[Cap]

Sometimes a controversal character, but undoubtly a huge part of the Sonic franchise right now. He's kinda one of those love or hate guys, but either way he's sitting right now as one of the top 3 most popular characters and has appeared in the vast majority of Sonic games since his first appearance including his very own game.

So simple question, what are your veiws on Shadow the Hedgehog as a general character and the impact he's had on the series.

This post has been edited by Cap: 22 March 2009 - 07:16 PM

[Rokkan]

Should have been still dead.
After the revival, he got more and more shitty due to fangasm over him, like Zero of Megaman X. But what differs both is that Zero's own games were good.

[Ollie]

I still think that they should have either have stayed dead or like have half a metal body instead of being alive without a scratch. =\

[BlazeHedgehog]

Deserved to stay dead. He was cliche enough when he was created, but still tolerable enough in the context of existing for one game and sacrificing himself for redemption at the end of Sonic Adventure 2.

Since being brought back, he's been an even bigger embarrassment - nothing more than the most paper-thin "emo lone wolf anti-hero with a crazy super power" anime stereotype possible. He has no personality, and his mere existence at this point is just flat out ridiculous.

Bring back Metal Sonic, dammit.

[Sik]

Shadow was cool until he got amnesia. Then he got annoying =|

[ChaotixXero]

Back when Shadow first appeared in Sonic Adventure 2 back in 2001 I thought he was the coolest character ever to grace the Sonic franchise. I was intrigued with his story and even today I like the SA2 story. I was genuinely sad when he 'died' but I like death as he amended his earlier wrongdoings. After discussion with some friends, we had decided that either he had died or that he used Chaos Control during that flash when he enters the atmosphere in the final cutscene. Shadow became my favorite character during SA2 and he stayed my favorite character for some time. I had mixed feelings when he was brought back in Heroes, glad because I liked him but confused as to why.

Years later, I started to like Shadow less. Not because of his game (because I have not played it yet, if I ever will, I dislike that he uses a gun and all as well) but because I have come to appreciate Sonic even more. Sonic is now my favorite character. This doesn't mean that I dislike Shadow. I just don't want him to be such a big center of attention. He's accomplished his task already and should take a back seat in the grand scheme of things.

This post has been edited by ChaotixXero: 23 March 2009 - 01:23 PM

[Tweaker]

Shadow is a largely redundant character outside of his role in Sonic Adventure 2. I really don't like how cheaply they decided to bring him back after that, and I don't like the fact that his personality got warped in Sonic Heroes and beyond. He had a purpose in SA2, and he's felt forced into every game that he's been in since. It's just another example of the wrong characters persisting throughout the series when there are plenty more who actually deserve to be featured in future games.

I think it's ridiculous that Shadow is more or less the #1 most popular character among most Sonic fans today. Are kids really predisposed to like guns, violence, and a faux-badass attitude more than anything else these days? It's not an encouraging thought.

[K2J]

I'd prefer him dead after SA2, but I'd rather have him like he is now, drama with ARK over and all that, than him just coming back a different way.

As of now, I'm sort of afraid he doesn't really have a role to play anymore - but unlike Knuckles, I can't really see him ever having one. Shadow's all about asking existential questions like, "Who am I? Why am I here? What am I supposed to do?" - even Sonic 06, where he had already found out his past, asks these questions. I don't really see him doing anything else but asking these types of things from now on, and since his history is now fully established (for better or worse), it's not very interesting.

The fanbase's appeal for him will no doubt keep him in the series for a long time after he's relevant.

EDIT: Holy crap, 4 people posted while I was writing this. Shadow's a touchy issue, to be sure.

This post has been edited by K2J: 22 March 2009 - 07:47 PM

[Jayextee]

CAUTION: THIS TOPIC MAY CONTAIN CONTROVERSY

Surrounded by replicas of Mephiles, there is not way out. Shadow, Rouge and Omega have got to fight. The golden rings are finally off the cuffs of the gloves, will Shadow unleash this alledged 'ultimate power' he so often blathers about?

YES! Covered in raw energy, blazing through the field of Mephiles clones, knocking them aside as if they were skittles, this is the epitome of pure badass, right there.

Just a shame you had to sit through Shadow's chapter of Sonic '06 to see it

There's potential in the maniacal berzerker, none in the angstbag -- he has a "mysterious past", and yet we know more of it than for any other character. WTF.

[Enzo Aquarius]

Shadow was fine at first, an almost equal, if not stronger/faster, nemesis to Sonic. Suddenly, he's become used everywhere, despite supposedly dying after stopping ARK. Nonetheless, he's still a favorite among fans, and this is why he keeps appearing.

Also, if you look at Sonicgrams in Sonic the Hedgehog comics, there's ALWAYS one letter related to Shadow.

[Phos]

I was unimpressed with Shadow's debut, I though his dialog was overblown ("A jewel containing the ultimate power!" "Yeah, I know"). If I had actually not hated Sonic Adventure 2 when I rented it back in the day (and thus finished it) I would probably dislike him even more.

His name, "Shadow", carries with it the implication that he's something else's shadow, and the most obvious candidate is Sonic, so being a Sonic clone is built into his name.

[doc eggfan]

Shadow was never cool or interesting. Evil Twins of main characters are always a bad idea. You could say the introduction of Shadow represents (one of) the "Jumping the Shark" moment in the series.

This post has been edited by doc eggfan: 22 March 2009 - 08:18 PM

[Hybrid Project Alpha]

He was the best thing ever in SA2, I still think he's a really interesting character with a lot of potential, but they keep pulling him in all the wrong directions. Although, I think his death at the end of SA2 was his best moment, and I prefer to continue believing the Shadow we have now is a copy.

For the record, I really and truly enjoyed his own game, it may have had shortcomings but it was genuinely a lot of fun and that's all that counts.

[RedStripedShoes]

Jayextee, on Mar 22 2009, 07:47 PM, said:

There's potential in the maniacal berzerker, none in the angstbag -- he has a "mysterious past", and yet we know more of it than for any other character. WTF.

This.

[OSM]

Tweaker, on Mar 22 2009, 08:45 PM, said:

Shadow is a largely redundant character outside of his role in Sonic Adventure 2. I really don't like how cheaply they decided to bring him back after that, and I don't like the fact that his personality got warped in Sonic Heroes and beyond. He had a purpose in SA2, and he's felt forced into every game that he's been in since. It's just another example of the wrong characters persisting throughout the series when there are plenty more who actually deserve to be featured in future games.

I think it's ridiculous that Shadow is more or less the #1 most popular character among most Sonic fans today. Are kids really predisposed to like guns, violence, and a faux-badass attitude more than anything else these days? It's not an encouraging thought.

My thoughts exactly.

Shadow should have stayed dead after SA2, I actually liked him then because his character and purpose was far more appropriate in that game. Bringing him back was a stupid idea, and he really doesn't seem to fit in well enough with the basic five (Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, and Robotnik). He's just very annoying now. To me he now represents all the rabid fan boys who prefer giving Sonic a gun and making deep fan fictions about furries in the series. Very, very idiotic and mind numbing.

This post has been edited by OSM: 22 March 2009 - 08:13 PM