Warning: This article includes SPOILERS for Sonic the Hedgehog 3!

After three Sonic movies, one beloved character has become a walking spoiler, and they’ve teased an exciting new character for Sonic the Hedgehog 4 that hasn’t appeared onscreen yet. The Sonic the Hedgehog franchise has spanned almost three and a half decades, introducing many lovable characters with complex backstories. When the 2020 movie entered development, fans knew certain Sonic characters needed to appear. At the very least, the film and any sequels would need to introduce Sonic and Eggman, but also Knuckles, Tails, and Amy Rose. Those are the core characters who appear in the vast majority of the games, shows, and comics.

By the end of Sonic the Hedgehog 3, all those video game characters are in the mix, as well as Shadow and Metal Sonic. Additionally, the Sonic movies introduce two non-video game characters who play an important role in the narrative – Tom and Maddie Wachowski. Sonic’s adopted parents provide stability for the young hedgehog and his friends. However, Maddie Wachowski also serves another integral purpose in the films.

Maddie’s Outfits Have Spoiled Every Upcoming Video Game Character In Sonic

The Maddie Color Theory Proved True In Sonic The Hedgehog 3

After the second Sonic the Hedgehog movie, fans recognized a pattern that became known as the Maddie Color Theory. In the first movie, Maddie Wachowski wears a yellow top with a jean jacket during the action of Sonic, and the end credits tease Tails as a character for Sonic 2. During Sonic the Hedgehog 2’s climactic ending, Maddie wears a red cami with a black jacket, and the end credits reveal Shadow the Hedgehog as the next villain.

The theory proved at least coincidentally correct since Sonic the Hedgehog 3 shows Maddie in a pink sweater, and the credits introduce Amy Rose. This makes Maddie Wachowski a walking spoiler, for all intents and purposes. However, there’s a strong chance the Maddie Color Theory was fully intentional based on Director Jeff Fowler’s comment to The Hollywood Reporter at the Sonic 3 premiere.

When speaking to the interviewer, Fowler admitted that he was aware of the Maddie Color Theory, and he refused to confirm or deny whether it was planned from the start. He said the fans could decide. If the outfits were purely coincidental, he likely would’ve just said that, which implies that everything was planned. In this case, we can analyze the remaining outfits for clues.

Maddie’s Clothes In Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles Tease The Introduction Of Silver

The Maddie Color Theory Promises Silver & Possibly Blaze The Cat

In the Knuckles TV show, Maddie wears a teal sweater and a white backwards baseball cap. These colors could correspond to a few different characters – Uncle Chuck, Chaos, Teal the Cat, and Silver. Of these characters, the most likely option is Silver the Hedgehog. This fits with the Amy Rose and Metal Sonic time travel theory, which has been teased through concept art, character designs, and the Terminator reference. The white and teal hedgehog is a fan-favorite character. Additionally, he’s the most prominent of those options, appearing in several main games and spinoffs since Sonic The Hedgehog (2006).

Maddie’s clothes in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 also tease the introduction of Silver, even though she doesn’t wear teal. She wears two outfits during the ending of the film. The pink sweater is the most notable, but she’s also visible for a moment from the hospital room. There, she wears a white cami and a light purple cardigan. These are the colors of Blaze The Cat, Silver’s best friend. There’s a zero percent chance they would introduce Blaze without first introducing Silver. As such, Maddie’s outfit in Sonic 3 also increases the likelihood of Silver appearing in Sonic 4.

How Silver Could Fit Into Sonic The Hedgehog 4’s Story

Silver’s Introduction And Character Arc Could Go In Multiple Directions

If Sonic the Hedgehog 4 wanted to introduce Silver, they could go a few different directions. The mid-credits scene of Sonic 3 teases multiple Metal Sonics as the primary villains of the upcoming film. Considering that Silver first views Sonic as the enemy who caused The Day of Disaster, he could team up with whoever created Metal Sonic in the Sonic movies. They could be on the same mission.

Alternatively, if Eggman Nega created the army of Metal Sonics, which is my personal theory about Sonic 4, Silver the Hedgehog could help Team Sonic fight the futuristic villain. Eggman Nega and Silver are each other’s nemeses, with Silver making it his sole mission to defeat Eggman Nega at all costs.

Though Sonic The Hedgehog (2006) has Silver as a temporary enemy of Sonic, they could skip over that part of the story to have them on the same side. It’s not my favorite creative option, since I’d like to see Silver’s 2006 character arc. However, it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility since they’ve taken other creative liberties with the Sonic characters.