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Sonic the Hedgehog 2’s wild post-credits scene explained

Giovanni Colantonio
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Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is out now in theaters, continuing the blue blur’s big-screen adventure. The sequel brings some familiar faces into the fold, like Miles “Tails” Prower and a particularly buff Knuckles. While those are the series’ biggest stars, the video game series has a massive cast of heroes and villains, from Team Chaotix to Big the Cat.

For those hoping that the sequel might open the door for more characters, you’re in luck. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is clearly setting up for a sequel that’ll expand its the Green Hills conflict beyond Dr. Robotnik. That’s thanks to an almost surreal post-credits stinger that’ll have fans screaming. Here’s what goes down in the final moments of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and what it means for the future.

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Spoilers to follow.

Dr. Eggman looks at a hologram in Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

Does Sonic the Hedgehog 2 have a post-credits scene?

If you’re just looking for a spoiler-free answer here: Yes, you’ll want to stick through the credits in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. After a nostalgic, animated batch of credits, there’s one short scene to take in. That’s the only bonus scene in the film, so feel free to leave after that — though fans of the game may find themselves too stunned to move.

What happens in Sonic the Hedgehog 2’s post-credits scene?

At the end of the film, Dr. Robotnik is once again defeated, falling off his gigantic Eggman robot. The post-credits scene takes place in the aftermath of that moment, as G.U.N. agents search the perimeter for Robotnik, who has gone missing. We do get to see the fate of one of his cohorts, as Lee Madjoub’s Stone sneaks his way through the scene disguised as a masked agent.

Then comes a moment Sonic fans never thought they’d see on the big screen. A G.U.N. agent stops Commander Walters to tell him that she’s made a troubling discovery. When wiping Robotnik off the military organization’s database, G.U.N. discovered a secret file dating back over 50 years. It contained coordinates to a hidden black site research facility working on something called Project Shadow.

Yep, that’s right. The camera pans to a containment cell and slowly reveals Sonic’s arch-nemesis Shadow the Hedgehog. He opens his eyes and the scene ends.

Shadow the Hedgehog grinds while holding a gun.

How will Shadow play into Sonic the Hedgehog 3?

After two movies where Sonic battles Dr. Robotnik, it was clear that Paramount would need a new villain if it was going to keep the series going. Shadow is the most logical next step, as he’s a literal foil for the blue blur. If the threequel gets greenlit, you can be sure that Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles will have to team up to take down the black hedgehog.

Does that mean that we’ve seen the last of Dr. Robotnik? Maybe, but only because of logistics. Jim Carrey has hinted that he may retire from acting soon, so Robotnik’s vague fate seems purposefully open. He could come back and team up with Shadow, or he could disappear entirely. It seems unlikely that the role would be recast right away, as the third movie won’t really need Robotnik now that Shadow’s around.

The surreal cameo sets up some questions for Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Will other Team Dark villains like Rouge the Bat show up? Who’s broody enough to voice him? Will he get to shoot a literal gun, as he does in his 2005 video game? I imagine that even fans who didn’t click with the previous two films will be curious to know those answers. Let’s hope the box office numbers are strong enough that we get some answers. In the meantime, Sonic’s next video game adventure, Sonic Frontiers, is still scheduled to launch this year.

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Giovanni Colantonio
Giovanni Colantonio
Section Editor, Gaming
Giovanni is a writer and video producer focusing on happenings in the video game industry. He has contributed stories to…
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