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"Shadow Knows", originally titled in Japan as "Sonic the Fugitive", is the thirty-fourth episode of the anime series, Sonic X, as well as the eighth episode of the second season. It first aired on 23 November 2003 and 6 November 2004 in Japan and the United States respectively.
Synopsis
Japanese title card
Sonic is accused of causing havoc in Prison Island. As GUN agents seek after Sonic, Sonic attempts to figure out who has framed him.
Appearances
Characters:
- Amy Rose
- Bocoe
- Bokkun
- Cheese
- Christina Cooper
- Christopher Thorndyke
- Chuck Thorndyke
- Cream the Rabbit
- Decoe
- Dr. Eggman
- Ella
- Gerald Robotnik (mentioned)
- G.U.N.
- Big Foot
- Gun Beetle
- GUN soldiers
- Rouge the Bat
- Jerome Wise
- Jimmy (only appearance)
- Maria Robotnik (flashback)
- Miles "Tails" Prower
- Mr. Stewart
- Mr. Tanaka
- Nelson Thorndyke (mentioned)
- Police officers
- President
- Prison Island Warden (only appearance)
- Sam Speed
- Scarlet Garcia
- Shadow the Hedgehog
- Sonic the Hedgehog
Races and species:
Locations:
Items:
- Air Shoes (first appearance)
- Chaos Emerald
- Eclipse Canon (mentioned)
- Limiter (first appearance)
- Ring
- Television Bomb
Vehicles:
Misc.:
Plot
The episode opens with a helicopter flying over Station Square, with a handcuffed Sonic on-board who is escorted with GUN officers for supposedly causing trouble at Prison Island. Sonic, not wanting to be captured, breaks free from the helicopter and jumps off the plane with a spare piece of metal, landing in a skate board dome and sliding free. Throughout the main outskirts of Station Square, GUN are tracking Sonic and send some of their robots after him. Sonic runs through the streets as he escapes from the robots which destroy parts of the city with their weapons. Sonic manages to escape and hide in the sewers, wondering what GUN suspects he has done. At school, Chris is asked if he is seen Sonic up close and Chris explains a bit vaguely about Sonic before parting off.
Back in the limo, the president is informed about the status of various current affairs from Christina, mentioning their undercover operative and the flood in Station Square. When the president asks about Sonic, she responds that due to Sonic's "crime", she advises not to involve the government to which the president does not agree. He is informed that Sonic has escaped and Sam explains that Sonic is innocent, but the aid says that the government should let go of Sonic and Sam suddenly stops the car, much to Christina's dismay. Sam replies that he is just doing his job.
At a museum that night, a dark hedgehog (Shadow) is spotted breaking a glass case containing an emerald. As the robots try to stop him, he unleashes a blast of energy and destroys them all, before running off at high speed. The president is informed at the capital saying that Sonic has been seen stealing a Chaos Emerald. He orders that Sonic be taken captive and orders them to go underground to get him. Back in the apartment, Chris and the others are watching TV while the news informs about the theft and shows images of Shadow. Chris wonders if it is Sonic, but Cream says Sonic would not do such a thing. Chuck thinks otherwise, but everyone gangs up on him in disagreement. The news says that authorities have said Sonic has destroyed tanks and fled. Chris is worried, but Ella says there are explanations.
Back underground, Gun Beetles flood the sewers and all other entryways. In the sewer, some homeless people, including Jerome, are discussing about the theft and Jerome jumps to the fact that Sonic was behind the robbery when Sonic suddenly runs past the homeless men with Beetles chasing behind him. In Prison Island, Scarlet and Mister Stewart are heading onto the island. Stewart uses his connections to get into the island and Scarlet wonders who Stewart really is, but he does not disclose anything apart from a fellow newsholder. Inside, the two interview the warden, and he shows some camera footage of Shadow and Eggman attacking the robots as they think the new hedgehog is not the Project Shadow file.
In the city, Sonic escapes the sewer with Beetles pouring after him. Suddenly one of the larger robots appears and Sonic holds up a Ring, dodging the shots that are being fired at him. He goes into a spin attack, but misses the robot and runs to escape as the robot fires missiles at him. Sonic manages to make the missiles hit and destroy the robot. Just then there is a flash of light. Shadow appears and greets him while he admits that they do look alike. Sonic realizes that it is Shadow that has framed him and as he goes to attack, his doppelganger disappears. Stuart meanwhile figures that the hedgehog he is looking at is not Sonic. Up on the roof, the mysterious hedgehog says he is not the impostor, but the real thing. Sonic goes up onto the building, but the hedgehog goes to another building and Sonic challenges him to a race.
The two race while Chuck gets a call from his son that Sonic is battling a robot. Chris, Chuck, and Mr. Tanaka drove to follow him. Sonic and Shadow are busy racing while Sonic tries to pull the lead and the two keep up their speed. Chris and the others catch up with Sonic as Shadow hits him from behind. Meanwhile, Eggman observes the hedgehogs' fight and has a flashback recalling his first encounter with Shadow back at Prison Island. When Shadow first woke up, Eggman mistook him as Sonic, but, by having the scientist look at him closer, Shadow corrects him and pledges his loyalty to Eggman. Just then, a Hot Shot appears and Shadow easily destroys the robot. Back in the present, Eggman hopes that Shadow will defeat Sonic. Shadow holds up a Chaos Emerald and Sonic demands he hand over the emerald and speeds towards Shadow but Shadow disappears before Sonic can get to him. Shadow uses Chaos Control and Sonic wonders how Shadow can do it with one emerald. The two start fighting but Sonic is easily defeated when Shadow knocks him down, besting him.
Shadow states he was not using his full power and that Gerald Robotnik gave him the power of Chaos Control, deeming Sonic inferior to him. Just then, as sirens approach towards them, Shadow disappears as the cops and GUN arrive, surrounding Sonic with their cruisers and Beetles. Sonic is ordered to put his hands up, but Sonic protests, saying he did not do anything. When Chris pleads with Sonic to turn himself in, Sonic surrenders himself willingly to the authorities. Sonic thinks that despite Shadow's Chaos Control, the former will get out without tricks and expects to encounter Shadow again.
Sonic is taken away while Shadow says he will not let anyone stand in his way, especially Sonic, but then thinks about Maria. At the base, Eggman throws a party and congratulates Shadow on doing his job. Shadow says Eggman needs more emeralds in order to use the Eclipse Cannon, being able to conquer the world with it. Bokkun appears with a message with Rouge on it saying they need to talk together. Bocoe and Decoe advised not to trust her but Eggman orders them to get her, only to have the television bomb exploding on him. Rouge appears and shows Eggman the Chaos Emerald. Rouge says she'll hand it over if Eggman lets her work with them. Eggman wonders what Rouge wants while Shadow has flashbacks about Maria. Rouge asks the black hedgehog his name while he turns and responds with "Shadow the Hedgehog", alarming Rouge.
Back on the land, Chris and Tanaka head out in disguises on a boat towards Prison Island while Tails and Amy fly overhead in the X Tornado. In an underwater prison cell of Prison Island, Sonic reflects on the events that transpired in the episode.
Eyecatch cards
Regional differences
- In the original Japanese version, there was a scene of Chris hoping in his head that he will see Sonic again. The dub not only removes his inner thoughts, but also clips out the brief shot of the sky afterwards.
- The Japanese text that informs viewers of the locations were removed from the dub.
- A couple of scenes featuring Scarlet were slightly trimmed in the dub.
- A long shot of a sewer hall was cut down in the dub.
- The English dub removes the scene where Jerome and one of the homeless men get into a physical scuffle.
- Throughout most of the battle sequence, the Japanese and English text on the buildings and the manhole are erased in the dub.
- The robot's gun noises are replaced with laser zaps in the dub.
- When Sonic dodges the robot's bullets, he taunts it in the original version. He says nothing in the dub.
Title in other languages
| Language | Title | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese | 逃亡者ソニック | Sonic the Fugitive |
| Chinese | 夏特登場 | Shadow Arrives |
| French | On recherche Sonic | Looking for Sonic |
| German | Shadow weiß alles | Shadow knows everything |
| Greek | Σόνικ ο δραπέτης | Sonic the fugitive |
| Hebrew | סוניק במנוסה | Sonic is on the run |
| Italian | Scambio d'identità / Il sosia | Identity exchange / The look-alike |
| Korean | 도망자 소닉 | Sonic the fugitive |
| Polish | Uciekinier Sonic | Refugee Sonic |
| Portuguese (Brazil) | Sonic, o fugitivo | Sonic, the fugitive |
| Romanian | Sonic fugarul | Sonic the fugitive |
| Russian | Соник в бегах | Sonic is on the run |
| Spanish (Latin America) | Sonic, el fugitivo | Sonic, the fugitive |
| Spanish (Spain) | La sombra lo sabe | The shadow knows |
| Thai | โซนิคหนีกฎหมาย | Sonic the outlaw |
| Vietnamese | Sonic trốn chạy | Sonic on the run |
Trivia
- In the flashback of when Eggman releases Shadow, Decoe and Bocoe were not there, even though they did appear in "Project: Shadow".
- In this episode of the series, it is also the first version and the first time Eggman directly intervened in the creation of Shadow instead of Gerald.
- The title is a reference to an old radio drama series/comic book franchise called The Shadow (which inspired The Phantom) which contains "The Shadow Knows" as its trademark quotation.
- The first few minutes of the episode are a shortened recreation of City Escape from Sonic Adventure 2.
- In the beginning of the Hero Story of Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic has been captured in the Military Helicopter, but in this episode he was been captured by GUN soldiers in the different helicopter instead.
- Interestingly, Rouge quotes "Pleasure before business!" when meeting with Eggman in this episode. This is actually one of her video game counterpart's unused lines in Sonic Adventure 2 that she was originally intended to say in the same scenario.
- If one were to read the writing on the wall of Sonic's cell, the numbers 00:27:53 (the timer for the ARK to crash into Earth) and other scientific text can be seen, suggesting that Professor Gerald Robotnik was also locked in the same cell a long time ago, writing his plans for his revenge on the humans.
- In the dub, Mr. Stewart does not recognize the major difference between Sonic and Shadow's appearance and just realizes that there is something "strange" and "different" about Shadow. In the Japanese version, he realizes that they are not the same by noticing the difference in fur color. He then questions if the whole incident is Eggman's doing.
- In the scene where Sonic first meets Shadow, the two race into a part of the city. This scene was based off of the junction of Broadway and 7th Avenue in New York City.
- Mr. Tanaka mentions that he and Chris are disguised after his favorite childhood hero. This is likely a reference to the character "Kato," the japanese partner to the hero, Green Hornet.
- This was Youko Miyamoto's favorite episode of Sonic X.[citation needed]
- This episode may be the first episode to have police officers actually arrest Sonic, despite their failed attempts to catch him because of his speed, as shown in Chaos Control Freaks.
Differences from Sonic Adventure 2
- Shadow stole the green Chaos Emerald in the National Museum of Art in the episode while in Sonic Adventure 2, he stole the Emerald from the national reserve bank.
- Sonic was being chased by a swarm of Gun Beetles instead of a giant truck in the episode.
- In the episode, Sonic went into the underground sewers to temporarily hide from GUN, while in the game, it is not shown what Sonic did between City Escape and the Big Foot boss fight.
- Shadow did not fight (or at least directly attack) Sonic during their first encounter with each other in the game. They only had a brief interaction before the latter gets arrested.
- Also, he didn't know that Sonic had come along before the latter fought Big Foot in the game.
- When the police and GUN troops have finally caught up to arrest Sonic, the Laser Hunter/Shield Hunter or GUN Soldiers were not present among the apprehending forces in the episode like they were in the game, only police officers and Gun Beetles were present, alongside helicopters. In the game however, the police aren’t involved with Sonic’s capture.
- Rouge first met Dr. Eggman and Shadow at his pyramid base in the episode while in Sonic Adventure 2, their meeting took place at Space Colony ARK.
- The helicopter transporting Sonic is basically based off a CH-47 Chinook or a CH-46 Sea Knight, while in the game, it’s a generic Mil Mi-24 Hind.
- The prison cell which Sonic and Professor Gerald Robotnik were imprisoned in Sonic Adventure 2 was not located underwater.
- In the game, Amy visits Prison Island alone, and Tails arrives later (when the former was threatened by Eggman), whereas in the episode, Tails and Amy flew to Prison Island together.
