Shadow the Hedgehog. Is he really the ‘ultimate life form’ that he claims he is in Sonic Adventure 2? According to a newly-translated, reportedly official Japanese game document, it’s possible that he is not. And, for those of you who have completed the game, there’s some unique insight into the Space Colony ARK and Shadow’s origins.
The below transcript comes from community member KojiChao, who originally shared the translation of a long-lost piece of official Sonic Adventure 2 game lore on the Sonic the Hedgehog Area 51 message board. They’ve since shared that same content with us. As you can see, it contains details on the backstory to Gerald Robotnik, Maria Robotnik and the origins of Chaos Drives and Robotnik’s work on the Chaos Emeralds.
Very interestingly, this document is written in the voice of Rouge the Bat, in the style of a spymaster’s report. As we all know by now, Rouge was a secret agent in Sonic Adventure 2, so this would mean that this document was intended for Japanese fans to read and understand more about the nuances of the game’s story.
There’s a lot of good info in here, so we suggest reading it all, but the headline point to take away is at the very end – where Rouge suggests that the Shadow we play in SA2 may in fact be a ‘copy’ of an original Ultimate Life Form. And there’s extra info pertaining to Shadow’s fall from the Space Colony ARK at the end of the game, too. It’s all very fascinating, and something we hope is explored in future Sonic games.
Many thanks to KojiChao for their hard work on this translation and for sharing it with us. We post the entire document for your reading entertainment below (images are inserted by TSS and do not form a part of the original document).
Rouge’s Final Report on ‘Project Shadow’
This is a partial excerpt from the last investigative report by Rouge, about Project Shadow.
This information was written and submitted to us by KojiChao.
“The Truth about 50 Years ago…”:
During my latest criminal investigation, I found secret information about Project Shadow through a Security Hole in GUN, and informed the President. It was a letter addressed to Professor Gerald from the President of its time, 13 Presidents ago, confidentially requesting him some new research. The subject of the letter is as follows.
“Mankind’s ultimate eternal dream, researching for immortality.”
Gerald had refused this request stubbornly, for it crossed over Man’s limits. However (although ironically), in the end, Gerald’s dearest granddaughter “Maria Robotnik” gave him a reason to look over the plans. Maria suffered from an illness “NIDS: Neuro immunodeficiency syndrome”, by which medical treatment was difficult to provide. Although she seemingly could not expect recovery from this, medical treatment research was continued aboard the ARK, before they finally thought the incurable disease could be conquered because of Gerald’s declaration of his new immortality studies. Advanced research was strictly confidential, inside the ARK. Records state, “Project Shadow” was named this because of the sarcasm involved in not actually being able to create a Shadow (which didn’t exist in the world).
At first, everyone thought that this plan was far too reckless and far-fetched to have ever been fabricated by Professor Gerald’s gifted mind. Chaos Emeralds were researched and resulted in the creation of Chaos Drives, which were a test to apply their infinite energy to a life, while the main project would only be started once the prototype was complete. The “Prototype of the Ultimate Life-form”, made after the image of a lizard, showed many signs of wonderful growth. Regeneration, restoration, and self-reproduction (*1). The researchers were thrilled at this.
But, while their joy of how well the Prototype was doing quickly went to their heads, it became unruly and hard to control causing many problems. A voice of doubt soon arose, as they questioned their continuation on this project, as well as the safety of others aboard (*2). The truth is uncertain, about who had leaked private information about the Project to GUN, however it was considered to have been one of the few who were concerned with the Prototype, as it became reckless.
Those who were among the top ranking of GUN, had a strong disliking of the research organization, and formulated a plan to shut down the ARK itself, taking advantage of its current situation. Their secret plan was code named, “ARK’s Indestructible Seal (*3)”
All of the colony’s residents were to be evacuated from a bio hazardous calamity generated from within the ARK research institution, and it would be sealed away. This was their ostensible (*4) purpose of the strategy. Of course, the true purpose was to close the ARK research facility, erase Project Shadow, and put the blame to Professor Gerald as the person who had caused the accident.
The plan was carried out, on the premise that GUN knew nothing, and within only seven days of the Plan’s commencing, all the residents of the ARK were moved to the planet. All the research facilities aboard the ARK were frozen by GUN, and all persons involved in Project Shadow, except for Professor Gerald, were announced as victims of the disaster. The plan was finally completed, when the “Prototype of the Ultimate Lifeform” was found, and then sealed away in the deepest part of the Colony.
But, there was miscalculation in their plan. It seemed Professor Gerald was already finishing off the Ultimate Lifeform “Shadow” (*5), but using another desirable form, when the plan was being executed. When GUN’s Special Forces rushed into the research institute, Gerald escaped, and entrusted it to Maria, his granddaughter, checking to make sure that the one escape capsule was ejected toward the planet (*6). (In addition, the whereabouts of the capsule at that time were not known, either.)
Now, it is not known if the hedgehog “Shadow the Hedgehog”, being the “Shadow” that was sealed away in Prison Island, was a copy created by someone else (*7), or was the original “Shadow” that was ejected toward the planet. (There is no real way to confirm this anywhere…)
Footnotes:
- The Biolizard was able to take damage, and heal itself, regenerate any lost limbs, like a lizard, and it could reproduce asexually (The pink Eggs Shadow ‘Homing Attack’s on). Unfortunatelly, it required it’s Life Support System, fuel by Chaos Drives, to continue.
- The Biolizard reacted violently when it had the power of the Chaos Emeralds.
- Ehh, not too sure on the ACTUAL name on this. ^_^; So, it might be off…
- Ostensible: The ‘Good guy Image’ GUN was trying to convey, making the public think they were doing the right thing, when they had ulterior motives.
- “Shadow” was created durring the week GUN’s plan was executed, so he never knew about the Prototype, or the destructive powers it possesed.
- Gerald had told Maria to escape with Shadow, and ran in the opposite direction to draw unwanted attention away from the two. He looked at a monitor/out a window, to see the capsule leaving the colony.
- The text mentions an ‘Original piece’ of Shadow. Most likely pertaining to the fact that Rouge doesn’t believe that the ‘Shadow’ we know, was actually the one from 50 years ago. She believes, that, perhaps, the Original Shadow was in the capsule, DIED upon impact. Someone else found ‘Shadow’, and made a CLONE. In most Sci-Fi movies, the clones of original lifeforms usually can retain certain memories that they had before. However, as stated, she can’t proove if he’s the original, or a clone.