What if Shadow Gave His Life Again?

[C.J]

Well I personally don't think this should happen again, I like Shadow, he's one of my favourite characters and I wouldn't like to see him go like that again. I'd like to see him more involved in future games but obviously not to be the centre of attention. I would also really like to see his relationship with Rouge and Omega develop more. I don't think they need to kill him off again though, I'd find that a bit pointless.

Edited September 19, 2012 by Red Wisp

[Burnt Ash]

I dunno. Shadow happens to be my second favorite character in the series (tied with Knuckles), and well, if he dies, he probably won't be in future (main series) games so....I probably wouldn't like it. Then again, the supporting cast is as good as dead now, kinda. Probably exaggerating about that last bit though.

Frickin' finally. Shadow is a waste of space in this franchise at this point and time.

Could you elaborate?

[Chili Dawg]

Shadow had a good death, and SEGA decided to fuck it up. It's too late to go back on it now. To give him another death scene would just be redundant for one thing, and since his returned, Shadow's for better or for worse become a part of the series' core cast, none of whom SEGA wouldn't think of actually killing off.

[sjmaster92]

If they killed Shadow off again, the only effect would be me losing all faith in the current writer's ability to write a good story. Like others have said, having Shadow die again would be redundant and pointless. Not to mention it being totally unoriginal and unbelievably idiotic if they did kill him off again.

[Kuzu]

It's a choice between being written as a walking stereotype with no interesting qualities, or being completely exercised from the series....gotta say, the latter option seems a lot more merciful.

Good god does it suck to be cast member in this series.

[Stritix]

That will never happen. Shadow is the second most popular Sonic character in the entire series. He also received his own big main series game that made him even more popular among the masses. If SEGA were to kill off Shadow, they would also be killing off a large part of the fan base. They aren't going to do that.

[Kuzu]

That will never happen. Shadow is the second most popular Sonic character in the entire series. He also received his own big main series game that made him even more popular among the masses. If SEGA were to kill off Shadow, they would also be killing off a large part of the fan base. They aren't going to do that.

Didn't stop them the first time.

[Stritix]

Didn't stop them the first time.

One of the developers stated while designing Shadow that they would like him to receive his own title later on, meaning they never planned on killing him off.

[Kuzu]

One of the developers stated while designing Shadow that they would like him to receive his own title later on, meaning they never planned on killing him off.

Then that's their own damn fault for making his death so poignant; if they wanted Shadow to stick around, they should have left death more ambiguous, or at least bring him back in a less abrupt way.

[sonfan1984]

He also received his own big main series game that made him even more popular among the masses.

I'd thought it was the complete opposite.

[Stritix]

Then that's their own damn fault for making his death so poignant; if they wanted Shadow to stick around, they should have left death more ambiguous, or at least bring him back in a less abrupt way.

Uh, what? Shadow did stick around, and became even more popular. He's still around today, and was playable in Sonic & The Black Knight 3 years ago (The last Sonic game with more than one playable character.) They've given Shadow a new voice actor too.

Like it or not, but he's here to stay.

[Kuzu]

Uh, what? Shadow did stick around, and became even more popular. He's still around today, and was playable in Sonic & The Black Knight 3 years ago (The last Sonic game with more than one playable character.) They've given Shadow a new voice actor too.

Like it or not, but he's here to stay.

I'm talking about back in SA2 numbnuts.

[Stritix]

I'm talking about back in SA2

"If they wanted him to stick around" "They should have brought him back in a less abrupt way" implies after he died/after Sonic Adventure 2. I suggest you learn to form your words better.

numbnuts.

Insults, really? How old are you? What are you even getting worked up over?

[Burnt Ash]

I'd thought it was the complete opposite.

It made him more popular....albeit, in a bad way.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

So basically, it'd be like killing off Big. It's pointless and stupid, because Sonic Team probably won't be touching Shadow with a ten-foot pole any time soon, for both the facts that they're (seemingly) trying to bring Metal back, and his abysmal, titular game.

Tell me you're joking before I rip your whole post apart.

That will never happen. Shadow is the second most popular Sonic character in the entire series.

That was around Ten years ago. Not so much now.

Honestly, Shadow still isn't looked at in a good light right now. Barely ANY of the characters are bar a few, and doing anything to kill them off is just giving the critics what they want in their "Shitty Sonic Friends" bandwagon.

Zero from Megaman managed to pull off dying 3 times because he wasn't written so horribly when Inafune kept resurrecting him (of course there were other things to it), and even despite him being notorious for dying so much he was still well liked by fans and critics alike. Shadow doesn't have that luxury anymore, so if you make him sacrifice himself again then then not only would it be pointless but since there are as many people who hate him as much as there are who love him you're just making more dissonance.

Why this topic is even made is beyond me, because the answer to that should be completely fucking obvious.

[SenEDDtor Missile]

So...mildly off topic, but what do you think the popularity list looks like now?

EDIT: O frag, I just wasted my 800th post on something useless.

Edited September 19, 2012 by Frankenstein Joe

[Stritix]

That was around Ten years ago. Not so much now.

It has been 10 years since his debut, but since then he has gotten roles in other main Sonic games & his own game over the years. He hasn't had a major role in a main-series title since 2006, but he has maintained most his popularity by spin-off titles such as having a big role in Sonic & The Black Knight (Which is considered a main series title by some), Sonic Chronicles and having a role in other games such as the SEGA Superstars, All-Stars Racing, etc. His debut game, Sonic Adventure 2 is also being rereleased next month. He is still believe it or not, the second most popular Sonic character. Will he get another big role in another main-series title? I'm sure he will, but not for quite some time. He will still be supported by spin-off titles until then.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

It has been 10 years since his debut, but since then he has gotten roles in other main Sonic games & his own game over the years.

[SenEDDtor Missile]

*facepalms*

Okay, guys. Help me out here.

This person is still stuck in the early 2000s and can't seem to realize that this isn't true.

Edited September 19, 2012 by Frankenstein Joe

[Stritix]

Which, thanks to his own game, cut that popularity down in half. Seriously, how the hell aren't you seeing this?

His game made him widely known as a character. It increased his popularity drastically. The quality of the game may have made certain people dislike him. Popularity isn't always a good thing (I thought this was obvious), but it certainly made him far more popular.

First off, unless it was confirmed by Word of God, The Black Knight isn't a main series game. No if, ands, or buts about it.

Second, not only is Sonic Chronicles noncanon, but that game included just about EVERYONE, so that's an irrelevant game to use. And even then Shadow didn't have a major role in it. Thirdly, you should know better that the spin-off games mean like All-Stars mean very little other than a being a game where Sega's franchise can come together all at once.

Which, thanks to his own game, cut that popularity down in half. Seriously, how the hell aren't you seeing this?

First off I suggest you reread what I said, because it doesn't look like you bothered to read what I said properly at all. I said "Was in spin-off titles such as Sonic & The Black Knight (Some consider it a main series title)" that means I know it's a spin-off title, but there are some who view it as a main series title.

Secondly, I said Sonic Chronicles is a spin-off. Not that it's canon. Again it looks like you didn't bother reading what I said properly at all. I directly said 'He has maintained his popularity through spin-off titles such as Sonic Chronicles, All-Stars Racing." which is true. He is being supported by spin-off titles and they have been maintaining a lot of his popularity.

Whoop-dee-doo? A game that's 10 years old is getting a release for those who want to be nostalgic and to hopefully gain new fans?

How the hell does that add to the belief that Shadow is the second most popular.

You really need to reread what I said. I said it's a rerelease that he's continued to be supported by. Helping to maintain his popularity. A lot of people have not played Sonic Adventure 2, so this will be a warm introduction to Shadow for them.

*facepalms*

Okay, guys. Help me out here.

This person is still stuck in the early 2000s and can't seem to realize that this isn't true.

Wherever I go, I see far more about Shadow than any other supporting Sonic character. I'm pretty sure I've seen a few posts stating Shadow is their second favourite character in this thread also. In the main series games, Tails only appears it cutscenes, and so does Eggman really. I wouldn't say they are more popular. Honestly. The main focus is on Sonic right now.

Back to my original point: Shadow is too much of an important & popular character to kill from the series.

[Scar]

His game made him widely known as a character. It increased his popularity drastically. The quality of the game may have made certain people dislike him. Popularity isn't always a good thing (I thought this was obvious), but it certainly made him far more popular.

So what you mean is infamous. Which is not a good thing.

Anyway, Killing Shadow (or any other character) is lazy and cheap. I would much rather they spent their time actually fixing the broken characters and making them likeable (or indeed hateable), than just killing them off.

[Stritix]

So what you mean is infamous. Which is not a good thing.

Anyway, Killing Shadow (or any other character) is lazy and cheap. I would much rather they spent their time actually fixing the broken characters and making them likeable (or indeed hateable), than just killing them off.

The game itself is infamous. I certainly wouldn't say the same about the character.

I completely agree with the rest of your post though.

Edited September 19, 2012 by -L-

[Scar]

The game itself is infamous. I certainly wouldn't say the same about the character.

Well actually, the character became infamous because of the game.

Lets not forget that it butched whatever good characterisation that Shadow had, and turned him into a gun-toting madman who couldn't stop saying "damn!". It didn't do much good for the reputation of the character amongst the sensible.

[Nattala]

Didn't Shadow rank in the top 50 Most Popular Video Game Characters back in the 2011 Gamer's Edition of Guinness Book of World Records? I have the book and I definitely remember him being in there. According to http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/02/16/guinness-names-top-50-video-game-characters-of-all-time.aspx he's 25. And obviously the poll was just taken on their website so its not a representative sample. And its not the best sample considering stuff like Naruto and 'Ash Ketchum' are in the list. I'm guessing it was a poll voted on by primarily kids. Still it shows that at least 2 years ago Shadow was still quite popular, at least among kids.

Then you look at the amount of merchandise Shadow gets. I mean that alone doesn't prove anything but still you don't make merchandise of characters who don't sell. It doesn't prove he's second popular but it still attests that he's popular amongst the likes of older characters like Tails and Knuckles.

Then perhaps not evidence to his popularity but to his role in the franchise. Looking at SEGA's marketing materials there are six characters that constantly appear, often in a group; Sonic, Tails, Amy, Knuckles, Shadow and Eggman. So it really seems like those are the six characters SEGA wants the franchise to be identified with. Course Sonic is at the top but these things combined suggests to me that Shadow still has relevance and importance to the current Sonic franchise even with his lack of significant game appearances.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

His game made him widely known as a character. It increased his popularity drastically. The quality of the game may have made certain people dislike him. Popularity isn't always a good thing (I thought this was obvious), but it certainly made him far more popular.

Dude, it made him more infamous if anything. Most of the time when you hear about the game in review ciricles it's all about how the game sucks and how the character sucks along with, and that's before people even start talking about how the series ended up sucking because of this game.

If you take it to the fans, general consensus is that the game sucks with only Shadow fanboys and people who love a dark and angsty game loving it, while all other fans look at it as a curse on the series redeemed solely by the fact that Sonic 06 manages to suck even worse.

If something is generally popular, that generally means it's a good thing. ShTH only popularized hating him on a larger scale, which isn't a good thing. I find it troubling that you don't seem to see that.

First off I suggest you reread what I said, because it doesn't look like you bothered to read what I said properly at all. I said "Was in spin-off titles such as Sonic & The Black Knight (Some consider it a main series title)" that means I know it's a spin-off title, but there are some who view it as a main series title.

I know exactly what you said...and my point still remains. Some can consider it to be whatever the hell they want to, but that doesn't mean anything unless it's officially stated as such.

Secondly, I said Sonic Chronicles is a spin-off. Not that it's canon. Again it looks like you didn't bother reading what I said properly at all. I directly said 'He has maintained his popularity through spin-off titles such as Sonic Chronicles, All-Stars Racing." which is true. He is being supported by spin-off titles and they have been maintaining a lot of his popularity.

I'm not interested in going "He said, she said" with you over your words right now, because I read what you said. That still doesn't stop me from saying what I said.

My point being that 10 years down the line, Shadow's no longer the 2nd most popular character anymore. He's still popular, that much can't be denied. But 2nd? Absolutely not.

You really need to reread what I said. I said it's a rerelease that he's continued to be supported by. Helping to maintain his popularity. A lot of people have not played Sonic Adventure 2, so this will be a warm introduction to Shadow for them.

To which I ask this game is part of what makes him the second most popular character how? Because that's my whole issue from the beginning: that you're claiming a character to still be second in rank on the popularity poll when it's been 10 years since he held that status and his popularity has obviously waned to the point that making that claim through spin-offs and rereleases is nothing short of grasping for straws.

Wherever I go, I see far more about Shadow than any other supporting Sonic character. I'm pretty sure I've seen a few posts stating Shadow is their second favourite character in this thread also. In the main series games, Tails only appears it cutscenes, and so does Eggman really. I wouldn't say they are more popular. Honestly. The main focus is on Sonic right now.

Shadow being someones second favorite character is miles different from being the second most popular character in the series. And I'm pretty sure you know that.

Edited September 19, 2012 by ChaosSupremeSonic