The Dark Reaper^[2] (ダークリーパー, Dāku Rīpā^?) is a vehicle that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It is Shadow the Hedgehog's personal racing car, specially created by Dodon Pa for Shadow to let him participate in his Grand Prix competition.

Description[]

The Dark Reaper is a race car more personalized for Shadow than his previous vehicles, styled more so akin to a convertible. The body build of the Dark Reaper resembles that of the Speed Star, but it been personalized so that it has the same color scheme as Shadow, complete with a black paint job with red streaks.

Unlike the Speed Star, the compressions are curved in a different manner to be more stiff, along with having rows of multiple headlights on each side; above the headlights are a pair of open ventilations with one on each side of the front split apart by a narrow rhombus-esque shape centered on the hood colored with Shadow's red scheme. The bottom of the front bumper consists of a quad-grille in the form of 2 sexagons/hexagons shaped in the style of a rectangle, with a pair of elongated top-and-bottom grilles connecting them in the center. The very bottom of the bumper is then accompanied by a splitter, colored red akin to the outer rims of the 4 grilles (top and bottom center grilles also being split like such by a red rim).

The sides of the car each have a red canard past half-way in height, which the canards leading to one ventilation of their own on each side. The rear of the car is composed of 2 side bulks (each with a ventilation on the top facing to the front) that each emit a red triangular tail-light covered by a fold that each that also extends an outer spiked wing on each side outlined with red (nodding to Shadow's hairstyle); a singular triangle tail-light also placed behind a red bulk that acts as a chassis for driver's seat. Within the red sections of each bulk composing of the rear bumper and underneath each side tail are trapezoid-shaped metal exhausts.

Its wheels are also comprised of black rims with a red circle in the center, and with a central white connection between said rims and the tires in a triangular formation. Opposite of the Speed Star's updated spoked rims which fold inwards, the Dark Reaper's rims are not spoked and instead bulge outwards.

Also akin to the Speed Star, the Dark Reaper also has a black H-shaped airplane-styled steering wheel akin to an airplane yoke, with the top and bottom portions being cut-off (unlike the G.U.N. Auto Tread featuring a fully circular-shaped steering wheel); the said steering wheel also uniquely changes color in accordance to the main body of the car, though its dashboard underneath the small windshield will always remain red.

However, the overall design for the body seems to resemble a combination of both the Apollo Intensa Emozione (AKA the Apollo IE) and the Lamborghini Aventador LP 700–4, though its aforementioned grille + splitter + front bumper design takes after the Aventador variations which may or may not also nod to the Aventador J or Aventador Ultimae (with some traces of the Sesto Elemento in regards to Shadow's color scheme).

Like other cars in Team Sonic Racing, its appearance can be customized with different paint jobs, Performance Parts and decals. Its horn can also be changed.

Game appearances[]

Team Sonic Racing[]

In Team Sonic Racing, the Dark Reaper appears as Shadow's race car, specially created by Dodon Pa for Shadow. During the events of the game, the Dark Reaper was one of the cars Dodon Pa gave Shadow and his allies so they could compete in his Grand Prix competition. Shadow would afterward use it during the races and challenges he participated in. However, the Dark Reaper was eventually destroyed when the heroes had to leave it aboard the crashing Final Fortress. Fortunately, Dodon Pa promised to replace it with a new one.

Prior vehicles of Shadow's being the Dark Rider and G.U.N. Auto Tread featured either high acceleration and handling with decent boost and average top speed for the former, or high base speed and boost with low acceleration and average handling for the latter.

In this game, the default Dark Reaper in comparison instead parallels the base stats of Sonic's Speed Star in the same setting, with high base top speed and boost but now with average handling and acceleration instead, though with the defense stat being rather low. However, its statistics, as well as its artistic design, can be modified by replacing its parts.

The Dark Reaper has the following exclusive Performance Parts that can be used to modify it:

• Front
• Rear
• Wheels

Image	Name	Stat modification
		Increase	Decrease
	Perfect Power Engine	Boost Defense	Acceleration Top Speed
	Maria's Boon	Top Speed	Acceleration Defense
	Hyper Engine	Acceleration Handling	Boost Defense
	Legendary Perfect Power Engine	Boost Defense	Acceleration Top Speed
	Legendary Maria's Boon	Top Speed	Acceleration Defense
	Legendary Hyper Engine	Acceleration Handling	Boost Defense

Image	Name	Stat modification
		Increase	Decrease
	Ultimate Defense	Boost Defense	Acceleration Handling
	Velocity Spoiler	Boost	Defense
	Shroud Stabilizer	Acceleration Defense	Top Speed
	Legendary Ultimate Defense	Boost Defense	Acceleration Handling
	Legendary Velocity Spoiler	Boost	Defense
	Legendary Shroud Stabilizer	Acceleration Defense	Top Speed

Image	Name	Stat modification
		Increase	Decrease
	Immortal Spinners	Defense	Handling
	Rapid Wheels	Acceleration Top Speed	Boost Defense
	Photon Rubber	Handling	Boost
	Legendary Immortal Spinners	Defense	Handling
	Legendary Rapid Wheels	Acceleration Top Speed	Boost Defense
	Legendary Photon Rubber	Handling	Boost

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds[]

A vehicle strongly resembling an updated version of the Dark Reaper is set to appear in the upcoming Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, serving as Shadow the Hedgehog's race car. It is not known if the new car is named Dark Reaper or something different.

Other game appearances[]

Sonic Racing[]

In Sonic Racing, the Dark Reaper appears as the vehicle used by Shadow.

Trivia[]

• Sonic Team director Takashi Iizuka believes the Dark Reaper is the coolest looking car in Team Sonic Racing.^[3]
• One of the alternate performance parts for the front of the car is named "Maria's Boon", most likely after Maria Robotnik.^[4]

References[]