"Since the loss of my tribe, I have journeyed across every corner of the galaxy. Seen planets and stars you could only dream of. But nowhere I have called home." "That must be tough for you." "Yes. I made a promise to my fellow warriors to find the Master Emerald and protect it. That shall be my goal until the moment I join my people in the Great Battleground in the Sky. One thing I have learned in pledging my life to this quest is that I have been betrayed again, and again, and again, and again."
Knuckles the Echidna is a red Echidna from Mobius, trained since birth to become a warrior. After his tribe was wiped out in a war with the Owl warriors, Knuckles became the last of his kind. He set out on a quest to find the Master Emerald, fueled by his acquisition of the Flames of Disaster after defeating Iblis and a desire for revenge on Sonic the Hedgehog, Longclaw's apprentice. Knuckles faced numerous challenges and recruited allies to help in his search for Sonic, determined to fulfill his destiny.
After arriving on the Mushroom Planet, Knuckles formed an alliance with Doctor Eggman, seeking mutual revenge on Sonic. While trying to kill Sonic and his ally Tails, Knuckles realized Eggman's true evil nature when Eggman betrayed him and stole the emerald for himself and seeing Sonic's kindness, Knuckles made amends with him. Together, they defeated Eggman and his Giant Eggman Robot. Following the battle, Knuckles joined the Wachowskifamily alongside Sonic and Tails, forming Team Sonic, a team dedicated to protecting the Master Emerald.
Knuckles, Sonic, and Tails later visited a junkyard where they encountered Unit, one of Eggman's Badniks. In the ensuing confrontation, Knuckles pummeled Unit, reducing him to just his robotic core. Tails adopted him as a pet; however, Knuckles was angry at Unit for destroying Maddie Wachowski's books.
Knuckles struggled to adjust to his new life on Earth, despite Sonic's advice, ultimately getting grounded by Maddie. His path took a new turn when Pachacamac, the Great Chief of his tribe, assigned him to train a disciple: Wade Whipple, whom he had to help win the Bowling Tournament of Champions in Reno, Nevada. Initially irritated by Whipple's carefree attitude, Knuckles came to respect him after he was rescued from rogue agents Mason and Willoughby. Arriving in Reno, Knuckles helped Whipple confront his former friend Jack Sinclair and his own father, "Pistol Pete." During the tournament, Knuckles faced the agents and their employer, The Buyer, using the Flames of Disaster to defeat them. Afterward, Knuckles finally accepted Earth as his home.
Knuckles and his friends were eventually recruited by the Guardian Units of Nations to confront Shadow the Hedgehog in Tokyo. Upon their defeat, they formed an alliance with Eggman, who managed to survive and later betrayed them to help his grandfather, Gerald Robotnik, and Shadow use the Eclipse Cannon to destroy the Earth. To save the planet, Knuckles and Tails headed to the Space Colony ARK, where they partnered with a reformed Eggman to defeat Gerald and deactivated the cannon, which was stopped by Sonic and Shadow. After saving the planet, Knuckles and his friends continued their adventures protecting the world.
"I lost everything because of you. My tribe was on the verge of its greatest victory. The last of the owl warriors have been located, soon Longclaw's emerald secrets would be ours. But my father stopped me from joining the fight. He said my moment to honor our tribe would come, but it was not this moment. Those were the last words he spoke to me. I never saw him again."
Knuckles the Echidna was born on Mobius to a father partaking in a tribe of fellow Echidnas who were at war with Owl warriors over the hailed Master Emerald and its location.[1] Under the tutelage of the Chief Pachacamac, Knuckles learned the art of being a powerful warrior.[2] According to Knuckles, he was considered eloquent among his tribe.[5]
One day, when Knuckles hoped to hunt Longclaw to reveal secrets over the emerald along with the tribe, Knuckles' father told him to stay instead and await the true moment where he would honor his tribe. As his father died that day and the rest went extinct, Knuckles remained as the last Echidna.[1]
"Take heed, demon. We've entered our final fight. Now prepare for my glorious might." "You fool! Only I can be the power's master." "No, you're wrong 'cause now I wield the Flames of Disaster!"
Looking for a way to honor his tribe and begin his quest for the Master Emerald, Knuckles embarked on a journey through the universe, crossing several planets in search for a power that would make him a powerful warrior: the Flames of Disaster. After a long crusade, Knuckles faced the possessor of the flames, a fire demon, which he faced, but ended up being defeated due to his lack of strength. The demon called him unskill, untrained, and unworthy, however, Knuckles got up to continue fighting, discovering that the true strength of a warrior comes from the heart, managing to manifest the Flames of Disaster and defeated the demon.[6]
After acquiring his true power, Knuckles began the search for the Master Emerald, visiting several planets where he fought against enemies, although he did not consider them his home.[7] He once spent fourteen days stranded on a desert planet.[3]
Searching for Sonic[]
Knuckles brawls the beast
"The Hedgehog, he's the key to everything. He's the reason I'm investigating the most desolate corners of the galaxy. And he is my one chance to restore what was lost."
Knuckles traveled throughout the universe in search of the key to tracking the Master Emerald: Sonic the Hedgehog. Finding himself in an area close to a volcano, said volcano erupted, trembling the ground and Knuckles. Barely injured, Knuckles was taken to the Casino Night by unknown mysterious scavengers. There, Knuckles was imprisoned in front of an audience eager to watch a battle between him and a giant monster. Knuckles eventually was able to defeat his opponent via his exceeding levels of rage. Afterwards, he received a bag of rings as a prize and recruited the scavengers to aid him in finding Sonic.
As they tried to search for Sonic, the scavengers briefly tracked down Tails, who they thought was the one they're looking for, through multiple zones. Knuckles told them that Tails wasn't the target and that he knew one more place where they can find a lead.[4]
Knuckles and Eggman traveled to the Wachowski Residence, with Knuckles handing their common enemy a surprise attack upon his introduction. Following a short fight, Knuckles demanded the "ultimate power" and threatened to kill Sonic, but was hindered by Tails' rescue of Sonic. Enraged, Knuckles pursued the duo down the roads of Green Hills, thwarting what blocked his way. Eventually reaching the hood of their escaping vehicle, Tails propelled his idol upwards with his two tails as the car fell off a cliff with Knuckles still on it. He was lucky to be able to cling onto to the cliff using his fists.[1]
"I help you retrieve the emerald, and you use it to destroy the Hedgehog!" "You're suggesting an alliance?" "Around here, we simply, grip each others hands tightly."
Scaling the cliff, with aid of Doctor Eggman's Badniks, Eggman requested a deal to be made, in which Eggman would help Knuckles retrieve the Master Emerald, only if occupied to destroy Sonic the Hedgehog besides restoring Knuckles' tribe's honor. They sealed the deal with a handshake, which resulted in Eggman injuring his fingers.
In the Egg-Mobile, Knuckles and his new ally arrives at the Mean Bean Coffee Café, where Knuckles met Eggman's other apprentice agent Stone. After also shaking Stone's hand, Knuckles saw how the ordinary coffee shop transformed into a new Eggman-themed base.[1]
While Knuckles and his allies spied on Sonic's text messages, Stone questioned Knuckles' relevance. Eggman replied that he is the key to extraordinary victory in his plan to conquer the galaxy. When the message is eventually revealed to mention 'home,' Knuckles believed Sonic has returned to the Wachowski Residence. Eggman disproved Knuckles' remark, however, as he had located Sonic and his new buddy Tails in Siberia, as shown by a holographic image of Sonic. As Eggman's anger over him caused him to playfully flick it, Knuckles slammed it with his fist, claiming to have fulfilled Robotnik's desire of destroying the hologram. The two later left, leaving Stone behind in the Mean Bean Coffee Café, although Knuckles berated Eggman for his disloyalty to Stone.
They surround Sonic and Tails, who have found the Master Emerald Compass inside a mountain, with various Badniks. In their opponents' attempt to flee, a missile is fired to barricade the exit. Another is fired as well, which Sonic hurled back at Knuckles, who luckily dodged it. This causes a giant Owl statue to lean out an exit from above. Sonic and Tails fled from there, and Knuckles followed, tearing a piece of a Flying Egg like Sonic did to use as a snowboard in pursuit.
Knuckles eventually halted Sonic, who let out another quip out of many. Knuckles, angered, stated he knew nothing about him, to which Sonic replied Echidnas like him tend to ruin his life. In disagreement, Knuckles told Sonic how his life has been ruined, claiming his father and the Echidna's last members had been killed while trying to receive information on the Master Emerald. Sonic also recalled that day being the last time he saw the now passed away Longclaw. Shortly after, Tails tasered him with a specially enhanced net, reaching for the thrown compass that Eggman stole mid-air. Eggman shot him down and took Knuckles in his Egg-Mobile. Knuckles remarked that Sonic went to check on Tails rather than taking chase after the recently stolen item and is slightly confused, which is no surprise to Eggman, who calls it a "pathetic weakness." Knuckles began to doubt his trust in Eggman upon hearing his disregard for loyalty and friendship. They left afterwards once an avalanche approached Sonic and the unconscious Tails.[1]
"Is everything a joke to you? Why must you constantly interfere with my destiny?" "Because my destiny is to protect my friends and family." "I think I just threw up in my mouth." "And if you want that emerald, you're gonna have to go. Through. Me!"
On a small island nearby that of Hawaii, Knuckles and Doctor Eggman exited a ring portal, planting the compass in a hole by the shore. This unlocked the Master Emerald Shrine's labyrinth from afar. The two entered the labyrinth, finding themselves in a maze inhabited by various dangerous booby traps. They rushed through them, coming to a halt when the traps settled down. Eggman unleashed a drone which, not only generated a comprehensive map of the maze, but also lead them safely to the shrine.
When Knuckles and Eggman approached the Master Emerald, Eggman planning on electrocuting his ally, Sonic the Hedgehog fell through the roof before them. Frustrated, Knuckles questioned Sonic's constant interference with his destiny, Sonic replying it is his destiny to protect his friends and family, forbidding anyone to lay hands on the sacred emerald. Sonic then rushed to the emerald, but Knuckles hung onto the wall's corner, charging at him into battle whilst Eggman neared the emerald. Wanting to finish Sonic off by crushing him, Sonic alarmed him of Eggman's progressing betrayal. Knuckles peeked behind him and noticed his actions, receiving Eggman's confession of him having plotting this all along. He obtained the power of the emerald and teleported back to Green Hills with a shockwave that crumbled the labyrinth. The water surrounding said structure flooded through, and debris landed atop Knuckles. Nearly set to drown, Sonic rescued Knuckles, although unable to save himself. Knuckles came to his aid at last.[1]
"On the mountain you told me you've lost everything, the way I did. But you seem so hopeful and free. How did you move forward despite failing again, and again, and again, and again, and again?" "Okay, I didn't fail that much, but I didn't do this all alone. I found a new family, new friends, and you can too. You don't have to be alone anymore."
Knuckles brought a nearly dead Sonic on the nearby island's shore, being questioned why he saved him. Knuckles answered it is because he saved him first, seeing it as some strange tactic. Sonic explained it's no tactic, but rather his duty as a hero that was taught to him by Tom. As Tails arrived to rescue Sonic with a biplane, Knuckles asked how Sonic moves forward despite his constant failures, learning he does this as he found new friends and family, now also being offered Sonic's friendship. Knuckles shook his hand, injuring it.[1]
"This is no light task. We must make a vow, to use our powers to keep the universe safe. To watch out for each other. Our new tribe." "Oh, I know! A power bump!" "Good idea." "It's an Earth custom; an unbreakable promise." "Very well, a power bump it is."
In the Tornado, Knuckles, Sonic, and Tails gazed in awe as Doctor Eggman used the Master Emerald to create a giant robot, shocking the trio. Knuckles initiated the plan to stop Eggman, and assured Tails that he had no grudge against him, but that he will get his revenge, before jumping out of the plane. Running, Knuckles tried to fight the robot, managing to land a swipe at the fingers. Knuckles met with Sonic and Tails to discuss the plan, and they pooled their strength, speed, and intelligence to fight as a team, and prepared for their time as heroes.
As they fought, Knuckles suggested punching Eggman in his private area, which Sonic denied, until he realized that if he distracted Eggman, since he hated him, it would buy Knuckles and Tails time to get inside the robot to get the relic out of his grasp. Surprised, Knuckles congratulated Sonic on his idea as they faced the Badniks and considered Sonic a worthy warrior with certain death. Knuckles was led by Tails towards the robot while the Fox used his holographic technology. Taking advantage of the distraction, Knuckles tried to trick Eggman into being a holographic clone, and Eggman considered him a traitor, but Knuckles answered "this is how I roll," and gave him a powerful blow to the chest in a successful attempt to take away the Master Emerald, managing to weaken his enemy, and survived the fall of the robot with Tails.
Weakened, Knuckles and Tails watched Eggman's robot arise to crush Sonic, Tom, and Maddie, shocked to see the family surviving thanks to Sonic gaining the power of the seven Chaos Emeralds, defeating Eggman. Knuckles prevented Tom and Maddie from hugging Sonic afterwards because he stopped being who he was due to his transformation, but was surprised to learn that Sonic was still the same after summoning two chili dogs, one of which landed on Knuckles' face. After repairing the Master Emerald with his fists, Knuckles was pleased that he and his friends had it, although they didn't know what to do, and Tails suggested forming a new order of heroes to protect it. Knuckles joins the new team.[1]
Playing Baseball[]
Knuckles celebrates his victory against Sonic and Tails aboard the truck
"Um, I don't understand. Why am I angry at the enemy ball?" "You're not angry. You just want to hit it as hard as you can and then run around the bases." "But if my quest ends where I am standing, why run at all?" "Ugh, I can't with this guy. Why do I even try?"
Following the battle against the Giant Eggman Robot, Knuckles, Sonic, Tails, Tom and Maddie partook in a baseball match at the Green Hills Baseball Field, where Knuckles is at the bat. Not following the traditional rules of the sport, Knuckles powered his fist up to perform a "power bump" launching the ball towards the now broken sign, which Tails claimed to be unfair. Having conquered all bases, the trio had been treated for ice cream by Tom, to which Knuckles pondered if grapes are included and entered Tom's car.[1] Knuckles became roommates with Sonic and Tails, though never looking past the aspect of being an Echidna warrior.[2]
"Guys, we need a plan. Tails, you take up a flanking position. Knuckles—" "Knuckles pretended he was listening, but he readied his attack." "Are you still narrating?"
After Knuckles swore to return tomes to the library for Maddie Wachowski, he and Tails are brought to the Green Hills Junkyard instead due to Wade Whipple's report about noises emitting from the scrapyard. Upon spotting Unit, a Flying EggBadnik searching for upgradable parts, Knuckles immediately engaged in battle, ignoring Sonic's original plan. He is however launched into a welcome sign inside a fridge.
Knuckles returned after Sonic and Tails and Unit have made amends, pummeling the robot, who recently admitted his passion for poetry, and destroying its body parts. Knuckles, despite being told it is now good, refused to trust Unit, especially after it said he will fall before Unit's superior prose and was called a "red mean thing," demanding justice upon Maddie's now destroyed books.[8]
"Guide me, O Great Chief." "I want you to train an apprentice in the ways of the Echidna! Teach him our customs. Show him our traditions. And soon, our tribe will grow once again."
After completing an obstacle course he made behind the Wachowski Residence, scoring a new record, Knuckles spotted masked men entering said house's backyard. Assuming the house was under attack, Knuckles sprinted towards them, "defeating" them using his abilities, and ate Cool Ranch Doritos by a tree afterwards. With Maddie irritated by Knuckles' recklessness, Sonic decided to have a talk with Knuckles once he saw himself in him.
Advised to take a break from his warrior-like lifestyle and resist the urge to go on quests now that there is no looming threat like Robotnik, Knuckles took Sonic's words to heart and decided to "made himself at home" by building an iron throne and turned the living room into a gladiator pit by the next morning. Because of this, Knuckles was grounded, and lied down on the attic's floor defeated. Later, Sonic tried to convince him there are many fun things to do while grounded and left him to his own devices. Regardless, Knuckles called for help from the fallen Echidna Elders, and was met by Great Chief Pachacamac, who told Knuckles his heroic quest had only just begun. He was tasked to find an apprentice and to teach him the ways of an Echidna warrior to continue the legacy of the Echidna. Pachacamac chose Wade Whipple as the apprentice, despite Knuckles' disbelief in him ever becoming a warrior. He was reassured, as his soldierly passion was said to lie within his heart.[2]
"I can train you in the ways of the Echidna. Teach you every form of lethal combat. Show you the secrets to all my strength." "Then, I could use that to challenge Susie in a trial by bowling combat and earn my spot back on the team!" "Yes. If you take me on this quest to Reno, I will make you a true warrior!"
Knuckles, entering through Whipple's open window, recruited him for his quest, helping Whipple become a warrior in order to reenter his bowing club, the Renegades, and to win the Tournament of Champions in Reno, Nevada. When Whipple questioned if they even can go, as he has heard Knuckles is grounded, Knuckles denied that an Echidna warrior can be grounded at all, as he has no home.
Knuckles kicks the radio
On their way to Reno, Nevada, Whipple came up with multiple nicknames for Knuckles, all of which he disliked. Knuckles stopped him, prompting Whipple to ask him to tell a little more about himself instead. Knuckles told him his hobbies include honor, victory and vengeance, though Whipple anticipated something similar to doing yoga, reading or even listening to music. Knuckles was intrigued to learn of Earth's music, having Whipple turn on the radio in the car. Whipple continuously repeated the chorus to "Can I Kick It?" by A Tribe Called Quest, much to Knuckles' annoyance. He broke the radio as a result.
Knuckles wields a bowling ball
After getting sour grapes to eat, Whipple questions when the first training session starts or where he can start learning. Knuckles responds that, as per Pachacamac, you must first know your battleground, thus Whipple brought Knuckles to Neon Nightz Lanes. Despite Whipple's views, Knuckles perceived it as a playground for adult idiots. He had a change of mind after watching Whipple bowl, amazed by how Whipple knocked down the pins and claiming to understand his interest in the sport. He was however told that there is another reason why Whipple loves bowling: his estranged father partook in the sport together with him until he eventually abandoned him. After finding out that bowling is what makes him feel at home on Earth, Knuckles witnessed the lights suddenly darkening as the disco ball above the lanes started glowing. That is when Whipple taught Knuckles how to bowl, placing the ball in his hand. Knuckles threw it quickly, breaking the glass protecting the pins, a tactic he believed Whipple can also pull off.
Suddenly, two weaponized individuals, former Guardian Units of Nations agents Willoughby and Mason, walked out of a ring portal, attacking Knuckles and threatening to kidnap him. Knuckles, protective over his power, the very same as what the opponents seem to wield in their gauntlets, pistols and rifle, counterattacked with little help from Whipple. Approaching Mason, Knuckles sunk through a ring shot out of a Ring Gun, finding himself trapped within an impenetrable cage in the trunk of the agents' car, knocking himself out when trying to escape from it.[2]
"Ah... I am visualizing my inevitable escape and your brutal destruction at my hands. Yes! Your arms have just snapped off with the most satisfying crunch."
Knuckles reawakened within the cage, finding himself inside a dark area. He assumed he has been brought to a place where he would be tortured only for agent Mason to reveal they are at the IceCap Ski Resort, which he found quite nice. Mason thought the same, telling Knuckles he always wanted a house similar to the resort. Knuckles closed his eyes, visualizing his self-proclaimed inevitable escape, laughing hysterically as he imagined brutally injuring the agents. After Willoughby chased Mason away, Mason deciding to go and relax as he will get paid for his job, Knuckles continued his visualization. He is asked if he is finished, which Knuckles denied, briefly enjoying his plan until he confirmed that he is. Willoughby went on to talk about how familiar she is with Knuckles' deeds, Knuckles concluding that she must also have known of his victories and how easily can defeat his foes. Willoughby assured him that, while she knows everything about him, he knew nothing about her.
Later Knuckles heard fireworks firing off in the background, much to his confusion. He came to realize that Whipple was behind it and is now inside of the resort fighting Mason. A guarding Willoughby mocked Knuckles, stating that his rescue seemed not to be going well. Mason falling through the door, Knuckles praised Whipple and his apparent fierce strength, though Willoughby was unimpressed, thinking he would've died by now. Knuckles clarified that it was his first day being a warrior. Whipple fired a gauntlet he found back at Neon Nightz Lanes at the cage, causing a major explosion. The flash faded, revealing a devastated building and Knuckles being hugged by Whipple, assuming it was part of the Echidna's tradition. He followed Whipple to a giant hole that was breached, revealing a cliff. Knuckles told him to hold on no matter what, leaping off of the cliff between Whipple's legs so he could ride him. After a lengthy drop downwards, Knuckles eventually lifted himself upwards and "flew," as Whipple falsely termed it. Knuckles corrected him, stating that he could glide for very short distances. While Knuckles stuck the landing when falling towards the ground, Whipple fell into a garbage can. Knuckles found a car and hijacked it using his fist. Whipple drove the car to a burger shack, as he was hungry.[7]
"You are stronger than you think, Wade Whipple." "I don't know about that." "On a scale of one to warrior, you are a three." "Really? I'm gonna put that on my dating profile! Wade Whipple: solid three."
At the burger shack, Whipple got him something to eat, though Knuckles declared to only eat grapes and Cool Ranch Doritos, Whipple deducing that that's where his erratic behavior is derived from. Knuckles was subsequently asked how much of a warrior Whipple was following his rescue, Knuckles answering with a stern and disappointed expression. Whipple dismissed the question in favor of having their "victory feast," prompting Knuckles to affirm it was rather the opposite and that the supposed "victory" was based on pure luck. Whipple however convinced him that, according to his father, you best take any win you can and enjoy it.
Knuckles rates Whipple a three on a scale of one to warrior
Knuckles questioned why Whipple continued to stay in Green Hills, Montana, being told that said town is simply his home. In his travels across the universe, Knuckles could not find a place to call home and was mostly met with constant betrayals, which he linked to Whipple's father. Whipple responded that he would never betray a friend and was given a three on a scale of one to "warrior."[7]
Back on the road, Knuckles and Wade Whipple listened to "Rock You Like A Hurricane" by Scorpions on the car's radio. The song was interrupted by breaking news; Whipple had been declared a fugitive and now has a bounty on his head. Knuckles thusly suggested they seek refuge, Whipple deciding to stop at his childhood home in Boise, Idaho by the next morning. When his mother Wendy Whipple opened the door, she fainted[7] at the sight of Knuckles formally introducing himself and thanking her.
When she reawaked inside, she apologized to Knuckles for fainting, stating that she was rude for doing so. Wade's sister Wanda Whipple, an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, scanned him for weapons, much to Knuckles' discomfort. When Wendy ordered her to stop, she, while mispronouncing his name, invited Knuckles for their Shabbat dinner. She stood up to leave the room after asking Wade if Knuckles is Jewish on his mother's side, Wanda following her and signaling to Knuckles that she had an eye on Knuckles. Knuckles was told to roll with Wade's lie, comparing the favor to how he never asks Knuckles about his obsession with grapes. He told Wade to keep grapes out of the conversation.[3]
Shabbat Dinner[]
Knuckles inspects a Matzah ball
"I would so love it if you would join us for dinner." "A ceremonial meal? With the Chief of the Whipple clan? It would be my great honor."
That night, at the dinner table, Knuckles is amazed by the food available. When Wendy set the Shabbat candles at the table, she assumed Knuckles knew very little of traditions of the Jewish faith, which Knuckles confirmed, adding that he admired the "little hats" the people, such as Wade, wore. Knuckles also thought that, with such a feast, people must tell of their victories on the battlefield as he found Wendy to be a muscular as a warrior when she was cutting meat, flattering her. She went on to lecture Knuckles about Shabbat, the day of rest where the women of the home, alluding to a distracted Wanda, light the candles. She did it herself and ensues the corresponding prayers. Knuckles watched Wanda annoy Wade, throwing his spoon away and mocking Knuckles afterwards.
Once Wade retrieved it, Wendy allowed everyone to start eating, asking Knuckles about his family. Knuckles told her his race ran extinct at the hands of the Owl warriors, leading Wendy to compare it to the struggles that Jewish people went through. She further asked him how the food was, Knuckles praising the soup and the texture of a Matzah ball. While Wanda questioned how Wade got to know an alien, Wade claiming he did so through a secret government agency called G.U.N., which she did not believe, Knuckles briefed Wendy on the War for the Master Emerald, detailing how he almost destroyed the planet only to end up saving it and that he'd do it again should he protect the Master Emerald. He noted Wade's contribution, which Wanda doubted, leading to a heated argument that Wendy put to rest by threatening to use Krav Maga. Knuckles asked what that meant, being told that Wendy used to teach this Israeli self-defense technique. The siblings continued their argument, culminating in Wanda stabbing Wade in the arm with a fork. Wade left to go upstairs, reminded of his father by Wendy. Wanda also leaves the room, leaving Wendy behind with Knuckles, whom she is grateful to have with her.
Knuckles later went up to Wade's room, thinking he was injured. He told Wade that he was fascinated of said room, looking upon the many posters of '80s and '90s films, questioning who the man on the poster reading "Pistol Pete Whipple" was. Rereading the last name, Knuckles deduced that he was Wade's father, the champion he excitedly assumed would be dethroned in their quest. Moving on, Knuckles was intrigued about Wade's Discman, where he'd play his WadeJammerz CDs on, to which he and his father would listen. Knuckles listened to the one from 1999, listening to "All the Small Things" from Blink-182, Wade's "jam." He pondered what that was, Whipple clarifying that it's somebody's favorite song, something Knuckles did not have. He then asked about who the cardboard cutout of a woman was, noticing markings on it. He was asked to leave for dessert.
When having dessert by the television, showing Pretty Woman, Knuckles' story about his two week-long travel through the desert was compared to that of Joshua's 40 day search for the Promised Land by Wendy. Knuckles wondered if eating dessert and watching movies was also part of Jewish tradition, Wendy correcting Knuckles that it is actually a family tradition that has been broken by the family drifting apart. He also asked why the characters treat a young streetwalker with disdain and was told that the characters are ignorant and judgmental, though the streetwalker was sure to get the last laugh.[3]
When a group of bounty hunters broke into the house, coming for Wade Whipple, Knuckles entered Wade's room to attack one of these hunters, punching him through the wall and the fences surrounding the Whipple Residence and the house next door. Knuckles then defended Wanda Whipple, taking a hold of another bounty hunter's chain and swinging him around until he threw him against a closet.
Knuckles watches the candles burn out with the Whipples
After imitating Wanda's signal she gave him when he first arrived at the house, Knuckles accompanied Wendy Whipple and was instructed to protect the candles at all costs. He started thwarting the two bounty hunters cornering Wendy, whom also fought back using materials in the kitchen. With the siblings and Knuckles gathering around a pleased Wendy, the family and a thanked Knuckles watch the Shabbat candles burn out.[3]
"Listen to me, Wade. Time is of the essence." "Knuckles! You have to bust me outta here." "You must bust yourself out, Wade. By learning where a warrior's true strength lies." "Okay, I understand what you're trying to do..." "You will travel to our ancestral lands, the Great Battleground in the Sky."
The next day, with the house somewhat destroyed after the fight against the bounty hunters the night before, Knuckles had a pot of coffee for breakfast and watched as Wade Whipple was kidnapped by a biker who turned out to be his former best friend, Jack Sinclair. When Wanda asked him if he was going to help him, Knuckles, despite Whipple's cries, flatly refused, stating that his apprentice must learn to take care of himself only to discover his true strength lie and continued drinking coffee, while Whipple screamed for help.
While Whipple was in Jack's cage, Knuckles contacted Whipple on his phone, explaining that he must get out on his own and that to achieve this, he must discover his inner strength, traveling to the Great Battleground in the Sky to receive an advice on how to unlock his warrior potential. Later, Knuckles, Wendy and Wanda were surprised to see Whipple return on Jack's motorbike, proving to have escaped and learning that true strength lie comes from the heart. Proudly, Knuckles clarified that Whipple was ready as a warrior and finally they resumed their trip to Reno, with Knuckles driving the motorbike and wearing Jack's cowboy hat, while they were followed by Wendy and Wanda,[6] with whom they arranged to meet at the National Bowling Stadium.[5]
"You sure this is gonna work?" "I will not let you down, my friend. It was known far and wide by all Echidna that Knuckles has a way with the words. Now, confidently approach the one they call Pistol Pete and say..."
At night, Knuckles and the Whipple family finally arrived in Reno, Knuckles marveling at the beauty of the city. He and the Whipples entered the National Bowling Stadium, where Whipple was excited, saying that Kevin James was doing performances at the stadium, whom Knuckles recognized. Wendy and Wanda Whipple offered Knuckles time at the spa and a "Wandarita" respectively, Knuckles being eager to partake in both things. Wade denied these activities because they were runaways. To both of their amazement, Knuckles and Wade later saw Pistol Pete Whipple appear, greeting his fans and showing off his flamboyance. Knuckles noticed that Whipple was nervous about talking to his father after so many years and didn't know what to say, so Knuckles offered to help him.
Using a pair of headphones, Knuckles guided his friend so he could talk to his father, mentioning that among Echidnas, he was considered very eloquent. Knuckles guided Whipple in his own way, referring to Pete as "Father Whipple" and telling about his numerous exploits following his betrayal at TJ Maxx, the attraction of several women to him. However, Knuckles encountered a person dressed as a red mascot, comparing its colors with his, believing it to be a mirror, something that Wade translated, but after seeing Knuckles get distracted, he spoke his own words to Pete and they agreed to meet after the bowling tournament. From afar, Knuckles watched happily as Whipple made amends with Pete, convinced that he had not lost his touch.[5]
In the hotel room, Knuckles was watching the Reno Latin channel announce the novella La Última Pasión.[5] Listening through Wade Whipple's headphones, Knuckles discovered that Wendy and Wanda Whipple were kidnapped by Willoughby and Mason, so the duo pretended to enact a false betrayal to fool the agents.[9] Knuckles greeted Wade, asking about his visit with Pete, listening to his friend ask him to come with him to the penthouse to see something incredible. Knuckles left alone in the elevator with his cowboy hat.[5] When the elevator arrived, the agents shot at the mascot costume while Knuckles held onto the ceiling. He leaped at them, revealed that he heard what the agents were planning through Wade's ear buds and threatened them for their mistake. He engaged in battle against them, fending off their Chaos Energy powered equipment.
During the fight, Knuckles knocked Willoughby down and controlled Mason's gauntlet to hit him in the face, jokingly asking why he keeps hitting himself. While Wade rescued his family, Knuckles defeated the agents and asked his friend not to intervene, but Willoughby fired two rings at him. Before falling again through a ring again, Knuckles deflected the two rings, causing an absorption that consumed the two agents. After the defeat of the agents, Knuckles asked Wade to return to the tournament to prove his worth as a champion and warrior, defeating his father, inspiring Wade to achieve victory. When he saw that Wanda freed herself by dislocating her thumb, Knuckles congratulated his friend on her battle wound.[9]
Back at the National Bowling Stadium, Knuckles ate some challah bread while watching the Warriors compete against Pistol Pete. However, a noise outside and the people running from it caught Knuckles' attention, so he quickly left before being ambushed by the agents' employer, The Buyer, who appeared in his mech to take his power and attacked Knuckles with the chains of his mech. Unable to do anything, Knuckles was thrown towards the stadium, where Wade Whipple managed to win the tournament, but he warned his friend to protect his family and continued to be dragged by The Buyer.
Immobilized, Knuckles was unable to escape, while The Buyer stole his powers, leaving the Echidna passed out and throwing him away, choosing to kill him now that he was useless, as well as Wade. Wade used Mason's gauntlets to throw balls, offered by Wendy and Wanda Whipple, at the mech. Knuckles listened to Wade's speech about how he learned to be braver thanks to his training, making Knuckles see that he must fight to honor his family, protect his friends and his home, the Earth. Inspired, Knuckles woke up, saving Wade and deciding that Earth is his home. He managed to stop the mech's chains, regaining his powers, frustrating The Buyer.
Knuckles shattered the mech's chains and with all his power and unleashed the Flames of Disaster, leaping towards The Buyer for their decisive confrontation. During their fight, Knuckles destroyed both of the mech's arms and flew away to launch the final attack, being helped by Wade, who dropped the dome off of the stadium. Knuckles held the dome and threw it at The Buyer, flattening him. Knuckles declared this his and Wade's victory. After preventing Pete from stealing the trophy and with The Buyer dead, Knuckles returned to the stadium, happily congratulating Wade on winning the tournament, with Wade acknowledging that they achieved the victory together. Happily, Knuckles and Whipple jumped into the air and high-fived.[9]
"Hey, Knuckles! How about some new road trip music? I call this mix Knuckles and Wade Warrior Jammerz." "What is this amazing song? Could this be... Yes! This is... my jam!"
Trusting Whipple completely, Knuckles granted his friend the title of guardian of the Master Emerald, keeping its location hidden from his friends. During a movie night at the Wachowski Residence, Knuckles joined to his friends to see Casper. However, the appearance of Casper the Friendly Ghost left him horrified, triggering an unexpected fear of ghosts. Surprised and uncomfortable, Knuckles instinctively gripped Sonic and Tails' hands.[10]
Celebrating Sonic's "Bearthday"[]
Knuckles and Tails prepare for their "race" against Sonic
Sometime later, Knuckles, his friends and the Wachowskis went camping in the woods of Green Hills, where they planned to throw a surprise party for Sonic for the anniversary of his arrival on Earth. To keep Sonic distracted, Knuckles and Tails pretended to have a race against him, Knuckles claiming to prove his role as family champion. Before the race begun, Tails released two hologram projection devices to make Sonic believe he was competing against him and Knuckles.
While Sonic reached the finish line, Knuckles and the others organized all the preparations for the party. When Sonic noticed the holograms, he rushed to camp, being surprised by the surprise party which Maddie named his "Bearthday." Knuckles explained to Sonic that the party was to pay tribute to him for changing everyone's lives when he arrived on the planet, something that moved the Hedgehog, who happily agreed to celebrate with his friends and family.[10]
That night, Knuckles enjoyed a cake that had Bea Arthur pictured on it, Maddie elaborating that, like Sonic, the bakery too confused "Bearthday" for "Bea Arthur Day."[11] When he later burned a marshmallow he was roasting, Director Rockwell descended from a G.U.N.helicopter that landed nearby, informing them of Commander Walters' request for "Team Sonic" to help neutralize a threat in Tokyo, Japan. Although Knuckles disliked the team's name, they accepted the mission, leaving the campsite and bidding farewell to the Wachowskis and Ozzie.
Using a ring portal, the helicopter transported them to Tokyo. Targeting an explosion that transpired at Shibuya Crossing, Tails showcased his specially made Titanium Handcuffs to the team which Knuckles refused to equip, boasting that his body was "a million percent muscle." The trio then performed a fist bump, Knuckles yelling "Team Knuckles" while Sonic and Tails shouted "Team Sonic." Jumping out of the helicopter and landing at the scramble crossing, Knuckles caught a G.U.N. truck hurled at his teammates, reiterating the capacity of his strength is he threw the vehicle away. Through the smoke, a mysterious black Hedgehog appeared, with Tails and Knuckles noting how the Hedgehog looked just like Sonic. The Hedgehog threatened the team while Sonic attempted to reason with him.
Ignoring Sonic's warnings, Knuckles decided to confront the black Hedgehog but was quickly pummeled and thrown at a nearby magazine stand. Getting back up, he remarked that this enemy was more impressive than Sonic, whom he had fought previously. Though they regrouped, the team was overpowered by the black Hedgehog, who escaped on a motorbike. Sonic pursued him, and after a short blackout, Knuckles and Tails tracked Sonic to the Tokyo Skytree to help him remove the handcuffs the Hedgehog had put on him. Knuckles questioning their next move, Sonic suggested contacting G.U.N. to learn more about their new foe.[10]
Knuckles prepared to fend off what he thought were an anmbush of mascots, but was calmed down by Tails, who brought the team to a children's restaurant named the "Chao Garden." After Knuckles teased Tails with being mistaken for Detective Pikachu, the team met Commander Walters, who explained that the Hedgehog, named Shadow the Hedgehog, had a similar background to Sonic, but while Sonic found friends and family, Shadow endured only loss and pain before being placed in cryostasis. Sonic deduced that someone must have awakened Shadow.
Suddenly, the lights went out, alarming the team and Walters until they realized it was a live show. However, Sonic spotted a swarm of Flying Eggs. Knuckles and Tails quickly jumped to avoid incoming missiles. As the dust settled, the team saw a mysterious motorcyclist appear, who used advanced gauntlets to disable the drones. Knuckles and the team surrounded an injured Walters, who entrusted Sonic with an Eclipse Cannonkeycard, a vital piece to one of G.U.N.'s most powerful weapons. When Rockwell and her team arrived, Team Sonic fled the destroyed restaurant. Rockwell accused the trio of being responsible for the attack.[10]
After escaping the watchful eyes of G.U.N., Team Sonic decided not to trust anyone in the organization, as Walters had warned them. Instead, they chose to pursue the mysterious motorcyclist, following him to the Tokyo Bay. There, they discovered that the motorcyclist was Stone, whom Knuckles immediately recognized as Eggman's assistant. The team initially blamed Stone for the attack, but he revealed that Eggman had survived his previous defeat and was not involved. Stone then deployed the Mecha Crab from the bay, inviting the team to follow him.
Inside the Badnik, Knuckles and his friends watched in both disgust and surprise as Eggman appeared before them. The once imposing villain had noticeably gained weight, and his hair had grown out, a far cry from his usual appearance. As Eggman processed the situation, he discovered that an imposter had hijacked his drones. Furious, he located the culprit and swore revenge. With no other clear options, Tails suggested that Sonic team up with Eggman, a proposal that was supported by Knuckles. They realized that the only way to locate Shadow was to join forces, however reluctantly. After some hesitation, Sonic offered his enemy an alliance, which Eggman accepted after taking a quill from Sonic.[10]
Through a ring portal, Team Sonic, Eggman, and Stone arrived at an abandoned military facility once owned by G.U.N.. As Eggman tried to open the door, Knuckles effortlessly knocked it down with a single blow, clearing the way for the team to enter. Inside, they were greeted by the rubble and remnants of the decayed facility. Knuckles briefly expressed concern upon hearing rumors of ghosts in the area, but Stone taunted him, causing Knuckles to insist he wasn't afraid. However, Sonic reminded him of the time he got scared while watching Casper, causing Knuckles to grow wary.
Upon encountering three different doors, Sonic suggested splitting up into groups. Knuckles entered the hallway in the middle by himself, trying his best to control his fear of ghosts. However, when a sudden sound echoed through the corridor, he jumped, clearly frustrated with himself. Just as he attempted to steady his nerves, Shadow teleported in front of him, startling Knuckles so much that he screamed. Before Knuckles could react, Shadow knocked him out and captured him.[10]
"As the guardian of the Master Emerald, anyone who tries to take it away for any reason, will become a sworn enemy." "Okay, okay. Sheesh. Don't be growling at me, buddy."
While the black hole continued to absorb, Knuckles steadily bit in a cut wire to prevent his friends from being sucked in, allowing Sonic to kick Tails' ring and open a portal to a cliff to save themselves. With the looming threat of the cannon, Team Sonic teleported to the Wachowski Residence, where they asked for Tom and Maddie Wachowski's help in infiltrating G.U.N. Headquarters. The couple agreed, eager for some action. The plan was for the Wachowskis to enter and disable the forcefield, while Sonic ran fast enough to access the vault. When Maddie suggested using the Master Emerald for Sonic's super transformation, Sonic refused as he considered the team's oath. Knuckles adding that if the relic, hidden in a location only he knew, were to be taken, the culprit would become the team's sworn enemy.[10]
"Part of our oath is to trust each other. And I must abide by that promise, even if you have chosen to break it. But heed this warning; the Master Emerald is guarded by a fearsome warrior, and to seize this ultimate power, you will have to go through him."
Arriving in London, Team Sonic positioned themselves at their designated spots. As part of the plan, Knuckles was stationed at Big Ben, waiting to break the glass if necessary. Sonic clarified that Knuckles should only break the glass in case of an emergency, which Knuckles understood, confidently reciting how he would destroy it. While waiting for Tails' USB stick to work, Knuckles eagerly hoped for something to break. He suggested hitting it, but it miraculously worked after Tom blew on it. Just then, Sonic rushed over upon learning that Team Robotnik had infiltrated the G.U.N. Headquarters.
When his friends were trapped in the vault by the gravity manipulation managed by Rockwell, Knuckles received Sonic's signal to break the glass in response to the emergency. With great strength, Knuckles launched himself from the tower and summoned the Flames of Disaster, using them to destroy the shield and enter the vault. Taking Rockwell's tablet, he attempted to disable the system, but hitting it caused the gravity to fluctuate, sending several soldiers flying as he fought them off until Sonic managed to deactivate it. Shortly after, Knuckles, Tails, and Maddie reunited with Sonic, surrounding Tom after he was injured by Shadow, who had stolen the keycard and helped Team Robotnik deploy the Space Colony ARK.
Team Sonic left the headquarters, watching as Tom was taken away by paramedics while Maddie went with him. Knuckles and Tails tried to comfort Sonic, but he showed frustration at Tom's condition, deciding to use the Master Emerald to stop Team Robotnik. However, Knuckles refused to let the relic be used for revenge, reminding Sonic of his oath. Sonic, ignoring his words, demanded to know where the emerald was, leading to a tense moment where both were prepared to fight. Despite the anger consuming his friend, Knuckles accepted Sonic's decision, recalling that part of their oath was to trust each other. Reluctantly, he revealed that Wade Whipple is the guardian of the emerald and warned about Whipple's new capabilities. Despite the warning, Sonic managed to take the emerald and achieve his transformation, taking off to confront Shadow.[10]
While Super Sonic and Super Shadow made amends to stop the Eclipse Cannon together, Eggman was thrown into space by Gerald, who was not interested in ruling the Earth, but in destroying it. Using a ring portal, Knuckles and Tails rescued Eggman and took him back aboard the Space Colony ARK, lifting him up so he could use Sonic's super-poweredquill to electrocute Gerald's backside, causing him to disintegrate in the ship's Chaos Energy field. Realizing the cannon could not be stopped in time, Tails and Eggman quickly prepared to change its trajectory. Knuckles assisted the two in controlling the cannon while the two Hedgehogs worked to prevent the laser from firing at Earth. Though they successfully deflected the laser, part of the Moon was still cut off, leaving Eggman to deflect the blame onto Tails and Knuckles.
When Sonic lost his transformation and began to fall toward Earth, Knuckles gave the last ring to Tails and threw it toward Sonic in an attempt to rescue him. Tails also fainted upon reaching Sonic, Knuckles jumping after his friends opening the ring to land in a cornfield while he held onto them. The team celebrated their survival before realizing that the ARK had been destroyed in the heroic sacrifices of Shadow and Eggman. Regretful over the earlier conflict, Sonic apologized to his friends for his vengeful behavior, which touched both Knuckles and Tails. In response, Knuckles offered his fist in a gesture of acceptance, finally embracing the name "Team Sonic." Sonic, overwhelmed with gratitude, hugged Knuckles and Tails, declaring they should just call themselves 'team.'[10]
Sometime later, Knuckles and his friends were camping again, making s'mores, which he and Sonic eagerly ate. After Tom had recovered, the team, along with Maddie and Ozzie, shared a hug with Tom, happy to be reunited. However, Sonic was eager for a fair race with Knuckles and Tails. The team started their race through the forest, racing until sunset. But Sonic strayed from the path, losing sight of his friends.[10]
Personality[]
"I am not mixed up! I have steely focus. And I'm complex. And that's a lot for some people."
Knuckles is described as being serious in nature, yet still naïve at times. Being better suited for combat than Sonic in many ways, his entire existence is about honor and about being a warrior, to the point where he appears to be a force of nature. Proud of his heritage, he tends to be somewhat overconfident and arrogant, looking down upon Sonic for his inexperience as a warrior and claiming that he does not need Sonic's powers because he has his own.
Knuckles is very determined and meticulous when he is pursuing his goals, never letting go of his task or accepting the possibility of giving up. He is also very much a loner by instinct and prefers to do things on his own. However, he is willing to betray his own instincts and ask for help if he recognizes a task that may be beyond his capabilities. Despite this, being as honorable as he is, he is fair and possesses his own strong sense of justice, which compels him to come to the aid of even his enemies if he feels that he owes them a debt. Due to holding honor and loyalty in such high regard, he will express dissatisfaction if he sees a lack of an honorable attitude in other people. He is also very direct and bluntly honest.
Knuckles was very persistent when it came to his supposed destiny to take down Sonic, even going so far as to be judgmental towards him when fighting. When Sonic demanded to know where the Master Emerald was, he flatly refused to tell him due to his thoughts of revenge before revealing the location to him upon remembering their oath. Knuckles is slightly egotistical, as he once bragged that he is very handsome and strong. He also takes great pride in his species, and as a warrior, as he was somewhat offended by agent Stone misidentifying him as a "porcupine."
Knuckles is quite melodramatic and has a habit of making lengthy speeches; for example, he claimed that Sonic attacked him during his "hour of sorrow" when he threw a couple small piles of sand at him. He is also far from tech-savvy, having no idea about the thought process of machines and would even refer to holograms as magic. While this makes Knuckles seem somewhat unintelligent, he is in truth just oblivious due to the absence of such elements in his daily life and his straightforward worldview. He is also rather socially awkward, especially when it comes to Earth customs, such as a handshake or the concept of how baseball works. However, he does enjoy having fun in his own way, as he took great pleasure when he prematurely ended the Wachowskis' baseball game despite not fully understanding it. Knuckles also has a habit of referring to people by their species instead of their name, calling Sonic "Hedgehog" and Tails "Fox," for examples, and mistakenly nicknaming Ozzie as "Wolf." He also has the habit of naming the patriarchs of a family by a name of honor, such as calling Wendy Whipple "Mother Whipple." Knuckles also nicknames people by their primary abilities such as Stone, nicknaming him "the Goat Milker".
Knuckles has a friendly rivalry with Sonic and often imitates him, claiming to be better than him, making a narration in which he claimed to be more handsome than Sonic. When he learned from Rockwell that the team was called "Team Sonic", Knuckles resented the name and constantly referred to the team as "Team Knuckles" instead. He does not listen to Sonic's orders to be coordinated, following his own instincts when he tried to fight the Giant Eggman Robot on his own and his attack on Unit. Despite their rivalry, Knuckles usually consults Sonic about things he doesn't know about Earth and follows his advice to get used to it, even if it is wrong. When Sonic desired revenge against Shadow the Hedgehog for hurting Tom Wachowski, Knuckles attempted to help control his friend's vengeful feelings.
After his tribe disappeared, Knuckles felt emotional pain at being the last of his species, feeling bad for never being able to find a home on all the planets he visited. But during his quest with Wade and the lessons he learned about love and humanity, Knuckles found Earth as his new home, finding his purpose to protect it with his friends.
As he himself mentions, Knuckles, in the midst of his planetary quests, was simply deceived and betrayed by numerous people, creating a greater feeling of distrust when he was tricked by Doctor Eggman when he stole the Master Emerald, becoming depressed to know that he never considered him a friend. When he became friends with Sonic and Tails, Knuckles began to trust others, including his order and mostly Wade, placing mutual trust in both, as well as with the rest of his family. After his quest with Wade, Knuckles entrusted him with the custody of the Master Emerald.
Superhuman Strength: Knuckles is super strong and with one blow can create a shockwave with his fists. He could also punch Sonic through several walls and a TV, effortlessly stop Sonic's spin dash with one hand, and lift a large boulder without showing any strain. Even without using his full strength, whenever he shakes hands with someone, he causes excruciating pain and often dislocates their hand joints without meaning to. With a single punch, Knuckles was able to knock down the door of Gerald Robotnik's Laboratory.
Power Fists: With his strength, Knuckles is able to rapid punch repeatedly until he's finally able to catch a reflexive Sonic off guard. He's also able to punch a baseball through a scoreboard and a good distance away.
Enhanced Leaping: With his strength combined with his gliding ability, he's able to jump at great distances.
Superhuman Speed: Knuckles is capable of moving at speeds far greater than a normal earth creature, being able to run so fast that he appears as a blur and throw multiple punches in a second.
Enhanced Reflexes: Knuckles was able to quickly catch Sonic as he used his spin dash attack moments before he could hit him.
Knuckles running
Enhanced Sprinting: Knuckles can sprint at a high pace as he was able to catch up with a police car, with aid from his gliding ability, but noticeably relies on the brute strength of his legs and is clearly not as fast as Sonic.
Spin Dash: Much like Sonic, Knuckles can perform a falling roll that greatly increases his speed and allows him to break through objects. During his fight with agents Mason and Willoughby, his spin dash is powerful enough to give him enough speed to oppose his enemies.
Superhuman Stamina: Knuckles is able to exert himself for long periods of time without showing signs of tiring out.
Bio-Electricity/Chaos Energy Manipulation: Knuckles can charge himself with red lightning when preparing to use and augment his abilities, similar to Sonic's. With one blow, he can cause an electro-magnetic pulse enough to cause Sonic to bounce from the ground. He was able to use his abilities to restore the Master Emerald by hand after it was shattered, something Sonic expressed awe about.
Shockwave Generation: When forcing a chaos energy-powered Sonic into the ground, he released a red shockwave that knocked everything around him down, including Doctor Eggman's bowl of popcorn, and caused Sonic to bounce back up before pinning him to a tree while in midair.
Energy Absorption: When he was facing The Buyer, Knuckles was able to re-absorb his chaos energy from The Buyer's Mech.
"Hope you're not still mad I hit you with that car." "I was completely uninjured, and my revenge will come when you least expect it, Fox."
Superhuman Durability: Knuckles has shown immense durability, even greater than Sonic's, as he was able to leap through solid rock without any discomfort and even withstands several of Sonic's spin dash attacks and gets back up without showing any signs of being harmed. When previously hit by a police car driven by Tails, he claims he didn't feel a thing.
Regenerative Healing Factor: Despite his durability, it’s still possible to harm or injure Knuckles but he appears to have a healing factor as he not only recovered from a brutal beating and having his chaos energy drained by the The Buyer in his mech but he was also restored to full strength, absorbing back his chaos energy and defeating the Buyer. Knuckles had his wrist twisted and broken by Shadow the Hedgehog before getting pummeled by the latter but was shown to have recovered without any lingering injuries. According to Knuckles himself, His kind can survive swapping internal organs as an alliance or an agreement between two echidnas often requires the removal of their internal organs and the reinsertion of each inside the chest cavity of another.
Flames of Disaster: After discovering the strength within his heart, Knuckles was able to unlock the powerful Flames of Disaster in his fists, with which he defeated Iblis and used them as his last option in a difficult situation. During his battle against The Buyer, Knuckles summoned flames to confront him, destroying his mech and charging a giant ball to crush him. Later, Knuckles summoned flames to destroy a window of the Guardian Units of Nations Headquarters.
Ball Form: Much like Sonic, Knuckles is able to roll his entire body into a ball and move himself when needed.
Master Combatant: Described as the "most dangerous warrior in the galaxy" by Tails and Wade Whipple, Knuckles is an incredibly formidable and skilled hand-to-hand combatant, having trained since birth in the ways of combat by his tribe. He is a very experienced fighter, having trained from birth in all forms of lethal combat. Thanks to his experience, he was able to outmatch Sonic in virtually all of their fights when it came to raw skills. Initially, he resolves to fight alone, but after some persuasion from Sonic and Tails, he not only fights alongside them, he is able to quickly synergize his fighting style with Sonic and Tails' respective fighting styles to take on the Master Emerald-powered Badniks. Knuckles is able to take on Agent Mason and Agent Willoughby who were armed with advanced weapons empowered by the Echidna's own chaos energized quills and managed to overpower them before Willoughby used a ring to warp Knuckles into a specialized cage. In the Whipple Residence, He effortlessly defeated two bounty hunters to save Wade and Wanda and then fought alongside Wendy Whipple against two more thugs using his martial prowess, strength and environment. Knuckles once again fought Mason and Willoughby in a rematch and won.
Master Marksman: Although Knuckles prefers using melee combat or unarmed, He is an extremely skilled marksman with a particular proficiency in throwing weaponry. Combining his accuracy with his superhuman strength, Knuckles can use virtually any common object he gets his hands on as a potent projectile. During his battle against the Master Emerald-powered Badniks, He threw Sonic in ball form from afar. Knuckles broke a rake in half and throw said halves to pin a construction worker to a wall and perfectly avoided injuring him. Knuckles uses two bowling balls to disarm and temporarily incapacitate Willoughby.
Master Acrobat: Knuckles is highly skilled in numerous acrobatic and gymnastic maneuvers, being able to fluidly dodge attacks and navigate his surroundings from multiple directions using coordinated flips, twists, and sharp turns without losing balance. He often utilizes these talents in combat for both evasive and offensive purposes, as he fought bounty hunters alongside Wendy Whipple, Mason and Willoughby in their rematch and later the Buyer in his mech.
Gifted Intellect: Despite his apparent naïveté, lacking Sonic's experience on Earth and nowhere near as smart as Tails, Knuckles is far from unintelligent. He is simply unaware due to the lack of Earth's elements and culture in his life and his direct worldview. However, Knuckles proves to be a quick learner when it comes to new concepts. For instance, in Siberia, he quickly learns to snowboard to pursue Sonic after watching him. He also grasped enough Earth technology to use a smartphone and AirPods with ease. Despite his preference for brute force and his "strike first, ask questions later" mindset, Knuckles has shown wisdom, especially regarding the Master Emerald and its corrupting power. He warned others of Super Sonic's potential changes, and although he was ready to fight Sonic to stop him from using the power for vengeance, he ultimately relented, revealing a calmer and more rational side. Deciding to trust Sonic with the whereabouts of the Master Emerald, Knuckles understood that part of their oath was to always trust one another, and he will keep his side of the deal even if he thinks Sonic is not keeping his. He believes that the trust, in this case, is that even if Sonic uses the power of his Super form with ill intentions, his good-heartedness will come through when it matters. Which was the case as Sonic chose to save the echidna’s life and befriended despite the latter’s initial intent to kill him.
Expert Engineer: Knuckles has some skill in building and craftsmanship, as he built himself an obstacle course to train. Taking Sonic's advice to "make himself at home," he built a gladiator-type throne out of various parts and turned the living room into a battle arena with pointed wooden beams.
Gliding: Knuckles can soar through the air for a limited period of time.[12] He once did this while carrying Wade Whipple on his back.
Digging: Knuckles is a great digger, developing the ability to traverse the underground and carry out surprise attacks, such as attacking a group of repairmen at the Wachowski Residence. Knuckles dug underground and then jumped during his race with Team Sonic.
Soul Summoning: Knuckles can reach out to the wise Echidna Elders, such as the spirit of Pachacamac, and request their guidance.
Equipment[]
Weapons[]
Spear: While the Echidna was marching to Longclaw's Home, a young Knuckles made his own custom spear, but he didn't use it, since his father didn't let to join the fight.
Other Equipment[]
Rings: After Knuckles defeated his opponent at Casino Night, he received as a prize a bag with rings, which he used during his hunt for Sonic the Hedgehog. He used them to teleport himself and his newly recruited scavengers, to the Mushroom Planet, where he meet Doctor Eggman, who informed him about Sonic's location on the planet Earth.
Sonic's Island: Knuckles, his father and the rest of the Echidna were based somewhere in the forests of Sonic's island on Mobius. He left after his dad and the tribe died during their chase with Longclaw.
Casino Night: Knuckles was brought to the Casino Night when searching for the key to everything Sonic the Hedgehog. There, he fought an evil beast and recruited his kidnappers to find him.
Mean Bean Coffee Café: After Knuckles became an ally of Doctor Eggman, he was introduced to his agent Stone's café, which is secretly a villainous base of operations.
"And then, Knuckles, Tails, and I became friends and roommates! Now, with all the hero stuff out of the way, Knuckles' only mission is to relax and enjoy Earth, which might be harder than it sounds."
In the video game series, Knuckles the Echidna is the sole survivor of the ancient Knuckles Clan. His job is to guard the mystic Master Emerald that keeps Angel Island afloat, which is, due to his unfortunate gullibility, often stolen by Doctor Eggman. This then enforces his affiliation with Sonic the Hedgehog.
Like his video game counterpart, Knuckles likes to eat grapes.[13]
Knuckles is the first anthropomorphic character to interact with Agent Stone. Sonic and Tails do not interact with Stone until the Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
Pat Casey claimed that there was a draft of the second film where Knuckles would bring Robotnik to Angel Island after encountering him on the Mushroom Planet. Knuckles would show the doctor how it was falling into the ocean and that he needs to bring the Master Emerald back to its location to prevent its collapse. This was cut from the final film because the writers wanted both of them to get to Earth in their following scene.[17]
He also mentioned talks about a flashback sequence as to what became of Knuckles after his tribe's extinction. He'd be captured by an alien species and was applied to pushing a grinding grain for several years, growing his muscular strength to be thrown into a fighting pit, winning a battle inside, and finally engaging in his quest to restore the tribe's honor. While considered, this idea was eventually dropped. A similar scenario can be seen in Knuckles' story "Always Bet on Red" in Sonic the Hedgehog 2: The Official Movie Pre-Quill.
