[Project Shadow 2.0] - Destiny the Chimera

Here's the very first picture of the original design that I posted up back in 2007 (there are also a few more in my Scraps). This is the finished version of the sketch I posted a few weeks ago. I've been very keen on finally posting this guy up and giving the details on him. This is a character that I made back in 2006, but at the time I was always too embarrassed to talk about any of my Sonic-related story ideas. But now that I've evolved in my confidence, I can finally bring this guy back and talk about about him!

A few years ago, this guy used to be my most favoured muse, so it was really fun drawing him again (I have not been happy with drawing him in maaaany years). I've tweaked his design ever so slightly in this image so that he's up to standard with my present day designing ideas; I've tweaked his shoes into boots and I've taken away bands on his arms and legs, I've tweaked his ears to be more prominent and changed his chest fur form his skin tone to white. Otherwise, everything else is the same to his original design. Anyways, onto the background character storyline, which is quite lengthy!

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Originally he was a character I created to exist in the main Sonic timeline, but I've only recently decided for move this story into Earth-2 (the alternate timeline involving the Mephiles and Iblis designs that are in my gallery). Destiny is a weapon that was created 200 years in the future by Dr. Eggman Nega. In this future as in Sonic 06, the world is ravaged and tormented by a corrupted Iblis. Eggman Nega, in his frustration of being unable to carry out any of his plans due to Iblis' influence decides to create an anti-Iblis weapon in order to clear the way to establish his ambitions. With society torn apart, technology and resources are limited, so Nega looks back on old research left by his ancestor, Professor Gerald Robotnik from over 250 years ago to recreate the experiment that made his name in the field of science; Nega initiates the production of Project Shadow 2.0.

As in the main timeline's 06 future, Shadow was persecuted and blamed for the destruction caused by Iblis, and humanity turns on him and seals him away in a stasis field. So using this to his advantage, Nega is able to extract some of Shadow's genetic data in order to begin his experiment. Nega attempts to clone Shadow the Hedgehog, using his DNA to create a weapon for himself to command (as Metal Sonic 3.0 was proving to be insufficient against the threat of Iblis). However, after many attempts he proved to be very unsuccessful, because Shadow's Black Arms DNA is too chaotic for the clone to physically sustain itself (since Shadow is a clone of Black Doom, a clone of clone would only prove to be an utter failure). Nega then proceeds to carry out the next stage of his plans.

In order to mollify the chaotic nature of Shadow's DNA, Eggman Nega seeks a secondary source in order to create his weapon; the Master Emerald. Nega along with Metal Sonic 3.0 make their way towards the isolated Angel Island, where the Master Emerald has been left unguarded for nearly 200 years, as the guardian had long since passed away. However, as they approached by the Emerald, they were assaulted by the God of Destruction, Chaos, who still guards over the Master Emerald along with the spirit guardian, Tikal the Echidna. Immediately, Metal Sonic 3.0 with his upgraded combat ability subdues Chaos, and in a panic Tikal uses a form of Chaos Control to transport the Master Emerald to safety, reverting their floating platform into the fallen and desolate Onyx Island.

After defeating Chaos, Nega is able to witness the potential of Tikal, finding the nature behind her essence very curious as she is a spiritual entity that was specifically transformed by the Master Emerald, sharing the same properties to suppress Chaos Energy. Nega quickly captures her, viewing her as the next best option. Tikal is weak to fight against the might of Nega's machines, and she is taken to his base of operations, where her spiritual essence is extracted in order to continue work on Project Shadow 2.0. Combining the powerful chaotic DNA of Shadow the Hedgehog and the calming spiritual essence of Tikal the Echidna, Destiny the Chimera is created as the first stable and working prototype.

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This spiel is longer than my usual ideas, I've put a fair bit of thought into this character! I've created him to be a perfect blend of Shadow and Tikal (almost making him indirectly a Shadikal fanchild to feed my fandom, haha). I identify him as a Chimera, though not in a mythological sense, but in the scientific sense of a creature that is artificially blended between two animals. Destiny is very artificial in nature with his limbs being artificial to improve his physical capabilities; his arms are armed with gauntlets that contain claws, which he uses in a similar manner to the Echidnas of Tikal's era, while his boots are similar to Shadow's air shoes that were created by Gerald Robotnik. The bands around his limbs, tail and waist are known as Inhibitor Bands, which act in a similar manner to Shadow's Inhibitor Rings, however they aim to contain Destiny's physical structure rather than suppress his powers. His brain contains cybernetic implants which allow Nega complete control over him, and his eyes are replaced by artificial cybernetic ones in order to scan through Iblis' flames.

Overall, he's just my own play on the whole "Shadow clone" idea that's surely been overdone, but I've always been very fond of this character so I don't mind the cliche-ness, haha! It's also interesting to note that he is the second of three subjects in Project Shadow 2.0, with the first before him being known as Kismet, who was the first unstable prototype, and after Destiny comes Fate, who is the perfect final product in the experiment (there's a picture of her from a few years ago in my gallery). I will be drawing newer images of those two later. I'm glad to get all this typing out of the way, I've been at it for over an hour now, so do enjoy!