A MAN’S ESSAY ABOUT RACISM IN SHADOW THE HEDGEHOG
We got sent this. It’s by ‘Peter Wilson’. Obviously it’s too many words to bother to read and see if it’s any good or makes sense not, but we’d be mad not to upload an essay called ‘Racism and Shadow The Hedgehog’. So here it is, as we’re definitely not mad.
Racism and Shadow the Hedgehog
By Peter WilsonShadow the Hedgehog is an action computer game for the Sony PlayStation 2, Microsoft Xbox and Nintendo Gamecube. Despite its apparent targeting at a younger audience, the game undeniably touches on issues of race, often in an unfair way. Shadow is a black character, as are the main villains of the game. While Shadow is essentially the ‘hero’ of the game, it is not straightforward. Players are given a choice as to whether to be good or evil.
Unlike his counterpart ‘Sonic’, Shadow, the main character of the game, is not an archetypal hero. He is portrayed as an ‘edgier’ character, having suffered amnesia and therefore having difficulties with his own sense of self. Most importantly of all, whereas Sonic is blue, Shadow’s fur is that of a distinct black. Whereas Sonic would appear on the covers of his games with a big grin on his face, Shadow appears on the cover art with a definite sneer, most notably holding what appears to be a large gun. In the game itself, when Shadow first acquires his firearm, Sonic utters,
“I wouldn’t be caught dead with one of those.”Why is this? Because Sonic is not black? Sonic Team, the creator of the game, are definitely making a point here. Firstly, Sonic is implying that it is not in his character to use guns, does this mean it is in a black persons nature to use guns? In all the many, many Sonic games, Sonic has never once used a gun, but in giving the first black character in the Sonic universe their own spin-off game, they immediately pick up a gun and don’t even question the morality of its usage.
Secondly, unlike a normal Sonic game, the player of ‘Shadow’ is given the choice as to whether or not to play through the game as ‘good’ or ‘evil’. Why is this? Never once while playing as Sonic have we had the chance to be evil. However, once we switch to Shadow, his black counterpart, many of the games’ objectives are in fact, to do evil deeds. Is it a mere coincidence that the ‘black guy’ has the ability to become evil, while the ‘white guy’ (or in this case blue) does not?
The bad guys are rather unsubtly named ‘The Black Aliens’. Within the story they have come down to Earth and are causing havoc on the world they’re invading. If this is not a swipe at immigration laws then I don’t know what is. At once the soldiers of Earth (all of them are white) go to war with these black aliens. If a player decides to side with these soldiers these ‘black aliens’ can be killed. However, to side with the aliens, you are not able to kill the soldiers, merely knock them to the ground; either that or simply destroy lifeless robots. The evidence is clear here, you are allowed to kill ‘the blacks’, but you aren’t allowed to kill ‘the whites’. Is the life of a white man really that much more significant than the life of a black man? Were the actions of the ‘Black Aliens’ to be performed by human they would ultimately considered as ‘terrorist’, therefore by this rationale every terrorist must be black.
While all the characters in the Sonic the Hedgehog universe have their own distinct personalities (Sonic being the ‘cool’ one, Knuckles being the ‘brash’ one, etc), Shadow on the other hand does not. He is confused and alone; he is essentially a black man in a white man’s world. When the ‘Black Aliens’ come to his Earth, he naturally fears them.
“Get out of my sight, disgusting black creatures,” is just one of the many racist remarks he himself utters, despite the fact that he is black himself. Only when the story progresses and Shadow realises that he may be of the same origin as the black aliens, does he call their wickedness into question. Is this a knock by Sega at the ‘average’ black man not staying true to his roots in today’s white oriented culture? It seems likely.
At one point in the game you are forced to decide between siding with the ‘Black Aliens’ or the evil ‘Dr. Robotnik’. For those not familiar with the Sonic the Hedgehog universe, Dr. Robotnik is essentially a fascist dictator with aspirations of world domination. Now, while the black aliens are doing ‘evil’ deeds, Dr. Robotnik has also performed, and continues to perform deeds just as evil. Let us imagine, for argument’s sake, that the Black Aliens and Dr. Robotnik are as ‘evil’ as each other; why so then, is Dr. Robotnik’s cause portrayed as the ‘hero’ option while the side of the ‘Black Aliens’ portrayed as the ‘evil’ option? Is it because Dr. Robotnik is white?
Shadow the Hedgehog? Ban this racist filth.
Thanks Peter. We particularly like your use of ‘inverted commas’. We forgot to ask if you are black or not, although ‘Peter Wilson’ doesn’t sound like a black name so you’re probably not. No doubt this will stimulate some heated debate in the Comments field!
filed in Uncategorized on Nov.02, 2006
November 2nd, 2006 on 3:40 pm
What a load of old bollocks. People will be moaning that the Golliwogs off of jam jars are racist next!
November 2nd, 2006 on 3:50 pm
WAIT!……I just thought of something constuctive to say after I submitted my last post.
This seems to give Sega more credit than they actually deserve. If right, it implies Sega spent *ages, carefully creating a vivid racist world. When, in fact, they hastily cobbled together a load of old wank because they knew the kids would buy it……That proves my statement about it being bollocks is justified now.
*No pun intended……it just looked like I was slightly cleverer than I actually am.
November 2nd, 2006 on 3:54 pm
yeah, if the authors black he will be called tyrone or big G or something.
November 2nd, 2006 on 4:06 pm
I can remember when black hedgehogs had to use separate drinking fountains and restrooms. Then, in the landmark Shadow vs. The Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, the Supreme Court ruled that black hedgehogs must be allowed to attend blue hedgehog schools, which was integral to the development of college athletics. This is how America cured racism. The end.
November 2nd, 2006 on 4:23 pm
There are no racist overtones. Shadow (as implied by his name) has a darker personality than sonic, majority by being his opposite. So Sonic not using guns would imply he does. It’s melancholic character design, not racism.
November 2nd, 2006 on 4:36 pm
Is that shadow at the top of the page.
UKResistance is racist
November 2nd, 2006 on 4:55 pm
Is it a mere coincidence that the ‘black guy’ has the ability to become evil, while the ‘white guy’ (or in this case blue) does not?
This is the precise instant the whole argument falls apart.
November 2nd, 2006 on 5:24 pm
My shoes are black and I trod in some shit last week. Does this mean all black people are shit? No, does it bollocks (just Craig David). What a bell end that bloke is.
November 2nd, 2006 on 6:11 pm
If the games not racist, how do you explain the bonus level where Shadow has to eat as much Fried Chicken as possible in the space of a minute?
But in all fairness the game is the worst game by Sonic Team ever, no wonder Yugi Naka left Sega.
November 2nd, 2006 on 6:18 pm
Its a game about a hedgehog. Its not as if Shadow has a veil on. Thank god for games like San Andreas that contain absolutely no black stereotyping whatsoever.
November 2nd, 2006 on 6:21 pm
this is the least persuasive essay ever written. ban THIS racist filth.
“If this is not a swipe at immigration laws then I don’t know what is.”
apparently you don’t what is, then. also, minus a million points for using gay cliches.
“Is this a knock by Sega at the ‘average’ black man not staying true to his roots in today’s white oriented culture? It seems likely.”
no, no it doesn’t. i didn’t think it was possible to be so WRONG in a “persuasive” (i’m being generous here) essay.
NOBODY TALKS ABOUT MY SONIC GAMES THAT WAY!!! unless he was kidding. in which case, good show. i got a blogger account for nothing.
November 2nd, 2006 on 7:16 pm
Obligatory VG Cats strip:
http://www.vgcats.com/comics/?strip_id=140
November 2nd, 2006 on 7:32 pm
Why did they have to get this asshole, Shadow, anyways? I remember back in the day when Knuckles was a true badass motherfucker and if you didn’t like him he’d mail you a pie with nails in it that would blow up in your face.
November 2nd, 2006 on 9:42 pm
Everyone knows all blacks are pimps or drug pushers so there is no way Shadow is a negro.
November 2nd, 2006 on 9:49 pm
“Get out of my sight, disgusting black creatures,” is just one of the many racist remarks he himself utters, despite the fact that he is black himself.
It’s the black on black violence that saddens me.
I urge you readers, not to let your children play this game.
Nothing to do with this, it’s just a shit game.
November 2nd, 2006 on 11:00 pm
I gave up reading after the second paragraph, though the bit right at the end amuses me.
“Let us imagine, for argument’s sake, that the Black Aliens and Dr. Robotnik are as ‘evil’ as each other; why so then, is Dr. Robotnik’s cause portrayed as the ‘hero’ option while the side of the ‘Black Aliens’ portrayed as the ‘evil’ option? Is it because Dr. Robotnik is white?”
No, it’s because Robotnik is not only human, but is also not entirely hell-bent on destroying the world. He merely wants to own it, and from that sort of opression can come the hope of revolution. Hard to do that when you’re dead.
Man, this guy’s such a Jack Thompson wannabe.
November 3rd, 2006 on 12:05 am
the other day a friend of mine tried to explain to me how knuckles was the “most jamacian mother fucker in video games.” and after reading this essay, i’m convinced he was right.
i mean, i’m convinced that there is no god. who taught this man to use a computer?
November 3rd, 2006 on 12:06 am
It cant be as racist as mario. The fucking eyetie cunt.
November 3rd, 2006 on 3:00 am
Hello,
I wrote that ahem, ‘article’ and I just wanted to say it was all in the vain of hilarity.
I mean, it was all a joke yeah.
Oh, and I’m as white as day
November 3rd, 2006 on 4:38 am
You know “black as night” kinda makes sense, but “white as day” really doesn’t because of the way the atmosphere refracts light. “Blue as day” would be more fitting. Thus, it would make sense to say Shadow is “black as night” but Sonic “blue as day.”
November 3rd, 2006 on 8:27 am
Another white oke trying to be a ‘brother’. Why don’t exept that you are WHITE. Look at M&M. Do you want to be a cunt like that?
November 3rd, 2006 on 9:24 am
the life of a white man really that much more significant than the life of you!
Sonic 2 was more racist, they had blackmans/monkey robots!
November 3rd, 2006 on 9:42 am
if M&Ms were cunts i’d definitely eat more of them.
November 3rd, 2006 on 10:50 am
It’s all got a bit Wikipedia!
The next ridiculous question, is Tails gay? His two tails are symbolic; he has two penises also.
I hear that the government has a special department that looks at videogames to use as “facts” when they make more laws on gays and people with two dicks. They send screenshots from Sonic games DAILY to newsround as “Market research” .
This is really important stuff!
November 3rd, 2006 on 10:52 am
Where does Silver come into this argument? He’s got white fur.
I’m waiting for “Grey the hedgehog” a truly bland and and balanced character.
Instead of collecting rings, he collects his pay-cheque at the end of the day and goes home to watch TV with the wife and kids.
November 3rd, 2006 on 12:17 pm
“Shadow’s fur is that of a distinct black”? Oh, nice sentence. Do you write to your mother with that grammar?
Furthermore, “utters” is quite the worst choice of attribution verb since Emily Bronté wrote about Heathcliff “vociferating darkly” (for which she burns in Eng. Lit. Hell to this day).
While I’m here, ScSiDan: No doubt “accept” and “except” are homophonous in whatever corner of the world you choose to inhabit. Sadly, in this instance, you have not only chosen the wrong word; you’ve also spelled it wrong. Fashion yourself a Shame Hat from cardboard and drawing pins, and wear it until Monday.
November 3rd, 2006 on 12:51 pm
Mark – Thanks for pointing that out. Just one question: Why do you care?
November 3rd, 2006 on 1:35 pm
If I had a proper computer at work, I could spend my lunch hour playing Battefield instead of reading this old bollocks.
November 3rd, 2006 on 1:47 pm
Shut up, Mark.
November 3rd, 2006 on 2:25 pm
Battery King!
November 3rd, 2006 on 3:11 pm
ScSiDan: I care so you don’t have to.
87th: Suck the farts out of my arse.
November 3rd, 2006 on 4:09 pm
This is a good example of the hard hitting social issues that Team Sonic are ready to tackle.
They need to follow this one up with a ‘Mohammed The Hedgehog’ game.
Mohammed would obviously be a brown hedgehog with a tea towel on his head who must choose between blowing up famous American landmarks and moving mountains.
I predict that using the power of games, Sega will end international terrorist jihad.
November 3rd, 2006 on 4:13 pm
Mark is a gay negro with two penises.
November 3rd, 2006 on 6:03 pm
WHERE THE FUCK ARE THESE MORONS BREEDING??
November 3rd, 2006 on 7:20 pm
Actually… Eggman had a gun in SA2 when he took Amy…
November 3rd, 2006 on 10:20 pm
It’s a pile of bollocks. Why? because Knuckles was the ‘black’ character all the way back in Sonic 3 in ’93-94 or whenever.
Why you’d want to play through something branded as total shite, then write a total shite essay is beyond me. Knob.
*whispers* By the way…I’m black.
November 5th, 2006 on 5:14 pm
I do believe this is the most important essay since that one where they discovered Winston Churchill was a puppet being manipulated by the Illuminarti.
Well done that man for brining this to the light of day, and to the most important department of world affairs, that being the internet.
November 5th, 2006 on 5:50 pm
This is all very highly un-PC and hence I deem it all RACISTISMIST againts anyone vaguely for sale.
November 6th, 2006 on 3:26 am
Mark, stop being a pretentious cunt, he already said it was a joke.
Glaringly obvious too, unless of course you skim read it for grammar issues.
November 6th, 2006 on 12:42 pm
Sorry, I didn’t know shit grammar was supposed to be funny. Mind you, I didn’t know the essay was supposed to be funny, either. Funny, that.