Summary
- Tails is uncharacteristically jealous of Eggman, straining his relationship with Sonic in Lost World.
- Shadow's unexpected dark introduction in Rise of Lyric didn't resonate well with many fans.
- Tails' lack of courage when encountering Chaos in Sonic Forces received mixed reviews from players.
While the story of a Sonic game will almost always take a backseat to the gameplay, that isn't to say that the narratives of these games are completely irrelevant. In fact, over the years, the Sonic franchise has established a fairly deep lore packed full of key characters and events, and while it's always great to see Sonic Team pushing the narrative in new directions, there have definitely been a few moments here and there throughout the series that had many fans scratching their heads.
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Being controversial doesn't necessarily mean these moments are bad, just that they garnered mixed opinions from players because of how strange, jarring, or random they were. Needless to say, these sections of the Sonic games have been the top of countless online conversations and debates, so it's time to take a closer look at them to see what exactly makes them so divisive.
This list contains spoilers!
7 Tails Being Jealous Of Eggman
Tails Starts Getting Unusually Irritated At Sonic During A Crucial Moment In Lost World's Story
Sonic Lost World
- Released
- October 29, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
Late into the story of Sonic Lost World, the Blue Blur realizes that the only hope of stopping the Deadly Six from ruining the planet with Eggman's machine is by teaming up with the villain himself, since he's the only one capable of stopping it. Seemingly out of nowhere, Tails starts to berate Sonic about the decision, saying that it seems like Sonic doubts his skills as a mechanic and is putting all of his trust in Eggman.
While it's nice to see at least some kind of tension and disagreement between Sonic and Tails to help build their relationship, it does seem strange that Tails wouldn't be able to read the room and realize that he's not being left behind and ignored by Sonic. As a result, this moment is one which people either completely forget about, or loath to this day.
6 Shadow's Introduction In Rise Of Lyric
Sonic Boom: Rise Of Lyric's Depiction Of Shadow Was Quite Different From What Fans Are Used To
Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric
- Released
- November 11, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Platformer
The Sonic Boom games take some creative liberties with the series' characters, but Shadow feels like a different hedgehog entirely when he first shows up to confront Sonic in Rise of Lyric. Shadow introduces himself by calling Sonic and his friends weak before going on a verbal tirade about the pointlessness of forming bonds and relationships.
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Considering Shadow fans are used to him being a character who barely ever speaks and is usually not that volatile with his words unless he needs to be, this was a strange introduction that wasn't all that well-received when the game first released. Since then, many have warmed up to this rather unusual interpretation of Shadow, though it's certainly not for everyone.
5 Tails Cowers In Fear From Chaos
Despite Already Facing Chaos Previously, Tails Lacks The Courage To Take Him On Again
Sonic Forces
- Released
- November 7, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E10+ For Everyone 10+ // Fantasy Violence
- Genre(s)
- Platformer, Shooter, Fighting, Adventure
Though Tails has never been as brave or confident as Sonic, especially when it comes to his combat abilities, he has still clearly come a long way from the early days of the series. Tails' overriding character arc has focused on him being able to prove himself to Sonic so that he can be more of a reliable companion rather than a liability, which is why this scene in Sonic Forces rubbed so many people the wrong way.
While Tails is in the middle of repairing a shut-down Omega, he is randomly visited by Chaos. Rather than trying to put up any kind of resistance, though, Tails proceeds by cowering in fear and screaming out for Sonic to help him. Considering Tails took on a version of Chaos in Sonic Adventure that was triple the size of this one, having him respond this way felt pretty unnatural for some players, though not everyone saw a huge problem with it.
4 Shadow Holding A Gun
SEGA Certainly Wasn't Trying To Hide The Dark And Gritty Aesthetic Of Shadow's Standalone Game
Shadow the Hedgehog
- Released
- December 15, 2005
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E 10+ // Fantasy Violence, Mild Language
- Genre(s)
- Platformer, Action-Adventure, Third-Person Shooter
Shadow the Hedgehog's standalone game plays quite a bit differently from every other title in the series, primarily because of the inclusion of guns. While the Sonic franchise may have contained some darker themes here and there, for the most part, it has always been known as a franchise that could be played by gamers of all ages. Because of this, the moment Shadow walks towards the screen with a rifle in his hand in the intro cinematic of Shadow the Hedgehog is one that was intensely controversial at the time.
Whether this dark and edgy direction was the correct way to go was a huge matter of debate. Some argued that it only made sense considering Shadow's aesthetic and the third-person shooter craze that was sweeping the industry at the time, but it would prove to be too outlandish and tone-deaf for others. These days, most people look back on Shadow wielding a gun as simply a funny moment in the series' history, but it's always been one that remains pretty divisive.
3 Sonic Being Killed
Sonic Takes A Strike Right Through The Chest, Killing The Protagonist
Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)
- Released
- November 14, 2006
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Platformer
Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) isn't exactly looked back on all that fondly by fans of the series, but despite the rather clunky gameplay, it does at least boast a pretty ambitious story with plenty of memorable characters, including the main villain, Mephiles. While Mephiles comes across as an incredibly dangerous antagonist just from his eerie appearance alone, nobody was expecting him to end Sonic's life with a single attack.
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While Sonic does eventually come back to life a little later in the game, this single moment has been a hot topic of discussion for many years. On the one hand, it succeeded in ramping up the stakes and adding a darker edge to the story, but some felt that murdering Sonic felt just a bit too outlandish for a series that is still meant to be fun and uplifting.
2 Black Doom Being Involved In Shadow's Backstory
Black Doom Is Inserted Into Shadow's Backstory Seemingly Out Of Nowhere
Shadow the Hedgehog
- Released
- December 15, 2005
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E 10+ // Fantasy Violence, Mild Language
- Genre(s)
- Platformer, Action-Adventure, Third-Person Shooter
Shadow was first introduced to the series with Sonic Adventure 2, and throughout the course of that game's story, his backstory as the ultimate life form is gradually revealed until players gain a good understanding of who he is and why he was created. While the fact that Shadow survived a fall from the moon was waved away by a lot of people, considering many wanted to see him come back, what did become more controversial was the changes made to his backstory in his standalone game.
In a scene showing how things truly unfolded back on the ARK, it's revealed Shadow was created partially from the DNA of Black Doom, a malicious alien tyrant who rules over an army of creatures known as the Black Arms. While some expressed the belief that this was entirely unnecessary and straying too far for the sake of seeming cool and trendy, other fans have come to appreciate how this has been handled, especially in Sonic X Shadow Generations, where Shadow's "Alien" powers are used in-game.
1 Sonic Being Kissed By Elise
An Infamous Moment That Entered The Uncanny Valley
Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)
- Released
- November 14, 2006
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Platformer
Without a doubt, the most controversial moment in the series, and one which many credit for thrusting Sonic into its "meme era", was the kiss that takes place near the end of Sonic 06. Sonic and Princess Elise's relationship is built up quite well throughout the story as the Blue Blur tries to show her the wonders of exploring the world and letting go of her stressful responsibilities, even if only for a moment, but things take a weird turn after Sonic is suddenly killed.
It turns out the only way to bring the hedgehog back to life so that he can stop Solaris is by Elise giving him a kiss, which, somehow, actually works. Aside from the fact that Sonic is literally a hedgehog, what also makes this moment so odd is that Elise willingly decides to kiss a corpse, considering Sonic hadn't come back to life yet. Not everyone had an issue with this infamous scene, but a lot saw it as a rather strange and unnecessary inclusion to the game's narrative.
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