10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Monty Python And The Holy Grail
5. The Black Knight Had A Surprisingly Story Behind It
The iconic Black Knight scene is something that is still remembered as one of Monty Python's best moments even to this day. The stubborn and overly-confident Knight has indeed permeated the collective memories of fans and will stay there for a long time. But there is a surprising inspiration behind his inception.
John Cleese came up with the idea for the character after remembering a story he learned in school about two Roman wrestlers. The story tells of a pair of fighters who were grappling, with one baring on the other and forcing him to tap out. After the match ended, it was discovered that the winning fighter had died and technically won the match posthumously.
The tale is told to teach the moral of never giving up because you can still win no matter what. This was a concept that Cleese found to be utterly absurd, and thus decided to mock it with the inclusion of a Knight who clearly loses, but still keeps trying.