Knuckles Subtly Answers A Big Sonic Question & Sets Up Shadow The Hedgehog's Origin Story

The following contains spoilers for Knuckles, now streaming on Paramount+

Summary Knuckles hints at previous alien encounters, potentially setting up other Sonic characters.

The alien reference in Knuckles may explain Shadow's origin story and connection to GUN.

Knuckles subtly ties to the larger Sonic universe, suggesting a bridge to Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

The Knuckles series may have quietly hidden a connection to Shadow's origins within an otherwise self-contained comedy. In the Sonic the Hedgehog cinematic universe, most of the events of the series take place on Earth. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles are considered aliens who came to Earth and have been adjusting to humanity and their society. It's made for a unique approach to the material, with certain characters reacting in pure shock to the introduction of aliens while others adjust surprisingly quickly.

For the most part, Knuckles uses this element as a minor gag amid a plot focused on the Sonic franchise's best character, Wade. However, a gag in Knuckles' final episode suggests this may be because aliens have come to Earth before, giving some credence to theories about extraterrestrial life in this universe. The timeline of this gag might even play into the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3, potentially connecting a show largely rooted in the personal growth of Knuckles characters to the overarching franchise.

2:37 Related The Knuckles Show Just Made Keanu Reeves’ Shadow The Hedgehog Casting Even Better Knuckles includes a sly Keanu Reeves easter egg that underscores what makes his casting as Shadow the Hedgehog all the more exciting.

Knuckles' 1974 Alien Reference Explained

Aliens Came To Earth In Sonic The Hedgehog's Universe Half A Century Ago

Custom Image by Dalton Norman

A throwaway gag from the finale of Knuckles suggests aliens have appeared on Earth before in the cinematic Sonic the Hedgehog universe, which could quietly set up important characters in the franchise. In the Knuckles finale, "What Happens in Reno, Stays in Reno," Knuckles' battle with the mysterious Buyer gets him flung around by the villain. This includes Knuckles being thrown through a wall and straight into the bowling Tournament of Champions. When this happens, the two announcers for the ESPN Ocho broadcast of the tournament comment on the situation and acknowledge Knuckles as an alien.

Notably, one of them reveals that another alien creature had landed in the 1974 iteration of the tournament. This could explain why they and some other humans are largely unfazed by the sight of Knuckles, while others are more shocked when they first encounter the alien life form. It appears that in the Sonic the Hedgehog universe, some people have come to accept the existence of alien life that can arrive on Earth and acclimate to humanity. It's a funny beat but one that could carry more important implications for the series going forward.

Knuckles' Aliens Tease Can Explain Other Sonic Characters

Knuckles Sets Up More Sonic The Hedgehog Characters To Appear In The Film Franchise

The idea that other aliens already landed on Earth decades before Sonic and his friends did could allow for several other Sonic characters to appear in the franchise. It sets up an easy explanation of how secretive plans like Project Shadow could be in motion for over fifty years before the events of the series. It could also set up other characters from the game franchise to appear with little additional explanation. This might be the ideal way to bring fan-favorite characters to the big screen like Amy Rose, the Chaotix, or Rouge the Bat to Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

This could even be used to justify how some characters could operate in secret while Sonic and his friends make a more open life in the Sonic the Hedgehog films, allowing Sonic characters like Rouge to be established jewel thieves or criminals in the world. Other characters arriving on Earth was a similar set-up used in the animated series Sonic X. That show also brought a large number of Sonic characters to Earth. Notably, it could even create a direct bridge between Knuckles and the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

Related I Am So Happy About Idris Elba’s Knuckles After 14 Years Of Mischaracterization The Knuckles TV show has continued to flesh out Idris Elba's titular Echidna, and I couldn't be happier about his characterization in the series.

Knuckles May Have Explained Shadow The Hedgehog's Origin Story

Knuckles Alien Gag Lines Up With Shadow's Origins

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Sonic the Hedgehog 2 confirmed that Project Shadow was active fifty years before the main events of the series. This would place it around the same time as 1974, meaning it would line up pretty well with the alien encounter that occurred in the previous Tournament of Champions. There's a chance that Shadow was the alien who crashed into that bowling tournament, revealing the existence of aliens to the people there to witness the event.

This would have left Shadow on Earth to be captured and contained, explaining why he's been in storage ever since. This kind of revelation could give the largely self-contained Knuckles series a greater connection to the larger Sonic the Hedgehog universe, further justifying the otherwise unlikely diversion to Reno alongside Knuckles and Wade. It could be a clever way to further tease Shadow's origins, dropping him from Professor Gerald Robotnik's ARK space station back to Earth. Knuckles might have quietly lain the seeds for Shadow's introduction, all hidden behind an otherwise goofy setting.