PERCIVAL
Real Name:
Percival
Occupation:
Knight
Legal Status:
Citizen of Fifth-Century Britain
Identity: The general populace of Earth is unaware of Percival except as a semi-historical figure of legend.
Other Aliases:
Parzival, Percevel, Peredur
Place of Birth:
Place of Death: possibly Sarras on the Isle of Man, Britain
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives:
Pellinore (father, alias the Fisher King, deceased), Anna (mother, deceased), Lamorek, Aglovale, Dornar
(brothers), Tor (half-brothers), Elaine, Amide (sisters), Arthur,
Pellam (uncles), Elaine, Eliazar (cousins), Pellaham (grandfather), Lancelot
(distant cousin), Nascien, Llud Llaw Ereints (ancestors, deceased)
Group Affiliations: Knights of the Round Table
Base of Operations:
Camelot, also Mobile
First Appearance: (historical) Erec & Enide by Chretian de Troyes, (modern) Camelot 3000 #1
History: Percival is a descendant of the ancient kings of Britain and Brittany (now part of modern France). According to legend, he was the son of King Pellinore of the Isles and his wife, Anna, said to be the twin-sister of King Arthur. (This could be a bit of confusion in the names of Arthur and his father Uther Pendragon; it is possible Anna was actually the twin-sister of Uther, thus making Percival the cousin and not the nephew of King Arthur). According to legend, Pellinore was maimed and sent into exile when Uther Pendragon, Arthur's father, lost the throne. While in exile, Pellionore became the protector of the Holy Grail, the mystical chalice which Jesus Christ drank from at the Last Supper, which could be used to heal all wounds and subsequently grant immortality to all who drank it. Meanwhile, Pellinore's sons scattered to become squires and later knights under separate kings. When they were all reportedly slain in combat, Anna went into exile, wanting Percival to have nothing to do with knighthood. She raised him in the shadow of Mount Valbone (modern Snowdon) in Northern Wales to be ignorant of knights, organized religion and his own identity. He was taught to serve and honor all women and in the social graces. He also developed skills as a horseman and hunter trained in the javelin. When he was fifteen, he encountered King Arthur and his knights at Carlisle Castle and confused them with angels. Arthur promised him knighthood, and when Percival told his mother of meeting him, she hesitantly told him about his father without revealing his name and about Arthur and Camelot.
Eager to fulfill his role as a knight, Percival departed Wales to join Arthur in Camelot; in his absence, his mother died of grief. On his journey to Camelot, Percival came across a maiden sleeping alone in a tent. Misconstruing the spirit of his mother's advice, he became a guest of the sleeping maiden without her invitation, sharing wine and venison with her but reacting puzzled at her being too scared to eat in his company. After Percival departed, her husband, the Haughty Knight of the Heath, noticed her distress and refused to believe that Percival only stole a few kisses from her behalf while helping himself only to their food and wine. In addition to punishing her, the Haughty Knight chose to seek out Percival and slay him without knowing his name.
In Camelot, Percival asked Arthur to deliver on his promise to make him a knight and for the the armor of the Red Knight of Quinqueroi who had departed the court after accidentally offending Guinevere. Arthur allowed the youth's request, and Percival followed after the Red Knight to demand his armor. As a reply, the Red Knight challenged Percival with his lance, but Percival in return slays him with a javelin through the eyes. In claiming the Red Knight's armor, Percival is aided by Yvonet, one of the squires from Arthur's court, who shows him how to remove the dead knight's armor and put in on. Percival, however, rejects the Red Knight's silken tunic, preferring the sturdy leather clothing he already wears.
As a knight, Percival understood little of the world and of the teachings he is given, but yet knows enough to recall what he needs to know when he needs it. As a guest at the castle of Gornemant of Gogort, Percival has an inexplicable concern for the welfare of his mother and desires to check on her health. Gornemant dubs him a knight and charges him to show mercy to anyone acting in distress and to show homage to the church. Although Percival's mother taught him to always ask people their names, Gornemant encourages Percival to talk freely.
After slaying Clamadeu of the Isles from besieging Gornemant's niece, Blancheflor, Percival encounters the castle of his father in his guise as the Fisher King. Without revealing his identity, Pellinore grants his son Trebuchet's Sword upon which Percival witnesses the Grail procession. However, possibly fearing Percival might realize his identity, Pellinore abandons the castle in the middle of the night and departs, possibly since he knows Percival might allow more knights to discover his whereabouts. Following more of Gornemant's teachings than his mother's, Percival wakes the following morning to discover the castle deserted. As he departs, the drawbridge begins rising and his horse must make a great leap to safety. Nearby, he encounters a maiden whose lover was beheaded by the Haughty Knight. When she learns where Percival has spent the night, she chastises him for not asking questions about the Grail. However, upon learning the maiden's name, Percival discovers that she is is cousin and learns that his mother is dead. Losing his purpose to return home, Percival instead pursues the Haughty Knight and defeats him, ordering him to allow his damsel to recover from their encounter before taking her to Camelot.
In Arthur's Court, the tales of Percival drive his knights to seek out Percival and return him to Camelot. Reminded of his promise to return to Blancheflor, Percival has returned to her company where two of Arthur's knights, Sagramore and Kay, discover him. Thinking she is being laid siege again, Percival casually unhorses the two of them with Gawain arriving to escort Percival to Camelot.
Three days after Percival's arrival to Arthur's Court, the Loathly Damsel arrives and recognizes Percival, scolding him again for meeting the Fisher King and not learning the secrets of the Grail. This discovery touches off another Grail Quest and Percival vows not to let another night pass until he has learned the Grail's secrets. He spends five years in unspecified adventures alongside Gawain, some of his time trapped on the road between Escalon li Tenebreux and the Dolorous Tower. The road had been enchanted by Morgan Le Fay so that no knight could get out, although all other travelers could come and go at will. Only a knight who was truly in love could free the other knights. Due to his love for Guinevere, Lancelot was able to free Percival and the other captive knights, but he was taken hostage by Morgan le Fay afterward.
Sometime after his release, Percival encounters a group of penitent knights and ladies who direct him to a holy man living in seclusion in the woods. This holy man claims to be his uncle and confirms that Percival's mother is indeed deceased. He completes Percival's lessons in religion and reveals to him that the identity of the Fisher King as his father. Percival also discovers all of his older brothers are alive and stays with him learning all else he needs to know until Easter, the completion of his lessons signifying his part in the search for the Grail is over.
In his last encounter with the Haughty Knight, Percival accidentally shatters Trebuchet's Sword which can only be repaired by Trebuchet himself. On the third day of the tournaments at Oxford, Percival performs admirably but is defeated by Gawain. Shortly after Arthur's reconciliation with King Mark of Cornwall, Percival becomes friends with Tristan, the nephew of King Mark, who has joined Arthur's Knights. Reunited with his brothers, Percival is knighted again by Arthur by Aglovale's insistence.
After meeting Tristan and his lover, Isolde, near Joyous Garde, the home of Lancelot, Percival joins Ector de Maris and Harry le Fise Lake in a series of adventures. They encounter Palomides the Saracen who informs Percival of the death of his brother Lamorek. Departing in his grief, he later rejoined his brother, Aglovale, to search for Lancelot who had left Camelot under a fit of madness. Departing Aglovale in his search, Percival rescues Persides from the Uncourteus Lady. Upon returning in Camelot, Percival nearly slew Ector De Maris in friendly combat and stayed with him until he came over his injuries.
During the following Grail Quest, Percival and Lancelot were two of the only knights not defeated by Galahad who had joined Arthur's knights. While in Lancelot's company, they encounter Galahad again near the hermitage of a female recluse; this time Galahad jousted them both down. Lancelot rode away in shame, but Percival stayed alone with the woman who claimed to be his father's sister. She advised Percival to side with Galahad and travel with him to Goothe Castle and if unsuccessful, to ride to Carbonek. Percival visited King Mordrains at his abbey and fought against twenty rogue knights with Galahad who departed before Percival could catch up.
Considered second in holiness to Galahad, Percival encountered a demon in the form of a maiden while fasting alone on a rocky island, but blessed himself in time to protect himself, but plunges his own sword into his leg as penance. Joined by Sir Bors de Ganis, Percival catchs up with Galahad and is joined by his sister, Amide, discovering King Solomon's Ship and purging the castle of Earl Hernox of it's evil occupants before heading on to Carbonek. He left Amide at the Castle of the Leprous Lady, promising to return to her on her deathbed to ensure his last wishes were carried out.
Percival, Galahad and Sir Bors de Ganis were eventually captured and imprisoned by King Estorause of Sarras, but after his death, Galahad replaced him on the throne with Percival and Sir Bors de Ganis as his advisors for one year. Following the fall of Camelot, Percival lived out the rest of his life as a holy man. Upon his death, Percival was buried alongside his sister by Sir Bors de Ganis.
According to one alternate future of the 31st Century, King
Arthur restored Percival to life to defend Earth from marauders aliens trying to
take over the planet. Having been reincarnated as a political dissident, Arthur
helped him to recover his memories of his life in the Fifth Century and they
reformed the Knights of the Round Table as the Earth's last line of defense
against the aliens. Whether these events are part of the mainstream timeline is
unrevealed.
Height: 6' 0"
Weight: 210 lbs.
Eyes: Hazel
Hair: Brown
Strength Level: Percival possesses the normal human strength level of a
man of his size, height and build who engages in extensive regular exercises.
Known Superhuman Powers: None
Abilities: Percival is possibly one of the greatest
knights of Arthurian England, second only to Arthur, Lancelot and perhaps
Galahad. He is an expert horseman and warrior in both armed and unarmed combat.
He is well-trained with in sword-fighting as well as with a lance and javelin
through tournaments and knightly battle exercises
Weapons: Percival has access to a wide array of medieval weapons. He was
well known for carrying Trebuchet's Sword, a gold sword with Venetian
embroidery, one of only three created by Trebuchet.
Comments: Percival only appears in DC's Camelot 3000 series; it is not
known if he has appeared in marvel Comics.
Clarifications: Percival is not to be
confused with:
Last updated: 07/26/10