| “ | Take up Excalibur, Arthur Pendragon, and become the rightful king. | „ |
| ~ Lady of the Lake to King Arthur, Fables #122 — "The Destiny Game, Part One" |
Arthur Pendragon, better known as King Arthur, is a human Fable who first appears in flashbacks in Fables #62 — "The Good Prince, Chapter Three: Knighthood." Under the leadership of Arthur, the kingdom of Camelot established a benchmark for chivalry that was admired by all of Christendom and beyond, even by those of pagan beliefs. Lancelot's betrayal ultimately brought about the downfall of Camelot. Despite this, Arthur eventually found it in his heart to forgive him and was laid to rest in a crypt after his death.
History
Background
Arthur Pendragon's[1] half-sister was Morgan le Fay. Their father killed Morgan's father in order to have his way with her mother, which led to the birth of King Arthur. Morgan's bitterness and resentment towards Arthur caused her to become his rival and enemy. Arthur and Morgan had a son together, named Mordred. This caused Morgan to be obsessed with protecting her child from him.[3]
Excalibur
The Lady of the Lake emerged from the water and presented Excalibur to Arthur while he was in a rowboat with Merlin. She urged him to take up the sword and fulfill his destiny as the rightful King of Camelot.[1]
Camelot
In present day Fabletown, the spirit of Sir Lancelot tells King Arthur's story to Flycatcher. Camelot and King Arthur set the standard of true chivalry for all of Christendom, and its legend touched much of the pagan worlds beyond. He and his knights gathered at the famed Round Table. Among the Knights of the Round Table were Lancelot, Gawain and Grimauld.[2] Lancelot, Camelot's most gifted champion, was blessed by Frau Totenkinder, who told him that he would be unbeatable in battle as long as he remained pure and honorable.[4] Lancelot was unbeatable, until he lost his honor by having a love affair with King Arthur's's wife, Guinevere. Lancelot's betrayal, and the "unforgivable acts" that he perpetrated afterward, split the Round Table and led to the downfall of Camelot.[2]
Death
Even though Arthur eventually forgave him, Lancelot couldn't forgive himself. He hanged himself, and became the mysterious Forsworn Knight who hangs from Fabletown's Business Office tree. Arthur was eventually laid to rest in a crypt.[2]
Legacy
In the modern day mundane world, Ambrose Wolf has incorporated a King Arthur action figure into his Knights of the Round Table collection. While his brother Ghost plays with it, Ghost inexplicably embeds the accompanying toy replica of Excalibur into the chest of Darien's Jack Horner action figure, and Darien is unable to pull it out. Concurrently, in the Grand Canyon, the actual Excalibur is lodged in the real Jack Horner.[5]
As Flycatcher proclaims that the King and his law are one, and sentences Prince Brandish to death, King Arthur, the Great Lion and John the Presbyter appear briefly via memory.[6]
Appearances
Fables
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Jack of Fables
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Original source
King Arthur is a legendary king of Britain, and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Arthurian legend.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Fables #123 — "The Destiny Game, Part Two"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Fables #62 — "The Good Prince, Chapter Three: Knighthood"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Fables #136 — "A Day at the Lake: Part Five of Camelot"
- ↑ Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall — "The Witch's Tale"
- ↑ Fables #64 — "The Birthday Secret"
- ↑ Fables #150 — "Farewell"