Team Dark Needs More
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- Опубликовано: 10 окт 2024
- Team Dark is a crew beloved by many Sonic fans. their contrasting personalities allow for deep storytelling. i desperately want for Team Dark to come back, and i know many others agree with me. in today's video i'll be talking about my love for this team, and expressing my hopefulness for them to come together once again in the games
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@valentinecooki
links to respected owner's videos:
Sonic The Hedgehog (2006): Sonic's Story - All Cutscenes [1080p]:
• Sonic The Hedgehog (20...
Sonic Heroes - Team Dark Cutscenes:
• Sonic Heroes - Team Da...
[Sega Dreamcast] Sonic Adventure 2: Dark Story - All Cutscenes:
• [Sega Dreamcast] Sonic...
Shadow the Hedgehog (GC) Death Ruins All Missions A Rank:
• Shadow the Hedgehog (G...
Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) [Shadow] (No Commentary):
• Sonic the Hedgehog (20...
Sonic The Hedgehog (2006): Shadow's Story - All Cutscenes [1080p]:
• Sonic The Hedgehog (20...
Sonic Heroes [Team Dark] (No Commentary):
• Sonic Heroes [Team Dar...
consider subscribing if you love character commentaries and laid back ramblings about the Sonic characters. more commentaries, gameplay, analysis videos to come!
at 12:42 there’s an editing error so don’t mind that. i swear i can count it’s just an editing error 💀
Marry me
@@dounuts665s …What?
@@KeenEyeStudios i was on weed
Shadow working for gun to keep an eye on them and make sure they dont do anything stupid is something I've headcannoned for year's. It just makes sense
The president says he wants to do better when talking to the gun soldier at the end of shadow 05, so it isn't too far fetched for him to join gun
For real, he knows they will do something dumb if he doesn’t keep an eye on them. Plus, he gets to know all the secrets they are hidden if Rouge wants to help (cause there is no way Shadow is getting near a computer haha).
Honestly, it is your headcannon, so you can headcannon whatever you want, that's cool, but for me, that doesn't really works for their characters and the story of the games
Shadow's relationship with Rouge and Omega is made because each one of them knows they can't stop each other in their objectives, Shadow KNOWS he can't stop Rouge because she's free to do whatever she wants and that's how she likes to play, her theme song is all about that, about how she will not be tamed, not lean upon anyone and how she can go by herself, and Omega... although he has MANY destructive thoughts and does many of them without thinking, Shadow knows he can't stop Omega too, after all, Omega is REALLY strong and can easily take down Shadow if he gets on his way, it was Omega the one to help trapping Shadow in the future after all
It's also important to note that Shadow never in fact worked for GUN, as pointed out by Sonic 06's manual, he was called by the President in the name of GUN to help Rouge in White Acropolis, but never was an official agent, Shiro Maekawa, the writter of most 2000s games AND Shadow's creator alongside Takashi Iizuka, said that Shadow wouldn't fit the gig
@@DaFunniGuy T#ats Important lore...you s#ould tell people some#ow🤔
I also headcannon of Shadow working his way up through G.U.N ranks from Agent to General based on episode 6 of Sonic and Tails R, an audio series made by Emi Jones.
for omega; i like that he comforts rouge near the end of their campaign in his own calculated, logical way. i thought that was pretty cool and sweet.
💯
In the same vein, I like how after the Metal Overlord battle, it is implied that both him and Shadow look after Metal Sonic, with the implied bond of artificial, weaponized beings (and that it works for both possibilities of Shadow's true identity at this point in Heroes, as either the ultimate life form, or one of the androids)
Also the time in 06 when he tells Shadow he's the one who will seal him away, I like to see it as him figuring out it would hurt Shadow more if he didn't know until it was too late, and therefore prefering brutal robotic honesty to secrecy for the sake of his friend/ally/whatever
Though I don't know the story of 06 as much, so maybe not. But I like this interpretation
Omega and Rouge are in the poster for Shadow's prologue for Shadow generations, so they might make an appearance!
oh you’re right! i’m so sad i didn’t get my hands on one of those posters
I hope this means Team Dark may be making a comeback
Even more than that, Omega is in the open zone in Shadow gens. And if shadows character has gotten so much better over the last year, unconfident Omega and Rouge will get that same treatment.
I'm looking forward to future depictions of team dark.@@valentinescookies.
THEY'RE AWESOME!
@@hopeshines632 My comment sure aged well
I swear, I adore Team Dark so much because they are all outcasts, all pariahs or seen as people who were all abandoned by the world that made them, and yet instead of going against that world, they all choose to work to better the world that abandoned them and to do their best to help others without often being seen. I really like Omega and Shadow's bond because they were both man-made beings that were made only to be weapons and beings of destruction who were nothing more than tools to their creators and yet, both of them grew to form their own identities and work to be better people rather than being the weapons they were made to be. I love Rouge and Shadow's dynamic as she allows Shadow to grow and be able to lower his walls because she becomes his moral compass and his pillar as she is often loyal and even when she doesn't have a stake in a scene or story, she will always be there for her friends and allies because she cares for them. The fact that both Shadow and Rouge trust and confide in each other during their toughest times shows how much they all care for each other and whether people see them as platonic or romantic, what is true is that they both trust and rely on each other to deal with whatever threat they see together. I just love this team and their dynamic and I hope they can all get some growth as a team later down the line.
To be fair, Omega absolutely chooses to be the weapon Eggman made him to be, he just does so in opposite to Eggman.
@@DatDude0925 Oh understandable but I do like how Omega still chooses to choose what he does rather than blindly follow Eggmans orders, he might be a weapon but one with purpose
Team Dark are my absolute faves when it comes to the Sonic trios. Shadow and Rouge's dynamic has always been my favourite of any characters because they help each other be better; Shadow allows Rouge to be more than just "the flirty jewel thief" and Rouge allows Shadow to open up and be vulnerable about his trauma.
They've always given me married couple vibes tbh because whilst they never kiss or hug, it's clear that they share a deep connection with one another and have immense care for each other. If any ship was gonna be canon (tho in my eyes, it'd be a kind of unspoken canon like Whisper and Tangle) it should be them.
Gerald didn’t build Shadow to be a weapon he created Shadow to be a friend and cure for Maria. Don’t forget in Shadow the Hedgehog Gerald called Shadow “My son” I don’t like the fact that he throws the picture away...
@@lordmonarch2995 Okay I get where you are coming from and let me make a small statement. Yes,I do agree that Shadow was treated like a son by Gerald but due to the deal with Black Doom and the Black Arms, he was still classified as a weapon. But what really matters is that despite what Shadow was created to do, whether that be a hero or a weapon, he still decided to be his own person and decide his own fate, no matter what
Team Dark need their own game.
I totally agree! However, because the Sonic series has this unfair reputation for having "too many stupid characters" and people seem determined to throw so much hatred on them, even when they're arguably at their best, the chances of them getting their own game is slim to none!
@@bowmaj8666 true they need
@@epsyblue7714 LOUDER! 👏
That’s not true, Sega is actually open to giving characters their own games at this point. Also they have had their own games before. Tails, Knuckles, Shadow. I think Eggman got his own game, don’t quote me on that. But yeah we’re in an age where Sega is more open minded to fan opinions
@@lordmonarch2995 While we have had other characters getting their own spinoff games, like Tails' Adventure, Tails' Sky Patrol, Knuckles Chaotix and Shadow the Hedgehog, they weren't exactly the most well received games. The problem is that common fan consensus is basically "NEVER GIVE ANY SONIC CHARACTER WHO ISN'T SONIC THEIR OWN GAME AGAIN! THESE CHARACTERS SUCK, SO THEM HAVING THEIR OWN GAME IS GOING TO SUCK TOO!" That just seems a bit unfair. Sonic's friends have practically always been the series scapegoats, and people seem to think that if Sega sidelines them, or just outright scraps them, then the games will automatically be better. It's like their attitude is "I hate these characters! EVERYONE hates these characters! And anyone who claims that they do is just some furry who does gross things to cringey crayon pictures of Sonic characters on Deviant Art!"
The worst part is that it genuinely feels like Sega are ultimately listening to this nonsense. We've had over a decade's worth of Sonic games where Sonic's friends are not only barely playable, but their personalities have also been flanderized to the point where they're barely allowed to do anything worthwhile in the story. It's like the people at Sega are going "Oh you hate these characters? You think that they're annoying and useless? WELL SO DO WE!!!! Yeah, look at how annoying and useless they are! Look at Tails cowering from enemies! Can you imagine if he tried to take on the bad guys all by himself? How ridiculous would that be? He'd get his butt kicked without the awesome, flawless Sonic to save the day! Look at lame-o Knuckles! HERPY DERP, ain't he silly? What a moron! Look, he can't even read! Oh and there's Shadow the.... EDGE-HOG! HA, GET IT? Cos he's an emo, edge lord! Rouge the Bat? The less said about her the better, am I right? Don't do a Google search of her without safe search on, am I right? And that robot thing? Well he's not an important character, right?"
Just straight up flanderizing them like that isn't doing the series any good. Ironically, all it does is make them worse than they were to begin with. And it really does feel like Sega are only recently starting to put effort into their portrayals, yet it also feels like the damage has been done and Sega are still reluctant to utilise them too much. Frontiers gave us the arguably best written versions of Tails, Knuckles and Amy in years, yet they were still grounded on the sidelines. Sure, they eventually got to be playable, but it was DLC; almost like they were still an afterthought.
I think that's what bothers me most of all. It's almost like Sega are letting the most negative of naysayers, the harshest of critics, and even Sonic haters and detractors ultimately dictate what can and can't be in a Sonic game. That has never felt right to me.
In the Dark Beginnings teaser, there was a moment that gives me a lot of faith that they’ll be willing to explore his relationships again
“Wait here. I’ll be back. I promise”.
Those three lines, the way they’re delivered-
THATS WHATS BEEN MISSING FROM SHADOW.
They’re so incredibly kind and empathetic.
So I’m hoping that bodes as well as it seems to
In shadow 05's expert mode, the GUN general invites shadow to dinner, so maybe they made up and that's why he joined GUN
It might be a part of it, but I still think that Shadow wanting to ensure GUN isn't up to anything shady is the main reason. He works for them to ensure they never repeat the atrocities they commited 50 years ago.
Definitely a contributing factor
@alexbaribeault And there's a line that has Commander remarking that he's recently become a grandfather and he's thinking of bringing him over which suggests he's gotten over his hatred to feel comfortable inviting Shadow over.
omega reassured rouge that if all the shadow androids exist, the original must still be around to copy from, and i think that was very sweet
Omega is criminally underused. Not only is he just so damn bad ass, but he also grants the unique perspective, if skewed, of an eggman robot that talks. Through him we can understand what eggman robots perceive.
From the interview with izuka, we now know that shadow only works with gun when it involves protecting humanity and the earth that maria loved so much. Hes doing it for her
100% agreed. Team Dark should absolutely come back. Great video
IN MY OPINION
Shadow does what he thinks will help the most people. If that means he has to do something bad, he’ll do it. He doesn’t want the work he did to be in vain, so he does it in a harsh way to prevent it all from going down the drain. I don’t think he is proud of everything he does, but he will stand by it. Rouge even though she wants the riches, will tend to lean towards the more moral side. She is logical and has a different view from shadow. Omegas goal is to eradicate Eggman robots. He does whatever he can to do that. Rouge and Shadow have different points of view but respect each others, even if they don’t agree all the time. Shadow and omega work best as a force of destruction. Omega and Rouge are logical together. Feel free to disagree and tell me your opinions fellow commenters
God I miss this trio. They were so wholesome, and I loved that Rouge and Shadow were able to find someone they could be authentic with.
Rouge typically uses her charms and flirtatious behaviour to get what she wants, but unlike other guys she's encountered Shadow isn't phased by this facade she puts on. Having someone who has no reaction to her charms allows Rouge to just be authentic and real with Shadow and Omega. I especially enjoy the Shadow Fall comic where Rouge tells Shadow she trusts him and feels that she can be herself around him.
Shadow on the other hand usually puts up this front of "I'm the Ultimate Lifeform and I need no one!" but with Rouge and Omega he allows himself to be a little more vulnerable and open about his emotions and inner conflicts. Plus, I've noticed he smiles more when he's around Rouge; clearly he enjoys her company and the comradery she provides.
Omega is allowed to be more than just another of Eggman's killing machines. Rouge and Shadow treat him like a friend instead of just a weapon of mass destruction, and this in turn allows Omega to realise there's more to life than just killing (not to say that he doesn't enjoy that tho...).
_All this to say:_ *BRING THEM BACK, SEGA!!!!!!! ENOUGH WITH THE "SHADOW THE FRIENDLESS EDGELORD" SHIT!!!!!!*
Team Dark is a solid contrast to team Sonic, they are people who have had a hard life rejected, feared, and not trusted but are always willing to do anything for the greater good. Where team Sonic is loved and revered for there good deeds they are praised for saving lives and others inspire to follow in there footsteps.
I love it, I also see both teams as sort of found family: Team Sonic's brotherly bonds, Sonic and Knuckles having a playful rivalry and supporting their little bro, Tails and as you said for Team Dark, a band of misfits and rejects who found solace and community in one another who will do morally grey things for a better future
@@SenkokiIt's one of the reasons as to why I love the Sonic franchise their characters have this dichotomy to them that make them work and build of each other so effectively, while still managing to have a solid character theme and ideal for each of them.
Rouge is an outcast? An anti heroine yes but outcast? Since when?
@@lordmonarch2995 Rouge, may not he an outcast like Shadow or Omega but she is a thief by trade not really someone most people would openly associate with.
They’re either a 50-year-old, his lady friend, and their immature robot child or Rouge trying to keep Shadow and Omega from doing something stupid every five seconds. There is no in-between.
Shadow,Rouge and Omega deserve their own game. A Team Dark spin-off game!
Omega is my favorite member of Team Dark and I can't help but wish he had more to do and more character moments with his team and others
Me too, but it seems that as long as people are whining about "Sonic's stupid friends", and as long as Sega insists on appeasing these whiners, it'll never happen!
@@bowmaj8666 Much to our dismay, He's funny,cool and can match Shadow even
He deserves more credit and attention, those whinners can suck on a sol emerald
One of Sonic 06’s few redeeming qualities was seeing the trio at their best. It was obviously Shadows story, but both Rouge and Omega played a crucial role in his character growth, while also having their own moments to shine. I was so happy when the Very Hard Mode stages let you play as them all.
Preach! Loved their role in that game
For being a robot that hates eggman a lot, Omega has some surprisingly good character moments.
Reassuring Rouge that Shadow can still be out there in Heroes. Also the scene where Metal Sonic reverts back to normal and him and shadow pick him up and just stare at each other. Idk why, but as a kid this one always stood at a lot.
Immediately recognizing Shadow as the original and assisting him in the robot empire ending in Shadow 05.
The scene where he's shooting at Mephiles and his response when Mephiles tells him that he sealed shadow in the future is to angrily shoot at him more.
Things i have to say.
It makes more sense to me that Shadow works for gun on a turn of circumstance. Especially after his game (shadow the hedgehog) where he is basically out to everyone and we get the full truth of his existence.
GUN keep Shadow under surveillance and Shadow works for them to keep a foot in the action.
This makes sense, especially when you learn what Omega is for (even if it's an eggman backup, not GUN) .
I really like the idea that Shadow does the same too tho'.
Speaking of Omega, his existence is often overlooked.
In Sonic heroes, we think he was here to protect Shadow's capsule from intruder but then just assume he attacked shadow because of his resentment of Eggman.
But no.
He was actually doing his job.
Omega job WAS to defeat Shadow. It always has been.
It's after Rouge stopped the fight and conciliated Omega and Shadow that he was convinced to join them to get revenge on eggman for feelling abandonned by his creator.
We learn of Omega true purpose especially in Sonic 06. Where we find Omega DEAD in the apocalyptic future, but its Omega himself that reveal to Shadow and Rouge that he was the one who defeated Shadow in Silver's future through his sacrifice.
It's in Sonic 06 that he did his job and actually succeed on his death. (We even see him soloing Mephiles before his second transformation, which is hilarious.)
As for Rouge, everything was said. Got nothing to add.
Someone tell that to SomeCallMeJohnny.
For me personally, I just hope the Sonic Movie Franchise can bring Team Dark back together again in a future Sonic movie. (Or in a Shadow the Hedgehog spin-off film) I can only imagine how awesome and effective they'll be in live action together as a team, especially when they fight bad guys.
“I call dibs”
I thought I wasn't going to put my stake in this but I'm gonna. A load of these points hit right for me, so I'm prepared to go out on a full ramble.
Team Dark has so much untapped potential, it's sad to think what could have been were it not for the, "Oh, Shadow's not allowed friends now lol". I agree that Rouge and Omega should at least remain as close allies to Shadow because I feel that Team Dark's overall dynamic is really unspoken. They show a lot about what they feel for each other through actions and attitudes. Although the animation is never flawless, you can see facial expressions and eye movements that are so telling on where they (especially Rouge and Shadow) stand with each other. More often than not, they reveal their loyalty in such a low-key way, rather than announcing it to the audience like Team Sonic would. Shadow probably never would admit Omega and Rouge are his friends and perhaps the rest of Team Dark have their reservations around that label too, but they should have the opportunity to work together again and have that tight-knit dynamic resurface. Personally, I love the 'found family' trope for this team and I headcanon them to be as such - in a domestic setting. But I know in a canon context, that would not be the case for these three. Still, I want them back as a team, at the very least :((
I was only really introduced to the fandom about a year ago, so I had no idea Shadow's G.U.N. agent arc was so controversial ?? I did believe that it was a very mature decision on Shadow's part and I felt like it showed a whole lot of growth in moving forward from his trauma. But now hearing this headcanon that maybe his recruitment with G.U.N. was tactical... Ooh, that strikes something in me and I had this nonsensical, floating idea that yes. Shadow is quite a clever character and it would be a good move for him to keep an eye on G.U.N. I'll bet his relationship with the organisation and vice versa is a wary one. Shadow knows what he's capable of and G.U.N. knows that too, being on the other end of the stick for a time. They probably have to mediate constantly over what's going to cause the least unrest for both parties. I'm sure there were so many complicated variables over this. But I like the idea of G.U.N. agent Shadow getting into some kind of influential position in the organisation to hopefully make some kind of change to a corrupt system, in order to prevent something like the devastation on the ARK happening again. But that's just a pipe dream and Sega would never (it'd probably be a boring route to go down too ugh).
Rouge and Omega definitely need more in terms of character. Sure, Omega's character motivations are simple but he could have such a big personality and I think Rouge (the glue of the group) could do that ! Rouge could be so much more than what Sega has given her. She's incredibly intelligent, loyal and has a pretty good intuition on particular things. I also find she's fairly good at keeping both Shadow and Omega in check, being kind of like the mother hen of the group. I loved her being the founder of Team Dark and she was the one leading them throughout Heroes, presenting this responsible leader-type side to her. You can tell she cares for these ratbags by how she acts and reacts to them and-
I want it all back. Team Dark could be iconic in more modern releases, if they'd just let it. So much untapped potential. It's so sad. I love this team of misfits and I miss them
THEY'RE BACK
Shadow is the type of person who will see a goal and head straight for it. He doesn't meander, he doesn't do side quests, he just goes from point A to point B in a straight line, destroying anything that stops him from reaching that goal.
"Head straight for your goal by any means, cause there's a door that you've never opened. There is a window with a view you've never seen.. Get there no matter how long it takes."
Big comment ahead (you have been warned):
Team Dark (the current one AND the SA2 one) is my second favorite Team in the Sonic series, after Team Chaotix, but I don't think they ever messed up with Team Dark to be honest with you, I LIKE the way they are and interact in Sonic Forces, and even in Team Sonic Racing, they don't hate each other and have respect for eachone's decisions, but they thing is that I kinda agree with the fact that they're not friends?
For me, the most amazing thing with their relationship is that even though they don't have friend bounds and could betray each other at any moment, they know that's how one another roll and are okay with that, and at the same time they are the only ones who trust each other more than anyone else, it's like they KNOW they can betray each other but have a bond stronger than family, they're not friends, they're allies who trust each other with their lives
Everyone irl always mentions how "friends are not the people who just agrees with everything you do, even when they're bad stuff, but the people who corrects and argues with you when you do something wrong", and that's the thing, Shadow, Rouge and Omega don't argue with each other when they think they're doing something they consider "wrong" because they know each other and know that's how they are and nothing they do will change them
We all know Shadow, just like Sonic, he does what he believes is right, and unlike Sonic will take everything that gets on his way if he needs to do so, Rouge knows that, and she'll not stop him, and Rouge is the same thing, she's "fated not to be tamed", she'll always Fly in the Freedom, no one will ever tell her what to do because that's how she likes, if she needs to get something, she'll "betray" her temporary allies, she plays by her own rules to get what is good for her
I think Sonic Channel's descriptions of their relationship are on POINT not just for "today's" Team Dark, but for Team Dark in general, like Shadow and Rouge are described in one of the Sonic Channel wallpapers: they're just like business partners, they don't get in each other's way, but unlike business partners they have a surprisingly big amount of trust in each other
And we can even see that in older games, every time Team Dark is reunited, it's only because of a common interest, they'll for sure HELP one another, but they only get togheter by something that drags them into the same place, in Sonic Adventure 2 AND Heroes they make Team Dark purely for their selfish desires only, in SA2, Shadow wants to destroy the world, Eggman wants to conquer the world and Rouge wants to find out about the Project Shadow, the team even ends up breaking because Shadow discovers Rouge was an agent and Eggman discovers Shadow was manipulating him to destroy everyone, and in Heroes, Shadow wants to find who he is, Rouge wants treasure, and Omega wants to destroy Eggman, in 06 Shadow only finds Rouge because the president sends him to rescue her in White Acropolis, even in Sonic Forces they keep this trend, they're going once again to destroy the Eggman Empire and invade one of Eggman's bases in their own way
Even in older games you can see that interaction of them where they don't want eachother to get on their way, in Sonic Battle Shadow clearly says to Rouge to not get on his way in which Rouge replies "same to you", in Sonic Rivals 2, Shadow doesn't want to tell Rouge what he's after, but after Rouge insists, saying she'll tell him what she's after in response, Shadow says it, and she flees without telling her information which makes Shadow follow her around, even in Sonic X, which although not being canon, has the hand of Sonic Team, just like IDW has, Rouge uses Maria's name to manipulate Shadow, saying her name so he would get in pain and stop reacting and thinking, and there are other moments like that in the games
And the moments where they show trust and respect towards one another still happens too to this day, things like Rouge telling Shadow she'll be there even if the world turns against him, still happens, in Sonic Forces they really DO act like a Team that looks for eachother and KNOW how they are, Omega enters Arsenal Pyramid and starts a rampage and Shadow immediatly says "you should've known better than to send Omega in a stealth operation" and when Rouge tells Shadow to go check on Omega he replies that he was already on it, without her even telling him he already was going after Omega to look out for him, or when Shadow gets trapped into Infinite's illusion, Rouge cares about him and tries to contact him for a while, saying that he vanished for months and was talking nonsense, they still care for each other as a team, but they also have always been about going after their own purposes
I think you pretty much nailed it on the head, good job~
I can't stand Sonic 06, but I can't deny that the "I'll fight like I always have" moment is really cool.
shadow: i am a loner i hate everyone and i have no friends
rouge and omega: are we fucking jokes to you?????
My favorite team to play as in THE GOATED GAME HEROES
Regarding Shadow, I think having Rouge and Omega as a support to him is really good. After all that trauma he got through he really needed someone to show him compassion. The examples you shown of Sonic 06 cutscenes showcase how much he trusts in Rouge and Omega. That one Heroes cutscene shows that even Shadow can joke around sometimes. I see Shadow working for GUN as a way of him saying "the past is in the past" and that he forgave what GUN did to his best friend Maria. I also understand why ppl say he keeps an eye on them so they dont commit any grave mistakes in the future tho, his purpose is to "give people a chance to be happy" afterall. I think as time went by Shadow just started focusing more on getting his missions done without any mistakes rather than on his team so we dont get much Team Dark nowadays. As for Rouge, her sassy attitude adds charm to the team. Her playful nature definetely brightens up the team's mood, and I wish to see that whenever she's introduced in the movie universe. As you said, her personality should be explored further more, I think shes a really cool character with lotsa potential. Finnaly, Omega. Hes really funny, being a dark humour comic relief to the team. Him only wanting to destroy Eggman's robots and give an end to the Eggman empire is really funny for some reason. Whenever he gets sentimental, even if he cant show emotion, you can feel that through his big ol' metal body. I think Team Dark will return in Sonic X Shadow Gens, at least in the prologue animation so thats pretty cool!!
Wish granted!
I really like Sonic characters because they are all so complex. They all have multi-layer personality and wants and likes and deep connections with others. I just wish Sega could see the potential that us fans do.
i like how team dark acts like a family for misfits for all the characters. rouge shadow and omega don't fit into the "normal" sonic cast so them having their own little team is so sweet. team dark is more of a family than a team where, despite being different people, they all know what they're thinking in combat or just in general, their bonds go beyond just friendship. i really wish we could get a team dark game or story in a game because i really want to see more of them since i love team dark to death they're all so cute together 😭😭
finally a fellow rouge respecter
Rouge and Omega are exactly what Shadow needed. Rouge is Shadow's ride or die homie, and Omega seems the kind of bot to be like "you miss with them, you get the gat".
Team Dark is a truly beautiful trio that needs all the love. I did a fanfiction a few years ago that expands upon Episode Shadow for Sonic Forces.
Rouge is such an interesting character. To me, she comes across as a character who is over qualified for her job as a spy, so she'll only do it if it interests her or if she can get something out of it. She also doesn't seem to be a thief because she wants money. It seems more like she steals because she likes jewels and other shiny things in of themselves. Almost like how some adults will buy a lot of fruit or candy because they never got those things as a child. It's like she is overcompensating for something she never had growing up. My guess is that her family was really poor when she was a kid, so she never got nice looking things. And as a way to compensate for that she collects things that catch her eye.
Fr Rouge is in my favorite sonic character and i wish she had more screen time!
I do appreciate character analysis videos
7.8.24
Team Dark needs more, and Team Chaotix needs the most so lets hope they both are handled pretty well
Imo I didn't really see much problem with Shadow working for GUN, even though they're the same ones that ended his beloved long lost partner's life, in a sense him joining GUN kinda fulfills Maria's dying wish, to give humanity a chance and make them happy and helping the world be a better place, and it also shows that Shadow is ready to come to terms with his past and move on. I do like the "keep your friends close and your enemies closer" interpretation about Shadow joining GUN though.
And about Omega, he doesn't have much depth as the other two Team Dark members, but I think the main premise of his character boils down fo him being about freedom and breaking away from Eggman. He was made to be just a regular robot pawn for Eggman (probably also relating to how Shadow was intended to be a military weapon for GUN and a creation of Black Doom which would be used to collect the Chaos Emeralds for his own plans), but he rebels and joins hands with Rouge and Shadow. I think "Waking Up" from the Shadow the Hedgehog game perfectly describes this, even though it was mainly intended for Shadow. I might be taking this too seriously but that's just how I view Omega in a deeper sense.
(Also I can definitely understand you fangirling over the Shadow moments in 06, those are fucking peak moments)
YESSS TEAM DARK FOUND FAMILY REALNESS
Also 14:00 this. I love this trope too, that's why Metal Sonic is my all time favorite and why she's at her strongest when she's expressing herself.
To me, Rouge and Omega are the ones Shadow feels most comfortable opening up to. They give him his space and don’t make a big deal about it. Rouge is one of the few people Shadow will listen to. A moment that sticks with me of recent times is issue 59 in IDW. When Shadow and Omega fell as the buildings collapsed, Rouge was clearly worried about them. You could even tell she was shaking a bit. Even though this was when they weren’t “suppose to be a team,” it shows how much Rouge does care about them. I always took Omega’s constant bombardment on Mephiles as his frustration of being told he would seal Shadow away. Yes, he’s destructive and wants to prove which one of them is the ultimate, but he doesn’t want that. Shadow Fall in Sonic Universe just feels like one of the absolute best portrayals of them for me. Even when Shadow is being controlled, Rouge and Omega still try to get through to him. They even have their own heart to heart moment. They are (and i mean this in an affectionate way) a destructive, unstable found family, and I love them for it!
i gained a huge liking for team dark this past year, i really hope they play a big role in shadow generations
This team is basicly, james bond/nico belieck, batcatwoman, and thundercleese. And i love them
I can appreciate your desire for Omega to get more spotlight but I'd hone in on Rouge personally. She's got the most potential for Sega to actually treat her like a real character again (maybe even in Frontiers 2) but Omega is unfortunately unlikely to get the same. Buuuut, if we see a full return to Team Dark one day, I'll come back to this vid and say you told me so and we can celebrate cause MAN that'd be sick. Here's to hoping, my friend 🤞
I agree. I wish we had more team dark moments. With shadow working for gun i was with the crowd saying it was dumb because it was cool to say it was dumb, but its a tough move for Shadow to put the past behind him and move forward. exactly what his theme song in his game talks about Never Turn Back. It can be to keep GUN close to him or have him make sure they dont step out of line, but it's much stronger than that. He has his own identity and agency. He has friends who respect him and will back him up even if he outwardly doesn't show it. He chooses to work for GUN because its his choice. Maria and Gerald may not like that decision because GUN essentially got what they wanted, but Shadow is his own man with his own thoughts and feelings and chooses not to be used as their weapon. Something that he gained from Sonic and his friend's getting in his way in SA2, Heroes and Shadow, and morphing it into something positive from Sonic Battle and ownwards into 06. He's doing this because he wants to do it as his promise to Maria. He's not good on the humanitarian side as she would probably be, but he can fight and protect and that's something he knows how to do well so no one would end up like Maria or Gerald ever again.
First of all, great video as usual. Glad I found your channel. I don't think you were reading too much into anything with Shadow standing his ground. Especially since 06 does have that whole "between him or the world, it's him" thing going on with the hedgehog trio in that game. I see Shadow joining GUN as him having let go of his past (not in the sense that he'd forgotten it but won't let it determine his present). If "humanity" turns against him, he'll deal with them then and likely only the ones against him unlike in SA2 but Mephiles as Shadow's foil, would just go against all of humanity.
Also, in the StH expert mode, I think the GUN commander apologizes and even invites Shadow over after becoming a grandfather (in the English version at least). Plus the Team Dark interactions are neat, especially with Omega's funny dialogue.
And yeah, lotta the robot characters in the Sonic franchise have a tendency to be self-sacrificial good-boys so maybe some that stick around would be cool. I think Omega has to have some kind of potential as a character, and same for the founder (and maybe leader?) of Team Dark, Rouge. Can't wait to see what happens with them all in SxS:G.
Almost forgot but I think I understood why your shadow video blew up, or at least part of it when you asked about it last video. It's that as the video goes on, you actually sound super genuine and passionate the subject.
ALSO… that idea about the timeline without Amy from the other video is such a fun idea. This is mostly just off the top of my head but without Amy, the timeline probably is disastrous.
Maybe (a Super?) Shadow tries to defeat Sonic, he's probably saved but works with Eggman (with dubiously authentic trust on both sides). Metal Sonic might force the heroes and Eggman into a battle of attrition if they don't have the emeralds for who-knows-how-long. As the Black Comet arrives during Metal's take over, Eggman probably finds Emerl and whole other bunch of chaotic stuff happens.
Worst of all, Shadow might not trust or be friends with Rouge, Omega would be fine with Eggman if he got to test himself against Shadow regularly, Shadow might just leave when he finds out about his clones and joins the Black Arms out of betrayal and they never become close friends.
I don't if I'll ever make Sonic videos myself like I want to but if I do, that's gotta be a what if video, series or something I talk about.
Lately ive been extremely interested in Rouges character, and where she fits in. Because back in the day she was mainly seen with team dark and GUN. Now that they aren’t a part of GUN anymore (I think) and she hangs out with sonics friends more then team dark. I feel like what Rouge stands for is being stretched and I just find it interesting.
She still loves treasure, but she usually gives the jewls up when it’s morally correct. She still cares about shadow more then anyone, but she lets him do his own thing, leaving her to hang out with sonic lately. And now that she isn’t a GUN spy, she tends to gather information to help team Sonic just out of the blue.
I’m curious to see what they decide to do team dark in the future
I think they're pushing Rogue with Sonic because they want another female character in the group and she's the most popular/easy to use. They could use Cream or Sticks or Trip, but Rogue is just more widely known.
@@mysticdigital5936that’s probably right. In the new Sonic dream team game they had Rouge and cream along with the main group.
It seems that she’s back 😁 I honestly really miss GUN and I think team dark should come back along with them.
12:16 Don't worry. You're not alone.
Another Rouge/Shadow moment I can think of is Sonic Free Riders (which I don't like because they were portrayed as jerks). Rouge wanted to win/steal the prize money (which seems dumb to me, they work for the government) and Shadow cared enough to help her.
5:30 i feel like when he started working for G.U.N. Shadow had already come to terms and had already come to accept that G.U.N. was run by different people when they hurt him and are not the same people that are in charge now. And if i recall right in one of the paths in 'Shadow the Hedgehog' its revealed the commander of G.U.N. is Maria's cousin which add credence ro Shadow thinking this way *if* he knows.
Still not over how Sega said Team Dark and money weren't a thing even though both of those things were mentioned in what was the latest Sonic game at the time, Team Sonic Racing.
Also, something also worth noting about Shadow working for G.U.N. is that it was established the commander at the time of Shadow the Hedgehog was also a survivor of the ARK, which I'm surprised few people have noted. Hell, I'm editing this twice now to note that he was also close to Maria
I think sega listened…
Screw what Sega or other Sonic fans say! These guys are a legit family!♥️♥️♥️🔥🔥🔥🤘🤘🤘
7:26 as a Shadow x rouge shipper, you have no idea how much fuel this quote gave me when I was a kid💗
FOR REAL! I wasn’t a shipper until afterwards though. I just saw how compatible their characters were and yeah, it just clicked.
@@evergreen_kate THANK YOU!
This was a really good commentary on team dark. It’s refreshing to hear someone actually notice the awesomeness in earlier sonic games/story
I never was really into sonic: I played the games and watch the shows, but I was still just a bystander towards it. However, watching your videos sparked my growing appreciation for the fandom. Keep doing you girl! You’re awesome!
People forget that 50 years have passed since G.U.N covered up project shadow and murdered Maria. The people in charge of that massacre are dead and the current commander of G.U.N was a childhood friend of Maria's. Shadow working for G.U.N isn't hypocritical since Shadow himself in the same game he's introduced as an agent he says that if the world chooses to become his enemy he'll fight back like he always has. His loyalty to the government isn't absolute and if he sees them overstepping their bounds he'll put a stop to them. The president of the federation is also an admirer of Shadow's and sees him as a hero given what we have seen in Shadow the Hedgehog and they are still on good terms as Shadow says to Rouge he's there because "it's a request from the president." Showing that they are still on good terms. The commander of G.U.N as I have stated before was a friend of Maria's and after the event of Shadow's game is on good terms with Shadow. Him offering Shadow a position and Shadow accepting isn't out of character for either one. As both are survivors of the same event and have moved past their trauma to help the world.
The individuals who abused their power and tried to kill him are gone and the ones who are left either have made amends or were never his enemy to begin with.
Then you also have to remember that while Shadow has moved on from Maria's death she's still an important person in his head. She wouldn't want him to be hung up on holding on to grudges that was the whole point of his character arc SA2 and the hero route in Shadow's game. People who have a problem with him being a G.U.N agent aren't paying attention.
IDW has alot of good Omega moments
Girly I gotta give you a round of applause. I only watched 2 of your videos and I've already subscribed
Preach!! As a 93 baby that freaking love sonic and grew up with him, I always love team dark and their story arc 😏💯💯
Great video you been eating up these open discussions.
thank you lots! i’m happy everyone’s enjoying them!
"He was going to kill children"
10/10 video thank you
Jokes aside, awesome video
Team Darks characterization in 06 is amazing and I wish they leaned mire into that.
I try to cope and say that Sega is starting to use team dark again. Like the small moment in Sonic Forces together, or with Sonic Team Racing, but I want them to come back in full force like the 2000s games. Great video!
i hope shadow gens gives us more team dark moments, like they’re in the dark beginnings poster plsss 🥺
While we don’t specifically have emerl we have gemerl in the idw comics tho I don’t think he had a singular shadow interaction so far but he has went head to head with omega in which he impressed omega and gained his respect afterwards after omega made fun of gemerl for caring too much about others
And speaking of the comics I don’t know how much you know about Archie team dark but the way Archie omega is introduced is A million times better than even the Sonic heroes way. Shadow and e-gamma are sent on a mission to stop a rampaging eggman tech being omega. They both fight omega and can barely stop him. Omega eventually singles out gamma and kills him and just like in idw makes fun of him for basically not being a killing machine. So before he’s destroyed he (somehow) manages to emulate his memories and “emotions” into omegas brain and it gives omega a new outlook. Shadow the entire fight tried to reason with omega because shadow too was being used as a living weapon and he didn’t want that for omega at least not without it being his own choice. Shadow also tries the same reasoning with metal sonic when they both get transported to blazes realm. But when he realizes there’s no changing metal him and blaze team up to destroy metal. Something I like about shadow especially Archie shadow is that he isn’t exactly hesitant to kill but he tries to drag out potential when he sees it but if it’s too big of a threat unlike a problem people have with current idw Sonic he won’t let his wishes get the best of him and he will get the job done
Shadow joining gun makes so much sense not even specifically because Maria told him to protect earth and its inhabitants but because he knows that had she lived that incident it WOULDVE been what she wanted whether she told shadow to or not. Shadow understands that gun was scared and under pressure and simply deleting humanity won’t solve anything because shadow wouldn’t be any better and would’ve been even worse than the soldier that killed Maria. So shadow joins gun to 1. Protect everyone and keep Maria’s wish and 2 because he knows his own power he can confidently ensure people it won’t happen again. I view shadow joining gun with the same significance Sonic has wearing chips bracelet but with a slightly deeper meaning
I always loved Team Dark.They were my favorite team and honestly always will be. However watching this video and hearing you talk about them, made me love them even more!
I got so excited when I saw the smallest glimpse of omega in shadow generations. Thank u for making this video
Shadow, Rouge and Omega are and will ALWAYS be friends with each other, no Sega NPCs saying otherwise will change that fact in my and various others minds.
Team Dark is the classic yet understated ride or die friendship where they don't need to regularly declare each other as friends at all instead it's their actions, chemistry and teamwork that show off the bonds they have despite being seen/treated as outcasts among the main reoccurring cast and why Team Dark is so appealing.
i think the reason shadow works for GUN is because he can kill two birds with one stone, protecting the world and overseeing them so they don't make another mistake as bad as the ark
ok oh my god i dont usually comment on videos but this made me so happy thank you for making this everything about this video is just so AUUUHH
First video I watched of you just want to say I know how hard it is when your health screws with your work flow and creativity as a person with a long term illness I get it. If it makes you feel a little better you just got a new subscriber I love how obsessed with sonic you are with the story and character deep dives, Im gonna binge your videos so good luck hopefully you get past your creative block.
this channel is super underrated, i rlly enjoyed this deep dive! can't wait to see what you do next :]
11:21 nahhhh you did not just hit me with a mephilussies just now 💀
Those past few years, i have started to have a liking towards more things Shadow, and learning about his past and stuff like that. I feel like the bond between Omega, Rouge and Shadow work really well together as they don’t just see each other as people who wirk for the government, they will akways stand by each other through it all and why they should bring the whole team back, imagine if they add the team into the movie
I always imagined Shadow was working for GUN because he thought that thier overall their resources would help him protect the world. So that in tandem with the other listed reason in the video makes sense. Also good point about Rouge, we really don't know a lot about her in comparison to other forefront characters.
From what we've seen from the anime expo panel and the poster given to attendees, even if it isn't for long, im glad rouge and omega seem to be a semi big part for at least one of the episodes. shadow, rouge and omega haven't their time to shine in the past few years, so since shadow is getting that time, i hope rouge and omega get it at one point. I'm just a sucker for sonic characters teaming up and a sucker for these characters..
shoutout to mentioning tails vs shadow at 3:47 my mans shadow was beating everyone on that ship
I think Omega started destroying Eggman's robots because he wanted to be useful to Eggman. His idea was "I will destroy all other Eggman robots so that Eggman is forced to use me", but then through the course of Sonic Heroes he stoped wanting to be useful to Eggman because he had found people who already view him as useful. Shadow and Rouge viewed him as useful just the way he is and he didn't need to prove anything to them. So now he destroys Eggman's robots because he finds it fun, and because in a way it reminds him of his friends who always find him useful regardless of anything.
I like Shadow as a GUN agent because I view it as him having enough mental maturity to understand that the people who are currently working for GUN are not the same people who killed Maria.
People tend to forget that 50 years is a long time. So it's more likely then not that the people who worked for GUN 50 years ago (the people who caused Maria's death) are no longer working there. And to add to this, the people who currently work there weren't even aware about anything that happened during Project Shadow until after Eggman haked their computers. They knew so little that they had to send Rouge to find out what Project Shadow was.
In fact the GUN Commander knew so little about the project that he thought Shadow was the one who killed Maria, based solely on him seeing Black Doom and Gerald Robotnik creating Shadow as a kid.
So I think Shadow joined GUN because he understands that the people who are currently working for/running GUN are not the same people who killed Maria, and they had nothing to do with the incident. That and Rouge works for them, so why not?
Yay! New vid! Glad to see u back and making good videos. Love team dark too.
I had a problem with shadow joining GUN for a while but I was able to rationalize it by thinking of it as a calculated give and take/quid pro quo move. In exchange for himself as a military asset and allowing to be under the surveillance of the commander, he has access to confidential information and clutch resources while keeping an eye on eggman and GUN’s moves at the same time, being able to check agents who take advantage of their position for unethical purposes, like he did in Sonic R episode 6 (despite being non canon)
As for rouge, I think she accepted a deal of not being convicted of her theft and larceny in exchange for her spy services
For omega, I think being in GUN is just a way he can be able to extract revenge on eggman and destroy eggman robots lol
Thank you for putting some respect on Rouge’s name. Women truly make the world go round
YES, I would LOVE to experience Team Dark!
Ah yes two of the hottest characters in gaming. And Rouge.
I head canon (if it's ever been confirmed I've not seen anything about it.) that in 'Shadow the Hedgehog', Rouge had been looking into Shadow's past (perhaps to help him with his amnesia or seeking out the 'real' Shadow) and hired Team Chaotix to look into things while she focused on her responsibilities at GUN. Never mentioning it to Shadow knowing he'd likely not approve or get grief from GUN for poking around for information on his own.
The places that team Chaotix show up in Shadow's game feel odd but purposeful. Eggman's base, GUN's virtual archives, GUN's prison island seeking out top secret disks (whatever those are :P) and of course being on the Ark, being the ones to find Gerald's message to Shadow... and given their reactions it may have been what they'd ultimately been looking for.
Shadow chooses to forget his past life and start fresh but I like to think Rouge eventually told him that she'd done some research on his past but wouldn't tell unless he asked and that he took it as a sign of their friendship. :3
I think the idea of Rouge, Omega, and Shadow working as agents is a very fun idea, and I enjoyed the dynamic they had in sonic 06, but I do kind of wish they were working for an organization other than gun. Even something like an oppositional organization that seeks to expose gun's corruption would make more sense to me.
I like your opinions. It makes a lot of sense and your line of thinking is a very unique perspective on these characters and these games. The first video I watched of yours is when you were talking about Maria. And I never would’ve thought that such an underrated character that’s treated as a mere plot device would have such depth.
Maybe we’ll see more of Team Dark in Shadow Generations? Even just a crumb of it would have the fandom overjoyed XD
Well...
It is the year of Shadow. I do think they’re trying to address the concerns you brought up.
Haven’t watched the whole video yet but, just by reading the title, I’ll say: same. 💔
Team Dark is a group of people that never got what they wanted in life, and so their goal is to help each other get what they want and do what they want.
Team Dark needs their own game
There I said it.
Rouge is literally nothing without team dark.
In Sonic Generation, she's just the sexy girl in the group
In Sonic Prime, she's just "the new girl in the group" that no one except Sonic cares about (she's the only one who doesn't speak at the end of the show if you look closely)
In Dream team, she's just a pest who has no heart (I'm not making this up, she says it herself) and who no one still cares about
The only characters she is good with are Shadow and Omega.
She acts as a gentle and serious leader who looks out for her allies and seeks to help them.
‘i just wanna see shadow’ ur so real this is supposed to be his year and i miss him already😭
The formation Team Dark along with such a brilliant theme song to introduce them in Sonic Hero’s was the cherry on top for me. They’re the most morally ambiguous characters in the Sonic Game series for me and I love gray area characters.
"some things never change, do they" is an interesting line, I wonder if they were intentionally implying he subconsciously remembered Rouge from SA2. Also I've been reading the IDW comics recently and they have some nice Team Dark moments, and an Omega and Gemerl interaction which is nice
I love Omega, i really think he could be the driving force for a game. Them being friends with different motivations that generally align but could diverge, because Omega wants an end to everything Eggman. Even an opposition to Sonic! Because nobody else has goals that involve Eggman necessarily dying, just being stopped, or working with him to defeat a greater evil. Though Omega does have other goals like helping his friends and saving the world he did let Eggman live, so he has had those opportunities, I think giving him a fully unobstructed, no greater threats opportunity to pursue that goal, but giving other characters the need to stop that in a way Omega doesn't hold above his own quest for revenge could be a good story.
He's also really snarky and fun to listen to in heroes and shadow. And as a point of this snark that I really like, I do think this is him just ribbing on his companions, when it's just him left in Sonic Heroes in the team battles he says "WELL, THAT'S A LOAD OFF MY BACK", and I know it's easy to think that the relationship is stronger than it is when you play heroes for a whole childhood, but Omega wouldn't be with them if he thought they were holding him back. And he doesn't sound particularly relieved, it is delivered in a snarky tone that's him mocking how bad they got their butts whooped, is how I hear it. We already do know he's snarky cos of his "WORTHLESS CONSUMER MODELS" and his self-denigratory "I COULDN'T EVEN BEAT GAMMA OR BETA" upon E ranks, I think he'd take a dig at what at this point are a bunch of powerful hangers-on with the same goal that vaguely sympathised with his plight. And whether or not they could properly interpret that he wasn't fully serious, he's been in a chamber for his whole life, I don't think he's particularly bothered by whatever they actually get out of that especially when they very much do know they got wiped out super hard and he didn't so he gets to say that.
So...yeah, I'd really like to see Omega interacting with the rest of the cast, especially either Sonic who can keep up with his humour or someone with more of a chip on their shoulder. Big, actually. Big really cares for his friends so Omega's sarcasm and that I think he'd rag on people that he hasn't properly established that relationship of banter, plus Big I can really see not wanting anyone dead including Eggman means that their personalities could clash well in both a more personal and a more large-scale context.
The thing about Shadow is that we have too many different versions of him and that makes his character inconsistent or one-note, depending on when you started following him.
For example, if your first exposure to Shadow is from SA2/S06/Sonic Heroes vs the Shadow the Hedgehog game/Sonic X/IDW comics, then you probably have very different impressions about what his personality is like (to be fair, I think Sonic X kinda has a more balanced interpretation, over the course of the whole show). On one hand, he's calm, rational, calculated and by the end, even humble. On the other, he's egotistical, stubborn and impulsive but effective when he has simple goals to work towards.
For my own interpretation of him to make sense, I have to imagine that his amnesia altered his personality and he's just not the same Shadow as when we were introduced to him in SA2.
I think this why so many people argue about Shadow working for GUN: Shadow from SA2 working with GUN shows maturity and growth (tbh I'd still prefer if he didn't work with them, because it feels like GUN gets control over him as a weapon, like they originally wanted... but I get that him and the commander reconciled and it's not him who ordered the raid on ARK anyway), but for Shadow from StH/IDW, it doesn't flow with the egotistical and direct-action version of him; he's not ever going to take orders from anyone in general, and so working with/for GUN doesn't make sense. If GUN ever asked him to do anything he disagrees with, it's over.
Shadow from SA2 is the type to use subterfuge and careful planning to fulfill goals; infiltrating GUN to keep tabs on them is in-line with his methods, but again, not for StH/IDW Shadow (which apparently Sega really wants to lean into, going by Ian Flynn's comments): he's more the type to do his own thing solo and crush anyone who interferes.
TL;DR - SA2 Shadow is the one that is calm, collected and calculating, who grows and makes friends. Current Shadow is the one who (pre-S3 movie/SxSG) is egotistical, aggressive and impulsive, who doesn't want/need friends and only cooperates when necessary. I'm interested to see where they take his character in the new movie/SxSG. I personally want a return to a more SA2 Shadow
One character detail that has kinda gotten lost in recent years that I've seen other Sonictubers point out is that Shadow tends to refer to characters by name as a sign of kinship or a close bond. In SA2 pm the only characters he refers to by name is Maria and, eventually, Rouge (And Sonic during the final battle). And for pretty much all of 06, the characters he most often refers to by name are Rouge and Omega.