Vector the Crocodile

**Vector the Crocodile** is one of Knuckles the Echidna's oldest friends and the de-facto leader of the Chaotix. Having lived with the Guardian on Angel Island and made his acquaintance after what Knuckles thought was the death of his father Locke, Vector was the first Mobian to join Knuckles as an ally in combat. When the likes of Espio the Chameleon, Charmy Bee, and Mighty the Armadillo offered their assistance, together they formed the Chaotix. He has since remained a stalwart ally of Knuckles and later the Freedom Fighters, leading the Chaotix into battle against some of Mobius' greatest evils. Originally, this involved defending Angel Island alongside Knuckles, but has since expanded to include the war against Dr. Eggman.

## History

### Early Years

Prior to arriving on Angel Island, Vector was a resident of Downunda, though he was determined to leave that continent early in his youth. Hatching as an orphan, he joined up with other young Mobians without families, including Barby Koala and Duck "Bill" Platypus, future members of the Downunda Freedom Fighters. The group also had a father-figure who watched over them, though he and Vector apparently had tense relations. Eventually, he left his adoptive family behind, which left his "siblings" feeling bitter, and made his way to Angel Island via an air-lift along with several other Mobians. He also adopted a "street lingo" accent in order to conceal his true origins, though his speech became more natural as time went by. (StH: #122, #212, SU: #9, 12, CSE)

Knuckles and Vector first met during one of Knuckles's many treks around Angel Island. Stumbling on the sleeping Crocodile, Knuckles ended up in a fistfight with him. Despite their initial antagonism, the two developed a grudging respect for each other which became friendship, particularly after Locke departed to join the Brotherhood of Guardians. Vector would later help Knuckles bring Mighty the Armadillo onto Angel Island, though their aircraft of choice–a contraption known only as the Gyro–was destroyed by Vector's lack of piloting skills. (StH: #120, #122)

### The Chaotix: Formation and Early Missions

Vector and Mighty would later be joined by Charmy Bee and Espio the Chameleon, the four of them becoming the original Chaotix, Knuckles' support group in defending Angel Island. Their first mission involved shutting down a theme park built and run by Dr. Robotnik's agent Renfield T. Rodent, who managed to imprison the Knothole Freedom Fighters-including Sonic the Hedgehog-and weaken Knuckles. Though Renfield was easy enough to handle, Vector and the others proved no match for Metal Sonic, who was only defeated when Knuckles and he both absorbed Power Gems and fought while possessing gigantic proportions. After Robotnik's plot was defeated, the Chaotix became Knuckles' official support team. (KCX)

Despite this backup role, they proved themselves full heroes by battling the Fearsome Foursome and their leader, Mammoth Mogul, while Knuckles was absent dealing with a Roboticized Sonic, also known as Mecha Sonic. They would also be in the background as Knuckles searched for the mysterious Archimedes, and were later abducted by this unknown antagonist and taken to Angel Island's Grand Conservatory. (StH: #31, KCX, Mecha Madness)

Vector and the others learned Archimedes' true identity, discovering him to be an ally and vouching for him with Knuckles. Unfortunately, they all soon fell prey to a piece of Knuckles' family history: the original Enerjak formerly the Echidna Dimitri. Using his power, he turned Vector and the other Chaotix into his loyal minions, banishing Knuckles and Archie to Angel Island's desert. They managed to return to Enerjak's citadel in Nekronopolis, fighting Vector and the others and defeating them. The Crocodile and the others were then freed from Enerjak's control when the mad Echidna was launched into space. After celebrating with his friends, Vector returned to his home in the Swampy Swamp. (KMS: #1, #2, #3)

### Return of the Echidnas

The Chaotix faced no major threats again until after the Ultimate Annihilator erased the barrier between Mobius Prime and the Twilight Zone, freeing the Dark Legion, a group of cyborg Echidnas founded by Dimitri's descendants, to begin their campaign of domination. After battling these enemies valiantly, the Chaotix were able to drive them from their headquarters. However, they soon faced the return of some old foes, Mammoth Mogul and the Fearsome Foursome. Using his magic, Mogul disguised his minions as members of the Freedom Fighters to trick the Chaotix and the Chaotix to trick the Freedom Fighters, all in a bid to lay hands on the Sword of Acorns that Knuckles had recently retrieved. Though initially the two forces were fooled, Sally Acorn and Archimedes were able to cease the infighting and get the two groups to cooperate. Vector joined the others in attacking and defeating the Fearsome Foursome and Mammoth Mogul, only for the latter to escape with the Sword. Vector, however, soon found himself faced with other problems: the return of the city of Echidnaopolis and the uneasy alliance between the Chaotix and a rogue Dark Legionnaire named Julie-Su who he distrusted due to having previously been attacked-and beaten-by her while she worked for the Dark Legion. (KtE: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, SSS: #1)

Once the Echidnaopolis crisis had been resolved, Vector joined his friends in exploring the city, hanging out at the local food court. Not long after Enerjak, aided anonymously by Mammoth Mogul, returned to seek his revenge. Seemingly betrayed by Julie-Su, Vector and the others were taken prisoner by the Dark Legion, who had sided with their ancestral hero. Escaping, they returned to Echidnaopolis just in time to save Dimitri from a sudden end after Mammoth Mogul used the Sword of Acorns to drain his powers. Vector joined in the fight against the newly empowered Master Mogul, but the day was only saved when Knuckles, Sonic, and Miles "Tails" Prower received a power boost from the Chaos Emeralds and Power Rings to transform into improved forms that Mogul was defeated and sealed in the new Master Emerald. While Knuckles then departed to aid the Lost Tribe of Echidnas, Vector and the Chaotix joined forces with Echidna Security Team Constable Remington to investigate their old enemy Renfield T. Rodent, who had refurbished his old theme park and begun tainting the food with an experimental seasoning designed to cause addiction and thus bring patrons back for more. Renfield accidentally put too much of the ingredient into some of his food, and the resulting overdose killed Charmy's friend Mello. The Chaotix themselves—Vector included—were left disoriented by a similar poisoning, but recovered quickly enough. They then brought Renfield and his employer, Ebony Hare, to justice after defeating them and saving Julie-Su from their henchmen. (KtE: #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #12, #13, #14, #15)

Following Knuckles' return, Vector and the rest of the Chaotix would find themselves with no enemies to fight for a time, other than Vector's antagonism towards Julie-Su. That ended when the Dark Legion resurfaced yet again, this time attempting to seize control of Angel Island through politics. Vector and the other Chaotix defeated them, only for Knuckles to be spirited away briefly by his ancestors in the Brotherhood of Guardians to Haven. When he returned, the Guardian would struggle to come to grips with his feelings for Julie-Su, which Vector was rather unhelpful with due to his opposition of the whole thing. Still, Vector was eventually pacified, and was there with his first known date at Knuckles' birthday party when his old friend and his increasingly friendly rival kissed for the first time. Together with the other Chaotix, Vector would then help his friend when Knuckles' found himself switching bodies with Sonic due to a team-up between the Dark Legion and Robotnik. Shortly after, the Chaotix found themselves in the Mysterious Cat Country with Knuckles gone to aid the Freedom Fighters and the local inhabitants eager to punish them, and it was only Locke's timely intervention that saved them. Soon Vector was up against the Dark Legion again, but this time he and the Chaotix—except for Julie-Su—were all transported to the Twilight Zone by the Quantum Beam. (StH: #80, #81, KtE: #22, #23, #24, #25, #26, #27, #28, SSS: #12, #14)

Vector was soon brought back to Mobius, together with the other natives of Angel Island, by Chaos Knuckles. Having little to do with the attempted reunification of the Echidnas, he played an equally little role in Chaos Knuckles' battle with Mammoth Mogul, which resulted in Knuckles' death. Like the other Chaotix, he was present at Knuckles' funeral, and for once the usually hard-bitten Crocodile was overcome. Soon afterwards, he and the other Chaotix found themselves telling a grieving Julie-Su stories of their early days with Knuckles, and the long conflict between the hothead Crocodile and the female Echidna reached an all time low point. Vector was quick to join the assembled forces against the alien Xorda, and there was witness to Knuckles' miraculous return. (StH: #107, #118, #121, #122, #125)

### Moving to Knothole and New Mobotropolis

With Knuckles back, albeit weakened, and Angel Island lost to Dr. Eggman and the Dingoes, Vector and the Chaotix relocated to Knothole and joined the Freedom Fighters in the ongoing war against the mad doctor. It is assumed during this time, he went through a training course made by Mighty the Armadillo that greatly increased his strength. The Chaotix were among the first to learn of Sonic's return after the Hedgehog reappeared, having been thought dead for a year after stopping the Xorda Quantum Dial. When Robotnik launched a major offensive to commemorate the occasion, Vector joined Knuckles, Julie, Amy Rose, and the other Chaotix in protecting the irradiated and dangerous ruins of the city of Robotropolis from being penetrated and the nuclear fallout contained within from being unleashed. (StH: #130, #131, #132, #133)

Soon after, Charmy, who had left the group over a year before to return to the Golden Hive Colony and his role as prince, arrived in Knothole with his girlfriend Saffron and news that the colony had been destroyed by Eggman, infuriating Vector and his other friends. News from Angel Island that Locke had been captured gave the Chaotix the perfect opportunity to take action, launching a rescue mission with Sonic to back them up. However, they met with the unexpected surprise of finding Knuckles worshiped almost religiously by most of the Echidnas, who held him to be the Avatar of legend who was destined to bring peace to Mobius. Vector fought alongside Knuckles as his old friend struggled with this, as well as against the Dingoes, and then returned to Knothole with him once their job was done, the Guardian's powers were restored, and Knuckles decided that Eggman was the greater threat to all of Mobius. (StH: #138, #139, #140, #141)

Vector next saw action when the Metal Sonic Troopers, robots built by the Kingdom of Acorn to replace Sonic after his apparent death, were hijacked by Robotnik's "son" A.D.A.M. and directed against both Robotnik and Knothole anonymously. The Crocodile joined his friends in battling against the robots, though in the end victory went to Shadow the Hedgehog. (StH: #158, #159)

All of the Chaotix would then face Mammoth Mogul and the Fearsome Foursome—now joined by two new members and called the Destructix—again, together with the evil wizard Ixis Naugus and his Arachne minions as the two sorcerers briefly battled it out over the Sword and Crown of Acorns. The two eventually joined forces, and Vector and the others found themselves unable to triumph even when aided by the Freedom Fighters, Merlin Prower, and the valiant Sir Connery, leaving it to Dr. Eggman to capture the small army of villains. (StH: #162, #163, #164)

When Rouge the Bat arrived in Knothole, having last been seen fleeing the Freedom Fighters and Shadow with Scourge the Hedgehog, Vector was the hardest on her and the most suspicious of her motives besides Julie-Su. Despite this, they allowed her to accompany them on a mission to investigate their old enemy Renfield T. Rodent, whose newest casino was a front for Eggman's newest plan to create Auto Automaton robots to infiltrate the strongholds of his enemies by hypnotizing casino patrons and copying their data. Vector fell victim to this trap, but suffered no permanent harm. (StH: #165, #166)

For a short time afterwards, he and the other Chaotix performed guard duty for singer Mina Mongoose, and were forced to let the Freedom Fighters look into rumors that Rouge had stolen the Master Emerald, which turned out to be an intricate sting operation. (StH: #173)

When Knothole was destroyed by Eggman's Egg Fleet, Vector was among the many sent to the Egg Grape Chambers to have his life force extracted for Eggman's purposes. Fortunately, Knuckles and a handful of other escapees rescued their friends in time, and thanks to Sally's computer NICOLE they were all transported to the city of New Mobotropolis. Eggman quickly launched another offensive to recapture them, but his Egg Beater armor proved unable to stand against the combined forces of the Chaotix and Freedom Fighters, Vector included. (StH: #175, #176, #177)

With a momentary lapse in the fighting, Vector remained in the city while Knuckles departed for Angel Island. After learning of the coming of a new Enerjak, with Knuckles still unaccounted for, Vector supported Julie-Su and led the Chaotix in an attack on New Mobotropolis' air field with the intent of capturing a plane they could use to return to Angel Island. They were soon stopped by Sonic and then Sally, who convinced them to remain in the city to guard against Enerjak. When the new incarnation of their old foe was revealed to be Knuckles, the Chaotix were of little help, even as Sonic and Shadow fought against him. Vector found himself helpless as Enerjak was first captured by the Egg Fleet and then fought Super Sonic in an epic showdown, which ended with Enerjak being returned to normal. Knuckles, feeling guilty over his actions, hid on Angel Island, and Vector was quick to return to try and keep an eye on him. Working together with the other Chaotix, he built a bridge between the Angel Island mainland and the new miniature island that held the Master Emerald Shrine, finishing just in time to welcome Knuckles back into the group. (StH: #180, #181, #182, #183, #184, #186)

 File:Vector.jpg
Following the Enerjak crisis, Vector and the rest of the Chaotix launched an assault on New Megaopolis to take out the Dark Egg Legion and destroy one of Dr. Eggman's communications relays. (StH: #189, #190)

### Defeating Eggman and Subsequent Challenges

Vector later assisted in capturing a piece of land outside the Eggdome for the Freedom Fighters and Chaotix to set up camp and make ready for their final battle with Eggman. During which, Vector began to comment on how Julie-Su was attacking her old comrades and while they were arguing both ended up saving one another. Both feeling awkward, Julie-Su then stated that they should not make a habit of saving each other, to which Vector agreed saying that they didn't want people to think they liked each other. After Mighty and Bunnie finished beating down the barricade, Vector and the rest entered to find Eggman defeated and they all headed back to New Mobotropolis to celebrate. (StH: #198, #199, #200)

Victory was short-lived for the heroes, as the Iron King and Iron Queen, former Sub-Bosses to Eggman, arrived to claim the Eggman Empire for themselves. The Iron Dominion's command over the Shinobi Clan led to Espio's departure from the Chaotix, and Vector and Mighty were soon pitted against a brainwashed Monkey Khan, leaving Julie-Su behind to ensure that she would not fall pray to the Iron Queen's powers as well. With that crisis averted and left to the Freedom Fighters, the Chaotix returned to watching over the Master Emerald. (StH: #201, #202, #204)

While on guard duty with Ray as Knuckles, Julie-Su, and Mighty set out after Dr. Finitevus, Vector let slip a remark about having come from Downunda as Ray recounted how Angel Island had been separated from that continent. He and his young companion were then attacked by a horde of enemy robots which appeared to be Wing Dingoes. Eventually he wished Espio were there to help, traitor or not, and was astonished when Ray scared off the robots by pretending to undergo a Super transformation. After Ray explained what had really happened, the two were then surprised as chains reached up from Downunda to ensnare Angel Island. A fresh wave of attackers then forced Vector and Ray to travel to Downunda's surface, where they met up with Knuckles' party and Dr. Finitevus. After telling Ray to keep quiet about his past and inquiring as to why Dr. Finitevus wasn't being attacked, Vector and his fellow Chaotix were attacked by another wave of Wing Dingoes. (SU: #9, #10, #11)

The group were rescued by the arrival of the Downunda Freedom Fighters, who helped them defeat the robots, though Barby Koala showed some hostility towards him. After being briefed as to the nature of their enemy—the Downunda chapter of the Dark Egg Legion—Vector and his teammates split up, only to be captured by their Platypus enemies and Dr. Finitevus. Afterwards, Dr. Finitevus revealed his desire to study the Master Emerald further as his motivation for siding with the Dark Egg Legion, advising Bill to eliminate their prisoners. After dismissing his guards, Bill unexpectedly released the captives, though he voiced a desire to leave Vector where he was. Bill then explained that he had taken charge of the Legion after being pressured by his power hungry people, and had used his position to slow down Eggman's takeover of Downunda. The two teams subsequently joined up to defeat the Legion, Barby remarking that "Dad" would have been proud of Vector, to which the Crocodile replied that he never had been able to impress the old man. (SU: #11, #12)

Vector would later arrive in New Mobotropolis to find the Iron Dominion invading with the help of a reprogrammed NICOLE, teaming up with Mighty to evacuate New Mobotropolis civilians. He later reported in to Bunnie Rabbot they had got the last group of refugees and were doing okay. He and the other Chaotix soon welcomed Espio back into their midst, the Chameleon revealing that he had been sent by his clan to observe Knuckles. Upon hearing the Chameleon claim that he had learned information about all the Chaotix in his duties, Vector denied Espio knowing anything about him. He was then caught off guard as Espio revealed knowledge of his Downunda origins, as well as information regarding Mighty's family. (StH: #208, #210, #212)

### Chaotix Quest

According to Charmy Bee, who recalled the events as a weird dream, Vector, along with Charmy and Espio, were detectives in the altered reality created by Operation: Clean Sweep. After being returned to normal, Vector and the others remained on Angel Island until Mighty and Ray's Warp Ring, which they had been using to send letters to their friends, returned by itself. Fearing that their friends had run into trouble, Vector led Charmy and Espio to Mercia to search for the missing pair. They were quickly set upon by members of the Mercia Dark Egg Legion, whom Vector quickly suspected were responsible for their teammates' disappearance. The situation turned grim as G.O.O.N. robots appeared to back up the Legion, but help arrived in the form of the Crazy Kritter Freedom Fighters. Vector quickly found a kindred spirit in Munch the Rat, the two powerhouses teaming up and using their powerful jaws to bite into the weak spots of the robots, bringing them down. (FCDS: #6, SU: #46)

After making introductions, Vector revealed the purpose for his team's presence in Mercia, prompting the Freedom Fighters to escort the trio back to their base in Hideaway. Vector was reminded of his recent adventures in Downunda, confusing Espio, who had been absent at the time. The two groups exchanged information, and Vector learned that his two friends had been in Mercia-as their last letter had stated-and had even helped the Freedom Fighters fend off a Legion attack. Mighty and Ray had also learned that Mighty's sister had been in an orphanage before she was Roboticized. As Espio mused on the matter, he earned an irate look from Vector, who assumed that his ninja/spy skills would have enabled him to acquire this information previously, though Espio was quick to point out that his skills didn't "equal 'do anything' magic!" The story turned musical due to Alan Quail's influence, and Vector and Charmy joined in on the song, Vector admiring Mighty's noble efforts on behalf of the Freedom Fighters. With both groups oblivious as to the whereabouts of the pair, they decided to raid Snottingham Castle to find the answers, while freeing the Legion's captives in the process. After subduing a number of guards, Vector and Munch teamed up to remove the bars of a secret tunnel into the castle. Unbeknownst to the group, however, their intrusion was observed by Mordred Hood, Grandmaster of the Legion. (SU: #46)

Traveling through the catacombs beneath Snottingham Castle, the two teams came upon a pair of tunnels, and decided to split up. As they did so, however, spring-loaded steel bar traps came down in the tunnels both ahead of and behind them. Vector vainly tried to lift one, and found himself missing Knuckles and Mighty's superior strength, but was relieved when Charmy slipped through the bars and found manual release switches that lifted the barriers. Espio, realizing that they had been discovered, suggested abandoning the mission, but was persuaded to continue. At his suggestion, Vector entrusted their Warp Ring to Bow, hoping that Espio's new plan didn't involve a repeat of his previous departure from the team. Espio then revealed that his intent was for the Chaotix to continue on their mission while causing as much of a disturbance as they could, drawing attention away from the dungeons where the Freedom Fighters would be freeing their countrymen. Vector succeeded in frightening a pair of Legionnaires after a cloaked Espio caught them off guard, while the trio continued their search for the "computer room", aka the location of the castle's Eggnet access terminal. (SU: #47)

While Espio accessed the computer, Vector and Charmy guarded the door, fighting Legionnaires to prevent them from getting inside. One got past them but was knocked out by Espio, who then learned that Lord Hood was on his way to the dungeons to ambush the Freedom Fighters. Vector arrived just as Hood had ensnared the Freedom Fighters with his hypnotic abilities, and disrupted his efforts by punching him in the back of the head from behind. After a congratulatory "bro-fist" handclasp with Bow, Vector led the Mercians out, surprising Bow by taking them through the main courtyard to the outer wall, which left them vulnerable to attack. However, it was on Espio's instructions that he did so, and the Chameleon rejoined the group and helped them get in between the inner and outer walls of the castle. Closing the gate behind them, the group escaped from between the Legionnaires on one side and the G.O.O.N.s on the other using the Warp Ring. Returning to Hideaway, Vector learned that Espio had successfully determined where Mighty and Ray would have gone next, before taking the lead in calling for a celebration over their victory. (SU: #47)

The following morning, the trio made their way to Sand Blast City, warping some distance away due to the bad reputation of the Sand-Blasters. Vector was optimistic about meeting another Freedom Fighter group, despite reports from Sonic concerning the Sand-Blasters, and retorted that Sonic seemed to get into fights with everyone. His confidence was misplaced, as a gun shot struck the ground beneath his feet, announcing the arrival of the Sand-Blasters, whose leader Jack Rabbit demanded to know why they were there and threatened to force the truth from them. Vector tried to reason with the renegade Freedom Fighters, but to no avail, as Jack ordered his teammates to attack. Vector wound up tussling with Tex the Lizard, who impressed Vector with his strength and skill, though Vector was quick to boat that he'd "thrown down with the best!" Sadly, his teammates wee quickly captured, and Vector was forced to surrender after Jack held a gun to his head. The group were taken into Sand-Blast City, Vector complaining about their failure to defeat the Sand-Blasters after all the formidable foes they'd previously met, only for Charmy to remark that Vector lost all the time, much to the Crocodile's annoyance. The group were then informed that they could serve the Sand-Blasters loyally or be eliminated, and introduced two examples of the former: Mighty and Ray. Vector greeted his old friends warmly, only for Mighty to harshly silence him. When questioned, Mighty admitted to knowing the trio, claiming that they were "stupid, but loyal" members of a former gang he had left. The Armadillo then suggested that they be turned over to him so that he could teach them loyalty to Jack, which the Rabbit consented to with amusement. (SU: #47, #48)

Taking the trio back to their dwelling, Mighty and Ray explained that they had joined up with the Sand-Blasters under assumed names so as to learn more about the situation in the area. They had also sent back the Warp Ring in order to keep it away from the Sand-Blasters. When Vector ribbed Mighty for not offering more of an explanation beforehand, Mighty replied that he'd done his best. The Armadillo then questioned whether Vector thought he had genuinely joined the Sand-Blasters, and whether the Crocodile would accost him for it as he had Espio and Julie-Su for their previous associations with other groups. Forced to admit that he had been a bit harsh with his teammates, Vector simply took satisfaction in the group being reunited. However, it was short-lived, as Mighty left to meet with the Great Desert Dark Egg Legion Grandmaster, Beauregard Rabbot. At Mighty's request, Vector and the others stayed behind with Ray, and comforted the Flying Squirrel over his fears regarding Mighty's reunion with his sister, Matilda the Armadillo. The next morning, the group were informed by Jack that Mighty had been captured and that the Legion were calling for an exchange of prisoners. After Espio offered the cover story that Mighty had gone after Beauregard to eliminate him by himself, Jack informed the team that they would be accompanying him. He then revealed his plan to eliminate the Grandmaster at the exchange. (SU: #48)

Accompanying the Sand-Blasters to the rendezvous point with the Legion carrier, Vector quickly devised a plan. Taking advantage of the battle between the two sides, the Chaotix would recover Mighty and his sister and escape through their Warp Ring. However, things didn't go as planned, and Vector's own directions to his team in the midst of battle blew their cover with the Sand-Blaters. Jack and his teammates tried to run the Chaotix down in their jeep, but Vector was able to stop the vehicle with his strength. With both sides briefly considering him an enemy, Vector took down Tex with a Legionnaire on his back, though not in time to stop Jack from ordering one of his tanks to fire on the carrier.

Mighty's sister was hurt as a result, and the Armadillo went on a rampage, demolishing most of the Sand-Blasters' hardware. The Chaotix jumped their berserk teammate before he could hurt anyone, and accompanied him back to the Legion's camp with his injured sister. Vector was struck by the strangeness of the situation-attacking Freedom Fighters and fighting alongside the Dark Egg Legion-and declined Espio's invitation to make a crack about his previous allegiances. The Chaotix received mixed news: Matilda would live, but would need time to recover, and they would have to leave to insure her safety. Vector and the others offered Mighty their support, and left for home through the Warp Ring. (SU: #49)

Vector's team returned to Angel Island shortly after Knuckles, Julie-Su, and Saffron returned from defending Albion from both the Dark Egg Legion and Thrash. Upon returning home, Vector greeted Julie-Su with a fist-bump and noted how Knuckles was in a very good mood as a result of what transpired in Albion. (KES: #3)