Excaliber
Attributes
| Eyes: | Blue |
| Features: | Chainmail with a green tabard, and funky early-Elton-John-style eyeglasses |
| Hair: | LIght brown |
| Height: | 5'10"? |
| Weight: | 180 lbs.? |
Powers
| Abilities: | As befits a knght of Camelot, Excaliber is a trained fencer and equestrian. Although they have not been seen, he is presumably familiar with the other arts of chivalry as well: jousting, archery, and so forth. |
| Equipment: | Excaliber prefers to travel by horse. If he does not have one he will make an effort to obtain one. |
| Limitations: | As a man of the fifth century, Excaliber lacks the context to understand the modern day. If he does not permit his host body's consciousness to co-exist with his own, his confusion about contemporary technology and geography limits his effectiveness. If Excaliber ever loses hold of the false Excalibur, even briefly, he must relinquish possession of his host body. As Excaliber's possession is painful and oppressive, a host body free of his influence is unlikely to pick up the sword again and allow him to return. |
| Powers: | Excaliber wields a variety of magical powers bestowed on him by Morgan le Fey, including enhanced strength, speed, and stamina; the abilities to fire bolts of mystic energy from his sword; and the ability to transform a horse into "a steed worthy of a knight." As a spirit, he can possess anyone of low moral fibre who wields Morgan le Fey's Excalibur replica (if Morgan so desires it). While possessed, his host will be unconscious and unaware of Excaliber's presence, unless Excaliber wishes him to be aware. |
| Strength Level: | Difficult to quantify, but strong enough to derail a subway train with a blow. Also seems to be stronger than Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew), who can lift 7 tons. |
| Weapons: | Excaliber wields the false Excalibur, a magical sword enchanted by Morgan le Fey. The sword is strong enough to knock a subway car off of its tracks, and shoots mystical energy bolts at the bearer's will. The sword's powers only function if Morgan le Fey wishes, and Morgan's desire can be exercised even from the past. |
Summary
| Citizenship: | British (English) |
| Created By: | |
| Current Occupation: | Spectral minion |
| Dual Identity: | Not publically known |
| Education: | As befits fifth-century minor English nobliity |
| Former Bases: | Britain |
| Former Occupation: | Knight of Camelot |
| Known Allies: | Morgan le Fey |
| Legal Status: | As a spirit out of time, lacks legal status in contemporary Britain |
| Major Enemies: | Spider-Woman, the Knights of the Round Table |
| Marital Status: | Unknown |
| Place of Birth: | England |
| Real Name: | Excaliber (technically, "Slapper" Struthers, first name unknown, is only the host body for an ancient spirit named Excaliber) |
| Usual Bases: | Britain |
Background
Fabulous secret powers were revealed to "Slapper" Struthers the day he held aloft a magic sword and screamed in agony. Having broken into the British Museum after hours, he stumbled across the Excalibur exhibit, where the famous magical sword lay sheathed in a stone. Drawing it, he learned too late that this was not the original Excalibur, but a cursed replica crafted by Morgan le Fey... a replica which allowed her to ensorcel the wielder, provided that wielder were sufficiently vicious and free of compassion.
From far in the past, Morgan bewitched Struthers, and allowed his body to be possessed by the spirit of a knight loyal to her. That knight, Excaliber, swore his loyalty to Morgan anew, and set out to do her bidding.
That bidding was to find a particular grimoire that Morgan needed for her own dark ends. Excaliber's pursuit of the book led him into conflict with Spider-Woman on two separate occasions. Excaliber's magical powers were more than a match for Spider-Woman's abilities, and each time she engaged him in combat directly he defeated her easily. Fortunately for Spider-Woman, both times they fought Excaliber's attention was divided, or the outcome might have been worse for her. The second battle ended in Excaliber's defeat when Spider-Woman, realizing that Excaliber's sword was the source of his power, knocked it from his hand with a spear. Separated from the blade, Excaliber's spirit fled Struthers' body, and Spider-Woman was able to subdue the burglar easily.
Neither Struthers nor Excaliber has appeared since. Struthers is presumably still incarcerated for his many crimes, and the magical sword returned to the British Museum. If Struthers were to regain the blade, or if it were to be wielded by another person similarly deficient in the virtues, Excaliber might be able to return.
Appearances
| Cover Date | Appearance Information |
|---|---|
| May 1978 | App: Spider-Woman #2 |