Black Knight (Marvel Comics)

Did You Know?

• An original incarnation of the Black Knight, Ahura, appears in Earth X after Dane Whitman is petrified by the Grey Gargoyle.
• A zombified alternate universe version of Dane Whitman appears in Marvel Zombies: Dead Days.
• The Augustine du Lac incarnation of the Black Knight appears in the animated series Black Panther, voiced by JB Blanc.

Publication history

The mantle of the Black Knight in Marvel Comics began with Sir Percy of Scandia, who debuted in the medieval series Black Knight #1–5, published by Atlas Comics in 1955 and 1956. Centuries later, his descendant Professor Nathan Garrett took up the name as a modern supervillain, first appearing in Tales to Astonish #52 in February 1964. This version clashed with the Avengers and Iron Man before being mortally wounded in Tales of Suspense #73 in January 1966.

Garrett’s nephew, Dane Whitman, then became a heroic Black Knight, starting with The Avengers #47 in December 1967. Whitman had sporadic appearances with the team until he became a core member, regularly featured in issues #252–300 and #329–375. The Gatherers storyline in The Avengers #343–375 highlighted Whitman’s relationship with the Eternal Sersi. He later led a new team in Malibu Comics’ UltraForce #8–10 and its second volume.

Returning to the Marvel Universe, Whitman joined Heroes for Hire and later Captain Britain and MI13. A 2015 solo series as part of All-New All-Different was canceled after five issues due to low sales. Whitman and Sir Percy co-starred in the 1990 limited series Black Knight #1–4. Sir Percy also appeared in Namor #60 in 1995.

Whitman and Sersi headlined the one-shot Black Knight: Exodus in December 1996. Another one-shot, Mystic Arcana: Black Knight #1, starring Sir Percy, was published in September 2007.

Fictional character biographies

The original Black Knight is Sir Percy of Scandia, a 6th-century knight who serves at the court of King Arthur as his greatest warrior. Recruited by Merlin, Percy adopts a double identity, pretending to be incompetent until changing into the Black Knight. He wields the Ebony Blade, forged from a meteorite, and is a constant foe of Mordred the Evil. Percy is eventually killed by Mordred during the fall of Camelot, though Mordred dies from wounds inflicted by Arthur.

Merlin ensures Percy's spirit will live on, and his ghost has appeared to counsel his descendant Dane Whitman. Biologist Nathan Garrett, a direct descendant of Sir Percy, finds Sir Percy's tomb and the Ebony Blade. Garrett's evil tendencies make him unworthy of the sword, and Sir Percy's ghost shuns him. Garrett devises an arsenal of medieval weapons using modern technology and creates a winged horse named Elendil.

Calling himself the Black Knight, he embarks on a life of crime. After battles with Giant-Man and the Avengers, he is mortally wounded falling from Aragorn while trying to kill Iron Man. A dying Garrett reveals his secret identity to his nephew Dane Whitman, who then adopts the identity of the Black Knight. Dane Whitman has been a longtime member of the Avengers as well as a member of the Defenders, Ultraforce, Heroes for Hire, and MI:13. Using his uncle's notes, Whitman wields the same equipment and creates Aragorn.

The Black Knight lineage

Nathan Garrett and Dane Whitman belong to a family line of Black Knights that began in the 500s. In New Excalibur number ten, Dane turns Garrett Castle into a museum dedicated to the Black Knights, featuring exhibits such as the preserved body of Sir Percy. The museum displays portraits of several knights: Sir Raston, Sir Percy’s nephew who took up the title after him; Sir Eobar of Garrington, who served during the Crusades; Sir William, shown fighting in World War I; and Sir Henry, portrayed as a dashing adventurer.

Later, Sir Percy tells Dane that he was not the original Black Knight. Eight knights before him wielded the Ebony Blade, the last being King Arthur’s cousin Sir Reginald. Each one went mad from the sword and had to be killed. Only three people were considered able to handle the blade, but King Arthur and Merlin were needed for other duties, so the responsibility fell to Sir Percy, who accepted it despite the danger. The final known Black Knight is Ernst Wythim, a descendant from around the year 2600.

Ebony Blade

The Ebony Blade started as a meteorite, carved into a sword and enchanted by Merlin for the original Black Knight, Sir Percy. A curse tainted the blade after it was used for violence. The weapon passed through generations until it reached Percy’s descendant, Dane Whitman, who wielded it for years. When Dane’s body turned to stone, Valkyrie briefly held the sword.

Whitman later gave up the Ebony Blade by thrusting it back into the same meteor it came from, now kept in his castle, where only someone deemed worthy could pull it free. During an attack on the castle, Dane’s former squire Sean Dolan drew the blade and became Bloodwraith. Dolan managed to overcome the curse and set the sword aside for a short time, during which it was trapped in the Negative Zone barrier outside Attilan. Meanwhile, an alternate-reality version of Whitman named Proctor obtained a second Ebony Blade, and Dolan was drawn to it, becoming Bloodwraith again.

The sword is said to be indestructible, though the Iron Ogre once split it in half. It can slice through any physical material except other enchanted weapons or metals like adamantium, absorb energy and souls to grow stronger, and guard against mystic forces. The blade bonds to its wielder, letting them summon it through a mystical ceremony if lost. It also grants resurrective immortality: a blood offering can bring a fallen wielder back to life.

The blood curse was cleansed when Dane Whitman, at Doctor Strange’s request, plunged the blade into the Brazier of Truth while Strange bathed them in magic fire. The curse returned, however, when the Sub-Mariner used the sword to kill his wife Marrina Smallwood.