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Information in this article may not be canonical to the storyline of the games or any other Sonic continuity. |
Echidnas are creatures that appear in the Sonic the Hedgehog film series produced by Paramount Pictures and its spin-offs. It is an alien race of anthropomorphic animals from Mobius.
Existing as a tribe, they were once a heroic order protecting the galaxy who forged the Master Emerald, only to have it stolen from them by the owls, whom they would fight for centuries in order to regain the Master Emerald. The majority of the echidnas would eventually locate Longclaw, the last of the owls, and attack her to get her Emerald secrets and capture her apprentice Sonic for his powers, only to perish following their attack. In the present day, only one member of their race remains: Knuckles the Echidna.[1]
Description[]
Anatomy[]
Echidnas are anthropomorphic animals with humanoid physiques and long spine-like quills that look like dreadlocks that hang from around their heads. They are also shown to get no more than little over three feet tall when it comes to average height. Other features they all share include peach-furred muzzles with black noses, wide eyes and tri-crooked tails. In addition, they have fur in various red hues, such as regular red and dark red.
Characteristics and culture[]
Echidnas are a tribal-like society of warriors. When it comes to their common dress code, they are shown to mostly wear various tribal garments consisting of boots, loincloths, skirts, ponchos, necklaces, feathered masks covering their faces, and gloves with spiked knuckles on them. They typically arm themselves with spears, arrows and bows, and nets.
The echidnas are heroic, brave and honorable warriors who ultimately served the forces of good. However, they were also shown to be very power-hungry; to an outside observer like Sonic, the echidnas' thirst for power made them seem like a bunch of "power-hungry bad guys." This hunger for power was what led them to forge the ultimate weapon; the Master Emerald, for themselves. While they had every intention of safeguarding the Master Emerald from the forces of evil, their ideology about using its power brought them into conflict with the owls, another heroic order who believed that some powers were too great for anyone to possess. After the owls stole the Master Emerald from them, the echidnas would develop a great hatred towards the owls, whom they would battle for centuries.
As warriors, the echidnas were ferocious and warlike, attacking their foes and anyone who gets in their way without hesitation.
History[]
Past[]
Ages ago, the echidnas were known as a fearsome group of warriors who served the greater good. Back then, the echidnas would forge the seven Chaos Emeralds into the most unstoppable weapon ever created: the Master Emerald. With it, a single echidna warrior could defeat entire armies. Believing that no one should wield such power however, the owls took up arms against the echidnas and managed to steal the Master Emerald from them after a great battle. This action made the owls the sworn enemies of the echidnas, who would fight against them for centuries.
Over ten years ago, the echidnas were on the verge of their greatest victory. Having located Longclaw, the last of the owl warriors, the echidnas prepared to launch an attack on her in order to obtain her Master Emerald secrets and capture her apprentice, Sonic the Hedgehog, for his powers. A young echidna, named Knuckles, wanted to join his tribe in the attack, but his father stopped him from joining them and convinced him to stay behind.
The echidnas attacking Sonic and Longclaw's home, from Sonic the Hedgehog (film).
Arriving on Sonic's island, the echidnas followed Sonic to his and Longclaw's home. There, the echidnas launched a vicious attack, forcing Longclaw to escape with Sonic. Before Longclaw got too far away however, one of the echidnas, Pachacamac, managed to hit Longclaw with an arrow, leaving her unable to fly. The echidnas proceeded to move in to capture Sonic and Longclaw. However, they found their way barged by Longclaw, who had already sent Sonic through a Ring to Earth. As the Ring to Earth closed, the echidnas were last seen charging at Longclaw. While the outcome of this battle is unknown, it is known is that Longclaw passed away, along with the echidna warriors, thus leaving the owl species extinct, and Knuckles as the only echidna left.
From then on, Knuckles would spend his life searching for Sonic, believing he held the key to the location of the Master Emerald, which he sought to return to its ancestral owners.
Film series[]
Sonic the Hedgehog 2[]
Knuckles eventually got a lead on Sonic's location when he found Dr. Robotnik, who possessed one of Sonic's chaos energy-infused quills, on the Mushroom Planet. Striking a deal with Robotnik, Knuckles got Robotnik back to Earth and he showed him where Sonic was. Upon meeting Sonic, Knuckles overwhelmed Sonic thanks to his greater experience, but before he could finish him, he got interrupted by Tails, who helped Sonic get away from him. Afterward, Knuckles made an alliance with Robotnik, who promised to help him find the Master Emerald so he could destroy Sonic with it. Finding Sonic and Tails in Siberia, Knuckles and Robotnik managed to steal a compass that could lead them to the Master Emerald from the duo, whom they left to be buried by an avalanche. Afterwards, the two managed to locate and brave the labyrinth-like temple where the Master Emerald was held, only for Sonic to arrive and get in their way. While Knuckles fought Sonic however, he got betrayed by Robotnik when he stole the Master Emerald for himself and left Knuckles and Sonic to die in the collapsing temple. However, Knuckles was saved from certain doom by Sonic, whom he ended up saving in return. Afterwards, the two put their differences aside and worked together with Tails to stop Robotnik. Eventually defeating Robotnik and his Giant Eggman Robot at the cost of the Master Emerald and the loss of the Chaos Emeralds, Knuckles would reassemble the Master Emerald and then join a new order formed by him, Sonic, and Tails to safeguard the Master Emerald.
Comics[]
Sonic the Hedgehog 2: The Official Movie Pre-Quill[]
Knuckles fighting an alien monster champion, from Sonic the Hedgehog 2: The Official Movie Pre-Quill.
During his search for Sonic, Knuckles, the last of the echidnas, came to a volcanic planet, where he ended up getting injured and captured by some scavengers, who brought him to a gladiatorial arena in the Casino Night. Defeating the establishment's champion, Knuckles received a back of Rings as his reward, which he used to persuade the scavengers to help him find Sonic.[1] With their aid, Knuckles and the scavengers would track someone whom they believed to be Sonic across different worlds. Upon reaching Hill Top Zone however, they realized that they had been following the wrong target. Regardless, Knuckles had one more lead to investigate.[2]
Shorts[]
Sonic Drone Home[]
While trying to return some library books for Maddie with his team, Knuckles came with Sonic on a detour to investigate some strange noises in Green Hills Junkyard. There, Knuckles and his crew found Unit, a self-aware Badnik upgrading itself in order to conquer the world. Knuckles tried to fight Unit, but got ejected from the junkyard by it. He returned soon after though, and smashed Unit's body, only to stop when Sonic and Tails told him that Unit was no longer evil. Afterwards, the team adopted the still-functional Unit, although Knuckles had his reservations about it.
TV shows[]
Knuckles[]
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Game appearances[]
Sonic Dash[]
In Sonic Dash, Knuckles makes an appearance as one of the game's playable characters.
Sonic Forces: Speed Battle[]
In Sonic Forces: Speed Battle, Knuckles appears as a playable character.
List of known echidnas[]
Trivia[]
- The echidnas are based on the species of the same name from the Sonic the Hedgehog series, specifically the Knuckles Clan, both of whom were tribal societies of warriors who possessed a hunger for power and would use the Chaos Emeralds to expand their power.
- This is the first incarnation of the echidnas to have no known connection to Angel Island, despite the fact that the latter did appear in an early draft for the sequel.[3]
- Because echidnas sought victory in wiping out various armies, it is possible they have brought the hedgehog race to near extinction, which would explain Sonic's status as an orphan and him being the only hedgehog seen thus far with the exception of Shadow.
- Before Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was ever released, some fans originally thought Knuckles was shown in the scene where the Echidna Tribe first appear, hence the extreme resemblance they have to him, which is impossible as considering the history of the video games, Knuckles is almost the same age as Sonic.
- This is proven correct in the sequel as Knuckles appears as a child when the tribe are about to raid Sonic and Longclaw's home.
- Casey admitted in the said interview that he is not certain as to what actually happened to the tribe, he did however claim that there is a possibility that Longclaw defeated them in some format.
- In the first episode of Knuckles, "The Warrior", Pachacamac refers to Knuckles as the last echidna, confirming that the rest of the tribe were indeed wiped out.
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sonic the Hedgehog 2: The Official Movie Pre-Quill, "Always Bet On Red"
- ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog 2: The Official Movie Pre-Quill, "Two For The Road"
- ↑ https://open.spotify.com/episode/7AmalU2ekBcKWc9D5j7524
