====== Black Knight ======
===== Part 1: The Dossier: An At-a-Glance Summary =====
  *   **Core Identity: The Black Knight is a heroic legacy mantle, most famously held by the brilliant scientist and Avenger Dane Whitman, who wields the mystically powerful and malevolently cursed Ebony Blade.**
  *   **Key Takeaways:**
  * **A Legacy of Heroes and Villains:** The title of Black Knight is not held by a single individual but is a historical lineage stretching back to Arthurian Camelot. The mantle has been passed down through generations, with its bearers ranging from the noble Sir Percy of Scandia, to the villainous Nathan Garrett, and finally to the modern era's conflicted hero, [[dane_whitman|Dane Whitman]]. This rich history provides a unique depth to the character, exploring themes of honor, redemption, and the burden of ancestry.
  * **The Curse of the Ebony Blade:** Central to the Black Knight's identity is the [[ebony_blade|Ebony Blade]], a weapon of immense power forged by Merlin from a meteorite. While it can cut through nearly any substance and deflect magic, it carries a terrible curse that amplifies the wielder's negative emotions, slowly driving them towards bloodshed and madness. This internal conflict between the man and his weapon is the defining struggle for Dane Whitman.
  * **The Scientist in a World of Magic:** Unlike many of Marvel's magic-based heroes, Dane Whitman is a scientist first—a master of physics and engineering. His constant struggle to reconcile the empirical laws of science with the arcane reality of his magical inheritance makes him a unique member of the [[avengers|Avengers]]. He often serves as the team's pragmatic voice, bridging the gap between Iron Man's technology and Doctor Strange's sorcery.
  * **Comic vs. MCU Divergence:** In the comics (Earth-616), Dane Whitman is a long-established hero with a deep history as a core member and leader of the Avengers. In the [[mcu|Marvel Cinematic Universe]], as of his introduction in //Eternals//, he is a non-powered historian just beginning to uncover his family's dark legacy, with his journey as the Black Knight only being teased in a post-credits scene.
===== Part 2: Origin and Evolution =====
==== Publication History and Creation ====
The Black Knight identity has a uniquely stratified history, evolving across three distinct incarnations that reflect the changing landscape of the comic book industry.
The original Black Knight, **Sir Percy of Scandia**, was a creation of writer Stan Lee and artist Joe Maneely. He debuted during the pre-Marvel Atlas Comics era in //Black Knight// #1 (May 1955). This version was a straightforward hero of Arthurian legend, a knight in King Arthur's court fighting evil with his enchanted Ebony Blade. The series was part of a mid-50s trend towards historical and fantasy adventure stories, but it lasted only five issues.
Years later, with the Marvel Age of Comics in full swing, Stan Lee, alongside co-writer Larry Lieber and artist Dick Ayers, revived the concept, but with a villainous twist. This new Black Knight was **Nathan Garrett**, a modern-day descendant of Sir Percy who discovered his ancestor's tomb. Debuting in //Tales to Astonish// #52 (February 1964), Garrett was deemed unworthy by the spirit of Sir Percy and could not wield the Ebony Blade. Undeterred, he used his scientific genius to create a host of high-tech medieval-style weapons and a genetically-engineered winged horse, becoming a recurring foe for [[giant_man|Giant-Man]] and the founding Avengers.
The definitive and most famous Black Knight, **Dane Whitman**, was introduced by writer Roy Thomas and artist John Buscema in //The Avengers// #47 (December 1967). Thomas, a fan of the Golden Age and a master of weaving continuity, created Dane as the nephew of the dying Nathan Garrett. In a classic story of redemption, Garrett urged his nephew to take up the mantle and restore honor to their family name. Dane Whitman embraced this destiny, eventually proving himself worthy of the Ebony Blade and becoming one of the most stalwart and long-serving members of the Avengers, cementing the Black Knight's place as a cornerstone of the Marvel Universe.
==== In-Universe Origin Story ====
=== Earth-616 (Prime Comic Universe) ===
The in-universe origin of the Black Knight is a sprawling saga that begins in the age of myth and culminates in the modern day.
The story starts with **Sir Percy of Scandia**, a noble knight serving in the court of [[king_arthur|King Arthur]] in the 6th century. To combat the forces of evil, particularly the treacherous [[mordred|Mordred the Evil]], the wizard [[merlin|Merlin]] forged the **Ebony Blade** from the Starstone meteorite. He enchanted the blade, making it preternaturally sharp and durable. However, due to the bloodshed it was used for, the blade developed a powerful curse, thirsting for violence and corrupting its wielder. Sir Percy wielded the blade honorably throughout his life, but was ultimately slain by Mordred during the fall of Camelot. Before he died, Merlin cast a spell that would allow Sir Percy's spirit to inhabit the blade's vicinity, acting as a guardian to test the worthiness of his descendants.
Centuries passed, and the legacy was largely forgotten until **Nathan Garrett**, a brilliant but bitter American biologist and a direct descendant of Sir Percy, discovered his ancestor's tomb. He found the Ebony Blade, but when he tried to claim it, the spirit of Sir Percy appeared and judged him unworthy due to his selfish and evil intentions. Enraged by this rejection, Garrett created a modern, villainous version of the Black Knight. He built an arsenal of advanced weaponry disguised as medieval tools, including a power lance that fired energy blasts, and he genetically engineered a winged horse named Aragorn. As this new Black Knight, he battled the Avengers on multiple occasions but was consistently defeated. Mortally wounded after a fight with [[iron_man|Iron Man]], Garrett summoned his estranged nephew, **Dane Whitman**.
Dane, a physicist with no knowledge of his family's secret history, arrived at his uncle's deathbed. With his dying breath, Nathan Garrett confessed his crimes and implored Dane to take up the Black Knight identity to wash the stain of dishonor from their name. Initially skeptical, Dane discovered his uncle's technology and the truth of his lineage. He decided to honor his uncle's last wish. He took up the mantle, adopted the winged horse Aragorn (who accepted Dane's nobler spirit), and set out to become a hero.
His early attempts were fraught with misunderstanding, as the Avengers initially believed him to be his villainous uncle. After a battle with and subsequent aid to the Avengers against [[magneto|Magneto]] and the Masters of Evil, he proved his heroic intentions. He was eventually granted probationary membership and, after traveling back in time and meeting Sir Percy, was finally deemed worthy to wield the true Ebony Blade, beginning his long and storied career as a hero.
=== Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) ===
In the MCU, the story of the Black Knight is in its nascent stages, introduced entirely through the character of Dane Whitman in the film //Eternals// (2021).
Dane Whitman is presented as a seemingly ordinary human working as a professor and historian at the Natural History Museum in London. He is in a romantic relationship with the Eternal [[sersi|Sersi]], who is living among humans disguised as a museum curator. Throughout the film, Dane serves as a grounding human element for Sersi's cosmic story. He is intelligent, compassionate, and supportive, but is unaware of Sersi's true nature or the existence of the Eternals and Deviants.
Hints of his deeper legacy are sprinkled throughout the film. When Sersi reveals her powers to him, he is not entirely shocked, mentioning that his family's history is "complicated." He later tries to reconcile with Sersi before she is taken from Earth by the Celestial Arishem, attempting to confess a significant secret about his family lineage.
The true setup for his future as the Black Knight occurs in the film's second post-credits scene. A troubled Dane stands in his study before an old, ornate chest bearing his family's crest. He struggles with the decision to open it, knowing it holds a dark and powerful secret meant to help him save Sersi. He finally opens the case to reveal a long, dark sword wrapped in ancient bandages. The sword's surface appears to ripple and writhe like a living liquid, and whispers can be heard emanating from it. Inscribed on the inside of the case is the Latin motto "**Mors Mihi Lucrum**" — //Death is my reward//.
As Dane reaches out to touch the mysterious blade, an unseen, off-screen voice asks him, "**Sure you're ready for that, Mr. Whitman?**" This voice was later confirmed by the director to be that of [[blade|Blade (Eric Brooks)]], the vampire hunter. This scene establishes the existence of the Ebony Blade in the MCU, connects it to a dark family history, and directly links Dane's impending transformation into the Black Knight with the supernatural corner of the universe being explored by Blade. Unlike the comics, his origin is not tied to a villainous uncle but to a more mysterious and ancient family secret that he is only now beginning to uncover.
===== Part 3: Abilities, Equipment & Personality =====
=== Earth-616 (Prime Comic Universe) ===
Dane Whitman's capabilities are a unique blend of natural intellect, peak physical skill, and powerful magical artifacts.
==== Personal Abilities ====
  * **Genius-Level Intellect:** Dane possesses a master's degree in physics and is a brilliant scientist, specializing in genetics and mechanical engineering. He has often been the Avengers' go-to expert for complex scientific problems that fall outside the expertise of Tony Stark or Hank Pym. He was the one who designed much of his uncle's original equipment.
  * **Master Swordsman & Combatant:** Through years of training and experience as an Avenger, Dane has become one of the most formidable swordsmen on Earth, rivaling masters like the Swordsman and Silver Samurai. He is also a highly skilled hand-to-hand combatant and an expert tactician, having even served as the field leader for the Avengers.
  * **Expert Equestrian:** Dane is arguably the world's greatest rider of winged steeds, having formed powerful bonds with his original steed Aragorn, and later with Valinor, a mystical horse from Weirdworld.
==== Equipment ====
^ **Artifact/Weapon** ^ **Description & Properties** ^
| **The Ebony Blade** | Forged by Merlin from a meteorite, this is the Black Knight's signature weapon and greatest burden. Its properties include: \ * **Supernatural Sharpness:** It can cut through almost any substance, physical or mystical, with the known exceptions being Adamantium and Captain America's Vibranium shield. \ * **Magic Absorption & Deflection:** It can absorb, store, and redirect vast amounts of energy, particularly mystical energy. It can also be used to dispel illusions and break spells. \ * **Immortality/Invulnerability:** The wielder of the blade is protected from death unless struck by a weapon also forged by Merlin (e.g., the Ebony Dagger). This makes them incredibly difficult to kill. \ * **Summoning:** The wielder can summon the blade to them across any distance, even across dimensions. \ * **The Blood Curse:** The blade's most infamous quality. It was cursed by the bloodshed of its first owner, Sir Percy. It slowly corrupts its wielder, amplifying their rage, paranoia, and bloodlust. The more it is used to kill, the stronger its influence becomes, threatening to transform its user into a bloodthirsty monster. This has been the central conflict of Dane's life. |
| **The Sword of Light & Shield of Night** | During a period when he had lost the Ebony Blade, Dane was gifted these artifacts by the Lady of the Lake. \ * **Sword of Light:** A mystical sword that could project energy and cut through mystical barriers. \ * **Shield of Night:** A shield that could absorb energy and create a field of darkness. \ These items disappeared after Dane reclaimed the Ebony Blade. |
| **Aragorn** | A white, winged stallion originally created through genetic engineering by Nathan Garrett. Aragorn rejected his villainous master and formed a loyal bond with the heroic Dane Whitman, serving as his steed for many years. |
| **Valinor** | A mystical winged steed from Weirdworld that Dane bonded with after Aragorn retired. Valinor is more powerful and possesses a stronger connection to magic. |
| **Atomic Steed** | A series of technologically advanced, winged, robotic horses that Dane has occasionally used when his living steeds were unavailable. They are equipped with advanced sensors and flight capabilities. |
==== Personality ====
Dane Whitman is a deeply noble and dedicated hero, but he is perpetually conflicted. He is a man of science forced to live in a world of magic, a pragmatist who often clashes with the unwavering idealism of leaders like [[captain_america|Captain America]]. He is burdened by the weight of his family's legacy and the constant, whispering temptation of the Ebony Blade's curse. This makes him appear brooding or aloof at times, but beneath it is a steadfast resolve to do good and a fierce loyalty to his friends, particularly the Avengers. His leadership during "Operation: Galactic Storm" showcased a ruthless, pragmatic side, willing to make morally gray decisions for what he perceives as the greater good.
=== Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) ===
As Dane's journey has just begun, his abilities and equipment are mostly implied rather than demonstrated.
==== Personal Abilities ====
  * **Expert Historian:** Dane is shown to be a brilliant academic with a deep knowledge of history, particularly ancient and mythological eras. This intellectual background will likely be crucial as he delves into the lore of the Black Knight and the Ebony Blade.
  * **Undeveloped Potential:** His physical and combat abilities are currently those of a normal human. His transformation into a hero will presumably involve rigorous training to match the legacy he is inheriting.
==== Equipment ====
^ **Artifact** ^ **Description & Properties (as seen/implied)** ^
| **The Ebony Blade** | The blade is shown stored in an ancient case with the family crest and the motto "Death is my reward." Its on-screen depiction highlights its otherworldly and dangerous nature: \ * **Living Metal:** The surface of the blade appears to be in constant motion, rippling and flowing like a dark liquid, suggesting a supernatural or unstable composition. \ * **Sentient Influence:** The blade whispers audibly, attempting to lure Dane into touching it. This strongly implies the corrupting, sentient curse from the comics is a core part of its MCU identity. \ * **Unknown Powers:** Its full capabilities (cutting power, magic absorption, etc.) have not yet been shown, but its visual presentation and Blade's cautious intervention suggest it is an artifact of immense and dangerous power. |
==== Personality ====
The MCU's Dane Whitman is portrayed as charming, intelligent, and grounded. He is deeply in love with Sersi and shows great courage and resolve when trying to protect her despite being powerless. He is burdened by a family secret he seems reluctant to confront but is ultimately willing to do so for the person he loves. His journey will likely be one of an ordinary man forced to confront an extraordinary and terrifying magical legacy, testing his character and forcing him to become the hero his heritage demands.
===== Part 4: Key Relationships & Network =====
==== Core Allies ====
  * **[[sersi|Sersi]]:** (Earth-616) Sersi, the powerful Eternal, is Dane's most significant and tragic love. They served as Avengers together and were bound by a mystical Eternal union known as the //Gann Josin//. This bond stabilized Sersi's deteriorating mental state but also dragged Dane into her cosmic conflicts. Their relationship was ultimately shattered by the machinations of Proctor, Dane's evil alternate-reality self, leading to years of separation and heartbreak.
  * **[[avengers|The Avengers]]:** Dane Whitman is one of the longest-serving and most respected Avengers. He joined in the Silver Age and was a cornerstone of the team through the 80s and 90s, even serving as field leader. He has a particularly strong bond of mutual respect with members like Captain America (despite their ideological clashes) and Hercules. The Avengers are his found family and the institution to which he has dedicated his life.
  * **[[captain_britain|Captain Britain (Brian Braddock)]]:** As two of the United Kingdom's premier heroes with ties to Arthurian magic, Black Knight and Captain Britain are natural allies. They have worked together extensively, both as Avengers and as members of the British super-team MI13. They share a deep connection to the mystical realm of Otherworld and often rely on each other when facing magical threats to the British Isles.
==== Arch-Enemies ====
  * **The Ebony Blade's Curse:** Dane's greatest and most persistent enemy is not a person, but the corrupting influence of his own weapon. The blade's constant thirst for blood and its pull on his psyche represents a daily battle for his soul. Every victory won with the blade risks bringing him one step closer to becoming the monster it wants him to be. This internal war defines his character more than any external foe.
  * **Proctor:** An alternate-reality version of Dane Whitman from Earth-374. In his timeline, his Sersi rejected him and drove him mad. Naming himself Proctor, he gained immense power and began a genocidal crusade across the multiverse, slaughtering every version of Sersi he could find. His arrival on Earth-616 and his conflict with the Avengers was the climax of Dane's relationship with Sersi and forced Dane to confront the darkest possible version of himself.
  * **[[mordred|Mordred the Evil]]:** The original nemesis of the Black Knight legacy. Mordred, the illegitimate son of King Arthur, was responsible for the death of the first Black Knight, Sir Percy. As a powerful and immortal sorcerer, he has returned multiple times throughout history to plague Percy's descendants, including Dane Whitman, seeking to destroy the legacy of his ancient enemy and claim the Ebony Blade for himself.
==== Affiliations ====
  * **The Avengers:** His primary and most defining team affiliation.
  * **MI13:** A British intelligence agency dedicated to dealing with supernatural and superhuman threats to the United Kingdom.
  * **Heroes for Hire:** Dane briefly joined a new incarnation of the Heroes for Hire, lending his skills and experience to the team.
  * **Excalibur:** He has served with various incarnations of the British mutant/magic team, often in an advisory role due to his expertise in Arthurian matters.
  * **The Pendragons of Avalon:** A loose affiliation of heroes empowered by the Green Knight of Arthurian legend, with whom Dane shares a common mystical heritage.
===== Part 5: Iconic Events & Storylines =====
=== "Under Siege" (//The Avengers// #273-277) ===
This storyline is considered a quintessential Avengers classic. Baron Helmut Zemo assembles a massive new Masters of Evil and launches a brutal, systematic assault on Avengers Mansion. With most of the team's heavy hitters away, a skeleton crew including Black Knight, Captain America, Hercules, and Wasp are left to defend their home. Dane plays a critical role in the defense, fighting valiantly against overwhelming odds. The storyline showcases his bravery and tenacity, but also his vulnerability, as he and the other Avengers are beaten and tortured. His survival and eventual role in retaking the mansion solidified his reputation as a core, unshakable Avenger.
=== "Operation: Galactic Storm" (//The Avengers// crossover, 1992) ===
A massive 19-part crossover event detailing an intergalactic war between the Kree and Shi'ar empires that threatens to destroy Earth's sun. The Avengers intervene, splitting into three teams. Dane Whitman is a key figure on the Kree-based team. The story's climax forces a massive ideological schism within the Avengers. After the war is won, Iron Man, Black Knight, and several other Avengers decide the only way to prevent the Kree from ever being a threat again is to execute their leader, the Supreme Intelligence. Captain America vehemently forbids it. In a defining moment of pragmatic leadership, Dane sides with Iron Man, and they carry out the execution in secret. This act of "cosmic regicide" creates a deep rift between Dane and Cap, highlighting his willingness to make morally ambiguous choices for the sake of long-term security.
=== The Proctor Saga (//The Avengers// #343-375) ===
This long-running storyline is the definitive Black Knight and Sersi epic. It begins with the Eternal Sersi becoming mentally unstable and explores her deep psychic bond (the Gann Josin) with Dane. The true threat is revealed to be Proctor, Dane's evil alternate-reality counterpart, who is manipulating events to drive Sersi mad. Proctor and his team of alternate-reality "Gatherers" attack the Avengers repeatedly. The saga culminates in a massive battle where Dane is forced to confront his doppelgänger. To defeat Proctor and save both Sersi and the universe, Dane and Sersi are forced to exit into the short-lived Malibu Comics "Ultraverse," where they were stranded for a time. This storyline profoundly explored Dane's character, his love for Sersi, and the darkness he could potentially fall to.
=== //Black Knight: Curse of the Ebony Blade// (2021) ===
A modern limited series that delved deeper into the lore and curse of the Ebony Blade than ever before. Occurring during the //King in Black// event, the story reveals the blade's true origin as a dark counterpart to divine weapons like Thor's Mjolnir, forged to be a key to a dark power. It forces Dane to confront the full history of the blade's violence and his own role in its bloody legacy. The story introduces his daughter, Jacks, and forces Dane to decide whether to try and destroy the blade, hide it away, or finally master its terrible power, setting a new status quo for the character moving forward.
===== Part 6: Variants and Alternative Versions =====
  * **Sir Percy of Scandia (Earth-616 Past):** The original hero. A knight of the Round Table, chosen by Merlin to be a champion of good. He wielded the Ebony Blade without succumbing to its curse, a feat his descendants have struggled to replicate. His spirit acts as a guardian and judge for those who would claim the blade.
  * **Nathan Garrett (Earth-616):** The first modern Black Knight and Dane Whitman's uncle. Judged unworthy to wield the Ebony Blade, he became a supervillain using technology to mimic its power. His dying wish for redemption set Dane on his heroic path.
  * **Proctor (Earth-374):** A twisted, powerful, and utterly insane version of Dane Whitman. Consumed by jealousy and rage after being rejected by his reality's Sersi, he destroyed his own world and began a multiversal quest to erase Sersi from all existence. He is a dark mirror, showing what Dane could become if he fully succumbed to the Blade's corruption and his own inner darkness.
  * **The Last Knight (Earth-26111):** In the "Age of Ultron" timeline, Dane Whitman is a member of the Defenders, a last-ditch group of heroes fighting in a ruined world. He is more grizzled and cynical, having seen most of his friends fall to Ultron's forces.
===== See Also =====
  * [[ebony_blade]]
  * [[avengers]]
  * [[sersi]]
  * [[captain_britain]]
  * [[merlin]]
  * [[eternals]]
  * [[blade]]
===== Notes and Trivia =====
((The original Black Knight series from Atlas Comics in 1955 was an attempt to capitalize on the popularity of historical adventure films of the era, such as //Ivanhoe// (1952) and //The Black Shield of Falworth// (1954).))
((Dane Whitman's scientific expertise is often overlooked but is a key part of his character. He once developed a device to reverse the petrification of his fellow Avenger, Hercules.))
((The Ebony Blade's material has been retconned. It was originally just described as being forged from a meteorite. Later stories, such as in Kieron Gillen's //Original Sin// tie-in, established that it was specifically the "Starstone," a meteorite with unique magical properties.))
((For a time, Dane's spirit was displaced from his body, and his consciousness was placed in the body of his ancestor, Sir Eobar Garrington, during the Crusades. This was part of a complex storyline involving the villainous sorcerer Amergin.))
((In the MCU, the voice of Blade in the //Eternals// post-credits scene is provided by Mahershala Ali, who is cast to play the character in an upcoming solo film. This was the first official "appearance" of the character in the MCU.))
((A long-running fan theory notes the coincidence between //Dane// Whitman, the Black Knight, and the cowardly "Brave Sir Robin's" minstrel song in //Monty Python and the Holy Grail//, which mentions a "Sir //Dane// of Camelot." While purely a coincidence, fans enjoy the connection.))
((The inscription on the MCU Ebony Blade's case, "Mors Mihi Lucrum," translates from Latin to "Death is my reward." This highlights the dark, sacrificial nature of the weapon and its wielder's destiny.))