Warning! Spoilers for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 ahead!

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 left out an essential detail regarding Shadow's story, hinting that this character could end up with his own spinoff movie. This morally complicated hedgehog was an exciting feature of the threequel, especially since he was voiced by the highly requested Keanu Reeves. Sonic 3 delivered on all it had promised in this sense, as it introduced the key details of Shadow's story. Audiences learned about all Gerald Robotnik as well as Shadow's heartwarming but tragic friendship with Maria. Sonic the Hedgehog also dove into the consequences of Maria's death, but something was missing.

In Sonic the Hedgehog 3, it's revealed that Shadow was created by Gerald Robotnik, Dr. Eggman's grandfather, as part of the Robotnik's granddaughter, Maria, and this friendship is everything to Shadow. Maria's death inspired Shadow to assist Gerald in destroying not just GUN but the entire planet. Sonic the Hedgehog saw Shadow overcome this desire, but it never explained why GUN went wrong to begin with.

Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Never Fully Explains Why GUN Turned On Shadow

GUN's Reasoning Was Left Ambiguous

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 revealed that GUN suddenly turned on Gerald Robotnik and Shadow and that Maria got caught in the crossfire. It's for precisely this reason that both these characters decided to use the Eclipse Cannon to get revenge on GUN and the rest of humanity, which they deemed too terrible and poisonous to continue living. Of course, Sonic managed to get through to Shadow in the end, and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 had a happy resolution (especially with the post-credits reveal that Shadow survived his big savior moment). However, the movie never explained why GUN turned on Robotnik and Shadow.

In canon, Robotnik's primary goal in creating Shadow was to discover the secret to immortality and, therefore, save Maria's life. He would go to any cost to make this happen, and this is how he ended up in trouble with GUN. They funded and oversaw Project Shadow, but when Robotnik allied with a group of dangerous aliens, the Black Arms, to achieve his goals, GUN got uncomfortable. They shut everything down and began to wipe out everyone involved with Project Shadow on the ARK, announcing that a terrible biohazard accident had caused all the tragic deaths there.

The True Reason GUN Turned On Shadow Could Tease The Hedgehog's Future

Sonic 3 Left Shadow's Story Open To Explore In A New Movie

GUN has been a somewhat ambiguous force throughout the Sonic the Hedgehog movies, and the same has always been true for the Sonic video games, anime, and comics. It's typically difficult to tell if they are on the side of good or not, and Sonic and his pals have sometimes cooperated and sometimes fought against GUN. In this way, it's no surprise that Sonic 3 left the reason this organization turned against Robotnik and Shadow unclear. Still, there is a great deal left to explore here.

While this could certainly be part of Sonic the Hedgehog 4, it may be even more effective in a spinoff movie dedicated entirely to this complex character.

Though Shadow decided that he didn't want to destroy Earth and all of humanity to get revenge for Maria's death, he isn't likely to buddy up with GUN just yet, considering what this organization did. Leaving the extent of GUN's crimes unclear means that future Sonic movies have room for more big reveals in the future. Each of these secrets will be pivotal to Shadow's story. While this could certainly be part of Sonic the Hedgehog 4, it may be even more effective in a spinoff movie dedicated entirely to this complex character.

Shadow Is Set For His Own Adventure After Sonic The Hedgehog 3

Shadow's Survival Bodes Will For A Spinoff

Sonic's alliance and friendship with Shadow will undoubtedly be a feature of Sonic the Hedgehog 4, especially after Sonic the Hedgehog 3 reveals that this character is still alive. However, given the complexities of Shadow's character, it makes a lot of sense for him to have his own dedicated adventure. Sonic's story is all about protecting Earth and the people he loves who live there, and, canonically, Shadow will lend a hand from time to time. However, his beef with GUN will be another matter entirely. That's Shadow's story, not Sonic's.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 has been confirmed by Lionsgate.

As of the end of Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Shadow's survival has only been revealed to audiences, not Team Sonic. This dark hedgehog may decide to take some time for himself following his heroics to discover where he fits in in the universe, and this could be a lot of fun for audiences to observe in a new movie. Shadow also has some friends of his own to meet, including Rogue the Bat and the robot E-123 Omega. It would be tough for the live-action Sonic franchise to give Team Dark the attention it deserves while sharing the screen with Team Sonic. So, hopefully, a Shadow movie isn't too far off.