11. Joining together several separate super-teams, including the Avengers, Defenders, and Excalibur, the Black Knight is a visually interesting and central character in Marvel’s vault of forgotten superheroes
Created Stan Lee and Joe Maneely in 1955, the original black knight was recruited by Merlin during the 6th century to serve at the court of King Arthur. Wielding the Ebony Blade in defense of his king, Sir Percy was slain by Mordred the Evil during the fall of Camelot. Enduring as a spirit, following the fall of his descendant Nathan Garrett to evil after the discovery of the Ebony Blade, his contemporary descendant Dane Whitman later inherited the family sword to redeem the name of the Black Knight and become a superhero. Advised by his long-deceased ghostly ancestor, Whitman joins the Avengers after defeating Kang the Conqueror.
Although possessing no superhuman abilities, the Black Knight, akin to Hawkeye in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is the master of his medieval weaponry and capable of holding his own against both Captain America and Wolverine. Appearing in several cross-over storylines, in addition to being a member of the Avengers, the Black Knight also served as part of the Defenders and Captain Britain’s Excalibur team. Consequently, the original character is well-suited for inclusion in a multi-film cinematic universe and perfectly placed to bring both the Marvel television and film universes into line as a singular entity.