Did Sonic Frontiers Just Save Knuckles? (Character Analysis)

[@thepjshow]

So, what did you guys think about the Sonic Frontiers Prologue? Did you like it? Hate it? Let me know in the comments below and I will do my best to respond to as many comments as possible.

[@rickyrackey7930]

I f*cking loved it. Also, An interesting idea for a video is how comedy should be properly handled in the franchise.

[@bryanblueblurhedgehog8899]

I love it 🙌

[@thisdawg812]

Hopefully the same thing will happen to Tails and Amy

[@Neoniq41]

It was, put simply: amazing

[@bryanblueblurhedgehog8899]

@@thisdawg812 and shadow too

[@DigiWarriorCallum]

All of this should prove that Ian Flynn was what this game series needed, a writer who actually KNOWS what he's doing with what he's given. Not the Pontaff duo. Better late than never. As for this animation, it blew my mind. The colour design, the storyboarding, the timing, the three-toned shading, the EVERYTHING. It blew me away. Just him gliding through Sky Sanctuary was my favourite cut of animation here. And I can comfortably say Dave B Mitchell won me over. His improvement was apparent in Tailstube of all things, but he did every line justice here.

[@Mangaka-Knight]

Exactly! Before this animation even came out, when I heard that Ian Flynn was writing the story, I IMMEDIATELY knew how this story was going to go (If SEGA didn't restrict him) and even more so when I found out that Knuckles was in the story as well. When writing for Archie Comics, Ian Flynn always treated Knuckles (as well as the rest of the cast) with a level of respect and he understood who the characters were. It also helps that he is a huge fan of the Sonic Adventure series, which is why we have Tikal making a return again and even Chaos. I really hope this game sells well, so Ian can keep writing the stories.

[@just_an_internet_explorer8038]

I hope this comment doesn’t age poorly

[@blues4509]

I still need Dave B Mitchell to grow on me some more personally. He is close to Scott Dreier which is my favorite rendition of Knuckles so I have faith with time he'll win me over.

[@rickyronny4019]

Ian Flynn is responsible for making Scourge the Hedgehog. One of the coolest characters in Sonic history and he’s not even in the games. What do you expect?

[@Mangaka-Knight]

@@just_an_internet_explorer8038 Trust me, it won't. Storywise, Ian has writing amazing stories for Archie Comics and IDW Comics for Sonic. From what I've seen so far in the IDW series, Ian hasn't missed a beat yet. He truly understands the characters and who they should be and not what they have become now.

[@rickyrackey7930]

I feel like a cool character trait Knuckles can have is his connection to Nature and how he can act as some animal whisperer. Much like Atreus from God of War. The Echidnas have a strong connection to the emeralds and Chaos Energy is energy of the Earth itself.

[@alceratops6853]

Fun fact: Real life echidnas can sense the electricity in living things, like sharks and platypuses

[@That0neDude]

@@alceratops6853 well that _might_ explain how he knocked the emeralds out of super sonic

[@alceratops6853]

@@That0neDude Sensing electricity/energy translates to separating energetic emeralds? Waaaattt?

[@PieMan8522]

@@That0neDude man pulled out the gentle fist

[@goldenninja9053]

@@That0neDude It explains how he found Sonic quickly, but how did he knock him out of his super state? Isn't Sonic somewhat invincible in that form?

[@liamphibia]

Knuckles saying: "But sometimes..." At the end really hit home hard! 2022 has to be the best year for our favorite red echidna.

[@splatboy7079]

"SoNiC hElP mE" Why sonic forces? Why?

[@Mid-Suavemente]

@@splatboy7079 That's Tails, you silly goose, not Knuckles. Get back in the pond.

[@splatboy7079]

@@Mid-Suavemente I know. I just hate it so much

[@davebrown2056]

@@Mid-Suavemente Right, because Forces didn't mishandle Knuckles in the slightest... "I thought up this strategy in about a minute and a half." (promptly gets everyone killed)

[@joriver4972]

I love the fact that the prologue ended without him finishing his sentence. It really shows the doubt and conflict he feels inside about his chosen solitude and I really connect with it. To prefer to be alone is fine and healthy, but to say you dont /need/ anyone is no way to live. We all need others to get by, even if it’s just for the simple things, and I really like that their exploring this side of him.

[@johnpett1955]

In personality psychology, one of the most basic concepts is that nobody is completely introverted and nobody is completely extroverted either. This means everybody needs time alone and needs human interaction.

[@djChris_]

It actually ended with him saying the first few lines of the video: "I do things on my own and that's just how I like it. I don't need anyone else to get by. But sometimes..."

[@joriver4972]

@@djChris_ I know, I’m just pointing out that he didn’t finish his sentence

[@myleswelnetz6700]

@DJ Chris “I just might.”

[@davebrown2056]

@@johnpett1955 It's funny you should say that, because in the Sonic the Hedgehog Technical Files it says "Sonic...enjoys being with his friends, but he is just as happy to be alone." Taking that into account, it seems fitting that in Frontiers (SPOILER ALERT!) Sonic is the one to sit down with Knuckles and convince him to finally get out more.

[@noahmccarthy8007]

Even how Knuckles helped give that Chao the fruit I think said something about his character. He isn't known as incredibly compassionate normally, but punching that tree shows that he's aware of the needs of the animals on his island, and he's not looking for thanks either. He's a man on a mission, and I loved how well they treated his character and the video as a whole!

[@davebrown2056]

"Knuckles has a strong sense of honor and has a good heart". - Sonic the Hedgehog Technical Files, circa 1995

[@SeleDreams]

I'd say, knuckles is compassionate but he has a strong pride and is easily embarrassed so he shows a more angry facade to hide his gentle persona he's embarrassed about that's at least my vision of him, that I got from sonic adventure 1 and 2

[@Vinsesh_]

Knuckles seems like he’s being taken in the same direction as the movie version of him. Serious, and also a badass. But naive and charming all the same. He hurt the chao on accident in the prologue and apologized awkwardly. What was adorable. He wasn’t bumbling around and accidentally getting himself trapped in some foreign world, he was analyzing a threat. Knuckles is back baby.

[@rickyrackey7930]

Here is a weird idea. Knuckles can be an animal whisperer due to his isolation. He understands animals more than people.

[@LuvMox]

@@rickyrackey7930I’d actually like that, nature being one of his only companions means it would make sense that he would have a deeper understanding of the animals around him

[@rickyrackey7930]

@@LuvMox Like if Team Sonic gets attacked by a big creature, Knunckles can go full on Chris Pratt taming.

[@LuvMox]

@@rickyrackey7930 😂😂 I love that imagery

[@Al-bars]

Having Knuckles returning to his old formula in this prologue puts a smile on my face... Lets just see how they handle Shadow in future games or in sonic movie 3...

[@voids4818]

Or even Sonic Prime (which I’m very excited for)

[@Al-bars]

@@voids4818 I can agree, but I mostly just want to see Shadow have a role in Sonic prime instead of just being there for fan service

[@neohybride2597]

Shadow in Sonic Movie 3 is just for fan service.

[@Al-bars]

@@neohybride2597 well, we don't know that yet since the movie hasn't come out, I hope that sonic movie 3 will have elements of the SA2 story since the movies and games are separate universes

[@Zekken_The_Lodestar]

I hope they don't screw it up!

[@ArynBacklogDragon]

Seeing Knuckles being so well portrayed gives me hope Shadow will also be restored eventually.

[@rickyrackey7930]

I see Kirk playing a more jaded yet determined Shadow.

[@Cabulus]

Well well well

[@TheTeamAka]

Well well well

[@U.F.O]

Well well well

[@Motocross-u3z]

Welll wellll wellll

[@thesauteedonion]

I love the animated depiction of Knuckles' gliding and climbing abilities, I've never seen it rendered in such fluid detail before

[@apdg904]

It’s so great to see knuckles redeemed and as an actual character instead of the punching bag. I really hope they do a similar thing for Silver within the games after his decimation in forces.

[@rickyrackey7930]

Watch the Death Battle between Trunks and Silver, it completely sold me on Bryce Papenbook as Silver.

[@Azure-Star]

I especially loved seeing Chao animated like that, and with the sounds from SA1&2. I'm afraid we'll never see something like that again. Luckily Sonic Prime is looking pretty decent, so that's exciting. I don't think I've ever been more hyped for a Sonic game in my life.

[@unsavedprogress1419]

Sonic Prime gives me Pontaff Meta Era cringe vibes.

[@shypeoplearehawt8155]

@@unsavedprogress1419 although most individuals have a right to free speech as well as their opinions & true feelings. However, thankfully not everyone feels the same way automatically allowing those that are truly open-minded from different types of perspectives to exist

[@helixsol7171]

@@shypeoplearehawt8155 That's a long winded way of saying his opinion is trash lmao

[@shypeoplearehawt8155]

@@helixsol7171 A: I never said that B: I was only speaking the facts of opinions are subjective which makes them not very credible Opinions vs Undeniable facts as well as perspective/those are open-minded

[@bluerocket5127]

so sonic mania is the final goodbye to classic games and sonic frontiers is the final goodbye to sonc adventure ? i hope so

[@operationomniverse351]

As a lore nerd I can't wait to see how Sonic Frontiers adds to the world. And hopefully helps to bring it back together. Ever since the meta era and the lawsuit the world's been really scattered and it's nice to see the pieces being reassembled.

[@n.t.w8286]

I heard that the lore is that the ancients were human and that they were at war with the mobians, but I'm not sure anymore that was a while back but I hope it's true it sounds interesting, now that it's stated that mobians and humans exist in one world

[@CaptainCFalcon]

No Copyright claim in the universe is gonna stop me! - Sonic, regretting the words he just said

[@ultracommander8368]

@@n.t.w8286 I believe that was riders, which sing canon I think

[@ultracommander8368]

Very hyped NGL,sonic lore is very Pog I’m happy we have more lore to explore.

[@lerona.martyr3811]

@@n.t.w8286 as far as i know that isnt sonething referenced in game sonic canon. maybe sonewhere else but idk. It for sure wasnt the babylonians

[@Fi_Sci_]

Frontier Knuckles seems more inquisitive like his Sonic Adventure days. I honestly like the way he is being portrayed faithfully to how he originally was, and with Ian Flynn writing we are in for some solid character work.

[@Barmeecarba]

It is absolutely amazing to see Knuckles as himself again, here’s hoping the wider cast is given that same redemption in the coming games assuming this great writing continues. For me though, one of the aspects I loved most from this animation was seeing the world of Sonic feel alive again. For a while now every location has felt more like a stock background than a living breathing place but in this short we get to see angel island as the home of Knuckles, the home of the chao and we get to see Knuckles not only guard the emerald but pay attention to the rest of the island, I hope we get more animations like this cause this was phenomenal.

[@ObaREX]

Things I wanna see in this new gen of Sonic and his cast. Sonic being cool again, but still showing other emotions than just cocky joking. The guys lives to learn and learns to live. Tails being treated as a proper number two to Sonic. There was a time where it was clear that Tails could grow to be a great leader and perfect hero in his own right. And someone who might surpass Sonic someday. Someone Sonic trusts more than anyone. Amy. I just like Amy. I don't really need any changes to her. Yes that means I still like Amy being able to switch from sweet young girl to monster with a hammer that even Sonic fears. Knuckles seems to be on the path to being his old self again. Good. THE badass dumbass. Shadow. He's been done so dirty. I miss the way he was written in SA2, Heroes, and 06. Hell, I'll even take hints of his character from his own game and Sonic X. A badass who remains on par with Sonic through and through. Who doesn't stop till he gets what he wants. And whose biggest flaw isn't his arrogance or pride but the opposite. His flaw being his uncertainty of his identity and where he fits into the future of the world. And his pride and his friends are what push him to keep going. Rouge... Bring her back. Let her be friends with Shadow again. Let her flirt with and/or mess with Knuckles again. I miss their Batman/Catwoman dynamic. Also she's a super spy! There are tons of ways to create a subplot for her in stories. Eggman is perfect. He's the only character not entirely ruined by time. Though I would like to see him actually be threatening more often. Same for Metal Sonic. Put him in more stories.

[@mr.explosive8443]

@@ObaREX Everything you said is exactly what I was thinking. I’m PRAYING they redeem the other characters. But, even if they don’t/can’t, at least we got Knux back

[@rickyrackey7930]

I think with the correct writing, Kirk Thornton can make Shadow sound more jaded and torn.

[@toamatoro570]

Seeing him trapped at the end I immediately thought of the line "Don't approve of him but gotta trust him" from Unknown from M.E. His freedom's pretty much in Sonic's hands now.

[@SSG079]

With the love Knuckles is getting recently with both the movie and Sonic Frontiers Prologue, I can't wait to see how the other characters are written once the game comes out.

[@zephyr7237]

Honestly this animation was more than I could have asked for. The return of the Chao, TIKAL making an appearance, going over the lore from SA1, and most importantly Knuckles being portrayed as his old self. This is the Knuckles I know, and I’m so so glad they didn’t just redeem him in the movies. He’s not dumbass or made purely for jokes, he’s taken seriously and is strong, badass, and hot-headed, but at the same time is introverted, has a soft spot for the Chao and his island, and is dutiful. I’m so glad we get to all these sides to him, and that he isn’t one noted. SEGA didn’t really need to make this, but I’m so very thankful that they did. This really gives me hope for how the rest of the characters will be handled in this game and the future too. Hopefully they’ll be playable too, but this is honestly an amazing first step.

[@Chain-Breaks-Gaming]

I will say, i was not expecting knuckles to be this way in the prologue but damn once i saw knuckles just helping the animals making call backs to adventure ones and the fight scene i just loved every second of it and can't wait to see what he does after we free him from his digital cell.

[@kerbethegodkiller2914]

Personally I loved so much how the part where knuckles was gliding through sky sanctuary looked, it felt really exciting and satisfying, like be was having fun

[@chaoticspice3075]

I really love how the franchise is really coming back to its roots in the sense of story and characters. The knuckles animation is everything I wanted considering all the retcons sega has done to their characters. Knuckles is finally.. knuckles

[@Summorial2]

this prologue was just amazing the lore the art style the characterization of knuckles the fighting scenes it's just incredible, they finally did it they finally got who should've been writing the games a decade ago.

[@maryo274artworks4]

Tails also had a MAJOR character growth in this game too. This game did pretty much all the characters better arcs than previous games.

[@rickyrackey7930]

Can you imagine his new arc ending with him becoming Super Tails?

[@ortareyesfabio7593]

Powerhouse animation did an outstanding job with this prologue. They nailed the art style managing to make it look like a mixture of the idw comics and the sonic channel art, and let's not gloss over the fluidity of the animation with was top notch, specially in the fight scene. Truly makes me wish for powerhouse to produce a sonic show after prime is over.

[@adventuresteamstudios242]

I just hope Knuckles gets the justice he deserves, he is on of my favorite characters in the series

[@johnpett1955]

Same, and Shadow too.

[@juliabonavita4731]

@@johnpett1955 I agree shadow is my favorite if he is in the next sonic game they have to get him right

[@rickyrackey7930]

@@juliabonavita4731 He was done justice in Sonic Prime.

[@juliabonavita4731]

@@rickyrackey7930 It's a start and he will be done Justice in the movie so we're getting there

[@rickyrackey7930]

@@juliabonavita4731 I think with better writing, Kirk Thorton can play a more Jaded Shadow.

[@pixelatedink955]

Can I just mention how BEAUTIFUL the start of the fight scene was, with the camera turn and the dynamic angles. Top tier stuff. I only realized now that this franchise was at a low point, and i was coping pretty hard, or was too oblivious, to notice. I love this animation. Im excited for sonic frontiers. Ive been waiting so long to play a good sonic game (that is actually lengthy, sorry gens), and i am ready for it all. I'm here for it all. Reaching far across these new frontiers.

[@danxyo0]

I really liked the animation. The characterisation of Knuckles is shown perfect. The way he interacts with the other life forms on the island, how he questions his duty and him being calm and serious when needed are the traits that Knuckles needed. I'm excited to see other character's depictions in Frontiers.

[@thepizzasock2642]

This animation makes me wish we could get an open zone game that takes place entirely on angel island, that would be so much fun. Seeing all the zones of Sonic 3 and Adventure reimagined as a big open playground would be so cool. For now though I’m just loving seeing Knuckles as himself again on his wacky floating rock again

[@machnesntsn_ind.]

5:26 I just love his little spindash

[@leustachiusedits1829]

That animated cutscene got me even more hyped than I was before. I enjoy Knuckles' voice, and that Perfect Chaos reference was gold. I am personally super hyped for the game itself, even though I didn't preorder (still a bit skeptical haha). Can't wait to see game reviews when it comes out. Who knows? I might just buy it at full price if it lives up to the hype.

[@Handepsilon]

That 'I don't need anyone else to get by, but sometimes...' was also a callback to the beginning of his monologue too btw. It's pretty easy to miss since the tone was a bit different. Also, some people assumed that the wavy water at the beginning after the Tikal orb passes by it is a hint of Chaos' presence.

[@xgaming2427]

I can't wait to see more of Knuckles in Sonic Frontiers.

[@BardockSkywalker]

As someone who grew up during the *"Dark Age of Sonic",* words cannot describe how much this short almost made me tear up from how good it is. As if the movies & recent comics weren't enough, here's the core series finally starting to redeem itself & it feels *good!* Knuckles is literally perfect in this short, he's hot-headed without making him overly agressive, he's battle-hardened, but also very experienced & although he doesn't have all of the answers right now, he's willing to find them while still helping those in need along the way. Seeing him help the Chao brought a huge smile to my face. Then there's the fact that they brought Sky Sanctuary here! Like- *WHAT?!* That's fucking rad, dude! Overall, i love this short & now, I'm fully excited for Sonic Frontiers knowing that the writing will finally be good again. Ian Flynn, you did NOT disappoint

[@lpfan4491]

The dark age was inconsistent storywise, but the "2010s era that nobody agrees on a name for" made it look like a flawless masterpiece. It's great to be on greener sides again.

[@holyaj9500]

I absolutely loved to see this side of Knuckles again. Its been a long time coming. I have always wished for Knuckles to go back to how he felt in Adventure 2 since after Heroes he really hasn't felt the same. I do agree that fight scene was so awesome, loved seeing him hold his own again. Missed this man, glad he's back.

[@bryanblueblurhedgehog8899]

I love how they finally fixed knuckles character back the way he was, it's all thanks to ian Flynn had been written to his character, guarding the master emerald was important to live responsibility, questioning about his past, being a echidna warrior such amazing. Right now knuckles became a badass when he's in middle the fight, it was crazy. I'm glad they brought knuckles characterization back 🙌

[@killerofdeath5762]

I really love the combination of Adventute's Angel Island and the Sonic 3 Floating island things. Also, if Frontiers has a chao garden, I'm officially declaring it the best game ever.

[@killerofdeath5762]

@lgoque I know, but it's rare we get to see them together.

[@absoutezeo2126]

I really enjoyed this animation, and it has me even more excited for the game. They did more in a couple minutes than they have in over a decade and a half with Knuckles' character, and that really just goes to show that we have writers that actually care again. I couldn't be happier.

[@Timerpoint]

Something apparently nobody noticed or mentions: The way the water moves after Tikals spirit flew over it (2:10) could be a nod that Chaos is back at the altar, also watching over the Chaos Emerald and the Chao.

[@LePeppino]

👀

[@Fireblazer-ly3od]

I’m extremely interested in Frontier’s story. There’s so much about it they haven’t shown us. I’m extremely excited to go into it as blind as possible.

[@Poyo_TM]

Seeing Knuckles get the character redemption and the good writing he's deserved for years is such a great gift from Ian Flynn, I can't wait for Frontiers

[@TheBohobemeister]

As always, wonderful video! Oh, and I LOVED the Sonic Frontiers Prologue!

[@losrishere]

I’m really loving what they’re doing with the characters in Sonic right now. They are fixing the problems that really ruined their character and kind of rebooting them. So I’m really excited for the characters and what they’ll do next for them. :)

[@mr.thumbsup8335]

As someone who's just started reading the IDW comics, I can confidently say that Ian Flynn and writers like him are EXACTLY what the Sonic games need right now. From the perfect characterization from Knuckles, to the very lore-driven story, this animation just proves how much good writing can make or break a story. Even the small things in the script just make the animation just that much more cinematic. For example, Knuckles' line at the very end of the animation is an exact mirror of his earlier monologue, down to the "but sometimes" (compare 1:32-1:39 to 6:22-6:31). All these little things added up created arguably one of the best pieces of Sonic media EVER, and if this is a sign of what the writing for Frontiers would be like, then I cannot wait!

[@MrToyguy32]

The animation was amazing and along with the Sonic 2 movie, it seems that Sega has reverted to make Knuckles back to badass.

[@the.bloodless.one1312]

5:25 I’ve watching this prologue animation probably like a thousand times at this point but only now just noticed Knuckles doing a spin dash right there to reposition quickly. So fekin COOL!!!

[@SinicalOG]

I love how sega has made knuckles from dumbass to badass in the movie and now in frontiers. This is the respect he deserves.

[@L30istic]

I'm honestly glad knuckles is himself again, not just some tool used to squeeze out a few laughs, and they didn't even have to make this animation to establish it (but I'm very pleased they did). Anyway, awesome video! You did a very good job of explaining knuckles' character traits in depth 👍

[@pete6702]

Hearing the Adventure sounds from the Chao brought back so many memories (not to mention the perfect chaos roar) Hopefully the story of the actual game is written with as much thought and care as this animation

[@GuitarianoRyan]

I’ve been a Sonic fan even since I was gifted a PlayStation 2 with Sonic Mega Collection. It blew my mind when I was that little, and I was an immediate fan. All throughout my childhood, Sonic was always there with me every step of the way. Now that I am 21, I can look so fondly on my upbringing because of Sonic’s impact on my life. With how excited everyone is for Frontiers, I’m so happy that Sonic is thriving now more than ever before. I’ve always been a fan, and I always will be.

[@thisdawg812]

Great to see My Boi Knuckles getting more justice and love.

[@Ardun_]

As a musician and a sonic fan, the lyrics of "I'm Here" speak to me in a different way. The way it's portrayed at face value, is that Sonic the character speaks about his adventure to himself, How this is just a different adventure he must know endure, and that he should fight for the safety of his friends and for the protection of this world. How I see it instead, is that this is sonic the *franchise*, Talking to us, the players and fandom. "I'm standing on the border of everything" talks about the unstable situation of the franchise and how it has rocketed back and forth these past few years. how the last good sonic game was more than 10 years ago. "Leave the life you knew before" talks about the innovation and playstyle of frontiers, and how different it is from other formulas were used to. "Find the truth of who I'm meant to become Another path I must now walk on" works perfectly as well. after all these years, the franchise doesn't know what it should be. it still doesn't recognize how sonic should be played. It's another path, another expirement, they must now do. The chorus hits me the hardest. All this buildup, of how sonic the franchise is confused, and at a rocky path, and an unclear future. The franchise responds to all of these concerns with the most badass sonic way of responding. "I'm here" is a confident line by the franchise, telling us to basically "play the game and see for yourself that I'm back" "Reaching far across these new frontiers" is basically telling us how the franchise tackled the uncertainty, by basically just doing what they love, innovating, and not giving a shit. "With my life i fight this fear" they know it's risky to introduce this new formula, but that's just how badass they are. they know that if the game was bad it would certainly kill the franchise, but they're so confident in it that they will do it anyways. "Walk forward through the cold dawn Always to new horizons" is a statement about the future of the franchise. how it's gonna transform itself, and overcome the cold dawn that the franchise was, towards the bright future that it has.

[@Jay-Firestorm]

Knuckles has always been one of my favorite characters, and I'm glad to see that he is finally coming back into the limelight. May this trend continue in the future, perhaps others can be improved on too!

[@sho-s-25]

Shadow The Hedgehog would have a field day with these enemies

[@boxmonkey2855]

I saw footage of knuckles that got leaked and while I won't detail the events, knuckles had really good characterisation too. He had a sort of friendly rivalry with sonic, but you could tell they were still good friends, and his voice actor did a really good job too.

[@legendarymarston9174]

No offense but from this trailer Knuckles' voice doesn't convince me to be honest.

[@donovanjr284]

@@legendarymarston9174 it convinces me I can take him seriously now

[@legendarymarston9174]

@@donovanjr284 It's cool, it's just that it doesn't convince me in some parts.

[@FirestoneAnimation]

I just noticed the music during the fight scene was literally Asuras theme.

[@awesomeocelot7475]

Sonic chronicles was the last time before this that the master emerald and Angel island appeared.

[@shypeoplearehawt8155]

If a Knuckles the Echidna Solo Game was officially announced with the story settings in the modern timeline my only words to that would be - Take my money! already!

[@awesomeocelot7475]

Honestly because of knuckles mentioning Super Knuckles in the game I hope the next game has a playable Knuckles and he goes super again.

[@manuelinacio4038]

I am so glad they did characters justice in Frontiers, the only thing that could make it better was playing with them, but the ending indicates that it might be possible. I hope they also do Shadow justice

[@calipandie]

This was a treat. I love to see Knuckles being competent, that fight scene was so cool. Glad you covered this!

[@ManuthePizza]

For me, the fighting scene really shows just how strong he is and always was supposed to be, as well as his fighting skills. That does make wonder how/from who he learned to fight like this.

[@Crowald]

God, what a deific illustration of who Knuckles really is at his core. Seeing the whole thing was directed by Tyson Hesse, I sat back in my chair with my arms crossed and said "Called it." Only Tyson can deliver this kind of flair with such fine precision. Not only was this a flawless display of thoughtful character commentary, it was a beautiful, elegant animation. He uses his strength to protect and provide, and when he makes a mistake, petting the chao and comforting it demonstrates that he's willing to take responsibility instead of getting angry, which was something that he grew out of after Sonic Adventure. He's mellowed out now, but not lax about the things he cares about. They even brilliantly made his awkward lack of social skills apparent with the brief pause after the pebble hurt the Jinx chao; he has to stop and think about how to respond emotionally instead of instinctually. Even Knuckles' walk has his old personality back; he marches forward with single-minded confidence and purpose, a showcase of how secure he feels within his position. His combat STILL manages to reflect this in its own way; there is no hesitation in his swings. He operates purely on strength and reflex, and demonstrates a clever aptitude for combat. Not once does he get hit and he dispatches every enemy without so much as a flinch. To top it all off, we get to see him move out of his "humble, dutiful protector" alcove for a moment when he states "After I WIN!" which is not only a tiny display of his sense of humor, but it also shows that on top of feeling secure in his position, secure in his purpose, that he is also confident in his skills as well. This is a Knuckles who knows who he is, who knows what he wants to do, and knows what he wants to change. It's a thoughtful, enthusiastic depiction of him. No gags, no slights, no being the butt of a joke. He is strong, compassionate, thoughtful, insightful, but also still has his signature short-temper (which is actually properly shown) and slightly reckless behavior. I love it. I could not love it more, and I hope the rest of the game utilizes what's established here to build on and continue in a proper character arc.

[@puppetmaster6412]

I honestly love the great characterization of knuckles in this animation. He gives off stoicism and reflection instead of just being dumb. He needs to think and plan, reflect, but knows what the right thing to do is. At the end of the day OG knuckles has always been my fave and I feel him coming back! :)

[@shitanotosaurus]

Ian Flynn being one of the writers and pontac and graff being gone made our expectations skyrocket for the games story... and they've actually met them also I think its been stated that this game will be sort of a hard reboot of the series and a lot will be retconned which is most likely why knuckles is back to being more like adventure 1 and 2. not a bad thing just thought I'd point it out

[@rickyrackey7930]

I think with the correct writing, Kirk Thornton can make Shadow sound grizzled and jaded.

[@tevineleven11]

Seeing this animation might be one of my favorite things for Knuckles to happen recently. He's always been one of my favorite sonic and seeing handled in such bad, goofy ways is so tiring. Makes me so happy to see him be back to what he should be (Also I was surprised to hear him still voice by Travis Willingham)

[@jaychii3222]

I think it's amazing that the movie and the fans had such a powerful impact on Knuckles that they manged to fix him in the space he was being kicked in while he was down so much. It's so great to see!

[@instantregret8362]

I am very hopeful that Sonic Frontiers will be the push we need to bring Sonic into a new era. Especially with the writing that both give respect to the past, like Knuckle's old personality, while moving forward, like with Sonic's voice being deeper as he feels a bit older or mature and him seeming to have more control over Chaos energy or something like that in this new world. It gives me a happy feeling like when Generations or Mania came out (and Unleashed on PS2/Wii. Yes, I have weird tastes). Anyways, I am sure it will be fantastic since Alpharad was the first to make amogus on Frontiers and he has not steered me wrong yet.

[@TotalWannabe]

I would love to see some insight on the production of this animation peace. Some frames left me wondering if they used a 3d model and drew over it. The shadows and lights sometimes were just too precise. Anyways, I absolutely adored the look of it. Also, the presence of Ian Fleen's writing hand is somewhat notable. Of course it is too soon to judge the whole story, but the characters finally feel like they aren't just corporate mascots.

[@darkknight2951]

One of my favorite things about the Sonic the Hedgehog series is the characters. I always liked characters with overarching stories such as Sonic and Shadow. In fact, I appreciate how much detail the IDW comics are putting into all of the characters, one example being that Metal Sonic can’t talk while Neo-Metal can. When Sonic Forces came out, I made my OC and as the game went on, I even developed a whole story around him. I don’t care if I win, but if I do, I would like to receive the game by code sent through email.

[@Queen_of_chaos]

I saw this in my recommendation and honestly I like this because I’ll agree, Knuckles is a big surprise and I’m really happy. I bet he did save Knuckles and his character. ❤ Your video is amazing! Will subscribe!

[@abigailhedderly4978]

Oh yeah! That’s awesome. And your videos never disappoint! Great job

[@creception]

Knuckles is my favourite character, im honestly really looking forwards to frontiers because of the animations and storyline, and now seeing the producers getting knuckles’ character correct is just another thing to be happy about

[@ssbfan33]

Knuckles is back to what he was originally known for doing protecting the master emerald. The animation gave me Sonic X vibes which was the best Sonic cartoon.

[@just_an_internet_explorer8038]

I love how knuckles knocked down the fruit for the chao. It left me with a big smile 😅

[@jboy07animations39]

To be honest I've loved knuckles as a character, since I was like 5, he's always been so interesting to me and he remains one of my favorites to this day. And tbh I was waiting for this video to come out just to see your opinion on the animation lol

[@tomsimpkins1211]

I honestly want, now that they've established the Chaos Emeralds as important, that we get the Master Emerald in the next game, or a major DLC. Knuckles being gone in Frontiers leads to an opening for someone like Metal or something.

[@MlpLoverAllTheWay]

As a new fan of sonic I’m incredibly glad to see everyone in this community show such hope and optimism when there was none for the longest time. great video! :D

[@starstorm4077]

I'm just so happy to see Knuckles again. I love these characters so much.

[@TheHaloHedgehog]

It's good to see Knuckles back to his old self in this animation. Like you said in the video, he's been pretty flanderized over the years, and imo a lot of the characters have so hopefully he won't be the only one getting this kind treatment.

[@kmarto9195]

knuckles has always been a backseat character same with many others and its just really nice to see some much needed love for these characters like knuckles. I would love a game that has the other characters of sonic be the main protaginists of the story.

[@jwroot]

The voice for Knuckles is very well done. I dunno which voice I prefer now, Idris Elba or Dave Mitchell?

[@tobiakinbulumo1505]

I think it's safe to say that knuckles is finally back and I couldn't be happier. The movie did an excellent job portraying his hot-headed yet sympathetic side but in the games he was still a massive disappointment. It was so hard to watch his character devolve from a stoic but kind-hearted badass to an embarrassing joke so this animation put a huge smile on my face. I can't wait to see how they continue to characterize not only knuckles, but the rest of the cast too. It's clear to see that Sonic Team is attempting to revert them to the characters we once loved and I'm all for it

[@HollowSenny]

Y'know, i've become a Sonic fan really recently, and one of the reasons why is your videos, i love the way you analize the characters and their evolutions throughout the games, their character arcs and how cool they are when they're well written is amazing and really interesting, so that's cool, love your videos man!

[@ReggieRonin]

I really enjoyed the prologue. I feel like they really captured knuckles' personality perfectly, which gives me extreme hope for the future of this franchise!!!

[@odehetheone3681]

This game and all it's surrounding media has me soo hype! Every piece of content only solidifies my excitement for it, and this aimation is just the icing on the cake, Knuckles was so cool yet introspective and I loved it. I can't wait for Nov. 8

[@gametap2651]

I grew up in the modern era so the Knuckles I knew was a character that cannot be taken seriously until I recently played the adventure games. He was never my favourite character but is very written in the early times. Hopefully Sonic,Amy and ESPECIALLY Tails get the same treatment.

[@draykohunter6805]

The focus on narrative in all of the trailers and promotional material has me excited and this prologue gave me a taste of what I've been wanting that you've laid out in your various character videos, here's hoping they stick The Landing

[@johnwolf9704]

I hope that Ian is going to be the main writer for the franchise

[@polyphoenix7725]

Your passion for the sonic franchise really spoke to me when you popped up in my recommended. This will be my first sonic game and I'm so excited

[@ohlord1514]

Doesn’t anyone see that this guy looks like an actual gigachad? Like it feels like he shouldn’t have a high voice, right???

[@Anthik]

I love how the game is shaping up to be. It gives me the vibe of a fantasy open world game, and the gameplay looks amazing. Really hoping it will deliver!

[@SoterDave]

Listen PJ, I just need to know if Frontiers is good or not. I don't need a whole review (although I will promptly await your full, proper review) but I need to know if it's just decent so I can purchase it. I refuse to purchase it without your go ahead. Please reply whenever is most convenient. Thanks!

[@thepjshow]

Well, I gotta say that after getting the Platinum in the game, it is worth it. There is definitely some jank to it with the pop in and textures, but it feels so much like a loveletter to the Adventure and Dark Age of Sonic. So if you really liked those years of the franchise, you will enjoy Frontiers. The story and characters were brilliant and were, for me, the highlight of the game. The cyberspace levels were probably the weakest aspect, but they are still way more fun than the levels in Forces (at least in my opinion). The controls are the best that the boost games have ever had and the combat does flow really nicely. That is a very Surface Level review but I am currently working on my full review of the game which will be out next week.

[@matteosignor4256]

I've been a hardcore Sonic fan for about 4-5 years at this point and it has been really important to me in so many ways that I lost count. As of now, every time I lose hope with stuff like school or friends a new Sonic Frontiers trailer releases and if this franchise managed to get back on his feet like this, I'm sure I can do the same. During these years I have played almost all of the games, read all of the Sonic Archie comics, and had lots of fun with the community, while also having an easier time learning English. My first Sonic experience was watching Sonic X when it aired in TV and then playing Sonic & Knuckles collection on my father's PC. When I was little I never managed to get past the "barrel of doom" with Sonic but the knuckles campaign kept me interested. Seeing this game so sure of itself and with this level of passion just makes me smile every time. I'm so happy that this franchise is going back to feeling like this. And I'm here to live through it this time! In conclusion I obviously hope to win this giveaway, but even if this comment doesn't get me anything I'll still be happy if someone comments on it sharing their history with Sonic. Have a good day to you that is reading this! And I hope that you have a great time with this franchise that is so close to my heart :D

[@blacksauce091]

What do you think knuckles will do after we save him from cyberspace? I hope we get to see him around the island instead of him just not existing after we save him

[@kahuna_44]

a new trailer just dropped right before this video came out and i can say that the trailer + everything else that has been shown the past few weeks has made me the most excited for a sonic game in so long. i find myself looking forward to November 8 and when i can finally play this game because for the first time in so long it feels like they've made a game out of love and its obvious that sonic team put their whole into making this game and how proud they are of it. seeing them win the award for most anticipated game in japan, especially considering that soic has always been more popular in the west, makes me so happy for sonic team and almost certain for the success of frontiers. who knows, maybe it wont be the best game released this year, but seeing a project of love in the franchise once again and seeing how the team is proud to show it to us makes me want it to succeed, even outside of being a die hard sonic fan. i cant wait and im looking forward to everything the team has to show us

[@FSAPOJake]

Knuckles fans are eating good this year.

[@thehedgehognerd]

Yes, first Sonic Movie 2, now this. I'm glad the real Knuckles is back😁

[@rickyrackey7930]

Knuckles has gotten the best treatment out of all the characters recently.

[@sonicbattleplayer5762]

This animation is gorgeous? I feel like that's a understatement.

[@leritykay8911]

I'm really happy that Ian Flynn is doing the writing for this game. I think Ian did an amazing job with the IDW comics, in fact, they're my favourite comic series, well, ever. No offense to Archie, they had some great stuff, but... I feel like the consistency, the plots, the attention to detail, and the character design in IDW takes the cake. I've seen a lot of people saying that "IDW comics aren't perfect" or "that there are plenty of problems". And I mean, yeah, it isn't perfect. But I feel like those people rarely give examples of bad writing that I agree with. *The stuff with Shadow? That's on Sega, not Ian. And in fact I feel like he gets better later on. *Sonic being too goody-shoes and forgiving? The only real thing he majorly screwed up in was letting Metal go, other things were out of his control. Also, Sonic wouldn't kill anyone just because of the age rating, so, duh. *Too much filler? After the Zombot arc, I feel like some more relaxing, nice time is deserved. Besides, even in "filler" arcs, we get new characters, character progression, some plot stuff etc. But even putting the filler aside, I just enjoy seeing these characters interact with each other. Even without the fate of the world looming over them. *Too many references? Well. I feel like with Sega's complete lack of references, callbacks, and continuity in the recent years, Ian's writing style balances it out. I'm pretty sure that if Ian wasn't hired to write Sonic Frontiers, Sega wouldn't have remembered that Knuckles should be guarding the Master Emerald. So yeah, in short, I really like Ian's writing. I hope that this isn't a fluke, and Ian will keep the writing position for the games after Frontiers

[@rickyrackey7930]

I think with the right writers, Kirk Thornton can play a good Shadow. He can sound grizzled, jaded, yet warm despite his rough exterior.

[@freestar2343]

I have nothing to say really, I have been watching your content for almost a year now and it feels great taking a step back and diving right into your content, hoping the final product of frontiers is going to be great or even more, and I’m very interested in the Amy video when you post that too.

[@pogsireIII]

For the next character analysis could you do Blaze the cat?

[@baby_bear179]

Seeing all the little ways Sonic and Knuckles have been redefined leading up to the release of Frontiers has me so excited for the future of the rest of the cast of characters, specifically Tails. He's been my favorite character for as long as I can remember, and seeing things like his cowardice in Forces or his shift in attitude in Lost World made me very upset to say the least. But earlier this year, of course, Sonic 2 gave me the Tails I know and love. Now I fully believe that he'll be back to his best self in just a matter of time. If it can happen to Knuckles, it can definitely happen to Tails too