Knuckles has successfully crafted a new Master Emerald - however, this Chaos Emerald is empty and lifeless and incapable of sustaining the Floating Island - Knuckles is attempting to charge the Master Emerald by hooking it up to Doctor Zachary's Guardian Robot, which had drained the power out of the original Master Emerald, and transferring the Chaos energy back into the new jewel. Both the Master Emerald and the Guardian Robot are suspended with the other Chaos Emeralds in the anti-gravity field of the Emerald pit, and the transfer seems to be running smooth... but as Knuckles begins to inspect the connections, the Guardian Robot suddenly reactivates, blasting him with its energy beam!