Pachacamac


 * For other characters with the same or similar name, see Pachacamac (disambiguation).

Pachacamac (パチャカマ) is a fictional anthropomorphic echidna in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. He was the powerful and mystic chief and warlord of the Knuckles Clan from 4,000 years ago and the father of Tikal. When Pachacamac rose to Chief of the Knuckles Clan, he led his people on series of wars to expand the Knuckles Clan's empire, eventually coming into conflict with the Nocturnus Clan. In an effort to ensure his people's survival, Pachacamac orchestrated the attack on Altar of the Emeralds, but ended up invoking the wrath of Chaos, which led to Pachacamac being killed and the Knuckles Clan nearly wiped out by Perfect Chaos.

History
Pachacamac was a part of a family of chiefs that lead the Knuckles Clan. At some point in his life, Pachacamac had a daughter who was named Tikal.

While Pachacamac's mother lead the Knuckles Clan and its small country down a path of peace, Pachacamac yearned to expand their kingdom. When her mother died, Pachacamac inherited her chieftain rank of the Knuckles Clan. No sooner, Pachacamac made his move and directed his people into a series of successful and swift conquests and wars against the neighboring countries, pillaging and killing everyone that came in his way. However, he was unable to take control of the nearby Altar of the Emeralds where the seven Chaos Emeralds and the Master Emerald resided, as a sacred barrier protected the place. While Pachacamac had his ways supported by the majority of the Knuckles Clan, he found himself at odds with Tikal, who severely disapproved his acts of violence.

Despite his daughter's disaproval, Pachacamac continued his wars of conquest until the expanding borders of the Knuckles Clan empire began pushing against those of the Nocturnus Clan empire, a rival Echidna clan led by Pir'Oth Ix, which also sought conquest. In a war of expansion, Pachacamac led the Knuckles Clan against the Nocturnus Clan for supremacy, which left Pachacamac and his people in a constant bloody conflict with the Nocturnus Clan, where neither side refused to yield.

When it seemed like the Knuckles Clan was doomed when the Nocturnus Clan attacked them with their prototype Gizoids, Pachacamac, supposedly out of desperation in the face of his clan's destruction at the hands of the Nocturnus Clan, sought to steal the seven Chaos Emeralds and the Master Emerald from their altar and use their power to destroy their enemies. When Tikal learned of her father's plan, Pachacamac was confronted by his daughter, who tried to talk him out of his belligerent ways, but Pachacamac insisted that the Emeralds were essential to the Knuckles Clan's survival and continued victories.

Eventually, Pachacamac managed to bypass the sacred barrier protecting the Altar of the Emeralds, and lead a brutal attack there, destroying the altar. When Pachacamac and his men went to steal the Emeralds, however, Tikal and the Chao tried to defend the altar. Pachacamac ordered Tikal to get out the way and told her that the Emeralds were needed to give their people total power, but Tikal pleaded him to stop. Refusing to listen to a child, Pachacamac ignored Tikal and ordered his warriors to charge, tramping over Tikal and injuring the Chao living there. This act enraged the Chao's guardian, Chaos, who appeared in front of Pachacamac when he got to the Emeralds, shocking him. Pachacamac was then killed by Chaos when the creature used the seven Chaos Emeralds to transform into Perfect Chaos, who then proceeded to wipe out almost all of the Knuckles Clan.

Personality
Pachacamac was described as fearless, brave and bold by the members of the Knuckles Clan. However, he was also a cruel, power-hungry and greedy warmonger with great ambitions, showing no qualms about killing and plundering other countries. While amoral in his actions, Pachacamac was shown to be highly protective of his clan and would use the well-being of the Knuckles Clan's people as means of justifying his cruel actions. Regardless of his devotion to his clan, Pachacamac held little fatherly love towards Tikal, being a cold and distant father and was willing to order his warriors to trample over her to get what he wanted.

Archie Comics
Pachacamac appears in the Archie Comics' Sonic the Hedgehog comic book series and spin-offs. In the comics, Pachacamac was the leader of the Knuckles Clan, a warrior caste of a group of Echidna colonist from Albion. They settled in Soumerca, where Pachacamac and the Knuckles Clan remained behind and fought in a territorial war with the Felidae and the Nocturnus Clan. When the war was going against the Knuckles Clan, Pachacamac sought to harness the power of seven local Chaos Emeralds to win the war, but ended up incurring the wrath of Chaos and was subsequently killed by the creature.

Sonic the Comic
In Sonic the Comic, Pachacamac went under the name "Pochacamac". In this media, Pochacamac was the ancient spiritual leader of the Ancient Echidnas who his people against the Drakon Empire in a war to keep them from using the Chaos Emeralds to conquer the galaxy. Eventually, Pochacamac had a vision of Sonic the Hedgehog who would become the Drakon's sworn enemy in the future, so he and Tikal brought Sonic to their time to help them against the Drakons. However, when Chaos was mutated into a water monster and nearly killed Sonic, Pochacamac was forced to send Sonic back to his own time to save his life.

Sonic X
Pachacamac also appeared in the anime series Sonic X as a part of the televisions series' adaption of Sonic Adventure. Much like in Sonic Adventure, Pachacamac was an ancient warmongering chief of a tribe of echidnas and sought the Chaos Emeralds to seize power. Despite her daughter Tikal's attempts to change his mind Pachacamac attacked the Emeralds shrine with his men, only to incur the anger of Chaos and later be killed when the creature transformed into Perfect Chaos.

Trivia

 * Pachacamac's name is derived from that of a real-life Incan city-temple 40 km SE of Lima, Peru.
 * In Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut, Pachacamac exhibits a constant squint, a quirk which has been absent from his portrayals in other medias.
 * Because this character came from the past (and died there), he is never seen after Sonic Adventure, except in Sonic Chronicles where he is in a brief flashback and mentioned quite a few times by Knuckles.
 * Pachacamac is very briefly referenced in Sonic Unleashed; in one Werehog level of Empire City, a neon building sign reads "Pachacamac Parking."
 * Aside from Tikal, Pachacamac is the only main echidna that does not have purple shaded eyes.
 * In Sonic Chronicles, Shade once referred to Knuckles as "Pachacamac's descendant", meaning that Knuckles could be related to Pachacamac as well as Tikal.