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Archie Knuckles the Echidna Issue 1 was the first issue of the spin-off Knuckles the Echidna comic series, originally published as the first of a three-part miniseries, "Knuckles: The Dark Legion."
Summary[]
Story One[]
- "Army of Darkness"
- For convenience, this story is summarized in chronological order.
Nearly four hundred years in the past, a group of Fire Ants watches as Edmund and Dimitri explain their plan to lower the Floating Island by draining the Chaos Emeralds with their Chaos Siphon to the people of Echidnaopolis. Their sons, Steppenwolf and Menniker, watch with pride; Menniker brightly relays to Steppenwolf that his father is sure the High Council of Echidnaopolis will approve of the plan. The council, however, decides to not proceed with their plan, driving Dimitri to take matters into his own hands.
As Dimitri's rampage comes to an end and the Dark Tower crumbles, Steppenwolf reunites with his father, Edmund, while Menniker mourns his father's apparent death. Some time later, Edmund arrives at the house of Mr. Arrunda and informs him that he needs to comply with the public vote to discard all technology. The man angrily refuses but his wife, Marta, allows Edmund and the other volunteers to take their things. While Arrunda pitches a fit, his neighbor Menniker gracefully hands his belongings over to his cousin Steppenwolf and asks him to stop by again. As soon as Steppenwolf leaves, Menniker turns to his state of the art technology that he had hidden away.
As the confiscation of advanced technology continues, Steppenwolf alerts his father to a growing number of dissenters, skulking in the shadows and wearing dark robes. He follows one of them to a meeting, where a cult like rally is underway and the dissenters appear to be preparing for war. Steppenwolf is quickly spotted and he jumps into one of their hover vehicles to escape. Unfortunately, the hooded cultists take to the sky and shoot him down.
In the present, Locke is shocked to witness the return of the Dark Legion. He sends a telepathic warning to Archimedes, who in turn warns a resting Knuckles the Echidna that danger is afoot. Just then, a bright flash of light erupts from a nearby forest as an army of black hooded cultists and machines march across the Floating Island. A Mechanaut notices a nearby heat signature, but Archimedes teleports Knuckles out of the way before the machine can spot them. Unfortunately, it simply picks up on their heat signature again. As the Mechanaut closes in, Archimedes teleports on to its shoulder, distracting it while Knuckles lands a surprise attack.
Knuckles rendezvous with the Chaotix, hoping to get some help facing the incoming onslaught. Archimedes suggests that they need to use subterfuge to defeat the invaders and Knuckles tells the group to scatter and wait for his signal. Unfortunately a group of legionnaires in a hover vehicle spot Vector and attack. Forced into action, Mighty helps Vector take out the Mechanauts while Espio sneaks on to a hover vehicle and knocks out its passengers. The Chaotix continue to fight the Dark Legion but find themselves overwhelmed by their sheer numbers. Knuckles tells the group to head north, but they're cut off by even more Legionnaires. Knuckles and his group surrender as the Legion's grandmaster, Kragok, reveals himself and offers Knuckles the chance to reclaim his birthright as an Echidna.
Quotes[]
- Steppenwolf: "Dad! Are you alright?"
- Menniker: "My father! Where's my father?!"
- Steppenwolf: "I was so worried about you!"
- Echidna Scientist: "No lad! You can't go in there!"
- Menniker: "But my father..."
- Edmund: "I'm very sorry, Menniker, but your father....Come boys, let's go home."
- Marta: "Make certain you take this with you! I've had it up to here with Monday Night Foozball!"
- Mr. Arrunda: "How dare you government thugs come in here and confiscate my property!!"
- Edmund: "Sorry, sir, it's now the law, and I'm just doing my job!"
- Mr. Arrunda: "Marta! You gave them the VCR! Worse! You gave them the remote control!!"
- Archimedes: "I'm impressed! That was quite the haymaker! And that catchphrase -- 'It's crunch time!' It sounds so you!"
Key Events[]
- In the distant past, Menniker resents the loss of his father, the citizens of Echidnaopolis give up their technology, and the Dark Legion is formed.
- In the present, the Dark Legion invades Angel Island, capturing Knuckles and the Chaotix.
- Knuckles meets Kragok, the first echidna he's seen since his father abandoned him.
Background Information[]
- This issue's cover is the first part of a three-part image.
- Though neither named nor introduced, the two adult echidnas on either side of Menniker and Steppenwolf during Edmund and Dimitri's presentation are presumed to be their mothers, Cynthia-Wa and Siwa-Ra.
Cameos & References[]
- When Edmund and Steppenwolf confiscate technology from the citizens Echidnaopolis, Menniker is seen giving his cousin a Sega Genesis/Mega Drive.
Reprint History[]
This issue has been reprinted in the following places:
- Knuckles Archives Vol. 1
External links[]
- Archie Knuckles the Echidna Issue 1 at Sonic Wiki Zone, the Sonic wiki.