Shadow the Hedgehog

Shadow the Hedgehog is the end result of Project: Shadow, an effort to create the Ultimate Lifeform. Created by Professor Gerald in his efforts to find a cure to a rare disease known as NIDS that was affecting his granddaughter Maria, Shadow was gifted with the powers of the alien Black Doom through that entity's blood. After the project was forcibly shut down by the government, Shadow was put into stasis for 50 years and then awakened by Dr. Eggman, Gerald's grandson, to help him take over the world. Shadow sought instead to destroy the world to avenge Maria, who had been killed by the raid on Space Colony ARK where they had both lived. However, Sonic the Hedgehog and his friends were able to convince Shadow that Maria would not have wanted such a result, and Shadow joined forces with Sonic to save the planet. Saved by aliens, he would return to join with Sonic and others against the evil Xorda. He would eventually rejoin Eggman, only to turn against him and join the special forces of the United Federation after learning the true purpose Gerald created him for. He has since become one of the top agents of Commander Tower.

50 Years Ago
Shadow was created by Professor Gerald as part of Project Shadow, Gerald hoping that through Shadow he could find a cure for his granddaughter Maria's Neuro-Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Failing to develop a successful Ultimate Lifeform on his own, he turned to Black Doom, leader of the Black Arms alien species. Using Doom's blood, he was able to complete his process and create Shadow, at the same time granting Shadow some measure of Doom's immense powers. However, when the experiment failed to produce Maria's cure-and Gerald learned of Black Doom's malicious intentions for Mobius-Shadow was modified so that when the Black Arms eventually returned, he would be waiting to defend Mobius from them. (StH: #98, #171)

However, tragedy struck soon afterwards, as a government task force raided Space Colony ARK, the space station where Shadow was created and lived with Maria and Gerald. With Maria's death and Gerald's arrest, Shadow was left bitter and angry. Reuniting with Gerald by some means, he was put into stasis and given a new purpose: to avenge Maria's death by destroying the inhabitants of Mobius. (StH: #98)

Awakening and "Death"
When Shadow was awakened from stasis 50 years later, it was by Gerald's grandson Julian. Coveting Shadow's power so that he could take over the world, Eggman enlisted Shadow's aid in acquiring the Chaos Emeralds. Shadow proceeded to steal Station Square's Chaos Emerald, after facing off against the city's protector Silver Sonic II. Due to his similar appearance to Sonic, Station Square's army believed the theft to have been Sonic the Hedgehog, and thus sent their military after him instead. (StH: #98)

Shadow was later confronted by Sonic on Prison Island during his mission to steal the six Chaos Emeralds with the assistance of Rouge the Bat. During the fight, Eggman informed Shadow that he had set the charges on the island and it was about to explode. Rouge then called in saying that she was trapped in the vault where the Chaos Emeralds where being held. Eggman said to meet him at the rondevouz point and that they would dig the emeralds out of the ashes later. Sonic, overhearing this, proposes a temporary truce with Shadow to save Rouge. The duo proceed to do this and Shadow transports them all off of the island to Eggman's pyramid base using Chaos Control and then teleports himself away. Sonic and Rouge then teamed up and broke into the base and stole a shuttle to take to the ARK. Sonic then confronts Shadow again when he tries to activate the Eclipse Cannon. Just after Shadow lands a Chaos Spear attack on Sonic, Rouge informs him that she has found a video he needed to see. Shadow and Sonic later go to a shrine area aboard the ARK where the Chaos Emeralds are being kept that is guarded by a huge monster. The monster merges itself with the ARK's Eclipse Cannon using Chaos Control and the two hedgehogs use the emeralds to tranform into Super Sonic and Super Shadow. After they defeated the beast, they used Chaos Control to send the ARK back into orbit, but Shadow used up so much energy, that he fell to the planet's surface. (SU: #2)

Return and Fight With the Xorda
Shadow was believed to have been killed, though in actuality he was saved by the benevolent Bem as they investigated Mobius from orbit. Upon awakening, the Bem transformed Shadow into his super form to combat the arriving Xorda warship. Despite his powers, the Xorda ship managed to shoot down the Ultimate Lifeform, hurling him into Mobius' gravitation pull. After landing on the planet's surface, Shadow was discovered by the Knothole Freedom Fighters and formed a temporary alliance with them. Together, they learned that the Xorda were intent on destroying Mobius for crimes committed by its inhabitants made back when the planet was known as Earth. Together with a veritable army of other Mobians, Shadow charged the Xorda Quantum Dial weapon, seeking to destroy it before it wiped out Mobius. Thanks to the efforts of Sonic, who seemingly imitated Shadow in sacrificing his life, the weapon was destroyed. (StH: #124, #125)

Shadow spent the time of Sonic's absence searching for meaning in his life, eventually confronting Dr. Eggman with the intention of killing him. Eggman escaped, and Shadow then found himself drawn to Hope Kintobor, Eggman's niece and a girl who reminded Shadow strangely of Maria. While watching over her, Shadow was abducted by Locke, the father of Knuckles the Echidna, who believed that Shadow's strange nature-somehow alive despite being neither animal, vegetable, or mineral-could somehow help him to locate his missing family, the members of the Brotherhood of Guardians. Not taking kindly to Locke's interrogations, Shadow attacked him, only to be halted in his vengeance by Hope, who had been pulled along as Locke teleported Shadow to a hidden location. (StH: #132, #133, #145)

Wandering once more, Shadow found a hidden laboratory that had existed since before the Xorda attack on Earth, meeting a robot named Isaac with detailed knowledge of Mobius' history. The two eventually became involved in a three way battle with Sonic and a new Metal Sonic built by Dr. Eggman. When the trio discovered that the base harbored an ancient and powerful missile, Shadow aided Sonic in preventing the missile from launching. Shadow assisted in getting Sonic to safety after the latter's ankle was wounded, then disappearing once again. (StH: #146, #147, #148, #149)

Allegiance with Eggman
With the battle ended, Shadow went out on his own once more, eventually locating Gerald's lost diary. However, Shadow was once again engaged by Metal Sonic, the two being rendered unconscious during the ensuing battle and brought back to Eggman by Mecha. Once in Eggman's presence, the mad-scientist was able to convince Shadow to work with him by informing Shadow that Maria was his half-sister. (StH: #157, #158)

When A.D.A.M. secretly seized control of Knothole's Metal Sonic Troopers and directed them to attack first Eggman and then their creators, Shadow joined Sonic, the Freedom Fighters, and the Chaotix in resisting the enemy. Hope was harmed during this conflict as she lived in Knothole, and Shadow became motivated by fury over her coming to harm. Using his link to the Chaos Force, he defeated the Troopers with Chaos Control, intriguing Knuckles in the process. Grateful for Sonic helping Hope, Shadow chose not to antagonize him but instead departed, returning to Eggman. (StH: #157, #158, #159)

He would later return on Sonic's birthday to express his thanks, joining in battle with him against Scourge the Hedgehog and Croctobot. The latter, another servant of Eggman's, threatened to tell Eggman of Shadow's treachery, but all three Hedgehogs put aside their rivalry to destroy the robot together. Shadow and Sonic found themselves initially outmatched by Scourge, who left with Rouge the Bat in tow as the Freedom Fighters arrived to back up his enemies. Shadow pursued them, but they escaped with the assistance of an Echidna mad scientist named Dr. Finitevus. (StH: #160, #161)

A.D.A.M. would later divert Shadow's attention by releasing Mammoth Mogul and Ixis Naugus-both of them recently taken prisoner by Eggman in the Egg Grape Chamber-and forcing Eggman to dispatch Shadow after them. Shadow was then lured into a trap by A.D.A.M., who used his abilities in conjunction with Tails' to summon all the Chaos Emeralds from across the universe to Mobius. While Sonic faced A.D.A.M., Shadow-in Super form-joined with Turbo Tails to send all the gathered Chaos Emeralds to the Zone of Silence, getting them out of reach of both A.D.A.M. and Eggman. (StH: #168, #169)

Shadow would then depart with Eggman, but soon their alliance would end. After taking Professor Gerald's diary from Eggman and yanking out his nephew Snively's hairs in the process, Shadow sought the Freedom Fighters for help deciphering it, only to have it damaged on his way to Knothole. Taken into the disk by NICOLE, the artificial intelligence member of the Freedom Fighters, Shadow made contact with virtual duplicates of Gerald and Maria and learned of his purpose in fighting Black Doom. Afterwards, Shadow went his own way, leaving Eggman behind to prepare for his eventual destiny. (StH: #171)

Agent of G.U.N.
Not long after his desertion of Eggman, Shadow joined the special forces of the United Federation along with Rouge the Bat. Responding to a distress call from New Mobotropolis, the city to which the inhabitants of the Kingdom of Acorn relocated after Knothole was destroyed. They had come under assault from Enerjak, a brainwashed Knuckles with the power of the Master Emerald infused within him by Dr. Finitevus. With his typical confidence, Shadow confronted Enerjak in a battle of Chaos powers, but soon realized that he had met his match. Removing his inhibitor rings to boost his power, he attacked Enerjak with increased strength, but soon burned himself out without much success against the super-powered Echidna. Shadow and the rest of the people of New Mobotropolis were only saved by the arrival of the Egg Fleet, which hit Enerjak with teleportation beams to send him to New Megaopolis to have his power drained. Shadow, his obligation fulfilled, departed to return to the United Federation. (StH: #182)

Moebius and Beyond
While having been sent to Moebius by the Suppression Squad, Sonic and Scourge's fight was interrupted when Shadow arrived using Chaos Control. Though he was actually looking for the Special Zone, Sonic asks if he wants to help him beat up Scourge, to which he reply's "sure". Metal Sonic arrives later followed by Silver the Hedgehog and Rob O' the Hedge as well as Amy Rose and Rosy Rascal. So while everyone is fighting, Silver attempts to ask them which of them is Sonic. Because they ignores him, he get's angry and impatient, and captures them all with is psychic powers. Silver states that he has come from the future to destroy Sonic, and after he attacks Sonic, Rob O' threatens Silver for a explanation. Silver states that during this point in time one of the legendary Freedom Fighters betrays and destroys them, dooming the future. He then states that only Sonic was remembered to have had that kind of power. However Scourge jumped in and started attacking everyone. Shortly afterward, Sonic makes a proposal to everyone to stop attacking each other and strictly finish off Scourge. But Scourge didn't give up. He rushed to the throne room, followed by Sonic and Shadow. Scourge turned the tables on everyone, claiming he placed Anarchy Beryl in his throne. This managed to turn Scourge into a stronger form; Super Scourge. (StH: #195)

Shadow was temporarily defeated by Super Scourge along with the others and was later transported to another location along with Metal Sonic when he tried to override his zone teleporter engine with Chaos Control. Shadow and Metal Sonic arrived in an alternate universe, where the local version of Sonic went on to explain the differences between their worlds, such as Shadow being dead in their universe. After being offered a chance to remain in this universe, Shadow declined as he felt it was his duty to defend his own world. Following this he teleported himself and Metal Sonic away once again. (StH: #196, SX: #40)



Shadow and Metal Sonic then ended up in Blaze the Cat's dimension, floating above an ocean. Shadow tried to convince Metal Sonic to no longer obey Dr. Eggman, but Metal Sonic completely ignored Shadow's words and kicked him into the water before flying off to look for the zone's version of Eggman. Shadow struggled to keep himself from drowning just as the Ocean Tornado arrived with Blaze the Cat and Marine the Raccoon aboard. The two got Shadow aboard the ship and introduced themselves. The trio soon found out that Metal Sonic was attacking Southern Island, looking for Eggman. Blaze furiously attacked Metal Sonic, but it used its powers to reverse Blaze's attack. Neither Shadow or Marine could take down Metal Sonic. However, Shadow tried to convince Metal Sonic to work with him, but Metal Sonic declined, saying his objected was to serve Eggman while Shadow's was to defend Mobius, and thus he must destroy Shadow. Nevertheless, Blaze set fire to Metal Sonic, and Shadow charged at him using a spin dash. The damaged robot flew towards the Ocean Tornado, and Marine blasted Metal Sonic with a ship's cannon, destroying it. Blaze then gave Shadow the green Chaos Emerald and he used it to return to Mobius Prime. Shadow arrived at GUN HQ, where Hope Kintobor and Commander Abraham Tower were waiting. Shadow delivered the Emerald, and was informed he had a new mission. (SU: #1)

Disarming the Doom Laser
That mission was to head to New Megaopolis with Rouge the Bat and deactivate Eggman's new weapon, a laser capable of destroying the Knothole Freedom Fighters' force field, their camp, and half of the Eggdome. Shadow recruited the help of Sonic who was sleeping outside the Eggdome along with the others for the final battle. Sonic questioned why Eggman would build something so over the top, to which Shadow replied that intelligence suggests Eggman is losing his last grasp on reality. Sonic disagreed, citing that Eggman hasn't stooped that far yet. The trio tried to disable the Doom Laser, but accidentally shifted it into firing position. Shadow then took off his inhibitor rings and used his Chaos powers to stop the laser. He accidentally fell off the laser, but Sonic grabbed his hand, saying they're not going through the whole Shadow falling to his death a second time. Sonic then questioned if Shadow was going to join the final battle against Eggman, to which Shadow replied he owes Sonic much gratitude and the least he could do is allow Sonic to settle things with the doctor himself. (SU: #2)

The Search for Gamma
Shadow was later assigned on another mission by Commander Tower into the mountains to locate E-102 Gamma and offer him asylum by giving him a position at GUN. Shadow accepted to go on the mission alone after he failed to save Metal Sonic in Blaze's world. But Dr. Eggman also wanted Gamma found and destroyed and sent the last of the E-100 Series, E-123 Omega, to reduce Gamma to slag. Omega was dispatched to find E-102 just as Shadow left to find him in a GUN helicopter. (SU: #3)

Personality
Shadow is arrogant, aloof (shallow), doesn't take kindly to others interfering in his business, and cares for who he wants to care for. He lacks many of Sonic's inhibitions, being perfectly willing to eliminate a foe rather than merely subduing them. Still, he does have a small sense of honor, enough to leave the Freedom Fighters in peace on some occasions despite his alliance with Eggman. At times he has behaved with almost a mercenary attitude, joining forces with others only to further his own goals, but in the end he usually ends up picking the side of moral right. When Shadow has a goal, he sticks to it without hesitation, not resting until it is fulfilled.

After finding out his true purpose, Shadow has become much more heroic and wants to turn other "living weapons" like him, (such as Metal Sonic), to the side of good instead of destroying them.

Powers
Possessing speed equal to Sonic, Shadow also commands Chaos powers through a direct link to the Chaos Force, which unlike that of the Brotherhood of Guardians doesn't require tapping into the energies of the Master Emerald. Shadow can utilize these powers in a variety of ways, most commonly in the form of attacks such as Chaos Spear and Chaos Blast, or in time-freezing and teleportation moves such as Chaos Control. Despite his power, Shadow has his limits, and does not possess the same level of energy Knuckles once wielded. He can temporarily increase his powers by removing his inhibitor bands, but after the effects wear off he is left weakened.

Possible Future

 * See: Shadow (M:25YL)

Background information

 * Shadow appeared in a backstory in StH #197 as some sort of knight to an evil king, along with Blaze the Cat and Knuckles the Echidna. The story was a comic tie-in to the game Sonic and the Black Knight, and took place in an alternate reality in the comics.


 * In the game universe, Shadow was saved by one of Eggman's robots, but this hadn't been revealed yet, so former writer Karl Bollers came up with the idea that he was saved by the Bem for Shadow to reappear in the comic due to his soaring popularity. Ironically or coincidently, Shadow's appearance in the Sonic X comic caused that era's Eggman to reveal to the readers that in that continuity Eggman had saved that era's Shadow from the same fall from the ARK.