| “ | The bitter cold will claim you. | ” |
Polar Knight is one of eight Knights of theOrder of No Quarter who serves the Enchantress. A warrior well known for his immense physical strength, he is the boss of the Stranded Ship, and Shovel Knight's old friend/rival, now turned villain.
Contents
Official Bio[edit | edit source]
| “ | Titanic and terrible, Polar Knight guards the stranded ship in the frozen south. A silent giant wielding a two-handled snow shovel, he is the largest and most brutish of the Order of No Quarter. Some time in the past, Shovel Knight and Polar Knight have crossed Shovels before... | ” |
- Pros: Wields Snow Shovel, Doesn't feel cold but is quite considerate!
- Cons: Annoying laugh (it's like water torture!)
Dig the Vote[edit | edit source]
Tone[edit | edit source]
| “ | Polar Knight doesn’t say much. As a warrior, he lives for battle, so his campaign will focus on how various characters react to his lonely but honorable existence. | ” |
Original Play Style Ideas[edit | edit source]
- Slow but with strong attacks.
- Dashing shoulder bash.
- Earth Shaking Stomp – Shake the whole screen with your mighty foot. You might be able to knock down harmful objects and stun pesky characters from really far away!
- Big Dig – Shovels away a dig pile in fell swoop!
- Stay Frosty – Try to keep your cool over the course of the level.
Personality[edit | edit source]
Polar Knight is a warrior of few words who apparently prefers solitude. He seems to respect strength asking Shovel Knight to join the order out of respect for his power. Conversely he despises weakness and mocks Plague Knight for fighting with tricks and chemistry rather than martial skill. Whether this hatred of weakness extends to Tinker Knight is unknown. Apparently a complete brute, Polar Knight however seems to hide a more complex set of emotions behind his stoic demeanor. According to a Rail Rider at the Tower of Fate, after his defeat against Specter Knight and his forceful addition to the Order, Polar Knight became somber and stormy, shoveling snow with a never seen before vigor, perhaps indicating conflicting feelings. He also gently took care of an injured Terrorpin on behalf of his old friend Black Knight, even hand feeding him some soup while petting him on the head.
Relationships[edit | edit source]
Shovel Knight[edit | edit source]
| “ | How about I knock your head outta the clouds? For old time's sake. | ” |
Polar Knight has or at least had a positive relationship with Shovel Knight, who addresses Polar Knight as an old friend when they meet in Shovel of Hope. Shovel Knight seems upset that Polar Knight has joined the Order, apparently betraying an oath in doing so. Despite this, Polar Knight seems to respect him greatly, trying to recruit him to the Order of No Quarter both when they first meet and after being defeated in the Battle Royale.
Plague Knight[edit | edit source]
| “ | You know, I never liked you, wizard. Masks... books... cheap tricks. You're nothing but a weakling.
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” |
Polar Knight and Plague Knight have an openly antagonistic relationship. In Plague of Shadows, Plague Knight initially mistakes Baz for Polar Knight when they meet in the fields. When he meets the real Polar Knight, he mockingly calls him 'Beard Knight'. Polar Knight makes his contempt of Plague Knight and his weakness known shortly afterward.
Black Knight[edit | edit source]
In the credits of Plague of Shadows, Polar Knight is seen sharing a campfire with Black Knight in a scene titled 'reunion', implying they also share a past relationship. Whether the two and Shovel Knight were all part of the supposed oath is unknown.
In the credits of Specter of Torment, Polar Knight is seen taking care of injured Terrorpin, the turtle companion of Black Knight.
Strategy[edit | edit source]
Polar Knight has two main phases. The first is to dig up snowballs to toss at you, and these will stay until you bounce and break them. He will eventually charge across the screen, piling the snowballs up as he goes. If none of the balls have been broken, this is a fairly damaging attack. The second phase is a lot more difficult, as he will dig up the snow from the floor of the stage, revealing one-hit kill spikes. After a few passes, he will send more snow down to cover the spikes, but this snow damages you as well. As a final note, after one bounce with the Shovel Drop, Polar Knight will hold his shovel above his head, blocking damage and eventually counterattacking through the Shovel Drop.
Joustus Deck[edit | edit source]
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| Polar Knight | Tadvolt | Tadvolt | Rail Rider |
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| Rail Rider | Rail Rider | Rail Rider | Tundread |
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| Tundread | Blorbsidian | Rungstrider | Spinwulf |
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| Spinwulf | Spinwulf | Cinderwulf | Hurlsvelgr |
Dialogue[edit | edit source]
Shovel of Hope[edit | edit source]
Before his boss fight:
- "Polar Knight: Hmph."
- "Shovel Knight: So, my old friend... The day has finally come."
- "Polar Knight: This will be our final duel."
- "Shovel Knight: Should we not lay down our shovels and part as equals?"
- "Polar Knight: Hmph. The order has no equals. Surely you can recognize power. Join us."
- "Shovel Knight: You've forgotten our oath! What happened to the proud warrior I knew?"
- "Polar Knight: Hmph! No more words. The bitter cold will claim you."
Plague of Shadows[edit | edit source]
Before his boss fight
- "Plague Knight: Boom! Hee hee hee!"
- "Polar Knight: ..."
- "Plague Knight: Hah! Hey, Beard Knight. You got something in your ears?"
- "Polar Knight: Hmph. Weakling."
- "Plague Knight: Hee hee, you've likely figured out why I'm here, yes? I need something that you have!"
- "Polar Knight: You know, I never liked you, wizard. Masks... books... cheap tricks. You're nothing but a weakling."
- "Plague Knight: Wheeeeee!Hahaha! How grumpy! Let's settle this with a snowball fight!"
Specter of Torment[edit | edit source]
Before his fight:
- "Polar Knight: ..."
- "Specter Knight: Your reputation precedes you, Polar Knight! The glory of battle awaits you in the Enchantress' new order!"
- "Polar Knight: ..."
- "Specter Knight: Not much for words? Is there nothing you desire? My master is willing to make it worth your time."
- "Polar Knight: ...... Hmph."
At the tower's banquet hall:
- "Polar Knight: This stuffy keep is no place for warriors, but the meat is plentiful. I may sit here for a while yet."
King of Cards[edit | edit source]
Before his fight:
- "Polar Knight: We're close, friends. Fresh meat soon. Then it's time to see if this journey's been worth it."
- "King Knight: You there! Are those your dogs?! I love dogs!But shouldn't they be on a leash?"
- "Polar Knight: These are Spinwulves, friend, and only a raving fool would disrespect them.."
- "King Knight: Ooooh! Cute, and yet fearsome! They are trained for combat, I presume?"
- "Polar Knight: Hmph. We train each other. You seem sturdy. How about I give you a little demonstration?"
At the Glidewing:
- "Polar Knight: I told them not to leave my Spinwulves alone in the hold. Their breath will melt the hull. We may play Joustus, but I will miss their keen senses."
Trivia[edit | edit source]
- His design and level are based on the Vikings.
- He is the only knight besides Shield Knight whose helmet doesn't cover his entire face, and also the only knight to be seen without it (although he is seen from a back view, preventing the player from seeing his face).
- Despite his official bio claiming he has an annoying laugh, he is never seen laughing in game; being otherwise very serious. This is actually a joke reference to Yacht Club Games developer Nick Wozniak:
- As stated in the Shovel Knight: Official Design Works: "The mole on Polar Knight's face came from the misinterpretation of the sprite. Originally conceived of Polar Knight's nasolabial fold, the team thought that Woz was putting an Easter egg of himself into the game. In some descriptions, you'll notice that Polar Knight's laugh is described as "water torture," a nod to the fact that Woz's laugh was once described this way."
- Yacht Club Games' Sandy Gordon reaffirmed the comparison: "Nick is totally Polar Knight! They even have the same facial mole and beard! He's also super cold all the time and has wild dogs follow him around everywhere, but I'm thinking it's because of the Turkey leg he keeps in his pocket. (pre-release Showdown references)"[1]
- In the Battle Royale, he has the exact same dialogue regardless of who shows up.
- It is possible that Polar Knight is also a student of Shovelry, though he wields a giant snow shovel rather than a Shovel Blade. As seen in both campaigns, he does have ties to both Shovel Knight and Black Knight.
- Notably despite his ties to Shovel Knight and Black Knight he never indicates any knowledge of Shield Knight or the Enchantress.
- When talking to a Rail Rider in the Tower of Fate hub, he mentions how Polar Knight "suffered a loss." It is unknown whether he is referring to Polar Knight losing a person he cared about, or simply his loss against Specter Knight.
- In the Japanese version, he is called Frost Knight.
- Polar Knight has been hinted to like meat.
- Quotes such as, "This stuffy keep is no place for warriors, but the meat is plentiful. I may sit here for a while yet," and "We're close, friends. Fresh meat soon. Then it's time to see if this journey's been worth it," support this theory.
Gallery[edit | edit source]
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