As Sonic the Hedgehog 4 inches closer to release, plenty of theories have arisen about what the next installment in the beloved franchise is going to be about. Some of them may signal a significant shift in the character roster of the series, at least for the next movie. The biggest strength of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was undoubtedly its characters, with Sonic and Shadow’s mirrored storylines serving as the backbone of the film’s plot and themes. While the rest of the characters still played an important role, it was clear that those two were the main focus.

With that in mind, it is very possible that the next movie in the franchise cuts out a number of characters who have been pretty important up until now. One of the most popular theories about where the next movie is going to go would necessitate that kind of shift. After Sonic 3‘s post-credits teased the arrival of Amy Rose and Metal Sonic, its expected that they’ll be the central focus of Sonic 4‘s story. There is a clear direction that the sequel could go, which would amplify their roles – while potentially completely removing other key characters.

Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Taking Place In The Future Is A Popular & Cool Suggestion

And Works Very Well As The Next Step For The Franchise

There are a number of reasons why this theory has become so popular recently, and the biggest one has to do with Sonic CD, which was the 1993 video game that introduced Amy Rose and Metal Sonic. That game is going to have some impact on Sonic 4‘s story, seeing as the movie is introducing both of those characters as well, and one of the game’s new additions to the franchise was the idea of time travel. While the movie won’t be a one-to-one adaptation, taking that aspect of the game would make a lot of sense for Sonic 4.

Additionally, there were a couple of pieces of Sonic 3 concept art that hinted at this, with the most interesting one showing off a version of Eggman that looked like a ruler of some kind of futuristic city, standing next to a Metal Sonic robot. Another piece of art showed Amy with a similar background, as opposed to the New York park. Finally, Metal Sonic’s Sonic 3 entrance seemed to be a Terminator reference, which is obviously a movie about a time-traveling robot, making this theory all the more likely.

Sonic 4’s Future Story Would Likely Mean No Knuckes, Tails, Tom, Or Maddie

Sonic’s Family Would Have To Be Left Behind

If Sonic does end up traveling to the future, which seems fairly likely, then it would stand to reason that his friends probably wouldn’t join him, at least for a portion of his adventure. If Sonic made a conscious choice to travel to the future and had time to prepare to do so, he would definitely make sure to bring his friends along. But, Sonic 3‘s credits scene shows he may travel to the future on accident and unknowingly. That would mean Tails, Knuckles, Tom, or Maddie could effectively be removed from the movie’s main story.

That’s not to say they won’t have any presence in Sonic 4; It’s just a matter of whether they will have as much screen time as they have had in the previous films, or if they will serve as side characters who show up a few times, but don’t have a major impact on the plot. There could be futuristic versions of Knuckles, Tails, Tom and Maddie in whatever future timeline Sonic arrives in. But, the film could try to focus much more heavily on introducing Amy and Metal rather than including the familiar faces in a new setting.

Sonic 4 Missing The Franchise’s Supporting Cast Could Benefit The Film

It Could Alleviate Some Of The Character Problems

While losing out on these four characters seems like a pretty poor choice at first glance, it could very well help the movie in the long run. It could help solve the Sonic franchise’s well-documented character problem, at least in the short term. As the movies keep introducing new characters, with Tails and Knuckles in Sonic 2, Shadow in Sonic 3, and now Amy Rose in Sonic 4, it becomes much harder to make sure each character gets their time to shine. Some are forced to feel like they didn’t have much impact on the movie at all.

If Sonic 4 loses these side characters, then it will become much easier for the film to introduce Amy, as there will be no need to worry about balancing a large cast and making each of the many characters feel like they always have something to do. The movie will be able to focus entirely on the story of Amy and Metal Sonic, while also giving Sonic an easy motivation for wanting to go back home, as he will want to be reunited with his family while the main plot of Sonic the Hedgehog 4 unfolds.