K is for King

Having grown up with Arthurian legends and fairy tales, I've long been fascination with kings and royalty. As the head of a monarchy, kings are supposed to represent both power and fairness, and the honor of a nation. One of my favorite plot lines follows the heir to the throne's journey to take their rightful place as king. However, this is not the only common plot in which the protagonist is a king. A blind or tyrannical king, or one who proves too trusting, is a threat to the land they rule over and everyone in it. Here are a few of my favorite examples of these two types of stories . . .

K is for King

King Arthur (Le Morte d'Arthur and Arthurian legends)– The boy who pulled the sword from the stone, the once and future king, Arthur is the hero of legend. Made king after he pulled Excalibur from its stone imprisonment, Arthur unites the mythical land of Camelot and established the Order of the Round Table. Unfortunately, Camelot is rife with unrest, and through the betrayal of Arthur's trusted friend and wife, and the scheming of his bastard son Mordred and Morgan le Fay, Arthur meets his death and Camelot falls. 

Simba (The Lion King) – Adapted from Shakespeare's Hamlet and MacBeth, Simba is the son of Mufasa, king of the Pride Lands. Exiled after his father's death at the hands of his uncle Scar, the Pride Lands fall into turmoil while under tyrannical rule. It's up to Simba to return to his home and take his rightful place as king, thus bringing balance back to the animal kingdom. 

King Lear (King Lear) – King Lear is the perfect example of a flawed and weak monarch, valuing appearance over substance. Lear enjoys the adoration he receives as king, but refuses to fulfill the duties of a ruler and govern his people. When it comes time to retire, he basis the decision of who should rule after him on flattery rather than merit and love, thus dooming his weakening his kingdom and himself and his one loyal daughter to death. 

Nome King (The Oz series) – The main antagonist in Frank L. Baum's Oz series, the Nome King is the ruler of the underground dwelling (g)nomes, who hide precious jewels and metals in the earth and loath the "upstairs people". He often reeks havoc on Oz, attempting to conquer the emerald city and enslave its inhabitants. 

King Aragorn (The Lord of the Rings) – Hidden away in Rivendell after the death of his father, Aragorn grows up without knowing his royal origins. It's not until he's twenty years old that he learns of his true heritage and destiny. He acts as the foil to his weak ancestors who gave into their desires to posses the ring, fighting the temptation to take the ring for himself and helping bring an end to Sauron. 

And there you have it, my Top 5 favorite Kings. What are some of your favorites? 

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This post is part of the Blogging A through Z Challenge 2013. My theme (in case you didn't already guess) is character types and tropes. Stay tuned for the rest of the alphabet, and if you’d like to check in on the other participants, simply click here.