Editing Galahad (section)

===Grail Quest===
[[File:Joseph Noel Paton Sir Galahad JKAM.jpg|thumb|upright|''Sir Galahad'' by [[Joseph Noel Paton]] (1879)|alt=|left]]

Upon reaching adulthood (in medieval definition) of 15 years old, Galahad is finally united with his father Lancelot, who had never met him before that (not even during the years of living with Elaine). Lancelot knights Galahad after having been bested by him in a duel, the first and only time that Lancelot ever lost in a fair fight to anyone. Galahad is then brought to King Arthur's court at [[Camelot]] during [[Pentecost]], where he is accompanied by a very old knight who immediately leads him over to the [[Round Table]] and unveils his seat at the [[Siege Perilous]], an unused chair that has been kept vacant for the sole person who will succeed in the quest of the Holy Grail. For all others who have aspired to sit there, it has proved to be immediately fatal. Galahad survives this test, witnessed by Arthur who, upon realising the greatness of this new knight, leads him out to the river where a magic sword lies in a stone with an inscription reading "Never shall man take me hence but only he by whose side I ought to hang; and he shall be the best knight of the world." (The embedding of a sword in a stone is also an element of the legends of Arthur's original sword, [[Excalibur|the sword in the stone]]. In Malory's version, this is the sword that had belonged to [[Sir Balin|Balin]].) Galahad accomplishes this test with ease, and Arthur swiftly proclaims him to be the greatest knight ever. Galahad is promptly invited to become a Knight of the Round Table, and soon afterwards, Arthur's court witnesses an ethereal vision of the Grail. The quest to seek out this holy object is begun at once.

All of the Knights of the Round Table set out to find the Grail.<ref>Vinaver, Eugene, 1971. ''Malory: Works''. Oxford University Press. ''The Tale of the Sankgreal, Briefly Drawn out of French, which is a Tale Chronicled for One of the Truest and one of the Holiest that is in this World''. 1. "The Departure". pp. 515–524.</ref> It is Galahad who takes the initiative to begin the search for the Grail; the rest of the knights follow him. Arthur is sorrowful that all the knights have embarked thus, for he discerns that many will never be seen again, dying in their quest. Arthur fears that it is the beginning of the end of the Round Table. This might be seen as a theological statement that concludes that earthly endeavours must take second place to the pursuit of the holiness. Galahad, in some ways, mirrors Arthur, drawing a sword from a stone in the way that Arthur did. In this manner, Galahad is declared to be the chosen one.

[[File:Castle of Maidens Abbey (cropped).jpg|thumb|250px|Galahad at the [[Castle of Maidens]] in an 1890 painting by [[Edwin Austin Abbey]]]]

Further uniquely among the Round Table, Galahad is capable of performing [[miracle]]s such as banishing demons and healing the sick. For the most part, he travels alone during the Grail Quest, smiting (and often sparing) his enemies, rescuing fellow knights including [[Percival]] and saving maidens in distress until he is finally reunited with [[Bors]] and Percival. Together, the three blessed virgin knights come across [[Percival's sister]], who leads them to the mystical Ship of [[Solomon]]. They use it to cross the sea to an island where Galahad finds [[King David]]'s sword. {{Clear left}}