In Defense of Kirk Thornton

Let's face it: there is not a man alive that could voice Shadow the Hedgehog in the way that Jason Griffith did for seven years. From his beginnings in Sonic X to the finish line in Sonic Racing, Jason really delved deep to bring out the character that so many fangirls fell for so quickly (myself included). The dark, brooding voice was a perfect match for Shadow, and Jason did it well. He also did extremely well as Sonic and Jet. In my opinion, no one can top Jason Griffith.

But here's the cold, hard truth, people: JASON GRIFFITH IS GONE. No matter how much we beg and plead for him to return as Sonic/Shadow/Jet's voice actor, he will not return. It's been five years, guys. Move on.

I understand where many people are coming from on the issue of Shadow, especially. It's really hard to bring him to life in the way that Jason did. But remember, David Humphrey voiced Shadow for two years before him. David Humphrey was first. Jason Griffith was second. And, like it or not, Kirk Thornton is third. And honestly, Kirk Thornton is not that bad.

I know, I know, I said the forbidden words. "Not that bad." But hear me out.

Kirk Thornton is really voicing a rebooted character. Yes, he voiced Shadow before Sonic Boom came out, but our dark hedgehog was never put in the gaming spotlight during that time. He had a few lines, but that was it. If you think about it, the idea for Sonic Boom was probably created around the time the entire cast of Sonic was replaced. Kirk Thornton was brought in to voice a new version of Shadow.

Well, new-ish. Evil Shadow is not new, but it's been a LONG time since we've seen him. Boom Shadow returns to his dark roots and becomes an antagonist once more (which, personally, I am totally fine with). He is independent, strong, and dangerous. He is the only proof we have that the Chaos Emeralds may still exist somewhere in the Boom universe. If he is the only one using Chaos Control, Shadow is a force to be reckoned with on this new Mobius. His character is dark and prefers to be alone. He considers himself the Ultimate Life-Form, which he is. Kirk Thornton does a really good job of keeping Shadow's voice deep and uncaring while still adding a bit of personality. It's new and different, yes, but it is not as bad as some fans are making it seem. It's not the end of the world that Jason couldn't voice Shadow forever.

And really, stepping in as a replacement for Jason Griffith is hard! Those are big shoes to fill. So seriously, give Kirk Thornton a break already. Five years later and I still hear complaints. Just try and accept the fact that he came in to voice a rebooted character, not the same Shadow Jason left behind. Like it or not, Sonic's universe is evolving and expanding, and so are the characters. And remember that I'm a Shadow fangirl, too, so it's not like I'm an outsider to all this.

Kirk Thornton is Shadow, and he's doing well. End of story.