The Matriarch 2 traces its lineage to one of Spyderco's oldest and most unique designs; the C12 Civilian. The Civilian was developed in response to a request from a U.S. federal law enforcement agency whose agents were regularly involved in undercover narcotics operations. In many cases, their undercover status made it impossible for them to carry firearms, so they wanted a knife that could serve as a potent defensive weapon when wielded with gross motor skills and a minimum of training. Spyderco's founder, Sal Glesser, designed the original Civilian to meet this need and in the process earned a patent on its distinctive Reverse "S" edge profile.