Knuckle Buster is one of the minor antagonists in Invincible. She, along with her husband Forcefist, were an extremist group planning to cause mass-murder and subsequently change society. The both of them were enemies of Cecil Stedman.
Appearance[]
Knuckle Buster was a tall and curvaceous light skinned woman with long blonde hair reaching down to her lower back, thick eyebrows, and large lips. While operating as an extremist she wore a dark blue leotard which exposed her legs, with elbow length sleeves and white fur trim around her V-line which reached down to her waist. She also wore a red mask that covered her scalp, with an opening for her hair, a pair of fingerless red gloves and matching red sneaker shoes. Finishing up her costume were black knee pads, a black strap around her right hip and a red sash with the emblem of The Order of the Freeing Fist, a winged skull, as a belt-buckle.
While operating as a store clerk she dressed in an orange Indian dress, dark red pants underneath, a red cloth going around her left shoulder and right hip, a red head cloth and a pair of light-colored sneakers.
Personality[]
Knuckle Buster was a fanatical humanist extremist who opposed industrial life. This is shown in her overemphasis on human strength and spirit instead of using weapons such as firearms. Both her and her husband proved to be delusional, believing that through mass murder and chaos humanity would relinquish modern society for a more optimal way of life. To that end, her and Forcefist attempted to release a flesh killing bioweapon upon a city, in hopes that others would learn from their example. As the gas began to peel away at their skin, Knucklebuster and Forcefist did not seem to mind the pain, but rather accepted it, highlighting their resolve.
After having her body refitted with new skin, Knuckle Buster had been recruited into the GDA. Radcliffe believed that her and Forcefist had been fully rehabilitated while under his supervision, willing to help the GDA with its operations. This turnover was never fully explored, however, given the pair had been shot to death before they could demonstrate any sincerity.
History[]
Background Information[]
More than two decades ago, before Invincible came to prominence, the woman known as Knuckle Buster and her husband Force Fist made up the duo known as The Order of the Freeing Fist. They believed that modern society and industrialization had hindered humanity, leaving it stagnant and complacent, neglecting their bodies. Together they orchestrated to release a deadly gas into densely populated city in order to get their message across and inspire similar revolutions all around the world. The gas caused rapid decomposition of human flesh, literally causing skin and muscle tissue to fall off. Global Defense Agency agent Cecil Stedman was able to find their hideout, a hippie styled clothing store, and discovered the whereabouts of the gas. Knuckbuster and Forcefist were able to beat Stedman with little effort do to their above-human levels of strength and expert martial arts. But before the fight began Stedman had covertly alerted the GDA to the duo's location and ordered backup. This however only motivated the couple into jumpstarting their plan sooner. Both her and Forcefist are exposed to the gas, unfazed by their own deaths as they believe that their cause will continue without them. Fortunately for Stedman, GDA agents in hazmat-suits arrive just in time to contain the gas. The only known victims were seventeen civilians and Stedman himself, whose skin had nearly fallen off altogether, save for one piece on the his lower right cheek.
Joining the GDA[]
Sometime after the incident Knuckbuster and Forcefist had their lives saved by the GDA, having been outfitted with artificial skin. GDA top brass Radcliffe had the Order of the Freeing Fist rehabilitated and recruited as backup for counter-terrorist missions, a means of redemption for the two. During an attack on a government base by the Lizard League strongman Komodo Dragon, Knucklebuster and her husband rescued Radcliffe and Stedman (having also been saved by GDA), pummeling the giant brute into unconsciousness. Despite Radcliffe explaining to Stedman that the couple were making up for their crimes, Stedman could not forgive them for their crimes and proceeds to assassinate the couple in cold blood by shooting the two in the head.
Legacy[]
In the wake of their murder Cecil was arrested and sent to prison for killing his fellow GDA field agents. While in incarceration Stedman was able to, in the span of merely three years, reduce the number of fatalities perpetuated by the supervillain inmates, bringing order to a chaotic penitentiary. This subsequently led to Radcliffe instating him as the new head of the GDA. Cecil Stedman's interaction with the Order of the Freeing Fist proved to be the catalyst which drove him into becoming a pragmatic, if callous, leader who put Earth's safety above face values. Several of Stedman's more questionable decisions, such as using kaijus as weapons against superpowered villains, hiring D.A. Sinclair and Darkwing II as scientist and superhero, respectively, banishing Damien Darkblood back to Hell, and ultimately implanting a fail-safe inside Invincible's head, all of these were to an extent do to Knuckbuster and Forcefist's actions.
Powers & Abilities[]
- Olympic Level Strength and Martial Arts: Knucklebuster was a master of the martial arts, possessing exceptional gymnastics skills and great strength. She was able to hold her own against Cecil Stedman in hand to hand combat, able to block and parry several of his blows while landing many on him. She mostly relied on her nimble movements to kick her opponent into submission. While fighting beside her husband, the both of them were able to knock-out Komodo Dragon, what could only be presumed to have been a super-powered human given his bulletproof body and massive frame.
- Slight-of-Hand: Aside from her fighting capabilities Knucklebuster seemed to have some skill in pickpocketing, seeing as how she was able to remove Cecil of his walkie-talkie without him noticing.
Weaknesses[]
Human Limitations: Despite her formidable levels of strength and agility Knuckbuster was still only human. A taser-gun could knock her out with an electric shock. Likewise bullets could kill her as she was ultimately killed after Cecil shot her in the head. Chemical weapons, most notably the flesh-eating gas that she and her husband had unleashed, was able to cause her skin and muscles to fall off in a matter of seconds.
Sightings[]
| Season 3 | ||||||||||||
| 1. "You're Not Laughing Now": | Absent | 5. "This Was Supposed To Be Easy": | Absent | |||||||||
| 2. "A Deal With The Devil": | Flashback | 6. "All I Can Say Is I'm Sorry": | Absent | |||||||||
| 3. "You Want A Real Costume, Right?": | Absent | 7. "What Have I Done?": | Absent | |||||||||
| 4. "You Were My Hero": | Absent | 8. "I Thought You'd Never Shut Up": | Absent | |||||||||
Trivia[]
- Knuckle Buster and Forcefist wear costumes similar to that of Marvel Comics superhero Iron Fist.