BioEnchanted posted:

I guess I can see what they were going for - Shadow's entire thing is "It doesn't matter what others want you to do, your destiny is in your hands, no one elses."

There is a reason his main theme in the game is called "I am All of Me" - he isn't a soldier, or a science experiment, or a weapon. All he really is as far as he cares, is the late Maria's sort-of-brother (Maybe Half-Uncle? The creation of her grandfather anyway), everything else can go to hell. The military want him dead, Black Doom wants to control him, Sonic just wants to hang out, but none of that matters - all that matters is what Shadow chooses to do, and which literal path he takes in his life. Does he get vindictive and petty and go with Black Doom to get his revenge? That's an option he can take. Does he try to atone for the sins of Sonic Adventure 2? That's also something he can do, but it all comes down to what Shadow wants to do, no one else. He was made to be controlled, but he has taken control of his life back.