Biography - Page 3
Shortly after returning to the present, the Black Knight was called upon by Merlyn once again. Mordred was active in the modern era and the mage charged Dane Whitman with locating his other champion, Captain Britain. [Hulk Comic #1] Empowered as one of the six evil Walkers, Mordred called forth Hellravens to deter the Black Knight on his search. Still, Dane chanced upon 
Brian Braddock in a cave along the English coastline. Brian had suffered amnesia from some unknown attack and only Merlyn’s name seemed familiar to him. In the name of the Nethergods he worshipped, Mordred called forth an Ancient One from stone to attack the heroes. Dane and Brain defeated the creature and drove off Mordred, becoming comrades-in-arms. [Hulk Comic #3-5]
At the home of Old Sarah Mumford, the Proud Walker named Vortigen found Black Knight and Captain Britain trying to piece together his memories. Vortigen would guide them on the Old Paths to travel from Earth to Otherworld, where Merlyn awaited them. Mordred came at them again with an army of trolls. Valinor was still injured from the Hellravens and could not fly, but he could still 
ride and the Black Knight plunged into the enemies’ midst. Vortigen and Captain Britain went on ahead with plans to meet later, while the Knight fought Gagol, the troll chief. The Black Knight won, but he returned to Sarah’s cottage to find Mordred had transfigured the minor sorceress into a tree. Still, Valinor ate of the one fruit on that dead tree and was revitalized. [Hulk Comic #6-9]
The Black Knight found his allies under siege from villagers, who had been turned by Mordred’s magic. They reunited and fled into the wilderness to find the Old Paths again and Vortigen met his ally, the elf Moondog. However, they were also met by the Iron Ogre, another enchanted creature of Mordred’s. The chains of the ogre were forged in the netherrealm, giving him the strength to snap the Walker’s rowan staff and even shatter the Ebony Blade, leaving the Black Knight weaponless. Only a well-aimed arrow from Moondog brought down this latest attacker. [Hulk Comic #10-12]
Dane was demoralized by the loss of his ancestral weapon, but Vortigen told him to gather the pieces and promised the Ebony Blade would one day be whole again. They sought sanctuary at Moondog’s village for a time, until goblins fell upon them. The Black Knight drew an elfin sword (little more than a dagger in his hands) to fight as best he could. After the raid was routed, the trio prepared to separate. The Walker needed to quest to restore his rowan staff and his powers. Captain Britain would journey onwards toward Merlyn and Otherworld, while the Black Knight covered his retreat and searched for Monodog, who went missing in the goblin attack. [Hulk Comic #13-16]
The Black Knight could find no traces of Moondog and began to despair his failings were tied to the loss of the Ebony Blade. As he passed a lake, however, a sword emerged from beneath the waters. The Lady of the Lake appeared before the Knight and presented him with Excalibur itself. In honor of his valiant quest, Dane was blessed with carrying the blade of Arthur. Black Knight was 
soon tested by Cormac, one of the evil Walkers in service of the Nethergods. Cormac paralyzed Dane with a hypnotic spell and moved in for the kill. However, Excalibur moved of its own accord and sliced off the Walker’s sword hand. The Knight was happy to be alive and reunited with Moondog and his elven companions as well, but began to question whether Excalibur was in his service, or if he was in the sword’s? [Hulk Comic #17-19]
At the Gates of Otherworld, the Black Knight found Captain Britain dueling with the White Rider of Death. Dane slew the Doom-wraiths who lurked on the sidelines, but the captain was run through by his opponent. The Knight killed the Rider with Excalibur, but Brian Braddock remained dead. [Hulk Comic #20-21] Moondog urged the Black Knight not to give up hope, for Merlyn might still 
have the magic to restore Captain Britain in Otherworld. Before the Knight could marshal his hope Mandrac, Lord of the Slain, emerged from the Gates and his forces seized the Captain’s body. Black Knight and Moondog pursued the Nethergod into Otherworld and Dane was heartened to see Captain Britain’s star scepter began to glow with new life once they crossed the threshold. [Hulk Comic #22]
Within Otherworld, Black Knight and the elves battled the Children of Mandrac while Merlyn finally manifested himself to oppose Mandrac directly. While the Mystic and the Lord of the Slain exchanged spells, Dane recovered the body of Captain Britain. Merlyn instructed the Knight to watch over him as his astral form sought to retrieve the Captain’s spirit from the void before it entered the Netherworld of the dead. Forest trolls enchanted by Mordred attempt to interrupt the ceremony and their creeper vines separated Dane from Excalibur. Mordred tried to retrieve the holy blade, but it burned at his evil touch. Merlyn awoke from his trance and levitated Excalibur back into the Knight’s reach. The Black Knight held off the trolls as Merlyn fought to bring Captain Britain fully back to his senses. Mordred unleashed his full elemental powers at the Captain’s helpless body, but Black Knight threw Excalibur in his path and Mordred ended up consumed by the unchecked potency of his own spell. Feebled and amnesiac, Mordred was defenseless as the Black Knight moved in for the kill. Excalibur stayed his hand, however, and Merlyn remarked the worthy blade would never slay a helpless foe. [Hulk Comic #23-30]
Captain Britain finally recovered and revealed to Merlyn and the Black Knight that he suffered a psychic attack on a plane from Necromon, lord of the Nethergods. These dark forces led to him abandoning the craft and his subsequent amnesia. He also remembered a vision he experienced, which Merlyn interpreted as a sign of King Arthur’s return. Necromon’s attack was intended to prevent this information from reaching Merlyn before the Netherworld lay siege to Camelot itself in Otherworld. The final resting place of Arthur’s body in Avalon had always been a secret, but now they had the knowledge to start looking. Merlyn dispatched Black Knight and Valinor to scout ahead and warn Camelot of the rising threat of Necromon, while he and Captain Britain traveled more slowly by the ancient paths. [Hulk Comic #42-45]
On the path to Camelot, the Black Knight crossed a battlefield where the forces of Camelot had fallen before Ashtoroth, a dragon allied with the six evil Walkers and Necromon. As the last survivor Askalan passed away after relaying his tale, the dragon made himself known. [Hulk Comic #46] The Black Knight and Valinor jousted with Ashtoroth among the clouds, until Excalibur scored a direct strike on the dragon’s underbelly. This brought Ashtoroth closer to the ground and the Knight soon scored a second blow that crippled the dragon’s wing and mortally wounded him in the fall. In exchange for the quick release of the Black Knight’s sword, the dying dragon promised him the power of a dragonlord. [Incredible Hulk Weekly #47]
The sinister dragon knew Excalibur would stay the Knight’s hand and Dane once again doubted whether he was in control of the sword. Reasoning that it was noble to fulfill the last request of a dying foe, Black Knight focused his will and delivered a killing stroke. With that, the Dragon Pearl of Ashtoroth fell from his mouth. The Pearl expanded Black Knight’s senses, allowing him to see Merlyn and Captain Britain as they traveled, as well as into Necromon’s fortress. The expanding power of the dragonlord was corrupting to the human mind and Dane Whitman began to consider betraying Merlyn and conquering the three realms of Earth, Otherworld and the Netherworld himself. The now cruel Knight sparked fear in Valinor and the steed struck his master and knocked the Pearl from his grasp. Regaining his senses, Black Knight kept the Dragon Pearl in his belt but out of direct contact to avoid it seizing his mind again. [Incredible Hulk Weekly #48]
As he approached Camelot, the Black Knight was accosted by Gargantua, troll servant of the Lord of Stones, one of the evil Walkers. Gargantua tricked the Knight into an avalanche and nearly struck him dead. Black Knight called upon the Dragon Pearl to save him and its might protected him from harm. Gargantua seemed no match for the Black Knight at this point, as Dane could now 
read his thoughts, slow down time, transform into a being of pure thought and more. However, when he tried to draw Excalibur, the sword resisted him. The Knight’s vain and murderous intent towards Gargantua left him momentarily unworthy of the blade. Changing tactics, the Black Knight instead secured Gargantua as his prisoner before making onwards to Camelot. [Incredible Hulk Weekly #49-50]
At the gates of Camelot, Black Knight was greeted by the watchman Gafael and Roma, daughter of Merlyn. The Black Knight was hardly inside before the arrival of evil Maegog the archer, as the siege of Camelot had begun. Merlyn and Captain Britain followed behind the hordes of Necromon to lend their strength to the defense. Gog and Maegog had the strength to break even Merlyn’s protective spells, so Merlyn sought the aid of his own creation, Gargantua. The troll sacrificed his life to kill Maegog and drive off the advance force, but the bridge to Camelot itself was damaged, leaving them in perilous condition. Necromon attempted to cower his foes by summoning imagery of the six evil Walkers united at the gates, but the Knight and Moondog knew Mordred was addled and Cormac had lost a hand. The Dragon Pearl revealed the truth to the Knight and helped banish the images. While Merlyn and Roma shored up the defenses of Camelot, Black Knight and Captain Britain were dispatched on the final leg of their quest to find Arthur’s tomb. [Incredible Hulk Weekly #51-55]
The two champions flew on Valinor through the Mists of Time, seeking the rock formation the Captain saw in his vision. They were attacked by the Walker Karadoc and the dragon brothers of Ashtoroth. Fortunately, one of Moondog’s elves named Jackdaw had stowed away in the saddlebag, lending his bow to their defense. The trio found the rocks they were looking for and Excalibur began to glow in the presence of its intended wielder. The three stones also proved to be Arthur’s gatekeepers, for they stood revealed as menacing rock creatures who attacked. The Black Knight used the Dragon Pearl to see the magic at play and how the creatures were using their spells to contain a powerful force in the ground. [Incredible Hulk Weekly #57-58]
The might of the Dragon Pearl combined with Jackdaw’s own psychic power allowed the Black Knight to resist the mental attacks of the stone creatures. Dane saw the sacrifice he must make and he threw the Dragon Pearl at the stones, destroying them and the Pearl. With their spells gone, the spirit of King Arthur reanimated his body and the King of Camelot walked once more. 
The Black Knight eagerly declared his loyalty to Arthur and passed over rightful ownership of Excalibur to his liege. Further adventures awaited Captain Britain and Jackdaw, so Arthur cast them onwards from Otherworld, but he and the Black Knight prepared to return and defend Camelot. [Incredible Hulk UK #59-60]
Merlyn had been busy in their absence, reassembling Vortigen and the six Proud Walkers of myth. He also turned Weyland, Camelot’s chief blacksmith, towards reforging the shattered pieces of the Ebony Blade. Arthur and the Black Knight returned to find Necromon climbing the battlements and Dane was reunited with his ancestral sword. The giant Nethergod was driven back before the two enchanted blades and the Black Knight dropped the castle’s portcullis on him, leaving Necromon open to mortal blows from Excalibur and the Ebony Blade. In his final death throes, Necromon 
destroyed the castle’s bridge, sending Camelot and himself into the abyss beyond. Valinor brought Arthur and Black Knight to safety and Merlyn’s welcome praise. As the heroes prepared to rebuild Camelot anew, the Black Knight was offered a place in Otherworld by Arthur, but he chose to return to Earth instead. [Incredible Hulk UK #61-63]