Summary
- Sage from Sonic Frontiers questions her programming after witnessing Sonic's kindness.
- Jet the Hawk eventually allies with Sonic in Sonic Riders after being obsessed with treasure.
- Blaze puts her stubbornness aside in Sonic Rush to save both her and Sonic's universes.
Sonic the Hedgehog has defeated more than his fair share of bad guys over the course of the franchise, but while Eggman may continue to cause chaos no matter how many times he's taken down, not every antagonist has been so stubborn. Though it's not all that common, there have been a few antagonists in Sonic games who, despite starting as enemies to the Blue Blur initially, end up abandoning their malicious ways to become a fully fledged hero in the story.
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There are many reasons why an antagonist can have a change of heart, whether it be due to seeing the effects of their actions, finding a new purpose in life, or simply receiving a few encouraging words from Sonic himself. Though these Sonic characters may have seemed like villains at first, they quickly end up becoming valuable allies to the protagonist after they come to see the errors of their ways.
6 Sage
After Witnessing Sonic's Kindness And Morality, Sage Questions Her Programming
Sonic Frontiers
- Released
- November 8, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
Though Sage acts as the main antagonist for much of Sonic Frontiers' story, constantly giving Sonic cryptic warnings and summoning gigantic Titans for him to take down, she doesn't exactly seem all that evil. In fact, any time Sage watches Sonic bonding with his friends, she begins to question her programming. Eventually, she realizes all she wants is to be a part of a loving family, and as a sign of thanks, she allies with Sonic to face off against The End.
Sage actually plays a crucial role at the end of the game as she is the only one who can manage to convince Eggman to put his pride aside and strategize a plan with Sonic once The End begins corrupting the world. Sage even makes a heroic sacrifice in the climactic battle to help Sonic fend off The End once and for all. Needless to say, if Sage hadn't had a change of heart, one can only imagine the state the world would have ended up in.
5 Jet The Hawk
Jet's Obsession With Babylonian Treasure Takes A Back Seat When He's Forced To Ally With Sonic
Sonic Riders
- Released
- February 21, 2006
- ESRB
- E For Everyone To Comic Mischief, Mild Cartoon Violence
- Genre(s)
- Racing
At the beginning of Sonic Riders, Jet comes across as a shady and mysterious rider who quickly becomes a thorn in the side of Sonic and the crew after stealing an Emerald. Jet's dream of finding the Babylonian treasure brings out his arrogant and selfish side for much of the story, though eventually, he does begrudgingly decide to ally with Sonic to take down a menacing foe known as the Babylon Guardian.
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In the following two Riders games, Jet again slowly transforms from antagonist to ally and becomes more of a rival to Sonic, always eager to challenge him to one final race to prove his Extreme Gear skills to the Blue Blur. It's understandable why there is so much hype about Jet making his long-awaited comeback in Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, as he's become a real fan favorite despite how long he's been away.
4 Blaze The Cat
Blaze Puts Her Stubbornness Aside To Save Both Her And Sonic's Universes
Sonic Rush
- Released
- November 15, 2005
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
If there's one word that would summarize Blaze, it would have to be stubborn. When running into Sonic early on in Sonic Rush, Blaze seems less than inclined to tell him anything about who she is or where she's from, even getting into a brawl with the hedgehog because she refuses to let him help her. However, Blaze and Sonic eventually come to realize that they are actually from different timelines, and with two Eggmans on the loose, the cat needed to put her stubbornness aside to have any hope of stopping them.
After an intense fight between her and Sonic, Blaze finally lets her guard down, realizing that there's too much at stake to be playing games. Blaze has been a recurring character in the series since her debut, appearing in Sonic Generations as Sonic's ally, though their relationship hasn't always been so peachy.
3 Silver The Hedgehog
A Time-Travelling Hedgehog Who Warms To Sonic Over Time
Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)
- Released
- November 14, 2006
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure, Platformer
Silver is a hedgehog who travels into the past to try and find a way to prevent his world from being obliterated by a terrifying monster known as Iblis. Initially, Silver thinks that Sonic is the one to blame for everything going wrong, making him just one of several antagonists who show up to slow the Blue Blur down in Sonic 06. However, unlike Mephiles, Silver begins to warm up to Sonic, especially after learning the truth that the hedgehog isn't actually the cause of things to come.
As a result, he, Sonic, and Shadow decide to form a temporary alliance, activating their Super forms to overwhelm Mephiles' final transformation, Solaris. Though Silver has only made brief appearances here and there since Sonic 06, it seems likely he will be the star of one of the future Sonic movies, and it will be amazing for longtime fans to see this antagonist turned hero on the big screen for the very first time.
2 Knuckles
Knuckles' Naivety Was On Full Display When Eggman Tricked Him Into Opposing Sonic
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
- Released
- February 2, 1994
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
It can be hard to believe these days, but there was once a time when Knuckles the Echidna was an antagonist; at least, until Sonic managed to make him realize that he had been tricked by Eggman. In Sonic 3, Knuckles is led to believe that Sonic is on his way to Angel Island so he can steal the Master Emerald for his own selfish needs. As a result, he and the Blue Blur clash numerous times, until, in Sonic & Knuckles, Eggman tries to pull a fast one by taking the Master Emerald for himself.
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After realizing he had been duped by the doctor, Knuckles leads Sonic to Sky Sanctuary, and also takes on Mecha Sonic all by himself, making him a true hero. Since then, Knuckles has been the powerhouse of Team Sonic, and is always giving his all to protect his friends from danger with his immense strength and durability.
1 Shadow The Hedgehog
Shadow Begins To See Sonic As More Of A Rival Than An Enemy
Sonic Adventure 2
- Released
- June 19, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Platformer
Though Shadow may be more than willing to help Sonic and the gang save the world in many of the modern Sonic games, this wasn't always the case. Back in Sonic Adventure 2, when Shadow was first introduced, the mysterious hedgehog was on a mission to destroy the entire world due to his brainwashing and distorted memories of Maria. As a result, he is set up as the main villain for much of the game; that is, until he begins to regain his memories.
After working alongside Sonic to prevent the planet from being obliterated, Shadow survives his fall from space and begins to warm up to his blue counterpart. While Shadow would end up becoming an unlikely hero by the end of that game, he would also unite with Sonic at the end of Sonic Heroes and Sonic 06, becoming a villain who showcases heroic qualities whenever the world is in danger.
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