Silver the Hedgehog (シルバー・ザ・ヘッジホッグ Shirubā za Hejjihoggu?) is a fictional character in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. He is an anthropomorphic hedgehog hailing from at least two hundred years into the future where his role is to protect his time by changing the catastrophes of the past, thus preventing the ruining of his era. For his mission, Silver makes use of his psychokinesis, an ability from his time that is considered the norm, which allows him to move objects with the power of his mind.
Silver is a kindhearted and well-meaning individual, driven by a strong sense of justice to right the wrongs of the past to uphold peace, though he is somewhat naive and immature. Despite the monumental tasks he may have on hand, he is an optimist and will do whatever is required to protect the world.
Concept and creation[]
Silver's creation was inspired by Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) early development stages, where the development team was making huge levels with multiple paths through them. With a new physics engine giving a lot of depth to the game experience, they decided they wanted to include a new character with unique abilities for an alternate way to play through the levels. This lead to Silver being given his psychokinetic powers.[1] Early drafts describe Silver as having "special powers" of unknown origin drawn from the Chaos Emeralds, but this was rejected in the final game.[2] Shiro Maekawa based Silver's character on Future Trunks from the Dragon Ball series.[3]
Early concept sketches of Silver, featuring Venice (bottom left).
According to the Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection interview with Sega developer Shun Nakamura, Silver's abilities were originally designed for a different action game with the character not meant to make an appearance.[4] During the development of Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) in 2005, another action game Sonic Team developed, yet later canceled, named Fifth Phantom Saga featured core gameplay mechanics that focuses on the use of abilities similar to Silver's. Wanting to incorporate features emphasizing Silver's abilities, the team sought to give the character new attributes that no other Sonic characters had. The design team developed over fifty different concepts for the character before reaching his final look,[1] where early sketches included a hedgehog-like animal wearing a futuristic headset and markings on its hair. When the team first started and had no idea what direction to follow, someone came up with the idea of a character with Sonic's scarf-like hair, but in more volume. From this idea, the team pursued the idea for a mink named "Venice" (ヴェネツィア), after Venice in Italy, the place Soleanna is based on.[1][5] However, the developers ultimately decided against this, fearing a mink would not blend in with the rest of the characters. After much discussion, the team finalized Silver as a hedgehog.[1]
The next thing to do was choosing the color of the character. Orange was originally used for his fur for exploration, but they soon moved away from that in favor of a white-gray fur. While developing the character models and textures, they focused on using the hardware to develop the textures rather than just using simple white-gray, which led to Silver's color and name.[1]
Appearance[]
Silver is a very light gray (almost white) anthropomorphic hedgehog with white fur on his chest surrounding his neck with gold eyes and peach skin. He has a black nose on his muzzle, two large spines at the back of his head, while on the front of his forehead there are five distinct spines flared up and back, the two final ones covering up most of his small, triangular ears. He also has a short, pointy tail.
For attire, he wears white gloves with cyan circles with lines sticking out of the bottom leading to his golden bracelets accented in cyan. The tops of his boots are of a similar fashion with a red gem set in gold. The rest of his boots are navy blue with a white stripe down the center, cyan toes, and gray soles.
For the purpose of Extreme Gear racing, Silver wears blue boots with a white stripe down the center, gold cuffs, light blue toes, black and cyan stripes, two light blue straps each with white fasteners, white shoelaces, four gold eyelets, and white soles. He also wears his standard gloves and bracelets.
Personality[]
Silver's profile, from the Xbox 360 version of Sonic Generations.
Silver is best described as having "a strong sense of justice" and it is this personality trait that motivates him to go back into the past to correct the future. He believes in standing up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. This led him to accept Blaze when everybody else was teasing her for her pyrokinetic abilities. He makes alliances and rivalries very easily and takes people's word without question. According to his character profile in Sonic Generations, he is an optimist, though as stated by himself during the Phantom Ruby incident, he is also a realist.
Although seemingly serious on the outside, an interview states that Silver is young and somewhat immature.[6] Blaze comments on this several times and describes him as naïve and insecure when he is alone. Owing to his naivety, Silver also has no idea of how to engage in more informal conversations with others; when Sonic tried trash talking with Silver during Dodon Pa's Grand Prix, the latter took many of Sonic's statements so literally that Sonic noted that he took all the fun out of such banter. Silver is also a regular sweetheart. He is straightforward, cannot tell a lie, and is always thinking about others' happiness before his own.[7][8] As such, he is always ready to protect those in need and lend a helping hand. He generally keeps a positive attitude and never gives up hope, no matter how objectively hopeless the situation. When he pursues an enemy, he does so with a relentless determination. While he may sometimes calls forth great power without mercy, he is at heart a straightforward and kind hedgehog of justice.[8] However, calling him a hedgehog of justice might be a bit of an exaggeration. This is because his wish is to maintain peace, and not to eradicate evil.[8] He is also quite humble: despite his actions having helped saved his era many times, Silver does not see himself a hero, but rather someone who tries to not mess up history too much.[7] However, he is willing to bear the responsibilities of being a hero if it means putting smiles on peoples' faces.[9]
Silver wears his heart on his sleeve. He feels anger and joy intensely and loudly, but his sadness is silent and hardly, if ever, marked by tears. He lets his rage control him and cheerfully remarks on the things that make him happy, but hardly says a word in his sadness, though it is visible to everyone. However, though he may feel sad, he never gives in to despair, always looking for a solution the right way. Silver's way of life also has a way of energizing people and make them want to watch over him and cheer him on forever, which can be considered a part of Silver's appeal.[8] However, his determination and little regard for pain can make him a very frightening opponent. He also tends to deal with things too head-on because of the strength of his feelings and he will sometimes take everything upon himself. However, this is also an aspect of his purity and endearing virtues.[8]
Silver is very courageous and brave, willing to fearlessly sacrifice himself for another in a heartbeat. Utterly unflinching in the face of danger, he is courageous almost to the point of foolishness and is focused on peace with little regard for his own safety.
Despite Silver's naivete and general lack of critical thinking, he is not outright slow-witted. Even Eggman Nega called him perceptive, and Silver was the first to see through his otherwise perfect disguise. With little information to draw upon, he lets his intuition guide him, but as a relatively isolated person, he has little understanding of interpersonal relations or the subtle tools of manipulators.
He apparently has a competitive streak and gets a little snotty and a prickly attitude in the heat of the moment, as seen in Sonic Rivals 2; when you play as him and pass your rival, he'll say, "I'm better." or if you win a race or battle, he says, "Who's the best?" In Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity, when you win a race he says, "I am not to be trifled with!" and in Sonic Free Riders he sneers "'LATER!'" upon cruising past a fellow competitor. In Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), he generally refers to the Iblis monsters and Eggman's robots as "trash," and typically congratulates himself with a smug tone upon dispatching a roomful of them.
When meeting anyone that gets in his way, particularly in Sonic Rivals and Sonic Rivals 2, Silver can be very short-tempered and bossy towards anyone that's not explicitly helping him in his mission, sometimes even becoming directly hostile and start a fight on a bad choice of words.
When Silver is not focused on his current mission or does not have a task at hand, however, he is very friendly, helpful, and a good companion to have around.
Powers and abilities[]
Silver is arguably one of the more powerful characters in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Notably, he was able to fight Shadow the Hedgehog to standstill[10] and bring Sonic the Hedgehog to his knees in their first fight,[11] although he was only able to accomplish the latter because Sonic let his guard down.[12]
Silver using psychokinesis, from Sonic the Hedgehog (2006).
Silver's primary powers are his psychic abilities,[13] which let him manipulate the environment around him with the power of his mind. His main application of this skill is his psychokinesis,[14] which lets him control physical objects using telekinesis[15] and has a broad range of applications. A master with this skill,[16] Silver can telekinetically grab and move up to several objects many times his own size and weight as both a single- or collective mass, as demonstrated by his Meteor Smash attack where he forms a compressed ball of objects over twenty times his own size which could potentially weigh a net total of several tons. He can also use his psychokinesis on himself to allow himself to levitate and fly at immense speeds rivaling Sonic's running speed.[17][18] Silver's psychokinesis is also able to apply immense strength. With it, he can exert enough pressure to bend a thick steel bar, crush robots with a single telekinetic grab, and immobilize the movements of someone as strong as Sonic completely.[19] Likewise, when repelling objects with his psychokinesis, Silver can do it with enough force and speed to crush metal, send his grabbed target flying tremendous distances, and even stun enormous monsters such as Iblis.[20] Additionally, Silver can use his psychokinesis to grab onto certain non-solid objects, such as fireballs and certain types of energy blasts. Offensive usages aside, Silver can also use his psychokinesis defensively by creating barriers of psychokinetically-bend light that are strong enough to block a 0.5% energy blast from the Eclipse Cannon.[21] Silver can also use his psychokinesis to channel pure psychic energies that he can manipulate into energy-based attacks, such as sharp blades that he can fire at opponents. Alternatively, he can use these energies to greatly charge his already impressive telekinetic throwing range. He can also use these energies to freeze or shock enemies,[15] namely by creating close-ranged bursts of energy that can paralyze his targets or even energy shockwaves that strike all targets around him. In addition, Silver is very creative with his psychokinesis, as he can telekinetically arrange different everyday objects into various conglomerated shapes as more effective means of attacking, such as giant balls to bowl over opponents and train-sized battering rams.[18] Also, when letting lose, Silver can manipulate everything around him.
Silver using his psychic powers to teleport, from the console/PC version of Sonic Generations.
Offensive usages aside, Silver can apply his psychic powers for his other abilities. He has for example the power of ESP[13] that grants him limited telepathy, but only enough to induce limited vertigo in others. He can also use his psychic powers to teleport himself over short distances instantaneously by warping space.[22][23][24]
Psychic abilities aide, Silver possesses impressive physical abilities too. Notably, he is able to run at super speed reaching those of Sonic and Shadow's without wearing down,[25][26][27] although he is still not as fast as Sonic.[7] He also has incredible physical durability and endurance; during the Time Eater incident, he withstood several hits from Sonic's Homing Attack, slid along the ground for long distances without harm, and even survived being buried by his own Meteor Smash attack.[18] In addition, Silver is also shown to have impressive agility and acrobatic skills, enough to let him move gracefully through midair (both with and without the aid of his psychokinesis), do unique tricks and movements while in mid-air, pull off various Spin Attack maneuvers at high speed, and grind on Grind Rails with ease. He also has lightning-fast reflexes and senses, being able to mimic and cope with approximately even Sonic's speedy movements.[19] Additionally, he can do amazing feats as well, being able to catch objects moving through midair at high velocity, such as bullets and missiles, with his psychokinesis. Silver also possesses above average physical strength, being capable of pushing things several times bigger and heavier than himself.
Silver has also demonstrated the ability to harness chaos energy for his own use; with a Chaos Emerald, Silver can perform the chaos power Chaos Control, and occasionally gain a boost in power.
Silver is also able to perform the Spin Attack, a technique where he curls into a concussive ball or cutting disk and directs himself at his targets. With it, Silver can shred or burrow through just about any substance given enough speed. Adept in its usage, Silver can utilize several variants of the Spin Attack for both ground- and aerial maneuvers, including the Spin Dash, Spin Jump, and Homing Attack.
In combat, Silver relies heavily on his psychic powers and using the environment to his advantage. Unlike most other characters who utilize close combat, Silver focuses on long-range attacks. When fighting, Silver constantly keeps his distance, as he tends to concentrate for an attack, which leaves him open.[18] If an opponent does get too close, however, he can grab them telekinetically and throw them away.[28] Aside from that, Silver's main method of attack involves him throwing the objects around him at his foes. Occasionally, he can also rearrange these objects into colossal conglomerated shapes as more effective means of attacking. If projectiles are shot at him, Silver can grab them telekinetically and throw them back at the opponent, effectively allowing him to turn his opponents' power against them. When times call for it though, Silver is also capable of going on the offensive with hand-to-hand combat.[10][25][26] However, his proficiency with this type of combat is unclear, as he has only demonstrated a limited range of punches and Spin Attack maneuvers.
As seen during Dodon Pa's Grand Prix, Silver has excellent skills when it comes to driving and racing in racecars like the Lightron.
Transformations[]
Super Silver[]
- Main article: Super Silver
Super Silver, from Sonic Art Assets DVD.
By using all seven Chaos Emeralds, Silver can enter a Super State, transforming him into Super Silver. In this state, all of Silver's innate abilities far surpasses his normal ones, including his psychic powers which have been greatly amplified. He is as well able to fly without his psychokinesis and is nearly invulnerable. However, this transformation consumes a lot of energy and requires Rings to be maintained.
Color Powers[]
- Main article: Color Power
By harnessing different variants of Hyper-go-on from Wisps, Silver can use specific Color Powers to transform into a certain form, such as a drill, a laser or even a planet, each one possessing its own unique abilities. So far, Silver has been able to transform into the Cyan Laser, Yellow Drill and Indigo Asteroid. However, these transformations require a steady supply of Hyper-go-on to be maintained.
Weaknesses[]
Silver will lose his focus when using psychokinesis if he is caught off guard or hit by a surprise attack. Also, Silver does have a limit to how much weight he can carry while using his psychokinesis, with his maximum being around dozens of tons. Attempting to carry more than he can handle will strain his concentration to the extend that he will feel extreme pain. Also, letting his thoughts get distracted weakens his concentration and thereby his psychokinesis.[7] In addition, if he overuses his psychokinesis, Silver can become extremely fatigued, and will need Rings to regain his energy.[29]
Gallery[]
Videos[]
Silver the Hedgehog: Mario & Sonic Series Voice Clips[]
Silver the Hedgehog: Sonic the Hedgehog Video Game Series Voice Clips[]
Silver the Hedgehog: Sonic the Hedgehog Fan Video Game Series Voice Clips[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Amaike, Yoshinari (26 September 2006). "Creating Silver the Hedgehog". IGN. Retrieved on 5 July 2015.
- ↑ "Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) Leaked script: A young male hedgehog who has traveled through time to change a ruined future. Despite coming from such a grim world, he is very forthright and is focused on restoring peace to the world. He's also able to get riled up, and this time around, he's going after Mephiles. He possesses some special powers which can draw upon the Emeralds. It is unknown how he got these powers, though. Essentially, think Trunks from Dragon Ball Z."
- ↑ "[This Video is Private Sonic's 27th Anniversary Charity Stream - Syntero Mental Health]". EmuEmi (23 June 2018). Retrieved on 23 June 2018.
- ↑ "Sega Developer Shun Nakamura - Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection" (2 January 2012). Retrieved on 31 August 2016.
- ↑ Sazpaimon (27 September 2006). More Sonic Next news. Archived from the original on 25 October 2007.
- ↑ SONICTEAM: Shun Nakamura. Summer of Sonic (27 June 2006). Archived from the original on 23 February 2008.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Sega (24 September 2021). ソニック ＆ シルバー 前編 (Japanese). Sonic Channel. Archived from the original on 24 August 2021.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedSonicXSilver2 - ↑ ソニック ＆ シルバー 後編 (Japanese). Sega (1 October 2021). Archived from the original on 1 October 2021.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Sonic Team, Blindlight (14 November 2006). Sonic the Hedgehog. Xbox 360. Sega. Cutscene: 10 years ago (Silver Episode).
- ↑ Sonic Team, Blindlight (14 November 2006). Sonic the Hedgehog. Xbox 360. Sega. Cutscene: Amy puts her foot down (Silver Episode).
- ↑ Sonic Team, Blindlight (14 November 2006). Sonic the Hedgehog. Xbox 360. Sega. Cutscene: Saved by Amy (Sonic Episode).
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Sonic Channel (Japanese). Sega. Archived from the original on 25 May 2019. Retrieved on 3 July 201.
- ↑ Sonic Team (13 March 2009). Sonic and the Black Knight. Wii. Gallery, Vault 5: [Galahad] "His real name is Silver the Hedgehog. He is a silver hedgehog from the future. His main power is psychokinesis. He is 14 years old."
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Super Smash Bros. Brawl (2008). In-game description of the "Silver" trophy: "A hedgehog who traveled back in time to defeat the Iblis Trigger and therefore alter the future. Silver has a positive attitude and a strong sense of justice. He has telekinetic powers that allow him to control physical objects, including abilities to freeze or shock enemies, which he uses to fight for peace and justice."
- ↑ Devra Newberger Speregen (2016). Sonic: The Ultimate Character Guide. Scholastic, page 50–51. ISBN 978-1338033243.
- ↑ Sonic Team, Blindlight (14 November 2006). Sonic the Hedgehog. Xbox 360. Sega. Cutscene: The ruined world of the future (Silver Episode).
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Sonic Team (4 November 2011). Sonic Generations. PlayStation 3. Sega. Area/Level: Silver the Hedgehog.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Sonic Team, Blindlight (14 November 2006). Sonic the Hedgehog. Xbox 360. Sega. Cutscene: Shadow appears (Silver Episode).
- ↑ Sonic Team, Blindlight (14 November 2006). Sonic the Hedgehog. Xbox 360. Sega. Area/level: Iblis Phase 3.
- ↑ Sega (3 December 2021). スーパーソニック ＆ Dr.エッグマン 後編 (Japanese). Sonic Channel. Archived from the original on 3 December 2021.
- ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog (PlayStation 3) United States instruction booklet, pg. 17.
- ↑ Sonic Team, Blindlight (14 November 2006). Sonic the Hedgehog. Xbox 360. Sega. "Heart of the Wind description: Press the A button twice to quickly perform "Teleport Dash." This allows you to do instantaneous Teleport Dashes."
- ↑ Black, Fletcher (14 November 2006). "How To Play • Silver The Hedgehog", Sonic the Hedgehog: Official Game Guide. Prima Games, page 17. ISBN 978-0761555100. "The Teleport Dash is a psychic jump that warps space, allowing Silver to move quickly “through” an enemy or an enemy attack and avoid damage. This is a good move to use when facing multiple enemies that you must get close enough to in order to use PK against them."
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 Backbone Entertainment, Sega Studio USA (24 November 2006). Sonic Rivals. PlayStation Portable. Sega.
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 Backbone Entertainment, Sega Studio USA (13 November 2007). Sonic Rivals 2. PlayStation Portable. Sega.
- ↑ Sonic Team, Dimps (22 November 2011). Sonic Generations. Nintendo 3DS. Sega. Area/Level: Silver the Hedgehog.
- ↑ Sonic Team, Blindlight (14 November 2006). Sonic the Hedgehog. Xbox 360. Sega. Area/level: Silver the Hedgehog.
- ↑ Backbone Entertainment, Sega Studio USA (7 December 2007). Sonic Rivals 2. PlayStation Portable. Sega. Area/level: Frontier Canyon Zone. "Silver the Hedgehog: To be honest, my powers are almost exhausted. I'll need some Rings to power myself back up. / ... / Silver the Hedgehog: Arg. I can barely move. I must've used too much of my ESP power. But I can't let them get away. This is a battle against time! / ... / Silver the Hedgehog: Yeah. Seems like my strength is returning. Thank you, Espio."
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