Sonic the Hedgehog is one of the most iconic names in video games, which means that his titles are also home to some of the medium's most recognizable imagery. Most people would be able to easily pick Sonic and a number of his friends out from a lineup, but the series has many iconic items as well. While the rings that Sonic collects will probably always be the franchise's most famous items, the much more important objects in terms of Sonic lore are the Chaos Emeralds.
Like many aspects of the Sonic series, the Chaos Emeralds have changed considerably over the years. They've changed in size and color, but their most substantial transformation has been in terms of function. During the earliest games, the Emeralds were little more than hard-to-get bonus items, but as the series has gone on and Sonic has become more focused on storytelling, the Emeralds have become magical MacGuffins with world-ending power that are typically responsible for driving every major Sonic plot forward. But what exactly are they, and what can they do?
The history of the Chaos Emeralds is mostly unknown. They've been around for several millennia - longer than recorded time, in fact - and no one knows how they were created or where they came from. For much of their existence, they resided with the Master Emerald in the Altar of the Emeralds, where they were protected by Chaos, the water deity who went on to be the main antagonist of Sonic Adventure.
The Chaos Emeralds Are A Big Part Of Sonic History
In the Sonic universe's modern day, the Chaos Emeralds are mostly hunted by Dr. Eggman and other sinister forces in the hope of utilizing their power for their nefarious schemes. For example, in Sonic Adventure 2, Dr. Eggman planned to utilize the power of all seven Chaos Emeralds to charge a massive cannon capable of destroying the earth. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Sonic and friends eventually thwarted this plan.
As a plot device, the Chaos Emeralds can essentially do anything the writers need them to. Technically, though, they allow the user to transform their thoughts into power. Specifically, over the course of the series the Chaos Emeralds have been used to bend reality, show visions to the holder, and even revive the dead. One example of the Emeralds' powers is Shadow the Hedgehog's Chaos Control ability, in which he uses the Emeralds to slow down time and even teleport. However, the most famous and common usage of the Chaos Emeralds is when Sonic utilizes the power of all seven to become Super Sonic. Entering the Super State not only provides Sonic with a slick visual transformation, but also allows him to fly, gain access to enhanced abilities, and become virtually invincible.
While other characters have occasionally entered a Super State over the course of the series, it's almost always a power reserved for Sonic, and typically either serves as a gameplay bonus or a mechanic used for a climactic final boss fight. Maybe that's why Sonic still hasn't destroyed the Emeralds, despite their dangers. The Chaos Emeralds are an odd, but beloved, piece of Sonic lore. Their history might be murky, and their powers ill-defined, but they've become almost as iconic as certain characters themselves, and they'll probably always have a place in any Sonic the Hedgehog story.