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The old legends do speak of such creatures. They call them Shades. Poor, tormented souls summoned from their rest by the necromancer's art.
Gaius to Merlin[src]

Shades are tormented souls summoned from their rest by necromancy. They possess their original bodies and skills, but are shadows of their former selves with no memory of their previous lives.

History[]

When Morgana learned of Gwen and Arthur's marriage plans, she used a magical coin to summon Lancelot from the dead as a Shade. She spent several days carefully molding his mind, then sent him to Camelot to reawaken Gwen's feelings for him and prevent her from becoming Queen.

Merlin became suspicious of Lancelot when he discovered that he had no memory of his magic and later used a pentacle enchantment to determine that he was a Shade. However, he failed to prevent Lancelot from carrying out his objective. Gwen was exiled for her betrayal and Lancelot committed suicide at Morgana's command.

Merlin later took Lancelot's body to the Lake of Avalon, where he cast a spell to free his soul from Morgana's control and then gave him a viking funeral (Lancelot du Lac).

Abilities[]

Shades possess the body and skills of the person they once were, but remember nothing of their former lives and are, in essence, shadows of their former selves. Lancelot, for example, remembered nothing but his name. He had to be informed of his former feelings for Gwen and had no memory of Merlin's magic.

Shades are under the control of the sorcerer who raised them from the dead. Lancelot accepted everything Morgana told him as truth and followed her orders without question, including committing suicide when his task was done. This control lasted until Merlin incanted a spell to lay his soul to rest.

Shades also appear to be resistant to magical attacks, as Lancelot easily recovered from the effects of Merlin's stunning spell (Lancelot du Lac).

Mythology[]

Shade

A Shade in popular mythology.

In most myths, a Shade is the spirit or ghost of a dead person which resides in the underworld. They are wicked creatures that wreak havoc on the world of the living when summoned to it by dark magic.

In Greek myth, select individuals were exempt from becoming Shades after death, instead ascending to the divine sphere. Most of these individuals were heroes, dead men whose fame during life or unusual manner of death gave them power to support and protect the living.

Gallery[]

See Also[]

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