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Knuckles the Echidna Publication Details Issue  22 Date Published  January 1999 Publisher  Archie Comics Production Staff Cover Artist Patrick Spaziante Ken Penders Writer Ken Penders Pencils Jim Valentino Inks Harvey Mercadoocasio Letters Vickie Williams Colors Barry Grossman Editor J. Freddy Gabrie Managing Editor Victor Gorelick Editor in Chief Richard Goldwater First Appearances Characters Lien-Da Benedict Xenin Pravda

Archie Knuckles the Echidna Issue 22 was the twenty-second issue of the spin-off Knuckles the Echidna comic series.

SummaryEdit

Story OneEdit

"Dark Alliance" Part One of Three: "You Say You Want A Revolution..."

In the dark of night a team of Legionnaires, lead by Lien-Da, assaults the High Councilor Pravda. They trash his manor, which is filled with the technological leisure he publicly denounces. Leaving his petrified wife alone, they leave with the councilor to their base of operation.

Meanwhile, in Haven, Knuckles is less than thrilled about his supposed grandfathers, not not trusting his lineage due to recent events. Sabre tries as best to make the young guardian understand the situation, but unconcerned with everything else, Knuckles demands to get some long-overdue answers about his father. Locke, meanwhile, is escorting Lara-Le and her entourage back to Echidnaopolis.

In a hidden location, the councilor pleads helplessly with the Dark Legion, receiving only a harsh berating from the Lien-Da as response. Changing his tactics, Pravda tries to bargain his way out of trouble, but upon entering a dimly-lit room the councilor is cut of by a voice. Horrified to witness the mechanically-reborn Dimitri, Pravda could only remain silent as the ancient Echidna made ominous statements.

On route to Lady Lara-Le's apartment, Constable Remington encounters trouble in the form of a dingo rally and protest. Exiting his vehicle, Remington tries to settle things peacefully, but several flaming Molotov cocktails thrown by an unknown individual eradicates that possibility. Things escalates beyond the constable's control as echidnas and dingoes alike begin to brawl; Remington is forced to call Haven for support. Knuckles is more than willing to get down to regular business and departs with Archimedes in a puff of smoke. While attempting to dispatch both dingo and echidna rioters, he receives unexpected help from none other than General Von Stryker. Lecturing his people on their behavior, the general is unaware of an Echidna attempting a sneak attack, but Knuckles intervenes. Showing contempt for his people's behavior as well, Knuckles suggest they take a cooling period for both sides while trying to resolve the problem. Knuckles asks what exactly set off the riot, and Stryker flatly replies "Too many broken Echidna promises!" and leaves with a threat of retaliation.

At the Dark Legion base, High Councilor Pravda is forcefully strapped to a table, screaming protests as he is sedated. High above the surgery room. Dimitri muses that it is a pity that it is not the councilor's ancestor lying on the operating table instead. He reminisces how the High Councilor a the time shot down the plans of he and his brother in order to maintain his political power. In the aftermath of that decision, Dimitri muses that he had stopped thinking straight and let his power consume his logic and reason, which resulted in his downfall. He promises that this time, he shall have vengeance.

Reuniting with the Chaotix, Knuckles is informed why the dingoes are protesting. It seems that very little effort has been put into the construction of their new lodgings in the face of the upcoming election. Julie-Su informs them of the missing High Councilor as well, and how the election might throw the dingoes into a full-fledged frenzy. When Vector makes sly remarks, Julie-Su puts him in his place and tells them Remington wants to see them.

Meanwhile, the Legion is stirring up trouble in another part of town, smashing windows and terrorizing the populace as part of Dimitri's large scale scheme. They plan to bring about anarchy and chaos until the people are desperate for a savior, which he intends to give them. A mind-controlled Pradva appears alongside two other Echidnas, proclaiming for all to hail Dimitri.

QuotesEdit

Key EventsEdit

• Dimitri is revealed to be alive and plotting.

Background InformationEdit

• This issue's cover is the first part of a three-part image.
• The "anonymous" quote given at the start of the issue is a modified version of a famous statement given by Martin Niemöller concerning the rise of the Nazis in Germany.