Rhapsodizing about the Black Arms:
So, I’ve been playing with the potential that the visual similarities between the Ancients (who become Chao) and the Black Arms, specifically Black Doom, are more than just visual. Toying with the potential for these races to be related: Hear me out.
We know from Chao and the fact that the surviving Ancients became them that they’re DNA is maybe the most malleable ever, if they see something has survived natural selection they’re able to take on it’s traits, and develop into the traits they may need more with Swim, Speed, Power, and Flight Chao, Even down to interactions turning them into Hero or Dark Chao.
The Ancients were seemingly less so with similar body types, however I did say seemingly.
In the DLC Sage tells us that the four Titans are based on the four other tribes of Ancients lost from their home planet.
The ones we see focused on intelligence, hence why they survived, while the four that were lost was mermaids, ones with four legs, ones with wings and ones known for having strong and powerful bodies. By the way, sound familiar? They split into the same groups that chao do ("normal" being the intellegent tribe they came from)-
-with the added “Chaos” type with only three options who are immortal but can’t reproduce, probably being the most similar to Chaos 0 genetically.
This proves two things: The ancients were similar to the Chao that their different races didn’t have just different skin colors, hair types and heights like humans, but incredibly different bodies fit to what they needed showing massive diversity and adaptability similar to the Chao themselves, which is what it proves second; the incredibly quick adaptation within one being instead of genetically like natural selection.
It’s unknown why the surviving ancients adapted to become Chao, but in whatever way it made more sense, see dogs becoming chihuahuas and dinosaurs now being able to fit inside doritos bag. Nature does like small animals that produce a lot but don’t live long (see: fish and bugs) so becoming that once joining the eco system of planet earth makes sense.
Anyway: Do you remember the gender-changing frogs brought up in Jurassic Park that can change gender if one gender is lacking? Imagine with me a single ancient survived on their own, and as natural process suggests, they’d need to reproduce but they’re alone so they can’t. So, as Ancients and Chao tend to do, they singularly mutate and evolve to reproduce asexually, but because this is developed, instead of their offspring being their own person like Cosmo’s species, they’re inherently connected to the ancient who produced them, creating a desperate reproduction that turns into, say, a queen bee system. With the added aptitude with chaos energy and psychic abilities, and along the way the potential need for flesh instead of water and the potential need to use all of that to build a home and weaponry, the idea that Black Doom himself is not just descended from the ancients but is their version of a devil chao (who is black with red and yellow highlights) who developed immortality, forced into a situation that he physically and mentally adapted too, doesn’t seem so far fetched.
Also: Remember the whole: Chao split back off into the other four tribes?
Interesting how a bunch of these Black Arms that fit even better are recent, no?
Also remember how I said when shown a species that made it through natural selection chao will take on those traits?
"Annihilation for this planet is near; it is time to embrace the dawn of your demise and despair." —Black Doom, Shadow the Hedgehog
Speaking of: You know how (at least I know since my friend jester who i dont know the @ to talks about it) the Black Arms have a lot of religious language and imagery talking about "the promised day" and long story short it's implied they have some kind of religion?
With planetary annihilation being "the promised day," it makes me wonder if they function on a sacrificial system, say, he thinks they're sacrificing planets to a malevolent death deity who destroys planets, for mutual gain of course.
"We're here to save the humans from their own demise. We offer salvation." —Black Doom, Shadow the Hedgehog
Also if true: This quote: (in regards to " the tribes fought as one but were desperately outmatched so four of the five tribes perished ")
"Humans, willing to sacrifice their own when overcome by greed. They... are a foolish race." —Black Doom before the Heavy Dog boss battle, Shadow the Hedgehog
Yeah uh that "..." carries weight. Interesting how all the info Sage has is from the POV of the surviving tribe.
That being said: The giganto-based tribe was known for being powerful and strong, something Black Doom seems to value above all else, that and the bodies of the most common black arms fit Giganto. which makes that tribe a good candidate-
-however Devil Doom is listed as "his true form" which has very massive wings meant for flying which could put him in the tribe that Supreme, who was the final boss, is based on.
"Im... Impossible! I am the supreme being that rules this universe... I... am the immortal lifeform! I... AM THE ULTIMATE POWER!!!" —Black Doom's last words after Super Shadow defeats him, Shadow the Hedgehog
this is why shadow looks like a dark run/run chao,
this makes shadow and chaos weird cousins,
explains why Black Arms DNA can mesh with other DNA in post-boot archie,
