Athair
Athair is a fictional character from the fictional universes of the comic books and TV series based on the Sonic the Hedgehog series of video games. He is the great-grandfather of Knuckles the Echidna, and as such is an anthropomorphic, humanoid echidna. In the comic universe he has brown fur; the cartoon in which he appeared depicted him with red. His eyes are blue in the comics, while they're black in the cartoon.
In the Archie-published Sonic the Hedgehog comics, Athair has had two wardrobes. One is a somewhat tattered tribal outfit, complete with a walking stick; the other is a plain white robe. In either form of attire, he wears the spiked mittens of the Guardian family and a pair of sandals. His only other decoration are the beads that have been looped over his dreadlocks. Following his assumption of the white robe, he appears to Sonic and co. in the form of a disembodied floating head.
In the cartoon series Sonic Underground, in which he was voiced by Maurice LaMarche, Athair is dressed in a white and blue robe, and also carries a staff, far more regal that his usual walking stick. He also wears a green-lensed pair of glasses.
Athair's name is translated as 'Father' in the Irish language (pronounced 'a-HAR'), and Athair is the only Guardian besides Knuckles to appear on television.
History[]
Early Life[]
Athair is approached by a member of the Lost Tribe.
Athair is the son of Janelle-Li, the only female Guardian in the history of the Brotherhood of Guardians. His father died when he was an infant, while Janelle-Li raised him alone. At some point Athair had even been to Echidnaopolis as a child. Athair followed the usual Guardian tradition of assuming the position around 8 or 9 years of age, at which time his mother left him on his own to join the Brotherhood in Haven. However, not long after his time as the island Guardian began, the Ancient Walkers appeared before him and informed the young echidna he had a higher purpose. After transporting him to witness the Lost Tribe of Echidnas, he was taken by the Walkers to Haven where he encountered his mother. Despite his objections, Janelle-Li took up Athair's position of Guardian for him, as she too sensed he had a higher calling. From there, Athair began learning from the Ancient Walkers, and became the Mitre of the Lost Tribe as they sought their homeland of Albion. (KtE: #11)
Years later while leading the Lost Tribe, Athair was struck by the Soultouch when he met Crystal-La, and the two got married. One season later his son Sabre was born. After seven years, the Ancient Walkers appeared before Athair and explained his mother was terminally ill. Sabre urged Athair to tend to his mother and resume the mantle of Guardian, but Athair refused, deciding to remain with the Lost Tribe. His son, furious at him, took up the position at age 7. Worse for Athair, his wife Crystal-La was later captured by the forces of Dr. Ivo Robotnik and roboticized, along with many other members of the Lost Tribe. (KtE: #11)
Advisor[]
His first encounter with the Knothole Freedom Fighters was during time he spent in Downunda. While living in this desert, he took up residence in the Great Crater, once resting place of Angel Island, and became known among denizens of the continent as "Ol' Weirdo" due to his reclusive nature. During his stay, the Downunda Freedom Fighters brought him a guest - the then unconscious Miles "Tails" Prower. Nursing the fox back to health, Athair told Tails stories of Mobius' past and revealed the young Freedom Fighter's destiny as the Chosen One. Shortly afterwards Athair was presumed to have died when Crocbot's escape vehicle crashed into the crater and caused a massive explosion. Instead, Athair merely shed his corporeal form. (TMS: #2, #3)
Athair in Haven, warning Locke that Knuckles is in danger
When the Dark Legion managed to escape from the Twilight Zone and begin invading the Floating Island, Athair appeared before Locke in Haven and gave him a mysterious warning of things to come. (KtE: #2)
Following Mammoth Mogul's success in draining the powers of Enerjak, Athair reappeared to aid the beleaguered opposition, which consisted of Tails, Sonic, and Knuckles the Echidna. Athair allowed the trio to assume their super forms of Super Sonic, Hyper Knuckles and Turbo Tails and distracted the powerful tyrant. Delivering the Chaos Syphon to his beleaguered allies, he watched as they overcame Master Mogul. This enabled the three heroes to defeat Mammoth Mogul, who was then trapped inside the recently formed Master Emerald. (StH: #56, KtE: #9)
Shortly afterward, Athair returned to recruit Knuckles, bestowing upon him duties as Mitre of the Lost Tribe. He disappeared again, leaving the tribe in the capable hands of Knuckles. With the assistance of Rob O' the Hedge, Knuckles successfully led the Lost Tribe to Albion. As he left, the faces of Athair and the Ancient Walkers appeared in the clouds above him, smiling down in approval. (KtE: #10, #11, #12)
Following the Dark Legion's attack on Angel Island with the Quantum Beam, Athair appeared before Knuckles, who managed to jump off the island before being sent to an alternate zone. Athair explained that the answers Knuckles sought could be found in Albion, and that he would need a guide in the form of Rob O' the Hedge. Before vanishing, Athair reminded Knuckles he already had the means to get to Albion. (StH: #88)
The next time he showed up, Athair appeared in Knothole High School before Tails, telling him he was needed. After he transported Tails to where Chaos Knuckles was located, he explained that Knuckles was evolving. Shielding Tails from one of Chaos Knuckles' blasts as the echidna teleported away, Athair then transported Tails to the Floating Island where Chaos Knuckles teleported himself to. After Tails was injured in an attack, Athair teleported him to Merlin Prower. Athair informed Merlin that the Ancient Walkers were dying, and that Turbo Tails needed to be summoned to combat Chaos Knuckles, otherwise entire worlds would be destroyed. Explaining the agony his great-grandson was suffering through, Athair convinced Merlin to summon Turbo Tails. After Chaos Knuckles quickly defeated Turbo Tails, Athair probed Tails' mind and discovered that this was a duplicate, the location of the real Tails unknown. Athair explained they should not inform the false Tails of this without knowing how the switch occurred or who was responsible, transporting the duplicate Tails to Knothole. (StH: #94, #95, #96, #97)
Deity[]
Athair later returned, apparently having taken up residence in the same dimension as Aurora. Following Knuckles' death and his brief merging with the Chaos Force, Athair asked Aurora why she didn't inform Knuckles he was worthy of a second chance at life. Later when Knuckles returned, having rejected being merged with the Chaos Force upon sensing the Xorda threat to Mobius, Athair confirmed to Knuckles he could have a second chance, but warned him the result of returning would have unknown consequences. After Knuckles returned back to life, Athair explained to Aurora Knuckles' young age played a key part in his reasons for rejecting being one with the Chaos Force. (StH: #124, #125)
Athair conversing with Tails about the ancient prophecies
Some time later, Athair appeared to Tails again, appearing only as his disembodied head, explaining how Mogul had replaced Tails with a doppelganger and usurped power from the real Tails. Tails pressed Athair to tell him the full truth about the "Chosen One", but Athair simply vanished. After disappearing, Athair's voice told Tails to be patient, stating that the hour of the Chosen One would soon be at hand. Not long afterwards, Athair help gave Tails the knowledge necessary to combine with his numerous alternate selves to form Titan Tails in order to combat Master Mogul, who had been reshaping the multiverse. After Mogul was defeated and Tails used all his power to undo everything Mogul had done, Athair and Merlin conversed about Tails' decision to return things to normal, and that the only evidence of the battle was Mogul, imprisoned in a Chaos Emerald. (StH: #148, #149, #150)
Later, as the Ancient Walkers felt themselves dying, Athair was chosen as one of their successors; the others were Aurora and Merlin Prower. Unfortunately, Athair's new role was forced upon him all too soon, as the Arachne used the Sword of Acorns to release Ixis Naugus, producing a dimensional warp that finished off the Ancient Walkers. Elias Acorn later revealed that Athair and his compatriots are known as the Neo Walkers. (StH: #162, #163, #164)
Personality[]
Athair is a light-hearted individual, having long been freed from the responsibilities that have darkened the dispositions of so many of his family. However, he does have the horrors of his own past weighing on his mind. Sarcastic and prone to humor, Athair is given to talking in riddles, which confuse Sonic and Tails to no end and are often frustrating to Knuckles as well. Despite their occasional arguments, he and Knuckles do share a number of things, which eventually includes the idea that Angel Island's safety is no more important than the safety of Mobius at large.
Background Information[]
- Athair was the only member of Knuckles' family to appear on a Sonic TV show; featured in the episode "No Hedgehog is an Island - Chaos Emerald Crisis (Part 2 of 3)" of Sonic Underground.