The Undeniable Brilliance of Team Dark - A Team Dark Analysis (Shadow the Hedgehog, Rouge, Omega)
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- Опубліковано 18 лют 2021
- #TeamDark #ReviveTeamDark #SonicTheHedgehog Hey guys. Join me for another deep dive character analysis video, this time on the topic of Team Dark. Shadow the Hedgehog, Rouge the Bat and E-123 Omega were pretty much defined by their membership of Team Dark during their initial appearances in the series, with Team Dark quickly becoming a fan favorite for many. But like so many great things in the Sonic the Hedgehog series, Team Dark have faded into obscurity ever since Sonic Team hit the emergency eject button after the release of Sonic 06. And the unquestionable chemistry and charm of this team has been missing ever since.
In this video, we will analyze the History of Team Dark, covering the appearances of its members through Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Heroes and finally Sonic the Hedgehog 2006, attempt to define just what it is that makes this group so special, and make a case for why they should - no, NEED to return to the series. If you like the video, please be sure to like and subscribe. As there are plenty more like it on the channel, including my analysis of Shadow the Hedgehog. • Video - Ігри
It still irritates me that SEGA mandated Team Dark as a “brand” and nothing more. In case you didn’t know, Ian Flynn, the lead writer for the IDW comics, basically said that SEGA had very specific mandates on how characters in the series should be presented, which is why Shadow is mischaracterized HARD in the IDW comics. Team Dark is a special team that resonated with a lot of fans because of how their bond was shown through their actions rather than through words. While I’m more of a Team Chaotix fan, I respect everything that Team Dark had and want them to have a proper return to the series as something besides fan service and where there relationship is properly shown.
It’s funny because I quote the same thing you mentioned about Ian Flynn and I get a lot of flack from people adamant that the mandates were never real.
Weren't real?? Hmmm
Let's be honest if you know about the team chaotix you love them, there's no one that can hate them.
I still blame the "fans" who keep whining "WAAHH, NOT SONIC'S STINKY FRIENDS, I DON'T LIKE 'EM, GET RID OF 'EM, REEEEE! If Sega weren't so desperate to please this bunch then we wouldn't have this problem in the first place!
and yet Shadow was characterized pretty well in Forces, which features Team Dark and shows them in a more accurate representation.
*If* that mandate is true, then why are they portrayed so different in IDW, but Forces doesn't?
I won't give you any flack Ace Card Gaming, but I still remain very skeptical about that mandate being real.
Team Dark is precisely what i want from the Sonic series
I don't want jokes, i want charm, characters and growth
I want all the above on top of a fun game(hence why I'm so forgiving of the boost games)
Exactly. There's always room for a joke or quip where it fits naturally, but that should always take a back seat to the genuine charm of characters being who they are and growing with each other. That will stick with player longer and be more meaningful than another dumb joke.
@@WolforNuva well yes, i do like humour in my games, it can coexists with the other elements one shouldn't overshadow the other
no jokes would be pretty boring after a while.
Shadow lost his original family so he found a new one. That fact alone is why Team Dark need to return. It’s the ultimate show of his progression as a character.
Shout out to the Archie series for having PEAK team dark writing. Ian knows how to write this team, Sega just needs to let him.
If there's ever a Shadow the hedgehog 2, I want it to be all about Team dark. To give the team as a whole their own game with unique dialogue and situations would be such a treat.
A Team Dark spin off game would be amazing. And even though it’s unlikely to ever happen, it’s nice to think of! 😅
I had this tought that it could be about Team Dark going against a powerful terrorist group based on the Olympian pantheon.
Funny thing is shadow the hedgehog was originally intended to be a spin off series now its just treated as an interquel between heroes and 06
I absolutely agree; I was thinking of making each character have their own stages and abilities, like in the Adventure games. Shadow has his Chaos abilities, Rouge has fighting combos like Mortal Kombat or the Werehog in Sonic Unleashed, and Omega has his massive arsenal. You can upgrade their abilities like you could in 06 and Unleashed. The story could involve this group taking the ropes to save the world when the main cast (Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, etc.) fails and maybe even working with other characters in the series. Of course have a powerful villain or villains like Mephiles, or even a rival team that Eggman hires or creates to hold off the heroes or something. The list of possibilities goes on and on. I'm not a video game designer and I don't know how hard or easy that would be but I bet it would be fun for a creator to make this idea a reality if they were to create something like this.
Sonic 2006 was kinda Shadow 2 just the game and Sonic story being very underwhelming affected it the reputation of Shadow story
I could listen to people talking about Team Dark for hours on end. There's just something special about them that's always resonated with me, and I'm torn between wanting to see them again; well more like I do really want to see them return in full glory, but before I can want to see them in a game I need to know that the writing direction has changed to something... Good, half decent even.
#ReviveTeamDark
I feel your pain. It’s a very conflicting feeling to miss so much about the series, yet be simultaneously terrified of what the current writers would do to them.
As a relative newcomer still, I do really feel like Rouge and Omega ought to have some independent character development -- especially Rouge. Shadow brings out a side of her that goes beyond her passion for treasure and doesn't force awkward "romantic tension" between her and Knuckles. And although I love that Rouge and Shadow have this special relationship with only each other, I do want to see the way she is without him explored and developed further (preferably as a decently-rounded character, of course. Same goes for Shadow, really).
Omega is already pretty perfect, though; he just wants to kill everything except his best friends he would very willingly die for. That's a character I can absolutely get behind. 👍
That said, Rouge, Shadow and Omega definitely all share an apartment together and no one can change my mind about this. #ReviveTeamDark
So, I was game for a cop show, but a Friends style apartment sharing sitcom between them would be just as interesting! 😎
EXACTLY
I'd love to see Omega interact with more characters, he's been my favorite since 04. 18 years later he holds up.
Put this huge death robot with Tails (mechanical genius) and Cream(ideal child).
Even if not on the games, at least we got to see a lot of Rouge on her own on both Sonic X and Sonic Prime. Its weird that, unlike the games, she doesnt depend on Shadow on the TV shows
Man, I hope Sonic games go back to these great character interactions and story moments!
I honestly hate how little story there is and characters can only interact with certain other characters.
They don’t want to explore the dynamics of how their different personalities would bounce off each other.
Me after seeing that they appear in Sonic forces: *happiness noises*
Me after seeing that they are not a team: Angry as FluCK
probably not
Team Dark is the most mature and subtle teams the franchise's ever done. It has a real tone of subtle kinship and brotherhood between each member, all with their own unique abilities and characteristics. A group of misfits perfectly fit for each other; you could say it's the Sonic franchise's Guardians of the Galaxy.
I feel very bummed how they either dissapeared or pop up just to be misrepresented or put as a glorified cameo. They still have potential as a team and stuff to improve as individuals: Shadow still may be holding on to that promise he did for the good and for the bad; Rouge is a more open character, but still hasn't gone over her jewel-thieving antics and if she did, may have trouble cleaning her slate; Omega is a robot which can't even comprehend much of humanity; above all, all of them still struggle to open up to each other, even if they respect and care for each other.
They need to come back. There is lots to be still learned (and fun to be had watching it happen).
Aww man... you said it, bro!... I think you spoke on behalf of all the Sonic franchise fans!!!
I can definitely get behind #reviveteamdark! It's completely baffling they chose to disband them. Admittedly, there are a great many baffling decisions in the last decade of this series, but still, this one is particularly high on the list! I never finished Shadow's story in 06, so I wasn't actually aware of any of the Team Dark stuff beyond Shadow & Rouge working for GUN together. Now I kinda want to give it another go. Dear God, I can't believe I'm considering playing Sonic 06 to see an element of the series done right! Truly, we live in the darkest timeline. One ironically fucking absent of Team Dark!
It truly does blow the mind that we are where we are! The storytelling has been so woeful yet they have so much cool stuff they choose to hold back. If it makes you feel any better, Shadow's story is actually awesome in 06, and his game play isn't terrible either. If you have the opportunity I would highly recommend seeing it for yourself!
Man I love team dark it's a shame that Sega striped them all apart like that whenever we see them in cut scenes it's usually Shadow or rouge or Shadow and Omega they're never together anymore I don't think Sega appreciates their brilliant characters
According to sega rouge and shadow aren’t even friends anymore 🤦🏽♂️
@@davixn yeah I heard smh
@@davixn Screw that! Who the hell at SEGA had the audacity to claim this??!!
SEGA has no idea what to do with the Sonic series and it's just sad to see. They say team Dark are just a brand and not friends, yet the games contradict their statements LOL
@@DLxxx the games directly contradict these statements anyway. It's like SEGA themselves have no idea what their own characters are supposed to be, at least when it comes to Sonic lol
Team dark is the coolest trio . They don't show it a lot but they are good friends and care for each other .
And Sega forgot it , just like how they forgot the other good things about sonic games ...
I think the character that is easily most damaged from the whole "no team dark" mandate is omega, shadow and rouge on their own atleast have other stuff going for their characters. Omega was made with the intent to serve as the muscle/3rd wheel to Team Dark, without Team Dark, what is Omega left to do. Honestly, just fuck Sega for trying to write off the best written trio in the series.
A fair comment. While I believe all 3 are damaged by the shelving of Team Dark, Omega is definitely impacted most.
Or saved, depending on how you look at it. With no Team Dark, Omega gets little to no screen time, which means his character can't get butchered by the "meta era" writing style that's gone to town slaughtering the characters who've gotten that screen time.
@@WolforNuva True! 😅
@@WolforNuva That's one way to look at it.😁
I really hope SEGA don’t just use Team Dark as “that team that were friends but not anymore” and use them for cameos as their dynamic and characters fit really well. They feel like people who care for each other but are still able to fall apart and criticize each other, becoming stronger in the process
I have recently found myself considering the prospect of what if when they brought back Shadow in Heroes he never had amnesia, and instead his team up with Rouge and Omega was more about addressing where he and Rouge left off in SA2 - the tensions from their confrontation of each other followed by new feelings sprouting because of Shadow’s sacrifice - and the fact Shadow would probably have been feeling lost and purposeless after that game’s events, no longer really knowing what to do with himself - yes he would still believe he should fulfil Maria’s promise but he probably would have been lost as to how to go about it. Along with the whole surface goal of wanting answers from Eggman as to what happened and how he ended up on that base.
Then even his own spinoff game could still have remained largely the same, except instead of finding his memories, it focuses simply on Shadow grappling with the discovery of his true origins as the creation of Black Doom, who meant for him to lead the Black Arms invasion and ultimately destroy Earth all along, and his promise to Maria, his friend who basically helped raise him from when he was born and who he made himself, and Rouge and Omega clearly would have been key to helping Shadow decide to choose the path that he made for himself, choosing to protect the world Maria loved so much and where the friends that he’s now made live too.
The chemistry and dynamics of Team Dark is just absolutely incredible. I wish so dearly that it could be brought back with good writers and stories. Here’s to hoping the changes they seem to be making to the series, including new writers, can help this along. (If only they can get rid of the god awful mandates surrounding the characters like Shadow especially. Bring him back to the character he once was.)
#ReviveTeamDark
"If the world chooses to become my enemy, I will fight like I always have!"
Still the most badass line in the Sonic franchise.
Aaaaaaah, I wouldn't say that, buddy! ... "Faker... I think you're the fake hedgehog around here! ... You're comparing yourself to me?!... Ha... you're not even good enough to be my fake!!!" ... Now that's the baddest line in all of gaming!!!
Amazing analysis. Team Dark have been seriously hard done by and deserve so much better. The fact that storytelling has been so poor in the Sonic series recently just boggles the mind when they have stuff like Team Dark up their sleeve and are just refusing to use them. #ReviveTeamDark
Here here! #ReviveTeamDark
I don't care what sega saids team dark will always be friends.
We as fans are going let them know.
Shadow was able to overcome mephiles not by himself but by working together as a team. Shadow is at his strongest when he has others bounce off of. Also let me throw one misconception away shadow is not really arrogant at all actually this is seen in adventure 2 where shadow saids sonic may also be the ultimate lifeform.
Team dark is great.
Fantastic video, made me realise how much I miss Team Dark! They really have been treated so poorly considering just how popular they are. We just have to hope that Sega start treating every character with the care they deserve and Team Dark can get some attention again!
Also, "This Machine" is hands down one of the best songs in the Sonic series!
In "Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood" we can see more interactions of Team Dark, they have a special attack and a lot of dialogue, when you meet Shadow for the first time, he says that he has been looking for Omega, if you ask him "why? " he will say that omega is his friend, and when you find omega in a bad state, Shadow is the first to run to help him, he even threatens dr. eggman with hitting him because he said a bad comment about omega, in that game, Shadow cares about omega and rouge, SEGA should represent him like this more often
Oh, you went deep into the Team Dark story and the Sonic franchise!... Nobody even talks about that game... ha!!!
@@anricquet yeah, I'm lucky i have that game on my NDS and i played it last year so the memory is kinda fresh, and yeah, Shadow and the Team Dark is one of the main reasons I'm into Sonic fandom and stuff ^^
@@isleyerwolflol Well, to me, that's a pretty good job, and I'm glad you got to have your say from such a standpoint! ... Every detail counts!!!
I totally agree that team dark deserve to come back, but only if they are well written, personally I didn't liked how Shadow passed by Rouge and Omega in Sonic Team Racing Overdrive (a great example of how not to write them)
Agreed. Only bring them back if they will be written well and will be depicted how they used to be.
@@AceCardGaming shiro maekawa known as #Maekawa4Sonic wrote every stories mainline and spin-offs the only games he did not was shadow the hedgehog and chronicles and 2010s era so he wrote from adventure 1 to black knight sega must bring him back he likes to write for sonic even now so more team dark moments from maekawa #Maekawa4Sonic
@@fazelfarrokhi1998 I live in hope of that, I really do!
@@AceCardGaming i mean you could call the LORE MASTER cuz every good stories was from him
Glad we both agree tsr did these three dirty. They were trying to make them the team that works badly together to compare to how team sonic is a great team. Which is garbage because they're an amazing team and if they wanted a team with bad chemistry Eggman and his team were literally right there.
Team Dark could be the outlet to tell more mature stories. Not that regular Sonic games can't be mature but it will always have a decent amount of lightheartedness and straight forward stories. They are able to use Team Dark to tell more complex and mature stories that resonate with the older fanbase. I would completely reboot the Shadow the Hedgehog series and give it a more focused Identity. Also I would allow it to be able to have a higher age rating if needed. Not saying it needs gore, swearing,sex, and drugs but at least allow death.
Yeah like letting Shadow cover more T rated content and let Sonic be E10+. But since Shadow the Hedgehog (the game) was already intended to be that, and it failed, I don't see that happening any time soon
I feel like people seriously miss the question - what does Rouge ACTUALLY know about his past?
"You might be the ultimate life-form, or you might be a fake created by a madman who wanted to end the world. Then you tried to end the world right until you tried to save it. You're probably not gonna randomly turn into a giant aquatic lizard at some point."
So, rouge and knuckles are my two favorite characters in the entire series. Rouge is a character that earns her keep and is one of the only characters in the series with an actual character arc that hasn't been deleted. They haven't done anything with her which is a shame, but I do think bringing back team dark (which kinda has been in IDW), is the best move.
I love Knuckles too, and he’s another character that badly needs some TLC in a future game. I haven’t yet read the Team Dark content from IDW, I’ve heard Shadow is a bit off in it but I still intend to get around to it soon..
“Omega! Shadow! R O U G E. Team Dark is simply unbeatable!”
This was a great video... I really really hope Team Dark comes back under GUN or their own private organization of sorts, saving the world without trying to beat Sonic at car races or something silly like that...
Amen! #ReviveTeamDark !!! 😎😅
Hopefully we’ll see team dark brought back for more than a cameo in the next game
Man, I’ve been noticing a lot of changes in sonic recently, but the one thing I hope most is changed is for team dark to be fixed. Honestly, since 06 they have been doing nothing but ruining this team.
Can't believe I found this video a year too late. Agreed with what you said. Team Dark deserves to be a proper team and not just some brand. I want them to return like they did in Heroes and 06. I still remembered that moment at the end of Sonic Heroes intro when Shadow and Rouge actually fist-bump. Come on, they are comrades! Friends that trust each other!
Ha... I knew two of'em had fist-bumped, but I didn't know or remember that it was those two!
Eggman locking Omega away for fear of it turning against him...ironically allowed that to happen. Sad, isn't it?
Self fulfilling prophecy.
Maekawa's writing for Shadow and the rest of his Team over the course of SA2, Heroes and '06 were the high-point of those games' writing to me as a kid. Seeing a greedy cat-burglar, genetically engineered perfect being and a bloodthirsty walking armory slowly grow to care for each other makes for such a unique dynamic, and it really speaks to Maekawa's strengths as a writer that he pulled off the task of creating a believable sense of camraderie between all three members in spite of their disparate personalities. It truly is a shame that SEGA insists on making Shadow a one-note marketable angry loner when his allies really brought out the best in him back in the day.
10:17 This was a nice prospective about Rouge refraining to discuss anything about Shadow's past. Rouge is a character that seems to pray onto other people's feelings to her advantage with this time using Omega and Shadow to reach her goals via Eggman's secret treasure. IT could also be since she works for GUN and that she is not allow to give out too much info what she's up to.
... Now THAT story fits like a glove right there!!!
We need a new Shadow game with his 06 personality that heavily ft team dark.
They be ma main man, ma gal pal, and brobot.
Teams is a really good way to introduce and develop characters. Team Dark shows us what a good team can do, and I can see Shade, Sally, and Cosmo making a good team should they be reintroduced.
If they were to make a Team Dark game I would be all over that!
They could have different play styles that help the other members along in their mission in different ways.
I think Shadow would probably have the most basic to sonic gameplay form with going fast and platforming obstacles but he also has his Chaos abilities like Chaos Spear, Blast, and Control. He's also probably going to be serving the role of primary protagonist in the story but it shouldn't be about his past, he's done living in the past.
Rouge's gameplay could be based around stealth and espionage like a batman game where she's moving around in secret or sneak attacking enemies to gather information or sabotage the enemy to help progress Shadow's story.
And E-123 Omega is the one I am most excited for, a beat'em up style gameplay reminiscent of the Warriors games where Omega goes full 1-bot army mode against hordes of enemies showing of that he is truly the superior robot!
I’d play that! 🙂
Daaaang, bro... you went all out with those thoughts right there, didn't ya!!!
I love how you used Waking Up as the music in the beginning, it's my all time fave piece of Sonic music!
Is that what the song is called? Wow thank you! You made me discover a new banger!
@@StarDragonNova hehe, Waking Up by Julien-K!! I love it too! Enjoy, mate! ;)
Looking at this and seeing the drastic changes done with the recent departure of not just the voices but the current writers has me cautiously optimistic. I want there to be writing where things like the original team dark can shine, but even if we get good writers, it won't matter. SEGA needs to look back at their past work and see what worked and what didn't. A pity how negative feedback speaks louder volumes than positive feedback sometimes.
Another thing is that if most of the voices have been axed I just hope they get a voice that fits Shadow better. Rouge is ok, and Omega just needs to not have a voice like in 06.
For Shadow, like you said in your Shadow video he needs to stop being an edgy dick and care for his buddies. And yeah Rouge needs to be the voice of team dark again. And Omega can like destruction, but like Shadow, we need to see he cares for Rouge and Shadow.
Anyway, nice video. Needed something good to listen to while eating breakfast. 😌
I 100% agree that Sega/Sonic Team need to look back in order to best decide how to move forward. I hope you’re right about the recent clean out being a good thing. I always hate to see anyone lose their jobs but that combination just wasn’t working for the series IMO.
@@AceCardGamingYou're right. No offense to Kirk but he is just not my shadow. Karen is ok as Rouge. If she gets replaced I just hope she sounds like her age. And I'm almost convinced that anyone could do Omega. My hope is that if and I mean IF they bring back Ryan Drummond, they bring back David Humphrey as well. If Lani comes back, I'll be fine with that too, just please don't bring back Kathleen....again don't hate her but she's the Rouge I want.
Also what are your thoughts on ways to keep team dark relevant?
@@klaibornelorenzo6397 Drummond and Humphrey returning would make my year! Even though I know it will never happen. As for making Team Dark relevant. GUN would need to return along with other humans to bring back their employer. Alternatively have them get together for another more personal mission with no GUN involvement like in heroes. Maybe explore something new from Rouge’s back story, maybe focus on something important to Omega. I would suggest Shadow but his past has been explored a lot already. My preference would be GUN because the threat they face would be new. I’d prefer they got their own game but reality means Sonic would likely be involved so they could just be helping him too. Metal Sonic getting another appearance might be a good way of bringing them back.
Theory: Rouge did tell Shadow about what happened in SA2 but Shadow still can't remember. For example in all those movies or episodes of a character falling and getting amnesia the characters try to remind them of their history together as friends or/and family but even though they are told they still can't get over the guilt and huge curiosity of their lost memories. In the little cutscene of Team Dark encountering Team Hero in the front forest, Shadow exclaims something along the lines of "There is that hedgehog!" It might be that he doesn't remember Sonic but recognizes him because Rouge told him about a blue hedgehog.
Possibly! I always thought there was a point before the forest where Shadow seen Sonic but maybe I’m misremembering. If not, then it makes sense that Rouge would have at least told him about Sonic. Whether or not she told him everything though, is anyone’s guess. But she may have.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!... Very highly observant! He said "Look, it's that hedgehog! ... Excellent work, my man!!!
It's almost a little silly how well they created all these characters, their dynamics and MOs. Team Dark is amazing and has so much potential and the best part is you could split all of them up, let them have a solo adventure in the next Sonic game only to slap 'em together in the next one and see how their character growth ripples through their team. Don't have a good story or game play reason to include Rouge? She's got a gem on the other side of the planet on her radar, but you bet your ass the boys will make references or remember her. Shuffle as you will with whatever character fits the game best. They all have good reasons to appear in any narrative, while also providing good excuses why they wouldn't show up in any given title. What's kinda crazy with the whole "they're just stupid mascots for kids" notion is that this applies to virtually all the characters. Knuckles has both Angel Island and his friendship to Sonic and Cream as a kid just doesn't always get to participate in the big adventure. You can always find a reason for the heroes to work together, or even oppose one another, since they're different enough. Sure, it'd be sad if your favourite character didn't show up, but ideally you'd get them in the next one. It would keep both characters and their teams from going stale, while also retaining their dynamic by acknowledging that the others still exist and have impact on them. This shit writes itself with how well the characters were written. They don't need to be literary masterpieces to work in tandem with one another and it shows in the games that aim for that.
Buuuut instead we got whatever the hell SEGA went for. Just... just why. I know the common reasons, but still. why.
... You said that, my man! ... I mean... I don't know what to say!
I mean. You can argue that in heroes that Shadow isn’t not even the same character anymore, just by name and tendencies. A literal shell of the person he once was
That would tend to be the case for someone who has lost all their memories though. But I maintain that just enough of his old self shines through to reassure the audience that it’s still the same character. Heroes dilutes the story of the individual by nature of it telling the story of a team. Which admittedly is a bit of a double edged sword.
... And the funny part is that for all the games he's been in, he really is a shell of what he "once" was!!!
The only person in the group who they didn't ruin at this point is Omega. Vegeta the Hedgehog and Rouge the Wallpaper barely have personalities at this point.
By the way, How does Shadow's backstory even work without humanity?
Omega couldn’t be ruined, but only because he’s been completely absent! 😅
Sonic Team need to figure out if they want the universe to take place on earth as it did from 98-2006, or if they now want it to be in a more western style Mobius where there are no humans. They keep using human style buildings and architecture in their games but have just dropped the humans. It’s just all over the place. But maybe now since they’ve cleaned house we might see some better focus from them.
@@AceCardGaming To be fair, Omega is pretty simplistic when it comes to his personality. There isn't much there to ruin.
If they do choose to go the all anthro route, they're going to have to rewrite SA and its sequel to explain Shadow's very existence...
@@AceCardGaming well even if they continue with no humans... it’s impossible for them to retcon them from ever existing in the first place... too many events in the world involved humans for them to be retconned at this point... not to mention Shadows entire origin revolves around humans and the GUN organization... so sure all future games could go without humans but it’s impossible for sega to say humans were never a thing
@@davidwilson4446 I agree completely! I actually think it would be harder for them to remove humans and retain the impactful backstories of characters like Shadow. And to an extent, Rouge, Omega and Silver. Retconning is always a bad idea because it inevitably splits opinion. Which is the last thing we need in Sonic.
... You didn't say "Vegetation the hedgehog and Rouge the Wallpaper, did ya... heeeeeck naaaaaw!!!
Sega take notes
Letss go
#ReviveTeamDark #FixShadow #Sonic30 #SaveSonic #Redemption4Shadow Team Dark is a fascinating concept and should be respected, not thrown out and treated like garbage. SEGA has to see the light, take more feedback from Shadow fans and resurrect Team Dark.
Nice vid.
Couldn’t agree more. And thank you, glad you enjoyed the video!
shiro maekawa known as #Maekawa4Sonic wrote every stories mainline and spin-offs the only games he did not was shadow the hedgehog and chronicles and 2010s era so he wrote from adventure 1 to black knight sega must bring him back he likes to write for sonic even now so more team dark moments from maekawa #Maekawa4Sonic
Shadow is my favorite Sonic character. Team Dark are Shadow's closes friends, and proof of his growth as a character. They prove that Shadow is far deeper than, "I edgey". He cares about people, even if he is not the best at showing it. It annoys me how in recent games they made Shadow so competitive, so against the very notion of friends. That is not who Shadow is. Yeah, Shadow can be competitive, and egotistical, but that is not the entirety of his personality, of who he is. He has friends who he cares deeply about, friends who he would trust more than anyone. Sega took those characters and threw them away, taking one small aspect of their personality and saying that that is all there is to them. And it hurts to see them be treated this way. #ReviveTeamDark
I really want to see team dark back in action again
To be fair to Rouge she only knew Shadow for about a week so yeah she knows the sa2 events, but she doesn't really know anything about Shadow's memories prior to all that or how he ended up in an Eggman base. I like to think she filled him in on what she could, but he still had some answers he wanted to address. Also how do you tell a guy he helped blew up the moon and almost did the same thing to the earth. I can see the struggle of how to tell him all that without making him feel awful.
Agreed. There would be a lot of social dynamics at play here. And I feel for this and many other reasons, she was likely afraid to tell him too much.
Well honestly, most ladies usually don't seem to mind giving out details like that to some degree!
I think one of the big reasons why Rouge didn't tell Shadow about his past is because she knows how agonizing it was for him. "Hey you're actually a lab experiment, your best friend was murdered in front of you, you almost destroyed the entire world but changed your mind last minute, and everyone thought you died when you sacrificed yourself to save it." Like c'mon. That's a lot to dump on someone. Imagine what Shadow would have done when _all_ of those memories started flooding back at once. Hell, Rouge saw the lengths that he went to in SA2. Given how much closer they are by the end of Heros, it makes sense that she wouldn't want to inflict that mental torment on him again.
Look Team Sonic is a group of friends. Team Dark is a *found family.*
Couldn’t agree more!
#reviveteamdark
Really enjoyed this. Team Dark is one of my favorite parts of the franchise so I love seeing them get the recognition they deserve. Looking forward to the next video.
What SEGA thinks of Team Dark: They are not friends and never will be
What everybody else thinks of Team Dark: We're a couple of misfits, We're a couple of misfits, What's the matter with misfits? That where we fit in.
To be fair, whether it’s the right thing to do or not it might not have been the best idea to tell Shadow his origin from the get-go in Sonic Heroes. I mean imagine what that sudden shock would do to his mental state:
“Hello Shadow, my name is Rouge. We work together once where you helped save my life from explosion that would’ve destroyed a military base. Oh also the same military force killed your best friend and locked you away for 50 years. Anyway you sacrifice yourself to save them along with the rest of the world. Take this information as you will.”
Something tells me that wouldn’t have ended well.
A bit late, but wasn't the implication in 06 that Omega wasn't just in storage, but was actually there to contain Shadow if needed? Though it seems Omega was unaware of this directive or maybe in becoming self aware overrode that and forgot.
The cloning line also seems a bit odd if these were androids.
Great video Ace. Love the deep dive analysis into the characters. You really make sure to find the good in each one.
You also don’t hold back and give an honest view. Keep up the fantastic work.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. 😁
I have to say, I like to think team dark as a family and a team.
There are awesome all together.♥️🖤♥️🖤♥️
the more i've looked at team dark, the more i see them as team sonic adventure. obviously, sonic adventure 2 is where shadow and rouge came from, but omega was the last in the line of the e-series robots, which first appeared in sonic adventure. to me, they represent everything that was sonic adventure, since shadow was modeled after prophecies of super sonic fighting chaos, rouge was/is a spy for g.u.n, and as i said, omega was the last of e-series, plus, they all ended-up working for g.u.n, which first showed-up in sonic adventure 2.
what's my point? i- i dunno. just that they all were repesentative of what was new/unique about the sonic adventure games, and i liked/miss that.
“Don’t tell me what to do!” Shadow the Hedgehog, IDW.
When the main character of the team is the one who acts like the biggest douchebag.
I don’t have much experience with the IDW series, but this analysis was based purely on the game series.
What happened was that sega mandated that shadow had to act that way, which I think it truly a shame. Team dark is my favorite, and Sega is insuring that the writers butcher shadow’s characterization.
we actually have no proof that Rouge DIDNT say anything to Shadow-Shadow wanted to remember his past, not to get a retelling of the past, but Rouge may have talked to him off screen. that’s why he says “some things never change” at the end, or “remembers” Sonic’s rivalry
You’re correct in that there’s no proof. But equally there’s no proof she said anything. And since nothing happens on screen, it’s logical to assume she didn’t tell Shadow. At least not everything. True he says things like the quote you mentioned, but that is just as likely to be lazy writing as anything else. Just my own views though, I understand why you feel the way you do.
Wow... there's a high amount of observation at this thing, huh... someone else pointed out the details behind the story of Shadow saying "Look, it's that hedgehog"!!!
Yes team dark is so good.They go really well with each other. #reviveteamdark!
This is a pretty old video, but something I wanna bring up, I feel like Rouge started to care about Shadow in SA2 earlier then the end of the game, but around when Shadow saved her life on Prison Island (which would also mirror her not fighting Knuckles anymore and just giving him the master emerald shards after he saves her later as well). Rouge seemed to noticeably be nicer to Shadow after that, down to genuinely being concerned when she brings up the Biolizard to Shadow, the idea that its the real Shadow, and he's simply a fake, when he finds out she's a spy.
But this might be me looking too deep into things, Shadow and Rouge's development with one another during the 2000s has made me a shipper of the two admittedly.
Also as far as we're aware, Eggman never finds out that Gamma turned on him, as the last time Eggman sees Gamma is when he has him fight Sonic, so from Eggman's PoV, Gamma was likely destroyed. This is kind of backed up a bit by both SA2 and Sonic Battle, Eggman makes robots based on Gamma in both games, so it makes me think he had so much respect for Gamma that he made other robots in his likeness, but this is me just assuming.
To answer your question at the end of the video, I'd love for them to try their hands at a Shadow 2, but instead of just Shadow, its a game revolved around Team Dark, as I feel like their camaraderie would make for a far more interesting dynamic then a game solely focused on Shadow.
I need the G.U.N. Team Dark cop show omg! What do you think about how team dark is written in the IDW Sonic comics? Maybe a future video idea :o #reviveteamdark
I need to get up to speed on the IDW comics tbh! A future video idea indeed! 🙂
Loved your video, bro!!
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!
8:39
Shadow: “That Android… it can’t be…”
Omega: “Shadow. That Android must be an alien. Unable to analyze.”
Bro you know what would be awesome? If they made a spin off series with these three idc if it's in the form of a TV show or a videogame it can be either one or both! Either way we need more of team dark
Agreed!
@@AceCardGaming honestly I'm sad that their story ended in heroes I know it continues in sonic 06 but I don't have x box or 06 and i don't have the patience to deal with those long ass loading screens
Just binge watching While I work out
If I were to make a ggame with Team Dark, I'd focus it squarely on the group itself. No Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, or any of the others. Just Shadow, Rogue, and Omega. I'd have them take on the role of GUN agents again, like in 06, where they raid several of Eggman's bases and the like. I'd want there to be a variety of individual and team based operations to give each member their time to shine and to develop the team as a whole. Omega doesn't exist without Team Dark, so I think giving him some solo time would flesh him out some more, assuming there's something that can be done regarding his robocidal tendencies. Honestly, I think it'd be an interesting alternative to Team Sonic's overabundance of goodness. A bit of dark to balance out the light, as it were. #ReviveTeamDark
Brilliant vid I agree mate also thought u liked heroes pal?
I love heroes! And while I do really enjoy the game, I can’t pretend it doesn’t have its share of flaws. It marked a big change in the series at the time, and a change that jarred with me a bit as someone who much preferred the direction of SA2. Still love it though.
@@AceCardGaming ahh Yh that makes sense heroes was my first sonic game so it’s always gonna have a special place but yh I agree I love the adventure era of sonic even a lot of the dark age too it’s the 2010 games except generations and mania that I think lack a lot great ideas
@@arenwalker3624 Your first is always special! I completely understand the feeling.
@@AceCardGaming Yh it is I’ve just not been a fan of the last few years of sonic nostalgia pandering no interesting spin offs anymore.
Sonic Heroes be like:
Shadow - can't remember anything
Omega - violent and crazy
Rouge - just wants some shiny rocks
I think there's a simpler answer as to why Rouge didn't tell Shadow about his past, and it's half that she doesn't know that much about him and half that she did off-screen.
Shadow refers to himself as the ultimate lifeform: so Rouge told him that much, and likely told him about his sacrifice. But it's not like she ever learned about his past. Just heard him mention Maria once or twice and knew who created him.
Ive always said team dark needed their own game where they fight eggman and the shadow clones. I wanted that so bad and at the time in 2004 I thought I was headed that direction based on sonic heroes. In a way it carried on in shadow the hedgehog, not exactly how I imagined it to but it was decent
14:58 while youre talking about how great of a team they are, Shadow bodyslams Rouge off the fucking rail
I deny its brilliance!
sorry... but with a title like that, I just can't resist, you know.
Team dark could make an amazing sonic adventure (or, shadow adventure)
I absolutely love team dark probably my most favorite next to team chaotix
When I heard that SEGA doesn’t see them as friends I was kinda annoyed
I mean have they played sonic 06 or Sonic heros!!
But anyway
I’ll have to give it to Evan Stanley here (One of IDW writers) yes obviously she couldn’t have shadow old personality because they have strict rules but I love how she does shadow in the end
Shadow actually is worried for the girls in one story and gives the chao that looks like him an apple
She knows that shadow character is not everyone favorite rn and probably never will be with how he’s written and Evan shows all this
With rouge
Rouge gives shadow a talk after star line gets away I can’t exactly remember the words but I heard someone say it’s almost like Evan is telling us something
Saying she gets it
She doesn’t like shadows character too
And I really like that
Team dark has always meant a lot to me all of the teams have but If you asked me which was my favorite team
I’d probably say team dark immediately
And I can kinda see the purpose of all the teams
Team sonic is well it’s in the name
It’s a team for sonic because well the main guys has to have a team too right? Don’t get me wrong I love the dynamics these guys have but honestly we see these guys work together a lot so it’s nothing really special if they’re a team or not
Idk much about team rose so I’ll just move on
Team chaotix is like the comedy type
They never really have something serious going on when they’re around and yes sometimes they do but most of the times they’re kinda there for the laughs
And then team dark
Like shadow I feel like they were made for people to relate to
These are all misfits and kids can kinda relate to that myself including
Sega can try all the want to make me love idk team sonic more (jk)
But I will always and forever love team dark
I know I’m one year late I became a sonic fan like 6 months ago or so
So ya heh I’m kinda late to the party
But anyway
Amazing video! I agree with everything you said
Edit: I didn’t mean to put Ian Flynn I meant to put SEGA but Ian was in my head for some reason so heh Ya
Sorry-
I changed it tho
Glad you enjoyed it! 😁
Team Dark is a truly beautiful team. And to think this team almost never happened at all.
You see, in *Sonic Heroes* , they almost put Amy, Cream and Rouge together as a team. I can kind of see why. "Let's put the girl counterparts of Sonic, Tails and Knuckles together. They can have some fun interactions." To be honest, I wouldn't mind seeing that. It does sound very interesting.
But... they decided to bring Shadow back, so they instead stuck Big in with Amy and Cream, had Rouge lead Team Dark, and create Omega from scratch. And it was a brilliant move. Rouge is the heart of the team, keeping Shadow and Omega in line, but also having a few shady deeds here and there. Shadow keeps everyone on the straight and narrow, as well as learning about what the Earth has to offer and learning to move on from Maria's death. Omega is fresh out of the workshop, and is keen to get revenge on his master, but becomes a loyal friend.
Sonic team/Sega: team dark is not a thing.
Me: Then how come there called team dark in team sonic racing and heros.
Sonic team/sega: ...
They’d probably blame Sumo Digital! 😅
@@AceCardGaming true
... Hm!... Waitin' for an answer from SEGA... you could be waitin' for good!!!
I always thought Rouge had more chemistry and a stronger bond with Shadow than with Knuckles, so I never understood why Knuxouge was so much more popular than Shadouge. Rouge and Shadow don't even interact in Sonic Prime for crying out loud!
A Team Dark-focused animated series whoyld go really hard. I think that mayne Rouge amd Omega might appear in a Sonic 2 movie. But maybe it would be too many characters at once, but who knows?
#ReviveTeamDark Love these guys so much!!!
#ReviveTeamDark :)
2001 - Shadow and Sonic handclasp and nodding, spontaneously.
2003 - Shadow smiling at Rouge, talking carefree.
2007 - ongoing "mandates, shadow no friends, no fun, selfish edgelord, so cool only for 12 years old kids".
I just love Omega.
Shadow is not ready for the world at all, because Sega turned against him to hurt the fans for some reason.
Wow!
i actually never saw eggman discontinuing the E-100 series because first gamma then omega AND THEN again with chaos gamma
i always chalked it up to him just moving past E-199
Sega needs to make a sequel to Shadow the Hedgehog, but have it be a Team Dark game
#ReviveTeamDark
Huge missed opportunity that team dark did not play a part in shadow the hedgehog 2005
It pisses me off how SEGA has thrown away all Adventure Era continuity, including Team Dark
I wish they went back to what works for sonic as a franchise and challenges the status quo and actually gives the characters something to do not just useless garbage who can't do anything without sonic and actually properly use them as intended and not just rehash what works for other franchises
Sega: "So what do people think of Team Dark?"
Sonic haters/detractors: "Urgh, they suck! Some emo, edgelord version of Sonic, some mouse thing with wings and boobies who all the weirdo furries have the hots for, and some dumb robot whose name I don't even bother to remember! God they're the worst things ever! Sega should just get rid of 'em, and all of Sonic's stinky friends too! Sonic games should just be about Sonic running through loops and jumping on robots, AND NOTHING ELSE! Not all this BS with lame stories like cringey fan fiction, and emo characters that no one even likes! Nobody, repeat NOBODY plays Sonic games for story and characters! And if you do, then you must be a freak!"
Actual Sonic fans: *This Video*
Sega: "Wow, that's too long to watch! Let's just listen to the other guys! They CLEARLY know what they're talking about!"
I cannot stand this negative attitude towards the Sonic series that's basically dictating what can and can't be in a Sonic game! It just isn't helping anything!
I like that Shadow wasn't butchered in Forces, but he should be more important, as the on who triggered Infinite's creation.
Team Dark FOREVER
Lol the shadow video is privated but I'd love to watch it
Team Dark is the best team in Sonic The Hedgehog. No question.
Shadow the hedgehog needs a sequel but this time it's based on team dark.
Shadow Squad?
You could just ya know call it team dark, and if not shadow dark. It would be weird to throw away the team dark name completely
I am a bit late but…
Will we ever see Team Rose? I’ve never seen a video on Team rose anywhere, I’ve seen one for Team Chaotix, and we have all seen enough of Team Sonic.
Where is Team Rose? I know that they are just there to save their friends because they aren’t super heroes, they are just a group of friends out to help one another. I think they are the Healthiest team in all of Sonic Heroes. That’s just my opinion
I think I’ll definitely get around to covering Team Rose at some point!
@@AceCardGaming nice! That would be awesome!
That's a good opinion, though!
@@AceCardGaming where’s team rose?
IDW needs to seriously reaffirm if Team Dark is a thing of not. Does G.U.N. exist in that universe? I hope it does as the stories of Team Dark as G.U.N. in the Archie series were great stories and gave Shadow a way to keep his protect the world (Mobious in that case) with his two friends that he trusts. I even hear that the past IDW story arc "Chao Races and Badnick Bases" was meant to be a Team Dark centered story but changed into what we got which wasn't bad...but the original idea sounded better. Also seeing Shadow portrayed as overly grumpy gets old fast.
Some clarity would indeed be great. But if the much discussed mandates around Shadow are true, it helps explain why Shadow has been broken for so long now. Hopefully with the writers being changed after forces, things like G.U.N and Shadow’s real character can make a return!
@@AceCardGaming We can only hope. Hey ever heard of a radio drama produced by a UA-camr named EmuEmi? She calls it "Sonic and Tails R" where she voices Tails. She has Mike Pollock as Eggman, Ryan Drummond as Sonic and in the latest episode she got Jason Griffith to voice Shadow for that episode. The best part of that episode is that Shadow... isn't written to be a grumpy asshole.
@@renegadedjinn5325 I have heard of her and the show yeah! Keep meaning to check it out, Ryan Drummond should have been enough to get me to already but a good depiction of Shadow is the cherry on the cake!
“Outcasts who had nobody and whose very existence is a fight.”
TAKE NOTES, SUICIDE SQUAD!
Why SEGA like to ruin anything good with the franchise ?
Team dark had the best developed bond out of all teams .
As someone else said, it's not like Rouge didn't tell Shadow about his past in SH. She did. Shadow is trying to sort things out not because he doesn't remeber stuff, he is trying to understand why he doesn't remember, what happened to his memory.
The game never says this is the case. It’s an assumption you’re making.
@@AceCardGaming not really assumption, more like educated guess. At the end of team dark story, Shadow's phrase "something's never change, do they?'" implies, that Rouge told him about events of SA2. Like, when she tried to steal Master emerald.
Again, rouge telling him about Sonic, Knuckles and Tails doesn’t necessarily mean she told him everything. She needed to tell him about those as they were, in her words, “getting in her way and making trouble”. She may well have told Shadow everything but since the game doesn’t explicitly say so, and Shadow never says how even though she told him that he still can’t remember. My canon is that she didn’t. I can understand your line of thinking though, you’re not wrong to come to your own conclusions.
@@AceCardGaming you reasoning is solid and I respect your opinion, but, well, I still not so sure about this... Sure, for Rouge not telling Shadow about his past might be a right thing: she was afraid to hurt him with truth. But, ain't it a bit cruel to hide truth from him and just watch how he tries to uncover it? If she really wanted to help him, she should have told him the truth. That way, he might even remember stuff, as she told him.
Well, anyway, I'm coming back to this not because I wanted to argue more. I noticed another interesting thing about Shadow in Sonic Heroes and I feel like it's really worth mentioning. It's not directly related, but whatever.
There are another hints (atleast for player) that this Shadow is the original. Yeah, we learn this in StH, but let's focus on SH, just for the sake of discussion.
The thing is: Metal Sonic two times addresses Shadow as Ultimate Lifeform. First time in Rail Canyon cutscene, second in battle with team Dark in the last story. Althrough in theory it's possible, that he (just like Omega in opening cutscene) took him for android, BUT he says that he COPIED data of Ultimate Lifeform. Come to think about it, Metal Sonic for sure knew about Shadow androids. Atleast one lied broken next to him in Rail Canyon. But he still called this Shadow Ultimate Lifeform, not an android.
Oh and later, when team Sonic fights Metal Overlord, he can use Chaos Control to literally stop time. How exactly he could learn this power, if not from original Shadow?
We can clearly see, that our Shadow can use Chaos control: it's shown in team blast, where he stops time with it.
Of course, there is a catch, even two.
1) Can Shadow androids use chaos control?
Really doubt. If they could, Eggman conqured the world already. Who the hell need 3 days to do it, if you have all time in the world?
Oh, and another thing. Why Metal Sonic didn't use broken Shadow android in team dark cutscene, if it could use Chaos control? Because, it's no use! (c) Maybe it's the reason why android ended up being broken in the first place.
Yet another thing. Androids still can't use Chaos Control in StH when you encounter them.
2) Metal Sonic copied Chaos data from Chao he kidnapped (Team Rose, last cutscene). Was it enough to learn Chaos Control? I mean... Chao can't really use Chaos control? Sure, they share Chaos within, no doubt, but still... I dunno about this.
Interesting points. But for me, Metal saying he copied the ultimate life form data and gaining the ability to use Chaos Control, along with Omega telling Rouge he thinks Shadow is the original is enough proof for me.
#REVIVETEAMDARK!!!!