The term
magic sword refers to any kind of
mythologicalMythology is the study of myths and or of a body of myths. For example, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece. The term "myth" is often used colloquially to refer to a false story;...
or
fictionFiction is a branch of literature which deals, in part or in whole, with temporally contrafactual events...
al
swordA sword is a long, edged piece of metal, used in many civilizations throughout the world, primarily as a cutting or thrusting weapon and occasionally for clubbing...
imbued with
magicalMagic, sometimes known as sorcery, is the practice of consciousness manipulation and/or autosuggestion to achieve a desired result, usually by techniques described in various conceptual systems...
power to increase its strength or grant it other
supernaturalThe term supernatural or supranatural pertains to an order of existence beyond the scientifically visible universe. Religious miracles are typically supernatural claims, as are spells and curses, divination, the belief that there is an afterlife for the dead, and innumerable others...
qualities. The
archetypeAn archetype is an original model of a person, ideal example, or a prototype after which others are copied, patterned, or emulated; a symbol universally recognized by all...
originated in
mythMythology is the study of myths and or of a body of myths. For example, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece. The term "myth" is often used colloquially to refer to a false story;...
and
legendA legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
, and occurs regularly in modern fantasy fiction.
Renowned swords appear in the folklore of every nation that used swords. Sometimes the sword is ascribed no powers of its own. It is famous because it is the
heroA hero , in Greek mythology and folklore, was originally a demigod, their cult being one of the most distinctive features of ancient Greek religion...
's sword, or because of its origin, as when a god gives it to the hero. Other swords keep their wielders safe or destroy their enemies.
A more localized motif is the sword that has been broken and must be reforged, commonly found in Northern Europe. Such a sword symbolizes the initial defeat and loss of honor of its wielder. Subsequent victory and the restoration of honor is achieved by reforging it, either at the wielder's hand or that of his heir.
History
It is probable that the roots of the sentient weapon myths stem from ancient peoples belief that sword making and metallurgy was in fact a magical process. Through the fires of the forge (
fire was also given spiritual connotations) a
lump of earthAn ore is a type of rock that contains minerals such as gemstones or metals that can be extracted through mining and refined for use. Samples of ore in the form of exceptionally beautiful crystals, exotic layering visible when sectioned or polished or metallic presentations such as large nuggets or...
was transformed into a shiny usable object that could be hammered into many shapes. Extending further from the transformation of ore into metal, the difficulty of actually obtaining a quality blade; which took intense concentration and skill added to its esoteric qualities. while any
blacksmithA blacksmith is a person who creates objects from iron or steel by forging the metal; i.e., by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut. Blacksmiths produce things like wrought iron gates, grills, railings, light fixtures, furniture, sculpture, tools, agricultural implements, decorative and religious...
could manufacture a knife or an axehead only a swordsmith could create a high quality sword. The secrets of doing so was jealously guarded as well as formulas for alloys.
The skill necessary to forge a balanced blade - one which is not too brittle or too soft and able hold a usefully sharp edge - in the age before automated machines, blast furnaces, and the knowledge of molecular chemistry made the creation of a sword seem almost miraculous. A few degrees too hot or too cold within a very limited temperature range that could only be discerned by the glowing hue of a hot
billetBillet refers to a cast semi finished product. It is also referred to as ingot, particularly for smaller sizes. A billet is typically cast to a rectangular, hexagonal or round cross section compatible with secondary processing, e.g. forging or milling. It can be produced either as coil or cut...
; could make or break a sword. A lack of expertise in knowing when and how to apply carbon and
fluxBorax, also known as sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, or disodium tetraborate, is an important boron compound, a mineral, and a salt of boric acid. It is usually a white powder consisting of soft colorless crystals that dissolve easily in water.Borax has a wide variety of uses...
and
quenchA quench refers to a rapid cooling. In polymer chemistry and materials science, quenching is used to prevent low-temperature processes such as phase transformations from occurring by only providing a narrow window of time in which the reaction is both thermodynamically favorable and kinetically...
the blade could ruin weeks of work. Thus the swordsmith almost felt like he was one with his work, giving the process his complete devotion of concentration and thought. This led to the belief that he was actually imbuing the blade with an essence of his spirit. In
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, the swordsmiths where so concerned with this belief that they would undergo
purification ritualsRitual purification is a feature of many religions. The aim of these rituals is to remove specifically defined uncleanliness prior to a particular type of activity, and especially prior to the worship of a deity...
and
meditationMeditation is used here as a broad term for practices done by a sole practitioner without much, if any, external aide, often for the purpose of self-transformation...
before even attempting to start a new blade, for fear that they may inadvertently create an evil sword.
It is also important to note that in antiquity; metal was used as money and thus a sword was a very expensive and highly prized item, a sign of wealth, status and given holy connotations in many cultures. One would only have to see how they are referenced within the Holy Books of Christians, Jews and Muslims to make this point evident.
The Vikings prized their swords above all other things, handing them down from generation to generation and giving them names. The value of the blade was not only determined by its quality but also by how many battles that it was used in. The Polenesian people such as the
MaoriThe Māori are the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand . The group probably arrived in southwestern Polynesia in several waves at some time before 1300...
also had comparable reverance for their weapons. They believed a weapon contained a spiritual force called mana and that the weapon held the spirits of its maker, its line of owners and also stole the spirits of those it killed. These weapons where highly prized for their mana and cherished as heirlooms. The
Samuraiis the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
of Japan believed that their swords had its own soul that could possess them. It was not the wielder but their swords that desired to kill, they were just the thing that the sword used to complete that task. Since most of them were Budhists (a religion that finds violence and murder abhorent) that train-of-thought gave them some peace of mind in their killing vocation.
Later as the concept of demons,spiritual possession, and elementals entered the realm of mythological themes it was only a natural leap to attribute magical properties of the swords of folklore to indwelling spirits.
Magic swords may exhibit various degrees of sentience, from being merely influenced by the wielder to being able to think for itself or even control its owner.
Biblical
The
BibleThe Bible contains the central religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. Modern Judaism generally recognizes a single set of canonical books known as the Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible, as it is written almost entirely in the Hebrew language, with some small portions in Aramaic...
relates in the Book of Genesis how
GodGod is a deity in theistic and deistic religions and other belief systems, representing either the sole deity in monotheism, or a principal deity in polytheism....
, seeking to deter
Adam and EveAdam and Eve were, according to the Book of Genesis of the Bible, the first man and woman created by God...
from returning to the
Garden of EdenThe Garden of Eden is a location described in the Book of Genesis as being the place where the first man, Adam, and his wife, Eve, lived after they were created by God. Literally, the Bible speaks about a garden in Eden...
, "placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubim and a flaming sword which turned every way." By some accounts, the Cherubim are replaced with the Archangel Michael, who wields a similar weapon.
King David was given the sword of the slain giant Goliath by the High Priest
EliEli or ELI may refer to:*Eli , a variant on the name of God as spoken in Hebrew and Aramaic. In people:...
, to which was attached extra-biblical mythology and traditions.
In the
Book of RevelationThe Book of Revelation, also called the Revelation of St. John, the Apocalypse of John, and the Revelation of Jesus Christ, is the last book of the New Testament. It may be shortened to Revelation but never Revelations...
, Jesus is symbolically described wielding a double-edged sword that proceeds out from his mouth, in reference to the "sword of the spirit" which is the "word of truth".
Arthurian
In the legend of
King ArthurKing Arthur is a legendary British leader who, according to medieval histories and romances, led the defense of Britain against the Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and his historical existence is debated...
, the king himself is related to two magical swords, in most variants. The first is the "Sword In the Stone", called Clarent. Only Arthur could draw it out, thereby proving that he is the rightful king. In some tales, this is his only sword. In most variants, this sword was then broken, and he receives from The Lady of the Lake a new sword called
ExcaliburExcalibur is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes' attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Great Britain. Sometimes Excalibur and the Sword in the Stone are said to be the same weapon, but in most versions they are considered separate. The sword was...
, arguably the most famous of magic swords. It is not clear from the various accounts of the Arthur legend whether Excalibur itself was possessed of magical powers or merely had a magical origin, though its
scabbardA scabbard is a sheath for holding a sword or other large blade or gun; such as a rifle.Scabbards have been made of many materials over the millennia, including leather, wood, and metals such as brass or steel.-Types of scabbards:...
protected its bearer from physical harm. Many interpretations of the legend appear to endow the sword with a cutting strength and durability beyond that of ordinary weapons, making it unbreakable by anything but wrongful acts of its user. Excalibur's primary power was apparently spiritual, as it served to identify the chosen king and instill loyalty to him.
Chinese
Ancient
Chinese mythologyChinese Mythology is a collection of cultural history, folktales, and religions that have been passed down in oral or written are several aspects to Chinese mythology, including creation myths and legends and myths concerning the founding of Chinese culture and the Chinese state...
relates the tale of
Lü DongbinLǚ Dòngbīn is a historical figure and also a deity/Immortal revered by many in the Chinese culture sphere, especially by Daoists/Taoists. Lǚ Dòngbīn is one of the most widely known of the group of deities known as the Eight Immortals and considered by some to be the de facto leader...
, who "slew dragons with a magic sword" and performed "freak feats" with it.
Germanic
In
Norse mythologyNorse, North Germanic, or Scandinavian mythology comprises the myths of North Germanic pre-Christian religion.Most of the written sources for Norse mythology were assembled in medieval Iceland in Old Norse, notably as the Edda....
, the god Frey "possessed a magic sword that struck out at Jotuns of its own accord." Many other swords appear in Norse legend in the hands of heroes.
TyrfingTyrfing or Tirfing was a magic sword which figures in a poem from the Poetic Edda called Hervararkviða, and in Hervarar saga. The name is also used in the saga to denote the Goths and the form Tervingi was actually recorded by Roman sources in the 4th century.Svafrlami was the king of Gardariki,...
appears in the
Hervarar SagaHervarar saga ok Heiðreks is a legendary saga from the 13th century combining matter from several older sagas. It is a valuable saga for several different reasons beside its literary qualities. It contains traditions of wars between Goths and Huns, from the 4th century, and the last part is used as...
.
SvafrlamiSvafrlami was in the H and U version of the Hervarar saga the son of Sigrlami who was the son of Odin. In the R version, Svafrlami is called Sigrlami and his parentage is not given. Svafrlami was the king of Gardariki and the first owner of the magic sword Tyrfing.One day, he was hunting on his...
was the King of Gardariki, and a grandson of the god
OdinOdin , is considered the chief god in Norse paganism and the ruler of Asgard. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxon Wōden and the Old High German Wotan, it is descended from Proto-Germanic *Wōđinaz or *Wōđanaz.The name Odin is generally accepted as the modern translation; although, in some cases, older...
. He caught the
dwarvesDvergar or Norse dwarves are highly significant entities in Norse mythology, who associate with rocks, the earth, deathliness, luck, technology and forging. They are identified with Svartálfar , and Døkkálfar , due to their apparently interchangeable use in early texts such as the Eddas...
,
DvalinIn Norse mythology, Dvalin is a dwarf who appears in several Old Norse tales and kennings. The name translates as "the dormant one" or "the one slumbering"...
and
DurinIn Norse mythology, Durinn is the name of a dwarf attested in the Poetic Edda poem Völuspá and repeated in Gylfaginning from the Prose Edda. He was the second created after the first and foremost dwarf Mótsognir. He is also attested in Hervarar saga, where he forged the magic sword Tyrfing with the...
, and forced them to forge a sword with a golden
hiltThe hilt of a sword is its handle, consisting of a guard,grip and pommel. The guard may contain a crossguard or quillons. A tassel or sword knot may be attached to the guard or pommel....
that would never miss a stroke, would never
rustRust is a general term for a series of iron oxides, usually red oxides, formed by the reaction of iron and oxygen in the presence of water or air moisture. Several forms of rust are distinguishable visually and by spectroscopy, and form under different circumstances...
and would cut through stone and iron as easily as through clothes. The dwarves made the sword, and it shone and gleamed like fire. However, in revenge they cursed it so that it would kill a man every time it was used and that it would be the cause of three great evils. They also cursed it so that it would kill Svafrlami himself. It would cost the life of not only Svafrlami, but also the life of the
SwedishSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
hero Hjalmar.
A similar sword to Tyrfing is
DáinsleifDáinsleif is king Högni's sword, according to Snorri Sturluson's account of the battle known as the Hjaðningavíg.When Heðinn offers him compensation for the abduction of his daughter, Högni replies:...
, a sword from the legend of the eternal battle Hjaðningavíg, made by the
dwarfDvergar or Norse dwarves are highly significant entities in Norse mythology, who associate with rocks, the earth, deathliness, luck, technology and forging. They are identified with Svartálfar , and Døkkálfar , due to their apparently interchangeable use in early texts such as the Eddas...
DainDáin or Dain can refer to: Dain is a name for male people*In Norse mythology:**Dáin, a dwarf from Völuspá**Dáinn, one of the four stags of Yggdrasill**Dáinn, an elf who introduced the runes to his race according to Hávamál*In J. R. R...
. Like Tyrfing, Dainsleif gave wounds that never healed and could not be unsheathed without killing a man.
The sword
GramIn Norse mythology, Gram is the name of the sword that Sigurd used to kill the dragon Fafnir. It was forged by Wayland the Smith and originally belonged to his father, Sigmund, who received it in the hall of the Volsung after pulling it out of the tree Barnstokk into which Odin had stuck...
appears in the
Völsunga sagaThe Völsunga saga is a legendary saga, a late 13th century Icelandic prose rendition of the origin and decline of the Volsung clan . It is largely based on epic poetry. The earliest known pictorial representation of this tradition is the Ramsund carving, Sweden, which was created c...
. It was stuck by
OdinOdin , is considered the chief god in Norse paganism and the ruler of Asgard. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxon Wōden and the Old High German Wotan, it is descended from Proto-Germanic *Wōđinaz or *Wōđanaz.The name Odin is generally accepted as the modern translation; although, in some cases, older...
into the tree
BarnstokkrIn Norse mythology, Barnstokkr is a tree that stands in the center of King Völsung's hall. Barnstokkr is attested in chapters 2 and 3 of the Völsunga saga, written in the 13th century from earlier tradition, partially based on events from the 5th century and the 6th century, where, during a...
in the hall of the Völsungs. Only
SigmundThis article is about the mythological hero Sigmund, for other meanings see: Sigmund .In Norse mythology, Sigmund is a hero whose story is told in the Volsunga saga. He and his sister, Signy, are the children of Völsung and his wife Ljod...
could pull it out. This caused considerable envy and conflict. Eventually, Sigmund fought Odin disguised as an old man, and Odin shattered the sword. Sigmund left it for his son
SigurdSigurd is a legendary hero of Norse mythology, as well as the central character in the Völsunga saga. The earliest extant representations for his legend come in pictorial form from seven runestones in Sweden and most notably the Ramsund carving Sigurd (Old Norse: Sigurðr) is a legendary hero of...
, who reforged it to kill
FafnirIn Norse mythology, Fáfnir or Frænir was a son of the dwarf king Hreidmar and brother of Regin and Ótr. In the Volsunga saga, Fáfnir was a dwarf gifted with a powerful arm and fearless soul. He guarded his father's house of glittering gold and flashing gems...
. There is also
MistilteinnMistilteinn is Hrómundr Gripsson's sword in Hrómundar saga Gripssonar, a legendary saga from Iceland.Mistilteinn first belonged to Þráinn, who had been king in Valland before he retired in his burial mound with his wealth....
, a sword from the
Hrómundar saga GripssonarHrómundar saga Gripssonar or The Saga of Hromund Gripsson is a legendary saga from Iceland. The original version has been lost, but its content has been preserved in the rímur of Hrómundr Gripsson published in Fernir forníslenzkar rímnaflokkar...
, which could never go blunt and which
HrómundHrómundar saga Gripssonar or The Saga of Hromund Gripsson is a legendary saga from Iceland. The original version has been lost, but its content has been preserved in the rímur of Hrómundr Gripsson published in Fernir forníslenzkar rímnaflokkar...
won from the
undeadUndead is a collective name for fictional, mythological, or legendary beings that are deceased yet behave as if alive. Undead may be incorporeal, such as ghosts, or corporeal, such as vampires and zombies...
witch-king Þrainn. Like Tyrfing, it was taken from a
barrow-wightBarrow-wights are wraith-like creatures in J. R. R. Tolkien's world of Middle-earth, based on the Old Norse Draugr. Barrow refers to the burial mounds they inhabited and wight is a Middle English word for "living being" or "creature", especially "human being"...
.
The legendary smith Wayland Smith forged the magic sword Mimung, which appears both in the Anglo-Saxon poem
WaldereWaldere or Waldhere is the conventional title given to two Old English fragments from a lost epic poem, discovered in 1860 by E. C. Werlauff, Librarian, in the Danish Royal Library at Copenhagen, where it is still preserved. The parchment pages had been reused as stiffening in the binding of an...
and in the German/Scandinavian
Þiðrekssaga.
Greek
In
Greek mythologyGreek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
,
TheseusFor other uses, see Theseus Theseus was the legendary founder-king of Athens, son of Aethra, and fathered by Aegeus and Poseidon, with both of whom Aethra lay in one night. Theseus was a founder-hero, like Perseus, Cadmus or Heracles, all of whom battled and overcame foes that were identified with...
was given a magic sword with which to kill the
MinotaurIn Greek mythology, the Minotaur , as the Greeks imagined him, was a creature with the head of a bull on the body of a man or, as described by Ovid, "part man and part bull." He dwelt at the center of the Cretan Labyrinth, which was an elaborate maze-like construction built for King Minos of Crete...
by
AriadneAriadne , in Greek mythology , was daughter of King Minos of Crete and his queen, Pasiphaë, daughter of Helios, the Sun-titan...
, the daughter of King Minos.
Japanese
In
Japanese mythologyJapanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculture-based folk religion. The Shinto pantheon alone consists of an uncountable number of kami...
, there is a magical sword called
Kusanagiis a legendary Japanese sword as important to Japan's history as Excalibur is to Britain's, and is one of three Imperial Regalia of Japan. It was originally called but its name was later changed to the more popular Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi .-Legends:The history of the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi extends into...
, as well as a repeated tradition that the
katanaA Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. These are categorised in several types according to size and method of manufacture...
s of
Masamune, also known as , is widely recognized as Japan's greatest swordsmith. As no exact dates are known for Masamune's life, he has reached an almost legendary status. It is generally agreed that he made most of his swords in the late 13th and early 14th centuries, 1288–1328. He created swords, known as...
and
MuramasaMuramasa Sengo was a famous swordsmith who founded the Muramasa school and lived during the Muromachi period in Japan...
were of such high quality as to be near-magical. These three swords have been used extensively in popular culture since then, especially in the realm of video game
RPGA role-playing game is a game in which the participants assume the roles of fictional characters. Participants determine the actions of their characters based on their characterization, and the actions succeed or fail according to a formal system of rules and guidelines...
s.
Other
In the
Matter of FranceThe Matter of France, also known as the Carolingian cycle, is a body of legendary history that springs from the Old French medieval literature of the chansons de geste...
,
RolandRoland is a character in medieval and Renaissance literature, the chief paladin of Charlemagne and a central figure in the Matter of France...
possessed an indestructible sword,
DurendalAs told in the Matter of France, Durendal or Durandal is the sword of Charlemagne's paladin Roland . According to Ludovico Ariosto's Orlando Furioso it once belonged to Hector of Troy, and was given to Roland by Malagigi...
, which he threw into a poisoned stream to prevent its capture. In the same legends,
CharlemagneCharlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 to his death. He expanded the Frankish kingdoms into a Frankish Empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe...
owned a notable sword,
JoyeuseJoyeuse was the name of Charlemagne's personal sword. The name translates as "joyful". Some legends claim that it was forged to contain the Lance of Longinus within its pommel; others state it was supposedly smithed from the same materials as Roland's Durendal and Ogier's Curtana.The 11th century...
, while
Bishop TurpinTurpin was an archbishop of Reims during the late 8th century. He was for many years regarded as the author of the legendary Historia de vita Caroli Magni et Rolandi, and appears as one of the Twelve Peers in a number of the chansons de geste, the most important of which is La Chanson de Roland.He...
wielded
AlmaceIn the legendary Song of Roland, Almace, Almice or Almacia is the sword of Turpin, Archbishop of Reims, one of the last three Franks to die at the Battle of Roncevaux Pass, along with Roland and Gualter de Hum....
.
Fiction
Edmund SpenserEdmund Spenser was an English poet best known for The Faerie Queene, an epic poem celebrating, through fantastical allegory, the Tudor dynasty and Elizabeth I. He is recognized as one of the premier craftsmen of Modern English verse in its infancy.-Life:Edmund Spenser was born in London around 1552...
's
The Faerie QueeneThe Faerie Queene is an incomplete English epic poem by Edmund Spenser. The first half was published in 1590, and a second installment was published in 1596. The Faerie Queene is notable for its form: it was the first work written in Spenserian stanza and is the longest poem in the English...
features a golden sword called
ChrysaorIn Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene Chrysaor was the golden sword of Sir Artegal, the Knight of Justice. The sword was given to him by Astræa, who had been holding it since the days when Zeus used it to battle the Titans. Because it was "Tempred [sic] with Adamant", it could cleave through...
, the personal weapon of Sir Artegal, the Knight of
JusticeJustice is the concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, fairness, or equity.-Concept of justice:Justice... concerns the proper ordering of things and persons within a society. As a concept it has been subject to philosophical, legal, and theological reflection and...
. The sword was given to him by Astræa, who had been holding it since the days when
ZeusIn Greek mythology, Zeus is the king of the gods, the ruler of Mount Olympus and the god of the sky and thunder. His symbols are the thunderbolt, eagle, bull, and oak. In addition to his Indo-European inheritance, the classical "cloud-gatherer" also derives certain iconographic traits from the...
had used it to battle the
TitansIn Greek mythology, the Titans , were a race of powerful deities that ruled during the legendary Golden Age...
. Because it was "Tempred
[ sicSic is a Latin word meaning "thus", "so", "as such", or "in such a manner". In writing, it is placed within square brackets and usually italicized – [sic] – to indicate that an incorrect or unusual spelling, phrase, punctuation, and/or other preceding quoted material has been reproduced verbatim...
] with
AdamantAdamantand similar words are used to refer to any especially hard substance, whether composed of diamond, some other gemstone, or some type of metal. Both adamant and diamond derive from the Greek word αδαμας , meaning "untameable"...
", it was described as being able to cleave through anything.
In
Der Ring des NibelungenDer Ring des Nibelungen is a cycle of four epic operas or 'music dramas' by the German composer Richard Wagner. The operas are based loosely on characters from the Norse sagas and the Nibelungenlied...
,
Richard WagnerWilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director and essayist, primarily known for his operas...
drew on the legends of Grim for the sword Nothung, belonging to the hero
SiegmundThis article is about the mythological hero Sigmund, for other meanings see: Sigmund .In Norse mythology, Sigmund is a hero whose story is told in the Volsunga saga. He and his sister, Signy, are the children of Völsung and his wife Ljod...
and later reforged by his son
SiegfriedSigurd is a legendary hero of Norse mythology, as well as the central character in the Völsunga saga. The earliest extant representations for his legend come in pictorial form from seven runestones in Sweden and most notably the Ramsund carving Sigurd (Old Norse: Sigurðr) is a legendary hero of...
and used by him to kill
FafnerFactoring via Network-Enabled Recursion was a 1995 project trying to solve the RSA-130 factoring problem.It was an internet-based sieving effort from Cooperating Systems Corporation...
.
The hero of
Lewis Carroll Charles Lutwidge Dodgson , better known by the pen name Lewis Carroll , was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer...
's poem "
Jabberwocky"Jabberwocky" is a poem of nonsense verse written by Lewis Carroll, originally featured as a part of his novel Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There . It is considered by many to be one of the greatest nonsense poems written in the English language...
" slays the Jabberwock with a vorpal sword. Although the poem does not define the word "vorpal" (and contains many nonsensical words with no meaning), the term has been adopted in role playing games to describe a sword which possesses a magical ability to decapitate those against whom it is wielded.
In the works of
J. R. R. TolkienJohn Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford from...
such as
The Lord of the RingsThe Lord of the Rings is an epic high fantasy novel written by philologist and Oxford University professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
, many magical swords, usually with powers for good, are wielded by important characters.
GandalfGandalf is a fictional character with major roles in J. R. R. Tolkien's novels The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. In these stories, Gandalf appears as a wizard, member and later the head of the order known as the Istari, as well as leader of the Fellowship of the Ring and the army of the West...
uses his sword Glamdring in his battle with the
BalrogA Balrog is a fictional demonic creature from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings. Such creatures first appeared in print in his novel The Lord of the Rings, though they figured in earlier writings that posthumously appeared in The Silmarillion and other books.Balrogs are described as...
, who wields its own sword of flame. Glamdring's sister blade, Orcrist, is buried with
Thorin OakenshieldThorin Oakenshield is a major character in The Hobbit and is mentioned in passing in The Lord of the Rings. He was the leader of the Company of Dwarves who aimed to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from Smaug the dragon, and was the son of Thráin II and the grandson of King Thrór.-Characteristics:Thorin...
under the Lonely Mountain in
The HobbitThe Hobbit, or There and Back Again is a fantasy novel and children's book by J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in a time "Between the Dawn of Færie and the Dominion of Men", The Hobbit follows the quest of home-loving Bilbo Baggins to win a share of the treasure guarded by the dragon, Smaug...
.
BilboBilbo Baggins is the protagonist of The Hobbit and also makes a few appearances in The Lord of the Rings, two of the most well-known of J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings...
,
FrodoFrodo Baggins is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium.He is a principal protagonist of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. He is also mentioned in The Silmarillion...
and
SamwiseSamwise Gamgee, later known as Samwise Gardner and commonly known as Sam, is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium.-Literature:...
carry the sword Sting. It and Glamdring both glow blue when
orcsIn J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings, Orcs or Orks are a race of creatures who are used as soldiers and henchmen by both the greater and lesser villains of The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings — Morgoth, Sauron and Saruman...
are near.
AragornAragorn II is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. He is also known as Strider. He is first introduced in The Fellowship of the Ring, and becomes a central character in the story of The Lord of the Rings....
bears the sword
AndúrilIn J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional prehistory of the world , Narsil was the sword of King Elendil of the Dúnedain, which in a later age was reforged as Andúril...
, a potent weapon against the evil of
MordorIn J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, Mordor is the dwelling place of Sauron, in the southeast of Middle-earth to the East of Anduin, the great river...
and a symbol of his right to rule. In addition, in
Farmer Giles of Ham"Farmer Giles of Ham" is a novella written by J. R. R. Tolkien in 1937 and published in 1949. The story describes the encounters between Farmer Giles and a wily dragon named Chrysophylax, and how Giles manages to use these to rise from humble beginnings to rival the king of the land...
, the protagonist is given and wields a magic sword named Caudimorax which, in the story, is translated to mean "Tailbiter".
Michael MoorcockMichael John Moorcock is an English writer primarily of science fiction and fantasy who has also published a number of literary novels....
created a sinister magic sword in
StormbringerStormbringer is the name of the infamous black sword featured in a number of fantasy stories by the author Michael Moorcock. Created by the forces of Chaos, it is described as a huge, black sword covered with strange runes carved deep into its blade...
, wielded by
Elric of MelnibonéElric of Melniboné is a fictional character created by Michael Moorcock, and the antihero of a series of Sword and Sorcery books centering in an alternate Earth. The proper name and title of the character is Elric VIII, 428th Emperor of Melniboné...
. This black sword has the power to suck out the souls of its victims and transfer their energy to its holder. It also appears to have a mind of its own, sometimes striking against its "master's" will.
Mercedes LackeyMercedes "Misty" Lackey is an American author of fantasy novels. Many of her novels and trilogies are interlinked and set in the world of Velgarth, mostly in and around the country of Valdemar...
's creation, the sword
Need is similarly independent, although along less sinister lines.
The
Twelve Swords of PowerThe Twelve Swords of Power, Swords of Power, or swords featured in the epic Fred Saberhagen sci-fi/fantasy series, Books of the Swords. They are the central focus of the novels, and are often considered unique characters themselves.-Common features:...
are the primary
plot deviceA plot device is an object or character in a story whose sole purpose is to advance the plot of the story, or alternatively to overcome some difficulty in the plot....
in
Fred SaberhagenFred Thomas Saberhagen was a Chicago-born American science fiction and fantasy fiction author most famous for his Berserker series of science fiction stories....
's
Books of the SwordsThe Books of the Swords is collectively a science fiction/fantasy novel series written by Fred Saberhagen. Its central theme revolves around twelve mystical Swords forged by the gods, each endowed with a particular power or gift, and how various people acquire and use them...
.
Lawrence Watt-EvansLawrence Watt-Evans is one of the pseudonyms of American science fiction and fantasy author Lawrence Watt Evans...
's
The Misenchanted Sword (1985) involves the difficulties of dealing with the sword of the title; the
protagonistA protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, video game, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to share the most empathy...
must kill a man when he draws it, can only kill one, will die if he ever kills a hundred men with it – and will not die without killing them, but will ceaselessly age.
The Blue SwordThe Blue Sword is a fantasy novel written by Robin McKinley and published by the Berkley Publishing Group in 1982. This is the book for which The Hero and the Crown is the prequel...
contains a blue sword, known as Gonturan, that is both a symbol of power (as it can only be used by a damalur-sol, a woman hero), an amplifier of magic and a very sharp sword. It is also a sword with a mind of its own.
In
Robert JordanRobert Jordan was the pen name of James Oliver Rigney, Jr. , under which he was best known as the author of the bestselling The Wheel of Time fantasy series. He also wrote under the names Reagan O'Neal and Jackson O'Reilly.-Biography:Jordan was born in Charleston, South Carolina...
's
The Wheel of TimeThe Wheel of Time is a series of epic fantasy novels written by the late American author James Oliver Rigney, Jr., under the pen name Robert Jordan. Originally planned as a six-book series, it now consists of eleven published novels, with one more book to come, which will be published in three...
is the sword
CallandorCallandor is an item of interest in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time novels.-Description:Callandor appears to be simply a sword made of crystal, but is in fact a powerful sa'angreal that can increase the strength of a male channeler while they hold it...
, which is actually not a sword, but a powerful Sa'angreal shaped as a sword and made out of crystal. It is kept within the Stone of Tear. It can only be taken by the
DragonIn the fictional Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan, the Dragon is the champion of the Light and the Creator against the evil Dark One. Although the Dark One was imprisoned by the Creator at the moment of creation, he continually seeks to break free of his prison. In each Age, the Dragon...
and is a major sign of his return. Until he takes it the Stone of Tear will never fall to any invaders, but when the sword is taken the Stone is said to fall to the
People of the DragonIn Robert Jordan's fantasy series The Wheel of Time, the Aiel are a race of people. They live between the "wetlanders" in the west and the Sharans in the east, in a desert which the Aiel call The Three-fold Land and which everyone else calls the Aiel Waste. They have earned a reputation as skilled...
. It is later revealed that unlike other Sa'angreals it doesn't have the safety mechanism that prevents a wielder from absorbing too much of the
One PowerIn The Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan, the One Power is the force that maintains the continuous motion of the Wheel of Time. It comes from the True Source, and it is separated into two halves: saidin , the male half, and saidar , the female half...
through it.
Terry GoodkindTerry Goodkind is a contemporary American writer and author of the best-selling epic fantasy series The Sword of Truth, which, according to his publisher Tor Books in an August 2006 press release, has more than 10 million copies in print and has been translated into 20 different languages...
's series is named for its magical weapon, the Sword of Truth. This blade, with the word "Truth" inlaid into the handle, factors into many of the moral decisions made by
Richard RahlRichard Rahl is the protagonist in The Sword of Truth fantasy series by Terry Goodkind. He is the adopted son of George Cypher and the younger adopted brother of Michael Cypher. He grew up as a woods guide in Westland and as a friend of the wizard Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander...
, the series' protagonist. The blade, like most magic in the series, is focused on need. The sword's master is referred to as the Seeker of Truth. The Seeker gains the swordmastery of all those that have wielded the blade previously. Many false Seekers have carried the sword, but a true Seeker can only be named by the First Wizard (Rahl is named by his grandfather, Zeddicus Zorander). A true Seeker has the ability to turn the blade white when he kills in compassion and forgiveness. Richard has done this twice. Once, killing the Mord-Sith which captured him in
Wizard's First RuleWizard's First Rule, written by Terry Goodkind, is the bestselling first book in the epic fantasy series The Sword of Truth. Published by Tor Books, it was released on August 15, 1994 in hardcover and in paperback on July 15, 1997. The book also was re-released with new cover artwork by Keith...
, and again to kill a Sister of the Dark in
Stone of TearsStone Of Tears is the second book in Terry Goodkind's epic fantasy series, The Sword of Truth.-Plot introduction:With Darken Rahl defeated, Richard and Kahlan head back to the Mud People to be married. As they wait for their wedding day to approach, they discover three Sisters of Light are pursuing...
.
The eponymous sword from
The Sword of ShannaraThe Sword of Shannara is a 1977 epic fantasy novel by Terry Brooks. The first book of the Original Shannara Trilogy, it was followed by The Elfstones of Shannara and The Wishsong of Shannara. Inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and historical adventure fiction, Brooks began writing...
series, by
Terry BrooksTerence Dean "Terry" Brooks is an American writer of fantasy fiction. He writes mainly epic fantasy, and has also written two movie novelizations. He has written 22 New York Times bestsellers during his writing career, and has over 21 million copies of his books in print...
, has a distinctive pommel in the form of the druidic symbol from the series: a hand holding aloft a torch (similar to the Statue of Liberty). Otherwise it is visually unremarkable, though very well made and unworn. Its ability lies in revealing absolute truth, which can be difficult to bear. The sentiment of the enchantment follows that of the "
To thine own self be true...Polonius is a character in William Shakespeare's Hamlet. He is King Claudius's chief counsellor, and the father of Ophelia and Laertes. Polonius connives with Claudius to spy on Hamlet...
" advice to Laertes. A prospective wielder, upon drawing the blade for the first time, is made to confront all their personal flaws, shortcomings, fears, delusions and morally questionable acts. If the being's psyche cannot deal with the revelations, they might not be permanently harmed, but the blade is unusable to them. However, if they can accept the truth of themselves, though it is still a jarring experience, they come out of it wiser for the self-knowledge. Also, they are able to wield the Sword as both a particularly strong and sharp weapon, and as a harsh mirror of Truth to those touched by the blade. This exposure to reality, like many years of counseling condensed into a moment, can actually destroy anyone "evil" enough, e.g. the
Warlock LordThe Warlock Lord is the principal villain of Terry Brooks' novel The Sword of Shannara.The Warlock Lord was formerly the Druid Brona. He desired power, and delved too deeply and quickly into forbidden knowledge and was corrupted by the dark power of Ildatch, a book of magic said to have a mind of...
of the same book. It also can reveal illusions and give some protection from magical effects.
Also of note is the Sword Nightblood from the book Warbreaker [2009]. Nightblood is a sentient sword which was given a direction when awakened. This direction was to 'destroy evil.' However, being a sword, Nightblood could not judge right and wrong and killed almost indiscriminately. Simply undoing the clasp (which was extraordinarily tempting for one without a pure heart) was enough for nightblood to utterly destroy the one holding it. Nightblood was often recovered by Vasher sticking clean through a man, not even unsheathed. Nightblood, when fully drawn consumed Its user's BioChromatic breaths at an alarming rate, while sending tendrils of darkness out to destroy anything the sword deemed 'evil.' The sword could also telepathically communicate with its wielder, often asking questions such as "Hello, would you like to kill someone today?" or alternatively asking to be unsheathed.
Movies and Television
In the
Star WarsStar Wars is an epic space opera franchise initially conceived by George Lucas. The first film in the franchise was originally released on May 25, 1977, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, spawning two immediate sequels, released at three-year intervals...
saga, which employs many themes of classical mythology, the
lightsaberThe lightsaber is a science fiction weapon with a key role in the Star Wars movies and in the novels, games and other forms of media that constitute the Expanded Universe. The lightsaber is a sword with a column of brightly colored energy in the place of a metal blade...
can be seen as a
science fictionScience fiction is a genre of fiction. It differs from fantasy in that, within the context of the story, its imaginary elements are largely possible within scientifically-established or scientifically-postulated laws of nature...
or
science fantasyScience fantasy is a mixed genre of stories which contain some science fiction and some fantasy elements.-Science fantasy vs. science fiction:...
analogue of the magic swords of myth. The device appears to defy the laws of physics, bringing to mind
Arthur C. ClarkeSri Lankabhimanya Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, CBE, FRAS was a British science fiction author, inventor, and futurist, most famous for the novel 2001: A Space Odyssey, written in collaboration with director Stanley Kubrick, a collaboration which also produced the film of the same name; and as a...
's
third law of predictionArthur C. Clarke formulated the following three "laws" of prediction:# When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right...
, the observation that a technology that is sufficiently advanced would be indistinguishable from magic. Within the
Star Wars universe, lightsabers are made by their wielder as part of the training to become a
JediThe Jedi are fictional characters in the Star Wars universe, and the series' main protagonists.-Star Wars films:The Jedi are first introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope as an order of warriors who serve as "the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy" and embrace the mystical Force...
knight.
In the movie
The Golden BladeThe Golden Blade is an adventure film from 1953 directed by Nathan Juran and starring Rock Hudson as Harun Al-Rashid and Piper Laurie as Princess Khairuzan...
(1952), the Sword of Damaskus, which can cut anything and makes its wielder invincible, is used by
Harun Al-RashidHārūn al-Rashīd was the fifth and most famous Abbasid Caliph...
(
Rock HudsonRock Hudson was an American film and television actor, recognized as a romantic leading man during the 1960s and 1970s, most notably in several romantic comedies with his most famous co-star, Doris Day...
) to free a fairy-tale
BaghdadBaghdad is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is coterminous. Having a municipal population estimated at 6.5 million, it is the largest city in Iraq and the second largest in the Arab World....
from Jafar, a usurper of the throne.
The
He-ManHe-Man is a heroic fictional character in the Masters of the Universe franchise. He is the alter ego of Prince Adam and also the twin brother of She-Ra...
cartoon series more directly mixes magic and technology, with the
titular heroHe-Man is a heroic fictional character in the Masters of the Universe franchise. He is the alter ego of Prince Adam and also the twin brother of She-Ra...
deriving his power from a magic sword but living in a world where the traditional gadgetry of science fiction is as common as magic.
In the British television series
Robin of SherwoodRobin of Sherwood , was an acclaimed and highly influential 1980s British television series, based on the legend of Robin Hood. Created by Richard Carpenter, it was was produced by HTV in association with Goldcrest, and ran from 1984 to 1986 on the ITV network...
,
Robin HoodRobin Hood is a hero in English folklore, a highly-skilled archer and outlaw. In particular, he is known for "stealing from the rich and giving to the poor," assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men"...
carries Albion, one of the seven swords of Wayland. The sword's powers include providing visions to its bearer. It cannot hurt its master.
The Sword of Omens in the
ThundercatsThunderCats is an animated television series that was produced by Rankin/Bass Productions debuting in 1985, based on the characters created by Tobin "Ted" Wolf...
animated series possesses magical powers and the
Eye of ThunderaThundera is a fictional planet in the animated television series ThunderCats. It is the home planet of the ThunderCats. It was destroyed by the Sword of Plun-Darr, and later reformed by Mumm-Ra into New Thundera. He reformed it in an attempt to recover the Sword of Plun-Darr....
in the hilt. Another sword, the Sword of Plun-Darr, was a key element to the plot of certain episodes.
In the
Samurai JackSamurai Jack is a 4-time Emmy award-winning American animated television series created by animator Genndy Tartakovsky that aired on Cartoon Network from 2001 until 2004...
animated series, the father of the the titular hero gave his son a
katanaA Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. These are categorised in several types according to size and method of manufacture...
from the gods to defeat the evil
AkuAku can refer to:*The word for "me" or "I" in the Malay language*The name of a god of the moon, meaning "moon", in Babylonian mythology*An ethnic group in The Gambia consisting of descendants of former slaves*A dialect of Krio, see Aku...
. Only this magic katana could harm Aku, although it could not kill him completely. This magic sword would obey only its rightful owner, making it impossible to hurt Jack when his enemy wields it. The sword was forged of the pure spirit of good that humans possess, extracted from Jack's father.
Anime
The
mangaManga consist of comics and print cartoons , in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 20th century...
and subsequent
animeis animation originating in Japan. The world outside Japan regards anime as "Japanese animation". Anime originated about 1917.Anime, like manga , has a large audience in Japan and high recognition throughout the world...
Bleachis a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Tite Kubo. Bleach follows the adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki after he accidentally obtains the power of a Soul Reaper—a Japanese death personification similar to the Grim Reaper—from Rukia Kuchiki...
features several magic swords, called
zanpakuto ("soul-cutting swords"). These katana-like weapons are assigned to specific
Shinigami (called "Soul Reapers" in the English translation) within the
Bleach universe as their own personal property. A
zanpakuto can grow in strength and power in tandem with its user. These swords are often personified in
humanoidA humanoid is a hybrid term from Latin humanus "human" and the Greek -oeides expressing likeness. The term was coined in the year of 1918 to refer to fossils considered close to human but not strictly human, including species now classified as Homo such as the Neanderthals.The term more generally...
form throughout the series. All
zanpakuto have unique and often poetic Japanese names such as
Ichigo Kurosakiis a fictional character in the anime and manga franchise Bleach by mangaka Tite Kubo. He is the story's main protagonist. The series begins with Ichigo receiving Soul Reaper powers as a result of a run-in with Rukia Kuchiki, the Soul Reaper assigned to patrol his city, Karakura Town...
's
zanpakuto is called
Zangetsu, which means
Moon-Cutter.
In
Rave Master, is a manga series written and illustrated by Hiro Mashima. The manga was serialized in Shōnen Magazine from July 1999 through July 2005, and published in thirty-five tankōbon by Kodansha. The manga series was licensed for an English release in North America by Tokyopop until Kodansha allowed...
, Haru's sword, "Decaforce Sword" is a kind of magic sword powered by Rave stones. It is used by Haru to destroy Dark stones.
In
Narutois an ongoing Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and aspires to become a Hokage, the ninja in his village that is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of...
, another japanese manga series, based heavily on traditional folklore themes, the legendary grasscutter kusanagi-no tsurugi makes an entrance. The sword used to be in the possession of the snake sannin
OrochimaruOrochimaru , featured in the Japanese folktale Jiraiya Goketsu Monogatari, is the arch-enemy of the ninja Jiraiya. He was once named Yashagorō and was one of Jiraiya's followers, but he was overtaken by serpent magic. Having changed his name to "Orochimaru", he gained the ability to turn himself...
as the poisonous blade complements the ninja's affinity to summoned snakes. Its counterpart is said to be the sword Totsuka, a sword wielded by the god Susanoo, capable of sealing everything it touches into a pure state of peaceful entrapment.
In
One Pieceis a long-running shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda, that has been serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump since August 4, 1997. The individual chapters are being published in tankōbon volumes by Shueisha, with the first released on December 24, 1997 and the 55th volume released...
, there are swords that, while not technically magic swords, are much more powerful than a regular sword. Examples of swords and their feats include Sandai Kitetsu, which is a cursed sword, slicing right through stone, and Yubashiri, which is light but strong. Both are
katanaA Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. These are categorised in several types according to size and method of manufacture...
and are Sharp-Grade and Fine-Grade swords.
Gourry Gabrievis a fictional character from the Japanese anime and light novels Slayers. He is tall , muscular like an acrobat, possesses long blonde hair and blue eyes, and is somewhat lacking in intelligence.-Biography:...
of the anime and manga
The Slayers is a knight who wields the Sword of Light, a sword with a magical blade of
pure light.
In
YuYu Hakushois a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yoshihiro Togashi with an anime adaptation. The name of the series is spelled Yu Yu Hakusho in Funimation's distribution of the anime and YuYu Hakusho in the Viz manga. YuYu Hakusho tells the story of Yusuke Urameshi, a teenage delinquent who is...
, Kuwabara Kazuma wields his "spirit power" as a "spirit sword," a lightsaber-like energy blade coming from a wooden handle made from a broken wooden sword tip. His power was later enhanced by a magical handle.
In the various
Tenchi Muyo!, is a Japanese anime, light novel, and manga series created by Masaki Kajishima and Hiroki Hayashi about a boy named Tenchi Masaki, which has grown into a larger franchise...
media, the main character,
Tenchi Masakiis the main protagonist of the Tenchi Muyo! series. Tenchi's name means 'Heaven and Earth'. It is the same as 'Tenchi' in the Shinto Kojiki which contains some of Japan's oldest myths and legends.-Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki:...
, gains the power of a legendary lightsaber-like weapon that accompanies a pair of energy wings that are his inherent power. Another character,
Ryokois a key character in the various Tenchi Muyo! anime series by AIC. While details of her character differ between the various series, Ryoko is typically shown as an attractive, semi-reformed powerful space pirate who is madly in love with the series main character, Tenchi Masaki...
, has the ability to create a red energy blade.
In the manga and anime videos
Ogre Slayer, the main character has no name and is known by the name of his sword, Onikirimaru or ogre-slayer. The sword enables him to track and kill ogres.
Video and role-playing games
Video games and
fantasyFantasy is a genre that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting. Many works within the genre take place on fictional planes or planets where magic is common...
role-playing gameA role-playing game is a game in which the participants assume the roles of fictional characters. Participants determine the actions of their characters based on their characterization, and the actions succeed or fail according to a formal system of rules and guidelines...
s feature a great variety of magical armaments, most commonly represented by swords and similar archetypal weapons. These swords are rarely unique, and in many role-playing scenarios, magical weapons are so ubiquitous that the
player characterA player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
s are expected to come into possession of them as a matter of course.
Some examples (from a great and diverse wealth of those available):
The
Legacy of KainLegacy of Kain is a series of video games developed initially by Silicon Knights in association with Crystal Dynamics. After a legal battle, Crystal Dynamics continued the series without Silicon Knights and Eidos Interactive became the publisher...
series features a powerful blade called Soul Reaver, which is used to devour souls of its victims. This extraordinary weapon shares many properties with
Michael MoorcockMichael John Moorcock is an English writer primarily of science fiction and fantasy who has also published a number of literary novels....
's fictional sword
StormbringerStormbringer is the name of the infamous black sword featured in a number of fantasy stories by the author Michael Moorcock. Created by the forces of Chaos, it is described as a huge, black sword covered with strange runes carved deep into its blade...
.
In the
Soul series, the plot focuses on two magic weapons: an evil, soul-devouring sword named Soul Edge and its holy counterpart, Soulcalibur.
The Legend of Zelda games features many magic swords such as the Master Sword and the Picori Blade, which gains power and transforms into the Four Sword. In
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglassis the fourteenth game in Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series. It was released after The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for the Wii and before The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks for the Nintendo DS...
the ultimate weapon is the Phantom Sword.
The 'Blades of Chaos' are a pair of divine blades forged in the fire of hades in God of War. The series also contains the Blade of Artemis and the Blade of Olympus. Both are divine weapons used by gods to defeat the Titans in the
TitanomachyIn Greek mythology, the Titanomachy, or War of The Titans , was the ten-year series of battles fought between the two races of deities long before the existence of mankind: the Titans, fighting from Mount Othrys, or Mount Etna and the Olympians, who would come to reign on Mount Olympus...
.
Dungeons and Dragons has swords such as a "+1 sword" which gives a simple attack bonus, flaming swords which can set enemies on fire or inflict extra damage, and swords based on other swords from myth and fiction.
The Shining Force series has two notable magic swords: in
the first gameShining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention, more commonly referred to as Shining Force, is a 1992 turn-based strategy role-playing video game for the Mega Drive/Genesis console and later re-released in Sega Smash Pack 2...
, there is the
Chaosbreaker, the perfect synthesis of dark and holy powers, which is used by the hero, Max, to battle Dark Dragon. In
the sequelShining Force II, also known as , is a tactical role-playing game for the Mega Drive/Genesis console developed by Sonic! Software Planning in 1994, and is a sequel to the original Shining Force game...
, the sword used by Max's descendant, Bowie, is a glowing blade simply called the
Force Sword. A special weapon can be made exclusively for Bowie's use, a sword made of burning flames called the
Levanter, forged from mythril by a dwarven
blacksmithA blacksmith is a person who creates objects from iron or steel by forging the metal; i.e., by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut. Blacksmiths produce things like wrought iron gates, grills, railings, light fixtures, furniture, sculpture, tools, agricultural implements, decorative and religious...
during the game.
In Warcraft III, the cursed sword Frostmourne steals the soul of Arthas Menethil, and drives him insane, eventually forcing him to join the undead Scourge as a dreaded Death Knight.
In
Phantasy Star IV on the Sega Genesis, features the sword
Elsydeon, which is given to Chaz the spirit of the heroine of the first
Phantasy Staris the first installment in Sega's renowned series of the same name. It was released for the Sega Master System in Japan on December 20, 1987, and then in North America in 1988. It is considered one of the pioneers amongst console role-playing games, both for its advanced graphics technology, and...
. The sword chooses its user through the help of Alis.
Many of the
Final Fantasyis a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of science-fantasy console role-playing games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
games feature magic swords. For example, a sword called the
Ice Brand, a sword "as clear as ice" (quoting from
Final Fantasy Tacticsis a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square for the Sony PlayStation video game console. It was released in Japan in June 1997 and in the United States in January 1998. The game combines thematic elements of the Final Fantasy video game series with a game engine and battle...
) that is an ice-
elementalAn elemental is a mythological being first appearing in the alchemical works of Paracelsus. Traditionally, there are four types:*gnomes, earth elementals*undines, water elementals*sylphs, air elementals*salamanders, fire elementals....
weapon – effective against fire-type enemies, amongst others. The
Masamune, is found in countless games, many of which are from the
Final Fantasyis a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of science-fantasy console role-playing games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
series. Final Fantasy VII antagonist Sephiroth uses an extremely long version of Masamune.
The Sega Genesis title
Landstalkeris an action-adventure game that was developed by Climax Entertainment originally for the Mega Drive/Genesis. A follow up game called Lady Stalker was released in Japan for the SNES in 1995. The Sega Saturn game Dark Savior is considered its spiritual successor...
features several magic swords, notable among them the
Sword of Gaia, which when used would cause a powerful
earthquakeAn earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes are recorded with a seismometer, also known as a seismograph...
that would affect all enemies on the screen.
In
Castlevania: Symphony of the NightCastlevania: Symphony of the Night is a 2D action-adventure game developed and published by Konami in 1997. Its Japanese title is . It is the 13th installment of the Castlevania series, the first installment released for the PlayStation and is a direct sequel to Akumajō Dracula X Chi no...
, the hero
Alucard, better known as is a fictional character in Konami's Castlevania series of video games. His first appearance in the series was in the 1990 Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, but he is best known for his role in the critically acclaimed Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, released in 1997.His...
makes use of dozens of magic swords, among which a fire-elemental type sword reputed to have been owned by
OberonOberon is a legendary king of the fairies.Oberon may also refer to:-People:* Merle Oberon , British actress* Oberon Zell-Ravenheart , Neopagan activist-Media and entertainment:* Oberon...
, and a lightning-elemental sword with a similar association with
Indra' is the King of the gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology, and also he is the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall....
. The game is rife with
TolkienJohn Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Oxford from...
references, not the least of which is present in another magic sword, said to be the hereditary sword of the
House of HadorIn J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, the House of Marach or House of Hador were the family of Men that ruled the over the last of the Three Houses of the Edain in the First Age...
, as well as actual swords from mythology, such as the
TyrfingTyrfing or Tirfing was a magic sword which figures in a poem from the Poetic Edda called Hervararkviða, and in Hervarar saga. The name is also used in the saga to denote the Goths and the form Tervingi was actually recorded by Roman sources in the 4th century.Svafrlami was the king of Gardariki,...
and
GramThe gram , ; symbol g, is a unit of mass.Originally defined as "the absolute weight of a volume of pure water equal to the cube of the hundredth part of a metre, and at the temperature of melting ice" , a gram is now defined as one one-thousandth of the SI base unit, the kilogram, or...
.
In the
Prince of PersiaPrince of Persia is a platform game, originally developed by Jordan Mechner in 1989 for the Apple II, that was widely seen as a great leap forward in the quality of animation seen in computer games...
trilogy, there is a blade called the Dagger of Time, which gives its wielder many time-based powers. In the third installment,
The Two ThronesPrince of Persia: The Two Thrones is an action-adventure computer and video game developed and published by Ubisoft Montreal. It was released in December, 2005 in North America for the Xbox, PC, PlayStation 2, and the Nintendo GameCube...
, the Dark Prince uses a bladed whip called the
Daggertail.
In
Drakan: Order of the FlameDrakan: Order of the Flame is an action-adventure computer game developed by Surreal Software and published by Psygnosis in 1999. The game follows Rynn, a young woman with extraordinary martial skills, and an ancient dragon Arokh on their quest to free Rynn's younger brother from the evil sorcerer...
and
Drakan: The Ancients' GatesDrakan: The Ancients' Gates is an action-adventure PlayStation 2 game with RPG elements by Surreal Software. It is the sequel to the 1999 PC game Drakan: Order of the Flame....
there are several magic swords and other weapons. In the former game, there is the mystical Rune Blade, made by the ancient Order of the Flame to combat the Dark Union, as well as the demonic Mourn Blade that when used, makes the tormented moans and cries of the condemned be heard. In the second game there are several magical weapons, including the Four Elemental Blades of the Order: the Earth, Lightning, Ice and Fire Blades, that enable the user to summon powers based on the element of the sword.
In
Battalion Wars, originally to be titled Advance Wars: Under Fire, part of Nintendo's Wars series, is a real-time tactics game for the Nintendo GameCube. A sequel, Battalion Wars 2, for the Wii, has also been released.-Gameplay:...
, a magic sword is used in a resurrection ritual.
In
Riviera: The Promised Landis a console role-playing game originally produced in 2002 by Sting Entertainment for WonderSwan Color as the first episode of the Dept. Heaven series of games. The game was later introduced to Nintendo's Game Boy Advance in 2004, which Atlus USA released in North America in 2005...
, the lead character, Ein, wields a sword called the
Einherjar, in exchange of losing his wings. The sword is called by other in-game characters as a Diviner, or a weapon owned by Grim Angels, capable of vanquishing demons.
Nintendo's
Fire Emblemis a fantasy tactical role-playing video game franchise developed by Intelligent Systems , the maker of Advance Wars , and published by Nintendo...
series of turn-based strategy games features many magic weapons. The hero Marth was known to wield
Falchion, the blade of light. Eliwood and his son Roy wielded the fire-based swords Durandal and the Binding Blade, respectively. The heroine Lyndis wielded two divine katanas, the Mani Katti and the Sol Katti. Ike, commander of the Greil Mercenaries, wielded a blessed sword called Ragnell. There are more magic weapons in the series as well.