#Shadow has guilt that he couldn't protect Maria

[papayaturtles]

Some more out of context arts of my Eggman finds Tails au that's in my brain that I decided to title " Friend or Foe " >:3c

I can't wait to actually start working on the comic I have so many ideas bouncing in my brain OOOUUGHHHGH 💥💥💥💥💥💥

[other out of context arts]

[cat-downthestreet]

People always say Shadow's backstory is sad, but I don't think I've ever heard anyone talk about it in depth.

Maria wasn't just Shadow's only friend. She had a fatal illness that couldn't be cured by any natural means, so her grandfather resorted to experimentation to find a cure. Eventually, Shadow was created, whose immortality was meant to be the key to Maria's recovery.

He was created to save her.

But she was killed because she tried to save Shadow from G.U.N. after he was deemed "too dangerous" by the organization to live. Think about that from Shadow's perspective. His only friend, killed because he was created to be a living weapon. Because he was friends with her, and she wanted to save him from G.U.N.

In his mind, Shadow is the reason why his only friend, his purpose, is gone.

After that, all he had left was the second reason for his creation. His status as a living weapon.

What do you think it's like to have only two purposes, one of which is Maria, and the other is why she's gone?

What's left for you at that point but to destroy everything, just like your creator intended?

Shadow blames humanity for Maria's death- it's another part of why he tried to destroy the world- but above all else, he blames himself.

In the end, Shadow is a broken man.

He believes himself to be unable to form connections with anyone; the last time he did, she was killed. He doesn't want to lose another friend, but he's also afraid he'll be the cause if it happens again. He knows he is built to destroy, and he's resigned himself to that purpose. It's all he has left after Maria died.

The reality of it is, Shadow hates himself.

And he has yet to let anyone close enough to help him. He runs away from friendship and teamwork both to protect himself and others from losing another person. He can't let anyone else die because he can't handle the guilt he already feels from the last time it happened.

That... has to be the worst feeling imaginable.