Commander Walters was a captain of the Guardian Units of Nations who participated in a raid on Professor Gerald Robotnik's laboratory to capture the alien Shadow the Hedgehog, the subject of Project Shadow. During the invasion, Robotnik's granddaughter Maria was caught in an explosion caused by G.U.N., despite Walters' attempt at preventing this. Walters was in charge of putting Shadow in cryostasis on Prison Island.
In the following decades, Walters became the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States Armed Forces, hiring Doctor Ivo Robotnik to investigate Green Hills Energy Surge in 2023. After Robotnik's exposed villainy, Walters gifted Tom and Maddie Wachowski an Olive Garden gift card for keeping recent incidents to themselves and wanted to speak to Sonic the Hedgehog, who stopped Robotnik.
Succeeding the Chase of San Francisco, Walters became the Commander of his re-established Guardian Units of Nations, combatting alien threats. Per Operation: Catfish, he had G.U.N. catch Sonic during Rachel and Randall Handel's "wedding." Learning that Robotnik, otherwise known as Doctor Eggman, returned more powerful than ever, Walters helped Tom and Maddie try to stop Eggman. Searching for Eggman after his second defeat, he learned from his second-in-command that a 50-year old file related to Project Shadow has been rediscovered.
Following Shadow's awakening and escape from Prison Island, Walters quickly contacted Team Sonic to ask for their help in stopping Shadow, explaining his story before Walters was attacked by a horde of Flying Eggs sent by Gerald, an attack which would end up killing Walters. In his final moments, he entrusted Sonic with an Eclipse Cannon keycard so he would protect it.
Biography[]
Project Shadow[]
Guarding Gerald Robotnik's Laboratory[]
Captain Walters guides Maria Robotnik to her room
- "Oh, do you know where my room is?"
"Yeah. Down the hall to the right. Make yourself at home, but, uh, let's lose the skates, okay, kiddo?" - ―Maria Robotnik and Walters[src]
In the 1970s, Walters achieved the rank of Captain within the military organization known as the Guardian Units of Nations. Tasked with overseeing the progress of Project Shadow, a research initiative focused on the Chaos Energy of the newly discovered life form, Shadow the Hedgehog, Walters commanded a platoon of soldiers assigned to the project. During one of his duties, he and another soldier encountered Maria Robotnik, the granddaughter of the project’s lead scientist, Gerald Robotnik. While the other soldier attempted to block her passage, Walters treated her kindly, escorting her to Gerald's laboratory and politely asking her to remove her skates before entering.[1]
Raid of Gerald Robotnik's Laboratory[]
Captain Walters tries to apprehend a G.U.N. soldier
- "What are you doing?! Those are children!"
"We have our orders, Walters!"
"Stand down!" - ―Walters and the G.U.N. Soldier[src]
Sometime later, the G.U.N. soldiers stationed at the facility were ordered to capture Shadow, deemed a significant threat due to his powers. During the raid, Gerald rushed to Maria and Shadow’s room, urging them to escape together. As they neared the exit, a G.U.N. soldier tried to shoot them. Walters intervened, pleading for the soldier to stand down, insisting Maria and Shadow were just children. However, the soldier fired at nearby vials, triggering an explosion that claimed Maria's life.
Captain Walters places Shadow in a state of cryostasis on Prison Island
In the aftermath, Gerald was framed and imprisoned for the incident, accused of sabotaging his own project. Meanwhile, G.U.N. was left divided on what to do with Shadow, whose existence was now a tightly guarded secret. Taking matters into his own hands, Walters transported Shadow to Prison Island in Japan, where he placed him in a cryo-pod hidden deep within the facility intended to keep him asleep indefinitely.[1]
In the following decades, Walters was promoted to Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the United States government,[2] with G.U.N. being subsequentially suspended[1] and succeeded by a military shadow-ops program.[2][3]
Green Hills Energy Surge[]
Walters amongst the United States military members
- "Twenty minutes ago, an energy surge knocked out power across the entire Pacific Northwest. What do we know?"
- ―Walters to the United States Armed Forces[src]
Decades later, 20 minutes after a pacific northwest blackout, Commander and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Walters held a joint meeting regarding the recent event. He requested answers on what had supposedly happened. After the Army Chief of Staff suggested to scramble the the Fifth and Sixth Regiment, Walters rather chose to hire Ivo Robotnik, despite the members' perplexed reactions.[2]
Reestablishment of the Guardian Units of Nations[]
- "After the events in San Francisco, a global task force was created. Devoted to protecting our planet from alien threats. That day, Guardian Units of Nations was born."
- ―Walters to Rachel and Maddie Wachowski[src]
Sometime after the events of the Chase of San Francisco and Ivo Robotnik's banishment, Walters reestablished the Guardian Units of Nations with the official purpose of protecting Earth from potential alien threats.[4] He would then order G.U.N. to erase all records of Robotnik from their servers,[2] confiscate his drone technology and Mobile Lab,[4] and froze his bank accounts and assets[5] to cut off his source of funding.[4] Walters then dissolved Robotnik's military shadow-ops program and had G.U.N. chase down the remaining members to execute them. One of the members survived the encounter and went into hiding underground, eventually building himself a black market empire and started going by the codename "The Buyer."[3]
Walters grants Tom and Maddie Wachowski an Olive Garden gift card
Afterwards, Walters personally visited the Wachowski Residence with the intention to retrieve Sonic the Hedgehog. He thanked Tom and Maddie Wachowski for not spreading information on what happened in Green Hills and gave them an Olive Garden gift card. Walters then asked for Sonic and was led to believe he had left.[2]
Eggman Returns[]
"Operation: Catfish"[]
- "That's correct, ma'am. Every single aspect of 'Operation: Catfish' was a complete fabrication."
- ―Walters to Rachel[src]
Suspecting the Wachowskis were actually hiding Sonic, Walters would organize a G.U.N. operation, dubbed "Operation: Catfish," and assigned agent Randall Handel to flirt with Maddie's sister Rachel and fabricate a relationship for the next several months in order to get closer to the Wachowskis and retrieve Sonic. Following his orders, Handel and Rachel would then get engaged and started planning for their wedding to take place in Oahu, Hawaii,[4] with G.U.N.'s desk agents, such as agent Willoughby, doing most of the planning.[3]
Walters is told Eggman is back
Eight months after Ivo Robotnik's supposed death, Walters revealed himself at Rachel's wedding after the successful capture of Sonic the Hedgehog. He and his team also apprehended the injured alien ally Tails as well as Tom Wachowski who tried to free Sonic. After having G.U.N. agents take them away, Maddie Wachowski told Walters that he had arrested the only ones who could stop Robotnik, otherwise known as Doctor Eggman, who managed to return to Earth. Walters attempted to deny this claim, but after realizing Maddie was serious he not so subtly informed his team of this.
Walters later spoke to Handel, proposing a toast to a perfectly executed operation, until Agent Grommet plummeted upon a table, followed by Walters witnessing an angered Rachel about to confront Handel. Walters then tried to tase Rachel, before Randel jumped in front of the shot. He was held at gunpoint by Rachel and was tied up to a chair by her.
When Tom and Maddie Wachowski later arrived at the scene, Walters overheard Tom's conversation with Wade Whipple through walkie-talkies, learning of a base in the Mean Bean Coffee Café. He also saw a giant green pulsating energy beam emitting from a beach ahead, finally believing Maddie Wachowski's comments on the fact that Sonic is not a threat. Walters was untied and reported a "Code Mustache" to his soldiers, requesting a helicopter.[4][5]
Battle Against the Giant Eggman Robot[]
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Walters confronts Eggman with the Wachowskis
- "Agent, I want an update."
"Still searching, sir. We haven't found any sign of Robotnik."
"No one could've survived that crash. He's toast. Good riddance. What a mess that lunatic made."
"Sir... there's something else." - ―Walters and G.U.N. Mean Bean Agent[src]
Walters revisited Green Hills with Tom and Maddie via helicopter, confronting a supercharged Eggman who ripped the G.U.N. vehicles apart to build his Giant Eggman Robot.
Walters is reminded of Project Shadow
Walters would later have soldiers and agents search the area of the robot's eventual takedown, caused by Team Sonic, and was informed by an agent that Eggman was presumed dead and a file documenting a project from over 50 years ago was discovered while erasing Eggman's data from their database, remembering it as Project Shadow.[4]
Shadow and Gerald Robotnik's Revenge Plot[]
Attacked by the Flying Eggs[]
Walters tells Team Sonic Shadow's backstory
- "Sonic... Take this."
"What is it?"
"A key, to the most powerful weapon G.U.N. has ever built. You're the only one I trust to keep it safe." - ―Walters and Sonic the Hedgehog[src]
Upon learning of Shadow the Hedgehog's awakening, Walters ordered G.U.N. Director Rockwell to enlist Team Sonic to stop him after Shadow eliminated several G.U.N. soldiers in Tokyo. After the battle, Team Sonic met Walters at the Chao Garden, where he shared Shadow’s tragic story. Unlike Sonic, who found friends and family, Shadow only found pain and loss. Walters explained that Shadow arrived on Earth via a meteorite, leading to Project Shadow, before the incident that killed Maria Robotnik and resulted in Gerald Robotnik’s arrest, with he personally overseeing Shadow's cryogenization.
Walters gives the Eclipse Cannon Keycard to Sonic before dying
During their conversation, Walters and Sonic deduced that someone must have woken Shadow up before they were interrupted by a live show. Suddenly, a swarm of Flying Eggs launched missiles at the restaurant, causing Walters to be injured. Among the rubble, Team Sonic discovered Walters, who, being on the verge of death, entrusted Sonic with a Eclipse Cannon keycard, warning that it was a dangerous G.U.N. weapon. In his final moments, Walters entrusted Team Sonic with the keycard, asking them to protect it before he passed away.[1]
Legacy[]
- "Commander Walters. Sir. You are..."
"Still alive? I will die before I let the key fall into the wrong hands. Thanks for keeping it safe. I'll take it from here. That’s an order, Director Rockwell." - ―Rockwell and "Walters"[src]
Following Walters' dying wish, Team Sonic fled the Chao Garden with the keycard. Soon after, Rockwell and her platoon arrived at the destroyed area. As she searched through Walters' pocket for the keycard, she found a photo of the team and, enraged, blamed the trio for the attack, assuming they were responsible for Walters' injuries and the destruction. When Rockwell attempted to keep the last keycard safe, Tom Wachowski, using a holographic device, disguised himself as Walters and pretended to have survived to recover the keycard. However, Shadow, holding a grudge against Walters, punched Wachowski before realizing his mistake.[1]
Personality[]
- "He's an uncontrolled extraterrestrial. And your days of aiding and abetting him are over."
- ―Walters to Maddie Wachowski[src]
Commander Walters was a high-ranking military official and holds a position of great trust in the United States Armed Forces. He was serious, yet formal, professional and calm man with some dry humor. Putting the safety of the nations above anything else, he will not hesitate to carry out military operations while manipulating others, like Rachel and her family, or imprisoning those that he has deemed an uncontrollable force, like Sonic and Tails, in spite of them not meaning any harm, all in the name of maintaining global safety. While he tries to be kind, he is nonetheless firm in his convictions and decisions when civilians disagree with him. However, he is not overly stubborn or uncooperative, as he has been known to listen to reason from even civilians when a greater danger presents itself and his methods have proven decremental to stopping it.
Walters was somewhat of a risk-taker when there are no other options available. Because Shadow the Hedgehog was presumed to be a danger, Walters had no choice but to place him in a cryo-pod on Prison Island. Notably, he was willing to call in Dr. Robotnik to help investigate an electromagnetic pulse of unknown origin despite the concerns of his comrades. For all his military professionalism though, he is not a stern individual, and was very friendly and warm with Tom and Maddie. He can be a bit awkward though, as he tried a little too hard to keep the Wachowskis from closing their door in front of him.
After Team Sonic defeated Eggman and his Giant Eggman Robot, Walters developed a new trust with the alien heroes, allowing them to live freely in Green Hills and is willing to ask for the help of the order of heroes if a dangerous threat arises as Eggman and Shadow. Walters also developed a friendly relationship with Team Sonic, going so far as to entrust Sonic and his team with an Eclipse Cannon keycard for safekeeping before his death, despite indirectly letting Rockwell brand the aliens as fugitives once more when she believes in a misunderstanding that they were involved in Walters' death.
Walters was shown to be a kind person, treating Maria Robotnik well in Gerald Robotnik's laboratory and stopping a G.U.N. soldier from shooting Maria and Shadow, considering them to be just children.
Abilities[]
- "Now, I propose a toast. To a perfectly executed operation."
- ―Walters to Randall Handel[src]
- Expert Tactician: Walters was able to set up a covert operation in a setup of a wedding to trap Sonic the Hedgehog. He also mentions to have used his authority to legally freeze Ivo Robotnik's assets; if the latter hadn't been merged with the Master Emerald, he would've been arrested right then and there.
Facilities[]
- Gerald Robotnik's Laboratory: During Project Shadow, Walters remained as a lookout in Gerald Robotnik's laboratory, where a raid was eventually carried out to capture Shadow the Hedgehog, in which he attempted to prevent Shadow and Maria Robotnik were killed, although a soldier accidentally caused an explosion in the facility.
- Pentagon: Walters once held a joint meeting concerning the recent Green Hills Energy Surge.
Relationships[]
Allies[]
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Enemies[]
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Appearances[]
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (flashback)- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Sonic the Hedgehog 2
- Knuckles | Episode 1.01: The Warrior (mentioned)
- Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Trivia[]
- In the video game series, the Commander is a military leader and the Guardian Units of Nations' most respected highest-ranking commander. Witnessing the creation of Shadow the Hedgehog, he blamed the creation for his family's and friend's death after G.U.N.'s invasion of the Space Colony ARK he boarded in his childhood years.
- In the Archie Comics Sonic the Hedgehog series, the Commander was given a full name rather than a last name: Abraham Tower. The name was later canonized in the video game series through Sonic X Shadow Generations: Dark Beginnings.
Behind the Scenes[]
- A running gag in the Sonic the Hedgehog Cinematic Universe is his association with Olive Garden. He would be dubbed the "Olive Garden Guy" by Tom Wachowski in Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
- John Kershaw was a stunt double for Tom Butler in the role of Walters.
References[]
