Even though Sonic the Hedgehog 2's wedding subplot was divisive, Shemar Moore's return as Randall in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is more than welcome. 2022's Sonic the Hedgehog 2 expanded on the first film in all the right ways and was a hit with audiences. However, the "human B plot" was once again a controversial part of the film, similar to the first movie. At the beginning of Sonic 2, Tom and Maddie go to their friend Rachel's wedding in Hawaii, leaving Sonic all by himself to get into trouble.

While the wedding Tom and Maddie are at doesn't initially seem to be that important, and just serves as a way to separate Sonic from his human family, it becomes a much more central part of the plot when it's revealed who Rachel is marrying. Rachel's partner, Randall, actually has a secret identity and is using her to get close to Sonic. New Sonic the Hedgehog 3 cast alongside the Wachowski family.

Shemar Moore's Randall Return In Sonic 3 Means Sonic 2’s Subplot Wasn’t For Nothing

Randall Works For GUN

Even though the Sonic franchise has a complicated relationship with human characters, is good that Randall will be returning in the Master Emerald.

Randall's return in Sonic 3 means that the wedding subplot ended up having a larger importance in the series after all.

While in Serbia, they use a portal to teleport to the wedding, narrowly avoiding an avalanche. Finally, Sonic has reunited with Tom and Maddie, and this is exactly what Randall wanted. In a twist, it is revealed that Randall is actually an undercover agent of the Guardian Units of Nations (GUN).

Randall's relationship with Rachel was part of his organization's plan to make with Sonic. However, Maddie and Rachel successfully fight off the various GUN agents at the wedding, allowing Sonic and Tails to escape and continue their search for the Master Emerald. Since the race to find the Master Emerald is the main plot of Sonic 2, Randall and the GUN agents don't play a big role in the rest of the film. However, Randall's return in Sonic 3 means that the wedding subplot ended up having a larger importance in the series after all.

Sonic The Hedgehog 2’s Rachel Marriage Subplot Wasn’t Really A Problem

The Wedding Subplot In Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Was Entertaining

Even though Randall and the GUN agents did not play a major role in the climax of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, it was surprising that many had a problem with the wedding subplot. The scenes that took place at the wedding were quite entertaining and showed off the comedic talents of actors James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell, and Shemar Moore. The wedding subplot also didn't take up that much screen time in the movie, so it's not like scenes featuring more prominent characters like Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, or Dr. Robotnik were cut to fit the subplot in.

Audiences are always going to be more invested in the main storyline of the movie, especially when larger-than-life characters like Sonic and Knuckles are involved. The search for the Master Emerald storyline in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 had higher stakes, but the wedding subplot provided some much-needed moments of levity in the movie. Furthermore, the Guardian Units of Nations is a notable organization in the Sonic franchise, so it was clear that Randall could end up becoming a recurrent character in the movies.

The Sonic Movies Wouldn’t Be What They Are Without The Human Characters

The Sonic Movies Need Human Characters Like Randall

The main draw of Sonic movies will always be the titular hedgehog, along with characters like Tails, Knuckles, and Shadow the Hedgehog. However, the Sonic movies would not work as well as they do without human characters. Jim Carrey's Dr. Robotnik has been an intriguing villain throughout the Sonic series, and Tom, Maddie, and Rachel have been helpful and ive allies for the Blue Bur. Therefore, it is okay for Sonic movies to continue to introduce new human characters.

The latest trailer for Sonic 3 suggests that Rachel, Maddie, and Tom will infiltrate GUN.

Finding the right balance between showing characters and lore from the games and telling original stories is always difficult, particularly for movies that are aimed at the entire family like Sonic the Hedgehog. The target audience of the Sonic movies is not just the dedicated fans of the franchise, which is why it is important to have side stories and human characters with whom audiences can connect. Knuckles was also criticized for focusing on human characters over its titular hero, but hopefully, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will nail that balance.