“ | Haha! Might makes right, isn't that the Order's motto? I just took some initiative. | ” |
The Order of No Quarter is a villainous group of knights organized by The Enchantress in order to assemble an army capable of conquering the Valley, and are the secondary antagonists in Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove. In addition to their individual skills in combat, each knight has a specific role in the Order, and loyal minions under their personal employ.
The Order of No Quarter are The Enchantress's servants. Some chose to join, while some were forced to serve. They, along with The Enchantress, caused havoc in the Valley.
Members[]
- King Knight - Usurper of Pridemoor Keep
- Specter Knight - Enforcer
- Plague Knight - Alchemist
- Treasure Knight - Financier
- Mole Knight - Excavator
- Tinker Knight - Engineer
- Propeller Knight - Airship commander
- Polar Knight - Warrior
The Enchantress tried to recruit Black Knight and Phantom Striker to the Order as well, but they escaped her grasp. Conversely, Baz tried to join but was refused due to his buffoonish demeanor. Black Knight would later decide of his own accord to protect The Enchantress's safety from afar, indirectly contributing to the chaos generated by the Order.
Story[]
King of Cards[]
In Shovel Knight: King of Cards, as the Order of No Quarter wasn't yet formed, its members can be found wandering around the world map once all of the levels in their lairs have been beaten. When encountered, they can be fought.
Specter of Torment[]
In Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment, it is shown that most of the Order of No Quarter members didn't actually join out of their own free will; rather, The Enchantress sent Specter Knight to persuade them and if they proved reluctant, defeat them into submission. Specter Knight himself was also coerced in his role of enforcer, only agreeing to serve The Enchantress because she promised to make him alive again after he recruited eight knights. As he failed to make Black Knight and Phantom Striker join the Order, she threatened to make Dark Reize her 8th Knight, forcing Specter Knight to become a member in his place and use the power of the Keepsake Locket to restore him.
Shovel of Hope[]
Due to the Order of No Quarter's hostile takeover of the Valley, in Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope, Shovel Knight is forced to confront each member in their respective lairs in order to reach the Tower of Fate to defeat The Enchantress who, unbeknownst to him, was actually Shield Knight under the influence of the amulet. After fighting them all one last time in a banquet, he eventually does so, and the Order is disbanded, allowing its members to pursue their desires.
Plague of Shadows[]
In Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows, it is revealed that Plague Knight did not join the Order out of fear, but because, unbeknownst to the rest, he was planning on defeating all of his colleagues, Shovel Knight and The Enchantress to obtain their Essences to brew the Ultimate Potion, a concoction said to grant the unfathomable power to whoever drinks it. After traveling through the Valley and stealing the Order's Essences, alongside Shovel Knight's, he manages to get to the Tower of Fate where, after encountering them all once again in the middle of a banquet alongside Shovel Knight, he manages to finally take The Enchantress's Essence too, but after speaking with Mona, decides to use it to instead blow up the Tower of Fate.
Trivia[]
- The phrase "no quarter" loosely means "take no prisoners". "A victor gives no quarter when the victor shows no clemency or mercy and refuses to spare the life in return for surrender" (Oxford English Dictionary: quarter).
- "No quarter" may also be a reference to arcade gaming. When a player runs out of quarters to insert into an arcade machine, they get a game over. The Order of No Quarter’s purpose is to give Shovel Knight a game over.
- The concept of an Order of Knights is a reference to the many orders that exist in the real world, such as the Order of the Garter, the Royal Order of the Seraphim, and the most notorious and enigmatic Order of the Knights Templar. Also relevant are fictional, legendary orders, such as the Knights of the Round Table.
- Each of these orders has its own criteria for eligibility, but knighthood is generally granted by a head of state to selected persons to recognize some meritorious achievement. This explains how The Enchantress selected those various knights to serve her.
- During Specter of Torment, King Knight was already subservient to The Enchantress. The events leading to him joining the Order are told in King of Cards, chronologically placed between Specter Knight's resurrection and his first attempt to recruit Black Knight.