knuckles: Who is The Buyer in Knuckles season 1? Character explored

Sonic the Hedgehog's spinoff series Knuckles is set to introduce The Buyer as the main villain. While Doctor "Eggman" Robotnik was the main antagonist in the Sonic movies, his shoes will be filled by an evil man known as The Buyer in the Paramount+ series.

The Buyer is a former agent of Doctor Eggman and an inventor who has created many machines, such as the Flying Eggs seen in the Sonic movies. A black-market buyer, he wants to capture Knuckles the Echidna for a nefarious purpose.

The story of Knuckles, set to be released on April 26, 2024, takes place between the events of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022) and the upcoming third movie.

Who plays The Buyer in Knuckles?

Rory McCann as the main villain (Image via Instagram/@sonicmovie)

Rory McCann plays The Buyer, the main villain in Knuckles. The Scottish actor is most widely known for his portrayal of Sandor Clegane, aka The Hound, on HBO's fantasy-drama Game of Thrones.

Before his turn as an actor, McCann worked periodically as a painter, gardener, and carpenter. After training under writer-artist Robert Parsifal Finch at The Actor's Workshop, McCann appeared in the 2002 television comedy-drama The Book Group. His portrayal of Kenny McLeod, a disabled personal trainer, won a Scottish BAFTA award for best television performance that year.

Since then, Rory McCann has appeared in many projects, including Shameless, Alexander, Beowulf & Grendel, and Clash of the Titans.

What is the intention of The Buyer in Knuckles?

A still from 'Knuckles' (Image via Instagram/@sonicmovie)

In the new series, The Buyer wants to capture Knuckles the Echidna (voiced by Idris Elba). He appoints rogue GUN agents Mason (Scott Mescudi) and Willoughby (Ellie Taylor) to carry out the task as he builds a new creation.

According to the Roger Ebert website, The Buyer wants to use Knuckles' electromagnetic power to source his robotic inventions. His motivation is evocative of Doctor Eggman's in the first Sonic the Hedgehog movie—exploit Sonic's powers.

Knuckles and The Buyer fight scene teaser explored

In a new trailer for the Knuckles show, the red-colored Echidna can be seen fighting the mysterious Buyer. The clip opens with Knuckles preparing to teach Wade (Adan Pally) how to fight and turn him into a warrior.

Soon, the action picks up as Knuckles is shown fighting Agent Mason in a bowling alley. In a voiceover, The Buyer gives an ominous threat to the heroes:

"You better be ready for the fight of your lives."

The line is accompanied by a quick shot of The Buyer controlling a large machine with long robotic arms. He attempts to capture Knuckles with his evil mechanical creation as it glows with flashes of red electromagnetic currents.

Scott Mescudi as Mason and Ellie Taylor as Willoughby (Image via Instagram/@sonicmovie)

The full trailer released in February 2024 offers more context to the plot and their rivalry. In the video clip, The Buyer is seen in his lab as he says:

"Knuckles. Without his little friends, he is vulnerable... He is the key to power my newest creation."

A glimpse of their fight is also revealed as The Buyer captures Knuckles with his giant robotic machine. As he attempts to harness the alien's powers, he exclaims:

"You're mine."

Both the teaser and the trailer for Knuckles promise a fun, entertaining, and action-packed story, with Sonic and Tails making an appearance as well. The synopsis for the Sonic the Hedgehog spinoff show reads:

"The new live-action series will follow Knuckles (Idris Elba) on a hilarious and action-packed journey of self-discovery as he agrees to train Wade (Adam Pally) as his protégé and teach him the ways of the Echidna warrior. The series takes place between the films SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2 and SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3."

While Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is set to release on December 20, 2024, Knuckles is scheduled to premiere on April 26 on Paramount+.