And Knuckles: How Did Sonic's Strongest Ally Change For The Big Screen?

gamerant.com:

There was one element of the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 trailers that kept longtime fans and newcomers on pins and needles waiting for the release date. That element was not the return of the Blue Blur, the new unhinged Eggman, or the first film's post-credit reveal of Tails, it was Knuckles the Echidna.

Introduced in 1991's Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Knuckles the Echidna is the third or fourth most important character in the Sonic canon. He's been a fan favorite since his initial release, and Idris Elba's casting to the first on-screen appearance of the character made him a massive point of excitement.

Sonic And Knuckles Square Off In New Sonic 2 TV Spot

The changes made to Knuckles from game to film are deceptively simple. Fans who listen to him talk might be easily convinced that he's closer in tone to Dragon Ball Z's Vegeta than Sonic's musclebound red ally. His writing is distractingly similar to that of characters like Teen Titans' Starfire or Guardians of the Galaxy's Drax the Destroyer. His dialogue is weighty, he talks constantly about honor and pride, and he has strong opinions about the way that people should behave. When Eggman mistreats his minion Stone, Knuckles sees it as dishonorable. When Sonic saves him from drowning, he is both shocked by his behavior and immediately indebted to him. He comes off as a cruel villain from the beginning, but he softens over time. Some of his traits might come off as deviations from his in-game personality, but they are less like changes in character and more like changes in tone.

The Knuckles of the game franchise is hard-headed, slow-witted, and muscle-bound. He's driven by duty. Tasked with protecting the Master Emerald, he spends a ton of his time standing guard over its location and