The Blue Knight is an expert marksman, capable of accurately gunning down groups of mooks in seconds. Mysteriously, the Blue Knight’s guns fire bullets that somehow vanish after striking their target, leaving no trace of having existed save for the injury or destruction they’ve wrought. Although he has not been seen to enter melee combat, he carries melee weapons and is likely also a capable hand-to-hand combatant. He never speaks a single word, but his grim visage stuns opponents, or makes them flee in panic, thus rendering them easy targets.

He, for unknown reasons, is capable of tracking down anyone marked as a criminal within the confines of Astro City. His targets manifest a bull’s-eye on their bodies, impossible to erase or rub off, the telltale sign that the Blue Knight is after them.

History

A single father, grieved at the loss of his only son, police officer Joshua Stone is moved to brandish a harsher, vigilante form of justice as the Blue Knight. But is this really Joshua Stone enhancing his protection duties in the guise of a vengeful super-hero, or is this a spiritual manifestation of his murdered son’s essence? We can’t be sure. We do know that his career in Astro City began in the early seventies, shortly after the death of his son, Damon, and there have been no confirmed sightings since the early 1980s.

Most prominently, the Blue Knight showed up in an event with Astro City lawyer Vincent Oleck, a friend of black police officer Joshua Stone. Oleck was defending the son of a local mobster, who brutally killed his girlfriend in a disco, in front of 50 witnesses. It was a near-impossible case to win, but Oleck was able to win it by using the fact they were living in a superhero world. He posed questions such as: Is everybody sure the killer wasn’t a metamorph posing as the mobster son? Was the victim really dead at that point of time, because heroes have been known to come back to life ? While handling the case, Oleck was dreaming about the Blue Knight killing criminals.

The next day he could read that the killings in the dreams had really happened exactly as dreamt. Oleck began doubting his actions and the friend, Joshua Stone, who might be the Blue Knight, adviced him to do his work as well as he possibly could. When Oleck eventually won a large problem surfaced: the mobster wanted him working for his family full time, and he wouldn’t take no for an answer. Refusing to work for criminals, Oleck desperately escaped with his family, but was tracked and followed by the mobster’s men. The family was saved from assassination in the night by the Blue Knight who shot them all down.

The Blue Knight then revealed his true identity of Joshua Stone, but who seemed possessed, to his friend, the newly awaken Oleck. The full truth remains a mystery, and the revelation might, in fact, have been another dream sequence by Oleck who tried to make sense of everything. In any case, the mobster and his son were later killed in Astro City by the Blue Knight. Joshua Stone disappeared after that, as did the Knight a few months later. Oleck has kept what he thinks he knows to himself, but there are rumors, and fear-filled hearsay that the Blue Knight is still around, patrolling the darker streets of Astro City.

Mission of justice

Criminals live in deadly fear of the vigilante called the Blue Knight. Many think him to be only an urban legend. The rumors and legends they tell each other go as follows: They say he is intangible and walks through walls. He’s a psycho cop that grabs villains to carry them down to hell itself. He had a relative that got killed by criminal elements, and now he’s out to get them all in revenge. When his work is done, sometimes there isn’t even enough left of the victim to identify him/her; particularly so, since he takes the heads for his skull collection. He is also in armor and eight feet tall with guns growing out of his arms. The details are many, varied and contradictory, and probably contain only fragments of the truth. He seems to be human, but could have a connection to the supernatural or be a ghost, as was exemplified by him being temporarily possessed by a spirit of vengeance. Nevertheless, his reputation is likely to grow with each kill.

The origin of his apparently superhuman tracking ability is unknown. It might be a Mystic-Linked Power or simply be technological and part of some gadget, which could be launched by his guns as a tracer. If he really is/was Joshua Stone, a police officer, he likely also has some Detective skill and a Connection to the Astro City Police, which would be how he gathers information. On the other hand, if he really is a ghost he will also have Self Link: Spirit Travel or similar, allowing him to get intangible and just disappear. He could also merely be Joshua Stone, possessed by the spirit of his son Damon Stone. Furthermore, the Blue Knight has been known to speak to some people in their dreams, which hints at some telepathic abilities. A mystical origin for the Blue Knight is very likely.

Part of his mystery is enhanced since we still lack definite evidence in regards to whether his powers come from supernatural forces, are merely the clever stagings of a police officer using skilled detective practices, or are a combination of the two. There is some indication that the Blue Knight is Joshua Stone possessed by the spirit of Damon Stone while being the Blue Knight. Oddly enough the Blue Knight seems to be able to speak to some people in their dreaMs. Where do the special weaponry/engineering skills end and the supernatural aspects begin? These questions, along with his current status, remain a mystery that perhaps some future tales will unravel. His methodology is harsh and direct, reminiscent of old time gunslingers roaming the west in legendary fashion. He adds seemingly supernatural elements to his fighting arsenal to garner fear in his opponents. His costumed uniform is an icon, composed of various aspects of traditional police equipment, including badges, shielded helmet, batons and guns. That he hasn’t been seen since the early 1980s is another mystery. Perhaps the spiritual nature of the Blue Knight is calmer now, or perhaps his main vessel, Joshua Stone, is no longer physically able to serve as a useful host. Or barring any spiritual mumbo-jumbo, perhaps the Blue Knight has just taken the common road to retirement. In one of his last documented appearances in 1983, a newspaper article mentions that it was purported that the Blue Knight was the ghost of officer Michael Stone (not Josh), who was killed with his whole precinct in a mob operation. Whether that was just speculation or if it’s somehow connected with Josh remains to be seen.

Description

The Blue Knight wears a loose police uniform in dark colors with a belt and leather gloves; hence his media-name. His head is covered by a police-style riot mask with a ghostly skull outlined by a blue glow for a face. It is unknown whether this is his real appearance, like a ghost, or if it’s a holographic mask. The chest piece is covered by three metal-colored, shuriken-like shapes, which could also represent three bullet holes or be weapons in themselves. The Blue Knight is very heavily armed; He has a holster for a combat knife on his lower left leg, pistol holsters on each upper leg, a pistol holster under his left armpit and a nightstick or a sword on his back, as well as probable hidden weapons. The visage is, indeed, a fearful and horrible sight… like a relentless ghost of vengeance in the night!

Personality

The Blue Knight is a brutal, costumed vigilante who kills the crooks he hunts - and who isn’t very choosy. A frightening crime-fighter who stalks quietly and delivers justice from the barrel of a gun. His identity is unknown; he gives no warnings, never talks, and doesn’t enter melee range. He just shows up anywhere and starts shooting down hordes of unsuspecting perps. He usually uses a silencer and so he often picks several targets even before anybody realizes what’s going on (while they only possibly hear a faint ’phut‘ sound). He will never attack representatives of the law. The Blue Knight is a loner. His method of operations distances him from any mainstream organizations, side-kicks, partners or team participation.

He follows his targets from rooftop to rooftop and nobody sees him until it’s too late. Nobody with even a touch of some criminal group is exempt. He is relentless, never stops, nobody can hide for long, and nobody ever escapes. Once targeted a target eventually go down, no matter how long it takes. He usually operates in the night-time. Only once has he been persuaded not to kill a criminal, and that was by a passionate speech by the criminal’s brother, a police officer.

There is one saving factor: he has never been seen outside of Astro City, and seemingly limits his activities to within the city borders. If a target leaves the city, he/she is probably in the clear. He is usually seen in Astro City’s Kiefer Square area, but will migrate anywhere gangs and organized crime are concentrating.

DC Universe History

The Blue Knight might be a facet of the Spectre in the Astro City Universe, just like the Old Soldier is. In the Marvel Universe, his equivalent is the Ghost Rider. His apparent mystical background should be highlighted whenever he makes an appearance as a brutal vigilante in your campaign. Being a gun-toting vigilante, he could also be the newest host of the Crimson Avenger’s triggerless .45’s.