Sonic 3 producer says it "takes a lot from Sonic Adventure 2" so I have to ask: what's going to happen to that 12 year old?
Will they pull the trigger, so to speak?
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It probably won't surprise you that, despite the numbers, Sonic 3 is borrowing a lot from Sonic Adventure 2, but I really am wondering what will happen to Maria.
Can't believe I have to write this, but spoilers ahead for Sonic Adventure 2 and potentially Sonic 3 I guess?
Sonic fans around the world jumped for joy when the very short first teaser was released for Sonic 3, as it featured an orchestral rendition of Live and Learn, the main theme from Sonic Adventure 2. Fans have been desperate for some Adventure-era recognition, and obviously with Shadow's introduction it was always going to borrow from it somewhat. As shared in a new interview with GamesRadar, Sonic 3 producer and Knuckles showrunner Toby Ascher spoke a bit about the upcoming film, and how it's drawing upon Sonic Adventure 2.
"It’s going to be this giant, fun, incredible movie that obviously takes a lot from Sonic Adventure 2 and some of the games that I know the core Sonic Team grew up loving," Ascher said. Of course, that leaves one important question: are they going to kill Maria, an actual 12 year old child, like the game's did? To offer some context for non-Sonic fans, in Sonic Adventure 2, it's implied that Maria, Eggman's cousin (stay with me here) died after sending Shadow (her best friend) down to earth. In Shadow's own game from 2001, it's explained that she quite literally got shot, something that was also shown in the Sonic X anime, though both were unsurprisingly censored.
That is, obviously, messed up, and not particularly kid-friendly, so you have to assume that when Ascher says it "takes a lot" from Sonic Adventure 2, it doesn't mean everything. We won't know until the film actually comes out on December 20 what their plan is for Maria (they have cast an actual child in the film in an undisclosed role, so she's likely present), but at least we know that Shadow will be voiced by real-life ultimate life-form Keanu Reeves.