Camelot

Camelot
Name	Camelot
Location Details
Reality	Otherworld
Locale	Avalon (Otherworld)
Creators and Appearances
Creators	Dan Barry, Allen Bellman
First	Young Allies #11 (November, 1943)
First	Young Allies #11 (November, 1943)

Camelot was the legendary kingdom of King Arthur, located in Britain and thriving throughout much of the 6th century. After its fall, the wizard Merlyn transported the kingdom to the other-dimensional realm known as Otherworld.

History

Origins

King Arthur Pendragon in Camelot

In 6th-century Britain, King Uther Pendragon's advisor, the sorcerer Merlyn, foresaw that the union between Uther and Igraine would produce a great king. To ensure this outcome, Merlyn used magic to bring the two together. Igraine conceived a child, and after marrying Uther, gave birth to Arthur. Merlyn entrusted the infant to Sir Ector, who raised Arthur anonymously as a squire to his own son, Kay, while Merlyn secretly tutored him.

When Uther died 15 years later, Merlyn summoned the kingdom's nobles to London. There, he placed a magical sword into a stone anvil atop a marble block, inscribed with golden letters: "Whosoever pulleth out this sword of this stone and anvil is rightwise King born of all Britons." Arthur, unaware of its significance, pulled the sword free while fetching one for Sir Kay, fulfilling Merlyn’s prophecy and becoming king. With Merlyn as his advisor, Arthur established the kingdom of Camelot.

6th Century

Camelot in the Earth realm

At some point, Arthur met Morgause, and unaware that she was his half-sister, slept with her. That same night, Arthur dreamed of a serpent springing from his side to destroy his kingdom. Merlyn interpreted this as a prophecy: a son born to Arthur on May Day would bring ruin to Camelot. In a desperate bid to avert this fate, Arthur ordered all noble sons born on May Day, including his illegitimate child Mordred, to be sent to sea on a leaky boat. Despite this, Mordred survived, his cradle washing ashore to be found by a fisherman.

Mordred and Morgan Le Fay conspiring against Camelot

Meanwhile, Arthur's other half-sister, Morgan Le Fay, studied under Merlyn. However, Camelot’s embrace of Christianity over the old Celtic gods turned her against both Merlyn and Arthur. Following the peace established after the Battle of Badon, Merlyn urged Arthur to marry. Despite Merlyn’s warnings of future misfortune, Arthur chose Guinevere.

King Arthur defends Camelot against the Nethergods

At some point, the malevolent Nethergods sought to conquer Camelot, but the mystic Green Knight empowered Arthur and his knights with ancient spirits called Pendragons. These powers enabled them to repel the Nethergods. Meanwhile, Merlyn mentored the Black Knight, Sir Percy of Scandia, to counter Mordred’s growing influence.

As Mordred learned of his true heritage, he turned against Arthur and secretly allied with Morgan Le Fay. To protect Camelot, Merlyn summoned Sir Percy to defend the king in secret as the Black Knight, aiding Arthur in defeating various foes aligned with Mordred.

Fall of Camelot

Guinevere's betrayal marks the beginning of Camelot's fall

Camelot began its decline as Merlyn suggested the quest for the Holy Grail to restore the kingdom’s glory. However, Galahad, the most virtuous of Arthur’s knights, disappeared during the quest, and the Grail was never retrieved. Morgan and Mordred exposed the affair between Lancelot and Guinevere. Heartbroken but bound by his laws, Arthur sentenced them to death. Lancelot’s rescue of Guinevere led to civil war, fracturing the Knights of the Round Table and further weakening Camelot. Seizing this opportunity, Morgan and Mordred launched repeated assaults on the kingdom.

Morgan Le Fay strikes against Arthur and Merlyn

During one such attack, the time-traveling Iron Man and Doctor Doom arrived in Camelot. Doom allied with Morgan, who used a fragment of Excalibur to raise an undead army. Arthur and his knights defended the kingdom, aided by Iron Man, who forced Morgan to end her spell.

In the climactic Battle of Camlann, Arthur and Mordred inflicted mortal wounds on each other. With Arthur’s death, Camelot fell.

Avalon

Camelot rebuilt in Avalon

Arthur's body was transported to Avalon, the mystic realm of Otherworld, to await resurrection in Britain’s hour of greatest need. Meanwhile, Merlyn rebuilt Camelot in Avalon near the Great Rift, standing as a barrier between Otherworld and the Netherworld.

Over a millennium later, when the Nethergods besieged Camelot in Avalon, Merlyn summoned Captain Britain and the modern Black Knight. Together, they freed Arthur, who returned to slay the Nethergod leader Necromon. Despite this victory, Camelot was destroyed, and King Vortigen offered his castle as the New Camelot.

The Manchester Gods attack Castle Camelot

In modern times, the Manchester Gods, embodying industrialization and urbanism, waged war against Avalon’s rulers. The Manchester Gods rallied their forces and advanced toward Camelot. Outnumbered, King Arthur and the old lords were forced to sign an armistice, surrendering Camelot.

Le Fay battles the forces of Saturnyne

Following a shift in power in Otherworld, King Arthur disappeared, and Morgan Le Fay became Queen Regent of Avalon, ruling from Camelot, now located at the southwestern tip of Avalon. Morgan declared war on Omniversal Majestrix Opal Luna Saturnyne, leading Camelot into battle against the Starlight Citadel. With the aid of the mutant group Excalibur, Morgan was dethroned, and Jamie Braddock was crowned King of Avalon in Camelot.

Braddock’s reign was brief. A civil war erupted as Merlyn rallied Otherworld’s courts against Avalon, manipulating a resurrected King Arthur, who had reemerged after his mysterious vanishing. In the final battle at Camelot, the Braddock family was forced to retreat. With Mordred newly revived and reconciled with his father, Arthur reclaimed the throne of Avalon and resumed his rule over Camelot.

Points of Interest

• Castle Camelot
  • Avalon Gate (Destroyed)
• Courtyards of Camelot
• Hildebrandt Wood

See Also

• 71 appearance(s) of Camelot
• 1 appearance(s) in handbook(s) of Camelot
• 9 minor appearance(s) of Camelot
• 34 mention(s) of Camelot
• 8 mention(s) in handbook(s) of Camelot
• 21 image(s) of Camelot
• 4 article(s) related to Camelot

Links and References

• Camelot on Wikipedia.org