Knuckles' History

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A glimpse of the past

Hundreds of years ago, the echidna civilization was the most advanced on Mobius. They lived in a high-tech city called Echidnapolis, which they had built on a large island, surrounded on all sides by the Great River of Mobius. But one day a scientist couple discovered a giant White Comet approaching the planet, with the city as its target. To save their culture, they gathered the scientific elite in the Hall of Learning and brought forth a daring plan: they intended to use the power of Chaos Emeralds to make the island float, thus getting it out of the comet's path. So they scoured the countryside for Chaos Emeralds, and placed the twelve emeralds they had found into the Chaos Chamber deep underneath the island. The plan succeeded, and the 'Floating Island' was born. This was shown in Sonic issue #34, "A Sense Of History", part 1).

The White Comet on its way

Many generations passed since the Floating Island escaped the grip of gravity, and the echidnas learned to adapt. Then two brothers, Edmund and Dimitri, the great-great grandsons of the scientist couple who once made the island float, came up with a plan to re-unite it with the mainland. Since just removing the emeralds would cause the island to drop like a stone, they invented a device they called the "Chaos Syphon", which should slowly drain the emerald's energy and ensure a soft landing. But the scientific elite denied the plan, considering it too risky.

Dimitri with Chaos Syphon Disgruntled, Dimitri left the Hall of Learing, intending to execute the plan on his own, even without the approval of the other scientists. But in his hurry he increased the absorption rate of the Syphon too quickly, and in a giant explosion all but one emerald were destroyed. Their released energy was absorbed by Dimitri, turning him into a being with limitless power, a living Chaos Emerald. "Power enough to lay worlds to waste, or re-fashion them in my own image", as he states. And he created a massive dark tower to herald the fall of Echidna Civilization. The walls of this fortress he strengthened with a fraction of his own limitless power, making it withstand all attacks. This was shown in Sonic issue #35, "A Sense Of History", part 2).

The Dark Tower collapsing Dimitri took the chair members of the Scientist Council prisoner, intending to enslave the whole echidna civilization, and then the planet. But just as he reveled in triumph the tower around him started to crumble, because fire ants had eaten through its foundations. Dimitri was so shocked that mere ants were able to best his limitless powers that he didn't manage to get out in time, and was buried under the ruins of his own dark tower, whose remains were from then on known as "Mount Fate".

Since it was their sophisticated technology that enabled Dimitri to release the power of the Chaos Emeralds, the echidnas came to the conclusion that putting trust in nothing but science would sooner or later lead to the downfall of their civilization. So they renounced technology and tried to find a different way of living. The last surviving Chaos Emerald But since they couldn't deny their scientific achievements completely, they gathered samples and buried them in a vast underground city called the "Great Conservatory", beneath the shadow of Mount Fate, to preserve them for future generations. And to ensure that history wouldn't repeat itself, they appointed a guardian to stand watch over the surviving Chaos Emerald. Edmund was chosen to be the first guardian, a task which was then passed from generation to generation, through all his children, and finally to Knuckles. This was shown in Sonic issue #36, "A Sense Of History", part 3).

Steppenwolf & Menniker Many echidnas were not happy with the decision to give up technology, since this would simplify their society and force them to get used to a lower standard of living. Dimitri's son Menniker pretended to comply, but secretly used the advanced technology his father left him to found the Dark Legion, an organization bound to once again make the echidna civilization the most advanced on the planet.

Steppenwolf & Christopheles Edmund's son Steppenwolf found out about one of the secret conventions of the Legion and tried to investigate, but he was spotted and hunted down. His father managed to rescue him, but was shot by a member of the Legion. After this incident, a fire-ant named Christopheles brought Steppenwolf to Haven, a secret base of operation, where he trained him to be the next guardian.

Apparently the fire-ants had a very advanced civilization too, but chose to keep this secret from the echidnas and assist them 'from behind the scenes'. As their name implies, they are able to breathe fire, and can also communicate telepathically.

Having learned how to control the Chaos Emerald's energies with his mind, Steppenwolf returned to Echidnapolis and defeated the Dark Legion by opening a dimensional portal and sending them through it.

Steppenwolf defeating the Legion

All this was shown in flashbacks in "Knuckles - The Dark Legion", issues #1 - #3.

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The present-day guardian

Young Knuckles and his father Knuckles' father Locke left Knuckles when he was still a kid, after giving him some basic training how to think logically and defend the island from unwanted visitors. Locke now lives in Haven, where he secretly watches over Knuckles' progress through remote cameras. Although Locke did teach his son most of early echidna history, he also kept a lot of things secret from him, including the existence of Haven, so Knuckles still doesn't know where his father went to. This was shown in a flashback in the Super Sonic vs. Hyper Knuckles Special.

When Knuckles first met Sonic and Tails, Robotnik had already made him believe that they indended to steal his Chaos Emerald, so Knuckles captured them and insisted that they leave. But when he found out that the Chaos Emerald had already been taken by Robotnik, he teamed up with the two to get it back.

Sonic & Tails captured by Knuckles

This was shown in Sonic issue #13. Although Sonic and Knuckles had to fight side by side again several times in the future, Knuckles always kept wary when dealing with Sonic, never trusting him fully, until they finally became friends in Sonic issue #53.

Young Knuckles meets young Sally Long before his first confrontation with Sonic, Knuckles has met Sally, when her father took her with him to the Floating Island for a visit. But that was before Robotnik took over control, and both were at a very young age. This was shown in a flashback in Sonic issue #44.

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The Knuckles mini-series

Archimedes the fire-ant One day a fire-ant named Archimedes kidnapped the Chaotix Team. Knuckles' search lead him to Mount Fate and the Great Conservatory, where Archimedes had set up a test for him. By forcing Knuckles to use his skills and intelligence to get through all the traps and obstacles the ancient echidnas had installed to protect their heritage, he intended to find out if Knuckles was a worthy guardian and ready for the tasks that lie ahead. What Archimedes didn't know was that those actions would also free Dimitri, who had evolved during his long imprisonment beneath Mount Fate and turned into Enerjak, an immortal, eternal and indestructible being, with his dreams of conquest stronger than ever.

Enerjak took control over the Chaotix' minds and teleported Knuckles and Archimedes into the middle of the Sandopolis desert where they should starve or die of thirst.

Knuckles having a 'snack'

Knuckles in the Dark Tower While the two tried to get back, Enerjak used his powers to build a dark, corrupt reflection of the former Echidnapolis on the ruins where the city once stood: Nekronopolis. But Knuckles found the city and managed to sneak in, and with the combined efforts of Archimedes' fire-ant friends and Knuckles' father (who secretly lent a hand) Enerjak was banned from the planet and sent into space. Knuckles accepted Archimedes as his ally and 'mentor'. All this was shown in the Knuckles mini-series #1 - #3.

After the huge success, Knuckles was given his own ongoing comic.

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The regular Knuckles series

Kragok and the Legion In Knuckles #1 - #3, the Dark Legion returns to the Floating Island, intending to take over the island and its Chaos Emerald. They are led by Kragok (probably an ancestor of Menniker), an echidna with an artificial left eye and arm. Apparently all the members of the Dark Legion have body parts replaced with hi-tech components, since they worship technology. Knuckles and the Chaotix manage to drive them back for the time being.

In Knuckles #4 - #6, Knuckles is attacked by an outcast of the Legion who got separated from the others, and it turns out to be a girl named Julie-Su. When the Chaotix report earthquakes in the Marble Zone, both team up to check it out. They pass through a 'dimensional rift' and to their surprise appear in Echidnaopolis, buzzing with life.

Knuckles meets his mother In Echidnaopolis Knuckles gets to meet his mother, who apparently left his father when he was still a kid, because she was 'unable to cope with guardian traditions'.

Knuckles finds out that many years ago there was a war between Dingo City and Echidnaopolis, and guardian Hawking had to send both cities into alternate dimensions to protect them from the radioactivity caused by a nuclear strike initiated by the dingoes. For this purpose he invented the Hyper Zone Projector. But now that the projector's energy is wearing off, both cities are on a 'collision course' into the dimension from which they originated, literally 'merging into one another' for short periods of time, allowing its inhabitants to travel between the two.

The warlike dingoes take this opportunity to once again attack the echidnas. Hawking, who is still alive after all those years, manages to re-integrate Echidnaopolis into its original dimension by using Guardian Technology, while Knuckles and Julie-Su try to convince the dingo leader, General Stryker, to stop all hostile activities.

Julie-Su and Knuckles fight General Stryker

Dingo City doesn't survive, but all the dingoes are brought over to Echidnaopolis in time. Julie-Su and Knuckles become semi-friends.

In Knuckles #7, a new villain in town named Mammoth Mogul uses the power of a Chaos Emerald to return Enerjak to the Floating Island. Enerjak becomes leader of the Dark Legion, captures the Chaotix, and finally Knuckles.

Knuckles and Julie-Su meeting Enerjak

More story summarizes coming soon...

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