Sonic the Hedgehog 3hits theatres this December, so we’re finally getting some more details on the highly anticipated threequel. Yesterday, we were treated to some news about the cast, revealing thatJim Carrey is returning as Eggman, and six other actors have joined the film in currently undisclosed roles.

But even if we don’t know what characters these new additions to the cast will play, fans are already speculating - and one of the possibilities has huge implications for the story. More specifically, Sonic fans think that newcomer Alyla Browne will play Maria, suggesting that Shadow’s backstory will be accurate to the source material.

So, why is this so significant? Put simply, Maria’s story centres around her death, as she’s killed by a GUN soldier while saving Shadow’s life. Whenever it’s depicted, it’s a brutal scene, as soldiers hellbent on killing her and Shadow chase them down, with only one of them escaping with their life.

It’s so upsetting thatmany had accepted that it wouldn’t make it into the film, and by extension, Maria would probably be omitted too. It doesn’t really make much sense to have her there if she doesn’t die, since that’s what motivates Shadow’s character arc.

As it looks increasingly likely that the next Sonic movie will indeed include the death of a child, the response from fans has been hilarious.

Maria’s death scene enthusiasts have had a lot to be excited about recently. After years of being omitted from the series - along with Shadow as a whole - it’s probably going to get referenced in the games again too. This is thanks to the recently revealedSonic x Shadow Generations, which adds a new campaign for Shadow with references from his past. Of course, Maria plays an incredibly important role in his backstory, so we’ll probably see her die all over again in the games, not just in the film.

Going back to the recently unveiled film cast, fans are also trying to figure out who they’ll be playing. Many believe that Krysten Ritter will voice Rogue and Sofia Pernas will play Amy Rose. We have no idea who will be playing Shadow, although it’s being rumoured that Hayden Christensen has been cast.