“Yesterday’s” Comic> Sonic Universe #4

Sometimes I wonder what these characters are looking at.

Sonic Universe #4

Archie Comics Publications (July, 2000)

“The Shadow Saga” part 4: “The Ultimate Lifeform”

WRITER: Ian Flynn

PENCILER: Tracy Yardley!

INKER: Jim Amash

COLORIST: Jason Jensen

LETTERER: Teresa Davidson

EDITOR: Mike Pellerito

From the original review: Shadow and Rouge are sent into the Special Zone to get another Chaos Emerald. There they come upon the god-like Faust, who makes them take part in a challenge to get the Emerald. They lose, and Shadow isn’t happy about it. After failing to “save” Metal Sonic and Gamma, he isn’t feeling like the “ultimate lifeform” he was created to be. However, a pep talk by Hope and adding Omega to “Team Dark” sends him back to try again. Faust again gimmicks the game, only this time “Team Dark” tricks Faust into giving up the Emerald and return home. Then we shift 30 years into the future to tease the next story arc, with Knuckles’ daughter.

Additional summary: Okay, they don’t so much “trick” him as Omega shoots him in the face while Shadow grabs it.

What they got right: A nice finish to the “Shadow Saga” arc, as Shadow finally finds himself challenged by something other than a certain blue hedgehog. Shadow’s not the kind of guy to have a crisis of faith (in himself, anyway), but even he has a breaking point. And when he reaches it, how he recovers from it may not only make him a better person but a better teammate. Also, Hope is just a great character, the little scientist girl done right. The whole arc was really good, although the side-trip with Sonic previously now feels out of place in retrospect.

What they got wrong: In the original review nothing came to mind. In this re-reading, I would have liked to have seen Team Dark manage to overcome the challenge. Maybe I’m just bored of “gamesmen” who cheat to win because they’re bad losers. It might be a nice change to see one more interested in the challenge than the victory but still playing to win honestly and fairly. Or maybe creating a challenge hoping to see somebody win for once because watching them lose was getting boring.

What I think overall: I enjoyed these second two stories more than the first two, but they do play a part in Shadow’s character arc. This is the strength of this series, to give the rest of the characters in the franchise a chance to have their own shining moments. I honestly enjoyed the arc, and I’m not even a huge Shadow fan.