Summary
- Season 2 of Sonic Prime fails to give Shadow the significant role he deserves.
- The absence of Shadow in the main narrative causes the show to miss out on some great opportunities.
- Sonic Prime's third season has the chance to redeem Shadow by pitting him against Sonic and his friends.
The following contains spoilers for Season 2 of Sonic Prime, now streaming on Netflix.
As Netflix's Sonic Prime runs through its second season, one of the things fans are most interested in seeing is how Sonic and Shadow interact. Admittedly, the first season didn't do much with the duo, focusing on the blue hedgehog instead. Sadly, as Sonic tried to save the Shatterspace and rebuild the Paradox Prism using the crystal shards, Shadow was just stuck in limbo.
Sonic spoke to him from time to time as he jumped through worlds, but other than that, Shadow was a mere spectator. Unfortunately, while Season 2 tries to fix this and bring Shadow into the fold, it happens way too late. In the process, Shadow just isn't done proper justice and ends up feeling secondary to the plot when he should have a much bigger role, given the direction the narrative wants to take him in.
Sonic Prime Mostly Keeps Shadow in the Shatterspace
Shadow's admittedly one of the franchise's most iconic characters. Created in the SEGA game as a clone from the Black Doom's DNA, Dr. Eggman wanted to unleash him to end Sonic. In time, Shadow would regain his agency, but he'd remain a wildcard antihero of sorts. Sonic Prime follows this angle, with Shadow out in the cosmic plane, angry that Sonic's actions in the first place broke reality and created various new worlds.
Shadow can't enter these worlds in the multiverse (aka the Shatterverse), so he's stuck in between -- the Shatterspace that Sonic uses as "roads" to get to other realities. Season 2 maintains the same formula, which is really disappointing. Having both characters going on missions, working together to fight off the remixed crews of villains and heroes, would have been nuanced, action-packed and added more drama. It'd have really added to their tension and history and explained why Shadow won't ever trust Sonic.
This could also have pushed Sonic to learn from Shadow's ways. Instead, Shadow's just a specter offering words of condemnation and then advice. This distance, though, is why the juvenile Sonic doesn't take him seriously. It devalues their bond and really makes Shadow feel like a Hail Mary play when he bursts into Green Hills 2.0 in the finale to help Sonic. Sure, it's fun watching him outrace Sonic in their rivalry and stop the Eggman council robots, but it's rushed and forced in -- ignoring what could have been the foundation for a proper brotherhood.
Sonic Prime Could Have Used Shadow in the Traitor Arc
Sonic Prime's Season 2 ending has Nine (an alternate version of Tails) stealing the prism. He betrays Sonic, admitting that while he thinks they can be friends, he can't let Sonic restore Green Hills. He views Sonic as selfish and just can't understand why Sonic thinks everyone would be cool with their realities potentially being destroyed just so Sonic can get his paradise back.
Even the Pirate Knuckles tries to steal the gems, but it's more out of greed than the depth that Nine displays. The thing is, Shadow keeps monitoring all this from the outside, warning Sonic to watch his back. Had he been along for the journey, these red flags would have made more sense and paved the way for Shadow to betray a naive Sonic. It's easy to see Sonic showing compassion and empathy, so the series botches a chance to have Shadow steal the gem, ignore Nine and push to bring his reality back.
That would have added so much conflict, with Sonic truly torn. He'd be in the middle, divided over having to stop Shadow and also Nine. It's the kind of civil war that this human Sonic is most appealing to. He's a kid at heart, so to see him going through these battles with two friends trying to save their homes would really be a dagger that could hurt the hero within. And make no mistake, both parties bring up great points, leaving Sonic struggling with what to do. This would have tied into Shadow's macabre nature, making him a villain who is still doing the right thing and resetting the Shatterverse.
Sonic Prime Season 3 Can Redeem Its Shadow
Now, Sonic Prime's third season can mend this issue. With Nine stealing the prism and off to remake the multiverse in his style, Shadow has to kick into overdrive. This means ignoring Sonic's dead weight. This presents a chance for Shadow, like so many games, to become the hunter. Given Nine and Sonic are the ones with the sentimental bond, that endearment doesn't apply to Shadow. It opens the door for a cut-throat Nine to also use his tech genius and bots to take Shadow down.
Both are mentally and physically strong, so it's the kind of dark rivalry Sonic couldn't partake in. This allows Sonic to recruit his buddies from other realities to try to stop Shadow's vendetta and to convince Nine to take a backseat and let them all make a plan. Either way, Shadow going up against Sonic's alliance creates a chance for him to prove he's the smartest, fastest and best hedgehog. It'd play on so many of the old games, cartoons and comics, but with a more meaningful purpose.
Shadow wouldn't be about gloating or rage -- he's just trying to protect the fabric of space and time. Such a mission could make him better than Sonic, answering that age-old question that SEGA gamers love asking. Sonic Prime would elevate their feud in a huge way and give Shadow a job that goes beyond just petty races. It's the kind of story that has emotional heft for nostalgics and new fans, truly showing how Netflix wants to evolve these popular faces.
Both seasons of Sonic Prime are now streaming on Netflix.