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The secret Village of Knothole, as seen in the SatAM cartoon

In the fictional universe of Sonic the Hedgehog (specifically the SatAM and Archie Comics continuities), Knothole Village is the hidden base of operations for the Freedom Fighters, a small band (led by Sonic the Hedgehog and Princess Sally Acorn) dedicated to overthrowing the evil Dr. Robotnik.

Located deep within the heart of the Great Forest, Knothole Village is accessible only through hidden entrances at various points in the forest. Originally (as shown in SatAM), it was a hidden retreat for the royal family, who otherwise lived in the capital city of Mobotropolis. When Dr. Robotnik took over and banished the King, he began to round up the citizens of Mobotropolis to be roboticized. Sonic, Sally, and their friends were taken to Knothole by their caretaker, Rosie. Eventually, the group would become the Freedom Fighters and would use Knothole as both their home and center of operations. Mobotropolis, under the control of Dr. Robotnik, was renamed Robotropolis and became a polluted, factory-infested wasteland.

In SatAM, it has always been depicted as an above-ground village located deep in the forest (see image above). The heart of the village is the living quarters, small thatched-roof huts where the Freedom Fighters live.

In the Archie comics, the home base of the rebel Freedom Fighters was literally underground, accessible through a small tree-stump with a hinged top. A slide leads from the tree-stump down into the extensive underground caverns that form the main control center of Knothole Village. As time went on, the Archie version of Knothole began to look more like the SatAM to keep a better sense of continuity. After the SatAM series was cancelled, Archie continued using this depiction.

Much later in the Archie continuity, Knothole has developed into a bustling city and has even become the new capital for the royal family. The newly renamed Kingdom of Knothole-now capital of the Kingdom of Acorn-is no longer hidden from Dr. Robotnik, as the Freedom Fighters are now in a state of open war against his Eggman Empire. Most recently, a recreation of the original Knothole, christened Freedom HQ, was constructed for Sonic's birthday, and presently serves as the Freedom Fighters' base of operations away from the new capital.