The hour is midnight, Earth time, as scientists and armed gunmen stand in the sterile, softly humming laboratory on the Space Colony ARK.

“Vitals stable, power levels stable…sir…I think it’s time.” A young lab assistant says.

A bald elderly man with a huge silver mustache and round glasses smiles “Open it, let’s meet my ‘son’.”

“SIR!”

With that the glass containment pod slowly opens with a hiss, releasing a mist of coolant. And Shadow, the Ultimate Lifeform, takes his first conscious breath.

The first thing Shadow felt was cold air against his soaked black and red fur. His crimson eyes fluttered open, unfocused, as the blinding lab lights flooded his vision. Everything was new to him; the sounds, sights, sensations, everything. He lifted his hand studying his claws and paw pads, observing it with quiet curiosity, his movements slow and unsteady.

From behind a thick pane of glass, voices murmured, but their words were muffled, distant. But the people on that side seemed to be cheering. Shadow turned his head toward the noise, his gaze blank but searching. He still didn’t see the man in the room with him.

“Who… am I?” he whispered, his voice quiet yet resonating with an innate strength.

“Hello, my boy…my name is Dr. Gerald Robotnik. I am your creator…as for you, your name is Shadow. Shadow the hedgehog.”

Shadow gazes up at the man with large eyes “Shadow…I'm Shadow the hedgehog.” Shadow wasn’t sure what a hedgehog was but that’s what he is. This man says he’s his creator and he has no reason to lie to him. He trusts this man.

“That makes you…my father? Right.” Shadow asks innocently.

“It does. And I have someone I want you to meet.” He says guiding Shadow by the hand.