya, he spots a girl who resembles Maria, and the image of Maria saying his name flashes through his mind. He stares at the girl for a moment before looking away. He then hears a scream, and sees that G.U.N. has surrounded him again. Irritated by this, he fights them.
Songs and Music[]
- Without You | Casey Lee Williams & Jun Senoue
- The ending theme of Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings, played in the third episode with the full version made available in the Sonic X Shadow Generations Official Soundtrack. Sung from Shadow's perspective, it shows his struggle with moving on from Maria's death.
- Reflection | Kenichi Tokoi
- The theme that plays when Shadow sacrifices his life to fulfill Maria's wish at the end of Sonic Adventure 2. It was also played when Maria comforts a furious Shadow in Shadow Generations.
- End of the Line | The Traveling Wilburys
- The song that plays during Shadow and Maria's fun scenes in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film).
Quotes[]
- Main article: Shadaria/Quotes
Fanon[]
A Shadaria fanart by E-C98, featuring Maria as a hedgehog.
Shadaria is one of the most popular ships in the Sonic fandom. Rival ships include Sonadow and Shadamy. It's often shipped alongside Sonamy, Knuxouge, and Silvaze.
As of January 2025, over six-hundred fan-made works about their sibling-like friendship and over ninety as romance have been written on Archive of Our Own. More than forty have been written on Wattpad as well. A common fan-fiction storyline for this pairing is a story where Maria is either a human girl or is brought back to life as a hedgehog.
Shippers laud their long-lasting friendship and sacrifice, especially during Shadow’s self-titled game. Others want Maria to have an expanded role in the Sonic universe, with Shadow as her faithful companion or significant other.
Most people who dislike the ship deem it to be incestuous. However, there is no evidence to suggest that Shadow and Maria are related in any way--not biologically (blood siblings) nor legally (step-/half-/adopted siblings). Rather, they have a sibling dynamic. Shadow and Maria are called siblings because they see each other as siblings, not because they are legitimately siblings. Shipping friends who are like siblings isn't equivalent to shipping actual siblings.
Fandom[]
- FANFICTION
- Maria & Shadow tag on AO3
- Maria/Shadow tag on AO3
- Shadow/Maria works on FanFiction.net
- Shadaria stories on Wattpad
- FANART
- シャドマリ tag on Pixiv
- Shadaria tag on Pixiv
- Shadria tag on Pixiv
- Shadria tag on DeviantArt
- Shadaria tag on DeviantArt
- ShadMaria tag on DeviantArt
- Shadow x Maria tag on DeviantArt
- Maria x Shadow tag on DeviantArt
- ShadowMariaFC fanclub on DeviantArt
- Maria x Shadow fanclub on DeviantArt
- Shadria hashtag on Instagram
- Shadaria hashtag on Instagram
- ShadMaria hashtag on Instagram
- Shadow x Maria hashtag on Instagram
- TUMBLR
- Shadria tag on Tumblr
- Shadaria tag on Tumblr
- ShadMaria tag on Tumblr
- Shadow x Maria tag on Tumblr
- Shadria hashtag on Twitter
- Shadaria hashtag on Twitter
- ShadMari hashtag on Twitter
- ShadMaria hashtag on Twitter
- Shadow x Maria hashtag on Twitter
Trivia[]
- Shiro Maekawa, a creator of Shadow and writer of Sonic Adventure 2, ships Shadaria.[28] He frequently retweets Shadaria fanart on his Twitter account.[29][30]
- When asked in a Twitter DM about whether he sees Shadow and Maria as siblings or lovers, Maekawa has stated that "they have a special bond that is unique to them that doesn't fall into either of those categories. Just my personal opinion."[31] When asked about it again, he stated that "I think they have a special bond that doesn't fit into the categories of friends, lovers, or siblings, but I don't have a definition for it, so I think you're free to imagine it however you like. There is no right answer."[32]
- When asked in a Twitter DM about how he would continue Shadow's story after Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), Maekawa has stated that Shadow "might continue to wander around the world and grant Maria's wish. Then finally, at long last at the end of that, he might end up going for a long rest in a capsule again... Hundreds of years later, he is awakened by someone seeking help. I wonder if the person who wakes him up is someone who resembles Maria?"[33]
- In the 6th "Creator's Interview" on Sonic Channel, Maekawa said that one of his favorite scenes in Sonic Adventure 2 and Sonic Adventure 2: Battle was when Shadow and Maria look at Earth together from the ARK, and that this scene was heavily inspired by Please Save My Earth, one of his top three favorite manga. In fact, Yuri Shiratori, the Japanese voice actress for Maria, also voices Alice Sakaguchi, the main protagonist of Please Save My Earth in its anime adaption, which Maekawa said felt like fate.
- In a page of, presumably, the Sonic Adventure 2 script written by Maekawa, a sentence from Shadow's bio reads, "In the past, he witnessed the loss of the girl he loved, and the memory of that loss, along with the girl's wish as she lay dying, have traumatized Shadow, and are the driving force behind his current actions."[34]
- In the A New Era of Shadow panel at Anime Expo 2024, when asked about what makes Shadow different from Sonic, Takashi Iizuka said, in Japanese, that "Shadow risks his life to protect the planet for his beloved Maria. His main purpose is not justice, but to protect the planet Maria loved. These inner feelings are also what makes Shadow so appealing."[35] Iizuka's interpreter said that "Sonic will do whatever it takes to save the planet because of the justice and, really, the truth in him as a character, but Shadow wants to protect the planet because Maria, who is so close to and loves the planet, and so he's doing it out of this love and connection with Maria that he will also do whatever it takes to save the planet."[36]
- In the panel, Kirk Thornton, the voice actor for Shadow, and Stephanie Sheh, the voice actress for Maria, were asked about how they would each describe the relationship between Shadow and Maria. Thornton answered, "To speak in actor's terms, Maria is my [Shadow's] super objective, she is my reason for everything I do. She's just everything, and so, I was created to protect her, and when I fail that mission, it devastates me. He dedicates his life to protecting Earth because of that, so she is just everything to Shadow, the complete driving force behind his life." Sheh answered, "In my mind, when I was thinking about it, I was like, she [Maria] grew up very isolated, she had like nobody, you know, other than Shadow, and the thing that I could relate to is that like, during the pandemic when we were alone in our houses, I had my dog. This is going to sound weird, I'm comparing Shadow to my dog, but my dog is also black and reddish tan, and my dog is super sweet but he also gets a little too aggressive when he's trying to protect me. It's just the parallels, anyways. But I do think that like, I'm [Maria's] the driving force, I ground him, she brings him back to the less rabid stage, you know, when he gets worked up."[37]
- Zeno Robinson, the host of the panel, made some comments about Shadow and Maria. "I think the best kind of anti-hero is somebody who has something important that they fight for because it really gives them a lot of layers, and Shadow's relationship with Maria is a really, really cool, integral, central driving force for Shadow. Having that being told by Iizuka-san himself is super cool."[38] "She [Maria] kind of sort of operates his [Shadow's], like, his moral center, right? Like, Shadow is this incredibly powerful, you know, like, being, and that power, if in the wrong hands, or with the wrong moral center, can go out of control. So Maria sort of, like, grounds him in that way."[39] "Maria gives Shadow purpose and direction, and I'm sure they both were each other's only friend. Their bond is integral to their characters as well as the story."[40]
- When asked about what messages he and his team wanted to convey about Shadow and Maria and their story in Sonic x Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings, Kevin Molina-Ortiz, one of the directors of Dark Beginnings said, "As we've said quite a bit on stage, the bond between Shadow and Maria is sort of an anchor point for the short. It's something we really wanna put a lens on because it's, you know, in relation to the more cinematic tone, the idea is to make sure that it not only motivates your character, but you have to ask yourself, you know, how does a character react to a decision, or to a decision presented to him, based on his trauma, based on his past. And so, we directed our board artist to really focus in on the subtext, the subtle acting. Shadow's more than just a grimace and a cool face. Like, what accent can you add to that that helps define him more than that, something that helps communicate this heavier tone and something that can encapsulate the feeling of longing you have for someone that's not there anymore."[41]
- Near the end of the panel, Robinson asked, "I know that, like, Maria and Shadow, their dream was to, like, go to Earth and I think that could be kind of relaxing for them, right? If they were to, if that were to happen with the two of them, what do you guys think they would do?" Sheh answered, "I feel like it would have to be something that, like, they can't do on the ARK, right? So, like, go swimming, 'cause I don't think there's like a pool [on the ARK], or like a beach, a beach vacation. I think Maria would wanna, like, hang out with animals."[42]
- In Ian Flynn's podcast, the Bumblekast, there were quite a lot of Shadow and Maria related questions and answers, most of which are jokes.
- When asked about what he thinks Shadow was like living with Maria before the ARK incident, Ian answered, “I think that’s very open to interpretation. I think the comedy answer, obviously, is that he’s happy and peppy and bubbly and goofy, but… realistically? I would imagine him just being very quiet and observant and not merely as confident and resolute as he is now [post-Maria]...I’d just imagine he would be very quiet and just… kind of watching and taking things in, trying to get a feel for just what life is around him.”
- When asked about if Maria would become a scientist had she never been killed and how Shadow would turn out to be, Ian answered, “Yeah, I imagine she would’ve continued in the sciences, that seems to be within the Robotnik blood, and she would be a force of good and altruism. Shadow, I imagine, would be not merely as surly as he is today.”
- When asked about how protective Shadow would be of Maria if she was resurrected, Ian answered, “He’s not going to impede her daily life, but he’s not gonna be more than like, two feet away at any given time. You know, if she’s crossing the street and somebody just happens to go over the stop line, even an inch into the pedestrian crosswalk, that car’s gonna go into orbit. If somebody forgets to put out a wet floor sign that entire section of floor is just gonna be gone and then rebuilt before she can approach it. If somebody sneezes without wearing a mask, they lose their face, he’s just gonna be everywhere.” Kyle says, “I think Maria would be like, she would hate this.” Ian replies, “Oh yeah. Like, the first few gestures of overprotectiveness is understandable, I’m assuming she has context for what’s gone on in the past fifty-something years. But then eventually, you know, Shadow, she needs to be able to, like, cut this loaf of bread, you can’t sand off the sharp edges of every knife in the house, she’s a very competent girl, she doesn’t need safety plugs over every outlet, just let her be, let her live, stop it. It was just a sneeze due to allergies, she doesn’t need to be forced into bed with chicken soup, stop it.”
- When asked about how protective Shadow would be of Maria if she was old enough to want to start dating, Ian answered, “It’s such a pity, every person she shows interest in suddenly vanishes. Like every one of them just ghosting her, it’s the weirdest thing. Meanwhile, Shadow has a cave, a cave full of cells and very confused people. Once Maria finds out, she’s going to be furious.” In his Shadow voice, he adds, “I don’t understand what’s the problem, I feed them once a day.” Kyle, laughing, says, “They get fed and watered, treat them like the animals they are.” In his Maria voice, Ian says, “Shadow, how do they bathe?!” then says in his Shadow voice, “It rains.” In his Shadow voice, Kyle says, “I hose them down every once in a while.” and in his Maria voice he says, “Shadow, that’s torture!” Ian in his Shadow voice replies, “Well, it’s necessary.” Kyle says in his Shadow voice, “Tell me they don’t deserve it.” and then says in his normal voice, “Shadow’s very unhinged.”
- When asked what Maria would do with her newfound freedom after Shadow turns into a plushie for a week, Ian answered, “Does she know that he’s the plushie? Because if she does, maybe she just puts him on a shelf where he’s safe, and you know, goes and lives her life for a little while. If she doesn’t, she thinks, ‘oh, maybe he got the hint and he’s gone to do something else for a while, and look at this adorable keepsake, I’ll keep it with me!’ And so it’s in her purse, and it’s riding on the dashboard of her car, and, oops, she forgot it at the grocery store, that was silly...And, you know, cuddles with it as she sleeps, it’s just, you know, her fun little teddy Shadow. And meanwhile, Shadow doll is thinking, ‘good, good. Now I can monitor her all the time.’” Kyle then says, “Before she spills coffee on him and has to throw him in the washing machine.” Kyle asked Ian what’s going to happen after he returns back to normal, and he replied, “Oh, he doesn’t say a word, he doesn’t explain anything.” Kyle then says, “He’s too smart for that, I guess.”
- When asked about how Shadow would react to Maria being resurrected and if he would change with her presence, Ian answered, “It would definitely be shock, initially. A degree of disbelief and probably distrust, because he’s probably of the mentality that he can’t have nice things, so how is she back? Is she a robot? Is she a clone? Is she a hallucination? Is she a phantom-thing? Is this a trick?...And once Shadow got over himself and acknowledged that she’s here and she’s back, assuming that she’s just here and she’s back now, I think too much time has passed, he can’t go back to who he was when they first met upon the ARK, but he might loosen up a little bit. Now, Maria has a kind of 24/7 guardian angel just on the fringe.”
- When asked if Shadow would use Dual Chaos Control to travel back in time and save Maria, Kyle says, “You’d completely get rid of Shadow’s motivation for everything, for even going back to save her, he wouldn’t have to if she was saved.” Ian answers, “And this is why time travel is usually a bad idea as a narrative device…I’m gonna say that Shadow has decided to look exclusively forward, which is kind of where he was at the end of his own game, where he’s not dwelling on what was true about his past, what had happened, he’s going to forge his own future and identity, and that comes with not going back and trying to fix things… Is that airtight? No. Is that what we’re gonna run with for this question? Yeah.”
- When asked if, after Shadow the Hedgehog, Shadow’s still fighting for Maria’s wish or if he has entirely moved on from his past and hates it, Ian answers, “I think it’s not so much he hates his past is that he’s moved on from it. He’s not going to let it define him or rule his every action, he’s done being haunted by those ghosts…he still aspires to the promise he made to Maria but it’s not his defining trait, it’s not his singular motivation. He’s going to move on with his life, he’s going to plot his own course, but her influence on him is still present.” Kyle adds “I mean, you can’t really move on from that sort of thing entirely, it’s always going to be something, I think, that would be part of Shadow…but it doesn’t have to be his only feature.” Ian says, “It’s not his central motivation, but it would be an aspect of his rationale.”
- When asked if Shadow would give a eulogy for Maria at her funeral if her body was found, Ian answers, “I don’t think so, and not in the current type of characterization that he has, I don’t think he’s the type to go before a crowd and speak like that. His mourning for Maria, his connection to her was a very personal and very private thing and that’s not something he’s going to want to share with anybody. Whether it’s for his own personal reasons or the fact that they don’t deserve it, you know. She wasn’t your friend, you didn’t even know her, that was fifty years ago, and you want me [Shadow] to share my thoughts on it? No! Screw you! It was our friendship, our life together, and I’m keeping it. It’s mine. He would grieve in his own personal quiet way, but I don’t think he would, you know, go up and eulogize in front of folks, I just don’t think that’s who he is.”
- When asked if it’s still true that Shadow was given a soul identical to Maria’s as stated in Sonic Battle, Ian answers, “I would interpret that as, Shadow has a soul that is the same as another living being, that it’s not, you know, lesser or different in any way. He and Maria are both truly living beings. I don’t think they mean that he has Maria’s actual soul, because then, he would just be Maria, again? And we’ve seen that Maria does not act like Shadow. If Maria acted like Shadow, she wouldn’t have been shot, she would’ve taken that gun and you know, liberated the ARK all by herself.”
- When asked if Shadow would fight Maria if she came back to life as a strong opponent since Shadow only wants to fight strong opponents, Ian answers, “It’s square-off in the ring, circling each other, sizing each other up…” Ian says in his Shadow voice, “This is what you wanted, isn’t it, Maria? A chance to get slappy?” then says in his normal voice, “And then she just proceeds to manhandle him ‘cause he cannot bring himself to raise a finger against her.” Kyle, laughing, adds, “No, of course not.”
- When asked what he thinks about the difference between Shadow and Maria’s views on humanity, Ian answers, “...I would say that Maria sees the best of humanity and Shadow sees the worst, for obvious reasons. And, because of her, he is able to at least acknowledge what she saw in humanity, and for her sake, wants to fight for that, wants to protect that, wants to nurture that in his own way. But, instead of the bright-eyed and gregarious nature that Maria had, he is once bitten thrice shy, and is not ever going to put himself out there in a way that he trusts humanity. Maria taught him the goodness and the potential and that is what he will fight for, but he will never keep the faith in it. He will never assume that things are going to work out in the end. So, they kind of have the same general outlook, but very different approaches.”
- When asked if he thinks Maria is still relevant or if Shadow really said goodbye to his past at the end of Shadow the Hedgehog, Ian answers, “That was my understanding, is that he remembers her but his life is not defined by her anymore.”
- When asked if Shadow would do everything to rescue her and would his attitude change if he met a resurrected Maria during the events of Sonic Prime in the Shatterverse, Ian answers, “I don’t know, but that would be an interesting investigation. Shadow seemed to be pretty dead set on the mentality that the Shatterverses were…irrelevant? Inconsequential that they weren’t the prime verse, that they were just shallow shades, but that’s coming from his point of view where he doesn’t care about the rest of the cast. If confronted with Maria, or a shatter-Maria as it were…I don’t know, you could approach it from a couple directions. Like, you could have him have to confront that worldview of his and maybe go ‘you know, life is precious no matter where it’s from.’ Or really double down on the grim side of him, and you know, have him say ‘no, you’re not real, I don’t believe in you, and you’re a mistake I’m going to correct,' which would be a heck of a gut punch, geez. I don’t know, you could approach it a few ways.” Kyle adds, “she’s not my [Shadow’s] Maria.” Ian then says, “Maybe a combo of the two where you know, where he doubles down on that mentality but, you know, Sonic convinces him that he’s not his Maria but she’s still someone’s Maria.”
- When asked why King Shadow would establish a religion around Maria in Mobius: 25 Years Later, Ian answers, “I don’t we had a ton of thought on this because we didn’t have time to explore it. It’s been a long time, but I think the rationale at the time was that Shadow, who had gone so clearly beyond his proper and normal characterization had elevated Maria in his mind beyond normal. Like, she’s a driving factor in Shadow’s life normally, an inspiration of sorts. But, in Mobius: 25 Years Later, since the marching orders were ‘make him a villain!’...the remembrance became obsession. That she was so perfect and so important to this version of Shadow that he would instill it in all others. Maria was the one good thing in life, you all will acknowledge that she was. He elevated her, deified her. And you would worship her because that’s what you’re supposed to do, because that’s what King Shadow says.”
- When asked how Maria would get along with Sonic Boom’s version of Shadow and if she would fix him, Ian answers, “Maybe? We don’t really know a lot about Boom Shadow, what makes him tick, why he’s such a surly individual. It would be very easy to say yes, Maria is full of nothing but goodness and light and converting everyone into just wholesome people.” Kyle adds, “But this is the Boom universe, nobody is like that.”
- When asked how Shadow would react to meeting Mr. Schmitz face-to-face, Ian answers, “...I could see it as him very grimly listening to the story unfold and dispassionately witnessing the breakdown, and you’d think he’s about to do something, and he just turns and leaves. Is that acceptance? Is that forgiveness? We don’t know, and he’s not going to say.”
- When asked what he would say to/do with Maria if he could have one more day with her on Earth, Ian as Shadow answers, “Those words would be meant for Maria and only Maria.”
- When asked what he and Maria studied on the ARK and who was the better student, Ian as Shadow answers, “Depends on your point of view. I’m the Ultimate Lifeform and thus, the academia was no challenge for me. But Maria attended classes on time and completed her assignments as asked. The teacher deemed her the better student.” Kyle says, “Well, you know, are you gonna say you’re better than Maria?” Ian as Shadow then says, “You watch your tone.”
- When asked what Saturday morning cartoons Shadow and Maria would watch together on the ARK, Ian answers, “I know this wouldn’t sink up in any actual real world, but I would love it if she were a big fan of the Super Mario Brothers Super Show…and Shadow only endures watching it with her ‘cause he wants to see The Legend of Zelda stuff.”
- When asked if Shadow would like to meet Maria’s sister or intentionally avoid her, Ian answers, “I don’t know to be perfectly honest, because I could see it going a couple of ways. Like, in one scenario, I could see him wanting that kind of connection to his past and her past, and on the other hand, he’s also trying to step away from that, be his own person and forge his own path, so why go looking for these past connections, you know? It’s an interesting scenario and it would be neat if it got followed up on at some point.”
- When asked what his favorite aspect was about being able to show the relationship between Shadow and Maria, Ian answered, “...What we knew about Shadow and Maria was mostly implied. She was the one bright spot in his early life, and she was supposedly a wonderful person, and her loss was a tragedy not just to Shadow but to the whole world. We get that but we’re mostly told that, like, most of the interactions we have ever seen between Shadow and Maria are, you know, ‘the G.U.N. moment’...so, I wanted to give her a little more time to show how good of a person she was, how uplifting, how supportive, how loving she was, and why she would be so important to not just Shadow but Abe…” KaiZenAmen adds, “...Anytime she interacts with Shadow, she’s the thing that always elevates him and picks him up. Like anytime he had any doubt or gave in to his anger or emotions, she was always there to remind him that ‘no, it’s going to be okay.’ And like, just to have her be that light and that presence, and you see how much he truly cares about her…”
- When asked what Shadow and Maria would do together if Maria were alive for 24 hours, Ian answers, “Whatever she wanted…wherever she wants to go in the world, whatever she wants to do, whatever sight she wants to see, they will go there and they will do that.” Kyle adds, “Okay, they’re going to the Taylor Swift concert with Amy, got it.” Ian replies, “Maria’s very happy, she has no idea who this person is, but you know, as long as Shadow is enjoying himself, she’s happy to be here.”
- When asked if Shadow knows when Maria’s birthday is and what he’d do on that day, Ian answered, “...Yes, he would know and I’d think he would just be somber. I don’t know, pure headcanon fan-ery, maybe nowadays he swings by the Commander’s office and they share a drink, don’t say anything, and then he leaves."
- When asked what old bands Movie Shadow would like since he lived during the 1970s, with the asker commenting that Maria would have loved the Beatles. Ian answers, “...That is not something I considered, and that’s potentially delightful.” Kyle says, “They’re gonna use Iron Man for his entrance theme, aren’t they?” Ian replies, “Oh, probably.” Kyle adds, “...Maybe he’s into metal, not metal mainstream metal, old metal…” Ian says, “Maria having Beatlemania is kinda funny though, that’s an adorable idea…Shadow has this unfounded jealousy and anger towards Ringo.” In his Ringo voice, he says, “What’s this funny little black and red thing over here?” then says in his Shadow voice, “You broke Maria’s heart, why didn’t you write back to her?”
- When asked if Shadow would ever be tempted to use his blood to find a cure for Maria’s illness, N.I.D.S., to save others who suffer from it, Ian answers, “Shadow is not the sciencey-mindy type, he wouldn’t be able to do it himself, but I could see someone saying, ‘hey Shadow, why don’t we uh, finish Gerald’s grand work here, and I don’t mean blowing up the planet. The other thing, the save people thing,’ and I would hope he’d be amenable to that.”
- According to the Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) Official Game Guide by Prima Games, Shadow's feelings for Maria were "the closest that Shadow has ever felt to love."[43]
- When asked about his regrets in an interview by 1up.com as a preview for the then-upcoming Shadow the Hedgehog, Shadow responded: "My past is shrouded in so much mystery, I hate to fathom what I could have or couldn't change. But if I could change one thing about my past, it would have to be giving my life for that of Maria's. I am forever haunted of losing someone that really cared for me, and I did nothing to stop her from sacrificing her life for mine."[44]
- In Sonic City, a sentence from Shadow's bio reads, "When Shadow first appears, he is suffering from amnesia and doesn't know whether he has been designed for good or for evil - although he tends to opt for whatever path suits his goals at the time. Shadow's varying actions are a result of his continuing grief for the loss of his friend Maria, Gerald Robotnik's kind and gentle granddaughter. He witnessed her death when she sacrificed herself aboard the ARK, allowing him to escape to Earth from GUN forces attacking the space station. When she died, she made him promise to save the world... although from who or what was not clear for some time."[45]
- Naoto Ohshima has liked Shadaria fanart on his Twitter account.[46][47]
- In an interview with Takashi Iizuka to promote the Fearless: Year of Shadow campaign in 2024, someone asked what Shadow's occupation is. Iizuka answered that "Shadow doesn't really have an occupation. His only objective is to protect the planet that Maria loved so much. And so with this objective in mind, sometimes he might team up with G.U.N., and sometimes he might even team up with Eggman. In either case, protecting the planet Maria loved is his only motivation, as well as his only mission."[48]
- When asked about how he would describe Shadow and Maria's relationship, Eitaro Toyoda said that "It's hard to put Shadow and Maria's relationship into words, and I don't have the right vocabulary. I just think it's beautiful. I think Shadow's charm is his mystery. He's attractive because we don't know for sure, and I love that he always makes me think, 'Maybe it's like this?'"[49]
- In Shadow's Sonic Comic story on Sonic Channel, and in Sonic x Shadow Generations, it is revealed that Maria gave Shadow his name, and because, according to Maria, "without light there's only darkness, but a shadow will show you where to find the light."[50][51]
- For the July 2020 Sonic PICT, Yui Karasuno drew Shadow and Maria to celebrate Tanabata, a festival that celebrates the love story and encounter of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi (represented by the stars Vega and Altair, respectively). According to legend, the Milky Way separates these lovers, and they can only meet once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar (July 7th). In fact, in the artwork itself, Maria is holding a book that depicts the story of Orihime and Hikoboshi.[52]
- In a fanart of Shadow and Maria surrounded by cherry blossoms shared on Sonic Channel, the Sonic Channel staff comments that the flower language of cherry blossoms is platonic, but that Shadow and Maria are in stark contrast to that (not platonic). So indirectly, the Sonic Channel staff calls the two romantic.[53]
- In another fanart on Sonic Channel of Shadow giving Maria a present for Christmas on the ARK, the staff comments that Christmas in space is "a fantastical and romantic experience."[54]
- In a Sonic Universe (Archie Comics) Fan Mail Month blog post featuring Shadow and Larry Lynx, someone asked Shadow what his favorite sweet is. Shadow responded that he doesn't eat sweets except for Maria's chocolate chip cookies, which he says were "exceptional cookies made with... [love]."[55]
- The Sega team made a video where they associated the way Maria caresses Shadow's face to Beauty and the Beast.[56]
- In the Japanese version of chapters 1 and 2 of the manga The Jet Black Hedgehog: Shadow the Hedgehog, Maria says she loves Shadow, saying "大好き" (daisuki) in chapter 1 and "大好きよ" (daisuki yo) in chapter 2.[57] This expression can be used to refer to love for a family member, but is more often used to confess romantic feelings or feelings within a committed relationship. In the video game Sonic X Shadow Generations, Maria says she loves Shadow by saying "愛してる" (ai shiteru). This expression is a very big concept in Japan, a poetic ideal that implies a love that has been built over time, with a deep and intense respect and commitment for the other person, and is only used between serious and long-term lovers or when confessing love to someone for the first time. Maria uses words that the Japanese mainly use to indicate a romantic declaration of love, which suggests that Maria had romantic feelings for Shadow.
- Shadow's tone of voice changes when he talks to Maria. Whenever he talks to her, his tone of voice becomes lower and softer than when he talks to other characters. According to researchers, people lower and soften their tone of voice when they feel romantic interest in someone, which could indicate that Shadow may have had romantic feelings for Maria as well. In fact, Maria herself also tends to soften her tone of voice when she speaks to Shadow in the video games and in the series.
- In the third episode of Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings, Shadow and Maria are seen together in a field of flowers that appear to be white lilies. In flower symbolism, the white lily is a flower that symbolizes purity, innocence, virtue, and pure love. In Japanese culture, lilies are often used in flower arrangements during wedding ceremonies, symbolizing happiness and prosperity for the newlywed couple. It is also a flower commonly used in funeral flower arrangements, which may also be an allusion to Maria's death.
- As in Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings, in Sonic 3, Shadow and Maria are also seen in a field of flowers, which this time are white daisies. In flower symbolism, the white daisy is a flower that symbolizes purity, innocence, peace, true love, loyalty, hope, youth, sensitivity, kindness, and affection. It is a flower often used in bouquets and wedding decorations to convey sincere feelings and promise faithful and true love. Daisies are also a gentle reminder of affection and support during a difficult time, which may be a reference to the affection and support that Maria gave Shadow while she was alive. Like the lily, the daisy is also a flower commonly used in funeral flower arrangements, which may also be an allusion to Maria's death.
- Shadow's Air Shoes were originally designed by Maria and created by Gerald Robotnik to help with his mobility.
- Moriah Angeline, the English voice actress for Maria in Sonic Adventure 2, said that she loves Shadow and Maria's story, and while she doesn't ship them personally, she honors those who do.[58]
- The way Maria hugs Shadow in Sonic X Shadow Generations is identical to the way Elise hugs Sonic in Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), in addition to Shadow and Sonic having the same reaction to being hugged.[59]
- In Sonic Battle, the password for Shadow's Combo Card is ArmIa, an anagram of Maria.[60]
- In Sonic the Hedgehog: The Complete Sonic Comic Encyclopedia, Maria is referred to as Shadow's "dearest friend."[61]
- In Team Sonic Racing, one of the Performance Parts for the front of Shadow's Dark Reaper is called "Maria's Boon."[62]
- According to the Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood: Prima Official Game Guide by Prima Games, Shadow "tends to see enemies as obstacles, and anyone who gets in his way becomes his enemy. Still, his friendship with Maria Robotnik showed that Shadow has compassion."[63]
- Maria's name is the password for both activating Shadow the Hedgehog and accessing the ARK's files about Project Shadow.
- In the 153rd issue of Nintendo Official Magazine, there was a preview for the then-upcoming Shadow the Hedgehog. In the preview, it's stated that Shadow "had a soft spot for Maria Robotnik" and, jokingly, "loved her in a dirty way."[64]
- In an episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Stephen Colbert interviews Ben Schwartz, the voice actor for Sonic in the Sonic film series. When Colbert asks Schwartz what he should be expecting in the third Sonic film, Schwartz responds that Keanu Reeves is voicing Shadow. Schwartz asks Colbert what Shadow's nickname is, which Schwartz thinks Colbert doesn't know, but Colbert suddenly says, "I know that Shadow falls in love with Maria," to which Schwartz responds, "Whoa! Let's not say in love." Colbert says, "falls for?" then Schwartz replies, "They become friends, they become close friends." Colbert asks, "Friends can't love? This is a tough time for me to find out, Ben." Schwartz, after pondering his question for a moment, then responds with "Oh my God. Oh my God, that's when I realized he was right, friends can love."[65]
- For the Fast. Friends. Forever. campaign in 2023, Aoi Yuki drew a minicomic where Shadow, suffering from amnesia, can't remember who he is, but Sonic and Tails bring out Prof. Gerald's "Ultimate Guide to the Ultimate Lifeform" so Shadow could gain back his memories. In the guide, Gerald writes that Shadow is "a bit arrogant and aloof (but he still cares about my granddaughter)."[66] In the Japanese version of the comic, Gerald writes that "he has an arrogant and cool personality, but he only loves my granddaughter."[67]
- On the Fast. Friends. Forever. page on the official Sonic website, a sentence in Shadow's bio reads, "Shadow is always on the prowl for dangers to the world. While he has no love for it or its people, they were cherished by his one friend: the late Maria Robotnik (Dr. Eggman's cousin). He protects Earth in honor of her memory; willing to do anything, and fight anyone, to ensure no one threatens the world Maria cherished."[68]
- The Japanese Sonic movie Twitter account made a series of posts that introduced the comments of the third Sonic film's Japanese voice cast. The last post introduced Aoi Yuki, the voice actress for Maria in the film. In her comment, she called Maria "Shadow the Hedgehog's favorite girl."[69]
- The Japanese Sonic movie Twitter account posted a relationship chart between the main characters of the third Sonic film. In the chart, Shadow and Maria are "best friends" to each other.[70]
Gallery[]
- Main article: Shadaria/Gallery
Videos[]
Variations[]
- Blazadaria refers to the ship between Blaze the Cat, Shadow and Maria
- Mephadaria refers to the ship between Mephiles the Dark, Shadow and Maria
- Rougadaria refers to the ship between Rouge the Bat, Shadow and Maria
- Scourgadaria refers to the ship between Scourge the Hedgehog, Shadow and Maria
- Shadamyria refers to the ship between Amy Rose, Shadow and Maria
- Silvadaria refers to the ship between Silver the Hedgehog, Shadow and Maria
- Sonadaria refers to the ship between Sonic the Hedgehog, Shadow and Maria
- Sonadilvaria refers to the ship between Sonic the Hedgehog, Silver the Hedgehog, Shadow and Maria
