History TearJerker / ShadowTheHedgehog

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/thisiswhoiam.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[DespairEventHorizon ...this is]] [[ArcWords who I am.]]]]
''VideoGame/ShadowTheHedgehog'' will have some [[TearJerker sad moments]], especially the [[DownerEnding endings depending on what it is]]. The good news is, most of them aren’t canon.

** It also exists as a stand-alone theme, called "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hln4V3IFAyw I Am... The Story is Over]]".

-->'''Rouge:''' (''desperate tone'') Shadow!

-->(''The screen immediately cuts to black as Shadow brings his hand down to kill him'')

* One of the endings (Pure Dark - Dark) has Shadow be driven to crazed omnicide. To see somebody who made a HeroicSacrifice for Earth just... ''give up'' on everything and go LaughingMad is both sad and very unnerving. Not to mention the lack of emphasis on the PrecisionFStrike, something setting it apart from most of Griffith's acting in the game. Even worse since by this point, Shadow ''genuinely'' believes that this was what Gerald wanted; losing all faith in humanity and no longer caring about his own past, Black Doom's ideals of conquest, nor even personal power. [[VideoGame/SonicAdventure2 Only for inflicting the global annihilation that he had been reconditioned for out of grief-induced insanity]].

--> '''Shadow''': I'm Shadow... the Hedgehog. [[FallenHero I was created to bring order and justice to the humans]]. With the power of these Emeralds, [[OmnicidalManiac I'm going to destroy this damn planet!]] THIS IS WHO I AM! (''begins to laugh insanely'')
** To top it all off, [[GoneHorriblyRight this isn't even what Black Doom wanted]]--without any humans to feed on, [[InferredHolocaust the Black Arms will presumably die out]]. Literally '''''no one''''' wins in this ending.

-->'''Dr. Eggman''': Shadow, can you hear me? This may be the last chance I get to speak to you, so... what I said about having created you? It was all a lie. Everyone thought you had died during [[VideoGame/SonicAdventure2 that horrible incident]]. [[VillainousRescue But I rescued you with one of my robots!]] You lost your memory, that's all. You really ''are'' the UltimateLifeform my grandfather created!

** To top it all off, [[GoneHorriblyRight this isn't even what Black Doom wanted]]--without any humans to feed on, [[InferredHolocaust the Black Arms will die out]]. Literally '''''no one''''' wins in this ending.

** To top it all off, [[GoneHorriblyRight this isn't even what Black Doom wanted.]] Literally '''''no one''''' wins in this ending.

* The opening cutscene with Maria's death, made even more painful in the Japanese version. Shadow's panting in a way that gives off the impression that he was possibly crying either before or during the event, and his cry of Maria's name as the screen fades to white is filled with so much emotion that it may end up making one sob at least a little.

** This is especially harsh for Rouge. She's willing to ask for help from Shadow one last time, even as he has cornered the humans - it's bittersweet that she thinks she can still get through to him when he's this far off the deep end. And if the player does help Rouge, it seems like an exciting turn to the light at the last second! Except, Shadow plans to betray both Black Doom ''and'' Rouge to serve his own selfishness. Any hope she had for him is thoroughly dashed in that moment.

* The music for [[https://youtu.be/D9GXyKK5ezU GUN Fortress,]] the final level of the Pure Dark path. It perfectly captures the mood of the level; humanity is all but wiped out, and you're storming their last line of defence to finish the job. Regardless of if you go the [[NominalHero "Hero"]] (more like [[TheStarscream Starscream]] at this point; given that in doing so, Shadow is betraying both the heroes ''and'' Black Doom to [[KlingonPromotion take over everything for himself]]) or Dark route (which ends with the human resistance being completely annihilated by the Black Arms), the World is doomed. And it's ''your'' fault.

* One of the endings (Pure Dark - Dark) has Shadow be [[KillEmAll driven to crazed omnicide]]. To see somebody who made a HeroicSacrifice for Earth just... ''give up'' on everything and go LaughingMad is both sad and very unnerving. Not to mention the lack of emphasis on the PrecisionFStrike, something setting it apart from most of Griffith's acting in the game. Even worse since by this point, Shadow ''genuinely'' believes that this was what Gerald wanted; losing all faith in humanity and no longer caring about his own past, Black Doom's ideals of conquest, nor even personal power. [[VideoGame/SonicAdventure2 Only for inflicting the global annihilation that he had been reconditioned for out of grief-induced insanity]].

* The music for [[https://youtu.be/D9GXyKK5ezU GUN Fortress,]] the final level of the Pure Dark path. It perfectly captures the mood of the level; humanity is all but wiped out, and you're storming their last line of defence to [[KillEmAll finish the job]]. Regardless of if you go the [[NominalHero "Hero"]] (more like [[TheStarscream Starscream]] at this point; given that in doing so, Shadow is betraying both the heroes ''and'' Black Doom to [[KlingonPromotion take over everything for himself]]) or Dark route (which ends with the human resistance being completely annihilated by the Black Arms), the World is doomed. And it's ''your'' fault.

** Even worse, he starts walking offscreen after saying this line, which really seems to further imply that he's been DrivenToSuicide. And he says he should never have been ''created'' rather than ''born.'' He doesn't even consider himself a person at this point.

** Not helping is that even the other Library sequence names for this ending such as "The Ultimate Atonement", "The Sinner’s Repose", "At the End of the Journey" and "The Ultimate Choice" even some of the less fatal-sounding ones imply Shadow eternally seals himself away in the ARK such as [[SelfImposedExile "The Self-Imposed Seal"]].

** Not helping is that even the other Library sequence names for this ending such as "The Ultimate Atonement", "The Sinner’s Repose", "At the End of the Journey" and "The Ultimate Choice" even some of the less fatal sounding ones imply Shadow eternally seals himself away in the ark such as "The Self-Imposed Seal".

** Not to mention the game's Semi-hero theme, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiXUEpcfepk "Chosen One"]] -- which, compared to "All Hail Shadow", is incredibly bittersweet.

** This also goes for the song that was originally intended to be the Semi-Hero ending theme, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noBucnkjd6k "Broken"]] A depressing and somber theme that was unfortunately pulled due to SEGA being unable to contact Sins of a Divine Mother in time. It is truly heartbreaking.

* The LonelyPianoPiece that ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEFknRfCDQ8 Never Turn Back]]'' -- the game's true ending theme -- opens with seems morosely reflective of all the events of Shadow's life.
** It also exists as a stand-alone theme, called ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hln4V3IFAyw I Am... The Story is Over]]''.

** This also goes for the song that was originally intended to be the Semi-Hero ending theme, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noBucnkjd6k ''Broken'']] A depressing and somber theme that was unfortunately pulled due to SEGA being unable to contact Sins of a Divine Mother in time. It is truly heartbreaking.

** Not to mention the game's Semi-hero theme, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiXUEpcfepk ''Chosen One'']] -- which, compared to ''All Hail Shadow'', is incredibly bittersweet.

* Shadow [[spoiler:killing Dr. Eggman in three of the endings was pretty heartwrenching, especially considering that the game portrays Eggman as a morally-complex character who isn't irredeemably evil like Black Doom is. Seeing such a lovable villain get killed off, non-canon though it was, was a real gut-punch to the Doc's fans.]]
-->'''Shadow:''' (''[[spoiler:raises his hand]]'') [[spoiler:[[PreMortemOneLiner Goodbye,]] ''[[PreMortemOneLiner Doctor!]]'']]
-->(''The screen immediately cuts to black as [[spoiler:Shadow brings his hand down to kill him]]'')
-->'''Dr. Eggman:''' [[spoiler:'''''[[BigNo NOOOOOOOOO-!]]''''']]

* If you spend about seven minutes in the final battle against [[spoiler:Devil Doom]], Dr. Eggman takes the time to [[spoiler:explain to Shadow that he is indeed the original, after [[ManipulativeBastard trying to make him think that he was one of his Shadow Androids to coax him onto his side]]]]. It doubles as a SugarWiki/{{Heartwarming Moment|s}}, given that not only does it [[spoiler:provide closure on whether or not Shadow was the real deal, but the fact he was [[PetTheDog saved and nursed back to health by Eggman of all people]] only makes it even more effective]].
-->'''Dr. Eggman''': Shadow, can you hear me? This may be the last chance I get to speak to you, so... [[spoiler:what I said about having created you? It was all a lie. Everyone thought you had died during [[VideoGame/SonicAdventure2 that horrible incident]]. [[VillainousRescue But I rescued you with one of my robots!]] You lost your memory, that's all. You really ''are'' the UltimateLifeform my grandfather created!]]
* Speaking of [[spoiler:Devil Doom]], if you run out of rings while fighting him; Shadow despairingly whispers "Maria..." as he reverts to normal thousands of feet in the air and falls to his death, [[CallBack just like]] in [[VideoGame/SonicAdventure2 his debut game.]]

** Even worse, he starts walking offscreen after saying this line, which really seems to further imply that he's been DrivenToSuicide.

Shadow the Hedgehog will have some [[TearJerker sad moments]], especially the [[DownerEnding endings depending on what it is]]. The good news is, most of them aren’t canon.

-->'''Youtube Commenter:''' This song not only reflects that [[MoralEventHorizon Shadow's actions are irredeemable]], but also how [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope he's not really himself anymore]]. Shadow already resorted to putting his past behind him before this game -- but when [[ManipulativeBastard Black Doom]] came around, he just filled his head with toxic dreams of hatred and revenge, [[BecameTheirOwnAntithesis corrupting Shadow into someone that wasn't even recognizable as himself anymore.]] Not only are his actions irredeemable, but he is, too. [[FallenHero He's gone.]]

* The music to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMMyFng5J1o Lost Impact.]] It's made even worse by how it's one of the two flashback levels (along with The Doom) that you go through with [[LittlestCancerPatient Maria Robotnik]].

* Speaking of [[spoiler:Devil Doom]], if you run out of rings while fighting him; Shadow despairingly whispers "Maria..." as he reverts to normal and falls to his death, [[CallBack just like]] in [[VideoGame/SonicAdventure2 his debut game.]]

-->'''Shadow:''' I'm Shadow... the Hedgehog. A research experiment... [[GoneHorriblyWrong gone]] ''[[GoneHorriblyWrong deadly wrong]]''. [[ItsAllMyFault I've caused so much destruction]]... I should ''never'' have been created! (''quietly'') [[DespairEventHorizon This is who I am]].

* The music for [[https://youtu.be/D9GXyKK5ezU GUN Fortress,]] the final level of the Pure Dark path. It perfectly captures the mood of the level -- humanity is all but wiped out, and you're storming their last line of defence. Regardless of if you go the [[NominalHero "Hero"]] (more like [[TheStarscream Starscream]] at this point -- given that in doing so, Shadow is betraying both the heroes ''and'' Black Doom to [[KlingonPromotion take over everything for himself]]) or Dark route (which ends with the human resistance being completely annihilated by the Black Arms), the World is doomed. And it's ''your'' fault.

* One of the endings (Pure Dark - Dark) has Shadow be [[KillEmAll driven to crazed omnicide]]. To see somebody who made a HeroicSacrifice for Earth just... ''give up'' on everything and go LaughingMad is both sad and very unnerving. Not to mention the lack of emphasis on the PrecisionFStrike, something setting it apart from most of Griffith's acting in the game. Even worse since by this point, Shadow ''genuinely'' believes that this was what Gerald wanted; losing all faith in humanity and no longer caring about his own past, Black Doom's ideals of conquest, nor even personal power. [[VideoGame/SonicAdventure2 Only for inflicting the global annihilation that he had been conditioned for out of grief-induced insanity]].

* One of the endings (Pure Dark - Dark) has Shadow be [[KillEmAll driven to crazed omnicide]]. To see somebody who made a HeroicSacrifice for Earth just... ''give up'' on everything and go LaughingMad is both sad and very unnerving. Not to mention the lack of emphasis on the PrecisionFStrike, something setting it apart from most of Griffith's acting in the game. Even worse since by this point, Shadow ''genuinely'' believes that this was what Gerald wanted -- losing all faith in humanity and no longer caring about his own past, Black Doom's ideals of conquest, nor even personal power. [[VideoGame/SonicAdventure2 Only for inflicting the global annihilation that he had been conditioned for out of grief-induced insanity]].

* Speaking of [[spoiler:Devil Doom]], if you run out of rings, Shadow whispers "Maria..." as he falls, [[CallBack just like]] [[VideoGame/SonicAdventure2 his debut game.]]

* The opening cutscene with Maria's death, made even more heart wrenching in the Japanese version. Shadow's panting in a way that gives off the impression that he was possibly crying either before or during the event, and his cry of Maria's name as the screen fades to white is filled with so much emotion that it may end up making one sob at least a little.

** [[DontSaySuchStupidThings Vector's response]], and the fact Shadow just silently walks away without listening to him makes it even worse -- as does the use of the heart-wrenching LonelyPianoPiece that plays during the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILzYVt_sJwY Semi-Hero endings,]] which fades out as he leaves.

--> '''Shadow''': I'm Shadow... the Hedgehog. [[FallenHero I was created to bring order and justice to the humans]]. With the power of these Emeralds, [[OmnicidalManiac I'm going to destroy this damn planet!]] This is who I am! (''begins to laugh insanely'')

--> '''Shadow''': I'm Shadow... the Hedgehog. [[FallenHero I was created to bring order and justice to the humans.]] With the power of these Emeralds, [[OmnicidalManiac I'm going to destroy this damn planet!]] [[MoralEventHorizon This is who I am!]] (''[[EvilLaugh begins to laugh insanely]]'')