Is Doctor Robotnik in the Knuckles Show?

Doctor Robotnik is one of the most important characters in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. The villain first appeared alongside Sonic in the original Sega Genesis game, and he's been a recurring nuisance for Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Amy ever since. In the Sonic movies, the character's role has remained primarily the same, where he's been depicted by actor Jim Carrey. At the end of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, the villain seemingly died, but he will be back in Sonic 3, later this year. 

Given that, some fans might be wondering if the villain will appear in the Knuckles series on Paramount+. After all, the show is meant to fill the gap between Sonic 2 and Sonic 3, and Robotnik and Knuckles have a complicated history. We can confirm that the villain does not appear in the show, but he does have a pretty significant impact on the story! 

Robotnik's Role in Knuckles

Warning: Spoiler Ahead. In the first episode of Knuckles, viewers are introduced to Mason (Scott Mescudi) and Willoughby (Ellie Taylor), a pair of agents working with a man known as The Buyer (Rory McCann). The trio of villains are on a mission to kidnap Knuckles, so that his quills can be used to power weapons. That plot point is fairly similar to the first Sonic the Hedgehog movie, and with good reason: The Buyer once worked for Robotnik. With the world believing that Robotnik is dead, The Buyer has continued his work. 

Interestingly enough, The Buyer is not the only villain with a connection to the events of the previous films. Both Mason and Willoughby start out as members of G.U.N., the Guardian Units of Nations. However, the two betray the organization at the start of the series. While Mason is interested in beating up aliens and other human beings, it's a little more personal for Willoughby: when G.U.N.'s focus seemed to be capturing and detaining aliens like Sonic, she was more than happy with the mission statement. However, G.U.N.'s disinterest in "neutralizing" Sonic and friends resulted in her disgust and frustration. 

How Did Robotnik Survive the End of Sonic the Hedgehog 2?

At this time, we don't know how Robotnik managed to survive the climax of Sonic the Hedgehog 2. In the movie, Robotnik is attacking Sonic and friends using a giant robot (which happens to look a lot like him). Using the power of the Chaos Emeralds, Sonic is able to destroy the machine, and Robotnik seemingly plummets to his doom. However, as G.U.N. agents search through the wreckage, they are unable to locate the villain's body, and his loyal minion Stone (Lee Majdoub) can be seen in disguise as a G.U.N. agent. It's possible Stone was able to help the injured Robotnik escape, but we have no way of knowing for sure. For now, Sonic fans will have to wait until the December 20th release of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 to find out! 

Are you disappointed that Doctor Robotnik doesn't appear in the Knuckles show? How do you think he survived the end of the previous film? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!