before silver the hedgehog he was going to be venice the mink and as i think there are to many hedgehogs, so i made silver back to a mink
also he's look did not come out of nowhere, this is from one of his old designs http://www.unseen64.net/2008/04/05/sonic-the-hedgehog-2006-proto-beta/

the sword idea came from him using his psychic powers also his game play being bad