{{Short description|Literary stock character}} {{other uses}}{{More citations needed|date=February 2026}}{{wiktionary|black knight}} A '''black knight''' is a literary [[stock character]] who masks his identity by not displaying [[heraldry]]. Black knights are usually portrayed as [[villain]]s who use this anonymity for misdeeds. The [[Black Knight (Arthurian legend)|character appears in Arthurian legend]] and has been adapted and adopted by various authors, in cinema and [[popular culture]]. The character is sometimes associated with death or [[Black-and-white dualism|darkness]]. They are often contrasted with the [[knight-errant]] ([[white knight]]).{{Citation needed|date=February 2026}}
In business, the term refers to a predatory person or firm making an unwelcome bid to take over another company.<ref>{{Cite book |title=A Dictionary of Business and Management |date=2016 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |isbn=9780191765278 |editor-last=Law |editor-first=Jonathan |edition=6th}}</ref>
The '''Black Knight''' or '''Black Knights''' are characters in: {{TOC right}}
==Comics== * [[The Black Knight (comics)|''The Black Knight'' (comics)]], a 1998 Scrooge McDuck story * [[Black Knight (Marvel Comics)]], several Marvel Comics characters * [[Black Knight (manga)|''Black Knight'' (manga)]], a 2003 yaoi manga by Kai Tsurugi
==Film== * [[The Black Knight (film)|''The Black Knight'' (film)]], a 1954 film starring Alan Ladd * [[Black Knight (Monty Python)]], a character in the film ''Monty Python and the Holy Grail'' * ''Black Knight'', a projected animated film to be directed by [[Genndy Tartakovsky]] * The Black Knight Ghost in ''[[Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed]]''
==Literature== * Richard the Lionheart's disguise in ''[[Ivanhoe]]'', by Sir Walter Scott *A black knight in ''[[The Book of the Duchess]]'', by Geoffrey Chaucer *A wraith in ''Die Jungfrau von Orleans'' (''[[The Maid of Orleans (play)|The Maid of Orleans]]''), by Friedrich Schiller *The Black Knight, two characters in the ''[[GrailQuest]]'' series of adventure gamebooks * ''The Black Knight'', a 1920 novel by [[Cecily Sidgwick|Mrs. Alfred Sidgwick]] and [[Crosbie Garstin]] * ''The Black Knight'', a 1926 novel by [[Ethel M. Dell]] * ''The Black Knight'', a 1976 novel by [[Flora Kidd]] * ''The Black Knights'', a 1977 novel by [[Guy N. Smith]] * ''The Black Knights'', a 1983 novel by [[Charles Whiting]]
==Television== * ''[[Black Knight: The Man Who Guards Me]]'', a 2017 South Korean TV series * [[Black Knight (South Korean TV series)|''Black Knight'' (South Korean TV series)]], a 2023 South Korean TV series * The villain in the premiere episode of ''[[Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!]]'', entitled "What a Night for a Knight" * The villain of in an episode of ''[[The Scooby-Doo Show]]'', entitled "Scared a Lot in Camelot" * Two heroes in the Japanese tokusatsu series ''[[Seijuu Sentai Gingaman]]''
==Video games== *A major villain ''[[Sonic and the Black Knight]]'', a video game for the Wii *Black Knight, a major antagonist in the video game ''[[Shovel Knight]]'' *The Black Knight, one of the primary antagonists of ''[[Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance]]'' and ''[[Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn]]'' *A playable character in ''[[Shrek Super Slam]]'' *A villain in ''[[Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time]]'' *The Roaring Knight, the main antagonist in the video game ''[[Deltarune]]''
==Other== * The title character of [[The Black Knight (Elgar)|''The Black Knight'' (Elgar)]], a symphony/cantata written by Edward Elgar in 1889–1893 *The antagonist in a pinball franchise, ''[[Black Knight (pinball)|Black Knight]]'', ''[[Black Knight 2000]]'' and ''Black Knight: Sword of Rage''
==See also== * [[Black Night (disambiguation)]] * [[Dark Knight (disambiguation)]] * [[White Knight (disambiguation)]]
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Stock characters}}
[[Category:Cultural depictions of knights]] [[Category:Fictional knights]] [[Category:Heraldry]] [[Category:Stock characters]]