Shade The Echidna - Tumblr Posts

Shade as Mao from Disgaea 3!^^

Shade has always been one of my favorite Sonic characters for some reason. I'm not sure why. I like characters with personality, and in her first and only game, she didn't have much at all. She was Ms. Exposition with some xenophobic and haughty commentary here and there.

I suppose I created my own personality for her in my head. I walked into the living room while my siblings were watching TV, and this episode of Superhero girls (i think was the name) was on. It was about Wonder Woman and introducing her to the culture of the modern world. For some reason that struck me. I thought that would be a hilarious quirk for a high ranking elite soldier like Shade, who is probably the closest to an organic robot as possible, to interact with Sonic's world like that. Like if Amy or Sonic try to teach her slang, foods, modern technology [which is below her military tech but more geared for luxury and comfort], etc. and her being astounded and confused.

I suppose something that attracted me to this character, other than her military prowess and stoic personality (not like Blaze's shy stoic, as she has a temper, but a calm and calculating one. The ice to Blaze's fire), but by Shade's suit. Shade, while most likely stronger than average, is one of the closest to being "normal". She has no powers. Her greatest strength is her suit, her combat prowess/experience, and her tactical mind. She's like Batman, Wonder woman, Black Widow, and a bit of Captain America combined.

Awesome gadget/tactical suit like Batman, her weapons are comparably archaic but enhanced in some way like Wonder Woman, she specializes in stealth like Black Widow, and is a leader of both armies and squads like Captain America.

I just wish she had a distinct personality that is different from others. Like perhaps a military or overly logical...I dunno. I just really like her.

I have no idea when ShadeWeek really is, so here is a 15 minute impulsive painting I did for one of my favorite Sonic characters.

I like Shade. She's my second favorite female Sonic character right behind Rouge.

But I am tired of when I read about people's ideas of Shade's place in the Sonic franchise, they almost always make her assist Knuckles in guarding the M.E.

It's one thing to play into her soldier-ish need for a purpose and dutiful nature. She's more strict, aloof, and stoic compared to Knuckles.

But it's always about shipping. It's one thing to ship Knuckles and Shade because you genuinely believe they would be good together and stuff. But it's the implications that it's because they are both echidnas that irritate me. It's like some people who ship Sonamy because they are both hedgehogs and forgetting they are complex characters.

The only thing I see that can even imply chemistry between Shade and Knuckles is that she admires his fighting abilities (she says the same of Sonic as well) and Rouge making a comment on Knuckles liking older women(which can be seen as her being teasing, jealous, trying to stir a fight, or merely making a joke on Shade's technical age). Shade herself has shown no real interest in anything other than exposition to move the plot along, being vaguely xenophobic, and being an aloof piece of cardboard. (how is she my second female character again?)

(art by Nibroc.Rock)

With Amy Rose not so slowly becoming the fourth member of Team Sonic/Team Hero, I was thinking about how Shade could become the fourth member of Team Dark.

Team Dark for all intents and purposes are opposites/rival possibilities of Team Sonic/Hero. Shadow vs Sonic in that they are both fast, cocky, a bit arrogant, quick thinkers, introverted, and heroic. But Sonic is more friendly, more open, informal, a bit more immature while Shadow is more aloof, more stoic, more formal, and more mature (at least on the outside).

Similar arguments can be said of Rouge vs Knuckles and I like to think that Omega can be a rival or mirror for Tails. But where does this put Amy vs Shade.

Amy is bubbly, emotional, temperamental, friendly, refuses to do bad things, and openly compassionate. Shade is quiet, robotic, cold, stoic, will do bad things for sake of good, and hides her compassion. As far as similarities can go, perhaps they are both leaders, passionate for justice, unquestionably loyal, and a bit bossy.

But aside from these comparisons, Shade is military and could probably find familiarity with G.U.N (I don't like Shadow being a G.U.N agent, but maybe a hired "consultant" for Team Dark missions). I think Shade and Shadow would be chill with each other, Omega could probably find her destructive capabilities admirable and worthy of his attention, I think Rouge and Shade could have an interesting friendly rivalry similar to Sonic and Knuckles (freedom vs duty). Shade even colour coordinates well with Team Dark!

I just really like Shade guys. I wish she could be in more things

Shade is one of my favorite Sonic characters, mostly in concept rather than execution as she was pretty bland in her first and only game. But the idea of a warrior leader with a cool armored suit and stealth skills combined with energy leeching blades is really cool.

Plus it adds leadership characters with tactical skills (not small team leaders like Amy or Vector). I think if Shade was her own character and well written or developed, she would've been a good fit for the "resistance leader" of Forces (and a cool addition to Team Dark, but that may just be me)

As much as I love Shade, I sort of came to dislike her clothes and general face design. Her eyes are really small and her face doesn't resemble any previous echidnas like Knuckles or Tikal (as in the longer muzzle and pointed nose). But her armored uniform is clunky and not really visually appealing to me.

Her bracelets are way too large and the gameplay shows her creating energy blades from it similar to Sally from Archie Sonic Reboot, but I cannot see her cannon bracelets doing that. Her boots are awkward in design and not very streamlined, especially compared to her fellow characters. Her game says something about her having a "Warp Belt" but there is no belt on her character. Her body actually makes me think more of a lizard than an armor, let alone armor on an Echidna.

What does make me think of her is the Phantom Rider outfit in Sonic IDW

Armor (including shoulder padding that I weirdly like a lot), clunky but still streamlined boots, gloves that look more like gauntlets, a Belt, etc. Just make it black and red/pink themed and it would fit her quite well.

But her outfit aside, I feel that Shade would be an interesting addition to the main cast if she ever got a chance to return.