Sonic X, Episode 2.08: Shadow Knows

Sonic X, Episode 2.08: Shadow Knows

Japanese Title: Sonic the Fugitive

Japanese Air Date: November 23rd, 2003

U.S. Air Date: November 6th, 2004

This episode begins much the same way as the Hero Story did in "Sonic Adventure 2:" With Sonic detained on G.U.N., which he quickly escapes from. It turns out G.U.N. and seemingly everyone else is convinced Sonic has gone bad. This is following incidents where another hedgehog went on a rampage at Prison Island and then stole a Chaos Emerald from a museum. Sonic goes on the run and is ambushed by G.U.N. in another city. That's when this other hedgehog, a superpowered entity named Shadow, makes himself known. After loosing a fight to Shadow, Sonic willingly gives himself up to G.U.N. Chris, Mr. Tanaka, Tails and Amy plot a way to rescue Sonic. Meanwhile, Rouge successfully infiltrates Eggman's operation, which includes Shadow, of course.

"Sonic the Fugitive" is kind of an unusual episode of "Sonic X" because it begins in medias res. Instead of picking up from the last episode's cliffhanger, the show begins with Sonic on that helicopter, with no explanation for how he got there. After Sonic's big escape, we cut to Chris in a city that obviously isn't Station Square — because it's not completely wrecked — talking to a friend we've never met before. The episode soon clarifies what is going on, via flashbacks and security cam footage, but it is a little disorienting at first. Most media that drops us into the action like this includes some narration or something, to give us some footing for what exactly is happening. "Sonic X" just skips from Point A to Point C in the story, which is a little awkward. I thought maybe my playlist had skipped an episode or something. 

But anyway... Let me tell you what this episode is actually about, kids: Racism! This episode's entire plot is based around the presumption that nobody on Earth can tell hedgehogs apart. The reason G.U.N. is after Sonic is because they think he looks the same as Shadow. When a news program shows footage of Shadow stealing the Emerald, they say that it's Sonic doing it. After watching that clip, Chuck Thorndyke agrees that it looks like Sonic. In the flashback to Eggman's first meeting with Shadow, even he mistakes the black hedgehog for Sonic at first. This is despite the fact that Sonic and Shadow don't actually look that much alike. They're different colors, they have different shaped spines, their shoes and gloves are different, and Shadow has a prominent plum of manly chest hair that Sonic lacks. 

In the game, we could chalk this case of mistaken identity up to bad writing. "Sonic X" changes the context a little bit. There's a scene where the President's new advisor — who I think is suppose to be Latina despite her name being "Christina Cooper" — refers to Sonic as a "beast" who must be captured. Later, we see Jerome Wise hanging out in the sewer with some homeless people, who get into an argument about whether Sonic is good or bad. The cops and G.U.N. uncritically chase Sonic, nobody ever once wondering if this crimes he's accused of match his previous actions. It's like they see someone who is different from them, a different color from them even, and their ability to process the situation logically goes out the window. Almost like they've all been waiting for this strange foreigner to start acting out, so they can start attacking him. If that's not an example of American society's build-in prejudice, I don't know what is.

But the kids watching this cartoon in 2004 probably didn't care about that. Instead, they were probably more hyped for Shadow's proper first appearance on this cartoon show. It's something the episode milks for as long as it can, giving us fleeting glimpses of Shadow or leaving his face in the, uh, shadows. He doesn't actually reveal himself until half-way through the episode. Shadow immediately establishes what he's all about. He uses his Chaos powers to teleport all over the damn place and draw some glowy golden arrows out of the sky. He belittles Sonic, which seems to suggest he's a conceited asshole. The "Sonic" equivalent of the Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy. 

Yet the episode makes sure to give us hints at Shadow's secret backstory, with two brief shout-outs to Maria. It's all very calculated, Shadow clearly being characterized as a Bad Boy with a Sensitive Side. You can so easily imagine a teenager girl saying "he's not really an asshole. You don't know him like I do!" The soft but deep voice the Japanese audio gives him just seems to emphasize this. These cliched elements of Shadow's personality, all a very clear attempt to make him appealing to younger fans, is why I had a problem with the character for a while. "Sonic X" doesn't really defy any of that in this first episode but I'll guess we'll see if the show can bring any depth to this here broody goth teenager.

What makes Shadow more interesting is the interaction he has with Sonic. It just takes a few punches and kicks to the face and body from Sonic's dark-furred doppelgänger to render him helpless. Shadow makes sure to rub it in by saying that he could've killed Sonic if he had taken his S&M handcuffs off. As I've mentioned roughly thirty-three times before, the "X" version of Sonic can usually steam-roll any threat with minimal effort. To be beaten so soundly by someone — especially a guy who's him but stronger — is not just a physical loss to Sonic. It's a mental one too. That's why the episode ends with him brooding in a jail cell. Sonic is used to being the toughest guy on the planet. Shadow besting him in seconds is a serious blow to his ego. 

By this point, I've complained endlessly about "Sonic X's" lifeless adaptation of the first "Sonic Adventure." The "Adventure 2" adaptation has already been more pragmatic than that. I guess the nature of the story, of Sonic being pursued by G.U.N., forces the cartoon to bring the government side of things more into focus. This includes a subplot about Mr. Stewart and Scarlett Garcia investigating Project: Shadow. I'm still not sure where that's going. This show is so determined to bring "Sonic Adventure 2's" plot into its world that this episode actually focuses more on Chris than Tails or Amy. Whether you enjoy watching Chris Thorndyke angst about missing his furry blue friend is a matter of opinion. But it's preferable to the show just limply re-enacting the events of the video game.

Maybe this is a budgetary decision. This episode doesn't have too much action. There's a brief scene of Sonic being chased by some G.U.N. drones. (Who, hilariously, do way more damage to the surrounding city than they do Sonic.) Later, Sonic briefly fights a Big Foot and Big Shot mech, blasting through them stiffly. Shadow's powers are animated very cheaply, with some slow-mo shots of him banging on Sonic or exploding some robots with a hand motion. The real indicator that maybe money was tight during this episode's production is now hilariously awkward it looks when Shadow is running alongside Sonic. In the games, Shadow's rocket shoes letting him glide along the ground was satisfying to play. In a cartoon show, especially when he's catching up to a super fast character by leisurely skating next to him, it looks goofy as shit. 

Despite its flaws, I did enjoy this episode. The show already seems to be incorporating the second game's events into its world more organically than the first one. Rouge seducing her way into Eggman's inner circle is fun to watch too, even if I'm not sure it makes any sense. Once again, "Sonic X" is at its best when exploring how the residents of Earth react to the blue hedgehog's presence on this planet. [7/10]