Knuckles the Echidna: Issue 11

Knuckles the Echidna: Issue 11
Publication Date: February 1998

Remember how I said the first issue of “The Forgotten Tribe” arc sacrificed a rich emotional heart in the name of building up the mythology yet more? Yeah, well, get used to that. Issue 11 carries on in much the same direction. Knuckles’ relationship with his mom was a highlight of the first part. Lara-Le is nowhere to be seen this time. The Chaotix and Julie-Su drop in for all of one page. Nope, this time “Knuckles the Echidna” is the Mystic Athair Hour.

Last time, Knuckles, Athair, and the wandering tribe of echidnas were left floating above a lava-filled chasm in the ground, caused by an earthquake. Using some mystical juju, Athair levitates the entire gang into the air, saving them from immolation. After setting up camp for the night, Athair explains to his great-grandson how he ended up on the mystical path. In the morning, Knuckles is left to lead the Forgotten Tribe to their destination. Instead, they encounter trouble and two familiar faces. Meanwhile, in Echidnopolis, Remington deputizes the Chaotix in Knuckles’ absence, Julie-Su suddenly appearing among them.

Listen, I don’t dislike the crazy mythology Ken built up around Knuckles’ grim destiny. My biggest problem with the Brotherhood is that they stand around like a bunch of assholes, observing without acting. When they do take action, it’s always in the form of a cheap deus ex machina. Luckily, the Brotherhood continues to be absent from this storyline.

Instead, the second part of “The Forgotten Tribe” is mostly dedicated to explaining what the hell Athair’s deal is. We learn that he went through the same childhood rituals that Knuckles did. Since Athair’s father died young, his mother assumed the role of Guardian. As Locke would later do, she disappeared behind a wall of fire, leaving little Athair to fend for himself. Unlike Knuckles, the Ancient Walkers appeared to Athair, told him about Haven and the Brotherhood, and informed him that he had a greater destiny. In a weird parallel to Moses and Israel, Athair’s destiny was to lead the Forgotten Tribe to a promise land called Albion. Later, Athair would conceive a child with a woman from the Tribe. His son, Sabre, resented Athair for abandoning his post as Guardian of the Floating Island. Well, that explains why everyone in the Brotherhood hates Athair.

This information is not presented in the most elegant of ways. Athair explains in an extended flashback, dumping this info on Knuckles around the camp fire. It awkwardly ties Robotnik and Athair’s original role in the “Tails” mini-series together. The trip to Albion was interrupted by some SWATBots, Athair’s wife got robotocized and he just decided to hang out in Downunda for a while afterwards.

Like I said, throwing it out in this manner isn’t especially elegant but at least it finally provides some damn answers. On the other hand, I’m not a fan of the woo-woo nonsense that comes with Athair. The levitating, the communication with the Ancient Walkers, the constant talk of destiny and fate… It’s all pretty tiring. Once again, the book leans on Knuckles’ life being directed by powers beyond his control.

The biggest problem with issue 11 is that Penders has, once again, lost sight of the heart of the matter. As a fan, I’m really curious what’s going on with Julie-Su. Her character arc has been floundering for the last two issues. Even longer if you include Knuckles’ incoherent adventure in issue 56 of “Sonic!” The Chaotix, meanwhile, ask Remington what the hell Knuckles is up to. He basically tells them that’s beyond their pay grade and that’s it. It’s been said that Penders was more interested in his mythology then developing SEGA-licensed characters. Boy, is that apparent here.

The ending comes off as a real ass pull. Knuckles wanders out of a vaguely middle-eastern area into a green, forested area. He meets some people, there are robots and a castle. Boom, here’s a cameo from Sonic and Tails. See you in “Sonic the Hedgehog: Issue 58!” Manny Galan’s artwork makes great use of silhouette and profiles, though those robots at the end look pretty janky. If things don’t soon get better with this arc, I may find myself asking the question “When are they getting back to the Floating Island?” [6/10]