What does being "the ultimate life form" actually mean? Shouldn't he have like...infinite stamina or something along those lines?

Essentially 100% biological efficiency.

>>713764856 (OP)
Because being a hedgehog is the ultimate lifeform since they have Saiyan genetics and can go super saiyan with the emeralds

>>713764856 (OP)
He doesn't age and is immune to diseases. That's it.

Ignoring gameplay mechanics like rings, it probably means he can't be killed by normal means. You can't shoot him or try a biological weapon that would kill most creatures. You need to be a deity, a chaos powered creature, or be sent flying through space and pulled into Earth's gravitational field to kill him.

>>713764856 (OP)
101% efficiency, f-slur.

It sounds like something a 9-year old would think of after watching Jurassic Park.

>>713765151
Lot of good that did Maria...

>>713765151
I'm not up to date on my lore of the great blue one, but aren't they very fast?

>>713765318
Shadow's speed is always a point of contention because of his Air Shoes.

It's claimed he's naturally fast but he's never been depicted running without them.

Outside of this, I guess.

>>713765318
Shadow's speed mostly comes from his rocket shoes. He's still faster than normal without them, but they're what enable him to match Sonic's speed

>>713764856 (OP)
he's got the optimal physiology to interface with chaos energy and >>713765151

>>713765498
And yet...

>>713765498
Basically, Shadow is an artificially created version of what Sonic naturally is. Shadow was intentionally designed to be able to harness the power of the Chaos Emeralds and given Air Shoes so he can go fast, while Sonic was just born with those abilities.

>>713765498
then why can't he go Hyper?

>>713766396
Sega forgot about the Super Emeralds. Don't worry, Ian Flynn will bring them back in Frontiers 2.

>>713764856 (OP)
He's supposed to be immortal, Robotnik made the biolizard and him as part of an experiment to save Maria from a mysterious disease.

>>713766396
because optimally interfacing with chaos energy isn't the best way to use it
It's CHAOS energy after all, a little bit of SOVLFVL randomness and natural edge (unlike the overt and artificial edge shadow has) makes it work out better.
It makes sense, right?

Have you ever taken a moment to consider you might be reading too much into this

>>713766654
Maybe you aren't reading into it enough?

>>713765760
Shadow was holding back in that fight, as SxSG shows us.
>>713766054
Shadow has Black Arms DNA however, which gives him power Sonic would job to if Shadow used them in an all-out fight in base forms.

>>713766482
>Forgot about them
They specifically said in a Q&A they don't want to bring them back and see them as unnecessary.

Besides, the super emeralds are tied to their shrine on angel island. They're too big to be conveniently toted around by the characters like the chaos emeralds are. Presumably, you can't even use their power once you leave angel island.

>>713765151
>He doesn't age and is immune to diseases
So like a robot?

>>713764856 (OP)
He can survive in space.

>>713767015
If it makes him feel better, sure, we'll go with that.

>>713764856 (OP)
He can hold his breath underwater longer than Sonic

>>713766863
This

>>713764856 (OP)
He can impregnate any species with his super-dominant genes.

Is there any lore on why Sonic is equally matched or stronger than a being engineered to be the ultimate life form?

>>713767635
Any species and gender

>>713767796
Because sonic is the true ultimate life form. As said by shadow in SA2

>>713767796
Sonic - Naturally born Ultimate Lifeform
Shadow - Artificially created Ultimate Lifeform

>>713767796
The general theory is that Shadow was based on a prophecy engraved in a stone tablet that depicted Sonic.

Shadow is the "Ultimate Lifeform" with all the benefits that entails, but he's still just an imitation of Sonic.

>>713764856 (OP)
Ultimate ≠ Perfect

>>713767120
Except alive.
The idea is that they could use him to cure diseases