Knuckles

'Knuckles the Echidna|ナックルズ・ザ・エキドゥナ|Nakkuruzu za Ekiduna}} is a character in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. He is an anthropomorphic echidna and the current guardian of the Master Emerald, a powerful ancient gemstone which is kept on Angel Island. Guarding it is his solemn duty to protect from anyone seeking to abuse it, as well as the sole surviving descendant of the echidna race from the Knuckles Clan.Sumo Digital (23 February 2010). Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing. PlayStation 3. Sega. "Knuckles the Echidna - Knuckles is the guardian of the Master Emerald, which gives Angel Island its power to float in the sky. He is the last of the Echidnas - the island's native people. His name comes from his powerful fists, which allow him to punch through rock and make him a skilled burrower and climber. He can also use his dreadlocks to glide for short distances." Known for his powerful and wild nature, his dominant traits are his super strength and the two spike-like knuckles on each of his gloves, from which his name is derived from, and which he can dig and climb walls with. He can also trap the wind under his dreadlocks to glide through the air. Knuckles is also one of Sonic the Hedgehog's oldest friends and rivals.
A loner by nature, Knuckles is independent, headstrong, and serious, yet gullible and short-tempered to a fault. He is entirely devoted to his duty, spending most of his time on Angel Island protecting the Master Emerald, and rarely cares about anything that is of no importance. When his friends and others are in need of his help, however, Knuckles can always be relied on, being willing to leave his home very often.
Though usually depicted as the guardian of the Master Emerald, he was originally described as the guardian of Angel Island's seven Chaos Emeralds.Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Sega Mega Drive) Japanese instruction booklet, pgs. 34-36.
==Concept and creation==
Knuckles was created and designed by Takashi Yuda. During the conception of Sonic the Hedgehog 3, the development team wanted to create a new rival for Sonic. The final design of Knuckles was the result of dozens of possible designs inspired by numerous different animals and usage of the market research about American kids’ taste. There were eight different candidates with the most popular one being Knuckles with his dreadlocks. One design even planned Knuckles to be more “reptilian”, like a dinosaur due to the popularity of Jurassic Park at the time. Knuckles' long tail in the final design is stated to be a remnant from his early, more dinosaur-looking design. When it came to Knuckles' primary color, red and green were proposed candidates among the staff, while Yuji Naka was pushing towards purple. However, after conducting research on American children, it was revealed that red was overwhelmingly popular, thus being chosen for the character's color. The emphasis of the character was to break walls. 
Character designer Takashi Yuda never intended him to be any more than a "supporting character." Knuckles was introduced in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 as an "intimidator" because of his powerful abilities. He was given a headlining role in the next game, Sonic & Knuckles.
==Appearance==
Sonic Origins Knuckles.png|Knuckles before the Chaos incident, from Sonic Origins.
SA2 Outfit Knuckles Gothic.png|Knuckles in his "Battle" outfit from Sonic Adventure 2.
Hallowtheme Knuckles.png|Knuckles in his "Halloween" outfit from Sonic Adventure 2.
Xmastheme Knuckles.png|Knuckles in his "Christmas" outfit from Sonic Adventure 2.
SA2B art 3D outfit Knuckles.png|Knuckles in his "Jumpsuit" outfit from Sonic Adventure 2: Battle.
Knuckles 16.png|Knuckles after the Chaos incident, from Sonic Advance 3.
Sonic Riders Knuckles.png|Knuckles, from Sonic Riders.
Kunxrace.png|Knuckles in his "Race" outfit from Sonic Rivals 2.
Knuxman.png|Knuckles in his "Eggman" outfit from Sonic Rivals 2.
ARMORknux.png|Knuckles in his "Armor" outfit from Sonic Rivals 2.
Gladknuc.png|Knuckles in his "Gladiator" outfit from Sonic Rivals 2.
Mario & Sonic 2016 - Knuckles.png|Knuckles from Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Knuckles Tokyo.png|Knuckles from Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
Treasure Hunter Knuckles.png|Knuckles in his "Treasure Hunter Knuckles" outfit, from Sonic Forces: Speed Battle.
SSSCK.png|Knuckles in his "Camper" outfit from Sonic Speed Simulator
SSpeedSimulator-Adventure-Knuckles.png|Knuckles in his "Adventure" outfit from Sonic Speed Simulator
SSSREINDEERKNUXRENDER.png|Knuckles in his "Reindeer" outfit from Sonic Speed Simulator.
Portrait knuckles default.png|Knuckles from The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog.
Knuckles is an anthropomorphic echidna with red fur that covers most of his body, a black nose on his peach-skinned muzzle, a white crescent-shaped patch of fur on his chest, and purple eyes. He also has seven dreadlock-like spines around the sides and back of his head and a medium-sized, tri-crooked tail. For attire, Knuckles wears red and yellow shoes, each with green cuffs, light gray soles, and metallic, sextuple-bolted plates on top. He also wears large, white, mitten-like gloves with sock-like cuffs and two spiked knuckles on each hand.
In his younger years, Knuckles had black eyes, a more protruding chest, more defined cheekbones, and was shorter in height, but he has since grown out of these traits.
In the Sonic Riders series, Knuckles wears purple and light gray goggles with dark gray straps around his neck, and high-top tennis shoes similar to his standard shoes. He also wears his standard gloves with a dark gray band around each wrist.
==Personality==
Knuckles is independent, wild,Sonic Heroes (PlayStation 2) Japanese instruction booklet, pg. 13.Sonic Team (4 November 2010). Sonic Free Riders. Xbox 360. Sega. Area/level: Main menu. "Knuckles the Echidna - As tough as he is stubborn, this guardian of the Master Emerald is set to tackle the World Grand Prix with his usual wild passion." hot-blooded, tough, and a loner by nature. If Sonic embodies the wind that keeps blowing forward, then the echidna personifies the immobility of a mountain. Due to having lived in seclusion for most of his life, Knuckles is a rather antisocial and reclusive individual. As such, he cares very little about what others think, which makes him bluntly honest, straightforward, and somewhat egotistical.
Knuckles is fiercely loyal to Angel Island and does whatever is in his power to protect it. He prefers to stay close to the Master Emerald's shrine to keep a watchful eye over everything at his home. Despite this devotion, the echidna is willing to leave his duty whenever his help is needed. Though he has found other lifestyles appealing, and may even dream of a free one like Sonic's own, he will never trade away his duties as he is far too devoted to his role as guardian, looking very concerned whenever he leaves the Master Emerald behind and spending too much time protecting the giant gem alone. When not performing his duties, Knuckles prefers spending his time practicing his fighting skills, going treasure hunting, or hanging out with his friends.
Knuckles is usually solemn, stoic, and collected, and usually likes to be by himself. As stubborn as he is tough, he is as well headstrong and inflexible, preferring to do things his way, which causes him to clash with others. Regardless, he is very strong-willed, seldom wavering in his determination, and will not give up on his goals once he has set them. While he is cool and determined in battle, the echidna has an extremely short and wild temper and is hard to reason with when he is angry,Sonic Team, Dimps (15 November 2005). Sonic Rush. Nintendo DS. Sega. Area/level: World Map (Sonic). "Sonic: You know, when Knuckles is angry... It's always difficult to talk to him." which has more than once gotten him into trouble.
Despite being a silent loner, Knuckles is a heroic, brave, kind-hearted, and selfless soul. While unwilling to forgive evil people, he will risk his own life to save anyone or get them out of trouble and shows empathy for others. He is likewise a loyal and caring friend, who is always willing to help his friends out in tight situations and will do anything to protect them. When not angered, the echidna is pretty laid-back and never cracks under pressure. He can also be very understanding of the sly and does not take kindly to people who disrespect or hurt his friends, or innocents, in any way.
Having been living much of his life in isolation, Knuckles grew up believing in honesty and holds a firm and steadfast belief that there is good in everyone, which always lets him give people second chances. Because of his lack of social ingenuity, however, it makes him very naive, incredibly gullible, fast about forgiving people, and easily misled, which has given him a history of being tricked by Dr. Eggman. This has made the echidna aggressive and suspicious towards anyone he deems questionable. Over time, however, Knuckles has gotten better about this and is more suspicious concerning the doctor's trickery. Once he finds out he has been tricked, he can get quite angered, but quickly regains enough of his composure to start working towards a resolution immediately.
Though not dull-witted, Knuckles is often prone to rash and ill-advised actions. While not above picking complex strategies, he often chooses force to be the solution, pushing himself through obstacles while focusing on his goal and ignoring other factors along the way. Similarly, he can also be quite reckless when panicking about the Master Emerald, such being especially evident during the Space Colony ARK incident, where he ended up fighting Sonic for the controls of the space shuttle and causing it to crash land as well as abandoning his allies out of a panic due to the Master Emerald shards being lost to space from a collision with a meteor forcing the cargo bay to open. When in his right element, however, Knuckles can be quite clever, sharp-witted, and sneaky, such as setting several successful traps for Sonic and Tails on Angel Island when they first arrived. He is also capable of learning from his mistakes. Knuckles has also proven himself to have a high degree of leadership skills, most noticeably during his time as the commander of the Resistance. He is noted to be very charismatic with inspirational speeches, and he has a flair of daring plans that provided the Resistance with a much-needed offensive during the War to Take Back the Planet. However, for all his skills as a leader, Knuckles is still easily distracted and prefers to be out on the battlefield rather than in the command center. While he would never admit it, Knuckles has become a bit envious of the lifestyle that Sonic has, being able to live carefree without anything holding him in one place. Even so, Knuckles would never trade away his duties to live Sonic's life, far too devoted to his role as guardian. 
Knuckles is said to be shy around women.Sonic Jam (Sega Saturn) Knuckles the Echidna profile. Also, due to his secluded lifestyle on Angel Island, Knuckles feels very uncomfortable in industrialized or crowded cities and places,Sonic Team (23 December 1998). Sonic Adventure. Dreamcast. Sega. Area/level: Station Square. "Knuckles: I hate big cities."Sonic Team (23 December 1998). Sonic Adventure. Dreamcast. Sega. Area/level: Station Square. "Knuckles: This place is noisy!" especially if they do not have any vegetationSonic Team (6 February 2004). Sonic Heroes. PlayStation 2. Sega. Area/level: Grand Metropolis (Team Sonic). "Knuckles: I don't like this place. There's no living plants." or are littered with bright lights.Sonic Team (6 February 2004). Sonic Heroes. PlayStation 2. Sega. Area/level: BINGO Highway (Team Sonic). "Knuckles: Everything's twinkling and bright! I hate it!"
Knuckles seems to have lightened up on later adventures, such as the Time Eater incident and the War to Take Back the Planet. While he still sometimes displays a brooding, headstrong, and stubborn attitude, he is shown to be better at acknowledging his shortcomings and displays more personal restraint and better social interaction.
==Powers and abilities==
Being the guardian of the Master Emerald, Knuckles is a very powerful, seasoned fighter. Said to be an unstoppable power in fights, he is capable of taking on even the most powerful of opponents without rest. He has even been able to fight figures like Sonic, Rouge, Shadow, Silver, and Metal Sonic to a standstill.
Knuckles' trademark ability is his superhuman strength. Possessing lots of power, he is strong enough to pulverize massive boulders, punch through solid steel, and lift objects several times his size and weight with ease. By comparison, Knuckles' strength is stated to equal Sonic's speed; considering the hedgehog's measured footspeed, which is known to surpass Mach 1, it would mean that Knuckles is capable of lifting over 100 metric tons.Calculation: Knuckles' strength predicated on Sonic's running:A 100-ton object requires a force that is at least equal to 1,000,000 newtons
:Force x distance = Work = Energy
To figure out the number of joules Sonic produces when moving Mach 1, we use the Kinetic Energy formula, which is 1/2 x M X V^2; thus 0.5 x 35
:(Sonic's mass in kilograms) x 340^2 (Mach 1), which would be equal 2,026,452 joules
Work needed to lift a 100-ton object for a distance of 2 meters is also 2 million joules, therefore, if Knuckles' strength is equal to Sonic's speed, then he should have enough energy to lift a 100-ton object 2 meters. This makes the echidna one of the physically strongest characters in the series. His strength seems to lie in his upper body, particularly in his arms and fists, the former of which boasting enormous strengthSonic Adventure (Dreamcast) Japanese instruction booklet, pg. 24. and latter being as hard as rocks.Sonic Rivals 2 (PlayStation Portable) United States instruction booklet, pg. 7. Another testament to Knuckles' strength is that by just punching the ground, he can create fissures, widespread tremors, and even powerful volcanic eruptions.Sonic Heroes (PlayStation 2) United States instruction booklet, pg. 18. Additionally, he can punch with his fists or throw objects through the air with such force that they ignite from friction. He can even launch punches with such force that they create explosions of enormous power.Sonic Team, Sonic Team USA (27 February 2004). Sonic Battle. Game Boy Advance. Sega. "Deep Impact - Knuckles's ground power. His Vigorous Straight Punch causes explosions with its enormous power." Despite his main strength lying in his upper body, however, Knuckles' legs are quite powerful too, as he can jump several stories into the air from a standstill position.Sonic Team (3 May 2002). Sonic Adventure 2: Battle. Nintendo GameCube. Sega. Cutscene: Enter Knuckles.
Knuckles is able to run at breakneck speeds that almost match Sonic's,Sonic Team (27 January 2004). Sonic Heroes. Xbox. Sega. Level/Area: Ending sequence (Last story). who can reach supersonic running speeds. He is even able to run fast enough to create afterimages of himself and scale vertical surfaces and ceilings. Even so, he is not quite as fast as Sonic at his maximum speed, as Knuckles is noted to run fairly slow by comparison. Knuckles is also fast enough to execute rapid punches in quick succession within a split-second,Sonic Team (21 February 2006). Sonic Riders. Nintendo GameCube. Sega. Level/Area: Opening sequence. although he has been noted to have slow movements in combat.Sonic Team, Sonic Team USA (27 February 2004). Sonic Battle. Game Boy Advance. Sega. Area/Level: Holy Summit (Sonic's Episode). "Sonic: Don't worry. He's got lots of power, but his moves are simple to read. Watch for an opening, then hit him with a combo attack!"
Knuckles possesses near-maximized physical durability. Testaments to this include him surviving a bomb exploding right in front of him through sheer toughness,Sonic Team, Sega Technical Institute (18 October 1994). Sonic & Knuckles. Sega Mega Drive. Sega. Area/Level: Opening sequence (Knuckles' story). and him going through atmospheric entry and then landing on the ground unharmed.Sonic Team, Dimps (28 March 2003). Sonic Advance 2. Game Boy Advance. Sega. Area/Level: Ending sequence (Knuckles' story). In addition, despite the force of the impacts his fists receive when punching at high forces, Knuckles is never phased by the recoil, regardless of what he hits or how hard he is hitting. Knuckles is also shown to have sharp reflexes and acrobatic skills, enough to let him do special tricks and movements while in mid-air, pull off various Spin Attack maneuvers at high speed, and grind along rails just as fast as Sonic while doing tricks and evading obstacles.Sonic Team (27 January 2004). Sonic Heroes. Xbox. Sega. Level/Area: Opening.
Unlike Sonic, Knuckles is a good swimmer, being able to swim into incredible depths and with both great speed and skill. Thanks to the spikes on his fists, he is also a skilled burrower, being able to dig like a gopher into any wall or floor and tunnel through subterranean regions at great speed.Sonic Team (11 November 2011). Sonic Generations. PC. Sega. Area/Level: Knuckles: Horde of Enemies. These spikes also make him a skilled climber, as they allow him to plant his fists into any surface and scale them. In addition, the echidna is an expert at gliding,Sonic Team, Sonic Team USA (27 February 2004). Sonic Battle. Game Boy Advance. Sega. "Grinder Attack - Knuckles's air action. He's an expert at gliding." which he can easily do by using his dreadlocks.
Knuckles possesses the uncanny ability to sense energy, specifically the one produced by the Chaos Emeralds and the Master Emerald or similar ones, such as those contained in the Sol Emeralds.Sonic Team (27 June 2003). Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut. Nintendo GameCube. Sega. Area/Level: Egg Carrier. "Knuckles: I can sense the Emeralds are here somewhere!"Sonic Team (27 June 2003). Sonic Adventure DX: Director's Cut. Nintendo GameCube. Sega. Area/Level: Egg Carrier. "Knuckles: I sense the Master Emerald. It can't be far from here."Sonic Team (3 May 2002). Sonic Adventure 2: Battle. Nintendo GameCube. Sega. Cutscene: Last Chance. "Knuckles: I feel some strange energy..."Sonic Team, Dimps (15 November 2005). Sonic Rush. Nintendo DS. Sega. Area/Level: Zone Map (Blaze). "Knuckles: Hmph! Why do you look so suspicious? What do you have in your hands? / Blaze: Hmm...! / Knuckles: I sense a familiar power... Do you have Chaos Emeralds? / Blaze: (Chaos Emeralds?) (Are there gems here akin to the Sol Emeralds?)" and can track down their "signals" like an Emerald Detector. Like Sonic and Shadow, Knuckles can also harness the power of the Chaos Emeralds to empower himself. As its guardian, Knuckles is also the only person alive who knows how to control the Master Emerald, which allows him to utilize the jewel's different powers or tap into its vast energies to empower himself. Other more mystical abilities Knuckles has exhibited include summoning lightning bolts, harnessing earth elementals to heal himself,Sonic Team, Sonic Team USA (27 February 2004). Sonic Battle. Game Boy Advance. Sega. "Knuckles Heal - Knuckles' heal skill. Uses earth elementals to heal damage." and using the supernatural power of the earth to make rocks fall from the sky.Sonic Team, Sonic Team USA (27 February 2004). Sonic Battle. Game Boy Advance. Sega. "Meteor Crush - Knuckles' air shot. He makes rocks fall from the sky using the supernatural power of the earth."
Knuckles is also able to perform the Spin Attack, a technique where he curls into a concussive ball or cutting disk and directs himself at his targets. With it, Knuckles can shred or burrow through just about any substance given enough speed. Adept in its usage, Knuckles can utilize several variants of the Spin Attack for both ground- and aerial maneuvers, including the Spin Dash, Spin Jump, and Homing Attack.
Even without his Spin Attack, Knuckles is a skilled hand-to-hand combatant. A master in a number of martial artsSonic Heroes (PlayStation 2) United States instruction booklet, pg. 5. focusing on hand-to-hand combat, Knuckles makes use of his powerful fists to take on his foes, with his specialty lying in punching moves where he uses his spiked fists for devastating blows. In terms of fighting style, Knuckles focuses on power, using straight, repetitive and forceful punches, such as power-packed jabs or piercing uppercuts to deal critical blows to his opponents. For stronger strikes, Knuckles tends to build up momentum with his fists by swinging them around, before hitting his opponent in full force. By taking advantage of his burrowing abilities, Knuckles can even hide underground before hitting opponents with an uppercut from below when his opponent least expects it. Despite being a powerhouse, however, most of Knuckles' fighting moves are slow and easy to read.
Knuckles is an expert treasure hunter and can be considered one of the best in the world, if not the best.Sonic Team (3 May 2002). Sonic Adventure 2: Battle. Nintendo GameCube. Sega. "Sonic: We're counting on you buddy! The world's greatest treasure hunter!" Also, while not highly intelligent, Knuckles is well-versed in ancient cultures, ruins, and legends, such as when he was able to translate the ancient Babylonian texts at Gigan Rocks during the MeteorTech incident.
Knuckles is also a skilled Extreme Gear rider, having proven himself a worthy competitor against many of the world's best Extreme Gear riders. To best put his skills in perspective, Knuckles was able to beat Storm the Albatross in a race, who is regarded as a "wind master". When riding his Extreme Gear, Knuckles can bash his way through obstacles effortlessly and engage in close combat with his fellow racers without losing control. With his Extreme Gear, Knuckles can even enhance his physical abilities.Sonic Free Riders (Xbox 360) United States instruction booklet, pg. 10.
When it comes down to it, Knuckles is also shown to have very competent leadership skills. During the War to Take Back the Planet, he was able to lead the Resistance for several months against the Eggman Empire and even come up with war strategies of his own. 
As seen during Dodon Pa's Grand Prix, Knuckles has excellent skills when it comes to driving and racing in racecars like the Land Breaker. Along those lines, Knuckles has also demonstrated some rudimentary piloting knowledge of more advanced crafts, having once piloted the Egg Saucer,Sonic Team, Dimps (3 February 2002). Sonic Advance 2. Game Boy Advance. THQ. Area/Level: Sky Canyon Boss Attack. and a Space Shuttle from Eggman's base to the Space Colony ARK (albeit in a more dangerous manner for half the journey due to panic over losing his Emerald Shards).Sonic Team (3 May 2002). Sonic Adventure 2: Battle. Nintendo GameCube. Sega. Cutscene: Cutscene 1 (Last Story). "Sonic: Heh, just letting Knuckles pilot the shuttle all the way over here, was more dangerous than you could ever be!"
===Equipment===
Although he prefers to let his fists do the talking, Knuckles has wielded a number of tools during his adventures, albeit never permanently. During the Emerl incident for example, he made use of deployable landmines, and amidst the Gemerl incident, he would wield his own version of the Piko Piko Hammer.
===Transformations===
====Super Knuckles====
With the seven Chaos Emeralds, Knuckles is able to attain a Super State known as Super Knuckles. In this state, all of Knuckles' abilities far surpass his normal ones. In addition, he is able to fly and is virtually invulnerable. However, this transformation consumes a lot of energy and requires Rings to be maintained.
====Hyper Knuckles====
In Sonic 3 & Knuckles, Knuckles can transform into an extended version of Super Knuckles, called Hyper Knuckles, with the seven Super Emeralds. This form basically shares the same abilities and powers as Super Knuckles but on an even higher level.
====Color Powers====
By harnessing different variants of Hyper-go-on from Wisps, Knuckles can use specific Color Powers to transform into a certain form, such as a drill, a laser, or even a planet, each one possessing its own unique abilities. So far, Knuckles has been able to transform into the Cyan Laser, Yellow Drill, and Indigo Asteroid. However, these transformations require a steady supply of Hyper-go-on to be maintained.
==Relationships==
===Sonic the Hedgehog===
Sonic the Hedgehog is Knuckles' rival and best friend.Sonic Advance 3 (Game Boy Advance) United States instruction booklet, pg. 12. While they have known each other for a long time, their relationship is somewhat complicated, the two of them having been summed up as "best frenemies."Sega (23 June 2016). Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Wii U. Nintendo. Area/Level: Collectibles (Flags). "A red echidna that boasts some serious muscle, Knuckles is what one might call 'best frenemies' with Sonic." When the echidna first met the hedgehog, the two had the worst kind of encounter, with the former trying to keep the latter from stopping the Death Egg's re-launch after Dr. Robotnik had deceived him into thinking that Sonic was a thief seeking the Master Emerald. As such, they started off as adversaries. However, when Knuckles discovered that the doctor had tricked him, he joined forces with the hedgehog to stop his nemesis. Afterward, they parted ways on good terms.
Because of their first impressions of each other and their personalities and competing feelings, Knuckles and Sonic were not initially "good friends" to begin with. In fact, they are much like oil and water. While the echidna exemplifies the mountain and is stern, serious, and unmovable, the hedgehog exemplifies the wind and is laid-back, cool, and free. As such, they tend to argue a lot. They likewise share a competitive rivalry with each other and it usually comes to blows when they clash, although their confrontations have become less serious in recent times, and are now more of a form of slapstick between the two. In fact, the more they fight, the better they get along. With Knuckles' strength matching Sonic's speed perfectly, their battles are anything from climactic to just plain funny.
Knuckles sees himself as Sonic's rival, though it has been implied it is because he envies the hedgehog's free lifestyle and self-reliant nature. Being as egotistical as he is as well, the echidna sees himself as Sonic's better, as seen during the Lost Hex incident where he claimed more than once that he could do better than his friend on his adventure. Also, because of his short temper, Knuckles usually falls for the hedgehog's teasing and provocations directed at him, which causes him to lose his cool and get angry at him. This tends to make him seek outright brawls with Sonic to put him in his place, and not wanting to talk about him at all. The hedgehog also manages to find a way to get Knuckles involved in his skirmishes very often, which the echidna finds very annoying. Nevertheless, he is willing to admit that one rarely gets bored with Sonic.
Due to his lack of social abilities in the past, Knuckles used to fall for the deceit of Dr. Robotnik, later known as "Eggman", very often, which, in turn, would be the cause of most of his confrontations with Sonic, although as time passed, he has generally become more aware of the doctor's plans and has stopped believing his claims regarding the hedgehog. When the echidna discovers he has been deceived by Eggman though, he usually tries to hide his embarrassment from Sonic,Sonic Team (27 February 2004). Sonic Battle. Game Boy Advance. Sega. Area/level: Emerald City (Knuckles' Episode). "Tails: Welcome back! You guys were gone a while! W-what happened?! You both look horrible! / Knuckles: Heh heh... [...] (Hey, Emerl! Let's just keep the fact that Eggman tricked me our little secret, ok?) / Emerl: (Sure thing, partner!) It's a secret, but my partner got tricked by Eggman again! A secret! Right, partner?! / Knuckles: Why you...!!!! / Sonic: Hey, guys! Looks like you're all having fun! / Emerl: Hey! Sonic! Hey, Sonic! Guess what! It's a secret, but Knuckles got fooled by Eggman again! / Knuckles: Emerl!!!!" who in turn tends to chide him by calling him "Knucklehead", a nickname that does not sit well with Knuckles.Sonic Team, Dimps (9 March 2003). Sonic Advance 2. Game Boy Advance. Sega.
In contrast to their differences, after having been on several adventures together, Knuckles and Sonic's relationship has improved, with the former seeing him more and more as his friend. Likewise, they have always rushed to each other's aid when they are in a pinch. The two of them are connected by a hot-blooded friendship and while they still argue and complain about each other from time to time, they are perfectly synchronized in the heat of action. Details aside, they also have a connection that lets them understand what is really important without saying anything to each other. In fact, when it all comes down to it, Knuckles can be considered Sonic's best friend next to Tails. It can even be argued that the two of them are as close to each other as Sonic and Tails are, as the nature of their rivalry/quarreling friendship lets them have a relationship that does not require any hesitation. Also, according to Tails, Sonic and Knuckles are "funny" together.Sonic Team, Dimps (12 November 2010). Sonic Colors. Nintendo DS. Sega. Cutscene: Mission 3-2: Success. "Tails: So, um, Knuckles? How'd he [Eggman] trick you this time? / Knuckles: He didn't trick me, okay?! / Sonic: Yeah, but how did he do it? / Knuckles: HE DIDN'T! / Sonic: All right, all right, yeesh. Don't get mad. / Tails: You guys are always so funny together."
While Knuckles is impressed by Sonic's skills on some level, respects him, and believes him to be a "good guy" and his friend,Sonic Team (9 September 1998). Sonic Adventure. Dreamcast. Sega. Area/level: Story Screens (Knuckles' story). "Knuckles: Now, why is Sonic collecting the pieces of the Master Emerald? Personally, I've got respect for him. I think he's a good guy, but if I have to, I'll take him out to protect the Master Emerald! Sonic, come get some!" he prefers not to admit it when he needs his help; as seen during the Time Eater incident, after the hedgehog restored the echidna from a lifeless state, the latter thanked him for his help before quickly stating that he did not need it.Sonic Team (4 November 2011). Sonic Generations. PlayStation 3. Sega. Cutscene: Rescuing Knuckles (Modern). "Knuckles: Thanks for the help. Not that I needed it. But it's good to have my sanctuary back!" At the end of the same incident, Knuckles also begrudgingly admitted that Sonic was not "half-bad" after defeating the Time Eater, showcasing a reluctance to admit how well Sonic does. Despite it all though, the echidna and the hedgehog deeply acknowledge each other. The two are also great and loyal teammates. In addition to Knuckles being a vital part of Sonic's team, the two of them have been called "Fighting Buddies" on one occasion. Noticeably, when they do manage to work together, they form an unstoppable team. Additionally, the echidna is always happy to help out the hedgehog if it means scrambling Eggman's plans for world domination.
===Miles "Tails" Prower===
Miles "Tails" Prower is a close friend of Knuckles. Although they do not seem to have much of a relationship in the earlier games, when they first met, Knuckles and Tails were enemies, as Dr. Robotnik had tricked the echidna into believing Tails and Sonic were intruders seeking the Master Emerald for evil purposes, though they become friends when Knuckles discovers that Robotnik had lied to him.
Knuckles shows a more amicable attitude towards Tails, particularly compared to his interactions with Sonic and others, although the fox may occasionally irritate the echidna with his technobabble.Sonic Team (21 February 2006) Sonic Riders. Nintendo GameCube. Sega. Cutscene: Before Splash Canyon. "Knuckles: Still, how can a plank like that [the Extreme Gear] just float? / Tails: That's easy to explain. According to the Kutta-Joukowski Lift Theorem, the control surface flow is balanced by the inverse kinetics of the-- / Knuckles: STOP!! I get it, okay?! It just floats and that's good enough for me!" Additionally, by the time of Starfall Islands incident, Tails' manners had begun to imitate Sonic's due to having spent so much time with him, much to Knuckles' displeasure. However, the echidna seems to enjoy teasing his friend from time to time, such as when he scared him with the idea that Team Sonic had fought with Shadow's ghost just before entering Hang Castle during the Neo Metal Sonic incident.Sonic Team (6 February 2004). Sonic Heroes. PlayStation 2. Sega. Cutscene: Before Hang Castle (Team Sonic). "Tails: Sonic, you sure this is the right way? / Sonic: I saw Shadow and Eggman head this way. This has gotta be the right way. / Tails: But it's so spooky here. / Knuckles: Maybe... that's the ghost of Shadow we saw earlier. / Tails: Whaaa...! Stop it, Knuckles!" Nevertheless, the echidna does care about Tails, attempting (with little success) to defend him from Wave's taunts during the first EX World Grand Prix.Sonic Team (21 February 2006) Sonic Riders. Nintendo GameCube. Sega. Cutscene: Before Splash Canyon. "Amy: Oh that girl [Wave]! Who does she think she is?! / Sonic: Yeah! How can she just walk in and diss Tails? / Knuckles: I know! And tinkering's all he's really good at, too."
===Amy Rose===
Amy Rose has only been seen interacting with Knuckles on very rare occasions, although they seem to have an awkward, yet at the same time, friendly relationship. During the War to Take Back the Planet, they were teammates as part of the Resistance. Although they got along well, Amy had to keep Knuckles in check at times.
===Dr. Eggman===
Dr. Eggman is Knuckles' worst enemy. They first met during the Angel Island incident, where the doctor, at the time carrying the name "Dr. Robotnik", tricked the echidna into believing that Sonic and Tails were thieves trying to steal the Chaos Emeralds. At the last second, however, Knuckles could see through the villain's lie and joined the hedgehog's side to stop him. In the later crises that arose though, the echidna, due to his gullible nature, was still occasionally manipulated by the scientist in his favor, which made him feel very embarrassed when Sonic found out about it.
More recently, Knuckles has shown a very hostile and rough attitude towards Eggman; during the MeteorTech incident, he had a complete refusal at first to believe any words that came from the doctor's mouth concerning the global MeteorTech rampage. Soon after, he was even willing to physically threaten Eggman to extract information or when he seemed to have sprung a trap.Sonic Team, CRI Middleware (22 February 2008). Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity. PlayStation 2. Sega. Cutscene: Before Aquatic Capital (Team Heroes). "Knuckles: What went flying just now? / Eggman: Do I look like a ball to you?! / Sonic: Eggman?! What are you doing here?! / Eggman: What do you mean? I own this company [MeteorTech]! Ahh ha ha ha ha! / Sonic: What!? So you're the ringleader behind this one too, Eggman? / Eggman: Ringleader? What the devil are you babbling about? / Sonic: Come on, cut the act. I'm talking about the global robot rampage! / Eggman: You must be joking. That's been quite a headache for me as well. / Knuckles: Like we'll believe anything you say! / Eggman: Calm down. We go way back, don't we? I'll let you in on something. Not even I know why are they've gone amok, but they appear to be following a leader. / Sonic: A leader?! ...Well, I guess for now we'll buy that Eggman isn't involved. / [...] / Eggman: Wh-Where did you get that [an Ark of the Cosmos]?! / Sonic: So you were holding out on us, Eggman! / Knuckles: Spill everything you know. Now! / Eggman: Very well. I'll tell you..."
===Shadow the Hedgehog===
Knuckles and Shadow do not have much interaction with each other, but when they do, they are either allies or rivals. They started off as indirect enemies in Sonic Adventure 2 because Shadow impersonated Sonic and had him thrown in jail at Prison Island as well as being associated with his own arch-rival, Rouge. Toward the end of the game, they became allies when they had to save the planet from the Space Colony ARK. 
The first real fight between them happened in Sonic Heroes when Team Dark provoked Team Sonic into battling them, although Shadow did not remember Knuckles and his teammates. After the fight, Knuckles jokingly mentioned that they might have fought Shadow's ghost and scared Tails. 
In Shadow the Hedgehog Knuckles appears in Glyphic Canyon, Central City, and Black Comet stages asking for Shadow's help in Hero missions. 
In Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) he and Shadow were loosely allies in the game, and they worked together again for a time in order to return to the present and save all of reality from Solaris in the end. 
Shadow and Knuckles appear to have some bitter resentment towards each other as seen in Sonic Rivals when Shadow bluntly pointed out that Knuckles was useless for his shortcomings while retaining an indifferent attitude towards his challenges, whilst Knuckles, briefly trying to be cordial, was irritated by Shadow's haughty presence. In Sonic Rivals 2, Shadow is willing to hinder Knuckles' search for the Master Emerald to keep him from getting the Chaos Emerald while indecisively refusing to explain his motives, even starting a fight with him, ultimately leading Knuckles to mistakenly assume he was involved in the Master Emerald's disappearance. Knuckles seems to find Shadow and his smug demeanor annoying, and it is likely that Shadow's inflated ego tends to rub Knuckles the wrong way, and examples of this is seen in Sonic Free Riders when Knuckles pointed out that Shadow had a big ego in a rather annoyed tone after Team Dark beat Team Babylon and remarked to Tails he and Rouge weren't ones for team loyalty as they showed no compassion for E-10000B. Even so, Knuckles possesses respect for Shadow, cheering him in his fight against Devil Doom in Shadow the Hedgehog. In Sonic Forces, Knuckles was shocked to hear about Shadow causing trouble in Sunset Heights, wondering why he would "work for the enemy". As it turned out that the real Shadow was not working with Eggman, Knuckles fought alongside him in the penultimate battle against the Eggman Empire as an ally. Overall, Knuckles and Shadow's relationship revolves around their goals.
In Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, Knuckles and Shadow teamed up to compete with Princess Peach and Yoshi at the Badminton court. They seemed to have ignored each other after they lost, with Knuckles being ashamed at his loss while Shadow claiming he would have won if it was just him, a stark contrast to the latter's partnership with Silver in the 3DS version of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
===Vector the Crocodile===
Knuckles and Vector are on good terms with each other, having been friends since the Chaos Ring incident. However, they do not interact often with one another in the present day. Regardless, Vector gave advice to Knuckles when Team Sonic was fighting Metal Overlord, apparently acknowledging his great power.Sonic Team (6 February 2004). Sonic Heroes. PlayStation 2. Sega. Level/Area: Metal Overlord. "Vector: We have to counter the battleships he throws with power! Knuckles... Show him your powerful punches, OK? Don't hold back anything!"
In Sonic Free Riders, the two did not have a friendly relationship, as Knuckles felt underwhelmed having to race against Vector and the rest of Team Rose, treating them like a joke as he was irritated by their loud behavior. Although Vector managed to defeat Knuckles one time, the echidna still said he would not get far with brute force, enraging the crocodile.
In Sonic Forces, the two were comrades in the game, and they appeared to work very well together, as Vector was a high-ranking member of the Resistance. The two also appeared to have considerable respect for each other, and Vector unsurprisingly appreciated Knuckles for his aggressive (yet sometimes short-sighted) generalshipSonic Team (7 November 2017). Sonic Forces. PlayStation 4. Sega. Level/Area: Capital City. "Vector: Ha! Great speech! Let's give Eggman an old-fashioned beat down!" considering Vector's own liking of non-peaceful methods.
In the Nintendo 3DS version of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games, they trained together prior to the Olympics and later teamed up to track down Bowser. They also have a special winning animation in Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games and Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
===Rouge the Bat===
Rouge the Bat is Knuckles' primary rival. Knuckles and Rouge have been fighting over the Master Emerald since the two first met. Rouge was designed to be Knuckles' compatibility just like how Shadow was designed to be Sonic's compatibility when it comes to basic rivalry and skills.
In Sonic Adventure 2, they became enemies when they met because Rouge had stolen the Master Emerald from him and was later working with Shadow and Eggman. Also, Knuckles purposely shatters the Master Emerald to save it from Dr. Eggman. Knuckles and Rouge both go looking for its pieces. Eventually, Knuckles has to hunt Rouge down for the remaining pieces, and the two have their final confrontation at the level, Meteor Herd. But at a standstill, he saves her life instead after she slips on a narrow beam and was about to fall into a burning pit of lava. After the rescue, Rouge and Knuckles share a long moment gazing at each other, before Rouge snatches her hand away and retorts with ungratefulness and teasing. In the end, Rouge gives him the remaining pieces of the Master Emerald and stubbornly complains that "they stink like echidnas do!". Knuckles gathers the shards to complete the Emerald and glances over to her, muttering "I'm sorry if I hurt you..." and runs off. Before the scene fades out, Rouge gives a thoughtful smile over her shoulder before exiting.
In Sonic Heroes, at the end of Team Dark's story, Rouge commented that she would go look for the Master Emerald, "since that irritating echidna is here." However, in the last scene, she went to Knuckles and coquettishly hinted about going to look for someone else's treasure. Knuckles smiles and says "She never gives up, does she?"
In Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), Rouge and Knuckles were bitter allies during their mission to travel back to the present day but joined up with him to collect the seven Chaos Emeralds to bring Sonic back to life.
In Sonic Rivals 2, the two teamed up. Rouge's reason for this is because she had a mysterious client who told her that if she found all the Emeralds, she would be rewarded. She teamed up with Knuckles in search of the identity of her client. They fight the Ifrit to get back to normal depending on which side you play. Knuckles also asked Rouge if she was alright when they won against the Ifrit, showing his concern for her, and the only reason why he fights her in the last level is because she's struggling to break free from mind control.
In Sonic Colors, Knuckles explains to Rouge that he is at Starlight Carnival because he received an invitation from Dr. Eggman but proving that he did not get tricked. Rouge tells him that the invitation was written by her, causing Knuckles to burst into anger.
In Sonic Generations, Knuckles and Rouge oddly seem to be friendly to each other at the party, as they are seen setting the table, eating, smiling, and talking to each other. They are also friendly with each other in Sonic Forces, and Rouge holds no qualms with being a spy under Knuckles' command, even acknowledging him as "boss".
In Team Sonic Racing, in Dodon Pa's Grand Prix, Knuckles, and Rouge's rivalry is shown most friendly. Despite the instance of him ramming her in a race between their teamsTeam Sonic Racing One-shot, they are able to be amiable with Rouge throwing some playful banter.
===Blaze the Cat===
Knuckles first met Blaze when Cream wanted Blaze to be friends with him. Knuckles was initially very friendly and cordial towards Blaze before he noticed Blaze holding a few Sol Emeralds, which he mistook for Chaos Emeralds. He, therefore, gave Blaze advice to give them to Sonic. Blaze got angry at Knuckles and told him that she did not have any Chaos Emeralds. Knuckles then got angry at her and accused her of lying, and then made an attempt to attack her. Blaze dodged Knuckles' attack and knocked him out, leaving him to lie in a crevice. When Knuckles regained consciousness, he developed a loathing towards Blaze and wanted revenge. When they met once again, Knuckles nearly started a fight with Blaze, but he was stopped by Amy. Cream also convinced Blaze that Knuckles was actually a "nice guy", which made Blaze feel relieved. Soon, Knuckles let go of his grudge and befriended Blaze.
===Storm the Albatross===
When Knuckles and Storm the Albatross met, Knuckles punched Storm really hard while the latter was trying to commit a theft, which caused Storm to fall from his Extreme Gear. Ever since then, the two have been rivals over who is the stronger man. When Storm lost against Knuckles in the World Grand Prix, he falsely accused him of having cheated. In Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity, the two also showed a spark of anger when they saw each other again. In this encounter, Knuckles thought of Storm as a "meathead" while Storm wanted to settle the score between them, causing great tension between the two. 
===Silver the Hedgehog===
Knuckles and Silver the Hedgehog appear to have a friendly relationship with a small rivalry between the two. Although they do not have much interaction with each other, they have had heated battles with one another occasionally. Knuckles initially showed his dislike of Silver when he first met him, mainly because he thought that he was pompous and stuck-up. Silver's haughty and prickly attitude also tended to annoy Knuckles. However, they later put aside their differences and willingly teamed up together. In Sonic Forces, Knuckles was the first-person Silver warned about Eggman's attack, which led to the War to Take Back the Planet. In the game, Knuckles and Silver appear to be on very good terms with each other and work very well together. In fact, Silver appeared to be one of Knuckles' most trusted lieutenants, an indication that Knuckles has considerable respect for Silver.
===Friends/allies===
*Amy Rose
*Avatar
*Big the Cat
*Bomb (Knuckles' Chaotix)
*Blaze the Cat
*Cheese
*Cream the Rabbit
*Conductor
*Conductor's wife
*Dodon Pa
*E-123 Omega
*Emerl
*Guardian Units of Nations
*Heavy the Robot
*Illumina
*Lumina Flowlight
*Mighty the Armadillo
*Miles "Tails" Prower (best friend and teammate)
*Omochao
*Ray the Flying Squirrel
*Rouge the Bat (friendly rival) 
*Shadow the Hedgehog
*Silver the Hedgehog
*Sonic the Hedgehog (best friend, teammate, and rival)
*Team Chaotix
**Charmy Bee
**Espio the Chameleon
**Vector the Crocodile
*Tikal 
*Vanilla the Rabbit
===Neutral===
*Babylon Rogues
**Jet the Hawk
**Storm the Albatross
**Wave the Swallow
*Void
===Enemies===
*Babylon Guardian
*Biolizard
*Black Arms
**Black Doom
*Dr. Eggman
*Eggman Empire
**Badniks
**Eggrobo
***E-Series
****E-100 Series
*****E-100 ZERO
*****Chaos Gamma
****E-10000 series
***Hard Boiled Heavies
***Mecha Sonic Mark II
***Metal Sonic
**Cubot
**Dr. Eggman
**Infinite
**MeteorTech
***SCR-HD
**Orbot
*Eggman Nega
*Fang the Sniper
*Guard Robos
*Iblis
*Ifrit
*Zavok
==Notes==
==References==
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ja:ナックルズ・ザ・エキドゥナ
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Category:Males
Category:Heroes
Category:Echidnas
Category:Power types
Category:Playable characters
Category:Knuckles Clan