Knuckle (Episode)

Details

At his home, Merlock's is plagued by nightmares of what happened in episode 32, he wakes from his dreams startled by them.

In Hong Kong, 1972 AD, Flint and his friends comment on the state of Hong Kong being messy in this era. Pterry mentions they are here to find Knuckle. Flint hears someone shouting nearby and goes to find the source.

They come across some actors trying to convince someone called "Lee" to finish shooting a film. He states he was not interested in being in a movie. When he says he is quitting the drama school, one of the other actors tries to attack him, Lee hits him and sends him flying, even though the blow was not that strong. Flint interferes and tells Lee he shouldn't bully the weak. Lee tells Flint if he interferes he'll bet him with his Knuckle Kenpo. Knuckle then appear and confronts Lee. Lee greets Knuckle as his master. Knuckles forces Lee to apologize which makes Flint smile.

Lee explains that he met Knuckle when he got caught up in a dispute with some senior film extras. Knuckle appears suddenly and takes care of the group trying to start a fight with Lee, fighting them all into submission.

Lee explains he was enrolled into drama school because of his father, but he really wants to be a martial artist. He shows them the "Hong Kong Martial Arts" tournament event poster that he plans to enter and tells them he plans to make a name for himself there and then he'll quit drama school.

Petra appears suddenly remarking on Lee's plans. She orders Dino and Mite to attack to see if Lee is ready for the contest, they leap off the building their standing on and on landing on the ground, both twist their ankle they land on. Lee lays into them with his Knuckle Kenpo, they run to Petra and plea to flee. Lee continues to attack, and Sarah tells him he is overdoing it. One of Lee's attacks cuts into a nearby pole, causing Knuckle to have to destroy it to stop it endangering Petra's own life, and once done Knuckle scolds Lee for his mistake. While Knuckle and Lee are distracted, Petra retreats.

After noticing Petra got away, Tony admits he is impressed with the Knuckle Kenpo, Lee comments that he wished he had that kind of power and how he would win for sure. Flint then says that he wants to enter the tournament too. Lee declares that that would make the pair rivals to each other and a fight should sort things out.

Elsewhere, Petra is beatup Dino and Mite for their efforts previously, which amuses the Uglinator watching and he calls her pathetic. He comments that its due to her incompetence as a leader that she failed. In her anger she challenges him for his help with a new plan and if it fails she'll be his underling. But if she wins, he must do whatever she says from now on. He laughs at the deal.

At the martial arts events, Lee has his first match, which he easily wins. Flint also wins his first match easily. They continue to fight and to win until both end up facing each other in the finals. During the fight, Lee attempts to mimic Knuckle's strongest move, but fails leading Flint to win the fight. Flint shows Lee some sportsmanship and offers to help him up, but Lee smacks his hand away and runs off, Knuckle follows.

Outside the building, Knuckle sees Lee crying against a tree, but upon approach it turns out to be the Uglinator, who leaves his Skull mark on the Time Shifters forehead. Uglinator reminds Petra of their deal and Petra forces Knuckle to transform into his bad transformation.

Meanwhile, Lee thinks about his acting and the issues that the director had with him. The director explains the issue with that Lee doesn't convey his acting to the audience and questions how Lee is suppose to express himself if he won't put his heart into it. Sarah, Tony, Getalong and Pterry approach him and tell him the award ceremony is about to start and they can't without him. Lee responds questioning what the point is since he didn't win and believes if he knew how to pull off the move he'd have won. They told him to remember everything Knuckle has taught him and that somehow he'll make it though. When Lee questions what "somehow" means, the others replies to ask Knuckle.

At the award ceremony, Lee does not show when they call for him and Rocky tells Flint that its likely Lee wasn't satisfied with his loss.

Just then, Knuckle-kon breaks into the arena and the other challengers attempt to get rid of him. Petra tells Flint she will be his foe in the meantime. Petra pulls off a "special maneuver" she perfected, which just involves spinning her head in a circle. After 3 tries with varying the technique, Flint just knocks her each time and she faints. Knuckle-Kon defeats the other challengers and takes on Flint.

Lee heads back to the tournament arena, noting how he feels he can't face Knuckle. At that moment, Flint is sent falling through the wall of the building, Sarah points out the skull mark on Knuckle-Kon's forehead identifying that the monster they are facing is Knuckle. They try and plea with Knuckle, but he is too much for Flint.

Pterry runs for help.

During Flint and Knuckle-Kon's fight, Lee recognizes the move he is puling off and attempts to stop it. He is easily knocked down by Knuckle-kon. Flint tells Knuckle-kon not to bully Lee.

At that moment, Pterry arrives carrying Musey's Monster egg. After being fossilized, Musey transforms into Musey Master. Musey is easily defeated and reverts back to normal. Flint tries and help, but Knuckle-kon sends him flying.

Lee remembers the training he did with Knuckle, seeing him like this causes his feelings to stir and he leaps in and finally pulls off Knuckle's master move, the blow hits Knuckle. He realizes its because he put his heart into it this time and he remember the director's comments on his acting lacking feeling. He finally understands, Knuckle reverts back to normal.

Uglinator realizes he faces defeat and summons Robot 12, to which Petra and her two henchmen are stuffed inside too. Uglinator reminds them that their plan failed and they are now his underlings. Petra orders Dino to make the robot dance, to which Dino takes the order literally and makes the robot dance the Robot, to the shock of the others in the robot and Uglinator calls him a idiot. Both Knuckle and Lee defeat the robot with their special move.

Later that evening, Lee says he is going back to drama school. Lee declares he will make Knuckle proud by using his fists to save people, rather then focusing on martial arts to win.

In the 25th century, Jillian Grey asks Merlock Holmes what he wants to see her for. He pushes his badge towards her and announces he wants to quit being a Time Detective.

List of characters

• Flint Hammerhead
• Uglinator
• Petra Fina Dagmar
• Dino
• Mite
• Pterry
• Getalong
• Bindi
• Merlock Holmes
• Rocky Hammerhead
• Sarah Goodman
• Tony Goodman
• Knuckle
• Musey
• Jillian Grey

English dub Changes

• See also English Dub for common changes to the series

• In the original dub, Merlock's nightmare has the same speech as the scenes they are from in episode 32. In the English dub, he has different text.
• The original colours during Merlock's nightmare were done with inverted colours, the English dub restores them to their pre-inverted state.

Notes

• Merlock leaves the Time Police.
• "Lee" seems to be based on "Bruce Lee, the year 1972 was the year before Bruce Lee died. "Lee" is still a teenager and resembles Bruce Lee in his teen years, when he first became a actor in films such as The Kid made in 1950, though Bruce Lee was 32 years old when he died.