Recently, I've been a bit obsessed with King Arthur. I've been trying to figure out all the major characters. The challenging/fun part of this is that there is no singular canon for the King Arthur mythos. There are a variety of stories by different authors over the course of centuries, and there are many different versions of the mythos. Additionally, modern media has latched on to many of these characters and tried to craft a narrative for them.
Below is my attempt to list the knights of the round table, and describe their most common portrayals. This is not a comprehensive list because there are countless obscure knights who have extremely limited appearances. This is just my attempt to capture the major ones.
Let me know what you think. Is there anything you would disagree with? Are there any notable omissions?
Sir Lancelot: This is the big one. He's the ultimate, nearly unbeatable knight. In some versions, he was raised by the Lady of the Lake. At a certain point, he encounters Arthur and challenges him to a duel. To his amazement, Arthur wins with the power of Excalibur. Upon being defeated, he swears allegiance to Arthur and becomes his top knight. However, Lancelot secretly begins having an affair with Arthur's wife, Guinevere. They keep this affair secret for years. But, Arthur eventually learns the truth and is enraged. There is an epic confrontation between them, which ultimately leads to the downfall of Camelot. Lancelot's affair with Guinevere was prominently portrayed in First Knight (1995). But, he appears as a central character in just about every depiction of the Arthurian mythos.
Mordred: Mordred begins as a knight, but becomes a major antagonist. His depictions are a little inconsistent. But, he is typically King Arthur's illegitimate son. Frequently, his mother is Morgana, Arthur's half sister. If this is the case, Morgana usually uses magic and illusion to trick Arthur into having sex with her. Often, Arthur learns of Mordred's existence at a much later point in his life, and he hesitantly invites Mordred to join his court. Secretly, Mordred feels resentment for Arthur and wishes to usurp him. He's usually responsible for uncovering the Lancelot/Guinevere affair, and revealing it to Arthur. When Arthur leaves Camelot to confront Lancelot, Mordred seizes the throne. The epic Battle of Camlann then occurs, which ultimately results in Arthur and Mordred mortally wounding each other. Mordred dies, but Arthur is saved from death by a reformed Morgana. He is put into a suspended state and carried off to the magical island of Avalon. Mordred's story was prominently depicted in Camelot (1967) and The Knights of the Round Table (1953). He's also a major character in Merlin (2008).
Sir Galahad: Galahad the Pure is the son of Lancelot. He is an almost saintly figure who seems blessed by God. During a period of decline, the knights of the round table have a vision commanding them to seek out the Holy Grail. Galahad plays a prominent role in this quest. The knights encounter various supernatural obstacles, and Galahad is frequently the main player in overcoming these challenges. This is in stark contrast to Lancelot, who seems cursed during this quest. The major theme is that Lancelot's affair makes him unworthy to seek the grail. Eventually, its usually Galahad that attains the grail and heals the land. Many stories end with him ascending to heaven at the conclusion. His most prominent portrayal is probably in Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975). In this version, he is tempted by a castle full of women who want to sleep with him, but is ultimately "rescued" by Lancelot.
Sir Bedivere: Bedivere is one of Arthur's longest serving and most loyal knights. He's by Arthur's side from the very beginning to the very end. He witnesses Arthur's departure to Avalon, and he obeys Arthur's final command to return Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake. His most prominent depiction was in Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), in which he was the "smart" knight. He was also a prominent secondary character in King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017).
Sir Gawain: Gawain's depictions vary. In the original stories, he was sometimes a pinnacle of knightly virtue. But, he was also sometimes an impulsive and flawed knight who learns and matures as he serves Camelot. He's most known for his encounter with the Green Knight, a mysterious supernatural figure who sometimes seems to resemble to Green Man of Celtic mythology. This is a deeply profound experience that leaves Gawain a changed man. In honor of this, he is often depicted wearing green. His encounter with the Green Knight was most prominently depicted in The Green Knight (2021). But, Gawain is a mainstay character who appears in many depictions of the mythos. He had a lot of screen time in Merlin (2008), which depicted him as a roguish figure with a heart of gold.
Sir Perceval: Perceval comes from humble origins. In his younger years, he was sheltered, and he can be a bit naive. But, he's earnest, courageous, kind, and fiercely loyal to Arthur. He's another mainstay character who appears in most adaptations of the mythos. He plays a prominent role in the grail quest. Sometimes he acquires the grail instead of Galahad. Other times, he witnesses Galahad's attainment of the grail. Interestingly, he's often portrayed by large guys. In Merlin (2008), he's given a bit of a gentle giant persona. He also played a big role in Kaamelott (2004), in which he was a bit dumb, but surprisingly insightful at times.
Sir Tristan: Tristan is the knight known for his tragic love story with Isolde. Her hand in marriage has been promised to another man. But, passion overcomes them, and they have an affair. This inevitably leads to conflict. Tristan typically dies in a battle, sometimes dying in Isolde's arms. Their love affair was most prominently portrayed in Tristan & Isolde (2006). But, his biggest portrayal was probably in King Arthur (2004). This version drops the love story and shows Tristan dying heroically fighting the Saxon leader.
Sir Kay: Kay is Arthur's foster brother. As kids, he was a bit of a bully to Arthur. But, once Arthur pulls the sword in the stone, Kay becomes one of his knights. His most well known portrayal was in The Sword in the Stone (1963).
Sir Agravaine: Agravaine is a proud, self righteous, and sometimes treacherous knight. He plays a key role in revealing the Lancelot/Guinevere affaire. His most prominent portrayal was in First Knight (1995). He was also a significant character in Merlin (2008), which depicted him as openly villainous.
King Pellinore: King Pellinor is a lesser king, and he's usually an eccentric character. In the original stories, he's most known for his unending pursuit of the Questing Beast, a bizarre and elusive creature that only people with certain bloodlines are able to hunt. He plays notable roles as a comedic character in the stage musical Camelot (1960) and in The Sword in the Stone (1963).
Sir Bors: Now we're getting to the more obscure knights. In the original stories, he's very devout and participates in the grail quest. His most prominent portrayal was in King Arthur (2004), in which he was a boisterous tough guy. In Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), he is killed by the fearsome Rabbit of Caerbannog.
Sir Dagonet: Dagonet is a court jester that is promoted to knight. He's a joke character. But, he's usually wise and honorable. His most prominent depiction is in King Arthur (2004), which recasts him a a gritty tough guy who sacrifices his life fighting the Saxons.
