I love the argument between Sonic and Knuckles
I love this argument between Knuckles and Sonic, Tails feeling distraught in the background, because I feel it directly confronts that which holds them together, it truly tests their bond, and it also demonstrates how the relationship between these three in the movies is different than that in other media. This is going to involve a lot of talking about Knuckles.
When Sonic demands the Master Emerald, he contradicts not only the thing that officially brought them together, but something that is extremely important to Knuckles, which is their "unbreakable vow" that they made to protect the Master Emerald. It is mentioned about several times by Knuckles that they have this shared responsibility, once in 2, in Knuckles the series, and twice in 3. It is extremely important to him, but it doesn't just matter in the sense of the Master Emerald, it matters to him in the sense that it unifies them. He says specifically that he has a duty to them in this, that their vow involves not only protecting the Emerald, but also an obligation to look out for each other.
Sonic goes into the argument hard, he becomes aggressive immediately, and Knuckles becomes aggressive only after Sonic does. Knuckles dialogue is fascinating, because he says that Sonic is not in his right mind, that he's in no condition to make this choice, giving Sonic an out, thinking about what Sonic is going through, Knuckles gives Sonic an opportunity to back off.
Sonic keeps going, he gets meaner, and it's here I wanna mention that I believe that in many other iteration of Knuckles, Knuckles would have fought Sonic much harder over this. The Master Emerald is so important to him, it's the most important relic that he has of his people, justifiably it belongs to him, however, this Knuckles says "Don't do this." as things heat up, and it comes off almost like a plea, like he's trying hard to make Sonic realize how dishonorable he is being though words instead of fists because he genuinely does not want to fight.
Sonic doesn't back off, but Knuckles does. He goes on to say that Sonic has broken his promise which, need I say, Sonic did swear was "unbreakable". It is such a vast breach in trust for Sonic to do this. I won't mention how Tails would have been distraught had they actually fought, and how, since he entered the argument on Tails' behalf, Knuckles wouldn't have wanted to make things worse by fighting, so it is an extremely mature decision, but it's even more than that, I think. To me, this argument between Sonic and Knuckles perfectly shows the difference between this Knuckles and the Knuckles in other iterations, and it's the same difference that Sonic has, and presumably Tails too.
These guys are a family, they live together, they room together, their dynamic is clearly "brotherly", what they have is a special bond. While Sonic and Knuckles can definitely be called friends in other stories of Sonic, I think that this version of them is a version where their relationship is truly being built upon by the closest means. It's familial. Knuckles chooses to preserve that over protecting the Emerald, or at least, he chooses to relent it to Sonic rather than fight about it, even though he doesn't think that he is currently worthy of it. That's huge, he cares about his family greatly.
Last part of this rant and it is about the ending. When Sonic asks if his friends can forgive him, Knuckles still looks furious, and very rightfully so. Sonic betrayed his trust, and he doesn't mention the "unbreakable promise" that he broke, because, yeah, not so unbreakable now. Knuckles would totally be in the right not to forgive him. I'm not gonna mention how we have no idea where the Master Emerald is, and how it's possible that Shadow still has it, OR that it would be entirely Sonic's fault if were to have lost it, because I honestly think that they were all more mindful about how they were all still alive and were not thinking about the Emerald at that time. Here, Knuckles doesn't say that he forgives Sonic, but he does do the "Team Sonic?", which, again, huge relentment. He just cares about his brothers that much, he cares that they all made it through the situation, they hug it out and it's adorable.
My own note though? I would not be surprised if this argument were to come up again, because, say that they have lost the Emerald for a while, say that they get it back, Sonic still broke his vow. I can definitely see Knuckles bringing that up should the subject of the Emerald come again. While his love for Sonic is definitely still there, like how he loves all his family dutifully, the trust between them, when it comes to the Emerald, is possibly damaged, and Sonic might need to work on himself in order to regain that trust from Knuckles in a future plotline whatever it involves. That's just my prediction though, one based harshly on if Sonic lost the Emerald. Could be Knuckles will let it go, I just wouldn't be surprised otherwise.
I love this argument between Knuckles and Sonic, Tails feeling distraught in the background, because I feel it directly confronts that which holds them together, it truly tests their bond, and it also demonstrates how the relationship between these three in the movies is different than that in other media. This is going to involve a lot of talking about Knuckles.
When Sonic demands the Master Emerald, he contradicts not only the thing that officially brought them together, but something that is extremely important to Knuckles, which is their "unbreakable vow" that they made to protect the Master Emerald. It is mentioned about several times by Knuckles that they have this shared responsibility, once in 2, in Knuckles the series, and twice in 3. It is extremely important to him, but it doesn't just matter in the sense of the Master Emerald, it matters to him in the sense that it unifies them. He says specifically that he has a duty to them in this, that their vow involves not only protecting the Emerald, but also an obligation to look out for each other.
Sonic goes into the argument hard, he becomes aggressive immediately, and Knuckles becomes aggressive only after Sonic does. Knuckles dialogue is fascinating, because he says that Sonic is not in his right mind, that he's in no condition to make this choice, giving Sonic an out, thinking about what Sonic is going through, Knuckles gives Sonic an opportunity to back off.
Sonic keeps going, he gets meaner, and it's here I wanna mention that I believe that in many other iteration of Knuckles, Knuckles would have fought Sonic much harder over this. The Master Emerald is so important to him, it's the most important relic that he has of his people, justifiably it belongs to him, however, this Knuckles says "Don't do this." as things heat up, and it comes off almost like a plea, like he's trying hard to make Sonic realize how dishonorable he is being though words instead of fists because he genuinely does not want to fight.
Sonic doesn't back off, but Knuckles does. He goes on to say that Sonic has broken his promise which, need I say, Sonic did swear was "unbreakable". It is such a vast breach in trust for Sonic to do this. I won't mention how Tails would have been distraught had they actually fought, and how, since he entered the argument on Tails' behalf, Knuckles wouldn't have wanted to make things worse by fighting, so it is an extremely mature decision, but it's even more than that, I think. To me, this argument between Sonic and Knuckles perfectly shows the difference between this Knuckles and the Knuckles in other iterations, and it's the same difference that Sonic has, and presumably Tails too.
These guys are a family, they live together, they room together, their dynamic is clearly "brotherly", what they have is a special bond. While Sonic and Knuckles can definitely be called friends in other stories of Sonic, I think that this version of them is a version where their relationship is truly being built upon by the closest means. It's familial. Knuckles chooses to preserve that over protecting the Emerald, or at least, he chooses to relent it to Sonic rather than fight about it, even though he doesn't think that he is currently worthy of it. That's huge, he cares about his family greatly.
Last part of this rant and it is about the ending. When Sonic asks if his friends can forgive him, Knuckles still looks furious, and very rightfully so. Sonic betrayed his trust, and he doesn't mention the "unbreakable promise" that he broke, because, yeah, not so unbreakable now. Knuckles would totally be in the right not to forgive him. I'm not gonna mention how we have no idea where the Master Emerald is, and how it's possible that Shadow still has it, OR that it would be entirely Sonic's fault if were to have lost it, because I honestly think that they were all more mindful about how they were all still alive and were not thinking about the Emerald at that time. Here, Knuckles doesn't say that he forgives Sonic, but he does do the "Team Sonic?", which, again, huge relentment. He just cares about his brothers that much, he cares that they all made it through the situation, they hug it out and it's adorable.
My own note though? I would not be surprised if this argument were to come up again, because, say that they have lost the Emerald for a while, say that they get it back, Sonic still broke his vow. I can definitely see Knuckles bringing that up should the subject of the Emerald come again. While his love for Sonic is definitely still there, like how he loves all his family dutifully, the trust between them, when it comes to the Emerald, is possibly damaged, and Sonic might need to work on himself in order to regain that trust from Knuckles in a future plotline whatever it involves. That's just my prediction though, one based harshly on if Sonic lost the Emerald. Could be Knuckles will let it go, I just wouldn't be surprised otherwise.