Things Sonic does better than Shadow

Sonic the Hedgehog has faced countless opponents since he first appeared in 1991. Some of his most iconic rivals include Metal Sonic from 1993's Sonic CDSilver the Hedgehog from Sonic the Hedgehog 2006and of course, 1994's Knuckles the Echidna Sonic the Hedgehog 3. The blue blur has fought many enemies, but almost always manages to come out on top. But of all these enemies, the one Sonic is most often compared to Shadow The Hedgehog, the ultimate life form.

Born as a result of a scientific research project aboard the Space Colony Ark, Shadow was designed for the purpose of achieving immortality, as well as finding a cure for Gerald Robotnik's granddaughter, Maria. Fifty years after his creation, the black hedgehog was freed by Dr. Eggman and has battled both him and Sonic time and time again. The two hedgehogs are constantly compared by casuals and hardcore fans alike, where the score has never really been decided in the games. In defense of the widely touted “fastest thing alive,” here are a few things Sonic does better than Shadow.

5 Sonic Inspired Shadow's Creation

Blue was the drawing

This one might seem a little obvious. Shadow's introduction came 10 years after the release of Sonic the Hedgehog 1and was the first male hedgehog added to the series after that. The two are constantly mistaken for each other in Sonic Adventure 2from the military hunting down Sonic for Shadow's crimes, to Amy hugging Shadow from behind without realizing he was another hedgehog.

But the Blue Blur used as the blueprint (pun intended) for Shadow's design isn't just something that existed in the development of the game. It's also reflected in the actual lore. Sonic exists as a prophecy of battles in the canon of the games, depicted in murals and such that existed long before he did. It is strongly implied that Gerald Robotnik was inspired by the mural of Super Sonic battling Perfect Chaos in Mystic Ruins as you create Shadow, Biolizard and Artificial Chaos.

4 Sonic is always right

A fighter for freedom

While Shadow is often depicted as a hero in the Sonic games, his moral compass is somewhat skewed. The way he acts is completely understandable, as he feels betrayed by humanity due to Maria's death. But he experiences the revelation in Sonic Adventure 2 that leads him to save the world is not the result of a change in character. He changes because he remembers Maria's true wish: for Shadow to protect humanity. If her wish had been what he originally remembered, Shadow would have destroyed the Earth without any questions.

Sonic, on the other hand, have a much better grasp of their own moralsand chooses to save the world because he believes it is the right thing to do. He is an incredibly empathetic character, and always has been trying to solve a problem before fighting. Fans see this in games like Sonic Frontierswhere Sonic tries to avoid conflict with Sage at first, despite friends like Knuckles trying to attack her.

3 Sonic is more optimistic

Always finds a reason to smile

Here's another point regarding Sonic's personality and how his attitude makes him a better hero than Shadow at times. Again, Shadow's bleak outlook on life is reasonable given his circumstances. We have seen the hedgehog give up earlier in the past, as in the Semi Hero-Hero ending of Shadow the Hedgehog. Shadow considers himself a mistake that should never have been made as he walks away with his head down.

As Chip says in Sonic UnleashedSonic “never give in […] to the darkness of his heart” and always manages to maintain a positive outlook on his adventures. Even when the odds are completely stacked against him and his friends, Sonic always believes there is a way. Players immediately see this difference between the two hedgehogs in Sonic Forces. Shadow tells Sonic that there is no way to win against Infinite's army of clones, to which Sonic replies: “Of course we can win this! We just haven't figured that part out yet.”

2 Sonic has more forms

He is a hedgehog who is always evolving

One of the coolest moments in the series comes at the end of Sonic Adventure 2where the two hedgehogs finally team up and use the seven Chaos Emeralds to activate their super forms and defeat the Biolizard. Fans get to see Shadow's super form two more times in the main series Sonic games, but the Ultimate Life Form never gains access to any more transformations throughout the series.

Unlike Shadow, Sonic has transformed into a variety of forms across the series, each with their own unique powers and purposes. His second form came as early as Sonic the Hedgehog 3where he gained access to Hyper Sonic by using the Super Emeralds. And there have been many more over the course of the games, from the Darkspine and Excalibur forms of the Storybook games, to the Werehog seen in Sonic Unleashed.

1 Sonic has saved the world more

“I will never give up the fight!”

Sonic is always the main character in this franchise for a reason. He has a lot more medals on his chest when it comes to times he's saved the world, and he is always available when trouble calls. The hedgehog has fought many monsters, aliens and Eggman creations, rising above his enemies each time and restoring peace to the planet.

This isn't to say that Shadow hasn't done his fair share of world saving as well. He saved humanity from the Space Colony Ark in Sonic Adventure 2destroyed the Black Comet in Shadow the Hedgehogand helped defeat Solaris in Sonic The Hedgehog 2006. However, in two of those three, he needed Sonic to complete his mission, and Shadow was the only one immune to the Black Comet's paralyzing gas, leaving him the only one who could save humanity. And there have been countless times when Shadow has not been around in the face of worldwide threats, while Sonic is always the first to face danger.