Showdown in Space

"Showdown in Space" is the thirty-eighth episode of the anime series, Sonic X, as well as the sixth and final episode in the Shadow Saga. It first aired on 21 December 2003 and 4 December 2004 in Japan and the United States respectively.

Appearances
Characters:
 * Sonic the Hedgehog
 * Super Sonic
 * Miles "Tails" Prower
 * Knuckles the Echidna
 * Shadow the Hedgehog
 * Super Shadow
 * Rouge the Bat
 * Amy Rose
 * Cream the Rabbit
 * Cheese
 * Christopher Thorndyke
 * Sam Speed
 * Christina Cooper
 * President
 * Topaz
 * Scarlet Garcia
 * Mister Stewart
 * Black-Suited Agents
 * Mister Schmitz
 * Doctor Eggman
 * Maria Robotnik
 * Gerald Robotnik
 * Decoe
 * Bocoe
 * Egg Golem
 * Bio Lizard
 * Final Lizard

Japanese version

 * "SONIC DRIVE" - Opening theme
 * Live and Learn - Insert
 * "The Shining Road" - Closing theme

English version

 * "Gotta Go Fast" - Opening theme (USA and CAN)
 * "Sonic X" - Opening theme (AUS, NZ and UK)
 * "Gotta Go Fast" (shortened) - Closing theme

Plot
Rouge is sending her report on Project Shadow to Topaz when Space Colony ARK begins shaking. The screen then shows her something the viewers can't see.

Meanwhile Sonic and Shadow are still fighting when Sonic sees a Ring. He grabs it and uses it to defeat Shadow. He then asks him what is going on, to which Shadow replies, "You'll find out." The ARK starts shaking again, and Shadow tells Sonic his time is running out and runs away. Sonic then sees the timer counting down.

Chris, Mr. Tanaka, Amy, Tails and Knuckles, with the Master Emerald, enter the room Dr. Eggman is in to hear him say he got tricked by his own grandfather. A hatch then closes with the Chaos Emeralds keeping them away from everyone else.

A screen then plays with Professor Gerald Robotnik saying that his final revenge had begun, and that Space Colony ARK would plummet down to the planet with devastating force and destroy everything and everyone. He also mentions that everyone would know how he felt when he lost Maria. Amy asks who he is and what he means. Eggman then tells everyone that this man was his grandfather.

The ARK starts shaking again, and Knuckles states that it feels like it's falling apart. Rouge comes in saying it will get worse. The ARK's propulsion system computers were locked so they can't reverse course. Sonic comes in a few seconds after asking what's happening. Chris is happy to see him. Eggman tells Sonic that they will soon be destroyed, but Sonic suggests that they work together to get out of this mess.

Eggman then shows them his grandfather's diary. Chris reads the following entry about Gerald's revenge and about Shadow being the Ultimate Lifeform and carrying out orders without question.

Down on the planet, the President's aide says that Space Colony ARK is definitely hurling down towards the planet and is worried in their last minutes of their lives. Sam Speed wishes Sonic luck stating that even he would have trouble saving everyone again.

Meanwhile, the people who kept Project: Shadow a secret are arrested by the police. Eggman says that the energy from the Chaos Emeralds have transformed the Eclipse Cannon into a mega-bomb. When it detonates, the blast would be more destructive than a supernova. Tails adds that the energy from the Emeralds is also what's pushing the ARK towards the planet. Sonic then looks at Knuckles. Knuckles wonders why, then Rouge reminds him that he can control the Chaos Emeralds with the Master Emerald. Soon everyone is off to get to the Emeralds. Rouge and Eggman take out laser shooters while Tails opens a passageway for Sonic, Knuckles, Decoe and Bocoe to pass through with the Master Emerald.

Meanwhile Chris, Amy, and Tanaka wait and hope for everything to work out. Chris wonders if there's something they can do to help. Tanaka assures that Sonic will get the Emeralds stopped. A voice tells them not to bet on it. They turn and see Shadow with a smirk on his face.

Chris realizes there's something he can do to help Sonic... convince Shadow to help him. Chris asks him, but Shadow refuses and injures him. He then states that he made a promise to Maria, and that she was his only friend. Chris tells him that most people on the planet are good, and that Maria would want Shadow to be friends with them. Shadow then remembers the full promise he made to Maria; he would help people and be friends with them. Chris faints, but Shadow catches his fall and tears up realizing his mistake. He then goes to help Sonic.

With only 10 minutes left to go, Sonic, Knuckles, Decoe, and Bocoe make it to the Chaos Emeralds but are under attack by the Bio Lizard. Shadow appears and tells Sonic that he'll deal with the monster, while Sonic and Knuckles get the Emeralds. Shadow then goes off to fight the monster, and Sonic, Knuckles, Decoe, and Bocoe head for the Emeralds. With the Master Emerald in place, Knuckles recites the chant he learned from Tikal and deactivates the Chaos Emeralds.

Shadow meanwhile defeats the Bio Lizard, but it Chaos Controls to the outside of the ARK. Eggman's voice sounds on a communicator telling Sonic that the monster fused itself with the front of the ARK and is pulling it towards the planet.

With only a few minutes to go, before the ARK crashes, Sonic and Shadow use the Chaos Emeralds to turn into Super Sonic and Super Shadow. Super Sonic appears before Amy, Tanaka, and Chris. Sonic heals Chris with his super powers, and warps out to the front of the ARK.

He and Super Shadow then start to fight the Bio Lizard, which is now the Final Lizard. The President, his aid, and Sam see the red glow in the sky and the two super-powered hedgehogs fighting to stop it. Everyone hopes that Sonic can save the planet again. Sonic and Shadow defeat the Final Lizard, but the ARK is starting to enter the atmosphere. Sonic and Shadow places their hands in front of them in hopes to slow it down.

Everyone tells them that they can do it. Shadow then remembers the last part of his promise to Maria. With that, he removes his Limiters to break out all the power he needs, He and Sonic use a super-powered Chaos Control to put the ARK back to a stable orbit. In the end the results of Shadow using all his power caused him to lose all energy and fall to Earth.

Eggman leaves with Decoe and Bocoe on one Space Shuttle, stating that he still wants to take over the planet. Sonic comes back satisfied with victory. Chris asks him where Shadow is. Sonic gives him one of Shadow's rings as an answer. Rouge thinks that maybe Gerald wanted Shadow to stop his revenge the whole time. Sonic replies that they'll never know, but Shadow sacrificed everything to save them. Chris holds the ring close to his chest and a tear falls on it. Sonic says that they should all head back home, and that he prefers to have his feet on solid ground. Before he exits the room, he turns and says, "Sayonara, Shadow the Hedgehog."

Differences from Sonic Adventure 2

 * 1) Amy Rose is the one that convinces Shadow to help them in the game, while Chris is the one that convinces Shadow in the episode.
 * 2) Rouge the Bat is the one to read Professor Gerald's diary in the game, while Chris is the one that reads Professor Gerald's diary in the episode.
 * 3) The Biolizard and the Finalhazard are called the Bio Lizard and Final Lizard respectively in this episode.
 * 4) Sonic gives one of Shadow's Limiters to Rouge in the game while the ring is given to Chris in the episode.
 * 5) Super Sonic and Super Shadow killed the Final Lizard, by dashing through his Life Support System, while in the game, they attacked its blisters.

Dubbing changes

 * The following bits of the scene where Shadow beats up Chris were removed from the dub:
 * Two seconds of Chris sent flying after Shadow's first punch.
 * Seven seconds of Chris getting up from the floor.
 * Four seconds of Chris flying again and hitting the wall from Shadow's second punch.
 * Five seconds of Chris struggling to get up.
 * The English dub never mentioned Maria's disease.
 * Notably, 4Kids did not edit the sound of the gunshot which executed Gerald Robotnik, making it seem as if he was simply shot during his speech. In the original Japanese, a GUN agent is heard giving the command first.
 * Originally, Rouge received a message that the ARK was heading for Earth. In the English dub, she checked some propulsion systems.
 * When the Bio Lizard appears, Knuckles said in the Japanese dub "That is...the prototype of the Ultimate Lifeform that was supposed to be encapsulated?" In the English dub, Knuckles says he will not let him get the Master Emerald.
 * The "Live and Learn" song was removed from the battle against the Final Hazard in the English dub.
 * In the English dub, Christina says Sonic could be charged for violating space law. In Japanese dub, she says nothing like that.

Trivia

 * This is the last episode that Shadow the Hedgehog appears in until "Trick Sand" in Season 3 (aside from flashbacks).
 * This is the first time that Shadow the Hedgehog is seen removing his Limiters. The power boost Shadow would gain from it would be adapted into Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) and the Archie Comics.