Throw It All Away

"Throw It All Away" is Shadow the Hedgehog's theme from Sonic Adventure 2. It was performed by Everett Bradley. It also acts as the ending credits theme for Dark Story, similar to how "It Doesn't Matter" acted as the ending credits theme for Hero Story. 

Legacy[]

Besides the standard version, an instrumental version also played during the flashback scenes showing Maria. An instrumental remix of this song known as "Lancelot Appears" plays when Sonic encounters Sir Lancelot in Sonic and the Black Knight. Another appearance is the intro of it before the beginning of the Scrap Brain court in Sega Superstars Tennis and any Final Fortress level in Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing. An instrumental is also played when standing in front of Shadow in White Space in Sonic Generations. A brief sample of the song is featured in "Episode Shadow" of Sonic Forces in the track "Infinite's Beginning". An instrumental remix of the song appears in Shadow Generations on the title screen. A lo-fi remix by GWIZ, "Collection Room" (also referred to as "Throw It All Away (Retrospective ver.)"), serves as the ending credit theme in Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings and plays in the Collection Room for Shadow Generations.

A calm piano instrumental of the song appears at several points in the series, first appearing in Sonic Adventure 2 during one of Shadow's flashback scenes where Maria wonders what it's like on Earth. It appears later when Amy tries to convince Shadow to save the world (although it is cut off when Shadow's ensuing flashback starts), and once more at the end of the game when Shadow falls to Earth and humanity is celebrating. It was later used in the PS5-exclusive Dark Beginnings bonus scene, and it plays during the "Between Light and Dark" cutscene in Shadow Generations while Maria Robotnik is trying to calm Shadow down. Additionally, it was used in the Japanese version of two Sonic X episodes: in "A Revolutionary Tale" after Molly dies, and in "The Light in the Darkness" when Dark Oak is talking to Sonic about the Forestation while he runs through Planet Aqurius.

Lyrics[]

Now, wake up, up, up, up...

Now, wake up, up, up, up...

Now, wake up, up, up, up...

Now, wake up, up, up, up...

Everybody tries to be straight

But things are still unchanged

It's useless to resist this

Their effort will be wasted

Head straight for your goal by any means

There is a door that you never have opened

There is a window with the view you have never seen

Get there, no matter how long it takes

Connection to Shadow[]

• "Head straight for your goal by any means" - Shadow doing whatever it takes to complete his mission.
• "You live an endless life forever" - Shadow being the Ultimate Life Form and being immortal.
• "You see a light wherever you go, you have to face it again and again" - Shadow coming across Sonic almost everywhere he goes, or his flashbacks of his friend Maria Robotnik.
• "Their efforts will be wasted" - Shadow being able to stop anyone who goes against him.
• "But, things are still unchanged" - Maria's death can never be changed, and Shadow is upset about it.
• "There is a window with the view you have never seen" - Shadow having witnessed earth from the Space Colony ARK, but never seen it's surface before.
• "Now wake up, up, up, up" - Eggman "waking up" and unleashing Shadow into the world.
• "No one can break you, nobody can tear you" - Shadow has nothing to lose and is virtually indestructible.
• "Throw it all away!" - Shadow's plot of activating Gerald's doomsday program to avenge Maria's death, having been led to believe that this is what she wanted. It may also refer to Shadow eventually throwing away his desire for revenge once he realizes the truth of what Maria actually wanted.