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- This miniseries takes place between Sonic the Hedgehog #36 — Sonic the Hedgehog #37
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Archie Knuckles Miniseries Issue 1 was the first issue of the Knuckles Miniseries.
Summary[]
Story One[]
- "Rites of Passage!" - Part One
Deep within Angel Island, Knuckles finds himself confronted with a series of extravagant booby traps. After carefully evaluating his situation, he decides to wing it and rush through the area. Knuckles manages to escape unharmed and thinks about how the mysterious Archimedes had kidnapped the Chaotix and taunted him with riddles for the past several weeks, as well as his people's history. Remembering that, after Dimitri was buried under the Dark Tower, the echidnas banished their technology to the Grand Conservatory under Mount Fate, Knuckles realizes that Archimedes is likely hiding in the conservatory.
While thinking, Knuckles absentmindedly activates another trap, sending a gigantic boulder rolling his way. He narrowly escapes, ducking into a door too small for the boulder to pass through. On the other side lies a corridor lined with a series of doors. Knuckles finds a concussive, hand-held blaster while checking the doors, and when faced with an impenetrable door further down his path he decides to use his new weapon to blast a way through. As he skulks down the newly discovered hallway, the voice of Archimedes continues to taunt him, chiding Knuckles' performance while praising his success making it through the conservatory. Meanwhile, the top of Mount Fate explodes as a a mysterious figure emerges from the rubble and flies towards the Conservatory entrance.
A confounded Knuckles finds himself standing in front of the Chaotix and a Fire Ant having a feast together. The Chaotix explain that the ant has been their host and treated them to food and drinks. Knuckles assumes that the ant must be Archimedes, but he just teases Knuckles for being slow on the uptake. Knuckles explains that he understands how Archimedes used ancient echidna technology and robots to kidnap his friends, but he doesn't understand how he managed to disappear before his eyes and burn words into stones. Archimedes answers both questions with a show of his abilities, "disappearing" before their eyes and using smoke and mirrors and breathing fire. An annoyed Knuckles asks Archimedes if he thinks he's "hot stuff", and Archimedes snaps back that his people have been helping the echidnas since ancient times.
Their conversation is interrupted when the mysterious figure from Mount Fate arrives, telling the group that it was the fire ants who defeated him centuries past. Claiming to have evolved during his time under Mount Fate, the figure reveals himself to be Dimitri and rechristens himself Enerjak. Archimedes warns the Chaotix of Enerjak's power, but Knuckles doesn't believe Dimitri could have possibly survived the Dark Tower's collapse. Enerjak claims that the power of the 11 crushed Chaos Emeralds have made him immortal. The group charges at him, but Enerjak flings them away effortlessly and holds them in the air with his Chaos powers. Preparing to resume his plans for conquest, Enerjak realizes he could "use" the Chaotix to his advantage. However, for being descendents of those who trapped him under the Dark Tower, Knuckles and Archimedes are banished to the Sandopolis Zone.
Bonus Features[]
Pinup Pages[]
- "Map of the Floating Island"
Full page map of the Floating Island with notes indicating where certain zones are located.
Quotes[]
- Knuckles: "I don't want lunch, Vector--I want answers! So--you're the big Mahmba Jahmba...Archimedes!"
- Archimedes: "Look--he's trying to think!"
- Dimitri: "The echidna scientist Dimitri is no more! Today...Enerjak reigns supreme!"
- Archimedes: "Enerjak--? The great evil of legend!"
Key Events[]
- Knuckles locates the Chaotix and Archimedes.
- Enerjak escapes after being buried for hundreds of years.
- Enerjak captures the Chaotix and transports Knuckles and Archimedes to the desert.
Background Information[]
- Although his shadowed figure was seen as far back as the Knuckles Chaotix special, this issue is the first time Archimedes is fully seen.
- This issue introduces Enerjak, who would be a primary villain against Knuckles again in the "Dark Vengence" story arc in Knuckles the Echidna #7 — #9. A new Enerjak appeared years later in the "Enerjak: Reborn" arc in Sonic the Hedgehog #180 — #184.
- An updated version of this issue's Floating Island Map would appear in StH #101 as a Sega Data File.
Reprint History[]
This issue has been reprinted in the following places:
- Knuckles Archives Vol. 1