Warning: this article contains spoilers for Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was one of the biggest movies of 2024, coming in H๏τ after the 2-year wait since the previous film, becoming one of the highest grossing movies of the year and arguably the most beloved entry in the Sonic the Hedgehog film franchise. Sonic 3‘s characters were undoubtedly the highlight of the film, and by adding Shadow, voiced by the excellent Keanu Reeves, the film was able to fully embrace the lore of the franchise, resulting in a post-credits cameo by Amy Rose and Metal Sonic.

While the two characters only appear after Sonic 3‘s ending, and don’t have any voice lines, their inclusion is an exciting look into the future of the Sonic the Hedgehog movies, and what storylines may appear in the sequels. Specific information about these characters’ roles is sparse, but one small detail about Amy Rose’s design hints that she may be one of the more powerful characters in the film universe. A big part of Sonic 3‘s positive reviews was the action, and if Amy is as strong as she seems, she will hopefully make Sonic 4‘s fights even better.

Amy Rose Has Limiter Rings On In Sonic The Hedgehog 3, Just Like Shadow

Both Characters Have Large Rings Around Their Wrists

While Amy’s appearance in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was very brief, and her full design wasn’t revealed, as she was wearing a hooded cloak, her arms were clearly visible in a few sH๏τs, and it showed that she was wearing a very similar looking pair of rings to Shadow. The rings looked like classic Sonic rings, encircled around her wrists, with a simple clasp that would presumably allow her to take them off if she needed to, for whatever reason.

The rings she wore were very similar to the Limiter Rings that Shadow has on throughout the duration of Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which have been an integral part of his design since his introduction in the Sonic Adventure 2 video game. However, it is worth noting that Amy’s rings were also a part of her design in the video games, and the rings she wore in the games have never been confirmed to be the same kind of Limiter Ring that Shadow sported.

With that being said, the movies have taken plenty of creative liberties when compared to the Sonic video games, and it is absolutely possible that Amy will end up with the same Limiter Rings as Shadow. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 didn’t explain what the rings’ purpose actually was, so if Amy happened to have the same kind of technology, then the sequel could show what they are. While that isn’t strictly necessary, Sonic 3‘s second post-credits scene showed Shadow picking his rings back up, which may mean that they have greater importance in the next film.

Amy Rose’s Limiter Rings Suggest She’s Incredibly Powerful

Limiter Rings Are Reserved For The Most Powerful Creatures Out There

If Amy’s rings do end up being Limiter Rings, then that would mean that Amy is one of the most powerful characters in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. The only other character who uses the same technology is Shadow, who utilizes the rings to contain the vast amount of power that he has inside him. The film didn’t explicitly state this, but the only time Shadow took the rings off was when he moved the Eclipse Cannon away from the Earth, as he needed to be at maximum strength.

Throughout Sonic the Hedgehog 3, we saw that Shadow was able to very easily overpower any foe he happened to come across, obviously taking on all of Team Sonic at once during his introduction. Shadow was even able to fend off Super Sonic before he had any of the Chaos Emeralds, leading to him becoming Super Shadow. Even with his Limiter Rings on, Shadow was already one of the strongest beings in the universe, and with them off, there was absolutely no question about his unparalleled strength.

Amy having Limiter Rings would then suggest that she also contains a similar amount of power, likely rivaling the strength of Shadow. While we haven’t seen the extent of her powers, she was able to pretty easily take care of the group of Metal Sonic robots fighting Sonic, proving how strong she was even with the rings on. If she takes them off, then she may very well be as strong as Shadow or even Super Sonic.

How Amy Rose’s Powers Compare To Shadow’s In The Sonic Video Games

Amy Has Always Been Strong, But Never The Strongest

In the Sonic the Hedgehog video games, Amy is a pretty strong character, but is generally seen to be about as strong as any of the characters on Team Sonic. However, in the games, the rings on her wrists aren’t Limiter Rings like Shadow, so Amy doesn’t have the same kind of power reserve that Shadow can tap into when he needs to do something outside his normal capabilities. Even with his rings on, Shadow, as the Ultimate Lifeform, tends to be one of the most powerful characters in the series, more so than Amy ever has.

Amy is still a very powerful Sonic character, however, with her main weapon of choice being her Piko-Piko Hammer, which she did use in her short cameo in Sonic 3. She has the ability to summon it at will in the games, but the little that was shown in the movie was her ability to remove the head and use it as more of a ranged weapon, giving her an edge over the more close-ranged cast. However, when compared to Shadow in the video games, whose powers are all innate without the need for a weapon, she definitely falls short.

Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Can Show The Full Strength Of Amy Rose’s Powers

Amy’s Introduction In The Sequel Will Bring Another Powerhouse Into Play

As the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is undoubtedly going to change part of the games’ lore, it has the chance to show just how strong Amy could be in this version of the universe. The Sonic movies have made a habit of centering each sequel around the arrival of a new character or characters, with Knuckles and Tails for Sonic 2 and Shadow for Sonic 3, so it stands to reason that Sonic 4 is going to be heavily focused around the arrival of Amy Rose and Metal Sonic.

Even if the next movie isn’t centered entirely around Amy as a character, it will still have to build up her character as a worthy addition to the franchise, and part of that will involve showing what she can do. The fact that her introduction included destroying a large group of Metal Sonic robots shows that she is definitely going to be a fighter, and with how great the fight scenes in the last movie were, seeing Amy Rose either with and without her Limiter Rings is surely going to stand up to the best fights in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.