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Information in this article may not be canonical to the storyline of the games or any other Sonic continuity. |
Knuckles the Echidna[4] is a character that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog film series produced by Paramount Pictures and its spin-offs. He is an anthropomorphic alien echidna warrior with super strength and is the last of his kind;[5] he is also well-known as a lonely traveler and treasure hunter.[6] He is also the titular protagonist of the eponymous television series of the same name.
A proud and honorable warrior, Knuckles spent most of his life searching for Sonic the Hedgehog, believing him to be the key to finding the Master Emerald, which he saw as his ancestral birthright. To this end, he would form an alliance with Dr. Ivo Robotnik — one that would later prove to be a scheme for Robotnik to take the Master Emerald for himself. Knuckles befriended Sonic afterward and joined forces with him and Miles "Tails" Prower to defeat Robotnik. After this, the trio formed a new order to protect the Master Emerald from evil, a new order that more alien anthropomorphic animals will soon be a part of in the future.
Without a quest to fulfill and without settling into his life on Earth, Knuckles was influenced through the spirit of the Great Chief Pachacamac to train Wade Whipple and guide him in the ways of an Echidna warrior so that he could participate in the Bowling Tournament of Champions. Along the way, Knuckles and Wade forged a genuine friendship in their training, while being pursued by Agents Willoughby and Mason, and many bounty hunters who attempted to capture them. Thanks to Wade's advices, Knuckles learned about Earth customs and learned to relax before being confronted by The Buyer, who sought to take his power, but the echidna defeated him and accepted Earth as his new home.
Quick Answers
What type of combat training has Knuckles the Echidna undergone?
What is Knuckles the Echidna's mission in the Sonic the Hedgehog film series?
What species is Knuckles from the Sonic the Hedgehog film series?
Why is Knuckles the Echidna known as a lonely traveler?
What makes Knuckles the Echidna unique in the Sonic the Hedgehog film series?
Concept and creation[]
When voicing Knuckles, Idris Elba looked to mine for backstory and identity and find "everything that an actor needs in order to create a character and a kind of craft performance". According to director Jeff Fowler, Elba was eager to absorb it all and workshop his portrayal of Knuckles into the definitive version of the character. In Fowler's own words, Elba "absolutely nailed it" when voicing Knuckles.[7]
When it came to including Knuckles in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Fowler took Knuckles as seriously as Elba did. Accordingly, "Knuckles provides me with plenty of opportunities to just go hog wild with spectacle". Fowler also described Knuckles as someone "who has power, and in his many ways is just better suited for combat than Sonic is" and "whose entire existence is about honor and about being a warrior". Fowler considers that a difficult challenge for Sonic because, as of the end of Sonic the Hedgehog, "Sonic has been in one fight". Fowler would further state "that does not turn you into a superhero overnight". Because of this, there is an interesting dynamic in the movie "where Knuckles is just a force of nature, and Sonic is out of his element at first because Knuckles is just more than he can handle". To Fowler, this dynamic between Sonic and Knuckles creates a dramatic sort of material and a great foundation to build a movie story around.[7]
The inclusion of more iconic moments and elements from the Sonic series in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 also influenced Knuckles' personality. In an interview, Fowler described him as "a heavy, and really just making him the badass that he is in the earliest versions of him, going all the way back to the '90s". Combining this with the visuals of iconic and familiar moments of action from the Sonic series, is something that Fowler says he would "attribute to the Sonic-ness of it all".[7]
Elba also originally wanted to give Knuckles a "squeaky" voice. However, the idea was immediately turned down by others working on the film, leading Elba to try several other voices and accents for Knuckles until he settled on the final one.[8]
Appearance[]
Knuckles is an anthropomorphic echidna with predominantly red fur that covers most of his body, a black and pointy nose on his peach-furred muzzle, a white crescent-shaped patch of fur on his chest, and amethyst eyes. His eyes in particular glow red whenever he utilizes his chaos energy-based powers. He also has seven dreadlock-like spines around the sides and back of his head, broad shoulders, and a medium-sized, tri-crooked tail.
For attire, Knuckles wears two large white boxing gloves with pointy spiked knuckles attached to them. He also wears red and yellow mountain boots. Each has the top folded down to reveal a soft green interior. The soles are light gray and each possess a metal, hextuple-bolted plate on top. From "The Flames of Disaster" to "What Happens in Reno, Stays in Reno," Knuckles wears a brown fedora with a black band and three gold stars in red with gold lining circles at the front of the band, which originally belonged to Jack Sinclair before Wade took it from him and gave it to Knuckles. When he was much younger, Knuckles donned a wooden tribal mask with feathers on it that was shaped in the form of a skull. On his white gloves and white footwear, he wore grayed-out sports tape. Additionally, Knuckles wore green cuffs on his ankles and wrists, as well as a beaded necklace. On parts of his face, dreadlocks, masks, Knuckles wore some white paint.
History[]
Past[]
A young Knuckles with his father, from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (film).
Hailing from Mobius, Knuckles was raised as a warrior amongst his tribe, the echidnas, an ancient order of heroes who had been feuding with the owls for centuries over the echidnas' Master Emerald, a weapon of ultimate power that the owls had hidden away somewhere. During his childhood, the echidnas managed to locate Longclaw the Giant Owl, the last of the owl warriors, whom they prepared to go after to get her secrets on the Master Emerald. While Knuckles wished to join his tribe in their battle, his father told him to remain behind and await the true moment where he would honor his tribe. However, Knuckles' father and his tribe died on that very day, leaving Knuckles as the last of the echidnas. Longclaw then burned down the echidnas' village, forcing Knuckles to leave.[9]
From then on, Knuckles would spend his life searching the galaxy for Sonic the Hedgehog, the apprentice of Longclaw, whom he believed to be the key to finding the Master Emerald, and attain his vengeance for his father and clansmen who died fighting Longclaw. At some point during his search, he battled the Fire Demon and harnessed the Flames of Disaster.[9]
Film series[]
Sonic the Hedgehog 2[]
Detecting a spike of Sonic's chaos energy on the Mushroom Planet, Knuckles and his band of alien scavengers went there to investigate. When the scavengers got there through a Ring however, they were taken out by traps set by Dr. Ivo Robotnik in advance, who possessed a chaos energy-infused quill from Sonic. Stopping Robotnik from using their Ring to escape the Mushroom Planet, Knuckles approached Robotnik and demanded where he got Sonic's quill from. Explaining that he got from Earth, Robotnik offered to show Knuckles the way. The two then made a deal: Knuckles would get him off the Mushroom Planet and Robotnik would get him to Sonic.
Knuckles stops Sonic's attack, from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (film).
Arriving in Green Hills, Montana, Robotnik led Knuckles to Sonic's house. After Robotnik got Sonic to open the front door, Knuckles stepped in when Sonic tried attacking Robotnik, and punched him through a wall. Unimpressed, Knuckles punched Sonic through another wall when he tried charging at him. As Knuckles criticized Sonic's lack of warrior skills, Sonic charged at him again with a spin attack, only for Knuckles to stop it and overpower Sonic before pinning him against a tree. Knuckles proceeded to proclaim his purpose to restore the Master Emerald to its rightful place, but Sonic had no idea of what he was talking about. Refusing to listen to Sonic's claim and his questions about how he knew about Longclaw, Knuckles prepared to finish Sonic, only for a police car driven by Tails to ram him into a shed. As Knuckles recovered, Sonic and Tails drove away in the car. Setting off in pursuit of the duo, Knuckles eventually caught up to them and began tearing the car apart. In response, Tails drove the car off a cliff, leaving Knuckles to jump off the car and latch onto the cliff face before hitting the ground while Tails flew away with Sonic.
As Knuckles scaled the cliff, he was surrounded by Robotnik's Badniks. Robotnik proceeded to inquire Knuckles about the Master Emerald, but Knuckles insisted that it did not concern him as they had no further use for each other. As Robotnik had his Badniks help Knuckles up from the cliff though, Knuckles was told by the doctor that he needed his help navigating Earth. Furthermore, he would help him find the Master Emerald so that he could kill Sonic with it. Seeing that Robotnik was suggesting an alliance, Knuckles was convinced of his commitment after they shook hands on their deal. Making their way to the Mean Bean Coffee Café, Knuckles met up with Robotnik's assistant, Agent Stone, upon their arrival. Despite a rocky introduction, Knuckles displayed his trust in Stone with a firm handshake. Not long after, Knuckles saw Robotnik and Stone intercept a text message between Sonic and Tom Wachowski. Though Knuckles deduced that Sonic had returned home to Green Hills from the message, Robotnik proved him wrong by tracing Sonic's call to eastern Siberia. After then crushing a hologram of Sonic, Knuckles headed out with Robotnik to intercept Sonic. As they left, Knuckles took notice of Robotnik's disloyalty when he decided to leave Stone behind for now.
Knuckles and Sonic fight on the snowy mountain, from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (film).
When the pair and some Badniks found Sonic and Tails inside a mountain in an ancient owl temple where they had found a compass that could lead them to the Master Emerald, Knuckles prepared to fight Sonic again. However, Sonic made the temple cave in when redirecting a missile from Robotnik's Egg Mobile, trapping Knuckles under some rocks. After escaping the temple, Knuckles noticed that Sonic was snowboarding down the mountain on a makeshift snowboard from a destroyed Badnik, Knuckles smashed a Badnik and took a piece from it as well to give chase to Sonic on. Catching up to Sonic, Knuckles eventually managed to topple him and make him lose his Rings over a cliff. Sonic would then banter with Knuckles about how echidnas had a habit of ruining his life, only for Knuckles to tell him the opposite as he revealed his past to him. As Sonic then admitted that they both lost everything that day, with Sonic having lost Longclaw when that happened, Knuckles would lower his guard, only for Tails to bind him with one of his gadgets. Calling Sonic out for being a deceiver, Knuckles broke free. As Sonic then tried passing the compass over to Tails, only for Robotnik to snatch it and knock Tails unconscious with a pair of missiles, Knuckles flew away with Robotnik as an avalanche approached. Before leaving, however, Knuckles noticed how Sonic chose to tend to Tails over the compass and Robotnik's disdain towards loyalty.
Knuckles and Sonic facing off in the temple of the Master Emerald, from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (film).
Using a Ring, Knuckles and Robotnik traveled to an island hundreds of miles away from Hawaii. There, they found a recess to insert the compass into, which in turn revealed an undersea temple in front of them. Entering the temple, the pair found themselves inside a labyrinth filled to the brim with deadly traps. After barely avoiding a number of traps however, Robotnik used a reconnaissance Badnik to map out the labyrinth for them. Eventually arriving in the central chamber, Knuckles punched down a wall blocking their way and found the Master Emerald on an altar right in front of them. As Knuckles proclaimed pride in what he and Robotnik had accomplished together however, Sonic arrived on front of them and made his stand against Knuckles. Though he tried going after the Master Emerald at first, Knuckles intercepted him and two began a long fight with the balance of power constantly shifting between them. When Knuckles got him pinned down however, Sonic made Knuckles see that Robotnik was stealing the Master Emerald.
Furious, Knuckles called Robotnik out for betraying their friendship, only for Robotnik to mock Knuckles' gullibility and lack of foresight before grabbing the Master Emerald and disappearing in a flash of energy that destabilized the temple. As the temple began collapsing, Knuckles got pinned down by a stone column in the rising water, which ultimately caused his to lose consciousness. As Knuckles recovered, however, he found Sonic attempting to save him. Together, they got Knuckles free, who in turn saved Sonic when he almost drowned due to his inability to swim. Back on dry land, a depressed Knuckles refused to answer Sonic's question about why he saved him until Sonic provoked him into answering. Knuckles told Sonic that he was repaying him for saving him despite not understanding his tactics for doing so. Sonic replied that he just could not let him die, which Knuckles did not understand given their past conflicts. In return, Sonic told him that heroes take responsibility for others and not themselves, which Knuckles could see the wisdom in. As Tails then showed up in the Tornado, Sonic encouraged Knuckles to come along with them and stop Robotnik. While Knuckles wondered how Sonic could move past his losses, Sonic advised him to find new friends to help him through it like he did, which convinced Knuckles to join Sonic's team.
Knuckles punches Dr. Robotnik to separate him from the Master Emerald, from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (film).
Using a Ring, Knuckles, Sonic, and Tails flew back to Green Hills in the Tornado, just in time to see Robotnik finish constructing the Giant Eggman Robot with the Master Emerald's power. Soon after though, Knuckles jumped off the plane to deal with Robotnik alone. Charging at the Giant Eggman Robot head-on, Knuckles hit its fist with his best attack, but it did no damage. Reconvening with Sonic and Tails on the Main Street, who had faced similar failures, Sonic convinced them to work together as a team against Robotnik. As the Giant Eggman Robot unleashed Badniks upon them, Knuckles and his team tried coming up with a plan. As they discussed finding the Giant Eggman Robot's weak spot, Sonic realized that he was Robotnik's weak spot: if he could get Robotnik's attention, Knuckles and Tails could sneak into the Giant Eggman Robot and get the Master Emerald back. Beginning their plan, Knuckles got carried onto the backside of the Giant Eggman Robot by Tails while Sonic lured it out of Green Hills. After then cutting a hole into the cockpit, Tails distracted Robotnik long enough for Knuckles to get into position and knock the Master Emerald out of Robotnik.
Team Sonic is born, from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (film).
However, this caused the Giant Eggman Robot to shut down, resulting in Knuckles and Tails sliding out of the robot and landing on the ground hard, causing them to lose consciousness. After recovering, Knuckles watched as Sonic and the Wachowskis seemingly got crushed by the Giant Eggman Robot. However, Sonic saved them all by transforming into Super Sonic with the seven Chaos Emeralds that fell out of the shattered Master Emerald, before destroying the Giant Eggman Robot and defeating Robotnik. When Tails and the Wachowskis tried approaching Super Sonic, however, Knuckles warned them that Sonic had gone mad with power. However, he was proven wrong when Sonic conjured celebratory chili dogs, with one of them landing in Knuckles' face, and relinquished the Chaos Emeralds. As the others celebrated, Knuckles took the Master Emerald's shards and fused them back together, although he wondered what he should do now that his quest had been fulfilled. Following Tails' suggestion, Sonic had the three of them form a new order, like the owls and echidnas, to guard the Master Emerald, which Knuckles agreed to upon making their oath, sealing it with a power-bump.
Some time later, Knuckles had a baseball game with Sonic, Tails, Tom and Maddie, although Knuckles had trouble grasping the game. Regardless, he managed to have fun with the game, even though he made them lose their only ball. Afterwards, the group decided to go for ice cream.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3[]
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Knuckles with Sonic and Tails in the woods in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
He is set to return in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. He was spot in set images. Alongside Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, the three go to London, the three also go to Japan, and team up with Dr. Robotnik to defeat Shadow the Hedgehog.
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.
Seeking Sonic the Hedgehog, as he was the key to restoring "what was lost", Knuckles would scour the galaxy for him using Rings, assured that he could find him on his own. His search eventually took him to a volcanic planet. There, Knuckles climbed a cliff, only for a volcanic eruption to make him lose his balance and fall into a ravine. Though Knuckles survived the fall, it left him greatly weakened. Immediately after, a group of "scavenger scum" emerged from a Ring, who chained him up with energy shackles and took him to Casino Night to fight in a gladiatorial arena against the establishment's champion: a giant alien monster. As the monster plucked Knuckles up by his shackles, Knuckles managed to break free, run up along the monster's arm, and take it out with a single decisive blow to one of its heads when he utilized his chaos energy. Afterwards, Knuckles was released and received a bag of Rings as his reward. Realizing now however that he may not be able to capture Sonic by himself, Knuckles approached the scavengers, who were good at finding things, and offered them Rings to come with him on his search for Sonic.[5]
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 hit a dead end by following the wrong target. Regardless, Knuckles had one more place in mind where they could find a lead.[10]
Shorts[]
Sonic Drone Home[]
Knuckles and Unit, from Sonic Drone Home.
One time, Knuckles and his team were entrusted to return some library books for Maddie, which Knuckles swore to return safely. On their way to the library however, Sonic took Knuckles and Tails on a detour to the Green Hills Junkyard in order to investigate some strange noises. After arriving there, Knuckles and his crew found Unit, a self-aware Badnik in the process of upgrading himself in order to conquer the world. When Knuckles made his presence known however, Unit fired lasers at him that destroyed Maddie's books. Disgruntled, Knuckles ignored Sonic's attempt to make a plan and charged at Unit, only for the Badnik to catch him in a refrigerator and eject him from the junkyard, which let to Knuckles getting stuck in a sign. Eventually though, Knuckles returned and smashed Unit's body to pieces with an ambush. However, Sonic and Tails told him that Unit was no longer evil. As Tails was allowed to keep Unit's core module, Knuckles had his doubts about Unit, who vowed to make him submit to his prose once he had mastered poetry. Taking this as a sign that Unit was still evil, Knuckles demanded justice for Maddie's books.
TV shows[]
Knuckles[]
The Warrior[]
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After training in the forest, Knuckles discovered the Wachowski house was being invaded before incapacitating the intruders. However, it turned out they were actually a repair crew, hired by Maddie to fix the house from the aftermath of Sonic's battle with Knuckles, which the latter had already sent three other crews packing. When Maddie attempts to confront Knuckles, who was eating some Doritos, she instead turned to Sonic and Tails before noticing Knuckles trying to coach Ozzie on the roof. While Tails took Ozzie, Sonic tries telling Knuckles to settle down before the latter eventually meditates, and the following morning, had made a throne out of assorted items as well as turned the living room into an arena. The final straw from Maddie came when Knuckles tried to pit Ozzie against a mailman who was scared for his life, leading to her grounding Knuckles, who objects, until Sonic tells the former to accept it.
While contemplating his vengeance against Sonic, who tries to reassure him, Knuckles calls to his ancestors for guidance before Pachacamac appears before him and shows the former a newspaper article of Wade winning a contest, believing he should train him.
After helping Wade, who attempted to bench press, only to be trapped under the barbell, Knuckles hears his story about how he was kicked off his bowling team and replaced by Susie Barnes before offering to take him to Reno, where the tournament would take place. After Wade revealed he knows Knuckles was grounded, the latter isn't fazed by it, bending the barbell in the process and throws it at Wade. While on the road, Wade tried to get Knuckles to listen to some music, only for him to kick the radio. Coming across a bowling alley, Knuckles watches Wade practice before voicing his astonishment while they ate. Wade then goes on about how his father taught him before revealing to Knuckles that the former's father left him at TJ Maxx, effectively also leaving his family.
Don't Ever Say I Wasn't There for You[]
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The Shabbat Dinner[]
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The Flames of Disaster[]
When Wade gets captured by Jack Sinclair, Knuckles, drinking from a jug of coffee, chooses not to rescue him, proclaiming Wade needs the experience. He later calls Wade to meditate in order to reach the Great Battleground in the Sky to achieve greatness. Later, Knuckles, Wanda, and Wendy watch as Wade returned with Jack's hat, jacket and motorbike, satisfying Knuckles on Wade's achievement. Later, donning Jack's hat, Knuckles drives the motorbike with Wade behind him, accompanied by Wanda and Wendy, straight to Reno.
Reno, Baby[]
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What Happens in Reno, Stays in Reno[]
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Game appearances[]
Sonic Dash[]
In Sonic Dash, as a form of promotion for Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Knuckles makes an appearance as a playable character under the name "Movie Knuckles".
| Image | Rarity | Affinity Bonus | Upgrade Profile | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power-Up | Highest level | |||
 |
Legendary | N/A | Dash Boost | 10 |
| x2 Multiplier | 11 | |||
| Magnet | 9 | |||
| Shield | 11 | |||
| Headstart | 9 | |||
On 26 April 2024, as a form of promotion for the Knuckles television series, Knuckles was re-released as "Series Knuckles", a variant character of Knuckles wearing his hat from the series. Additionally, during gameplay, Knuckles rides on his chopper bike featured in the show.
| Image | Rarity | Affinity Bonus | Upgrade Profile | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power-Up | Highest level | |||
 |
Legendary | N/A | Dash Boost | 10 |
| x2 Multiplier | 12 | |||
| Magnet | 10 | |||
| Shield | 10 | |||
| Headstart | 10 | |||
Sonic Forces: Speed Battle[]
In Sonic Forces: Speed Battle, as a promotion for the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 film, Knuckles first appeared in the version 4.3.0 update as a bot-controlled rival that could be encountered randomly in races during the "Tail Spin" Event. In this game he is referred to as "Movie Knuckles".
Movie Knuckles was soon after added as a playable character to the game's roster during the "Fists of Rage" Event. He has the following gameplay characteristics:
| Image | Rarity | Stats | Items | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Projectile | Boost | Trap | |||
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
On April 26, 2024, as a form of promotion for the Knuckles television series, Knuckles was re-released, in the version 4.26.0. update, as "Series Knuckles", a variant character of Knuckles wearing his hat from the series. He has the following gameplay characteristics:
| Image | Rarity | Stats | Items | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Projectile | Boost | Trap | |||
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
Sonic Dash+ / Sonic Prime Dash[]
In Sonic Dash+, as a form of promotion for Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Knuckles was added as a playable character under the name "Movie Knuckles". In this game, he can be unlocked by collecting 500 of his Character Tokens.
| Image | Affinity Bonus | Unlock Requirement | Upgrade Profile | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power-Up | Highest level | |||
|
|
Obtain 500 
|
Dash Boost | 10 |
| x2 Multiplier | 11 | |||
| Magnet | 9 | |||
| Shield | 11 | |||
| Headstart | 9 | |||
On 16 May 2024, as a form of promotion for the Knuckles television series, Knuckles was re-released as "Series Knuckles", a variant character of Knuckles wearing his hat from the series. Additionally, during gameplay, Knuckles rides on his chopper bike featured in the show.
| Image | Affinity Bonus | Unlock Requirement | Upgrade Profile | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power-Up | Highest level | |||
|
 
|
Obtain 500 
|
Dash Boost | 10 |
| x2 Multiplier | 12 | |||
| Magnet | 10 | |||
| Shield | 10 | |||
| Headstart | 10 | |||
Personality[]
Knuckles is described as being serious in nature, yet still naïve at times.[4] 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.[7] 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.[11]
Knuckles suspicious of Dr. Robotnik, from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (film).
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.[5] 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; despite this, however, he is not above using tactics that would normally be considered dishonorable by others, such as when fighting against Eggman's mech, he suggested attacking the groin, a dirty tactic considered by many to be a cheap shot. 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. 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. By the events of his own series he was shown to have learned enough about Earth technology that he is shown owning and easily using a smartphone as well as AirPods. 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 Wachowski's baseball game despite not fully understanding it. Knuckles also has a habit of referring to people by their species instead of their name, such as calling Sonic “Hedgehog” and Tails “Fox”.
Powers and abilities[]
Described as the "most dangerous warrior in the galaxy," Knuckles is an incredibly strong combatant, having trained since birth in the ways of combat. Notably, he is easily able to keep up with and even overpower Sonic in a fight.
A chaos energy-imbued Knuckles preparing to punch Sonic, from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (film).
Knuckles' main trait is his superhuman strength. He can casually crush a human hand with a light grip, punch through solid rock, cause tremors by punching the ground, smash Badniks to pieces with one hit, and even hold back Sonic's chaos energy-enhanced spin attack with just one hand. To match his strength, Knuckles is also extremely durable: he received no injury after getting rammed by a police car at high speed and got right back up after getting hammered through solid stone several times by Sonic's chaos energy-infused attacks, ready to continue the fight as if nothing happened. His gloves also appear to be quite durable, as he is able to hold Sonic in place while he is actively spinning without being burned by the friction. He also possesses amazing reflexes, being able to track and react accordingly to even Sonic's high-speed movements and intercept his high-speed charges with a punch at just the right time.
Knuckles possesses an unparalleled expertise in combat, honed through rigorous training since birth across a wide array of lethal fighting styles. His extensive experience grants him the upper hand over Sonic in nearly all their confrontations, showcasing his superior raw skills. Furthermore, the distinctive spikes adorning his fists serve as a valuable asset, enabling Knuckles to skillfully climb surfaces by securely anchoring his fists onto any terrain and ascending with remarkable agility.
Like Sonic, Knuckles has the ability to generate chaos energy. When tapping into this ability, Knuckles will start generating red energy that causes his quills and eyes to glow red and his body to unleash surges of energy. Should Knuckles harness these energies for himself, they seem to amplify his speed, strength and striking power. Notably, he can use his chaos energy to increase his speed to the point where he can keep up with a police car, even running on all fours while doing so, as well as Sonic's mundane running speed. He can also boost his strength to the point where he can smash a giant rock several times his size with one hit, take out a monster many times his size with a single punch,[5] and amplify the speed of his punches to the point where even Sonic has trouble dodging them. He is even able to channel his chaos energy into his fists and then release it as a shockwave powerful enough to blow away anything loose in the vicinity.[11]
Knuckles also shows that he is a fast learner when it comes to certain new concepts, one example is shown in Siberia, where Knuckles immediately picks up on how to snowboard to chase after Sonic after seeing him do it; another example is shown when he Sonic and Tails fight against Robotnik's giant mech: 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's and Tails' respective fighting styles and work together with them to achieve victory; and another is shown with Knuckles riding Jack Sinclair's motorbike with ease. Also by the events of his own series he was shown to have learned enough about Earth technology that he is shown owning and easily using a smartphone as well as AirPods.
Relationships[]
His father[]
Knuckles seemingly had a close relationship with his father before he died along with the rest of his tribe. He wanted to join their attack on Longclaw, but his father refused to let him join, leaving him behind after telling him that his moment to honor both him and the echidna tribe would come in the future.
Pachacamac[]
The ghost of Pachacamac talking to Knuckles, from "The Warrior".
Knuckles has a deep respect for the Great Chief of the Echidna Tribe, Pachacamac, who was the one who helped him train as a warrior and offer him advice on recognizing his battleground. In desperation to ask the Echidna Elders for help in understanding what to do without missions, Pachacamac manifested himself as a spirit before Knuckles, who was amazed to see him no longer the last surviving Echidna. Knuckles is faithful to Pachacamac when he suggests honoring his tribe and reforming it, starting with training Wade Whipple, whom he initially did not see as a warrior, but after learning from Pachacamac about the bowling tournament of champions, he accepted the request with joy.
Sonic the Hedgehog[]
Knuckles beginning to understand Sonic, from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (film).
Even before meeting Sonic the Hedgehog, Knuckles resented him because of his association with Longclaw alone due to the fact that the owls and the echidnas were ancient enemies and that their conflict ended up costing Knuckles his tribe. As such, Knuckles' lifelong goal was to get the Master Emerald from Sonic and destroy him. Treating Sonic as virtually his arch-enemy, he would spend most of his life scouring the galaxy for him.
During their first few encounters, Knuckles would gain the upper hand due to being more experienced in combat and constantly belittle Sonic's inexperience by calling him unskilled, untrained, and unworthy. However, he did briefly seem to sympathize with Sonic after learning that he had lost whom he held dear too due to the owl-echidna dispute until Tails accidentally intervened by trying to restrain him, causing Knuckles to think that Sonic was trying to trick him. Despite this, Knuckles was surprised when Sonic was more concerned with the well being of Tails after he was attacked by Robotnik than he was with retrieving the compass.
After Dr. Ivo Robotnik betrayed Knuckles and took the Master Emerald for himself, Knuckles saved Sonic from drowning in the Master Emerald's collapsing temple after the latter did the same for him. This opened Knuckles' eyes to how Sonic never held any ill will against him. Knuckles questioned Sonic about why he showed him compassion after all the times he tried to destroy him, to which the hedgehog merely replied that was what a hero did and encouraged him to come along with him and Tails, to which he accepted. Knuckles has since come to respect Sonic not only as an ally, but as a friend, too, as evidenced by him acknowledging Sonic as a brave and noble warrior when he offered himself as a distraction for Robotnik during their fight with the Giant Eggman Robot. He also agreed to form an order with Sonic and Tails to guard the Master Emerald alongside them. In addition, he enjoys spending time with Sonic and learning how to just relax and have fun, although he continues to have a friendly rivalry with him. Despite this, he still sometimes calls Sonic "Hedgehog" instead of using his name.
Dr. Ivo Robotnik[]
Knuckles tries to trick Dr. Robotnik, from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (film).
When he met Dr. Ivo Robotnik, Knuckles only saw him as a lead to tracking down Sonic, and so treated him dryly. Upon learning that Robotnik wanted revenge on Sonic as well however, he joined formal forces with the doctor. Once their initial deal had been completed, Knuckles insisted that they had no further use for each other until Robotnik convinced him that he wanted to help him ensure the destruction of Sonic after he got away from him by tracking down the Master Emerald. While he did not understand Robotnik's gestures, Knuckles got the impression that they were friends after they marked their newfound alliance with a handshake. However, due to his gullibility, Knuckles did not see that Robotnik was using him to as a means to getting to the Master Emerald.
Despite their alliance and believing that Robotnik had good intentions, Knuckles often disapproved of the doctor's dismissal of the concept of loyalty. He similarly took notice of his maliciousness when Robotnik showed no care when Sonic tended to Tails instead of going after the compass they stole from them. Regardless, Knuckles trusted Robotnik until he stole the Master Emerald, causing their supposed friendship to break apart. From then on, Knuckles became convinced of the doctor's true intentions and personality as he proclaimed what he really thought about him. This prompted Knuckles to see Robotnik as an deceiver and set out to stop him with the aid of Sonic and Tails.
Miles "Tails" Prower[]
Knuckles carrying Tails to the Wachowski's car for an ice cream celebration, from Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (film).
Knuckles initially treated Miles "Tails" Prower as an enemy when he allied himself with Sonic during his fights with the latter. He also seemed to be somewhat upset at him for hitting him with a police car, saying that his revenge would come when he least expects it. After being betrayed by Dr. Ivo Robotnik and joining forces with Sonic however, Knuckles came to view Tails as an ally and friend, teaming up with him, playing baseball with him, and even carrying him on his shoulders. Despite this, he often calls him "Fox" instead of using his name.
However, Knuckles occasionally calls Tails by name during his self-narration and is a little wary of Tails' idea of accepting Unit into his team.
Maddie Wachowski[]
Knuckles being grounded by Maddie, from "The Warrior".
Knuckles informally met Maddie Wachowski, stopping her and her husband Tom from hugging Sonic while he was Super Sonic, stating that he was no longer the same that they knew, but later realized that Sonic was still the same and he was not driven mad by the power of the Chaos Emeralds. Now living on Earth, Knuckles had formed friendships with Team Sonic and the Wachowski family, especially Maddie, who laughed at Knuckles' attitude. At the same time, Knuckles feels respect for Maddie, accepting the mission of delivering her books to the library, which he calls "sacred tomes" and feels anger towards Unit for destroying Maddie's books, demanding justice.
However, Knuckles' warlike behavior usually bothers Maddie a lot because he believed that the people repairing the house were enemies and he usually does not pay attention to Maddie's threats and even challenges her when she grounded him for starting a battle of warriors in the Wachowski house. Despite that, Knuckles shows respect towards her and accepts the grounded with honor.
Wade Whipple[]
Knuckles and Wade celebrate the victory, from "What Happens in Reno, Stays in Reno".
Knuckles did not know Wade Whipple directly, but had heard about his "contribution" in the battle against Dr. Ivo Robotnik. When Pachacamac entrusted him with the mission to train Whipple for the Bowling Tournament of Champions in Reno, Knuckles initially disagreed because he did not see Wade as a warrior, but Pachacamac reminded him that he was like him before, motivating Knuckles to train Wade. After recruiting Wade to travel to Reno, Knuckles was bothered by Wade's friendly attempts to give him nicknames or teach him about music. When he was saved by Wade from Willoughby and Mason, Knuckles was angry at Wade because he was the one who got him caught for his mistakes and berates him for considering the rescue a victory.
However, Knuckles began to bond with Wade when he understood about his traumas due to the abandonment of his father, Pete Whipple, and his terrible family relationship, which made Knuckles relate to Wade and treat him better. With input from Wade, Knuckles learned about how to recognize a glorious victory despite failures, and he related to music. When Wade proved to have freed himself from Jack Sinclair, Knuckles began to respect Wade after completing his training and the relationship of master and disciple became that of best friends, with Knuckles fully trusting Wade after their long quest. Knuckles began to be friendlier to Wade and motivated him to defeat Pete in the tournament, before receiving Wade's help in defeating The Buyer, recognizing that the victory belonged to both of them. Knuckles repeatedly refers to Wade by his full name.
Wendy Whipple[]
Knuckles and Wendy, from "The Shabbat Dinner".
When Knuckles introduced himself to Wade Whipple's mother, Wendy, he named her "matriarch of the Whipple family", although Wendy initially fainted, but after collapsing, she graciously invited him to Shabbat Dinner. Initially, Knuckles thought Wendy was going to be weak before seeing her prepare the meat and saw her as a warrior. During dinner, Knuckles quickly made friends with Wendy after learning that she is a Krav Maga instructor and opened up to her by telling her about the loss of his tribe to the Owls. They later bonded even more by watching the 1990 movie Pretty Women together. Knuckles and Wendy later happily enjoyed fighting together against the bounty hunters who threatened the Whipple residence.
Unlike Wade and Wanda, Wendy refers to Knuckles as "Knuchles". When they are at National Bowling Stadium, Wendy invites Knuckles to go to the spa, an offer he accepts to relax, but Wade stops Knuckles since they are supposed to be hiding. While Knuckles was attacked by The Buyer, Wendy and Wanda went to the echidna's rescue, supporting Wade to attack the mech and help Knuckles defeats The Buyer.
Wanda Whipple[]
Knuckles and Wanda watch as Wade is kidnapped, from "The Flames of Disaster".
When Knuckles met Wanda Whipple, she distrusted him and began to mock him as well as her brother, Wade. During the attack by several bounty hunters on the Whipple residence, Knuckles saved Wanda, earning her respect and they began to treat each other in a more friendly manner. After Wanda dislocated her thumb to free herself from Willoughby and Mason's handcuffs, Knuckles was surprised by the injury, congratulating her on her battle wound, a comment that Wanda appreciated and called him "Knucks". While Knuckles was attacked by The Buyer, Wanda, Wendy and Wade went to the echidna's rescue, supporting Wade to attack the mech and help Knuckles defeats The Buyer.
Friends/allies[]
- Echidnas
- Green Hills Sheriff's Department
- Tom Wachowski
- Wade Whipple (protégé and best friend)
- Guardian Units of Nations
- Maddie Wachowski
- Ozzy
- Team Sonic (teammates)
- Miles "Tails" Prower (good friend)
- Sonic the Hedgehog (close friend and rival)
- Wanda Whipple (good friend)
- Wendy Whipple (good friend)
Neutral[]
Enemies[]
- Agent Mason † (victim)
- Agent Stone
- Agent Willoughby † (victim)
- Badniks
- Bounty Hunters
- Cattleprod Bounty Hunter
- Chain Bounty Hunter
- "Pistol" Pete Whipple
- Dr. Ivo Robotnik
- Jack Sinclair
- Shadow the Hedgehog
- The Buyer † (victim)
Quotes[]
- "Where did you get that?"
- —Knuckles's first words, demanding to know where Robotnik got a blue quill from, Sonic the Hedgehog 2
- "Do I look like I need your power?"
- —Knuckles to Sonic that he doesn't need his power because he has his own, Sonic the Hedgehog 2
- "I was expecting more of you. You're unskilled... untrained... and UNWORTHY!"
- —Knuckles underestimating Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog 2
- "It is my destiny to do what my ancestors could not: to restore the ultimate power to the home of my people."
- —Knuckles pinning Sonic on a tree, Sonic the Hedgehog 2
- "Longclaw, and her people were the sworn enemy of my tribe the Echidna. We fought and died at their hands, and now, you will die at mine."
- —Knuckles about his echidna tribe failing to destroy Longclaw and her owl people, before he tried to kill Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog 2
- "Surrender the compass! You're no match for me. I've been training for this my entire life!"
- —Knuckles the Echidna, Sonic the Hedgehog 2
- "How did you move forward despite failing again, and again, and again, and again, and again...?"
- —Knuckles the Echidna, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (film)
- "So, we make our stand here, on the field of battle."
- —Knuckles the Echidna, Sonic the Hedgehog 2
- "POWER BUMP!"
- —Knuckles punching the baseball, Sonic the Hedgehog 2
- "I am having the fun!"
- —Knuckles the Echidna, Sonic the Hedgehog 2
- "Knuckles was very handsome and strong, much stronger than Sonic."
- —Knuckles the Echidna, Sonic Drone Home
- "Tails' narration was weak and sad."
- —Knuckles the Echidna, Sonic Drone Home
- "Time for a knuckle sandwich!"
- —Knuckles the Echidna, Sonic Drone Home
- "I do not make jokes, Wade Whipple. I make warriors."
- —Knuckles the Echidna, Knuckles (TV series)
- "What are you doing?"
- —Knuckles the Echidna, Knuckles (TV series)
- "What devilry is this?!"
- —Knuckles the Echidna meets Agents Mason and Willoughby, Knuckles (TV series)
- "Great Matriarch of the Whipple clan. I bow my head to you in respect, and I thank you for giving us safe harbor in our time of need."
- —Knuckles the Echidna meets Wendy Whipple, Knuckles (TV series)
- "He must learn to rescue himself."
- —Knuckles the Echidna, Knuckles (TV series)
Trivia[]
- Before Idris Elba was confirmed to voice Knuckles, it was reported in February 2021 that the studio was originally considering Jason Momoa for the role.[12]
- Italian is the only language where Knuckles shares his voice actor with his video game counterpart.
- Juan Carlos Gustems, voice of Knuckles for the film in Spain, previously participated in the Sonic franchise as the Announcer in Team Sonic Racing.
- In the GHZ podcast interview, Patrick Casey claimed that there was an early draft for Sonic the Hedgehog 2 of when Knuckles encountered Robotnik, he would bring him to Angel Island to show him how the floating island was falling into the ocean and needed to bring the Master Emerald back to its location to save it. This was cut from the final film because the writers wanted them to immediately get to Earth after the Mushroom Planet.[13]
- He claimed that his destiny was to restore the ultimate power of the Master Emerald to the home of his people when pinning Sonic to the tree, speaking of that, despite retrieving it at the end, he apparently never returned to his original home after that and questioned what they should do with the Emerald, suggesting he may have abandoned that part of his goal.
- However, Casey in the said interview claimed that there were talks about an ending where Knuckles takes the Master Emerald with him somewhere and guards it forever, but was considered a sorrowful ending for him due to him starting off lonely until finding new friends, thinking he shouldn't take out that responsibility by himself as well as lose those new friends. Casey also said that he is not yet clear if he, along with Tails are actually living in the Wachowski's house with Sonic.
- The first episode of Knuckles' series confirmed that he did move in with Sonic and Tails although the final episode possibly implied he might move in with Wade.
- In the aforementioned podcast, there were talks about a sequence of what happened to Knuckles after the rest of the echidnas passed away after the battle with Longclaw, where Knuckles would be captured by an alien species then end up being put into a grinding grain and forced to painfully push it in a circle for years, explaining why he got so big and strong, then gets thrown into a fighting pit and battle his way out of it and finally starts the attempt to complete his tribe's mission. The writing team almost went with that idea until they considered all the latter too much for the plot. A similar thing however made it into Sonic the Hedgehog 2: The Official Movie Pre-Quill, where Knuckles was captured by an alien species who brought him to the Casino Night Zone and forced him to battle a giant monster.
- In past licensed media based off the franchise, Sega has prevented Sonic characters adapted from the video games from having new family members not in the games introduced in said works. Knuckles' depiction in the movie is however a rare exception to this, as he has a father, albeit a deceased one, with no known name.
- While Knuckles has a father, there has been no appearance or mention of his mother and whatever happened to her is unknown.
- Knuckles' fondness of grapes is a reference to his mainstream counterpart's fondness for this fruit according to the North American manual of Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
- In the Amazon description of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Knuckles is erroneously referred to as a long-time friend of Sonic and Tails.[6] However, this has since been corrected.
- Knuckles seems familiar with machines, shown when the Badniks surround him while hanging on the cliff mentioning the word, possibly meaning his homeplanet has a form of technology, but it is likely no where near as advanced as Robotnik's (as he refers to holograms as "magic").
- Knuckles claimed the reason he weighs a lot, is due to him being having one million percentage of muscle, although this doesn't make much sense, due to his small body size. Of course this could be an example of how much pride he has in himself, as many often exaggerate certain parts of themselves and/or their accomplishments as a form of self-aggrandizement.
- It was revealed in the second film that Knuckles used to wear green cuffs on his wrists and ankles as a child. This is in reference to his mainstream counterpart who is known to wear green cuffs.
- Knuckles speaks in a very slight British accent as his voice actor Idris Elba is that of British nationality himself.
- 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.
- Knuckles is named differently in some languages:
- In the Lithuanian dub, he is called "Kumštis", which translates to "Fist".
- In the Estonian dub, he is known as "Nukid", which translates to "Knuckles".
- In the Latvian dub, he is known as "Dūre", which translates to "Fist".
- Sonic Drone Home marks the second time where Idris Elba does not voice Knuckles the Echidna in the Sonic Cinematic Universe, but Fred Tatasciore instead.
- The first being a deleted scene from Sonic 2.
- In an earlier version of the Labyrinth scene after Robotnik betrays him and stealing the Master Emerald, Knuckles would get depressed as a result of failing his mission and would attempt suicide by staying in the collapsing temple. but Sonic still refused to leave him behind and saved his life.[14]
- When going to fight Shadow the Hedgehog in London in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Shadow completely twists Knuckles' hand, and Knuckles finally figures out what it's like to have his hand get hurt, just like he did with Dr. Robotnik, Agent Stone, and Sonic in Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ Idris Elba on Twitter. Twitter (10 August 2021). Archived from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved on 10 August 2021.
- ↑ 公開日が8月19日(金)に決定＆日本語吹替予告映像が解禁！中川大志が再びソニックに！ (Japanese) (3 March 2022). Retrieved on 4 March 2022.
- ↑ EXCLUSIVE Interview Sonic 2 by Calvin CKN. YouTube. CKN Toys (28 March 2022). Retrieved on 28 March 2022.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Gatewood, Jon (22 December 2020). Sonic the Hedgehog 2: Production Start Date Uncovered And New Knuckles' Details: Exclusive. The Illuminerdi. Archived from the original on 14 January 2021. Retrieved on 29 January 2021.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Sonic the Hedgehog 2: The Official Movie Pre-Quill, "Always Bet On Red"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Sonic The Hedgehog 2 [4K UHD]. Amazon. Archived from the original on 24 April 2022. Retrieved on 24 April 2022.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Patches, Matt (10 December 2021). Idris Elba had a lot of questions about Knuckles’ motivations in Sonic 2. Polygon. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021. Retrieved on 11 December 2021.
- ↑ Zollner, Amelia (8 April 2022). Idris Elba Reveals His Original Idea For Knuckles In Sonic the Hedgehog 2. IGN. Retrieved on 8 April 2022.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Taccone, Jorma (26 April 2024). "The Flames of Disaster". Knuckles (TV series). Season 1. Episode 4. Paramount+.
- ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog 2: The Official Movie Pre-Quill, "Two For The Road"
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022) - "Official Trailer" - Paramount Pictures. YouTube. Paramount Pictures (10 December 2021). Retrieved on 10 December 2021.
- ↑ Manoj, Krishna (2021-02-09). Sonic The Hedgehog 2: Jason Momoa Offered Knuckles Voiceover Role: Exclusive.
- ↑ https://open.spotify.com/episode/7AmalU2ekBcKWc9D5j7524
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kgf3OY21_k
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