- "G.U.N." redirects here. For other uses, see G.U.N. (disambiguation).
The Guardian Units of Nations,[4][5] also known as the Guardian Units of the Nations and abbreviated as G.U.N.,[5][note 1] is a group that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It is an international military and security organization on Earth, as well as the national defense forces of the United Federation.[3] Run by commander-in-chief Abraham Tower,[5] G.U.N. has engaged in multiple incidents where it would protect earth from all sorts of threats, including the Eggman Empire and the Black Arms.
Founded over fifty years ago, G.U.N. has had a key role in several crises in recent history, including the shutdown of Project Shadow, the Space Colony ARK incident, the Black Arms' invasion of the planet, and many others. However, during the War to Take Back the Planet, G.U.N. was "put in their place"[2] and dismantled[6] by the Eggman Empire,[2] though the organization's status after the war is unknown.
History[]
Past[]
The date of the foundation of the Guardian Units of Nations is unknown, though the organization has been active for several decades as of now. Their original purpose was to respond to major criminal cases and domestic conflicts.[3]
Project Shadow and aftermath[]
G.U.N. troops raiding the Space Colony ARK, from Shadow the Hedgehog.
Fifty years ago, when the government of the United Federation began fearing the results of Project Shadow, directed by Professor Gerald Robotnik onboard the Space Colony ARK, the top officials of G.U.N. at the time saw the research institution's uniqueness as hostile, and arrived at the decision to set a plan to close the ARK itself. Making up a public story that a biohazard outbreak had occurred within the ARK, the military formulated the so-called "ARK Seal Operation", whose purpose was to close down the spaceship's research facility, destroy everyone and everything (except Gerald) related to the project, and detain the professor as the cause of the accident. When Project Shadow was completed, the ARK was violently invaded by G.U.N. Soldiers, evacuating civilians and killing researchers. During the attack, Gerald put his finishing touches on his research's final result: Shadow the Hedgehog, the "Ultimate Lifeform". Robotnik then had him escape to safety with his granddaughter, Maria. In the ensuing chase, the two got to the escape pods, but Maria was shot by a soldier when helping the hedgehog escape. Mortally wounded, she ejected her friend to earth in a pod.[7]
Within a week, the residents of the ARK had all been moved back to Earth, the space station's research facilities had been frozen, and the people involved in Project Shadow, except for Gerald, were announced as victims of the accident told to the public. The plan was completed when the project's prototype, the Biolizard, was sealed away onboard the ARK after finding it in the deepest part of the spacecraft.[7] The ARK was then sealed off, probably to prevent the Biolizard from falling into the wrong hands.[8]
When the operations about Project Shadow ceased on the ARK, Gerald was taken to Prison Island to continue his research under military control. G.U.N. later retrieved Shadow and brought him to the island for Robotnik to continue his work, but when the professor learned that Maria had been killed, he went mad with grief. While it was thought that he was continuing his research with the black hedgehog,[9] Gerald secretly created a program that would cause the ARK to fall to earth and destroy it as his revenge at humanity, going as far as to brainwash Shadow to make him carry out his revenge when he awoke.[8] When G.U.N. began to fear how the professor might retaliate, they incarcerated him. Knowing only the danger of Project Shadow, the military sealed Prison Island and abandoned Gerald's research.[9] Robotnik was subsequently executed while Shadow was placed in suspended animation on the island.
At some point after Project Shadow's end, G.U.N. began using the Chaos Drives - crystallized Chaos Emerald energy developed by Gerald - to power their machines. In no time, most of their armed forces began consisting of highly advanced, automated robots powered by these Chaos Drives.[3]
Sonic Adventure 2[]
G.U.N.'s underground base on Prison Island being invaded by Dr. Eggman, from Sonic Adventure 2.
In Sonic Adventure 2, Gerald's grandson, the infamous mad scientist Dr. Eggman, learned of Project Shadow when he came across his grandfather's diary by sheer coincidence. Coveting the "Ultimate Lifeform" for his own use, the doctor raided Prison Island and broke into G.U.N.'s underground base there.[10]. After overcoming the various hordes of military robots defending the facility, the scientist awoke Shadow, who showcased his power by destroying a G.U.N. B-3x Hot Shot mech in less than ten seconds.[11]
Sonic escaping from a G.U.N. Military Truck, from Sonic Adventure 2: Battle.
Mistaking Shadow for Sonic the Hedgehog, G.U.N. found the latter the next day. Seeing him as a deserter from the military facility, they caught him and were about to take him to Prison Island. However, when the Sigma-Alpha 2 helicopter containing Sonic was flying over Central City, the rather rebellious hero broke out and fell into the city down below, where he evaded the various troops hot on his heels.[12] Eventually, G.U.N. sent out their one of their massive military trucks to chase after the hedgehog, but this mission was unsuccessful. That night, Shadow stole a Chaos Emerald from the national reserve bank and ran through the capital city while the military was hot on his heels.[13] Meanwhile, the armed forces had a F-6t Big Foot mech attempt to defeat Sonic, but they saw little success. However, when the blue hedgehog met the black hedgehog soon after and the latter left using Chaos Control, G.U.N. finally caught the hero and imprisoned him on Prison Island.
The next day, G.U.N. met even more interference from Tails and Amy, Sonic's friends who wanted to liberate him. While the fox made his way through Prison Island's base, overcoming the troops protecting it, the pink hedgehog infiltrated the prison and broke Sonic out. In the meantime, Eggman would return to the island with Shadow and Rouge the Bat, having the former plant Eggman Bomboms throughout the facility to destroy it and the latter infiltrate the military base to get the three Chaos Emeralds there. Soon after, Sonic would escape to the Green Forest, where he found the black hedgehog yet again. After a fight between the two hedgehogs that ended in a stalemate, it was revealed that the planted bombs were about to go off in a minute and a half, which would destroy the entire island. As such, Shadow warped himself and Rouge out of Prison Island, while Sonic found Tails and Amy and narrowly escaped with them as the facility was destroyed.
That night, when Eggman made his threat to the United Federation to surrender in the next twenty-four hours, G.U.N. troops would chase after Tails while he was making his way through the capital city to pinpoint the doctor's location. At some point following this, G.U.N. dropped the charges against Sonic and the others.
Shadow the Hedgehog[]
Commander Tower leading his troops during the Black Arms' invasion, from Shadow the Hedgehog.
In Shadow the Hedgehog, when the Black Arms made a full-scale invasion on Earth, G.U.N. troops would be sent all around the world to repel the aliens and protect the attacked cities. Commander Abraham Tower would also prioritize the destruction of Shadow, along with the Black Arms, due to his deep hatred towards the black hedgehog, whom he saw as the indirect cause of the shutdown of the ARK.[14]
While G.U.N. was eventually able to push back the Black Arms from cities like Westopolis, Shadow would cooperate with the aliens at first[note 2] and began looking for the seven Chaos Emeralds to give them to Black Doom, the leader of the Black Arms, and find out about his past.[15] A series of events would take place in the aftermath, such as the President of the United Federation being sent to G.U.N.'s headquarters, presumably for safety. In the end, the military's staff watched as Shadow fought Black Doom in an epic battle and destroyed the aliens' Black Comet with the Eclipse Cannon. By the request of the President, G.U.N. would pay tribute to Gerald and work towards a brighter future, while the Commander would apologize the black hedgehog for his former prejudice towards him.[16]
Sonic Rush[]
In Sonic Rush, Sonic and Blaze would go through G.U.N.'s warship fleet Huge Crisis in the ocean during their respective adventures. Eventually, they would face either Eggman Nega or Dr. Eggman, respectively, in the Egg Hammer Fortress.
Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)[]
In Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), Shadow was requisitioned by G.U.N. to find Rouge, as she had presumably been kidnapped by Dr. Eggman and was being held at his base in White Acropolis. After that, the military would contact the black hedgehog and the bat for various purposes.
Eventually, when Solaris was removed from existence, the events of the entire incident were undone, including G.U.N.'s involvement during the crisis.
Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity[]
In Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity, when the MeteorTech robots began rampaging after the last three Arks of the Cosmos fell to Earth, G.U.N. would investigate the event.
Sonic Generations[]
Modern Sonic escaping from a renovated G.U.N. Military Truck, from the console/PC version of Sonic Generations.
In the console/PC version of Sonic Generations, an incarnation of Central City from somewhere in spacetime got transported to White Space where it was drained of color and life. When Classic and Modern Sonic went through this area, both would encounter various of G.U.N.'s robots, Blue Eagles, as well as an improved G.U.N. Military Truck.
Shadow Generations[]
An hour ago, before the preparation of Sonic's birthday party, the military detected some anomaly on the Space Colony ARK, and Shadow had to investigate taking a Space Shuttle to the Colony. The unusual bio-signature turned out to be Black Doom who survived his last fight and defeat, threatens to continue his plans of taking over the world, using the Time Eater's anomalies to accelerate the rebuilding of the Black Arms army and pursue the conquest of the world once again.
Sonic Forces[]
During the events of Sonic Forces, G.U.N. opposed the expansion of the Eggman Empire at the start of the War to Take Back the Planet. However, it was brought down by Dr. Eggman.[2][6] With G.U.N out of the way and Sonic captured, Eggman was able to take over 99% of the Earth easily.[2]
Sonic Frontiers[]
Copies of G.U.N. aircraft surrounding Dr. Eggman in Cyber Space, from Sonic Frontiers.
In Sonic Frontiers, Cyber Space copies of G.U.N.'s craft would appear, apparently unmanned, due to the dimension gathering data from all around Sonic's universe.[17] Shortly after getting stuck in the Cyber Space, Dr. Eggman would narrowly avoid being caught by G.U.N. military craft with Sage's help multiple times.[18]
In the events that followed, various of G.U.N.'s troops would appear in a setting of stages in Cyber Space from Sonic's past memories.
Other game appearances[]
Sonic Rivals[]
Among the 150 collectible cards in Sonic Rivals, there are seven are G.U.N.-related pictures. These cards are "The Commander", "Big Foot", "Flying Dog", "Hot Shot", "Gun Wing", "Hornet-6", and "Shield Hunter".
Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood[]
Main Article: G.U.N. Official
A G.U.N Unit, from Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood.
G.U.N. is involved in the events of Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood by trying to help Sonic and his friends find Knuckles. They are first seen helping in destroying the Egg Carrier, later appear fighting off the Nocturnus Clan, and have a headquarters in Central City as well as taking patrol in Mystic Ruins. They are investigating Knuckles' disappearance and hired Team Chaotix to learn more about the Marauders. Just before Sonic and co. traveled to the Twilight Cage, they gave Rouge instructions to gather any Marauder technology for the scientists to research and possibly re-engineer.
Personnel[]
Commander[]
G.U.N.'s Commander, Abraham Tower is an efficient officer, never backing down in the face of danger. In his debut, he commands his forces against the Black Arms, serving as the counterpart to Dr. Eggman, Black Doom, and Shadow the Hedgehog. He also harbors a deep hatred towards the enigmatic hedgehog, this being so great in Shadow the Hedgehog that he sent G.U.N. forces after him even though the world largely considered Shadow a hero.
Commander Tower claims he saw Black Doom with Gerald Robotnik releasing Shadow. When the government came to shut down the Space Colony ARK and killed Maria Robotnik, he blamed Shadow for her death, as well as the deaths of all other ARK inhabitants, when, ironically, it was the G.U.N. army that killed most of them. It is unknown why he was on the ARK, but it can be assumed that he was related to one of the researchers connected to Project Shadow, since he said his family was killed along with Maria. It is unknown why he himself was evacuated instead of killed.
In some storylines, he controls the Diablon robot, G.U.N.'s most powerful creation despite it being unfinished. In three of the endings of the games, he teams up with Sonic to fight Shadow. It is unknown whether he controls it personally or via remote, as both are implied through dialogue/lack thereof in the English localization. In the Japanese version of the scene before the G.U.N. Fortress level, however, the Commander explicitly states he intended to board the mech, making clear he personally controlled it.
Once he speaks to Shadow before Cosmic Fall, he realizes that Shadow is not evil at all and regrets attempting to kill him. After Shadow defeats Devil Doom and destroys the Black Comet, the President states how ironic it was that people treated Gerald like he was evil, and he ended up saving them all in the end. Abraham and the President realize they were wrong about Gerald's intentions and that he was truly a good-hearted person. They decide they will help create peace for the world in honor of Gerald. In Expert Mode, it is revealed that the Commander had become a grandfather one week before the events of the game.
G.U.N. troops[]
Concept artwork of G.U.N. Soldier, from Shadow the Hedgehog.
Since the invention of the Chaos Drives, G.U.N.'s forces have been predominantly fully automatic, unmanned machines.[3] However, the military also employs human soldiers, who also make the bulk of their armed forces.
G.U.N. Soldiers[]
Foot troops of G.U.N. armed with combat knives or a variety of firearms. They first appeared in a cutscene in Sonic Adventure 2, and reappeared as common enemies in Shadow the Hedgehog. They mostly wear black and blue, but they also have green, tan, black and brown camouflage clothes for various terrains they fight on, and commonly are armed with pistols, sub-machine guns, assault rifles and over-shoulder explosives. Some also are equipped with riot shields to protect them from frontal attacks.
Robots[]
Beetle Series[]
These are saucer-shaped one-eyed floating robots that appear in Sonic Adventure 2, Shadow the Hedgehog, and Sonic Generations. They function as obstacles that block your path forward or serve as tiny attack platforms. There are several different types of beetles, which either hover with a fan and cannot move or feature a turbine to fly around with. The Beetles in Shadow the Hedgehog have the number "05" on them.
| Image | Name | Appears in | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Mono Beetle | Sonic Adventure 2, Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic Generations | Basic unarmed Beetle that simply floats in place. |
|
Gun Beetle | Sonic Adventure 2, Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic Generations | A Beetle armed with a projectile gun. |
|
Rocket Beetle | Shadow the Hedgehog | A Beetle armed with 4-Shot RPG rocket launcher. Iron Jungle is the only stage to involve the Rocket Beetles, featuring about 17 of them. |
|
Bomb Beetle | Sonic Adventure 2 | A Beetle that constantly drops bombs. |
|
Spark Beetle | Sonic Adventure 2, Shadow the Hedgehog | A Beetle with an electrical shield that it switches the discharge on and off. |
|
Spring Beetle | Sonic Adventure 2 | A Beetle with a Spring on top of it. |
|
Gold Beetle | Sonic Adventure 2, Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic Generations (3DS) | A special Beetle that can teleport in Sonic Adventure 2 after appearing for a short amount of time. If destroyed, it awards 1000 points to the player.
In Sonic X, the Gold Beetles have a number "01" on them. In Shadow the Hedgehog, these Gold Beetles can move slightly faster than the Gun Wings and require two hits to defeat instead of one. They can't teleport and aren't as gold as previous versions. Due to gameplay mechanics, Shadow will be awarded 1,000 Dark points upon their destruction. |
|
Gun Wing | Sonic Adventure 2, Shadow the Hedgehog | Like a G.U.N. Beetle, except it has wings that lets it move around. |
|
Bomb Wing | Sonic Adventure 2 | A Wing that generally flies in a circle while dropping bombs. |
Hunter Series[]
Hunters are tall white humanoid robots that have the number "02" on them.
| Image | Name | Appears in | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Gun Hunter | Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Rush, Sonic Generations | Hunter with some kind of projectile weapon. Some fire blue projectiles that trap enemies. |
|
Laser Hunter | Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Rush | Hunter with a powerful laser gun. In Sonic X their laser beams are green when fired. |
|
Shield Hunter | Sonic Adventure 2 | Hunter equipped with a large powerful shield. It can use either a gun or a laser. Can only be destroyed at their feet when they lower their shield to open fire. |
Rhino Series[]
Rhinos are blocky, tank-like robots with the number "03" on them. They usually attack by attempting to ram into their target.
| Image | Name | Appears in | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Rhino Jet | Sonic Adventure 2 | Basic Rhino. It simply rolls around, trying to hit enemies. |
|
Rhino Cannon | Sonic Adventure 2 | Rhino armed with a cannon. |
|
Rhino Cannon (Sonic Rush) | Sonic Rush | Rhino with a jet-propelled Spring on top. |
|
Rhino Spike | Sonic Adventure 2 | Rhino with spikes on top, protecting it from air attacks. |
|
Rhino Metal | Sonic Adventure 2 | Rhino covered in thick armor, can be destroyed with Sonic's Magic Hands ability. |
Hawk Series[]
Hawks are large, floating robots with the number "04" on them. They have two cylinder-shaped engines that they use to hover and maneuver in the air.
| Image | Name | Appears in | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Gun Hawk | Sonic Adventure 2 | Hawk that fires several projectiles once it spots an enemy. |
|
Gum Hawk | Sonic Adventure 2 | Hawk equipped with a sticky stun missile launcher. After immobilizing an opponent, it attacks them with two spikes mounted on its wings. |
|
Laser Hawk | Sonic Adventure 2 | Hawk armed with a laser gun. |
|
Sky Hawk | Sonic Adventure 2 | Hawks that fly around in the sky, only to swoop down to crush enemies. |
|
Bomb Hawk | Sonic Rush | Hawk that hovers in the air while dropping bombs. |
Hornet Series[]
Hornets are flying, eye-like robots with several appendages that hold bombs. When they spot an enemy, they fire the bombs toward it. They have the number "05" on them.
| Image | Name | Appears in | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Hornet-3 | Sonic Adventure 2 | Hornet armed with three bombs. |
|
Hornet-6 | Sonic Adventure 2 | Hornet armed with six bombs. |
|
Hornet-9 | Sonic Adventure 2 | Hornet armed with nine bombs. |
|
Phoenix | Sonic Adventure 2 | A red Hornet-3 that moves slightly faster and has faster bombs. |
|
Laser Hornet | Sonic Adventure 2 | Hornet armed with three laser guns. |
Artificial Chaos[]
Artificial Chaos are robotic versions of Chaos from Sonic Adventure that exist on the Space Colony ARK to the present day. They are all prototypes of the ultimate life form project and were created by Gerald Robotnik. As of Lost Impact (stage), they share a tendency to go on rampages when unsupervised, whether its internal from Chaos' prior rage, or a result from experimentation, is unclear. While their development was under G.U.N., it is not believed they are a part of the organization's active units.
| Image | Name | Appears in | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
 
|
Artificial Chaos P-1 | Sonic Adventure 2, Shadow Generations | A standing Artificial Chaos that fires lasers from its eyes. |
|
Artificial Chaos P-100 | Sonic Adventure 2, Shadow the Hedgehog, Shadow Generations | A floating Artificial Chaos that splits into hundreds of small Cells, which attack enemies. |
|
Cell | Sonic Adventure 2, Shadow the Hedgehog | A tiny cell of an Artificial Chaos P-100. |
|
Float Type | Sonic Adventure 2 | An Artificial Chaos that floats in the air as an orb of water, these appear identical to Artificial Chaos P-100. All Artificial Chaos in Shadow The Hedgehog are of this type, although they cannot shoot lasers. |
|
Guard Type | Sonic Adventure 2 | A standing Artificial Chaos that uses its long arms to stab enemies, these appear identical to Artificial Chaos P-1. Some can retract their heads into their bodies, protecting them from damage. |
Other[]
| Image | Name | Appears in | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
G.U.N. Trooper | Shadow the Hedgehog | A green robot with red markings, it can only use the Semi-Auto Rifle. |
|
Giga Trooper | Shadow the Hedgehog | Similar to the G.U.N. Trooper, except it is heavily armored, camouflage-colored, and can use any weapon. |
Vehicles[]
Airplanes[]
| Image | Name | Appears in | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Blue Eagle | Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Generations (Nintendo 3DS) | Bomber plane that appears in several stages of Sonic Adventure 2. It drops bomb showers, and appears to be based on the Sukhoi Su-34 Fullback. It appears to have a feet form like the gun hunter robots, rather than wheels for landing gear. |
Helicopters[]
| Image | Name | Appears in | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
G.U.N. transport helicopter | Sonic Adventure 2 | A large helicopter that appears in the opening cutscene of the Hero story. It bears a striking resemblance to the Russian Mil Mi-24 Hind. The helicopter has the identification code "Sigma-Alpha 2". According to writing on the helicopter, it may be that either the machine or it's model was named "LONGBOY622_15A", or short "LONGBOY". |
|
G.U.N. assault helicopter | Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic Frontiers | A military helicopter that flies around the city stages in Shadow the Hedgehog that can be destroyed or held onto. A holographic replica of an unmanned variant appears in Sonic Frontiers in the city Cyber Space Stages. In Sonic Frontiers, the helicopter is based on the American AH-64 Apache. |
Ground vehicles[]
| Image | Name | Appears in | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
G.U.N. Military Truck | Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic Generations | A huge truck that chases Sonic in the City Escape stage, crushing anything in its way, though it eventually crashes into a brick overpass. In Sonic Generations, the truck that chases Modern Sonic features three large saw blades and a pair of rocket boosters. |
|
Military police vehicle | Sonic Adventure 2 | Appears in Mission Street. |
|
G.U.N. Armed Buggy | Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) | A basic military jeep equipped with strong G.U.N. armor that can be used by Shadow. |
|
HMMWV | Shadow the Hedgehog | A large, strong Armored Personnel Carrier. It can be used by Shadow, and is usually found behind the Secret Door. |
|
Armored transport vehicle | Shadow the Hedgehog | A huge van-looking vehicle seen in G.U.N. Fortress. It cannot be used, and is just a destroyable object. |
|
G.U.N. Vehicle | Shadow the Hedgehog | An armored truck that can be driven by Shadow in several levels. |
|
G.U.N. Motorcycle | Shadow the Hedgehog | A military motorcycle that can be found and ridden by Shadow in Lethal Highway. |
|
Dark Rider | Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, Sonic Speed Simulator | A G.U.N. motorcycle that Shadow custom-fitted to suit his personal tastes. |
|
Hover Craft | Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) | A hover craft that is used by Shadow to traverse over large areas of water or quicksand. |
|
Tank | Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic Frontiers | A green tank can be seen in Shadow the Hedgehog in the cutscene where Black Doom threatens the earth. In Sonic Frontiers, a holographic replica of a G.U.N Tanks appears in the city Cyber Space stages, although it is black instead of green. |
|
Police Car | Sonic Adventure 2, Shadow the Hedgehog | A black and white vehicle, with blue, white, and red siren lights, in the cutscene before Radical Highway, where they surround Shadow after robbing the National reserve bank, with a green Chaos Emerald. Another police car in the cinematic opening of Shadow the Hedgehog was thrown and destroyed by a Black Oak |
Ships[]
| Image | Name | Appears in | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Aircraft carrier | Sonic Adventure 2 | A huge aircraft carrier seen outside Prison Island. Blue Eagle planes are kept on them. |
|
Warship | Shadow the Hedgehog | An equally huge ship sporting large cannons. Two can be seen outside the G.U.N. Fortress. |
Spacecraft[]
| Image | Name | Appears in | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
G.U.N. spaceship | The Jet Black Hedgehog: Shadow the Hedgehog, Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings | Huge armed spacecraft. They were used to transport G.U.N. soldiers to Space Colony ARK 50 years ago. |
|
G.U.N. shuttle | Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings | A reusable spacecraft intended for travel to the Earth's orbit. At least one model was kept at a G.U.N. base, until Team Dark raided it so that Shadow could travel to the ARK. It's based on both the NASA Space ShuttleW and Dr. Eggman's shuttle. |
Other[]
| Image | Name | Appears in | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
G.U.N. battleship | Shadow the Hedgehog | Huge, heavily armed airships that can be found in the skies over earth. The Air Fleet stage in Shadow the Hedgehog takes place on one of these. It bears resemblance to Dr. Eggman's Wing Fortress from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 |
|
Mobile rocket | Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure 2, Shadow the Hedgehog | A rocket that is held onto and used to travel to high areas. In Shadow the Hedgehog, it comes with a parachute for controlled descent. |
|
G.U.N. turret | Shadow the Hedgehog | A powerful Heavy Machine Gun turret that, if destroyed, Shadow can pick up and use. Eggman considers it a piece of junk. |
|
Gun Lift | Shadow the Hedgehog | A type of G.U.N. Turret that runs on a rail in Lost Impact. It is usually used for transport, but can reveal the hidden weapon in case of emergency. |
|
Glider | Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) | A jet glider that is used by Shadow to fly over long distances. |
Big Foot[]
The Big Foot walkers are large bipedal walkers that can hover in the air. In Sonic Adventure 2 and Shadow the Hedgehog, they are manned by a G.U.N. pilot. However, in Sonic X, they appear to be completely robotic or remote-controlled, along with being somewhat weaker.
The F-6t Big Foot, from Sonic Adventure 2.
- The F-6t is the first Big Foot featured in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. It is teal, yellow, and red. It attacks by flying above Sonic and firing its Gatling gun, occasionally landing to fire its missiles. It appears as one of the first bosses in Sonic Adventure 2 and its Sonic X adaption, both of which where it was fought and destroyed by Sonic. According to Sonic X, this Big Foot is 3.4 metres (11 ft. 11 in.) tall, 4.8 metres (16 ft. 3 in.) wide, and weighs 9.2 tonnes (10.14 short tons).[19]
- A newer version of the Big Foot that is colored teal, yellow, and red. It appears in Shadow the Hedgehog and usually guards the later levels of the game. They are the second strongest standard enemy belonging to G.U.N.. They carry Gatling Guns, which Shadow can pick up after he has defeated them. This Big Foot is much stronger than the Sonic Adventure 2 variant, and takes many more Homing Attacks to defeat.
- The Type B is similar to the F-6, except it is camouflage-colored and is armed with two quad missile launchers on its shoulders. It appears in Shadow the Hedgehog as fairly uncommon enemy, although it is the strongest unit belonging to G.U.N.. It never uses its Gatling gun, but fires homing missiles very quickly. After being destroyed, it drops a lock-on missile launcher.
Other[]
- Nearly identical to the F-6t Big Foot, except for a particle beam cannon built into the torso. The main difference between the two is that Big Foot makes three overhead machine-gun passes before landing and firing missiles, while the Hot Shot only passes overhead once. It appears only in Sonic Adventure 2 and its Sonic X adaption, where it was fought and defeated by Shadow.
- A flying mech that is identical in equipment to the Hot Shot, with the exception of not needing to land, as it lacks legs. It appears in Sonic Adventure 2, where it traps Rouge on Prison Island.
A Jump Vehicle, from Shadow the Hedgehog.
- A small walker that can jump to very high heights. It appears in Shadow the Hedgehog, where Shadow can use it for himself. There are two variants, one featuring two machine gun turrets, and one that doesn't. The armed version cannot jump as high as its un-armed counterpart, but it gains the ability to hover.
- Appears in Shadow the Hedgehog in one of Shadow's flashbacks. The Heavy Dog is a large, disc-like machine that tries to stop Shadow and Maria from escaping the Space Colony ARK. It is armed with several homing missile launchers all around its body, and it can drop floating mines that will explode after some time. Its most dangerous armament is its Particle Beam Cannon, a weapon that fires blue energy waves in all directions. Interestingly, blueprints for the Heavy Dog can be seen on the walls of room it is fought in. Presumably, the Heavy Dog was built aboard the ARK, corresponding with what Shadow said about "weapons of mass destruction" being built there.
The Blue Falcon, from Shadow the Hedgehog.
- Appearing in Shadow the Hedgehog, the Blue Falcon is a different version of the HD1 Heavy Dog, exchanging the bomb-launching capabilities for enhanced speed and strength. It is assigned to guard the Eclipse Cannon from invaders. The Blue Falcon is armed with the same missile launchers and Particle Beam Cannon as the Heavy Dog, but features the ability to drop powerful bombs instead of floating mines.
- The Diablon appears in Shadow the Hedgehog as one of the possible final bosses. It is a humanoid robot, fully equipped with a powerful energy shield, jet-pack, strong laser gun, and the Antimatter Cannon, which, after some necessary charging, creates an explosion of energy that causes destruction across a large radius. Diablon is controlled by G.U.N.'s Commander (whether remotely or internally is unknown, as both ways are implied by the game), and is accompanied by Sonic when fought by Shadow. Its serial number and name are displayed on its wrists. It can be confronted in the G.U.N. Fortress, Final Haunt, and Black Comet stages.
Weapons[]
Sonic Adventure 2[]
| Weapon | Description |
|---|---|
| Gun | Fires large yellow projectiles. |
| Laser | Fires a thick green laser beam. |
| Gum Laser | Fires blue projectiles that stick to enemies, trapping them. |
| Bomb | Spherical bomb that explodes after a few seconds. It is either dropped by Beetles or fired by Rhinos. |
| Minigun | Fast-firing machine-gun used by the Big Foot, Hot Shot, and Flying Dog. Can be assumed to be the same as the Gatling Gun from Shadow the Hedgehog. |
| Missile launcher | Homing missile launcher with four missiles, also used by the three mechs. Can be assumed to be the same as the 4-Shot RPG from Shadow the Hedgehog. |
| Particle beam cannon | Energy weapon used by the Hot Shot and Flying Dog. It takes time to charge, but the blue energy shot fired creates a large explosion, while also featuring some homing capabilities. |
Shadow the Hedgehog[]
Shadow the Hedgehog revealed a much larger and more realistic arsenal of weapons for G.U.N. (and Shadow) to use.
| Weapon | Description |
|---|---|
| Knife | Combat knife used by G.U.N. troopers on the Space Colony ARK in The Doom. |
| G.U.N. shield | Large bulletproof riot shield used by G.U.N. troopers. Shadow can not use it. |
| Pistol | Semiautomatic pistol resembling a USP Tactical, used by G.U.N. troopers. |
| Sub-Machine Gun | Small, MP5-resembling sub-machine gun used by most G.U.N. troopers and small robots. |
| Assault Rifle | Large assault rifle, resembling both a SIG SG551 and a G3, and is used by G.U.N. troopers and robots. |
| Gatling Gun | Fast-shooting powerful minigun used by the Big Foot. |
| Heavy Machine Gun | Long, powerful machine-gun used as stationary cannons and robot weapons. It resembles the Browning M2 .50 Caliber Machine Gun. |
| Bazooka | Shoots an explosive rocket straight forward, used by G.U.N. troopers and robots. |
| Tank Cannon | A large green cannon, found behind the locked key doors in Iron Jungle and Prison Island, and a cage in the GUN Fortress-based multiplayer map. Its shots are almost as powerful as a Chaos Blast, though no enemies use this weapon. |
| Grenade Launcher | Shoots explosive grenades that arch downward. Seems to be based on the Milkor MGL, but without a stock or holo-scope. |
| RPG | Bazooka-like weapon that uses Lock-on technology to fire homing missiles. |
| 4-Shot RPG | Missile launcher used in the Big Foot, Heavy Dog, and Blue Falcon mechs. Also used as hand-held by numerous Beetles, mechs, and soldiers. It can lock onto 4 separate targets, then fires a rocket at each in quick succession. Similar to the M202 FLASH (Grim Reaper). |
| 8-Shot RPG | Larger missile launcher that is used by the Big Foot and Giga Troopers. It can lock onto 8 separate targets, then fires a rocket at each in quick succession. |
| Laser Rifle | Fires green lasers that bounce off any surfaces. It is only found in Expert Mode in Black Comet. |
| Particle beam cannon | Fires multiple blue energy waves in all directions after charging up, and is built into the Heavy Dog and Blue Falcon. It cannot be used by Shadow. |
| Anti-Matter Cannon | Creates a massive energy explosion around the Diablon, which is the only vehicle seen equipped with it. Shadow can not use it. |
Bases[]
G.U.N. Fortress[]
G.U.N.'s headquarters appears in Shadow the Hedgehog and is considered the most secure shelter on earth. The President is taken there for safety when the Black Arms attack Central City. The underground fortress is heavily guarded by three mother computers, armed security cameras, and an immeasurable number of G.U.N. troops and mechs. It is located in a mountain near the sea, as seen on the platform where the goal ring is located. It serves as one of the five final stages of the game.
Prison Island[]
A large jungle island used as a prison and research base by G.U.N. In Sonic Adventure 2, Dr. Eggman first came there to find G.U.N.'s secret weapon, which turned out to be Shadow the Hedgehog. Some time later, Sonic the Hedgehog was captured by G.U.N. due to a misunderstanding and imprisoned deep inside the island, but he was quickly rescued by Miles "Tails" Prower and Amy Rose. At the same time Shadow, Eggman, and Rouge the Bat attacked the island in order to take G.U.N.'s Chaos Emeralds. They succeeded and planted several explosives on the island, blowing it up as everyone escaped.
However, Shadow the Hedgehog revealed that the explosives had only destroyed G.U.N.'s main base and spilled toxic waste into the rivers. G.U.N. still has some overgrown paths and prison cells in the jungle, and they use them to hold captured Black Arms soldiers. In the game, Charmy Bee goes to the island to look for some hidden data disks on behalf of Vector the Crocodile, and the player can choose to help him find them.
In other media[]
Animation[]
Sonic X[]
G.U.N.'s logo, from Sonic X.
In the anime series Sonic X and its comic series published by Archie Comics, G.U.N. is a military branch. They extracted Eggman's technology and with a few tweaks, they managed to create their own robots. They also took Eggman's Egg Fort and turned it into their attack vehicle, the G.U.N. Fort V3.
Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings[]
In the first episode, Shadow briefly experienced an ominous premonition of the impending G.U.N. raid (heavily implied to have been spurred on by Black Doom influencing Shadow's memories) when Maria clasps Shadow's hand when begging him to save her grandfather from Emerl. In addition, Shadow ends up witnessing the G.U.N. Raid and realizing something was wrong due to it occurring far sooner than he remembered. Prison Island, and more specifically Gerald Robotnik's confinement cell was briefly visited by Shadow in the nightmare, with flashes showing Gerald's last moments before execution. In the second episode, Rouge the Bat and E-123 Omega were conducting a raid on Hidden Base as part of an intelligence gathering mission for G.U.N., coincidentally at the same time Shadow the Hedgehog traveled there to try and locate a spaceship to reach the ARK in response to the aforementioned nightmare. In the ending, Rouge suggests to Shadow that they raid a G.U.N. facility to find a ship to the ARK. In the third episode, Team Dark raided a G.U.N. launch facility to access a Shuttle to the ARK, presumably destroying any G.U.N. Robots in their way before reaching the control room, with Rouge recapping Shadow's uneasy history with them and Shadow making clear he only views G.U.N. as an obstacle to his current objective instead of his enemy despite their past history. Shadow alongside Omega then confronted and took down a Blue Falcon that was guarding the launch pad. After Rouge primed the shuttle for launch, the facility's various automated security systems detected the unauthorized launch and came close to destroying the vessel before Commander Abraham Tower gave the stand down order.
Books and comics[]
Archie Comics[]
G.U.N.'s logo, from the Archie Comics.
In the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by Archie Comics, G.U.N., its full name being Guardian Units of the Nation, was the sole military resource meant to project the United Federation. Most of their technology was based upon the early 21st Century earth tech, with some Overlander. G.U.N. was created long after the Gene Bombs when the various remaining human city-states began to communicate and organize. As strange new life began to populate Mobius, it was up to G.U.N. to protect the last of humanity. As such, they were a grim and ruthless organization - sometimes warranted, other times not. Under the leadership of Abraham Tower though, G.U.N.'s ruthlessness and self-importance was greatly diminished and its questionable operations were removed. As G.U.N. began to emerge in the outside world, they would ally themselves with the Kingdom of Acorn/Republic of Acorn in the ongoing war against Dr. Eggman and the Eggman Empire who threatened G.U.N.'s territories.
Following the Super Genesis Wave, G.U.N.'s history became virtually to their game counterpart. In this new continuity, they would aid in the Shattered World Crisis and prevent a second invasion of the Black Arms.
Films[]
Paramount[]
G.U.N.'s logo, from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (film).
In the Sonic the Hedgehog film series produced by Paramount Pictures and its spin-offs, G.U.N. (short for Guardian Units of Nations) was formed after the events of first film as a global taskforce devoted to protecting the Earth from extraterrestrial treats, though they also work against the threats posed by Dr. Robotnik. Its commander is Walters and member is Agent Randall Handel.
Deeming Sonic the Hedgehog a threat, G.U.N. enacted Operation: Catfish, which led to Sonic and most of his associates' capture. However, after the fugitives were freed and Robotnik's return was made apparent to them, G.U.N. tried to apprehend him, only to be outclassed by his new power. After Robotnik was defeated, G.U.N. worked on clearing up his mess, during which they discovered a clue to a 5-decade-old file of Project Shadow.
Trivia[]
- The full name of the organization was a source of confusion. In the 2012 re-release of Sonic Adventure 2, the helicopter at the start of the Hero story features a clearer texture, making it possible to read "Guardian United Nation" on the side. The official strategy guide of Sonic Adventure 2 in Japan introduced it as "Guardian Units of Nation".[citation needed] The former is considered an error made by the port team, and the latter is thought to be a small translation error involving singular and plural.
- The origin of G.U.N.'s name probably stems from the Japanese word for army, which is 軍 ( gun?) or 軍隊 ( guntai?), and then words were made to fit with the acronym.
- Originally, G.U.N. in Japanese is pronounced as the kanji 軍. In Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings, however, the pronunciation is changed to match how it is pronounced in English.[20]
- Despite being based on the United States Armed Forces, G.U.N has been seen using Russian style aircraft in Sonic Adventure 2.
- G.U.N. is based on the United States Armed Forces, being the main armed force of the United Federation, however their projection and ability to operate in foreign nations makes them similar to the United Nations and NATO, since both are factions that fight for world peace. It is also implied to be a multinational military organization makes it similar to NATO. All three of which have been the source of controversies, most notably being their hypocritical method of using military might to maintain world peace and stability.
- This reflects the irony of G.U.N.'s name as "Guardian Units of Nations" sounds heroic compared to "GUN", which is obviously a dangerous weapon.
- Additionally, the background colors of various G.U.N. logos in Shadow the Hedgehog appear to use the same shade of blue used on the flag of the United Nations, along with featuring similar olive branches.
- An unused voice clip in Shadow the Hedgehog has Dr. Eggman stating to Shadow that G.U.N. tried to copy his designs, though what he is exactly referring to is unclear.
- This line may reference G.U.N.'s appearance in Sonic X, in which they studied Eggman's technology in order to develop their line of robots.
- In the Dark Beginnings teaser for Sonic X Shadow Generations, G.U.N. makes a brief cameo appearance. When Maria begs Shadow to save her grandfather after they witnessed the escaped Gizoid headed directly to his lab, Shadow received a vision showing G.U.N. soldiers approaching ominously, foreshadowing the impending G.U.N. raid that would ultimately result in Maria's demise.
Gallery[]
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Logo[]
Merchandise[]
Notes[]
- ↑ While G.U.N. is most commonly pronounced as an acronym, [ɡʌn], like gun, it has been occasionally pronounced as individual letters, as [ʤi ju ɛn].
- ↑ At one point in Shadow the Hedgehog's Expert Mode, Cream thanks Shadow for saving her. This is something that can be done in Cryptic Castle, which is accessed after helping the Black Arms in either Digital Circuit or Glyphic Canyon. As such, it can be assumed that Shadow opposed G.U.N. during at least the early phases of their invasion.
References[]
- ↑ Her name was listed in Gerald's Journal in the Japanese Copy addressed to Tower.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 TailsTube #2 (feat. ???). YouTube. Sonic the Hedgehog (June 9, 2022). Retrieved on June 9, 2022.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "Enemies" (in Japanese). Sonic Adventure 2 Hero/Dark Manual. SoftBank. July 16, 2001. p. 26. ISBN 978-4797317152.
- ↑ Shadow the Hedgehog (Nintendo GameCube) United States instruction booklet, pg. 7.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Shadow the Hedgehog (Nintendo GameCube) Japanese instruction booklet, pg. 11.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Sonic Twitter Takeover #7
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "５０年前の真実" (in Japanese). Sonic Adventure 2 Perfect Guide. Enterbrain. October 10, 2001. ISBN 978-4757706255.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Sonic Team USA (June 23, 2001). Sonic Adventure 2. Dreamcast. Sega. Area/level: Last Story. "Rouge/Gerald: I don't quite know what happened, or what went wrong. Was it a mistake to create the Ultimate Life Form? I thought it would be something that would benefit mankind... But then the military guards landed on the Colony that day. They were sent to destroy the research project that I had been working on. My colleagues at the research facility, my granddaughter Maria, I hope you are all safe. The colony was completely shut down, probably to prevent the prototype from falling into the wrong hands. The ARK was shut down under the premise that there had been an accident. I found Maria's name among those who died when the ARK was shut down. She meant everything to me! And I couldn't bear the thought that she died because of my research. I lost everything! I had nothing more to live for! I went insane!! All I could think about, was to avenge her! Somehow, someway, I got scared as I no longer was able to control my thoughts. All I could think about, was that I wanted it all to end. Based on my original projections, I was able to complete my project; Shadow. I designed its mind to be perfect, pure... I will leave everything, to him. If you wish, release and awaken it, to the world. If you wish to fill the world with destruction..."
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Prima Development (June 20, 2001). "The Beginning". Sonic Adventure 2: Prima's Official Strategy Guide. Prima Games. p. 2. ISBN 978-0761536147.
- ↑ Sonic Team USA (June 23, 2001). Sonic Adventure 2. Dreamcast. Sega. Area/level: Iron Gate. "Eggman: By accident, I found my grandfather's diary. In it, he described a mysterious top-secret weapon he was working on called 'Project Shadow.' The diary looked like it was sealed inside the military research facility when it was shut down over 50 years ago. What a waste of good research! The legacy of the greatest scientific mind in the history of the world, Professor Gerald. That's my grandpa! I might as well get some use out of it!"
- ↑ Sonic Team USA (June 23, 2001). Sonic Adventure 2. Dreamcast. Sega. Area/level: B-3x Hot Shot. "Shadow: Doctor Eggman, the grandson of my creator Professor Gerald has freed me. The doctor awakened me and for that, I have granted him a wish. First, let me show you the true power I possess. In ten seconds I was able to destroy the military hardware like it was a toy!"
- ↑ Sonic Team USA (June 23, 2001). Sonic Adventure 2. Dreamcast. Sega. Area/level: City Escape. "Sonic: Some military troops suddenly showed up saying they were looking for me. Looks like they might be taking me for a ride somewhere! Hey! What's this? Handcuffs? Wait a minute! What are you talking about? I'm not a deserter from any military facility! I thought it may be some kind of joke, but this isn't funny! I gotta get out of here!"
- ↑ Sonic Team USA (June 23, 2001). Sonic Adventure 2. Dreamcast. Sega. Area/level: Radical Highway. "Shadow: I took the Chaos Emerald from the national reserve bank. And now the military and police are chasing me. I don't care if they know who I am because they'll never catch me. It's just a waste of time! There's no time for games. I have to get out of here, fast!"
- ↑ Sega Studio USA (November 15, 2005). Shadow the Hedgehog. Nintendo GameCube. Sega. Cutscene: After Westopolis. "G.U.N. Captain: The black aliens have hit six major cities around the world, and every city is reporting significant damage and casualties. Among them, Westopolis has received the heaviest casualties due to its weakened defense system. Downtown Westopolis has been almost completely destroyed. Unconfirmed sources have also reported seeing a black hedgehog in Westopolis. / Commander: Shadow? Deploy the troops, NOW! And if you find Shadow with the black aliens, then kill them all! / G.U.N. Captain: But sir, isn't Shadow on our side... sir?! / Commander: I gave you an order, soldier! He's evil and he's the enemy! You can't fool me, Shadow! This time, you're MINE!"
- ↑ Sega Studio USA (November 15, 2005). Shadow the Hedgehog. Nintendo GameCube. Sega. Cutscene: After Digital Circuit/Glyphic Canyon/Lethal Highway. "Secretary: We've received a report from the Central Information Agency. Our ground troops have successfully pushed back the black aliens from Westopolis. We've also managed to suppress enemy forces in five other cities. There's also reports that the CIA's mainframe has been compromised. We're investigating the incidents now. It is a strong possibility that this was also committed by the black aliens."
- ↑ Sega Studio USA (November 15, 2005). Shadow the Hedgehog. Nintendo GameCube. Sega. Area/level: Space Gadget (Expert Mode). "Commander: Shadow, do you read me? First, I want to... apologize, for the other day...Actually, I just became a grandfather last week, and I was thinking of maybe having you over. I know that training is tough...But try and do your best."
- ↑ Sonic Team (November 8, 2022). Sonic Frontiers. PlayStation 5. Sega. Area/level: View Fish-o-pedia Menu. "Egg Memo 4 - I have found elements from my own EggNet, United Federation, even Planet Donpa Kingdom race data! As best as I can surmise, this Cyber Space extends well beyond the scope of these islands and is gaining information from around the world. Fascinating!"
- ↑ Sonic Team (November 8, 2022). Sonic Frontiers. PlayStation 5. Sega. Area/level: View Fish-o-pedia Menu. "Egg Memo 2 - What are G.U.N. military craft doing in here!? Sage has helped me avoid the worst of it, and it doesn't appear to be manned. Is it a defense mechanism? I need to learn more."
- ↑ Big Foot information card from Sonic X
- ↑ Flynn, Ian (10 October 2024). "To the ARK". Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings. Episode 3. YouTube.
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