2001's Sonic Adventure 2 is widely regarded as one of the greatest 3D outings for the Blue Blur. It is also famous for introducing the character of Shadow the Hedgehog to the series. Shadow was quickly catapulted to the position of second most popular character in the franchise, behind only Sonic himself. Unfortunately, the Shadow that exists in modern Sonic the Hedgehog titles is a far cry from the one that become iconic all those years ago. The interesting, likeable character of those first few outings has been replaced by something bland, one-note and boring.

Upon his debut, Shadow was complex. Despite his gruff, arrogant exterior, the trait that defined him the most was compassion. In Sonic Adventure 2, Shadow resigned himself to using the ARK's eclipse cannon to destroy the Earth purely because he believed it was the dying wish of Maria Robotnik, the person he cared about the most. Upon realizing his memories of her had been tampered with, he immediately set off to help save the planet, sacrificing his life to do so. The actions he took were only a result of his bond with Maria.

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Shadow is later resurrected with amnesia in Sonic Heroes and is forced to re-discover himself and his place in the world. He formed a strong bond with his teammates Rouge the Bat and E-123 Omega, creating Team Dark. After much struggle across Sonic Heroes, Sonic Battle and Shadow the Hedgehog, Shadow discovered the truth behind his creation, and ultimately decided that it didn't matter. He vowed to leave the past behind him and continue forward as Maria truly wanted, as humanity's guardian.

2006's much maligned Sonic the Hedgehog (also referred to as Sonic 06) presents a Shadow at the end of this journey. He is unwavering in his commitment to both his friends and himself, he cannot be swayed or tempted by evil. When shown a future where humanity turns on him out of fear, Shadow doesn't join the villain to avenge his future betrayal. Instead, he sticks with his friends and takes solace in the fact that if the world turns against him, Rouge and Omega would not.

Besides some out of character moments in his own game, Shadow is consistently depicted as loyal, strong willed and heroic. It is clear that Shadow is trusted by his friends and colleagues. He may be quiet, occasionally blunt or arrogant, but those traits do not detract from the core of his character. Shadow the Hedgehog has overcome great personal struggle and tragedy to become the hero that he is.

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However, the modern incarnation of the character is something else entirely. Shadow is now arrogant to a fault, uncaring and obsessed with besting Sonic. The nuance and maturity that defined his earlier appearances have been substituted for surface level "cool" character traits. His strong friendships with Rouge and Omega apparently never existed, and the hedgehog now dislikes everything and everyone. His sense of right and duty in regards to protecting the planet is now merely an obsession to prove that he is the greatest. Frankly, the modern incarnation of Shadow the Hedgehog is unlikable.

These changes become all the more confusing in the context of behind the scenes fact. Sega itself has mandated Shadow be written in this very specific way for the last decade or so. The exact reasoning behind these changes are unclear, but it's possible to speculate. Towards the end of the 2000s, Sonic the Hedgehog as a brand had become more complicated. Story-lines were in depth and tied back to previous games in ways that could be seen as confusing for new players. Shadow's origin, purpose and development was tied to a story arc that spanned several games. As such, it is possible that this dramatic character change was Sega's attempt to streamline the brand and make it less complex.

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Another possible reason behind the change is the general perception of the Sonic brand in the 2010s. After a string of less than successful releases, the Sonic franchise was seen as a bit of a joke on some corners of the internet, spawning many memes that spread like wildfire. Sega saw an opportunity to reinvent the brand by embracing these memes and their self-deprecating humor. This spawned the current landscape of the IP in which many other characters (such as Tails) have also received utterly unwelcome character changes.

Shadow's new personality may then have originated from memes based on his 2005 game Shadow the Hedgehog. In it, instances of Shadow's out-of-character aggression and edginess became popular. These infamous scenes became the basis of the wider internet's understanding of the character. If Sega wanted to simplify the brand and its characters, it would have made sense to latch on to this interpretation.

Shadow remains an immensely popular character, but this is in spite of his modern appearances rather than because of them. With 2021 marking the franchise's 30th anniversary and Sega no doubt planning big things to celebrate, fans continue to hold out hope that the original version of the ultimate life form may find its way back to the series soon.

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