Black Knight (Sir Percy of Scandia, Camelot)

Identity/Class: Human/spirit;
British citizen circa the 6th Century,A.D.; no criminal record, legally dead;
he is believed to have been a fictional character by people of the modern era

Group Membership: Formerly the Knights of the Round Table (Galahad, Gawain, Kay, Lancelot, Percival, Tristan);
possibly the Legion of the Unliving

Affiliations: Aliya of Earth-Aliya, Andromeda Attumasen, Victoria Bentley, Black Knight (Dane Whitman), Cable, Captain Britain (Brian Braddock), Edward Catherwood, Dr. Strange, Excalibur (Captain Britain, Dazzler (Alison Blaire), Juggernaut, Nocturne (TJ Wagner), Sage, Pete Wisdom), Marrina, Merlin, de Montfort, Namor the Sub-Mariner, King Arthur Pendragon, Sir Raston, Storm, Thunder, Valinor, Valkyrie (Brunnhilde), soldiers and people of Camelot;
formerly Sean Dolan (now Bloodwraith);
former pawn of Zarrko the Tomorrow Man

Enemies: Balor, Bloodwraith, Sir D'Arcy, Dragon of the Moon, Dreadknight, Fomor, Forest Trolls, Sir Gilles, Sir Guy of Gascombe, Hawkes, Hellhorse, Kang the Conqueror, Kevin MacCaul, Makluans, Mordred the Evil, Morgan Le Fay, Le Ponneau the Pirate, Simon the Strong, Thunderbolts (Boomerang/Fred Myers, Centurius/Dr. Noah Black, Fixer/P. Norbert Ebersol, Mister Hyde/Calvin Zabo, Moonstone/Karla Sofen, Satana, Troll/Gunna), Tyrannus, Kristoff Vernard, Sir Guy Wanderell, Wicker Man, unnamed Gypsies, Normans (Sir Robert de Quincy), Tartars (Mohar Jinn, Timultor), Vikings (Leif and others);
he possibly considered Jonas Ravencroft an enemy

Known Relatives: Lady Rosamund (wife, deceased), Edward, Geoffrey (sons, presumed deceased), Sir Dandel (father, deceased), Lady Evaine (mother, deceased),
    Sir Raston (apparently deceased), Sir William (deceased), Sir Henry (deceased), Nathan Garrett (Black Knight, deceased), Black Knight of the Crusades (Eobar Garrington), Dane Whitman (Black Knight) - distant relations, common ancestry; Last Knight (possible future relation); Dafydd ap Iowerth (distant common ancestry)
    Arthur Pendragon, Mordred, Morgan Le Fay (distant cousins);
   Agravaine, Alteria, Anna, Clarissant, Elaine, Gaheris, Galeshin, Gareth, Gawain, Morgause, Sir Reginald, Soredamors, Ywaine (distant cousins, deceased);
    Aurelius Ambrosius, Amlawdd, Constans, Constantine, Ector, Gorlois, Gwert, Igraine, Kay Lot, Maines, Melehen and his brother, Nentres, Pandragon, Uther Pendragon, Uriens (distant relations, deceased)
    The incest-factor around Arthur as well as the unspecified familial relation between Percy and Arthur or Mordred makes defining the relationship exceedingly difficult. See the Mordred profile for more specific relationships.

Base of Operations: Astral realm of the Ebony Blade;
    possibly formerly Otherworld (see comments);
    formerly the Brazier of Truth within Castle Scandia/Garrett Castle, Britain;
    formerly Castle Scandia/Garrett Castle, Britain;
    formerly Camelot Castle, England;
    possibly formerly the Ravencroft Institute for the Criminally Insane, Westchester County, New York circa 1909 A.D.;
    formerly Camelot, circa the 6th Century A.D.;
    formerly Scandia (now Scandinavia)

First Appearance:
(Atlas Comics): Black Knight Comics#1 (May, 1955)
(Marvel Comics): Marvel Super-Heroes II#17 (November, 1968)

Powers/Abilities: Sir Percy was a highly trained athlete, with well-developed strength, speed, stamina, agility, and reflexes. He was a master of swordsmanship, horsemanship, and all forms of combat know in Britain at the time of Camelot. He was also a talented poet, singer, and musician (specifically the lute). As the Black Knight he wore a suit of chain mail armor and a metal helmet, which may or may not have had magical properties. He also sometimes used a conventional lance.

The Black Knight wielded the Ebony Blade, a sword carved from the Starstone meteorite by Merlin; the combinations of his spells and properties of the unidentified metal rendered it indestructible, able to cut through any substance up to a foot-thick steel, and able to form a mystical bond with its wielder which allowed him to transport himself through arcane ritual across space and time if separated from the Blade. The spells of Merlin rendered the Black Knight immune to death as long as he held the Blade; however, the spells were ineffective against a weapon carved from the same metal as the Ebony Blade.
Sir Percy was not subject to the same madness that would plague Dane Whitman and other users of the Blade when it would draw human blood.

In order to prevent suspicion of his dual identity or secret purpose, Percy was forced to pose as a fop, abhorring violence of any kind. His steed, Thunder, was also able to adjust its carriage so that it appeared to be a broken down nag when ridden by Percy, but rapidly assuming its true strength and posture when Percy became the Black Knight. The ruse perhaps supplemented by Merlin's enchantment, none realized that Percy's steed was the Black Knight's Thunder.

Following his physical death, Sir Percy's spirit resided within the Brazier of Truth within his castle. His spirit could be summoned as needed, and proved capable of purging the Ebony Blade of its "blood curse." Percy has also possessed Dane Whitman upon occasion. It currently resides with the Astral Realm associated with the Ebony Blade, to which are banished the souls of those slain by the Blade. Percy struggles against the evil spirits within that realm, hoping to conquer the evil influence that affects those who hold the Blade.

History:
(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#16: Black Knight (fb)) - Percy of Scandia was born at the castle of King Arthur in England during the first years of Arthur's reign in the 6th century A.D. Percy's father was a distant cousin of Arthur's and had been his ally in battle during the King's youth, as well as a friend to Arthur's advisor, Merlin. When Percy was a child, and Arthur securely in power, Percy and his parents moved to their estate in Scandia, the area now known as Scandinavia.

(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#8: Merlin (fb) / Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#16: Black Knight (fb)) -
Merlin made plans to counter the threat posed by the evil Mordred, illegitimate son of King Arthur of Camelot: He had Percy's parents train him in all known forms of combat, in which Percy became a master. Merlin knew he would need a great warrior who could stop Mordred, but whose identity would remain a secret, so that Mordred could not have him killed. Merlin knew that Arthur would never believe anything evil of any of his knights, so that merely telling him about Mordred's intent was pointless.

(Mystic Arcana: Black Knight#1 (fb)) - The young Percy witnessed his mother, Lady Evaine, conduct a druidic prayer to Gwynn, the hunter spirit they worshipped as springtime incarnate. Gwynn (perhaps working through Merlin) appeared and stated that Percy would become the hand of fate, and that from that day forth he must be trained accordingly for his would be the choice that shaped the world. Gwynn convinced the peace-loving Evaine that Percy must be trained in the ways of war.

(Mystic Arcana: Black Knight#1 (fb)) - Percy's father, Sir Dandel, trained Percy in the use of the sword, noting that his wife no longer protested this training, but not knowing why.

(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#16: Black Knight (fb)) - Percy won knighthood in his adolescence: Sir Percy of Scandia

(Strange Tales I#108/2 - BTS) - Perhaps because Percy was not yet ready to assume the role, Merlin animated a suit of armor as his Black Knight to oppose Sir Mogard.

(Mystic Arcana: Black Knight#1 (fb) - BTS) - Lady Evaine died, and Percy became lord of his parents' estate.

(Avengers Annual #22/2 - BTS) - Professor Justin Alphonse Gamble preserved the timestream by ensuring that Merlin obtained the Starstone meteorite, preventing the Incinerators from obtaining it. Gamble then time-traveled back to Camelot, where he bartered the Starstone to Merlin in exchange for his copy of the Iron-bound Book of Skelos.

(Mystic Arcana: Black Knight#1 (fb)) - Merlin appeared before Percy, rendering his guards unconscious with dust and then asked his secret aid in protecting Arthur from the treacherous Mordred and Morgan Le Fay.

(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition #8: Merlin (fb) / Black Knight Comics#1/Mystic Arcana: Black Knight#1 (fb)) - Merlin sent Percy to Camelot, and instructed him to play the role of a timid fop so that no one would suspect how dangerous an opponent he could be. Percy was to protect King Arthur from Mordred's plots to usurp the throne of Camelot.

(Black Knight Comics#1) - Sir Percy of Scandia arrived in Camelot where, following Merlin's instructions, he received sanctuary after telling Arthur that his lands in Scandia had been seized by the Baron of Emscore. Merlin then gave Percy the armor and secret identity of the Black Knight.
    A trio of Mordred's men learned of the existence and purpose of the Knight (though not his identity), and they ambushed Merlin and the Black Knight. The Knight quickly overcame them, but as Percy he continued to play the part of the fool, quickly annoying other men of valor, such as Lancelot. Percy took a quick liking to Lady Rosamund, but she was turned off by his foppish behavior, though she was intrigued with the presence of the new Black Knight.
    Later, on a hunt, Mordred's men led Arthur into a trap in which they tried to slay him, but the Black Knight arrived to help Mordred fight them off. After the villains had been defeated, Arthur was grateful and wished to see the face of his rescuer, but the Black Knight explained his oath of secrecy. Mordred then arrived, claiming to have heard the sound of battle, accused the Knight of having attacked Arthur, and assaulted him. Arthur quickly broke up the fight, after which Mordred said, "He is no true knight! Why dares he not lift his helmet?" The Knight replied, "The day you see the face 'neath this helmet...that day you meet your doom!"
    Nonetheless, Arthur told the Black Knight he would always be welcome in Camelot and that he would never have to remove his helmet. Arthur dubbed him Sir Black Knight.

(Mystic Arcana: Black Knight#1 (fb)) - Merlin told Percy of the foredoomed future of Camelot, and the two agreed to try to thwart the path of destiny

(Mystic Arcana: Black Knight#1 (fb) - BTS) - Merlin lured Orphelus away from the Pool of Blood and transported the Starstone, a forge, an anvil, and mallet to the cavern containing the pool.

(Mystic Arcana: Black Knight#1 (fb)) - Merlin brought Percy to the Pool of Blood, showed him the Starstone and had him forge weapons from it. An acrid smoke appeared, Merlin cast a spell and rinsed the weapons in the Pool's blood, and the smoke cleared to show an ebony chalice, shield, staff, and sword. Merlin announced that only one of these would save Camelot and instructed Percy to choose one of them. As a knight, Percy chose the sword, the not even Merlin knew if the decision was the correct one. Percy prayed that he had selected wisely, after which Merlin summoned a nimbus of light to destroy the other weapons so that they could never be turned against the Ebony Blade.
As they departed, they failed to see as Mordred, aided by Morgan, as he recovered the Ebony Staff before it could vanish; from the staff, Mordred would forge the Ebony Dagger.

(New Excalibur#12 (fb)) - Seven men held the Ebony Blade, each an honorable and good man, but each one was driven mad by the sword and had to be put down.

(New Excalibur#12 (fb)) - The formerly gallant Sir Reginald, Arthur's own cousin, took up the Ebony Blade, and he, too, was driven mad by it and had to be put down. At that point, only Arthur, Percy, and Merlin were deemed noble enough to wield the Ebony Blade. Arthur was irreplaceable as king, and it was felt that if Merlin were corrupted by the Blade there would be nothing on Earth able to stop him.

(Black Knight Comics#1/3 (fb) - BTS) - Mordred's agents kidnapped King Arthur and imprison him within his own castle.

(Black Knight Comics#1/3) - When Mordred accused Arthur of abandoning his kingdom, Percy called him a liar, but he was forced to stand down and pretend to beg for mercy when Mordred slapped him. Merlin revealed to the irate Percy that Arthur was being held within his own castle, after which he gave Percy the Ebony Blade to better aid in his mission. The Knight freed Arthur, and the two of them fought off Mordred's men, and Arthur led the Knight through secret tunnels to return to the throne room. Unable to conceive of the true culprit, Arthur was grateful to Mordred for guarding his throne for him. Knowing he had no proof of Mordred's guilt, Percy was forced to continue his charade, offering his seemingly worthless aid to Arthur, and accepting Arthur's recommendation that he confine himself to assisting the ladies-in-waiting with their chores. He was quite happy to assist Lady Rosamund, though she told him that she would sooner wed the Black Knight, whose face she had never seen, than to spend an idle moment with a churl such as he.

(Black Knight Comics#2) - Percy accompanied Lady Rosamund as she left Camelot to learn the art of falconry. During this time, Viking warriors invaded a town outside Camelot, overpowering its guards and pillaging it. A band of these warriors wandered the countryside, where they ambushed Percy and his party. Forced to continue his role of the weakling dandy, Percy fled, but soon returned as the Black Knight. The Vikings attempted to escape aboard one of their ships with Rosamund, but the Knight charged into the shallow waters, cracked a hole in the ship with his lance, and liberated Rosamund. The Knight dropped Rosamund off with Sir Galahad, but Percy was later forced to endure her criticism for having fled from battle.

(Black Knight Comics#2/2) - With Galahad and Lancelot away from Camelot, Mordred won a series of jousts in a tournament, after which he begged the honor of testing his skill at jousting with that of his king's. After Arthur agreed, Mordred plotted Arthur's death. Via his mystic crystal, Merlin learned that Mordred plotted Arthur's death, and he informed Sir Percy; the Black Knight arrived in time to stop the joust, stating that Mordred could not proclaim himself champion until he had beaten all other challengers, including the Black Knight. Happy for the chance to kill the Knight, Mordred accepted, and the first charge shattered the Knight's lance. However, the Knight then cut Mordred's lance in half with the Ebony Blade, ending the struggle.
Though defeated, Mordred instructed Hawkes to tell his other men to search every room in the castle while the others changed for a feast, knowing that whichever room was empty would be the Knight's room. However, Merlin led Percy through secret passages and he arrived back in his room just as Mordred's men searched it.

(Black Knight Comics#2/4) - When Arthur led his knights out to celebrate the time of shearing during the harvest season, Mordred contacted Sir Robert de Quincy and the Normans he had summoned, telling them that they time was ripe to strike. Modred plotted that after the Normans conquered Camelot, Arthur would be seized and Mordred would be named as the new king; at some point Mordred intended to betray de Quincy and take all of England for himself. In order to not appear to be collaborating with the Normans, Mordred organized the troops as the enemy approached, but then sent them out of the castle to face the Normans, who quickly surrounded them. Suspecting treachery, the Black Knight rushed to the rescue before Mordred could announce surrender. Rallied by his presence, the soldiers of Camelot (including Sir Gillis) fought back. The Black Knight protected their backs as the soldiers returned to the safety of the castle, but unfortunately none then saw when Mordred struck the Knight from behind. Wounded, the Knight hid underwater in the moat until it was safe to scale the castle walls. Mordred intended to open the drawbridge to the Normans, but the Black Knight struck him down instead, and shortly thereafter Arthur and his men returned, attacking the Normans from the rear and driving them off.
Nonetheless, Arthur once again failed to recognize Mordred's motives, and he thanked him for honorably defending the castle. Frustrated at his inability to prove Mordred's treachery, Percy continued to bide his time until the day of judgment he knew would sure come.

(Black Knight Comics#3 (fb) - BTS) <June> - Itinerant knights came from across England to enter a battle tournament for great wealth.

(Black Knight Comics#3) - Mordred's agent Hawkes instructed Sir Guy of Gascombe to tell his men to concentrate on the Black Knight; with him downed, Guy's side would easily win the rich rewards. Mordred plot had him preparing to learn the Black Knight's identity while his wounds were being treated. The giant Guy indeed managed to strike the Black Knight down, but the Knight was able to climb back atop his steed, Thunder, and flee. Mordred's men pursued him, but Merlin, who had witnessed the plotting via his crystal ball, created a mist to obscure their vision. Merlin treated the Knight, speeding his recovery, but Mordred still plotted to expose his identity by determining who suffered from a wounded shoulder. When Sir Percy showed signs of such an injury, Mordred and his men confronted him, claiming knowledge of his other identity. However, Merlin had donned the Black Knight armor to help protect his protégé's secret, and he suddenly appeared, dispelling Mordred's suspicions. Shortly thereafter, the true Black Knight confronted Mordred and his allies, defeating them all, and warning Mordred of what could happen if he continued to oppose Arthur. Later Mordred apologized to Percy for the misunderstanding, offering him the right to challenge for the insult, but Percy declined, instead commenting to Mordred on how his black sling matched his black eye.

(Black Knight Comics#3/2) - Mordred paid a member of a band of traveling Gypsies to arrange a trap for Arthur during a great hunt for their lions. Warned of this plot by Merlin, the Black Knight followed the Gypsies into the woods. Mordred secretly struck down Arthur's horse with a crossbow, unseating Arthur and leaving him at the mercy of a pair of lions. The Knight came to the rescue, but as he and Arthur returned to Camelot, Mordred had his men and the Gypsies ambush them. Nonetheless, the attackers were little match for the combined force of the Knight's Ebony Blade and Arthur's Excalibur.
Later, Mordred claimed to have been thrown by his horse and injured his head just as he had been about to come to Arthur's aid. Percy taunted him with a song about the horse not dragging him far enough.

(Black Knight Comics#3/4 (fb) - BTS) - When the French knight Sir D'arcy requested entry into the Round Table as well as the hand of Lady Rosamund in marriage, King Arthur refused him entry and told him that if he could win a jousting tournament that Lady Rosamund might look on him with favor. The Black Knight defeated Sir D'arcy.

(Black Knight Comics#3/4) - D'arcy complained of his treatment and challenged the Black Knight's legitimacy, noting he might be a peasant under his mask. Arthur told him to leave, and D'arcy swore vengeance. Intrigued by the thought of peasants, Lady Rosamund and several other ladies decided to disguise themselves as peasants to mingle with the common folk, and Percy and some other knights accompanied them to protect them. At a country inn, Simon the Strong, master of the quarterstaff, defeated all challengers and demanded a kiss from Rosamund as his prize. Departing in secret and returning as the masked but unarmored Black Knight, Percy defeated Simon, after which D'arcy and his men ambushed the unarmed knights and took the women hostage. Escaping with Simon and some of his men, Percy led them to confront and defeat D'arcy and his men. Returning to Camelot, the Knight told Lady Rosamund he would someday claim the prize he had won by defeating Simon (a kiss from Lady Rosamund), and she assured him she would be awaiting that. Back in Camelot, Percy told Arthur he had fled to Camelot for help during the struggle, and Rosamund noted that she thought she heard him shouting, "Help!" He then sang a song, mocking Rosamund by saying D'arcy was better off having lost her.

(Black Knight Comics#4 (fb) - BTS) - When Sir Guy Wanderell and his forces plundered lesser baronies, the people pled to Arthur to stop him.

(Black Knight Comics#4) - Arthur led his knights to assault Castle Wanderell, and the Black Knight ultimately unhorsed Wanderell himself, leading to his forces' surrender. When Wanderell begged for mercy, noting that he had only sought to increase his holdings to impress Lady Rosamund, Arthur, despite the Black Knight's protestations, let Wanderell go free as long as he stayed within his own land and plundered no more. As Percy returned to Camelot and endured further scorn from Lady Rosamund for his necessary foppish behavior (as he longed for her to see him as he really was), reports came in of the Black Knight (actually Sir Wanderel posing as the Black Knight) looting and attacking the innocent. Due to the repeated reports, Arthur reluctantly declared the Black Knight an outlaw. When the Black Knight came to plead his case before Arthur, Wanderell intended to accuse him of being the imposter and goad the archers to slay him, but Arthur agreed to the real Black Knight's request to let the matter be settled by a trial of lance and sword. Wanderell nonetheless goaded the bowmen to fire, but their arrows bounced off the knights' armors, and Percy unhorsed and exposed Wanderell as the imposter. As he departed, the Black Knight through a rose to Rosamund, though Percy's subsequent poems only earned further deridement from her.

(Black Knight Comics#4/2 (fb) - BTS) - In a tournament afield, the Black Knight defeated Mordred.

(Black Knight Comics#4/2) - Returning from a tournament afield, the Black Knight stopped De Montfort from whipping the beggar Tibbet, and Arthur chastised De Montfort for then insulting the Black Knight. Tibbet then told the Black Knight how he had inhabited the abandoned Black Castle. Returning to Camelot, Percy mocked Morgan and Mordred as beauty and the beast. Meanwhile, the giant Kevin MacCaul, previous owner of the Black Castle, having been driven from the land years before, returned alongside warriors gathered from various nations along with a menagerie of similarly gathered animals. Having witnessed MacCaul's arrival and overheard his plans, Tibbet warned the Knight of various traps as the Knight prepared to join Arthur in meeting MacCaul's challenge. After MacCaul refused to leave his the Black Castle to fight Arthur directly, Arthur was captured in a net by elephant riders. Tibbet lead Percy into the Black Castle via a secret underwater passage, and the Knight defeated MacCaul just as her prepared to execute Arthur. The Knight freed Arthur and then led Camelot's forces to feign retreat to lead MacCaul's men to pursue them, after which the knights turned and defeated MacCaul's men. Percy later attended a victory feast, though Arthur was disappointed that the Black Knight was not there at his side.

(Black Knight Comics#4/4 (fb) - BTS) - As Arthur and a small group of unarmed knights rode across the country, distributing the harvest to his people, Mordred allied with pirate chief le Ponneau, arranging the ambush and capture of his men.

(Black Knight Comics#4/4) - Percy and Lady Rosamund accompanied Arthur to distribute the harvest, but, unarmed, they were ambushed and overwhelmed by le Ponneau's pirates' superior numbers. Arthur, Percy, and the other knights were taken captive aboard le Ponneau's ship, while, after instructing that Arthur must never return to land, Mordred had le Ponneau strike him in the face to make it seem as if he had been injured in the assault; not trusting Mordred, le Ponneau punched him unconscious. Feigning distress, Percy suddenly leapt overboard and was believed killed in a hail of arrows, but instead made it to dry land, where he recovered Arthur's fallen sword, Excalibur. Mordred returned to Camelot, told of Arthur's capture, sent Lancelot, Galahad, and the other knights of the Round Table to organize a search party, while he sat upon the throne until Arthur's return. The Black Knight secretly met with Merlin, who arranged for a group of "English" seamen to guide him to the pirates' island. Aided by the seamen, the Knight ambushed the pirates as le Ponneau derided the chained Arthur, severing Arthur's chains with a slash of his Ebony Blade. Returning Excalibur to Arthur, the Knight joined him and the seamen in swiftly freed the other prisoners, then fled back to their ship and escaped while holding off the pirates with arrows. Arthur praised the Black Knight as more than a friend or brother to him, noting him to be the symbol of the strength and the goodness of his nation.
Upon their return to Camelot, the Knight slipped away, and Percy returned, noting how he had escaped the arrows, propelled by fear (again disappointing Rosamund, who wished his strength and courage matched his handsome features). Percy then sang a song, hinting at Mordred's devious plan, annoying Mordred and Morgan.

(Black Knight Comics#5) - As reports of the Dragon of Kentswood Swamp reached Camelot, Percy doubted that any knight could survive battle with such a creature (if it existed). When Sir Gilles came Camelot seeking Lady Rosamund's hand (supported by Mordred), Percy noted that Gilles usually took what he wanted. Mordred ordred Percy to be silent and stick to his lute and perfume, but Arthur noted that Gilles was a robber baron and that he did not deserve Lady Rosamund. While Percy sang of the Dragon, Mordred allies with Gilles, who convinced Arthur to grant him Lady Rosamund's hand if he could capture the Dragon. Percy suspected treachery, wishing he could council with Merlin, who was on a pilgrimage to the south.
Weeks later, Gilles returned, hauling a covered burden. Suspecting Gilles might be preparing an ambush, Arthur allowed Gilles and a few servants into the castle with the burden then had the drawbridge pulled up and the portcullis dropped to prevent any outside attackers from entering. After Gilles revealed a seemingly captive dragon, Arthur was impressed, but the Black Knight cautioned Arthur to have his men stand by as a battle was in the offing. The Knight asked to challenge the dragon with his lance, and Gilles said the Knight must first challenge him, and so the Knight swiftly unhorsed him in a joust, severed the dragon's chains (to give it a sporting chance), and then charged and stabbed the dragon, which released a human-sounding cry. As the Knight then drove forward the oxen hauling the dragon's wagon, the dragon fell off and shattered, revealing it held a number of Gilles' soldiers. Led by the Black Knight, Arthur's men made swift work of Gilles' men, after which the Knight noted that he did not believe in dragons, "and if one did exist, it would take a better man than Gilles to capture it." Impressed, Lady Rosamund gave him a rose as a token of her admiration and esteem. Later, as usual, Rosamund wished for the Knight's company over Percy, who sang of the dragon. Arthur remarked that even Mordred had been fooled by Gilles.

(Black Knight Comics#5/2 "Men of the Shadows" (fb) - BTS) - Sir Joshua Costain, Sheriff of Nottingham, severely taxed the people of Nottingham, allegedly in the name of King Arthur. Costain was a tyrant and the people suffered from hunger and poverty. Big Tim and other men who had lost everything from the taxes became bandits.

(Black Knight Comics#5/2) - Bored of the life in the Royal Palace, Sir Percy rode into a forest but was captured by Big Tim and his bandits. Percy learned about Sir Costain and claimed the King innocent. With a swift move Percy removed a pole from a bandit and challenged Big Tim. Easily did Percy defeat the bandit who stated the noble was then free. Sir Percy asked Big Tim to help the Black Knight to discover the truth, and the bandit, once a honest man agreed for both himself and his men.
Sir Percy donned the Black Knight armor (kept with a hidden pack mule (or something) and went to the Costain's Castle where he soon noticed that the noble lived in luxury superior to his Sheriff rank. When the Black Knight questioned Sir Joshua Curtain about the unjust taxes, the Sheriff had him struck from behind and captured by his soldiers. In jail, the Black Knight was freed by Big Tim and his men, who knew some secret passages under the Castle. Instead of fleeing, the Black Knight extracted his Ebony Blade and attacked the soldiers. Many of them fell under the sword. The archers were pointing at the hero, but Big Tim and the bandits assaulted them just in time. Only Sir Costain succeeded in casting an arrow, but the Black Knight cut it in mid-air and captured the Sheriff.
The Black Knight ordered the men to bring the Sheriff to the King and let the men re-take the money they had lost under Costain's unjust taxation. Back in Camelot, King Arthur informed Sir Percy about the Black Knight's heroic adventures.

(Black Knight Comics#5/5) - Sir Percy feigned disgust as the visiting Tartar chief Mohar Jinn demonstrated his wrestling skills, easily overpowering one of Arthur's warriors. As Arthur announced he was taking his annual pilgrimage to the sea and invited Mohar Jinn to enjoy his castle and court in his absence, Arthur summoned Percy to his chambers, where he noted that his crystal ball was clouded with evil. Merlin warned Percy not to accompany Arthur on his pilgrimage, but Percy instead noted he must be by Arthur's side in the event of danger and instructed Merlin to hide the Ebony Blade and Black Knight costume in a hollow oak by the sea's shore; Merlin agreed, and also stable Percy's Black Charger at a nearby inn. As Arthur's cavalcade reached the inn by the shore, they were ambushed by Tartar's led by Mohar Jinn's brother; lacking armor and outnumbered, Arthur and his men were captured. Timultor noted that many more Tartar had by now joined Mohar Jinn in Camelot and then ordered Arthur to write to his people to acknowledge Mohar Jinn as their new king. Arthur refused, and Timultor imprisoned him without food or water until he would agree to the terms. The others, including Percy, were made into galley slaves. Another enslaved knight noted that the wood holding their chains was partially rotted, and Percy had the word spread that half of the rowers' water rations were to be poured over the wood to speed the process. After days, the wood had weakened sufficiently that they could tear the chain out at night time and storm their Tartar captors. Ordering the rotted wood replaced and the Tartars chained to serve as new rowers, Percy rushed to Arthur's cell and fed him broth. Three days later, as they returned to shore, Arthur ignored Percy's urgings that he needed more rest and took most of his men (leaving a small number to guard the Tartar prisoners) to return to Camelot and confront Mohar Jinn. Percy was left behind, and so he soon rushed to don his Black Knight armor, and he and Merlin rode Black Charger into Camelot via secret passageways, then freed Galahad, Lancelot and the other knights and opened the portcullis to allow Arthur and his men to enter. When the weakened Arthur was defeated by Mohar Jinn, the Knight then challenged Mohar Jinn, knocking him unconscious by slapping the Ebony Blade against his armor. The Knight vanished after the Tartar's defeat, and everyone had a good laugh as Percy returned on a broken down nag of a horse.

(Avengers Annual#20/2 (fb)) - Tyrannus, deposed as an Emperor of Rome, raised and army and sought to conquer England.

(Mystic Arcana: Black Knight#1 (fb) - BTS) - Tyrannus gained the support of Pluto, Olympian God of Death.

(Avengers Annual#20/2 (fb) / Mystic Arcana: Black Knight#1 (fb)) - Tyrannus was defeated by Sir Percy, the Black Knight.

(Mystic Arcana: Black Knight#1 (fb)) - Pluto traveled to Earth and assaulted the Black Knight, mortally wounding him with an axe to the chest. As Pluto announced his victory, Percy slashed him in the face with the Ebony Blade, and Pluto fled back to Hades to nurse his wounds. As Percy thought that he would die in the very same circle in which his mother had summoned Gwynn years before, Gwynn then appeared and taught him about how each thing had its time, and that when the time was past, it was give way to the new. Though Percy vowed to never stop fighting for Camelot until he was dead, Gwynn decided that Percy must live until he found his own fate, and so he healed Percy's wounds.

(Avengers Annual#20/2 (fb)) - Tyrannus was brought before Arthur and Merlin, who banished him to Subterranea.

(Avengers Annual#22/2 (fb) - BTS, Thor Annual#17/4, Doctor Strange III#11/2) - The Black Knight and Merlin left Camelot to face Morgan Le Fay. The Maha Yogi impersonated Merlin during this absence. blackknightpercy-rorsab-poss

(Ruins of Ravencroft: Sabretooth#1 (fb) - BTS) - Morgan apparently sent the Black Knight forward in time to 1909 A.D (see comments).

(Ruins of Ravencroft: Sabretooth#1 (fb) - BTS) - A man at least claiming to be the Black Knight (Sir Percy) of Camelot (and garbed in his costume) was taken away in restraints at the Ravencroft Institute for the Criminally Insane. As owner Jonas Ravencroft entered the room, Sir Percy demanded his attention, revealing his identity and stating that Morgan Le Fay had sent him there for some unknown diabolical purpose. He swore that if he was not released immediately, he would hunt down and murder all present. Jonas assured the irate, restrained man that he would get the help the needed there, but the man warned Jonas that he would be the one to need help after he regained his blade. As the man was taken away, Dr. Claudia Russell arrived alongside Dr. Nathaniel Essex, and she suggested that perhaps they should release him as he demanded, because what if he was telling the truth. Jonas suggested she was being ridiculous, but Claudia countered that they had all heard the fascinating stories that had circulated around Ravencroft for centuries. Essex dismissed this with comparison to stories of Santa Claus, and the matter was apparently dropped.

(Ruins of Ravencroft: Sabretooth#1 (fb) - BTS) - Sir Percy was presumably returned to his own time at some point.

(Marvel Chillers#1 (fb) - BTS/Dr. Strange III#11/2) - When Modred was overcome by the power of Chthon and the Darkhold, this dire event attracted the attention of the real Merlin, who was still away with the Black Knight. By then, Merlin was tired and weary, probably a consequence of the world-shattering emergency he had been dealing with. He knew that, even with the Black Knight's help, he could no longer forestall Camelot's ultimate fate. He also knew that he would have to deal with Demonspawn upon his return to Camelot. So, when on top of all this, he sensed the power of the Darkhold rising again, Merlin knew he needed help, and he called upon the Roman Catholic Church. Using a crystal ball, he communicated with the Pope (for which Pope, see comments below). In those days the Church was not afraid to use its powerful white magic to fight evil. Sir Percy was with Merlin as he contacted the Pope.

(Fantastic Four I#405) - The Black Knight was among several others--including Blackout (Marcus Daniels), Blizzard (Gregor Shapanka), Bucky, Conan the Barbarian, the Green Goblin, the Melter, Omega the Unknown, Rawhide Kid, the Red Raven, Skurge the Executioner, Snowbird, Thor (Dargo Ktor), Union Jack, and the Whizzer (Bob Frank)--summoned from across time to battle the Fantastic Four by Zarrko the Tomorrow Man. Confused by the trip--and possibly mentally influenced by Zarrko's technology--the Black Knight attacked the Kristoff Vernard Dr. Doom, though he was soon sent back to his own time when the Ant-Man (Scott Lang) neutralized Zarrko's Time-Displacement Dial.

(New Excalibur#10) - Camelot fell under the onslaught of "dragons" (actually Makluans), Arthur and the rest of the Round Table perished, and Percy took up the sword Excalibur in addition to the Ebony Blade. After succumbing to the Ebony Blade's violent tendencies, Percy followed the call of the Lady of the Lake, who pulled him into her waters and sent him forward in time to possess the body of Dane Whitman (the Black Knight of the modern era). With the Ebony Blade, the Percy-possessed Whitman slashed into Percy's own corpse and retrieved a scroll. He fought the arriving Excalibur (Captain Britain, Dazzler (Alison Blaire), Juggernaut, Nocturne (TJ Wagner), Sage, Pete Wisdom) and was knocked out by the Juggernaut. Sage read the scroll, learning that only Excalibur could save Camelot.

(New Excalibur#11) - Percy led Excalibur into the lake, and they emerged back in the 6th century, prior to the dragon's attack, and Percy was restored to his own body. He led them to aid Merlin against an attack by a trio of dragons but was dropped by a fiery blast, and Dane took up the Ebony Blade; Excalibur and Whitman helped Merlin regain his strength via distracting the dragons from him, and then they drove the dragons off. Percy then punched out Whitman and retook the Blade, telling him never to touch his sword again. The group then returned to Camelot and shared the warning of the dragons' threat to Arthur. They had a celebration of the arrival of their intended saviors and a scout was sent out to locate the dragons' lair. The scout did so, but his horse brought his corpse back to Camelot.

(New Excalibur#12) - Percy told Whitman of the increased fury of the Ebony Blade at this earlier point in its existence, so soon after its creation. After the "dragons" attacked Camelot, the two Black Knights joined the fight, which seemed doomed to failure. However, having explored the true dragon's lair, Sage returned and revealed the dragons to be Makluans, and she instructed Merlin to conjure some Formosian herb, which caused the dragons to collapse into unconsciousness. Via the Lady of the Lake's magic, Excalibur and Dane Whitman returned to the modern era, with Dane and Percy parting amicably; after which Merlin asked if he thought Whitman was prepared for what now awaited him? Was he ready to discover what being a Black Knight truly means? Percy said, "Aye. I do."
The fall of Camelot at the dragons' hands was diverged into "reality-6120."

(Thunderbolts I#167) <537 AD> - Black Knight found the tower of the time-travelling Thunderbolts and assumed it to be a new challenge for Camelot from Mordred.

(Thunderbolts I#169) - The Black Knight found Troll nearby the Thunderbolts' tower and was attacked by her. When the Ebony Blade hit her Asgardian axe it was felt by Merlin. Though he was surprised by her superhuman strength he got through with the Ebony Blade and destroyed her mask. Distracted by the fact she was a girl he was easy prey for Boomerang, who disarmed him and then knocked him out with an electricity boomerang. Boomerang kept the Ebony Blade.

(Thunderbolts I#169 - BTS) - Sir Gallahad found the Black Knight unconscious in the woods and when King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table and Merlin encountered the Thunderbolts, Gallahad demanded from Boomerang to return the Ebony Blade to them. A fight broke out and Merlin ended it by rendering the Thunderbolts unconscious with magic. They ended up in imprisoned in his dungeon.

(Thunderbolts I#170) - When Sir Percy was up on his feet again in Camelot he went down to the dungeons to ask Boomerang how he created the lightning. Sir Kay warned him not to open any doors because Merlin was out with King Arthur to gain entrance to the Thunderbolts' tower. He gave alarm when the Thunderbolts escaped. When he went up against Boomerang to take revenge on him for his earlier defeat Boomerang revealed he had already found other means to defeat him. Boomerang had released all the monsters in the dungeons, whom the Black Knight and the others knights at Camelot slaughtered. The Thunderbolts escaped Camelot in the chaos and returned to their tower, which was sent to the future with Merlin's aid.

(Black Knight I#1 (fb)) - Unable to restrain his feelings any longer, Sir Percy unmasked before Lady Rosamund, revealing his true identity and his feelings of love for her. The two were married shortly thereafter.

(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe#16: Black Knight I) - Using the wealth from his estate in Scandia, Percy built Castle Scandia in England, and there he and Lady Rosamund went to live.

(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#8: Merlin (fb)) - After the revelation of the affair between Lancelot and Guinevere threw England into a civil war, Mordred openly gathered armies to lead against Arthur.

(Dr. Strange II#68 (fb) - BTS) - Even the best of men commit some evil in their lives. Due to the bond created between Sir Percy and the Ebony Blade, the evil that Percy wrought (perhaps just the taking of others' lives in combat, however justified those killings might have been--see comments) was visited upon the sword, where it grew like unto a living thing.

(Iron Man I#209 (fb) / Iron Man I#150 (fb) / Namor I#62 (fb)/(Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe#8: Merlin (fb) / Black Knight I#2(fb))
- In the final year of the reign of King Arthur, with the Round Table shattered, Mordred and Morgan sent an army against Arthur. There was a tremendous battle in which the Black Knight led Arthur's forces to victory over the forces of Morgan and Mordred. Having learned of a plot while in the guise of Sir Percy, the Knight and Merlin met the army far from Camelot with a force of their own. Hoping to prevent Arthur from discovering his guilt, Mordred fled the field of battle. Merlin and the Black Knight led their army to Castle le Fay, on the Northern Irish Coast, hoping to force the she-witch to tell the King the truth. Forewarned of this, Morgan laid a trap to kill any who entered her castle. Merlin detected this and instead imprisoned Morgan in Castle Le Fey, holding her there with a powerful spell that would bring death to her form should she ever leave its walls.

(X-Men and Spider-Man: Time's Arrow: Book One: The Past (fb) - BTS) - In addition, Morgan's physical form was completely encased in a block of ethereal force, preventing her from using her magic any further than the walls of her castle.

(Black Knight I#1 (fb) - BTS) - Merlin himself was imprisoned in an enchanted cave by Nimue/Vivienne.

(X-Men and Spider-Man: Time's Arrow: Book One: The Past) - One of the counterparts of Kang the Conqueror sent several of his "Time's Arrows" into the past, leading the X-Men and Spider-Man to travel back in time in an effort to destroy the seeming weapons. Cable and Storm were sent back to uncover the Arrow sent to the time of Camelot. Another time-traveler, Aliya of an alternate future Earth in which Cable had been slain in her stead, arrived in that era as well, searching for the Arrow.

(X-Men and Spider-Man: Time's Arrow: Book One: The Past (fb) - BTS) - Merlin warned the Black Knight of hidden dark magic. When he investigated, he found a large black oak box, guarded by a group of android knights sent by Kang. When he tried to inspect the box in the name of King Arthur, the knights attacked him.

(X-Men and Spider-Man: Time's Arrow: Book One: The Past) - The Black Knight fought the android knights, but was frustrated as they failed to stay down when he injured them, and he concluded that they were bewitched. As he began to fatigue from the fruitless combat, Cable and Storm joined him in battle, overpowering the androids with their combined efforts. The remaining androids escaped with the box back to Castle le Fay, where they were pursued by the Black Knight, Cable, Storm, and Aliya. Ultimately, they learned that the true Time's Arrow had been contained within the ethereal block holding Morgan, and it could not be removed without freeing her from its imprisonment; the box in the meadows had been a ruse, to allow the android knights to lead the Black Knight to Morgan's castle. The time-travelers were able to convince Percy that the Arrow was an even greater threat than Morgan, and so he used his Ebony Blade to release Morgan. At the Knight's request, the others returned to the future with the Arrow, leaving him alone to face Morgan.

(X-Men and Spider-Man: Time's Arrow: Book One: The Past - BTS) - The Knight somehow escaped Morgan, who remained trapped within the Castle, though she had regained her mobility as well as the power to send her spirit and magic beyond the walls of her castle.

(Defenders I#152 (fb)/Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#8: Merlin (fb) - BTS) - The cosmic creature known as the Dragon of the Moon came to Earth and allied itself with Mordred against Camelot. During the final battle between Arthur's forces and Mordred's, Arthur assisted the Eternal known only as the Interloper in defeating the Dragon, banishing it back into outer space. It is ASSumed that the Black Knight played a major role in this battle.

(Black Knight I#1 (fb)) - After a year of happy marriage, Sir Percy joined Arthur's knights to ride forth for the final war against Mordred, whose treachery had been at last exposed for all to see.

(Marvel Super-Heroes II#17(fb) / Black Knight I#1 (fb) / Arthurian Legend - BTS) - When Arthur repaired to Castle Scandia to plan strategy during a war against Mordred, Mordred's forces, backed by Saxon armies, sworn enemies to King Arthur, ambushed him before he could reach the castle. Mordred slew Arthur, but was mortally wounded by him as well.

(Black Knight I#1 (fb) - BTS / Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe#16: Black Knight I) -
The bodies of both Arthur and Mordred were borne away by those few knights of both sides who survived the battle. The dying Mordred ordered his men to bring him to Castle Scandia where they could ambush his other great foe. Mordred had learned of Merlin's enchantment which protected the Black Knight, but he held the Ebony Dagger.

(Marvel Super-Heroes II#17(fb) / Black Knight I#1(fb) / Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe#16: Black Knight I / Mystic Arcana: Black Knight#1) - The Black Knight, informed of the danger to Arthur by the astral form of Merlin, rushed to Castle Scandia, but was delayed by sorcerous menaces along the way. He arrived at Castle Scandia too late to save Arthur. After defeating the remaining warriors of Mordred, the Black Knight lamented the death of Arthur, but Mordred himself then appeared from the shadows.

(Mystic Arcana: Black Knight#1) - The Black Knight sensed Mordred's approach and was prepared to turn and slay Mordred, but Merlin showed the Black Knight a vision of "Reality-97213" in which Camelot's reign continued but became corrupt. The Black Knight allowed Mordred to kill him, as Camelot's time had ended.

(Marvel Super-Heroes II#17(fb) / Black Knight I#1(fb) / Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe#16: Black Knight I) - Mordred stabbed the Knight with his Ebony Dagger, slaying him.
Merlin's countenance appeared above the dying Knight, casting a spell over him such that he would live again through another if ever Mordred walked the land.

(Mystic Arcana: Black Knight#1) - Merlin predicted, "In the hour Sir Percy dies, your own (Mordred's) death is also very near.

(Mystic Arcana: Black Knight#1) - As Merlin vanished, Percy was reincarnated as Gwynn, his sacrifice having won him the right to be part of the Earth Goddess, Gaea. He would thus remain, immune to time, until his spirit would later be summoned to wear the armor of the Black Knight again.

(Black Knight I#1 (fb) - BTS) - Rosamund, pregnant at the time of Percy's death, bore him another son, Edward, who grew to manhood and carried on a proud lineage.

(Avengers Annual#22/2 (fb) - BTS) - Towards the end of the 6th century, Percy's spirit appeared before his descendent, Sir Raston, guiding him to the Ebony Blade, which Raston took as his own, occasionally using the title of Black Knight.

(Defenders I#11 (fb) - BTS) - In the latter portion of the 12th century, the Ebony Blade came into the possession of Eobar of Garrington, who became the Black Knight of the Crusades.

(Black Knight I#1 (fb) - BTS / Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe#16: Black Knight I) -
In the modern era, Nathan Garrett, descendent of Sir Percy, visited Garrett Castle (formerly Castle Scandia) and met the spirit of Sir Percy, who presented him with the opportunity to battle evil as a new Black Knight. However, Garrett proved himself unworthy through his inability to draw the Ebony Blade from within its enchanted scabbard, which was held in the hands of dead man. In his rage and despair, Garrett became a criminal Black Knight, using technologically advanced versions of medieval weapons.

(Avengers I#48 - BTS / Black Knight I#1 (fb) - BTS) - Dane Whitman was summoned to the side of his maternal uncle, Nathan Garrett, who begged him to atone for his crimes. Whitman took up the identity of the Black Knight, determined to redeem the name by becoming a hero. Garrett told Whitman of his inability to draw the Ebony Blade, but Whitman would not seek out the Blade initially.

(Marvel Super-Heroes II#17) - Traveling to Garrett Castle, Whitman fell into a hidden chamber where, after unwittingly lighting the Brazier of Truth, he was confronted by the spirit of Sir Percy. Percy told Whitman of their relationship and the circumstances of his death, after which he bequeathed to him the Ebony Blade, which became his weapon after he drew it from the enchanted scabbard and proved himself in battle against the Guardian of the Blade. Shortly thereafter, Whitman defeated le Sabre, an agent of Mordred sent to kill Percy's descendent.

(Avengers I#71) - After interfering in a contest between the Grandmaster and Kang, Whitman was accused of possibly dooming his planet. Mortified, he rushed to Garrett Castle and lit the Brazier of Truth, summoning Percy's spirit for advice. Percy showed him how the Grandmaster and Kang had chosen pawns in the Squadron Sinister and Avengers, revealing as well Kang's motivation: the revival of Ravonna, and how the Avengers had then faced the Invaders. Percy then showed Whitman how he could transport himself across the dimensions to be rejoined with the Blade, which had been caught in the Grandmaster's transportation process. Whitman was subsequently instrumental in saving the Avengers from Kang.

(Avengers I#84 (fb)) - When Whitman began to feel the evil affects of the Ebony Blade, he lit the Brazier and sought advice from Sir Percy, who told him that the Blade must be destroyed and that he must go to Stonehenge. There a hag sent Whitman to the Well at the Center of Time, but he found that the Blade resisted his efforts to cast it into the Well. Ultimately the Blade did indeed end up in the Well, when the Black Knight threw it to deflect a bolt hurled by Arkon.

(Avengers I#100 (fb) - BTS) - The Ebony Blade was transported to Olympus, where it fell into the hands of the war god Ares, who joined forces with the Asgardian Amora the Enchantress in a plot to conquer Olympus. From there they turned their assault against Earth, looking to use it as a stepping stone towards conquering Asgard as well.

(Avengers I#100) - Whitman used the Brazier of Truth to summon the spirit of Sir Percy, who revealed to the Avengers how Ares had acquired the Ebony Blade, as well as what he plotted to do with it.

(Dr. Strange II#38 (fb)) - After transporting the Black Knight statue to Garrett Castle, Dr. Strange found that the Ebony Blade had vanished. The spirit of Sir Percy then appeared and told him that the Blade had rejoined Whitman, whose spirit was in the 12th century, inhabiting the body of Eobar of Garrington.

(Dr. Strange II#68) - After Whitman's spirit was returned to the modern era and his body restored to normal, he still suffered from warrior madness. Dr. Strange used the Brazier of Truth to summon the spirit of Sir Percy, who explained the curse of Ebony Blade. Strange transported Whitman to the Realm of Madness, where he was forced to realize his insanity, and Whitman rejected the Blade, hurling it into void. The Blade, however, traveled back to Garrett Castle and embedded itself in the Brazier. Dr. Strange explained that the evil still remained in the sword, and that for the curse to be broken, the sword and the Brazier must be cleansed as one in mystic fire. Whitman drove the sword deep into the Brazier and Strange created the magical fire needed; the Brazier exploded into shards, and the evil within the sword was returned to the spirit of Sir Percy. Having reclaimed his own evil, Percy's spirit was then freed to pass on to its final judgment. As he faded away, Percy cautioned Whitman that though his curse had been lifted, the Blade was yet enchanted, and he must take care to embue (sic) it with no further curses of his own. In his parting words he told Whitman that his ancestor was most proud of him.

(Avengers Annual#16) - The spirit of Sir Percy, or perhaps just a simulacrum of him, was part of the Legion of Unliving created by the Grandmaster with the realm of Death. "Sir Percy" battled Dane Whitman to a stalemate, and the Grandmaster managed to achieve his true goal: exile for the Elders of the Universe from the realm of Death, effectively granting them immortality.

(Avengers I#293 - BTS) - Dane Whitman began to fall victim to the Blood Curse of the Ebony Blade when Namor used it to stab the Leviathan, who was actually his own wife Marrina, mutated into monstrous form. Marrina' spirit was sent to the Astral Realm of the Ebony Blade.

(Black Knight I#1) - In the final stages of the curse, Whitman's body was transformed into the same metal as the Ebony Blade, rendering him immobile. His form was brought to Garrett Castle, where Victoria Bentley and her butler Catherwood gathered the fragments of the Brazier of Truth. Combining the magic of the Crystal of Bas-Lyoness with the fragments, Victoria viewed the events of Sir Percy's life. Afterwards, Percy's spirit appeared, pointing the way to a secret chamber, containing Sir Percy's armor. Victoria placed the helmet of Whitman's head (magically fitting over Whitman's own helmet), which transferred Percy's spirit into Whitman's body, and Percy's spirit neutralized the curse, restoring Whitman's body to full mobility.
Mordred and Morgan le Fay then sent a magical creature, formed from a composite of suits of armor, to slay then, but Sir Percy managed to destroy the creature. In the process, Percy revealed that the same enchantment that had summoned him had restored the magical wings of the steed Valinor, previously removed by Dr. Strange. With their creatures defeat, Morgan and Mordred appeared, threatening Percy to leave the Earthly plane or risk destruction.

(Black Knight I#2) - Via her own limited magical powers, Victoria guided Sir Percy to have Valinor fly them to the lighthouse base of Excalibur, where they recruited the aid of Captain Britain. They then flew to the coast of Ulster, to the Giant's Causeway, the former site of Castle Le Fay, from which it had vanished centuries before. Upon arriving they were joined by the young Sean Dolan, who led them to the site where he had seen unnatural lights in midair. When Percy became overcome with a desire for vengeance upon Mordred and Morgan, Victoria pulled his helmet off, allowing Whitman to regain control of his form. Whitman battled Morgan's agent Dreadknight when he appeared and attacked them, but Whitman soon succumbed to the curse's immobility again. Dolan then replaced Percy's helmet, restoring mobility and Percy's spirit's dominance, and Percy quickly defeated the Dreadknight.
In the course of the battle, the heroes learned of Morgan's plot to restore Castle le Fay, which would allow Morgan and Mordred to permanently return to Earth.

(Black Knight I#3) - The Sir Percy-possessed Whitman joined Valinor, Victoria, and Sean Dolan in locating and enlisting the aid of Dr. Strange, who led them to the Netherworld of Morgan le Fay. Morgan, who had obtained the Evil Eye, used it to restore the demon Balor to life, and Balor defeated the heroes, after which Morgan bound them in Crimson Bands of Cyttorak. However, Victoria, who had remained on Earth, managed to summon the spirit of Brunnhilde the Valkyrie, who possessed and transformed her body into a duplicate of her own. The Valkyrie then joined the heroes, helping them get free, and Percy used the Ebony Blade to shatter the Evil Eye, causing Balor's form to disperse once more.
Tracking Morgan and Mordred (who had left the heroes behind for Balor to finish off) via a spell he had cast on them, Strange led the Knight, Valkyrie, and new ally Sean Dolan to Lake Havashu, Arizona. There they correctly recalled that London Bridge had been transported there stone by numbered stone @ 1970, and also deduced that at least the corner stone of Morgan Le Fay's castle had been built into London Bridge during its 19th century construction. Morgan then summoned an army of Fomor to Earth.

(Black Knight I#4) - Morgan and Mordred sent their group of Fomor--bearing the names of Celtic Gods such as Taranis, Morrigan, Cernunnos, Lug, and Belanos--to attack the heroes. As the heroes began to prove victorious, Morgan unleashed another spell, binding the residents of the town into a magical Wicker Man, a living prison formed from their own life forces. With its power, the heroes were soon overcome, with Strange and the Valkyrie trapped within the Wicker Man, and Morgan and Mordred then fully materialized on Earth. Threatening the lives of everyone within the Wicker Man, Morgan forced the Black Knight to swear loyalty to her forevermore. Mordred wished to decapitate the Knight and end his threat once and for all, but Morgan refused, instead wishing to use his allegiance to break the spirits of those who would oppose them. Tapping into Mordred's masculine energies, Morgan initiated the spell to re-create the planet in the image of medieval times.
However, while Sir Percy was honor bound to not stand against Morgan and Mordred, Dane Whitman was not. Correctly recognizing this, Percy relinquished his control on Whitman, allowing him to turn against them. Merging his own spirit with the Ebony Blade, Percy increased its power, enabling it to cause the Wicker Man to dissipate, its energies returning to its former prisoners. The Black Knight then turned the Ebony Blade on the restored Castle Le Fay, disrupting its energies and causing it to fade back out of existence, and sending Morgan and Mordred with it. London Bridge was purged of the stones originally taken from Castle Le Fay.

(Avengers Annual#22 - BTS) - Within Garrett Castle, Dane Whitman plunged the Ebony Blade into the Starstone to rid the world of the sword's evil. When Victoria Bentley was attacked within the castle, Sean Dolan pulled the Ebony Blade free to fight off her attackers, and he was transformed into the demonic Bloodwraith, who fed the attackers' souls to the hungry blade.
With the Astral Realm of the Ebony Blade, Sir Percy was joined by the newly slain attackers.

(Avengers I#366 - BTS) - The maddened Bloodwraith overpowered Dane Whitman and would have slain him, but Victoria sacrificed herself to save him. When the Bloodwraith slew her with the Ebony Blade, her soul was cast into its Astral Realm.

(Namor I#61) - The Bloodwraith, who had usurped the Ebony Blade from Dane Whitman, stabbed Namor the Sub-Mariner with the Blade. Namor was pulled into the Astral Realm of the Ebony Blade, where he was beset by the spirits of those slain by over the centuries. Percy joined him in fighting off a wave of these spirits, then led him to the other benevolent spirits within the Blade, including Victoria Bentley and Marrina. Percy explained the eternal struggle of good and evil within the Blade, and then they were joined by Andromeda after she, too, was stabbed by the Bloodwraith. Namor managed to liberate Marrina's and his own spirit from the Blade's Astral Realm, leaving Percy and Victoria behind.
Andromeda's spirit was seemingly left behind within the Ebony Blade, though her human host (Genevieve Cross) adapted the characteristics of one of the Homo mermani (Atlanteans).

(Fantastic Four: Atlantis Rising#2 - BTS) - Psi-Lord caused the thousands of souls within the Ebony Blade to be channeled through Morgan le Fay, who had attempted to harness the full power of the sword for herself.

(Defenders II#2 (fb) - BTS) - Andromeda's spirit somehow escaped the Ebony Blade and returned to her body (or Cross's...it's not detailed).

(Black Knight III#1 (fb) ) - Sir Percy's spirit began to haunt Dane Whitman when he moved to Weirdworld and became ruler of New Avalon.

(Black Knight III#1) - Sir Percy's spirit talked to Dane about he had apparently realized how much the Ebony Blade meant to him and surmised that Dane was recording his chronicles because he had realized he was finally succumbing to the power of the Ebony Blade.

(Black Knight III#4) - Imprisoned by the Avengers Unity Squad Dane listened to Sir Percy asking for permission to possess one of the Unity Squad, take the Ebony Blade and free Dane from prison and then kill the whole Unity Squad except for Rogue, who Percy fancied. Dane didn't give him permission because they were his friends, which angered Percy because in his opinion they had no clue what the price holding the Ebony Blade was and had no right to judge Dane.

(Black Knight III#5) - Sir Percy's ghost stood at Dane's side when he was back on the throne of New Avalon.

Comments: Created by Stan "The Man" Lee and Joe Maneely.
Adapted into Marvel by Roy Thomas and Howard Purcell.

The Black Knight is 5'11' in the original and the Deluxe editions of the OHotMU, but 5'10" in the Master Edition, which also lists him as a vampire and having been from the 16th century. I'm going to go with the Master Edition being in error.

Perhaps it was not necessarily the evil that the Black Knight did that created the curse, but the evil spirits of those it slew. Perhaps those spirits were pulled into it, too, like what was shown in Namor I#61.

It is speculated in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe#16: Black Knight entry that after Percy's spirit was liberated from the Brazier of Truth that it went to reside in Otherworld. That remains unconfirmed, though it would make sense. At any rate, he has since been relocated to the Astral Realm of the Ebony Blade.

I can only guess where the appearance in Fantastic Four I#405 took place chronologically. He's seen in costume in one panel and doesn't say a word, so it pretty much could be any point from the start of his career up to his death.

I am similarly unaware of where the Ruins of Ravencroft story should be placed and whether it is truly Sir Percy or just a crazy person claiming to be him. However, given the lack of ready access to information, like the internet, it seems unlikely that the real name of the Black Knight of Camelot would be known by someone in 1909 A.D. Sir Percy has blue eyes, and the man in the story appeared to have brown eyes, but that could be art error/license, or it could certainly be that Percy's spirit was cast into another man's body...possibly someone of common ancestrry?
I've listed the appearance as Sir Percy (with some question) in the history...maybe it will be confirmed at some point.

Black Knight Comics#1/1 is reprinted in Fantasy Masterpieces I#11; #1/3 is reprinted in Marvel Super-Heroes II#12, the series which Fantasy Masterpieces evolved into; #2/1 is reprinted in MSH#13; #2/2 in MSH#14; #2/4 in MSH#15; #3/1 in MSH#16; #3/2 in MSH#19
Let me know if the rest of the Black Knight Comics are reprinted in other issues of Marvel Super-Heroes or any other comic.

There are a couple of things that didn't make it into Mystic Arcana: Black Knight (which I plotted) for reasons of space.

   Leaving aside the stuff pertaining to Orphelus and Merlin and Cagliostro and the "Nine" who watch over the Pool of Blood, there were four ebony artifacts forged by Merlin: Sword, Staff, Shield and Cup (after the Tarot suits).

Because of what I gather was some editorial "suggestion," it was stated in the book that Shield and Cup were destroyed, and Morgan stole the Staff to forge the Dagger.

   In the original script, all three items were merely banished away because once created, they couldn't be destroyed (which makes a lot more sense since the Sword is indestructible too) and Morgan forged the Dagger out of the Cup, NOT the Staff, which is supposed to survive. How she eventually got her hands on the Ebony Cup was left unexplained. But let's face it, an Ebony Cup isn't terribly useful, unless you want to bonk someone on the head with it! The Ebony artifacts couldn't be destroyed, but they could be reshaped, of course.

   I hope that someone will fix this minor "glitch" in the future, if only by reintroducing one or the other two Ebony weapons. I think the Staff and the Shield would make great weapons for another character. My thoughts at the time (with Roy) was that they might end up in the hands of a villainous Black Knight á la Nathan Garrett.

Also, the original Starstone was collected by Professor Gamble at the very origin point of our universe; it was what was left of the previous universe after the Big Bang, hence its power. That, also, didn't make it in the book -- understandably so, I think, as it would have distracted the reader away from the main plot.

I would like to finish the story of the Pool of Blood and the Nine sometime -- which began as the last, unpublished Book of Vishanti about Cagliostro. In any event, I'm grateful to the Marvel Appendix site for having published it at last.

images:
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Master Edition: Black Knight
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deluxe Edition#16: Black Knight
Black Knight Comics#1, p3, panel 6 (Percy body)
p5, panel 3 (Percy face)
Black Knight Comics#2, p6, panel 1 (atop Thunder)
Thunderbolts I#167, p21, pan2 (537 AD)
Marvel Super-Heroes II#17, p6, panel 4 (slain by Mordred)
Avengers I#71, p2, panel 2 (spirit, Brazier)
Ruins of Ravencroft: Sabretooth#1, story pg. 12, panel 2 (straight jacket)

Black Knight Comics#1 (May, 1955) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Joe Maneely (artist)
Black Knight Comics#2 (July, 1955) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Joe Maneely (artist)
Black Knight Comics#3 (September, 1955) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Joe Maneely (artist)
Black Knight Comics#4 (November, 1955) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Fred Kida & Joe Maneely (artists)
Black Knight Comics#5 (April, 1956) - Stan Lee (writer/editor), Syd Shores (pencils), Christopher Rule (inks)
Avengers I#48 (January, 1968) - Roy Thomas (writer), George Tuska (artist), Stan Lee (editor)
Marvel Super-Heroes II#17 (November, 1968) - Roy Thomas (writer), Howard Purcell (pencils), Dan Adkins & others (inks), Stan Lee (editor)
Avengers I#71 (December, 1969) - Roy Thomas (writer), Sal Buscema (pencils), Sam Grainger (inks), Stan Lee (editor)
Avengers I#84 (January, 1971) - Roy Thomas (writer), John Buscema (pencils), Tom Palmer (inks), Stan Lee (editor)
Avengers I#100 (June, 1972) - Roy Thomas (writer), Barry Windsor-Smith (pencils), Joe Sinnott, Syd Shores & Barry Windsor-Smith (inks), Stan Lee (editor)
Dr. Strange II#38 (December, 1979) - Chris Claremont (writer), Gene Colan (pencils), Dan Green (inks), Jo Duffy & Al Milgrom (editors)
Dr. Strange II#68 (December, 1984) - Roger Stern (writer), Paul Smith (pencils), Terry Austin (inks), Carl Potts (editor)
Defenders I#152 (February, 1986) - Peter Gillis (writer), Don Perlin (pencils), Dell Barras (inks), Carl Potts (editor)
Avengers Annual#16 (1987) - Tom DeFalco (writer), Bob Hall, John Romita Jr., Keith Pollard, Marshall Rogers, Jackson Guice & Ron Frenz (pencils), Tom Palmer, Bill Sienkiewicz, Al Williamson, Bob Layton, Kevin Nowlan & Bob Wiacek (inks), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Black Knight II#1-4 (June-September, 1990) - Roy & Dann Thomas (writers), Tony DeZuniga (#1-2) & Rich Buckler (#3-4) (pencils), Tony DeZuniga (#1-2, 4) & Diverse Hands (#3) (inks), Mark Gruenwald (editor)
Avengers Annual#20 (1991) - Peter Sanderson (writer), Jeff Moore (pencils), Bud LaRosa (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Avengers Annual#22 (1993) - Roy Thomas & Jean-Marc Lofficier (writers), Al Milgrom (pencils), Mark Steckbauer (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Namor I#61 (April, 1995) - Glenn Herdling (writer), Geof Isherwood (artist), Mike Rockwitz & Ralph Macchio (editors)
New Excalibur#10-12 (October-December 2006) "The Last Days of Camelot" - by Frank Tieri (writer), Michael Ryan (penciler), Rick Ketcham (inker), Mike Marts (editor)
Mystic Arcana: Black Knight#1 (September 2007) - Roy Thomas (writer), Tom Grummet (penciler), Scott Hanna (inker), Nathan Cosby (assistant editor), Mark Paniccia (editor)
Thunderbolts I#167 (February, 2012) - Jeff Parker (writer), Declan Shalvey (artist), Tom Brennan (editor)
Thunderbolts I#169-170 (March-April, 2011) - Jeff Parker (writer), Kev Walker (pencils), Terry Pallot (inks), Tom Brennan (editor)
Black Knight III#1 (January, 2016) - Frank Tieri (writer), Luca Pizzari (artist), Wil Moss (editor)
Black Knight III#4-5 (April-May, 2016) - Frank Tieri (writer), Luca Pizzari (artist), Wil Moss (editor)
Ruins of Ravencroft: Sabretooth#1 (March, 2020) - Frank Tieri (writer), Guillermo Sanna (flashback artist), Danny Khazem (assistant editor), Devin Lewis (editor)

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™ and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
Please visit The Marvel Official Site at: http://www.marvel.com