“Sonic the Hedgehog 2” is the perfect extension/continuation of the first “Sonic the Hedgehog” movie, which became a surprise hit in 2020 at the start of the pandemic.

This new movie follows a similar formula to the original – silly humor for all ages that includes a dog wearing sunglasses and a bikini wax joke, extreme Jim Carrey aggression, lots of computer-generated imagery and a modest addition of new elements from the “Sonic the Hedgehog” mythology.

That’s right, this time the lovable Fox Tails (voiced by video game stalwart Colleen O’Shaughnessey) and the sinister Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba) join Sonic (voiced again by Ben Schwartz) for more mayhem. . If you’ve ever slouched in front of a Sega Genesis, the memories will come flooding back return flood.

But what will the next episode bring?

Well, a clue is revealed during the “Sonic 2” credits sequence (luckily you don’t have to wait until the very end of the credits) that points to what the inevitable “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” will bring us in the not-too-distant future.

Major spoilers for “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” follow.

New Lore, Qui Dis?

Sure, Tails and Knuckles are two huge additions to the movie adaptation of Sonic, but there was even more for fans to eat in “Sonic the Hedgehog 2.” On the one hand, the main plot centers on Knuckles and Dr. Robotnik (Carrey) in search of the Master Emerald, made up of the Chaos Emeralds that Robotnik frequently searches for in video games (and whose mystical powers have been fully explored in various spin-off materials).

Rings from the video games also play a bigger role in the sequel, serving as mini wormholes that the characters use to zap from place to place. And, of course, there’s a hilarious misunderstanding with one of the wings and a wedding ring. It is a whole.

Additionally, one of the characters from the original film is revealed to be part of a new organization that has sprung up since the events of the first film – Guardian Units of Nations (aka GUN), which has grown into a major paramilitary organization within of the greatest Sonic. universe (keep in mind that Sonic isn’t just set in video games, but there are comics, animated series, action figures, and more). Think of GUN as SHIELD’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” equivalent

But perhaps the deepest cut (and the most explosive addition to the rapidly accumulating mythology) occurs during the credits…

Who’s in the lab?

Just to set the scene, Dr. Robotnik has built a giant robot using Chaos energy from the Chaos Emeralds. He threatened our cute heroes and tried to kill their human counterparts but, of course, his robot was shot and he could have died (more on that in a minute). Our heroes, now united (yes, Knuckles is fully part of the family at the end of the film), take part in a lively baseball game. It’s a moment of loop: Sonic had to play alone in the first film. Now he has his team.

After a few of the credits rolled, however, we returned to Robotnik’s giant robot wreck. There are GUN members there going through the wreckage. Robotnik’s number 2, Stone (Lee Majdoub) is dressed as an agent GUN. A GUN superior says they are “still looking for Robotnik”. And then he says that the power of the Chaos Emeralds has awakened something in a “secret research facility” (aren’t they always secret research facilities?) called “Project Shadow”.

We then briefly cut to a disused science lab and there’s a creature in a room that looks a lot like Sonic, except it’s black with red streaks. It’s the Shadow. As the camera gets closer and closer… Shadow opens his eyes.

Who is Shadow the Hedgehog?

Originally introduced in 2001’s “Sonic Adventure 2” game, which was to be its only appearance, Shadow the Hedgehog proved to be a fan favorite and has returned many times in various Sonic-related media. He was created by Gerald Robotnik, the great-grandfather of series villain Doctor Eggman (the character played by Carrey). His design was inspired by “The Terminator” and he is more of an anti-hero, putting him at odds with the seemingly more virtuous Sonic. Adding Shadow the Hedgehog to the film series will no doubt delight long-time fans and add some much-needed drama.

More new villains?

During the “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” press tour, Jim Carrey made headlines by saying he would probably retire from acting. That leaves a giant question mark hanging over the franchise. If they can’t get it back, will they find a new villain? Or will someone step into the same role? (It’s hard to think of anyone else as a character, but hey, we’ve had a ton of Batmen at this point.) They could feature Shadow the Hedgehog as the next villain, should Carrey step aside.

Honestly, the video game franchise doesn’t have a ton of characters to choose from, so maybe it would be cool to introduce new villains that could then be integrated into video games later in a real ouroboros situation .

But I hope Carrey stays. He has a lot more threats to make.