A Plot Synopsis of the Movie ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ (2024)

Plot Synopsis written by Michael Lee

*All Media used in this article is courtesy of Paramount Pictures & SEGA

Photo Courtesy of Paramount Pictures/SEGA

Official Trailer: ‘Sonic The Hedgehog 3’

Video Courtesy of Paramenout Pictures/SEGA via YouTube

Plot Synopsis: Sonic The Hedgehog 3’ (2024)

Sonic (Ben Schwartz) in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 • Photo via Paramount Pictures/SEGA

The film begins at a secret G.U.N prison facility system, somewhere off the coast of Japan. Their systems are hacked which then awakens Shadow the Hedgehog from his suspended animation, which allows Shadow to escape. Later, Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles are celebrating Sonic’s anniversary of his arrival on Earth with their adoptive parents; Maddie and Tom Wachowski. Suddenly, G.U.N Director Rockwell crashes the party, recruiting Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles to stop Shadow, who is now destroying Tokyo. The trio arrives in Tokyo, but Shadow defeats them relatively easily, and he makes his escape.

Shadow (Keanu Reeves) in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 • Photo via Paramount Pictures/SEGA

The trio seeks answers, so they meet with G.U.N Commander Walters, who instructs them that G.U.N, in 1974, discovered Shadow in a meteorite, and they used his powers to power various experiments. Things went terribly wrong, however, and Walters informs the three that the experiment was shut down and the project leader was arrested. There, Shadow was put into an animated stasis in their secret facility in Tokyo.

Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 • Photo via Paramount Pictures/SEGA

While Walters is instructing Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, a group of drones arrive, seemingly sent by Dr. Ivo Robotnik, fatally wounding Walters. As Walters dies, he trusts Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles to find Shadow without the help of G.U.N. He hands Sonic a digital keycard and warns him to keep it safe. Walters dies, but in the wake of his death, the trio are unsure who to trust, but vowing to keep their promise to Commander Walters.

Later, Agent Stone, Robotnik’s assistant, reveals to them that Robotnik is indeed alive, but he did not send the drones. Begrudgingly, they form an untrustworthy alliance with Robotik to track the drones to an abandoned G.U.N base.

Now at the abandoned G.U.N base, Shadow is reminiscing about Maria, the project leader’s granddaughter and his only friend. One night, Shadow and Maria attempted to escape the base together, but a G.U.N agent accidentally set off an explosion, which resulted in Maria’s death. Ever since then, Shadow has lost all faith in humanity, vowing his life’s focus on revenge for Maria.

The trio arrive at the abandoned base, but Shadow manages to capture Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles. Robotnik meets Project Shadow’s director, who happens to be Gerald Robotnik, his long lost grandfather who has been imprisoned for the last fifty years. Gerald goes on to explain that he designed a weapon for G.U.N, called the Eclipse Cannon, which needs two keycards in order to activate. The Eclipse Cannon is an orbital laser that can lock on and target any location on Earth. Gerald confesses he plans on using the Eclipse Cannon to destroy G.U.N’s headquarters. Ivo joins his grandfather Gerald, betraying Sonic. Shadow attempts to take Walter’s keycard, but Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles escape through a ring portal.

The three go on to recruit their adoptive parents Maddie and Tom and attempt to steal their keycard from the other G.U.N headquarters in London. Shadow also arrives for the keycard. Shadow manages to wound Tom and acquire the second keycard. Later, Ivo, Gerald, and Shadow launch the Eclipse cannon. Sonic, now enraged over Tom’s close encounter with death at the hands of Shadow, abandons Knuckles and Tails, steals with Master Emerald, then, by using the seven Chaos Emeralds, turns into Super Sonic.

Shadow (Keanu Reeves) and Alyla Browne as Maria in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 • Photo via Paramount Pictures/SEGA

Later, Sonic confronts Shadow at the Eclipse Cannon, which is now hovering in space directly above Earth. Shadow absorbed some Chaos Emerald energy during their battle, but Sonic ultimately gained the upper hand. Although he initially intended to kill Shadow, Sonic stopped himself, realizing that revenge had consumed him. Sonic shared his experience of losing Longclaw with Shadow, emphasizing that love for those they'd lost was more important than revenge. Moved by Sonic's words, Shadow apologized and agreed to help him stop the Eclipse Cannon.

Lee Majdoub as Agent Stone, Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey), Sonic (Ben Schwartz) and Knuckles (Idris Elba) in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 • Photo via Paramount Pictures/SEGA

Meanwhile, Gerald reveals to Ivo that he intends to use the Eclipse Cannon to destroy the entire planet as revenge for his granddaughter's death. Ivo, preferring to conquer Earth instead of destroying it, engages in a fight with his own grandfather. Now, Tails and Knuckles arrive, and the three of them knock Gerald into an energy field, which vaporizes him.

Lee Majdoub as Agent Stone and Jim Carrey as Ivo Robotnik in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 • Photo via Paramount Pictures/SEGA

Together, Sonic, Shadow, Tails, Knuckles and Robotnik are able to deflect the cannon away from Earth, though it does slice a piece of the moon off in the process. When the core begins to melt down, Shadow and Robotnik sacrifice themselves, moving the Eclipse Cannon out of Earth’s range before it ultimately explodes.

Knuckles (Idris Elba), Sonic (Ben Schwartz) and Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 • Photo via Paramount Pictures/SEGA

Back on Earth, Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles reunite, while Tom recovers from his injuries.

James Marsden as Tom and Tika Sumpter as Maddie in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 • Photo via Paramount Pictures/SEGA

In a mid-credits scene, an army of robotic Sonics confront the real Sonic, but he is saved by Amy Rose. In a post-credits scene, it is revealed that Shadow has survived.