I have to be honest. If you had told me years ago that we would have not one, but a whole trilogy of Sonic movies (And that they were good, AND starred one of my favorite actors, Jim Carrey), I would have likely rolled my eyes.
But, lo and behold, everything I just said is true, and I still, to this day, consider the first one to be the greatest video game movie of all time (yes, even more so than my beloved The Super Mario Bros. Movie).
So, being the fanboy that I am, I was, of course, stoked to see Shadow the Hedgehog in the end credits of Sonic 2, but I’m even more excited that we saw Amy Rose in the post-credits scene for Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Here’s why!
Firstly, My Daughter Has Wanted Amy To Be In The Sonic Movies Ever Since The First Film, And She Finally Got Her Wish
My daughter went into Sonic the Hedgehog 3 angry. When I asked her why she had such a sour-puss face, she said, “I can’t believe they put Shadow in before Amy. They might as well put Silver in next.”
While they didn’t put Silver in Sonic 3, I could understand her angst, because up until that post-credits scene in the threequel, the Sonic movies did seem to be a bit of a boy’s club, what with Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, AND Shadow.
So, my daughter was right to be upset, since she’s wanted Amy ever since the first movie. Now, while I don’t think Amy should have been in the first film, since it was really an introduction to Sonic, I did think she should have been in Sonic 2.
That’s because my daughter loves Amy, and has ever since she watched one of the best Sonic cartoons, Sonic Boom. In that show, Amy does have a crush on the main man, as that’s one of her character traits, but she is also definitively her own person. In fact, she was often presented as the sarcastic voice of reason on the show.
In that way, I’m happy that my daughter finally got her wish of Amy being in the movies. Not only that, but when a row of boys in front of us groaned when they saw Amy, my daughter stuck out her tongue, and said, “It’s about time,” underneath her breath. I wanted to tell her to “Say it louder,” but I’ll let her speak up for her favorite characters in her own time. It’s bound to happen eventually, just like with Amy Rose in these films.
Amy As A Badass Warrior Is The Right Way To Go
I’ve already talked about how I consider the first Sonic the Hedgehog to be the best video game movie ever, but if I have any complaint with the film, it’s the action, as I think it could be better.
Yes, it was suitable for Sonic, as it featured him running and zipping around, but I kind of wanted something a bit more meaty, which was why I was glad that we got Knuckles in the sequel, as he’s known for cracking heads.
Sonic 2 was pretty good, but I really wanted even more action, which was why I was happy to find Shadow in the sequel, as he’s often (comically) known for having a gun. The action was definitely better for Sonic 3, making for some heart-pumping scenes (especially if you’re a Sonic fan).
But, what I really want for Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is even more action, and seeing Amy destroy so many Metal Sonics really made me say “Aw, hell yeah.”
Because I just love the idea of a cloak-wearing, badass Amy who saves Sonic’s bacon, and I think it’s the right call for the sequel. Yes, we got Krysten Ritter in Sonic 3 as a woman of authority, but as I mentioned earlier, these movies have been pretty male-centric when it comes to the cool characters. So, I’m just happy that it looks like we’re going to finally get Amy to fill in that kickass role for the next adventure.
Team Sonic Now Finally Feels Complete
Another reason why I was upset (much like my daughter) that we were getting Shadow rather than Amy first is because Amy fully compliments Team Sonic, while Shadow doesn’t. I know that’s weird to say since we’ve gotten so many extra characters in the Sonic universe, but when I wrote my article on five classic Sonic characters that I wanted to see in Sonic 2, I included Amy and not Shadow.
Because yeah, while Shadow is cool, I don’t consider him to be a “classic” Sonic character. Debuting back in Sonic Adventure 2, Shadow was a hit from the very beginning, and I liked him back then, and I still like him today (especially with the Keanu Reeves references in the movie).
That said, when I think of the OG Sonic games that I grew up with, the characters that instantly spring to mind are Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Dr. Robotnik, and yes, Amy Rose (and Metal Sonic, if you’re nasty).
So, the fact that we went almost three whole movies without Amy really felt like a crime against nature. It’s like my daughter said, they might as well just have Silver or, I don’t know, Vector the Crocodile, in the movie if they weren’t going to include Amy.
But now, with Amy’s introduction, it finally feels like things are on the right track, particularly since it now fills a hole in the movies that I think has been missing for way too long.
While my daughter waited impatiently for Amy to appear, I waited impatiently for when we were finally going to see some love for Sonic CD. An utter gem of a game, it sees our hero traveling through time, and it was also the introduction of both Amy Rose and Metal Sonic.
So, when we got a whole legion of Metal Sonics in the third movie, as well as Amy dispatching them, it felt like sweet justice. Especially because Amy was more of a damsel in distress in Sonic CD, rather than breaking them apart like she is in the post-credits scene.
But honestly, while real ones know how good that game is, I feel like the movies have glossed over it completely, which doesn’t make sense given the timeline of the games.
You see, in the second movie, we got Knuckles, but he actually appeared AFTER Amy in the Sonic universe (he debuted in 1994’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3, while Amy and Metal Sonic debuted in 1993’s Sonic CD).
In that way, I’m super happy that Sonic 4 looks to finally pay some respect to Sonic CD with its appearances of both Amy and Metal Sonic, which brings me to my final reason for why I’m happy Amy has now arrived.
I Don’t Know How Amy Will Play Into This Next Movie, And That’s A Good Thing
Now look, I have a hunch about what Sonic 4 is going to be about, but I’m not sure, and I love that I feel the same about Amy.
She could mean a lot of things for the sequel. Will she be a love interest for Sonic, or will it be a totally platonic relationship? How will the rest of the gang gel with her? Will we see even less of the human characters in the sequel, and see more characters like Amy in a new world?
I don’t know, but as I said before, I have a hunch. You see, since Sonic CD is clearly being referenced in the post-credits scene, I have a feeling that the upcoming sequel will be a time travel adventure, since that’s what the video game is. Perhaps Sonic could go back in time with Amy, and then try to stop the death of Longclaw, only for Knuckles to tell him that he can’t change the past.
I’m not sure, but Amy entering into the story opens up so many possibilities, and I can’t wait to see what they present in the sequel.
Are you also pumped for Amy? For more news on Sonic the Hedgehog, be sure to swing by here often!