| abstract
| - Knuckles stands outside Benedict's campaign headquarters, holding the robot spy's defunct head in his hands, and wonders aloud to Julie-Su what all the fuss about technology has been about. As he ponders, he spots a familiar reflection on the head's surface and chases after the figure fleeing the scene. He catches up with the stranger to find that it's Locke and embraces his long lost father. Locke tells Knuckles that they have much to discuss and leads him to his shuttle. Meanwhile, Julie-Su loses track of Knuckles and is frustrated that he's ditched her again. On their way to Haven, Knuckles asks his father about the building's history. Locke begins a story, explaining that long ago the Fire Ants built Haven for Steppenwolf to aid him in his duties as Guardian of the Floating Island. He prepared his son, Moonwatcher, to take over his duties and eventually encountered the first Overlanders to visit the island. Using the telekinetic powers of the Fire Ants, Steppenwolf realized that the Overlanders, led by Brutus Kintobor, intended to steal the island's Chaos Emerald. He further used their powers to make the Overlanders writhe in pain and promise to never return to the island. Christopheles advised Steppenwolf that having more than one Guardian would be necessary. Steppenwolf made Moonwatcher a Guardian, with father and son taking shifts protecting the island and keeping watch over Mobius. This arrangement worked for decades, as their descendents -- Harlan and Rembrandt -- joined the fold and their organization was christened "The Brotherhood." One day, Rembrandt's son Aaron was on patrol on the surface when he discovered the Dark Legion and a group of Overlanders preparing a missile. The head Overlander launched the missile when he spotted Aaron, fearing that he would ruin their plans. Aaron jumped aboard with Grandmaster Menniker clinging to him, demanding that he leave the missile alone or risk killing them both. Aaron took Menniker's advice and blew himself up along with the Legion's Grandmaster and the missile. Starting with Jordan, Aaron's younger brother, the Brotherhood let the father teach his son and then left the next Guardian on his own to learn. Knuckles comes to realize that his father never abandoned him, but that he stayed away to keep him better prepared for his duties. Locke tells his son that, many years ago, he had a vision of Knuckles facing down an unstoppable robot and a bright flash of light seemed to signal the world's end. The visions plagued him constantly, so Locke sought guidance from his grandfather, Athair. Advised to do whatever he could to prepare for this future, Locke biologically enhanced himself to change Knuckles' genetics. He also exposed Knuckles’ egg to the radiation of the island's Chaos Emerald. Locke explains that when Knuckles hatched, he knew he had succeeded. Knuckles asks what he means, prompting Locke to take off his gloves and show that the Guardians' glove spikes are ornamental while Knuckles has natural spikes on his hands. He reveals that Athair prophesied Knuckles as the Brotherhood's savior, but Knuckles angrily suggests he might have been happier just being Locke's son and nothing else. Locke barks back that he had the same feelings about his father and that deciding between saving the world and bonding with Knuckles was a painful decision. Walking through the halls of Haven, they decide to finally spend some time together as father and son.
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