Over time, theSonicmovies have been introducing more and more characters from the video games.
Therefore,Sonic the Hedgehog 3is centered a lot more on Shadow than it is on Sonic.
It is established very early on thatShadow crash-landed on Earth 50 years before the events ofSonic the Hedgehog 3.
Furthermore, the first scene with Sonic features a race between him, Tails, and Knuckles.
InSonic the Hedgehog 3,Shadow learns that hatred and revenge are not worthwhile pursuits.
However, he doesn’t go on this arc because of Sonic.
In fact, it is actually the other way around.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3follows Shadow as he seeks revenge for the death of Maria.
To create a parallel between the two characters,Shadow injured Tom halfway through the movie.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 reunites Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails as they face a formidable new adversary, Shadow. With Shadow’s unprecedented powers posing a significant threat, Team Sonic seeks an unexpected alliance to thwart his plans and safeguard the planet.
Tom is the human that Sonic feels the closest connection to.
Their similar motivations allow for Sonic and Shadow to learn and grow together at the end of the film.
However,it actually would have been best to make a standalone Shadow the Hedgehog movie beforeSonic 3.
Overall,Sonic 3would have benefited greatly if Shadow had already been introduced to audiences.
With each newSonicmovie, the ensemble cast continues to get bigger.