Sir Galahad

Real Name: Galahad

First Appearance: Either c.600 A.D. or in Le Morte D'Arthur

Identity/Class: Normal human, possibly enhanced by magic

Occupation: Knight of the Round Table

Affiliations: member of the Knights of the Round Table

Enemies: Mordred; Morgan le Fay

Known Relatives: Lancelot (father); Elaine of Corbenic (mother)

Aliases: None known

Base of Operations: Camelot

History: Galahad is the son of Lancelot and Elaine of Corbenic. Galahad was conceived when Elaine tricked Lancelot into thinking he was meeting and sleeping with Guinevere. The first appearance of Galahad in medieval romance is in the thirteenth-century Vulgate Cycle. His coming is predicted in the first romance in the cycle, the Estoire del saint Graal, where he is said to be the ninth in the line of Nascien, who was baptized by Josephus, son of Joseph of Arimathea, and who was one of those who is said to have brought Christianity to Britain. Galahad remains the pre-eminent Grail Knight in Malory's "Morte d'Arthur" and in Tennyson's "Idylls of the King". A shorter poem by Tennyson, "Sir Galahad," presented the popular image of the perfect knight whose "strength was as the strength of ten" because his "heart is pure."

Galahad is best known as the knight who achieves the quest for the Holy Grail. One day a sword in a stone was seen in a river by Arthur's knights, and it was said that only the world's best knight could pull out the sword. Galahad was led into Arthur's court where he sat in the Siege Perilous and then drew the sword out. It was later on when the Grail appeared in a vision at Arthur's court that Galahad was one of the three knights chosen to undertake the Quest for the Holy Grail. He was given a white shield, made by Evelake, with a red cross which Joseph of Arimathea had drawn in blood. In the course of the Quest he joined up with Percivale, Bors, and Percivale's sister. On board Solomon's ship, Galahad obtained the Sword of David, and after the death of Percivale's sister the trio split up for a while and Galahad traveled with his father, Lancelot.

When the three rejoined forces they came to Carbonek and achieved the Grail. Galahad mended the broken sword, and therefore, He was allowed to see the Grail. After beholding the Holy Grail, Galahad requested of Joseph of Arimathea that he die, which request was granted unto him. Galahad was always known as the "Perfect Knight". He was "perfect" in courage, gentleness, courtesy, and chivalry.

Powers/Abilities: Galahad was the greatest knight in the whole world.

Comments: Further details on the Knights can be found here.

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