Who does Sonic consider as his greatest rival

[chippu]

Wait, wait. Sonic's rivalry with Knuckles has nothing to do with good and bad sides any more. They are obviously on the same side. It's a personal and (mostly) good-natured rivalry.

What rivalry? Knuckles thinks Sonic is good and fun. Not annoying or a jerk. If anythings personal with Knuckles, it's Rouge and his Master Emerald. He thinks she's a total scamp that whats to steal Knuckles Emeralds and has no problems fighting her for no reason, yet they seem to be closer to the rival area than Sonic and Knuckles.

Knuckles doesn't need to be tricked or disillusioned to become annoyed with Sonic and want to punch him.

Thats how he's been depicted in all the games when concerning Sonic.

Equally, Sonic doesn't need a reason to taunt and provoke Knuckles into a fight.

Sonic doesn't taunt or provoke anyone unless their evil or totally out to kill him. And when they do fight, it related to Eggman meaning it's easily a misinterpetation.

They're rivals, not enemies.

Their best friends and allys, Eggman and Shadow are rivals.

Therefore, the time they've known each other only strengthens this relationship.

They don't have much of an relationship. They just save the world and find ways to piss off Eggman.

Rivalry isn't necessarily about physical fights. It's about one-up-manship and attitude. It's not something that happens in specific 'instances'. It's an ongoing state of mind between two competitors who both feel the need to feel more accomplished or 'better' than the other.

Okay, then Shadow is more a rival by your description, Sonic views Shadow as a ally but a dangerous and unpredictible oponnent, and Shadow is annoyed by Sonic's happy and carefree attitude and actually threatens and wants to kill Sonic if he finds Sonic's antics annoying. Sonic and Shadow both seem impressed by each others powers and abilties, Sonic has complimented Shadow and his power, and he never ever taunts Shadow like he's weak. Shadow thinks everyone is weak but deep down he respects Sonic's power. Knuckles? Sonic calls him Knuckles head and knows he's nothing short of a broken record so he doesn't really acknowledge Knuckles power, hell he had to save him in chronicles.

When I see Sonic and Shadow near each other, I feel that they both have the potential to surpass one or the other any time by doing they're thing. And that reason, they remain the most powerful characters. Because they're equals in every way.

Edited May 16, 2009 by chippu

[Sean]

An example I always refer to when I want to differentiate between rivals and other forms of antagonism is from Disgaea, and the relationship between Mid-Boss and Laharl. Mid-Boss constantly views Laharl as his primary rival throughout the game, while Laharl sees absolutely nothing in Mid-Boss. ("Who gives a damn about you?") So Laharl is Mid-Boss's rival, but Mid-Boss isn't Laharl's.

[chippu]

Shadow views Sonic as a pest, and Sonic seems to love racing or ompeting against Shadow.

[Gamenerd]

Although Sonic and Knuckles are on the same team, I do think Knuckles still isn't quite on level ground with Sonic, even if he doesn't admit it out loud.

I mean, you're the only member of your species left. You've spent nearly your entire life on your own, in solitude, to protect Angel Island and the Master Emerald when things go bad. Suddenly, things do go bad, and what happens? Some smug, self-content, happy-go-lucky hedgehog from nowhere appears and does your job for you. I'd feel pretty inadequate too, to have my life's purpose randomly fulfilled by someone else.

[Sion-Ta]

Well to be honest, neither Knuckles or Shadow have been much of a rival to Sonic. Knuckles is slowly turning into sidekick number 2, and Shadow's basically buggered off. The only consistent rival throughout the series has been Robotnik, but you could argue he's a boardline enemy character.

Personally, I'm happy with Shadow being pushed out of the rival picture. Might help him develop his own character, if he isn't always being compared to Sonic... Knuckles on the otherhand, is hard to imagine not being Sonic's rival, which is why I think so many people are disappointed with his recent behavior. Always liked the wind/mountrain constrast between the two characters, and I hope that starts getting pushed more in future games.

[chippu]

Although Sonic and Knuckles are on the same team, I do think Knuckles still isn't quite on level ground with Sonic, even if he doesn't admit it out loud.

I mean, you're the only member of your species left. You've spent nearly your entire life on your own, in solitude, to protect Angel Island and the Master Emerald when things go bad. Suddenly, things do go bad, and what happens? Some smug, self-content, happy-go-lucky hedgehog from nowhere appears and does your job for you. I'd feel pretty inadequate too, to have my life's purpose randomly fulfilled by someone else.

If you've played Sonic 06. Knuckles cries over Sonic's corpse. Or looks like it. But you have to realize something, Knuckles is the gaurdian of a ancient jewel that belonged to a race of creatures who's life goal is to gaurd that power from evil. Knuckles knows his role in this, and he accepts it, he's simply not jealous of anyone trying put on a heroic face saving millions, he acknowledges it with full confidence. Hell, his people predated Sonic to be the worlds savior, I'm sure he knows what Sonic is doing is for the greater good.

If anything, Knuckles would be greatful for Sonic's job, because Knuckles is the type of guy who sticks to his own heroic role, not someone elses.

Personally, I'm happy with Shadow being pushed out of the rival picture. Might help him develop his own character, if he isn't always being compared to Sonic... Knuckles on the otherhand, is hard to imagine not being Sonic's rival, which is why I think so many people are disappointed with his recent behavior. Always liked the wind/mountrain constrast between the two characters, and I hope that starts getting pushed more in future games

See, I used to think that, but then Shadow was made and he made more sense as a rival to me than Knuckles ever did, he always had more to show for his character and contrasted Sonic flawlessly and never had any moral limits. He was the perfect foil, and Shadow knows Sonic is the only one who can stop him if he goes crazy. Knuckles always had flaws, and so he couldn't tie down Sonic despite have a equal abilty in strngth to his speed, it would go no where because the two never had a strong competitive mutal dynamic. Shadow with Sonic at least admits he's more than he seems and Sonic never holds back or jokes around with Shadow when he's fighting him. I think it's the dark/light concept that draws me. Two similar idividuals with different moral paths.

[Solid SOAP]

Dr. Robotnik. No matter what predicament occurs, Robotnik is always there to get in Sonic's way. Sonic has at least temporarily thwarted Knuckles, Jet, Shadow, etc in the past, but Robotnik is always there to piss him off no matter what.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

I'd pay to see that. Sonic X Episode 73 (Shadow Arrives), showed me that Knuckles can really give as good as he gets, more so than Sonic himself.

I got one in to see Shadow vs. Knuckles. Anyone else care for some tickets?

No but seriously. A match-up of Shadow vs. Knuckles would be more badass than Sonic going against anyone else, even Eggman!

...then again that Egg Dragoon battle in Unleashed was pretty thrilling, even if slow in motion.

Sonic has at least temporarily thwarted Knuckles, Jet, Shadow, etc in the past, but Robotnik is always there to piss him off no matter what.

Isn't it the other way around? I thought it was Sonic pissing off Eggman?

[chippu]

Shadow at his current abilites would tear Knuckles a new one.

[Obblnnd]

Bump, and Shadow is his greatest rival. He views Eggman and Knuckles as a timekilling playful non serious work out than a challenge. With Shadow you always nearly get a hostile im better than you venom between the two, and Sonic treats Shadow much more seriously and honorably than the former. Shadow always at first looks down on Sonic but in a certain amount of time he gets into the clash and Sonic and him fight like their about to kill each other. Ita the intensity that makes it stand out between Sonic's other clashes woth his adversaries.

[GX -The Spindash-]

Danica Patrick.

[LunchPolice]

On 4/5/2022 at 7:31 AM, Obblnnd said:

Bump, and Shadow is his greatest rival.

That is a huge bump. I respect it.

On 4/6/2022 at 4:40 AM, GX Echidna said:

Danica Patrick.

This is the one true answer.

[MetalSkulkBane]

I think Sonic these days is too chill and friendly to treat Shadow or Knuckles as real rival.

I mean, Goku is all nice and friendly, but if he lost to rival he would go.
"Wow, you're strong. But I will train extra hard and I WILL beat you!"
Sonic would congratulate, look forward to rematch, but would not get worked up about it. Striving for superiority doesn't mesh with staying cool.

What I'm saying is that I can't imagine Sonic obsessing over his rival, not your Naruto/Sasuke or Deku/Bakugo way.

[Kuzu]

Well Sonic spent the entirety of SA2 trying to show up Shadow.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

13 hours ago, Kuzu said:

Well Sonic spent the entirety of SA2 trying to show up Shadow.

To be fair, the guy framed him for a crime he didn’t commit. Unintentionally.

[Kuzu]

5 hours ago, CrownSlayer’s Shadow said:

To be fair, the guy framed him for a crime he didn’t commit. Unintentionally.

Well that and Shadow just looking down on him in general.

[Chris31]

Honestly I would say Eggman is Sonic's main rival and so are his robot aids. 

[Eggman Fan]

Knuckles isn't a rival anymore, Metal Sonic is a robot made by egg, egg is a enemy not a rival, so Shadow isn't just a answer. It's the only answer.

[Duelistic Nature]

A Rival implies someone trying to beat the other at his own game.

If anything a real rivalry is between Tails and dr. Eggman!
Both are technical geniuses, both are great at building machines, and both are boasting incredible intelligence. Whenever Dr. Eggman comes up with a mechanical plan it's Tails figuring out a plan on how to deal with this new technological challenge. You know... when sonic can't just homing attack/dash/ run fast/ smash the bot or enemy.

But in the interest of looking at rivals for Sonic.

Dr. Eggman
As the most popular answer, he feels more like an enemy rather than a rival. Not saying rivals can't be enemies, but Eggman and Sonic butt heads mainly because Eggman tries to conquer the world and eventually the universe. It's not like the good doctor is trying to beat Sonic at his own game, except when he built Metal Sonic.

Metal Sonic
Is probably the closest one could get to the definition of a rival by design. Being all made to be faster and better than sonic in every single way, but designed with the destruction of sonic in mind by his programming.

Knuckles
A rival in the sense that they both want to stop Eggman for different and similar reasons. A similar reason is defending the free people and dr. Eggman is the primary threat to that freedom. Different reasons because dr. Eggman wanting to use the chaos emeralds or Master Emerald in most of his schemes makes Knuckles a prime target, meaning the echidna has to knock the dr. down with or without the help of Sonic.

Shadow
Probably the closest thing to a rival in terms of goals, but doing the same thing with different methods.
He's an anti-hero out to stop Eggman's plans first and foremost. Although not in a forgiving way Sonic approaches this, giving everyone a chance. Looking a bit deeper reveals another thing Sonic and Shadow have in common.
Sonic does what he feels is right, "It was never about chivalry for me" he does what he's gotta do regardless of the established rules or norms. And the blue blur will keep on fighting for that ideal.
Shadow takes a similar approach, but he does what is necessary to achieve his goal regardless of who or what is in his way. And he'll keep fighting, regardless of how many people might turn against him, because he feels he's right.

Jet the hawk
This might be the closest thing to a direct rival in terms of trying to be the fastest there is on the Extreme Gear racing. Although... on foot we all probably know who'll win.

 

 

[Talia the Wolf]

Sonic greatest rival would be a tie between Eggman, Metal Sonic, the deadly six, Jet the Hawk, Shadow, and Scourge.

Edited September 14, 2022 by Talia the Wolf