Summary
Shadow the Hedgehogis one of theSonicfranchise’s most beloved and fan-favorite characters, and has remained so since his debut on the Sega Dreamcast in 2001. With a deep and tragic backstory, Shadow brought an air of mystery to the franchise, and thus,it explored more serious themesin games such asSonic Adventure 2.
As one of the most well-established characters, Shadow has enjoyed several video game outings, including his very own spin-off title in 2005, and even multiple theme songs heard across manySonicgames. From hard rock songs to moody drum and bass tracks, many of the best theme songs in Sonic belong to Shadow the Hedgehog and have become fan favorites.
Unlike otherSonicgames with multiple playable characters, such asSonic Heroes,Sonic ‘06, and the originalSonic Adventure,Sonic Adventure 2has an even more unique soundtrack. Normally, a level has a set theme, no matter which character visits it. Yet inSonic Adventure 2, a location’s music is dependent on which character is being played. Apart from the iconic “Escape From The City,” only Shadow’s levels contain vocal songs as background music.
“The SuperNatural” plays during Shadow’s final level, as he races through the space colony to stop Sonic foiling his plans for the Eclipse Cannon. The lyrics consist of Shadow talking to himself about his mission and sense of power. Most notably, the distorted vocals highlight his mysterious nature and the truth he hasn’t yet discovered about Maria’s wish.
Though it’s technically the theme of Team Dark, “This Machine” is written from Shadow’s perspective. After waking from stasis at the start ofSonic Heroes, Shadow has complete amnesia and sets out with Rouge and Omega to question Dr. Eggman about his past.
Composed and performed by the band Julien-K, “This Machine” is a rock song with a slightly aggressive edge, starting with Shadow questioning"Just who am I?“He then comments on his fellow team members and their strengths, and how they can be used to help him solve the questions he has. Yet, despite his amnesia, listeners still get a sense of Shadow boasting abouthis immense power and abilities.
This is the main theme of the gameShadow the Hedgehog, and it certainly packs a punch, being one of the grittiest and most aggressive songs in the franchise. That being said, both the song and the game are almost comical, as their huge amount of “edginess” actually comes off as cheesy to many fans. That said, this song is still aggressive, highlighting Shadow’s outlook and difficult past.
The song highlights the two sides of Shadow’s personality in-game, and the fact he can be either a hero or villain depending on the players’ actions. Shadow invites players to"walk into my mystery,“sincenone of the other characters know what he’s been through. Though fans are used to the hard-rock sound brought to the series by Crush 40, “I Am… All Of Me” goes one step further and, as such, may divide some fans.
5"Rhythm And Balance”
A Fast-Paced Level Theme Highlighting Shadow’s Tension
InSonic Adventure 2’s “Dark Story,” Shadow must rush to save Rouge and the Chaos Emeralds before Prison Island explodes in eight minutes. Shadow is determined to get the Emeralds since he needs them to fulfill his plan of avenging Maria’s death. “Rhythm and Balance” is a drum and bass track that contains somewhat muffled vocals, though they are clearer than in “The SuperNatural.” The song’s extremely fast pace highlights his fear that he may not reach Rouge in time, and thus will not fulfill Maria’s “plea.”
Interestingly, the vocals even serve to foreshadow the truth that Maria did not ask to be avenged at all. The repeated phrase"Shadow, don’t make me upset,“is from Maria’s perspective, and shows at this point in-game that what Shadow is seeking to do is wrong. Fans realize this before Shadow does himself, and as such, he blots out anything that could deter his quest by repeating"I don’t wanna hear you.“This track received a rock-based remix for “Episode Shadow” inSonic Forces.
4"Waking Up”
Comes As Shadow Starts To Get Answers To The Many Questions He Has
“Waking Up” is one of the many ending themes depending on which path players take throughout the story. It is the “Neutral” theme and is in a similar vein to “This Machine” being an electro-rock track again performed by Julien-K. It’s written from a bystander’s perspective commenting about Shadow, but switches to a first-person perspective later on.
In his self-titled game,Shadow is out seeking answers to the mystery of who he is. “Waking Up” tells of Shadow finally coming close to getting some answers and “waking up” to his true purpose. Shadow also seems to suspect that certain characters have been keeping him in the dark to manipulate him, namely Black Doom and the GUN Commander. As such, lines like"the ones with answers always get their way"show his realization of this, and therefore motivate him to break free of his past and"be free.”
3"Throw It All Away”
Shadow’s Original Theme Song
Shadow debuted inSonic Adventure 2with a personal theme song like the other playable characters in the game. “Throw It All Away” perfectly captured Shadow’s character at that point in the franchise. He’s just been released from GUN’s stasis by Dr. Eggman, and now is on a quest to avenge Maria’s death by destroying the world with the Eclipse Cannon. However, as revealed, this was all a false plan due to manipulated memories by Maria’s grandfather, Gerald Robotnik. Thus, Shadow redeems himself once he learns what Maria really wants.
With heavy industrial instrumentation and muffled vocals, this song can be confusing to listen to. But, this is actually a clever way of representing Shadow’s confused and altered memories. As in the song’s title, Shadow seeks to make things right and, instead of continuing to believe Gerald’s lies, he “throws them all away” and seeks to honor what Maria asked.
2"Never Turn Back”
Shadow Fiercely Decides To Move On From His Troubled Past
“Never Turn Back” is a beloved song in the franchise, and the true ending theme ofShadow the Hedgehog,which is heard after all ten endings have been reached and the True Ending unlocked. In the True Ending, Shadow finally puts an end to the evil Black Doom and his manipulation of him. Performed by fan-favorite group Crush 40, this song has a very aggressive and serious tone but affirms Shadow’s final convictions. After learning the truth, he resolves to put his past behind him and move on, which is what this song is all about.
“Never Turn Back"certainly has firm lyricsas well as also showing Shadow’s struggle to put his past behind him. Yet overall, despite his difficult struggle, confusion, and manipulation, repeatedly saying"And now I’ll never turn back"is his answer for coping. It’s aggressive yet inspirational, and lead vocalist Johnny Gioeli’s vocals fit the tone of this song, making it well-loved.
This is one of Shadow’s best theme songs, coming at the end of Shadow’s personal growth arc seen acrossSonic Heroes,Shadow the Hedgehog, andSonic ‘06. This song has two most notable versions, the first appearing in his eponymous game as the “Pure Hero” theme. Performed by the band Magna-Fi, it shows how Shadow has changed after the painful journey he’s been on. From the loss of Maria and GUN’s conspiracy to Black Doom’s manipulation, Shadow has emerged as a hero and now seeks to move on from his struggles.
The second version was performed by Crush 40 and became Shadow’s theme inSonic ’06. With powerful lyrics and great rock instrumentation, this song in either version shows a more confident Shadow and how he’s"found the meaning that [you] searched for so long.“Shadow has a newfound confidence in himself and, as such, this anthem represents a turning point, bringing a satisfying conclusion to his journey across three games.
