Knuckles May Have Confirmed The Villain For Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Thanks To A 2006 Sonic Reference

Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Knuckles and the video game Sonic the Hedgehog (2006)!

Summary Wade's musical hallucination in Knuckles seemingly confirms the existence of Iblis, who would make for a threatening villain in Sonic the Hedgehog 4.

Iblis was originally introduced in Sonic the Hedgehog 2006 as part of the immortal being Solaris seeking to destroy time.

Iblis would be a perfect villain for Sonic the Hedgehog 4, making him the biggest threat in the movie franchise so far.

Knuckles may have just confirmed a villain that could appear in Sonic the Hedgehog 4, thanks to a 2006 reference to a core game's main antagonist. The Paramount+ original series focuses on the core hero training Wade Whipple in the ways of the Echidna warrior in preparing for a bowling championship. While most of the series focuses on Knuckles and Wade together, episode 4 sees the cop on his own, experiencing the Sonic franchise's weirdest scene ever.

After being captured by his bowling rival and bounty hunter Jack Sinclair, Wade is knocked unconscious, having a dream brought on by the spirit of Knuckles' ancestor, Pachacamac. This involves a lengthy musical number telling the young warrior's backstory, with Wade in the role of the red Echidna. However, despite the many Sonic the Hedgehog Easter eggs in Knuckles' musical sequence, the one that stands out the most may have secretly confirmed the villain for Sonic the Hedgehog 4 at the same time.

Related If You Liked Knuckles, Check This Underrated Sonic The Hedgehog Show From 21 Years Ago The Knuckles TV show is out now, and while it does take a lot of liberties, this classic Sonic TV show is a great pick for fans looking for more.

Knuckles’ Fire Demon Is An Existing Sonic Villain

The Entity Was First Introduced In Sonic The Hedgehog 2006

Episode 4's wild hallucination sequence shows off plenty of familiar elements from the video game series. This includes the classic design for Green Hill Zone alongside some Badniks from the original game. However, the main purpose of this sequence is to reveal a move Knuckles has called the Flames of Disaster, which was awakened when he defeated a fire demon. A giant, demonic puppet then appears, becoming the core antagonist of the musical number until Wade - dressed as Knuckles - is eventually able to defeat it.

While this fire demon goes unnamed in the series, its design is reminiscent of Iblis, one of the core antagonists from the 2006 video game Sonic the Hedgehog. The lava-like monster is also referred to as "The Flames of Disaster" throughout the game, the name being repurposed for Knuckles as a move for the Echidna. While the fire demon doesn't appear to be setting the stage for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 ahead of release, its appearance could be hinting at a later appearance in the franchise. His debut game also emphasizes just how dangerous he truly is.

Iblis’ Role In The Sonic Games Explained

Iblis Was One Of Two Major Villains In His Debut Game

In the Sonic the Hedgehog game franchise, Iblis is one half of the immortal, God-like being Solaris, an interdimensional creature seeking to destroy time itself. 10 years before the 2006 game, an experiment called the Solaris Project resulted in the titular antagonist being split into two forms. One of these was Iblis, a rock-infused lava monster later sealed away in a girl named Elise. Part of the game's story centers around how, when she cries in the future, she unleashes Iblis, who brings about a cataclysm that destroys most of the world.

In addition to Iblis is the second half of Solaris, Mephiles the Dark, who takes on Shadow the Hedgehog's form after he's accidentally released from the Scepter of Darkness. When Iblis and Mephiles combine to form Solaris, it takes Sonic, Shadow, and newcomer Silver the Hedgehog transforming into their Super forms to defeat him. While it appears by the end of Knuckles there is a much different context to Iblis' backstory, the antagonist being just one part of a larger entity could make him the most dangerous threat the Sonic the Hedgehog movies ever see.

Why Iblis Would Be A Perfect Villain For Sonic The Hedgehog 4

The Creature Would Be The Biggest Threat Sonic Has Faced So Far

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Since Knuckles has already established that Iblis exists within the movie universe, there's now a viable reason to show him physically in Sonic the Hedgehog 4. It would also be the first villain in the franchise to come from Sonic's homeworld, contrasting Robotnik's Earthly threat and Shadow's manmade one. Iblis' appearance would also align with producer Toby Ascher's previous comments about the franchise's future, telling Paste Magazine that future films will be "Avengers-level events." Given how dangerous Iblis is, he could be the next major antagonist following Sonic the Hedgehog 3's story.

Since the live-action franchise alters the story so he's from a different universe, the Solaris Project may not be how the fire monster gets introduced in the movies. Instead, it's possible G.U.N. will be involved, as Knuckles revealed some of its agents have access to Rings. It's possible an expedition by the government group into Sonic's world results in Iblis being unleashed on Earth. However, given how tied to Mephiles he is in the games, it's possible their combined form of Solaris is what makes the first appearance upon the new antagonist's debut.

Since Knuckles has revealed Iblis to be somewhere within the Sonic movie universe, there's now a very strong possibility that he becomes the villain for Sonic the Hedgehog 4. Depending on how faithfully Sonic the Hedgehog 2006 gets adapted, the story could include the introduction of other characters, like Silver or Blaze the Cat. However, with Knuckles having the Flames of Disaster technique, it seems there will be key differences when the antagonist shows up for real. With his existence now confirmed, it's only a matter of time before he becomes a serious threat to Sonic and his friends.

All episodes of Knuckles are now streaming on Paramount+.