The Knights of the Round Table

Knights of the Round Table is a 2016 American/Irish sword and sorcery historical fantasy drama television series by HBO and created by Game of Thrones creator D.B. Weiss and based on the Arthurian Legend, it is also confirmed to run for six seasons.

It used several different elements from many different Arthurian stories and was filmed in Ireland and Scotland.

Plot

Season 1: In 6th century Britain Lord Uther Pendragon is given the sword of power Excalibur by the sorcerer Merlin and both becomes King and wins the war between Gorlois the Duke of Cornwall and him and declares a truce.

However whilst celebrating with Gorlois at his castle he becomes drawn towards Gorlois beautiful wife Igraine and the truce is broken, Uther then has Merlin transform him into the appearance of Gorlois and he has sex with Igraine and impregnates her. Nine months later Igraine gives birth to a baby boy named Arthur who is then taken by Merlin after he made Uther promise what is made from his lust for Igraine will be given to him.

Uther is fatally wounded by Gorlois, but not before thrusting Excalibur into a rock declaring who ever should pull the Sword from the Stone will be the King of Britain. Seventeen years later Arthurian having being raised by Earl Ector pulls the Sword from the Stone and is declared King of England, Arthur then becomes allies with Scottish King Leodgrance and whilst fighting along side him and his childhood sweetheart Guinevere who joins Arthur in his Castle of Camelot.

Meanwhile Gorlois refuses to accept Arthur as king, due to him being Uthers son and decides that he is in fact the right King of England and raises an army of evil knights and Orcs to kill Arthur and take control of Camelot. However he is defeated and Arthur marries Guinevere and she becomes Queen.

Heroes and Villains

Knights of the Round Table

• Liam Garrigan as King Arthur Pendragon (Season 1-6) - The legendary King of Britannia and the founder of the Knights of the Round Table. When he was 17 he pulled Excalibur from the stone and became the King, he also learned about his true parentage. He then gathered the best knights around him set out to bring peace, justice and happiness to Britannia, years later he and his kingdom fell into despair due to his wicked half sister Morgan's deeds. However he managed to overcome his grief, he late died at the Battle of Camlann.
• Robert Pattinson as Sir Lancelot (Season 2-6) - A knight from the "Lake across the Sea". He came to Britannia in search of a knight worthy of his sword, after being defeated by Arthur in combat he swore his allegiance to him and become his best knight and friend. However he later had his affair with Guinevere resulting in a heartbroken Arthur banishing them from the Kingdom, in his shame he became a monk as penance. However he later came to Arthur's aid during the Battle of Camlann.
• Peter Mooney as Sir Kay (Season 1-6) - Arthur's older adoptive brother and chamberlain. Although he is hot-tempered and sometimes arrogant he loves Arthur deeply and does all he can to help him in his quest to bring peace, happiness and justice to the people of Britannia,
• TBA as Sir Percival (Season 2-6) -
• TBA as Sir Tristan (Season 2-4) -

Camelot

• Joana Metrass as Queen Guinevere (Season 1-6) - The beloved queen and childhood sweetheart of Arthur and the mother of Loholt. She is a skilled warrior princess of Scotland who is skilled with bow and sword and well educated, she helps Arthur in his quest to bring the people of Britannia peace, justice and happiness. She eventually had her affair with Lancelot and was banished from Camelot by a heartbroken Arthur, she became a nun but later reconciled with Arthur and fought with him at the Battle of Camlann.
• Idris Elba as Merlin (Season 1-6) - A powerful sorcerer who is both Arthur's mentor and adviser.
• TBA as Prince Loholt (Season 4-6) - The son of Arthur and Guinevere.
• TBA as Lady Elaine (Season 3-4) -
• Gerard Butler as Uther Pendragon ( Season 1, Episodes 1-2) -

Antagonists

• Nina Dobrev as Morgan Le Fay (Season 1-6) - The half sister of Arthur and the daughter of Gorlois of Igraine as well as the main antagonist of the series.
• Jason Issac as Duke Gorlois of Cornwall (Season 1-5) - The father of Morgan Le Fay and husband of Igraine who is the series second main antagonist.
• Claire Van der Boom as Duchess Igraine of Cornwall (Season 1-5) - The mother of Morgan and Arthur and the wife of Gorlois who is the third main antagonist. She was the object of Uther's desires and was impregnated by him whilst disguised as Gorlois, after Arthur was born she refused to accept him as her son and tried to have him killed, however Merlin saved Arthur from her. When Arthur became king she still refused to accept him and tried to
• Daeg Faerch as Mordred (Season 5-6) -
• Peter Mullan as The Black Knight (Season 1-6) - A mysterious knight clad in black armor who rarely speaks and whose swordsmanship is legendary.

Camelot

• Sir Ian McKellen as The Dragon (Season 1-6) - An ancient and power
• Ian McShane as King Leodgrance (Season 1-3) - The King of Scotland and the father of Guinevere. He was one of Uther's allies until his death at the hands of of Gorlois, when Arthur became King he became one of his strongest allies and allowed him to marry his daughter Guinevere. At the end of season four he was killed by the Duke of Cornwall.
• John Noble as Earl Ector (Season 1-4) - The adopted father of Arthur and the birth father of Kay,

Britannia

• Emmy Rossum as The Lady of the Lake (Season 1-6) - A powerful Sorceress of the water and a friend of Merlin. She was once a Celtic Priestess until she was slain by the Romans, she was however revived by her husband who had to throw her body into the lake so that she could stay alive. She was the one who the Sword of Power, Excalibur to Merlin so Uther could become King of Britain and she reclaimed it when Percival threw it back following the Battle of Camlann.
• Jim Norton as Bishop (Season 1-2) - A kindhearted Christian bishop who is an old friend of Merlin and the one who announced Arthur as King.
• TBA as The Fisher King (Season 6) -

Locations

Britannia - A large island located in the North and Irish Seas and the land of Castles and Armored Knights then called Britannia. It was once ruled by the mighty Romans but when they left it fell into the Dark Ages. Britain then became divided with many Nobles fighting to make themselves King of the Land and the Saxons running amok, when Arthur became King he and the land became one, meaning if Arthur became sick then Britain would experience Pestilence and Famine.

• Camelot Castle - A large and magnificent castle and home of Arthur, Guinevere and the Knights of the Round Table. It was originally a walled fortress that was built by the Romans after the Romans left Britain it fell into ruins until the Pendragon family rebuilt it larger and even more splendid. It once belonged to Arthur's father Uther until his death, following the death of Uther it became abandoned until Arthur was crowned King of Britain.
  • Merlin's Cave - A large cavern located under Camelot Castle and is the home and lair of Merlin the Sorcerer. It is where Arthur, Guinevere and the Knights of the Round Table go to visit Merlin when either of them need advice of things, it is lit by bright colorful lights within the caverns walls. Merlin was later put into an enchanted sleep within an enchanted crystal by Morgan when she tricked him into uttering the Charm of Making.
• Avalon (Mentioned) - The Mystical island located in the North Sea. It was where Arthur's mighty sword Excalibur was forged and where he was taken following the Battle of Camhainn, it is said to be inhabited by Sorcerers and Knights. It is also mentioned several times in the show but never seen.
• Tintagel Castle - The castle of Gorlois the Duke of Cornwall.

Items

• Excalibur - The Sword of Power forged on the mystical island of Avalon three centuries before the birth of Christ. It has magical powers that make it indestructible but only if it is used correctly, it was first given to Arthur's father Uther who thrust it into a stone when he died. Merlin then cast a spell saying that who ever pulled it from the stone would be King of Britain.
• The Round Table - King Arthur's legendary table for which he used to hold both meetings and feasts with his Knights.
• The Grail - The cup that was used by Jesus Christ during the Last Supper and was used to catch his blood during his crucifixion. It was later given to Joseph of Arimathea

Magical Creatures

Several creatures the Arthurian legends appear in the Knights of the Round Table.

• Dragons - An ancient race of large fire breathing flying reptiles and the oldest magical creature on Earth. They used to be plentiful, doting the skies of the world with their hot breath wind but had being hunted to near extinction leaving only a handful alive. One such Dragon took refuge in a cave in the mountains of Britain and later became a friend to the Pendragon family.
• The Questing Beast -

Trivia

• The show uses the traditional Medieval setting of Knights in Armor, Castles, Jousting Torueniments, Dragons and Black Knights. 
• The show was filmed in both Ireland and Scotland.  
• Merlin is black in this series. 
• The shows setting is from 580 to 626. 
• The show uses several elements from many different Arthurian stories.