Shining Knight
Encyclopedia
Shining Knight is the name of three comic book
superhero
es that have appeared in books published by DC Comics
. The original Shining Knight, Sir Justin, was created by Creig Flessel
and first appeared in Adventure Comics
#66 (September 1941).
in King Arthur
's Court, was one of the many knights who had witnessed Queen Guinevere's cousin's, Sir Fallon's, death. Fallon revealed his attacker to be the ogre Blunderbore in his last breath. Justin then vowed that he would avenge Fallon's death and search for Blunderbore in the northland. On his journey there, he met and freed the wizard Merlin
, who was trapped in a tree previously by a witch. To thank Justin, Merlin transformed Justin's old, rusty armor into a golden, comfortable, and shining armor that was invulnerable and made his sword and shield invulnerable as well. Justin's sword was so powerful it could cut through anything. Merlin also gave his horse, Victory, giant bird-like wings that allowed him to fly, and made him invulnerable, though he was unable to make Justin's skin invulerable. Justin thanked Merlin and continued to search for Blunderbore.
When he met Blunderbore at the top of the icy mountains in the northland, the two battled with Justin eventually winning and killing Blunderbore. However, right before he died, Blunderbore caused an avalanche that quickly buried Justin and Victory, however neither of them died, but instead were frozen in suspended animation
. By the year 1941, Justin and Victory were finally discovered and released out of suspended animation by a museum curator. Realizing he must now live in the modern world, he decided to fight crime with his skills as a knight and soon took the civilian alias of Justin Arthur. He eventually met heroes like Crimson Avenger
and Vigilante
and, after meeting other heroes, they formed The Seven Soldiers of Victory
. Later, Justin was invited to join the All-Star Squadron
and when the JSA and the Squadron were captured by the time-travelling villain Per Degaton
, who was planning to change the events of Pearl Harbour, he was able to free himself using his sword, which assisted in the defeat of Degaton. Later he served as the personal bodyguard to Sir Winston Churchill
during World War II
, feeling he wanted to return to Britain
. When he first returned he was able to take down a Nazi Bomber. Also, during his career as a superhero, he met a boy who looked up to him and vowed to be his sidekick, taking the name Squire
.
Justin also had a relationship with the second Firebrand
, who was apparently killed by the Dragon King
. In the last battle with his teammates in The Seven Soldiers of Victory, they fought a powerful energy creature called Nebula Man
. When they finally defeated him, the energies released in the explosion of Nebula Man had caused each member of the Soldiers to be thrown and lost in time. Justin was thrown in Asia during Genghis Khan
's reign, losing his memory and helping the Mongol leader, but he, and along with the other members of the Soldiers were eventually rescued by the Justice League. After this, Justin was amnesiac for quite some time until his memories returned in Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E.
. He rejoined with the remainder of the Seven Soldiers and got his revenge on the Dragon King. During this appearance, Justin employed new high-tech armor which was voice-activated to expand and collapse.
During the events of Identity Crisis
, Shining Knght assists Captain Marvel
, Vixen
and Firestorm during their battle with Shadow Thief. Shadow Thief steals Sir Justin's sword and uses is to stab Firestorm through the chest, resulting in the young hero's death. Shining Knight briefly appears in Justice League: Cry For Justice
, where he is shown as one of the heroes recruited by Jay Garrick
to help combat Prometheus
.
event (not to be confused with the actual Silver Age of Comic Books
), Dick Giordano
and Geoff Johns
created a new Seven Soldiers of Victory to fight an Injustice League
that had possessed the bodies of the Justice League of America.
Gardner Grayle, who would later become the Atomic Knight
, took an experimental suit of armor and called himself Shining Knight for this one mission. This version of the Seven Soldiers with Batgirl
, Deadman
, Metamorpho
, Blackhawk
, Adam Strange
and Mento only served in one mission and the Shining Knight armor was destroyed.
's Seven Soldiers megaseries. This new DC Comics version is a creation of Grant Morrison and Simone Bianchi, based on Flessel's Golden Age Shining Knight.
This new Shining Knight is also named Sir Justin (in the story, the knights of Camelot speak Welsh, so sometimes the Welsh equivalent "Ystin" is used) and has a winged horse but is much more out of place in the modern age.
Ystin is clearly a Celtic mythology
version of the original Shining Knight (who was based more on the quasi-medieval setting of Sir Thomas Malory
). The story explains that Camelot
is a recurring archetype. Ystin comes from about 8,000 BC, long before the 6th century Camelot of Sir Justin.
Ystin, a long-haired 'schoolboy' of Camelot, is knighted and dubbed the Shining Knight by Sir Galahad
, just before the fall of Camelot. Unbeknownst to Galahad, Ystin is actually a girl who is in love with him. Ystin and her winged horse Vanguard confront Gloriana Tenebrae, the Sheeda-Queen, who takes them to Castle Revolving, the floating fortress of the Sheeda
. Gloriana casually informs the young knight that she has stolen the sword Excalibur
, one of the Seven Imperishable Treasures. Ystin breaks free, steals Excalibur, and escapes from the Castle - only to fall to earth in modern Los Angeles
, some 10,000 years later. There, she is confronted by Guilt, a Sheeda Mood 7 Mind Destroyer, who 'kills with words'.
Guilt informs her that the Sheeda broke Camelot and created a nightmare kingdom in its place, ruled by the undead King Mordred
d. Without the goodness of Camelot to inspire them, the kingdoms of Avalon (which took up all the world) committed suicide. Guilt taunts Ystin, saying that if Ystin had not run away, the war might have been won. However, when Ystin saves a homeless man from some thugs, Guilt evaporates. Ystin, newly enlightened, seeks out the police.
The police contact two women: Agent Helen Helligan, a metahuman specialist for the FBI, and Doctor Gloria Friday, an expert on pre-Atlantean civilization. With Friday's uncanny grasp of ancient Welsh, they learn of Ystin's predicament. Suddenly, as the clock strikes midnight, Friday reveals that she is really the Sheeda-Queen, and promptly incapacitates Ystin before poisoning Helligan.
Back at Castle Revolving, Gloriana reveals that Ystin is not the last of the Knights: in the final days of the Age of Camelot, the Sheeda kidnapped Galahad and broke his spirit, remaking him as a degenerate brute. For the Sheeda-Queen's twisted amusement, Ystin and Galahad are made to duel each other. Ystin attempts to reason with Galahad, but he is beyond her reach and mercilessly attacks her. Just then, the Queen gets a whiff of Ystin's menstrual blood and reveals that Ystin is really a girl. Gloriana then leaves Galahad to torture Ystin into joining the Sheeda side. Ystin pleads with Galahad one last time, before resolving that her mentor and the man she loves is truly gone. With one mighty strike, Ystin kills Galahad. With tears in her eyes, Ystin vows to come after Gloriana and exact revenge.
There is a subplot concerning Vincenzo the Undying Don, the leader of the Los Angeles underworld, who acquires Vanguard from the police. He also owns the second of the Seven Imperishable Treasures, the Cauldron of Rebirth and Plenty. Ne-Bu-Loh and Spyder, servants of the Sheeda-Queen, kills Vincenzo in the hopes that he will lead them to the Cauldron. He does, remarking when he emerges that 'These are the end times, when we make peace with what we are'. Vincenzo and his servitors all die, but Vanguard escaped to Gorias, to get reinforcements for the final battle.
In Seven Soldiers #1, it is revealed that Ystin's original given name is Justina (or more accurately, Ystina). Following the defeat of the Sheeda, Justina abandons her facade of being a boy and enrolls in a 21st century school. She laments being stranded in our era and failing her king and fellow knights. However, she is informed by the magician Ali Ka-Zoom of sketchy records of a great queen called "Ystina the Good" who helped restore the Sheeda-ravaged world centuries ago. Whether she eventually returns to the past and assumes this role remains to be seen.
Ystina is also seen in the battle for Metropolis in Infinite Crisis
#7 attacking The Riddler.
Ystina makes a brief appearance in week 50 of the maxi-series 52
, helping dozens of heroes battle the rage-maddened Black Adam
. Fellow 'Soldier' Manhattan Guardian
assists in the battle. This fight is also detailed in the fourth issue of the "World War III" tie-in series.
She later appeared in the "New Deal" arc of the Teen Titans. After losing various members due to events such as Battle for the Cowl and Terror Titans
, Cassie Sandsmark tasks Kid Devil
with recruiting new heroes for the team. He approaches Ystina with the intent of asking her to join, only to be chased off after she mistakes him for a demon.
Following the events of Flashpoint
, Ystina ends up in Europe during the Dark Ages. While in a pub, she meets Vandal Savage
, Madame Xanadu
and Jason Blood; she shows early (but hidden) contempt for Jason and Xanadu saying they were at Camelot, believing them to be liars (their incarnation of Camelot was the 6th century one of Sir Justin but she's unaware). Ystina joins the Demon Knights
team, and two running gag
s are started: everyone being aware she's not a male but humouring her to avoid offence, and Ystina's habit of insulting people in old Welsh so they can't understand her.
Kingdom Come, there is a background character named Shining Knight II, this version is more futuristic than his predecessors and comes with a giant, metal dragon named Dragonknight.
future.
when all time periods meld together.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
es that have appeared in books published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
. The original Shining Knight, Sir Justin, was created by Creig Flessel
Creig Flessel
Creig Valentine Flessel was an American comic book artist and an illustrator and cartoonist for magazines ranging from Boys' Life to Playboy...
and first appeared in Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics
Adventure Comics was a comic book series published by DC Comics from 1935 to 1983 and then revamped from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues , making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman, and Batman...
#66 (September 1941).
Sir Justin
Sir Justin, the newest member of the Knights of the Round TableRound Table
The Round Table is King Arthur's famed table in the Arthurian legend, around which he and his Knights congregate. As its name suggests, it has no head, implying that everyone who sits there has equal status. The table was first described in 1155 by Wace, who relied on previous depictions of...
in King Arthur
King Arthur (DC Comics)
King Arthur ' is a fictional character, a comic book King published by DC Comics. Arthur debuted in New Comics #3, , and was created by Rafael Astarita. The character is based on the mythical ruler King Arthur whose earliest recorded appearances were in the Annales Cambriae, the Historia Brittonum,...
's Court, was one of the many knights who had witnessed Queen Guinevere's cousin's, Sir Fallon's, death. Fallon revealed his attacker to be the ogre Blunderbore in his last breath. Justin then vowed that he would avenge Fallon's death and search for Blunderbore in the northland. On his journey there, he met and freed the wizard Merlin
Merlin (DC Comics)
Merlin, is a fictional character, a comic book magician published by DC Comics. Myrddin debuted in New Comics #3, , and was created by Rafael Astarita...
, who was trapped in a tree previously by a witch. To thank Justin, Merlin transformed Justin's old, rusty armor into a golden, comfortable, and shining armor that was invulnerable and made his sword and shield invulnerable as well. Justin's sword was so powerful it could cut through anything. Merlin also gave his horse, Victory, giant bird-like wings that allowed him to fly, and made him invulnerable, though he was unable to make Justin's skin invulerable. Justin thanked Merlin and continued to search for Blunderbore.
When he met Blunderbore at the top of the icy mountains in the northland, the two battled with Justin eventually winning and killing Blunderbore. However, right before he died, Blunderbore caused an avalanche that quickly buried Justin and Victory, however neither of them died, but instead were frozen in suspended animation
Suspended animation
Suspended animation is the slowing of life processes by external means without termination. Breathing, heartbeat, and other involuntary functions may still occur, but they can only be detected by artificial means. Extreme cold can be used to precipitate the slowing of an individual's functions; use...
. By the year 1941, Justin and Victory were finally discovered and released out of suspended animation by a museum curator. Realizing he must now live in the modern world, he decided to fight crime with his skills as a knight and soon took the civilian alias of Justin Arthur. He eventually met heroes like Crimson Avenger
Crimson Avenger (Lee Travis)
The Crimson Avenger is a masked crime fighter in the and the first to use the name "Crimson Avenger." He first appears in Detective Comics #20 and was created by Jim Chambers.-Fictional character biography:...
and Vigilante
Vigilante (comics)
Vigilante is the name used by several fictional characters appearing in DC Comics. The original character was one of the first DC Comics characters adapted for live-action film, beating Superman by one year.-Greg Saunders:...
and, after meeting other heroes, they formed The Seven Soldiers of Victory
Seven Soldiers of Victory
The Seven Soldiers of Victory is a fictional team of comic book superheroes in the DC Comics universe...
. Later, Justin was invited to join the All-Star Squadron
All-Star Squadron
The All-Star Squadron is a DC Comics superhero team that debuted in a special insert in Justice League of America #193 . Created by Roy Thomas, Rich Buckler and Jerry Ordway.-The concept:...
and when the JSA and the Squadron were captured by the time-travelling villain Per Degaton
Per Degaton
Per Degaton is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain who can travel through time. Per Degaton made his first appearance in All Star Comics #35 and was created by John Broome and Irwin Hasen...
, who was planning to change the events of Pearl Harbour, he was able to free himself using his sword, which assisted in the defeat of Degaton. Later he served as the personal bodyguard to Sir Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, feeling he wanted to return to Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. When he first returned he was able to take down a Nazi Bomber. Also, during his career as a superhero, he met a boy who looked up to him and vowed to be his sidekick, taking the name Squire
Squire (comics)
Squire is the name of three fictional characters, they are comic book superheroes published by DC Comics. Percival Sheldrake debuted as the Squire in Young All-Stars #21 , and was created by Roy Thomas and Michael Bair. Cyril Sheldrake debuted as the Squire in Batman #62 , and was created by Bill...
.
Justin also had a relationship with the second Firebrand
Firebrand (DC Comics)
Firebrand is a name that has been used by four heroes by DC Comics.-Rod Reilly:Published by Quality Comics from August 1941 to November 1942, Rod Reilly was the bored and wealthy socialite son of a steel tycoon, who decided to fight crime with his servant and friend, "Slugger" Dunn...
, who was apparently killed by the Dragon King
Dragon King (DC Comics)
Dragon King is a fictional character from DC Comics. He was created by Roy Thomas and Rich Buckler, and first appeared in All-Star Squadron #4, in December 1981.-Fictional character biography:...
. In the last battle with his teammates in The Seven Soldiers of Victory, they fought a powerful energy creature called Nebula Man
Nebula Man
Nebula Man is a fictional character in DC Comics. He first appeared in Justice League of America #100-101 .Originally a villain responsible for the disappearance of the Seven Soldiers of Victory, he has since reappeared as Neh-Buh-Loh, a primary antagonist in the 2005-2006 mega-series Seven...
. When they finally defeated him, the energies released in the explosion of Nebula Man had caused each member of the Soldiers to be thrown and lost in time. Justin was thrown in Asia during Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
's reign, losing his memory and helping the Mongol leader, but he, and along with the other members of the Soldiers were eventually rescued by the Justice League. After this, Justin was amnesiac for quite some time until his memories returned in Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E.
Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E.
Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. was an American comic book published by DC Comics, featuring the second Star-Spangled Kid and her stepfather, the original version's sidekick Stripesy. It was first published in July 1999 and ran for fourteen issues...
. He rejoined with the remainder of the Seven Soldiers and got his revenge on the Dragon King. During this appearance, Justin employed new high-tech armor which was voice-activated to expand and collapse.
During the events of Identity Crisis
Identity Crisis (comics)
Identity Crisis is a seven-issue comic book limited series published by DC Comics from June to December in 2004. It was created by writer Brad Meltzer and the artistic team of penciler Rags Morales and inker Michael Bair.-Publication history:...
, Shining Knght assists Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel (DC Comics)
Captain Marvel is a fictional comic book superhero, originally published by Fawcett Comics and later by DC Comics. Created in 1939 by artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker, the character first appeared in Whiz Comics #2...
, Vixen
Vixen (comics)
Vixen is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine published by DC Comics universe. She debuted in Action Comics #521 , and was created by Gerry Conway and Bob Oksner.-Publication history:...
and Firestorm during their battle with Shadow Thief. Shadow Thief steals Sir Justin's sword and uses is to stab Firestorm through the chest, resulting in the young hero's death. Shining Knight briefly appears in Justice League: Cry For Justice
Justice League: Cry for Justice
Justice League: Cry for Justice is a seven-issue comic book limited series, written by James Robinson, drawn by Mauro Cascioli, and published by DC Comics in 2009...
, where he is shown as one of the heroes recruited by Jay Garrick
Jay Garrick
Jay Garrick is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe and the first to use the name Flash.-The Flash:...
to help combat Prometheus
Prometheus (comics)
Prometheus is the name of three fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics.The first Prometheus debuted in New Teen Titans vol. 2, #24 and was created by Marv Wolfman and Eduardo Barreto . The second version debuted in New Year's Evil: Prometheus Prometheus is the name...
.
Gardner Grayle
During DC's "Silver Age" crossoverFictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
event (not to be confused with the actual Silver Age of Comic Books
Silver Age of Comic Books
The Silver Age of Comic Books was a period of artistic advancement and commercial success in mainstream American comic books, predominantly those in the superhero genre. Following the Golden Age of Comic Books and an interregnum in the early to mid-1950s, the Silver Age is considered to cover the...
), Dick Giordano
Dick Giordano
Richard Joseph "Dick" Giordano was an American comic book artist and editor best known for introducing Charlton Comics' "Action Heroes" stable of superheroes, and serving as executive editor of then–industry leader DC Comics...
and Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, where he has been Chief Creative Officer since February 2010, in particular for characters such as Green Lantern, The Flash and Superman...
created a new Seven Soldiers of Victory to fight an Injustice League
Injustice League
The Injustice League is the name of two fictional teams of supervillains in the .-Original League :The original Injustice League was the brainchild of the interplanetary conqueror Agamemno. Bored of his dominion, he set out to conquer Earth and their champions, the Justice League...
that had possessed the bodies of the Justice League of America.
Gardner Grayle, who would later become the Atomic Knight
Atomic Knight
Atomic Knight is a DC Comics superhero and was briefly a member of the Outsiders team. He is sometimes depicted as one of a group of Atomic Knights, which first appeared in Strange Adventures #117 .-Original Atomic Knights:...
, took an experimental suit of armor and called himself Shining Knight for this one mission. This version of the Seven Soldiers with Batgirl
Batgirl
Batgirl is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, frequently depicted as female counterparts to the superhero Batman...
, Deadman
Deadman
Deadman is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Strange Adventures #205 , and was created by Arnold Drake and Carmine Infantino.-Publication history:...
, Metamorpho
Metamorpho
Metamorpho is a fictional character, a superhero in the . He is a founding member of the Outsiders, and has also joined multiple incarnations of the Justice League.-Publication history:...
, Blackhawk
Blackhawk (comics)
Blackhawk, a long-running comic book series, was also a film serial, a radio series and a novel. The comic book was published first by Quality Comics and later by DC Comics. The series was created by Will Eisner, Chuck Cuidera, and Bob Powell, but the artist most associated with the feature is Reed...
, Adam Strange
Adam Strange
Adam Strange is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Mike Sekowsky, he first appeared in Showcase #17 .In May 2011, Adam Strange placed 97th on IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time....
and Mento only served in one mission and the Shining Knight armor was destroyed.
Ystina
In 2005, a new Shining Knight debuted in Grant MorrisonGrant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
's Seven Soldiers megaseries. This new DC Comics version is a creation of Grant Morrison and Simone Bianchi, based on Flessel's Golden Age Shining Knight.
This new Shining Knight is also named Sir Justin (in the story, the knights of Camelot speak Welsh, so sometimes the Welsh equivalent "Ystin" is used) and has a winged horse but is much more out of place in the modern age.
Ystin is clearly a Celtic mythology
Celtic mythology
Celtic mythology is the mythology of Celtic polytheism, apparently the religion of the Iron Age Celts. Like other Iron Age Europeans, the early Celts maintained a polytheistic mythology and religious structure...
version of the original Shining Knight (who was based more on the quasi-medieval setting of Sir Thomas Malory
Thomas Malory
Sir Thomas Malory was an English writer, the author or compiler of Le Morte d'Arthur. The antiquary John Leland as well as John Bale believed him to be Welsh, but most modern scholars, beginning with G. L...
). The story explains that Camelot
Camelot
Camelot is a castle and court associated with the legendary King Arthur. Absent in the early Arthurian material, Camelot first appeared in 12th-century French romances and eventually came to be described as the fantastic capital of Arthur's realm and a symbol of the Arthurian world...
is a recurring archetype. Ystin comes from about 8,000 BC, long before the 6th century Camelot of Sir Justin.
Ystin, a long-haired 'schoolboy' of Camelot, is knighted and dubbed the Shining Knight by Sir Galahad
Galahad
Sir Galahad |Round Table]] and one of the three achievers of the Holy Grail in Arthurian legend. He is the illegitimate son of Lancelot and Elaine of Corbenic, and is renowned for his gallantry and purity. Emerging quite late in the medieval Arthurian tradition, he is perhaps the knightly...
, just before the fall of Camelot. Unbeknownst to Galahad, Ystin is actually a girl who is in love with him. Ystin and her winged horse Vanguard confront Gloriana Tenebrae, the Sheeda-Queen, who takes them to Castle Revolving, the floating fortress of the Sheeda
Sheeda
The Sheeda are a fictional race published by DC Comics. They first appear in Seven Soldiers #0 , and were created by Grant Morrison and J.H. Williams III. Their first DC Universe appearance was in Morrison's introductory run on the JLA: Classified series in 2004.- History :The Sheeda are a...
. Gloriana casually informs the young knight that she has stolen the sword Excalibur
Excalibur
Excalibur is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Great Britain. Sometimes Excalibur and the Sword in the Stone are said to be the same weapon, but in most versions they are considered separate. The sword was...
, one of the Seven Imperishable Treasures. Ystin breaks free, steals Excalibur, and escapes from the Castle - only to fall to earth in modern Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, some 10,000 years later. There, she is confronted by Guilt, a Sheeda Mood 7 Mind Destroyer, who 'kills with words'.
Guilt informs her that the Sheeda broke Camelot and created a nightmare kingdom in its place, ruled by the undead King Mordred
Mordred
Mordred or Modred is a character in the Arthurian legend, known as a notorious traitor who fought King Arthur at the Battle of Camlann, where he was killed and Arthur fatally wounded. Tradition varies on his relationship to Arthur, but he is best known today as Arthur's illegitimate son by his...
d. Without the goodness of Camelot to inspire them, the kingdoms of Avalon (which took up all the world) committed suicide. Guilt taunts Ystin, saying that if Ystin had not run away, the war might have been won. However, when Ystin saves a homeless man from some thugs, Guilt evaporates. Ystin, newly enlightened, seeks out the police.
The police contact two women: Agent Helen Helligan, a metahuman specialist for the FBI, and Doctor Gloria Friday, an expert on pre-Atlantean civilization. With Friday's uncanny grasp of ancient Welsh, they learn of Ystin's predicament. Suddenly, as the clock strikes midnight, Friday reveals that she is really the Sheeda-Queen, and promptly incapacitates Ystin before poisoning Helligan.
Back at Castle Revolving, Gloriana reveals that Ystin is not the last of the Knights: in the final days of the Age of Camelot, the Sheeda kidnapped Galahad and broke his spirit, remaking him as a degenerate brute. For the Sheeda-Queen's twisted amusement, Ystin and Galahad are made to duel each other. Ystin attempts to reason with Galahad, but he is beyond her reach and mercilessly attacks her. Just then, the Queen gets a whiff of Ystin's menstrual blood and reveals that Ystin is really a girl. Gloriana then leaves Galahad to torture Ystin into joining the Sheeda side. Ystin pleads with Galahad one last time, before resolving that her mentor and the man she loves is truly gone. With one mighty strike, Ystin kills Galahad. With tears in her eyes, Ystin vows to come after Gloriana and exact revenge.
There is a subplot concerning Vincenzo the Undying Don, the leader of the Los Angeles underworld, who acquires Vanguard from the police. He also owns the second of the Seven Imperishable Treasures, the Cauldron of Rebirth and Plenty. Ne-Bu-Loh and Spyder, servants of the Sheeda-Queen, kills Vincenzo in the hopes that he will lead them to the Cauldron. He does, remarking when he emerges that 'These are the end times, when we make peace with what we are'. Vincenzo and his servitors all die, but Vanguard escaped to Gorias, to get reinforcements for the final battle.
In Seven Soldiers #1, it is revealed that Ystin's original given name is Justina (or more accurately, Ystina). Following the defeat of the Sheeda, Justina abandons her facade of being a boy and enrolls in a 21st century school. She laments being stranded in our era and failing her king and fellow knights. However, she is informed by the magician Ali Ka-Zoom of sketchy records of a great queen called "Ystina the Good" who helped restore the Sheeda-ravaged world centuries ago. Whether she eventually returns to the past and assumes this role remains to be seen.
Ystina is also seen in the battle for Metropolis in Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
#7 attacking The Riddler.
Ystina makes a brief appearance in week 50 of the maxi-series 52
52 (comic book)
52 was a weekly American comic book limited series published by DC Comics that debuted on May 10, 2006, one week after the conclusion of the seven-issue Infinite Crisis. The series was written by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid with layouts by Keith Giffen...
, helping dozens of heroes battle the rage-maddened Black Adam
Black Adam
Black Adam is a fictional comic book character, created in 1945 by Otto Binder & C. C. Beck for Fawcett Comics. Originally created as a one-shot villain for Fawcett Comics' Marvel Family team of superheroes, Black Adam was revived as a recurring supervillain after DC Comics began publishing Captain...
. Fellow 'Soldier' Manhattan Guardian
Manhattan Guardian
The Manhattan Guardian is a DC Comics costumed hero. Created by Grant Morrison and based on the character The Guardian, he first appeared in The Manhattan Guardian #1 which was part of the Seven Soldiers of Victory "megaseries"....
assists in the battle. This fight is also detailed in the fourth issue of the "World War III" tie-in series.
She later appeared in the "New Deal" arc of the Teen Titans. After losing various members due to events such as Battle for the Cowl and Terror Titans
Terror Titans
The Terror Titans are a supervillain group in the DC Comics. They are a mirror group to the Teen Titans, composed of "legacy" villains. They first appeared as a team in Teen Titans #56 , though Clock King and Dreadbolt appeared in shadow form at the end of #55.-Publication history:The Terror Titans...
, Cassie Sandsmark tasks Kid Devil
Kid Devil
Red Devil , formerly known as Kid Devil, was a superhero in the DC Comics universe. Created by Alan Kupperberg, Dan Mishkin, and Gary Cohn, he first appeared in Blue Devil #14.-Origin and early heroics:...
with recruiting new heroes for the team. He approaches Ystina with the intent of asking her to join, only to be chased off after she mistakes him for a demon.
Following the events of Flashpoint
Flashpoint (comics)
Flashpoint is an American comic book crossover story arc published by DC Comics. Consisting of an eponymous core limited series and a number of tie-in titles, the storyline premiered in May 2011...
, Ystina ends up in Europe during the Dark Ages. While in a pub, she meets Vandal Savage
Vandal Savage
Vandal Savage is a fictional character, a supervillain published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Green Lantern vol. 1 #10 , and was created by Alfred Bester and Martin Nodell....
, Madame Xanadu
Madame Xanadu
Madame Xanadu is a fictional character, a comic book mystic published by DC Comics. The character is identified with Nimue, the sorceress from Arthurian mythology made popular by Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur.-Publication history:...
and Jason Blood; she shows early (but hidden) contempt for Jason and Xanadu saying they were at Camelot, believing them to be liars (their incarnation of Camelot was the 6th century one of Sir Justin but she's unaware). Ystina joins the Demon Knights
Demon Knights
Demon Knights is a DC Comics title launched as part of its New 52 event in 2011. It is a team title featuring Etrigan, Enchantress, Shining Knight and others. It's main difference to other team titles, such as the Justice League, is that this team is based in the Medieval period of the DC Universe...
team, and two running gag
Running gag
A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling....
s are started: everyone being aware she's not a male but humouring her to avoid offence, and Ystina's habit of insulting people in old Welsh so they can't understand her.
Kingdom Come
In the 1996 miniseriesMiniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
Kingdom Come, there is a background character named Shining Knight II, this version is more futuristic than his predecessors and comes with a giant, metal dragon named Dragonknight.
Titans Tomorrow
An older version of Justina has appeared in Teen Titans #52 as a member of the Titans Army from the Titans TomorrowTitans Tomorrow
"Titans Tomorrow" is a storyline of a possible alternate future in the DC Comics Universe, from Teen Titans #17-19 , by Geoff Johns and Mike McKone...
future.
JLA: Another Nail
The Shining Knight and Victory made a brief appearance in Elseworlds' JLA: Another NailJLA: Another Nail
JLA: Another Nail is a comic book mini-series published in the United States by DC Comics, a continuation of events seen in the original three-part mini-series JLA: The Nail. As with its predecessor, Another Nail occurs outside of the official DC Universe continuity, belonging to the Elseworlds...
when all time periods meld together.
Television
- The first Shining Knight appeared in Justice League UnlimitedJustice League UnlimitedJustice League Unlimited is an American animated television series that was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on Cartoon Network. Featuring a wide array of superheroes from the DC Comics universe, and specifically based on the Justice League superhero team, it is a direct sequel to the...
voiced by Chris CoxChris Cox (actor)Chris Cox is a filmmaker and voice actor. He is best known, as himself, for the 2001 Small Shots TV series for Spike TV.Cox replaced George Eads in the role of Captain Atom for the popular animated series Justice League Unlimited. Eads was unwilling to reprise his voice role after an appearance in...
. He appeared in numerous episodes with non-speaking cameo appearances before landing two full, speaking roles in the episodes "Task Force X" and "Patriot Act". He was often paired with VigilanteVigilante (comics)Vigilante is the name used by several fictional characters appearing in DC Comics. The original character was one of the first DC Comics characters adapted for live-action film, beating Superman by one year.-Greg Saunders:...
, as they were close friends. Shining Knight's steed, Winged Victory, also appeared in the series. Shining Knight's most notable appearance in the series was in "Patriot Act", where he faced off against General Wade EilingGeneral Wade EilingGeneral Wade Eiling, sometimes known as The General, is a fictional character published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Captain Atom #1 , and was created by Cary Bates and Pat Broderick.-Captain Atom:...
, who had turned himself into a super soldier to eliminate metahumans, who he thought were dangerous. Eiling had taken down Justin's teammates and he stood no chance against him and was almost killed until a group of citizens protected him. Eiling reminded them of his opinion that metahumans were the enemy, however the citizens reminded him that Justin and the rest of the heroes he defeated were non-powered and that he was the only metahuman nearby. Realizing his mistake, Eiling stood down and left the scene.
External links
- The Shining Knight at Don Markstein's ToonopediaDon Markstein's ToonopediaDon Markstein's Toonopedia was a web encyclopedia of print cartoons, comic strips and animation. Don D...
- Earth-2 Shining Knight Index
- Morrison's 7 Soldiers: Shining Knight, Comicon, September 8, 2005
- Seven Soldiers: Shining Knight annotations at BarbelithBarbelithBarbelith is an online forum, named after an element in the comic book series The Invisibles by Grant Morrison, initially conceived of as a space for the discussion of Morrison's works.-The Invisibles:...