Often, the best offense is a good defense, and Shield Knight knows it. Wielding a pair of Asymmetrical Shields, she deflects both melee and projectile attacks easily before getting into range and crushing her foes! For years, Shield Knight and Shovel Knight were inseparable partners in adventuring; with their expert use of unconventional weapons, they worked as one. Now, Shield Knight’s fate is unknown, but Shovel Knight’s goal is clear: he must journey to find Shield Knight, his lost beloved.
”
Pros: Confident, Powerful, and Tenacious
Cons: Occasional Recklessness
History[]
Shield Knight was a noble and daring wandering knight, traveling across the Valley together with her partner Shovel Knight. They were also close friends with the brash but well intended Black Knight, who began to hold strong feelings towards Shield Knight.
Dig[]
Shield Knight earliest known appearance is during the events of Shovel Knight Dig.
After catching up with her partner inside The Well, who was in hot pursuit of Drill Knight after the criminal had stolen their bag of loot, Shield Knight recognized that something was not right, as some of the gems inside the bag had shown signs of emitting dark magic. Hoping to cover more ground, Shield Knight always chose to take the different pathway from Shovel Knight. She is also reunited with her pet owl, Altius, who had wandered away and had lost track of her.
Shield Knight assisted Shovel Knight during his descent of the Well, with her and Altius proving instrumental in finding a legendary Relic, the Omega Driver. However, they got separated at Drill Knight's Castle, forcing Shovel Knight to face Drill Knight alone. Shield Knight was eventually able to catch up with him, but by that point, the Hexcavators had already unsealed the accursed Amulet and freed The Enchantress; Shield Knight, alongside Altius and Shovel Knight, fought the monstrously mutated Drill Knight, returning him to normal.
Afterwards, the Well began to cave in as the Tower of Fate rose back to the surface with amulet's chamber re-attached,[1] and Altius injured himself, as such the heroes were forced to escape via the Rocket Drill, resolving to soon return to the tower and destroy the amulet before it possesses some other unfortunate soul.
In the final scene, Shovel Knight finally retrieved a crystal ball-like object from his loot bag- a magical Drifting Glass, with which he wanted to show Shield Knight their old den, The Burrow. The two settle down in The Burrow to rest before embarking on their journey towards the Tower of Fate to retrieve the amulet.
The Tower of Fate tragedy[]
But concurrently, another group, composed of the rogues Luan and Donovan, sought to claim the artifact for themselves, in hopes to protect Luan's son from his own recklessness.
The two groups reached the amulet resting chamber at the same time, with Luan and Donovan meeting face to face with Shield Knight, who had apparently run ahead of her companion. Shield Knight tried to dissuade the two men from their purposes, but Donovan, full of mistrust and contempt towards knights (and perhaps partially brainwashed by the amulet's dark influence), refused to heed her warnings, engaging in a vicious clash with her. The skirmish compromised the stability of the room, resulting in the floor caving in and plummeting both Luan and Donovan to their deaths into the dark abyss below. Due to this, Donovan began harboring a deep grudge against her, blaming her for his misfortunes.
Left alone in the room with the cursed amulet, Shield Knight, possibly weakened by her fight with Donovan, was overwhelmed by its powers. Her personality became twisted and warped by the evil magic, transforming her into a dark witch known as The Enchantress. This metamorphosis apparently also caused Shovel Knight to pass out and, while unconscious, be somehow expelled from the Tower, whether by the amulet, an unknown third party, or The Enchantress herself.
Shield Knight, still dwelling inside the witch but powerless to stop her, was held hostage within her own body while the dark witch began her plans of conquest. Withdrawn in the innermost parts of the Tower, she was biding her time in wait of the completion of her armies.
Meanwhile, Shovel Knight, once he recovered his senses, tried to re-enter the Tower, but found the way sealed and completely impenetrable. Assuming the worst for his beloved companion, Shovel Knight was stricken with overwhelming grief and decided to retire to a life of solitude. This exacerbated his rivalry with Black Knight, who saw him as a coward who was unable to protect Shield Knight.
While Shield Knight does not make a direct appearance or get a direct mention in King of Cards, her helmet can be seen in the background of what is presumably the private chambers of The Enchantress in the Shrouded Spires part of the Tower of Fate, where also the witch's own Joustus card can be found.
Eventually, Black Knight began searching for Shield Knight, which led him inside the Tower of Fate. There, he met The Enchantress, instantly recognizing Shield Knight behind her new appearance. Unfortunately, the reveal of her true identity pushed Donovan, now transformed by The Enchantress into the grim Specter Knight, into an unstoppable rage. As such, he swore vengeance in retaliation to the abuse he suffered under her hand.
Black Knight tried to reason with him out of concern for both his old friend and Shield Knight, but Specter Knight defeated him, continuing his voyage across the innermost parts of the Tower.
However something nobody could have predicted suddenly occurred: the allies that Specter Knight made while performing his task, specifically the skeleton Red, Manny, Missy, the old Horace and the now free Dark Acolyte, had decided to rebel against their dark mistress and aid their friend. Thinking that they could trap the Enchantress inside of it, as soon as the revenant left to confront the witch, the group hastily began modifying with additional magic and technology the teleporting mirror that Specter Knight had used until then to move across the valley, the Mirror of Fate.
Unfortunately, the rushed job had instead terrible consequences, as the Mirror went haywire and sprang to life as a monstrosity, trapping not only its original target, but also its creators, Specter Knight himself, and various other individuals, suddenly kidnapping them from all across the Valley. The only way for these individuals to return to the real world was for each of them to traverse the illusory landscape, battle the Mirror's illusions and each other then shatter one of the various copies of the Mirror of Fate itself. Only then the individual would be returned not only to whence they came but also just a few moments later, not unlike the imprisonment never happened at all.
The Shield Knight still lingering inside The Enchantress was separated from her corrupted self, and awakened in the Colosseum questioning if that could have been an opportunity to flee her nightmarish imprisonment before being distracted by approaching foes. Shield Knight met up with her evil half, The Enchantress, although initially she couldn't quite comprehend what was before her and where she had seen her before, not clearly remembering what happened at the Tower of Fate. The Enchantress, taunting her for her lack of understanding, on the other hand saw this as an opportunity to get rid of the last remnants of her good side once and for all and ferociously attacked, but luckily Shield Knight was able to prevail and proceed. While proceeding Shield Knight had a chance encounter with Shovel Knight; however her partner, completely crushed by his constant nightmares about her apparent demise and assuming to the whole situation to be yet another restless dream, refused to listen to Shield Knight claims to be the genuine article and heed her warning of an evil force behind the kidnapping of their friends and foes, attacking her in an attempt to vanquish the supposed vile apparition and forcing the warrior maiden to defend herself in a match and retreat.
Reaching the Mirror's chambers after a series of battles with the illusions of the Mirror, Shield Knight met once again with Shovel Knight, who after witnessing the way she fought and his encounters with Polar Knight, had finally understood to not being in a dream and having the real Shield Knight before him. Apologizing to each other, the two of them vowed to find a way to exit and reunite with one another, but unfortunately, Shield Knight informed Shovel Knight that during her battles, she had come to learn that in order to attract the Mirror of Fate so that it could be shattered, the two of them had to first battle one another. Although Shovel Knight expressed deep concern about the possibility of not emerging out of the mirror together, Shield Knight reassured him that, should that being the case, they both knew where to start looking; with her heartfelt encouragement the two started the battle, with Shovel Knight emerging victorious.
After that, Shield Knight once again crossed paths with the Enchantress, still intended to snuff her out and keep her away from the Mirror. Finally understanding the true nature of her foe, Shield Knight demanded her freedom, which the witch denied, taunting her that no freedom awaited her even outside the Mirror. Steeling herself to go through whoever stood in her way to freedom, Shield Knight confronted her foe and then the Mirror of Fate, prevailing in both battles.
Sadly The Enchantress's prediction turned out to be true and Shield Knight, now fully aware, found herself once again trapped inside the sorceress, watching through her eyes but unable to act. Knowing that Shovel Knight wouldn't give up, she grit her teeth and vowed to continue fighting until the bitter end.
The end of Specter Knight's rebellion[]
Freshly returned from his own imprisonment in the mirror, Specter Knight swiftly resumed his way towards the Enchantress's private chambers and directly confronted her Enchantress, but it only lead to ruinous consequences for the undead warrior.
Black Knight, intimidated by her overwhelming powers, resolved to protect The Enchantress from afar, while hoping that Shield Knight would being able to remove the darkness binding her soul.
Due to her conquest of the Valley, The Enchantress started whispers among the people that the Tower of Fate had unsealed itself. This, united with his encounter with Shield Knight inside the mirror, sparked an unwavering hope in Shovel Knight to discover what really happened to her and reunite with her at last. He met obstruction from both the Enchantress's Order of No Quarter and Black Knight, who blamed the burrower for failing to save Shield Knight. He was also fighting against his own feelings of guilt, every night still plagued by nightmares of trying of save Shield Knight but being unable to properly reach her.
Shovel Knight eventually guessed the truth behind the identity of the Enchantress, but even after the witch tried to exploit her shared existence with Shield Knight, Shovel Knight remained stalwart in his goals and fought the Enchantress, weakening her just enough for Shield Knight to finally break free from her snare.
Shovel Knight and Shield Knight shared a tender reunion. But unfortunately it was cut short, because despite the end of the Enchantress as an individual, her raw strength and magic recombined, condensing themselves in the monstrous Remnant of Fate, an abomination moved only by a desire of total destruction.
Thanks to the efforts of Shovel Knight, Shield Knight, and the crumbling of the Tower initiated by Plague Knight sacrificing the Ultimate Potion, the Remnant of Fate was stopped, but with its remaining strength it injured Shovel Knight, forcing Shield Knight to stay behind to block this last powerful attack while Black Knight took him to safety.
Glad to have had the opportunity to see her two friends one last time, Shield Knight was prepared to perish under the rubble of the Tower or be torn apart by the Remnant's magic. But against all odds, she survived. Injured but alive, a limping Shield Knight rejoined with an unconscious Shovel Knight, and not wanting to interrupt his sleep, leaned beside him, falling peacefully asleep.
She is met after reaching for the first time the first of the four Shrines. Recognizing the importance of the nearby Key Fragment, she urges whoever found her to collect the other three pieces then, who joins the rest of the group at the Camp.
Due to Pocket Dungeon being set during the timeframe of both Shovel of Hope and Plague of Shadows, Shield Knight's appearance is somewhat of unclear nature, as she should still be trapped inside the Enchantress, who herself makes also an appearance. However, it was revealed in a Reddit AMA that, similarly to the Mirror of Fate, the Pocket Dungeon has the ability to separate in different people those who have multiple personalities, this being the reason behind Shield Knight's appearance.[2]
Strategy[]
In battle, Shield Knight will run back and forth across the arena, using her large shield to block any frontal attacks as she rushes forward. She's capable of throwing her shield, which will return back to her shortly after it's thrown, but it leaves her wide open while the shield is away from her. Also, Shield Knight will perform a shield bash in which she charges forward shield first, and if she rams into either of the walls, it will cause a row of blocks from the ceiling to fall, possibly dealing damage if Donovan fails to avoid it. During the shield bash she also become immune to the Caltrops. Eventually, as her health reaches a low point, Shield Knight will also throw her smaller shield, which will bounce around the arena in a random pattern.
Pocket Dungeon[]
As a playable knight, Shield Knight's main ability lets her gain a barrier after chaining, and survive 1 fatal blow per level, at the cost of having a reduced max HP compared to others, it being 4. A barrier can nullify one instance of non-hazard damage of any strength, and Shield Knight can have up to three at a time. A chain of 3 to 5 grants one barrier, 6 to 8 grants two, and 9 or more grants three.
Her Refract ability, Shield Toss, lets her launch her main shield as a projectile in any of the four main directions. The shield will then float up in the air for a brief moment near the impact location, and if caught before it lands on the ground, it will grant a power boost. While shieldless however, Shield Knight is extra vulnerable.
If she is wearing the Invisishade Cap, instead of spawning The Big Creep like it usually does, the hat will make the Fated Shadow appear.
[Should Shovel Knight fail to catch Shield Knight in his arms after The Enchantress defeat, her first line of dialogue will change from "...you caught me" to "...you came for me"]
"Shield Knight:...You caught me." "Shovel Knight:If only I had known, I would have come sooner!" "Shield Knight:You knew I was still there, even though it seemed hopeless. You never gave up on me!" "Shovel Knight:I will
NEVER
give up on you. I will follow you to the end of the world." "Shield Knight:It appears that maybe you have." "Shovel Knight:What's happening!?" "Shield Knight:Oh, no... When the amulet shattered, the magic within it was released! It's already gathering. It will escape and wreak havoc on everything..." "Shovel Knight:Unless we stop it." "Shield Knight:Unless we stop it! We can destroy it for good, here and now!"
"Shovel Knight:But we're both weak from battle!" "Shield Knight:I've never been more ready. Come on, Shovel Knight, let's fight together, like old times! Now... stay close to me!"
"Shield Knight:It's over, Shovel Knight. This place is falling apart. We have to get out of here!" "Shovel Knight:Let's go! I know a path back that will leave us unharmed."
[Shovel Knight is wounded by the Remnant of Fate]
"Black Knight:Shield Knight!" "Shield Knight:Black Knight, thank goodness you're here! Shovel Knight is wounded, take him and get outside!" "Black Knight:
No!!
I can't leave you behind! How will you escape?" "Shield Knight:This magic is too strong!
I...can't....holdout....muchlonger.....
" "Black Knight:Run! You can't deflect it, it will tear you apart!" "Shield Knight:
I'm...sohappy....Igottoseeyouboth....onelasttime
" "Black Knight:
ShieldKnight
!!!
" "Shield Knight:
Go!Take
ShovelKnight
!Savehim!Promisemeyou'llsavehim!
"
Before her fight
"Luan:Is... Is that the
amulet
?" "Donovan:It's ours! Finally!" "Shield Knight:Stay where you are! That amulet has powers far beyond your control! I am here to destroy it, once and for all!" "Luan:But... I seek only to protect my son! My intentions are pure!" "Shield Knight:Protect him, then, by fleeing this place and never looking back!" "Donovan:...Heh. You want it for yourself. You can't fool me. Luan, would you do the honors?" "Luan:Just a moment! If what she's saying is true, then... Might we be a bit more cautious?" "Donovan:You would let some pompous knight tell us what we can and can't take? Who is this busybody anyway?" "Shield Knight:I am Shield Knight, and I will not let you pass!"
After her fight
"Luan:Donovan! The tower crumbles around us! We must leave at once!" "Donovan:I never knew you as a coward, Luan! We'll leave once we have our prize!" "Shield Knight:
Stayaway!
You meddle with forces you do not understand!" "Luan:Please, Donovan,
I'mbeggingyou!
Leave the Amulet, it's not worth it!" "Donovan:
Never!Outofmyway!
"
[Donovan hits Luan]
"Donovan:And you! You won't stop me either! Have at you!"
"Shield Knight:Shovel Knight! Thank goodness! I knew in my heart that you'd return.. but not like this!" "Shovel Knight:
!!!
Must every dream end with this grim spectacle? Will i ever sleep soundly?" "Shield Knight:But this isn't a dream! We, and all our friends and foes, have been taken here by some great evil force!" "Shovel Knight:The true evil is this deception! Shield Knight is gone, and you're a figment of my nightmare. Torment me no longer, vile shade! Have at you!"
Ninth fight in Shovel Knight's story mode
"Shovel Knight:Shield Knight, forgive me. The way you fight cannot be an illusion. It truly is you." "Shield Knight:I know it's you as well. I've been lost in an unending nightmare since the Tower of Fate!" "Shovel Knight:Then we must free ourselves from this wretched place and be reunited!" "Shield Knight:From what I've learned, we must fight each other and then shatter the enchanted mirror that brought us here." "Shovel Knight:We'll smash it to dust! But... What if we don't emerge from the mirror together?" "Shield Knight:If we don't, we'll know where to start looking. See you on the other side!"
Victory speeches
"Shield Knight:Halt! Your path to victory has just been blocked." "Shield Knight:Let's go adventuring together some time. You can carry all of my treasure!" "Shield Knight:Now now, don't fret. You fought well! Hope I didn't bruise you too badly." "Shield Knight:Win or lose, a warrior should eat well! Shall we grab a bite? I'm starving!"
"Shield Knight:Thank goodness, it's you! But that means...
Ohno
, you're trapped too. Well, perhaps we can solve this together. Take a look. This shrine holds a Key Fragment. They seem to be important, but I'm not sure how they relate to defeating this ... Pocket Dungeon Master. Someone is hiding something from us, some sort of foul play. It's just a suspicion, but...keep your eyes peeled. ...A camp, you say? A wise first step. Very well, I will head there at once."
Talked to again inside the first Shrine
"Shield Knight:I'll help protect the camp. Nothing will get through me!"
First time talked to at the camp
"Shield Knight:I fear we may be meddling with forces beyond our understanding. Who should we trust?"
Talked to again at the camp
"Shield Knight:Need help? Stand aside, and I'll keep us protected."
"Shield Knight:Even when we don't win, isn't the adventuring life the best? I just like adventuring with you!" "Shovel Knight:...We really do have some good times together, don't we, heh?"
"Shield Knight:Shovel Knight, I was just thinking. What if we switched helmets? Just for a little bit. Wouldn't that be funny?" "Shovel Knight:
Uhhh...It's...
I'm not sure our heads would fit!"
"Shield Knight:It's nice to rest, but we should get moving soon. Just think about the cool pose we'll strike when we finally beat Drill Knight!"
"Shield Knight:I saw you right below me as you fell! I tried to get to you, but I just missed you." "Shovel Knight:I'll try dying closer to you next time. Ha ha!"
"Shield Knight:Altius has a very demanding grooming regimen. He spends so much time preening!"
"Shield Knight:...Bwahahaha... Sorry... I just was thinking about that one time we ate a whole whale, one rib at a time!" "Shovel Knight:
Ugh...
It got pretty fermented by the end..."
"Shield Knight:You don't always have to talk to me when I'm sitting here, Shovel Knight. Not that I mind!"
"Shield Knight:...Even when you're snoozing, I feel safer when you're nearby."
After beating normal path
"Shield Knight:Hey, sleepyhead! We did admirably back there... but... Your visions, the gemstones, the
tower
..." "Shovel Knight:I can't shake the feeling there's more to this well than we first thought. The Hexcavators' clumsy undermining might yet have dire consequences."
After missing the Cog On A String
"Shield Knight:...hmm, if we're to make it further down, we'll need to buy the cog on a string. Did you know I've been training Altius with it?" "Shovel Knight:Ah yes, that's the disc thing, isn't it? I'll keep an eye out, and toss it to him when the time is right."
After failing to overload the Drill Capsule
"Shield Knight:Hmm... We need to overload the drill capsule... It's the only way to see both Smeltworks and Secret Fountain in the same run."
After failing to obtain the Skeleton Key
"Shield Knight:There's a path forward... I know it! We need to sacrifice something at all 3 chambers. Something secret lies behind them..."
After failing to obtain the Omega Driver
"Shield Knight:Okay, we need to bring the skeleton key to the triple-locked door. Then we can get that relic - the Omega Driver!"
"Shield Knight:Let's bring the bomb to the cracked wall next time. There's a secret route through there that I think Altius can take."
After failing to sabotage the Omega Saw with the Omega Driver
"Shield Knight:We're almost there! That Treasure Room... You think we could use the Omega Saw somehow to break through the vault?"
Waking up from a hallucination
"Shovel Knight:I.... I must find it! It's the only way to reach.....
theBurrow!
" "Shield Knight:
Shhh
, it's okay- I'm right here... Burrow? What's going on?" "Shovel Knight:My mind feels... clouded. Perhaps it's the air down here. I apologize for rushing ahead without you. ..
Thatdrill-totingburglar!
He has no intention of returning my bag." "Shield Knight:That Gemstone we had in there... The Hexcavators were stealing others just like it! What are they planning?" "Shovel Knight:I don't know, but those Gemstones.. They worry me. It's almost like an odd force is compelling me to dig further down the well." "Shield Knight:Dark magic is at work here, no doubt. Be on your guard. We'll catch up to Drill Knight before long. He could've gone either path. I say we split up, sweep them both, and regroup further down. Let's get that bag back!"
Talked to again
"Shield Knight:We mustn't let the Hexcavators use all of those Gemstones. Let's split up and go after them!"
In the first sacrifice chamber
"Shield Knight:
Hmm
, what an odd statue. Do you suppose something might happen if we place something on the altar?"
First sacrifice chamber opened
"Shield Knight:
O-ho!
It opened up! And here's a little inscription within: "Majesty promoteth not, the turning of a rusted slot." Hmmm."
In the second sacrifice chamber
"Shield Knight:A strange pedestal indeed. This sacrifice chamber appears to be the second. There should be one more further down."
Second sacrifice chamber opened
"Shield Knight:The path is open! What's it say here? "Intrigue let my blade unspoke, pull'd apart to thrash and smoke." How ominous."
In the third sacrifice chamber without activating the previous two shrines
"Shield Knight:A sacrificial altar. It seems there are two others connected to it, but we didn't activate them. Shall we try to open at least this one?"
In the third sacrifice chamber with the previous two shrines activated
"Shield Knight:
Ahha!
A third and final sacrifice chamber. Someone has gone to a great deal of trouble to seal away... whatever lies beyond these doors."
Third sacrifice chamber opened
"Shield Knight:It opened! A message here reads: "Leave ye trifles in thy stead, strippeth bare thy mortal thread."
Uhh
, good luck to us, I suppose."
End of the previous world with the Skeleton Key
"Shield Knight:For all our trouble, we got a Skeleton Key. It seems it can unlock any door, one after the next, as long as we keep it safe. The inscriptions carved into the chamber mention a relic, locked away.. The Omega Driver? Perhaps this key might lead us to it?"
Talked to again
"Shield Knight:Make good use of the skeleton key, and stay alert! Let's reroup further down the well."
Before reaching the vault
"Shield Knight:The treasure vault is just below... but the Hexcavators have left more traps in their wake!"
[Shield Knight repels the second Slam Lance]
"Shovel Knight:There's no time to waste. How can we get past these blades?"
[Shield Knight blocks the third Slam Lance]
"Shield Knight:My shield will keep us safe. You go through, and I'll repel them!"
[Shovel Knight passes but they get separated]
"Shield Knight:
Argh!
It slipped! You go on ahead. I'll have to find another way." "Shovel Knight:But there's no telling what dangers await. I don't know if I can do this without you." "Shield Knight:Don't worry. I will catch up - I promise! Hurry, now, or Drill Knight will escape us!" "Shovel Knight:Fine, I'll go! But we're leaving this place together!"
After defeating Drill Knight
"Shield Knight:Halt, Drill Knight! Your plot ends here! Oh... I seem to have missed the festivities. Are you alright?" "Shovel Knight:Shield Knight!
Huzzah!
We finally did it! Still, we are quite a ways underground.. How shall we reach the surface?" "Shield Knight:Come on, we'll take this Rocket Drill back up! See you later, Hexcalosers!"
Epilogue
"Shield Knight:Whew! We made it out in one piece. And we got your bag back!" "Shovel Knight:Speaking of, I have something in there that I must check on."
[Shovel Knight searches through his bag]
"Shovel Knight:Such a relief! It has survived this ordeal without a scratch!" "Shield Knight:What do you mean? What's in there?"
[Shovel Knight holds the Drifting Glass aloft]
"Shovel Knight:Take a look."
[A path to the Burrow opens up]
"Shield Knight:Is that.... Is that what I think it is?" "Shovel Knight:The Burrow. Where it all started for us." "Shield Knight:...I can't believe you found this. I haven't seen a Drifting Glass in ages! I'm speechless. ...We must have begun a hundred adventures there. We were so brash then!" "Shovel Knight:I felt it would be worth the effort to hold on to it. After our respite, what say we use it to travel back together for a visit?" "Shield Knight:Of course. I'd love that! Thank you so much." "Shovel Knight:Then, for now, a well deserved rest."
End the 1st world before sending Altius down the Well
"Shield Knight:Can you help give Altius a nudge down the well? Just a poke in the right direction ought to do it. If he's sleeping, just wake him up!"
End the 1st world without finding Altius
"Shield Knight:
Altius
! Hey, have you seen him? Poor little owl. He has trouble keeping up underground." "Shovel Knight:He was at the camp, and seemed very eager to help, so I nudged him toward the well." "Shield Knight:He probably got distracted by some treasure along the well's sides. Next time you see him, would you give him a poke, please?"
End of the 1st world with Altius
"Shield Knight:Oh! Altius!
There'smybuddy!
Were you lost? Good thing Shovel Knight was there to lead you down here, huh? You can help us hunt down secrets, but you have to be careful in this cavern, okay? We need you!"
Talked to again
"Shield Knight:I'll just be a moment - I want to make sure he's unharmed, and then we'll catch up shortly."
End of the 2nd world, Drill Capsule jammed
"Shield Knight:Amazing! It worked. I thought I had reached a dead end, in the other well. Luckily, Altius jammed the Drill Capsule in such a way that it led me straight through to you. I'm just as surprised as you are. What a clever bird! Now the other Gemstone is within reach. We can blast our way through. Nothing like using the Hexcavators' own tools against them! The purpose of this well is becoming more clear, too. Let's discuss it at the next clearing. Stay safe!"
Beginning of the 3rd world, Drill Capsule jammed
"Shield Knight:Okay, I've learned more about this place. An ancient weapon lies buried beneath the well, and the Hexcavators are about to unearth it! Fortunately, there is a powerful Relic that can stop them in their tracks. But to find it, we must find three hidden "sacrifice chambers"." "Shovel Knight:A Relic guarded by sacrifices... Sounds formidable. How can it stop the Hexcavators?" "Shield Knight:Apparently it can disable machienry. And as I'm sure you realize, without his technology, Drill Knight's heist is over. So the plan is to offer one item in each sacrifice chamber. Once they've all been unlocked, I can get us to the Relic. Let's stay vigilent!"
Inside the 1st sacrifice chamber
"Shield Knight:You made it! Did you bring an item to the sacrifice?"
Without any item to sacrifice
"Shield Knight:Empty-handed? If we're to locate this Relic, we'll need to carry extra items to be used as sacrifices, don't you think?"
Inside the 2nd sacrifice chamber
"Shield Knight:The second shrine. Do you have an item to give to the statue?"
Third sacrifice chamber without activating any of the previous shrines
"Shield Knight:The final shrine. We didn't activate all of them, but we might still find valuable items to help us out."
Third sacrifice chamber after activating the previous shrines
"Shield Knight:The final shrine... We're almost there! Just this one last item, and I'll be able to pull down that relic!"
End of the previous world with the Skeleton Key
"Shield Knight:For all our trouble, we got a Skeleton Key. I'm certain it will unlock the door to the Relic. We need to reach that final door without damaging the key. If we can manage that, the Relic will be in our hands. The
OmegaDriver
." "Shovel Knight:The Omega Driver? That sounds sinister. But if it's our best hope for dismantling the Hexcavators' plans, then so be it."
Talked to again
"Shield Knight:Remember, we've got to get the Skeleton Key safely down to the tripple locked door, and then the Omega Driver will be ours. Good luck!"
Beginning of the 4th world
"Shield Knight:That Skeleton Key is something special. It can unlock any door, not just the one with the Omega Driver in it. So be careful, Shovel Knight. Don't lose that Skeleton Key!"
Obtaining the Omega Driver
"Shield Knight:Yes, this it is! Now that we have the Omega Driver, we've got to catch up to Drill Knight, and take apart his whole operation! Altius, can you hold onto this for safekeeping? Make sure nobody else gets a hold of it, and wait for my command!"
End of the 4th world with the Omega Driver
"Shield Knight:I have a feeling these screws are made for the Omega Driver. The holes match perfectly! Altius, can you reach it?"
[Altius unscrews the tunnel's blockade]
"Shield Knight:Well done, my feathered friend. Now we can cross over, and retrieve the final gemstone! Keep up if you can, Shovel Knight!"
Beginning of the 5th world
"Shield Knight:I discovered a route nearby, which leads straight down to Drill Knight. It's blocked by rubble- but that's what this bomb is for! If we clear the path, Altius can carry the relic down safely. It's too dangerous for him in the main well. Here, take this thing! I'll light the fuse for you. Now.... hurry to the caved-in wall before it explodes!"
Talked to again
"Shield Knight:What are you doing?
Hurry!
Get that bomb to the caved-in wall!"
Reaching Altius's shortcut for the first time
"Shield Knight:This passage leads straight down to Drill Knight. We can't fit, but it's perfect for Altius. He'll carry the Omega Driver down for us!"
End the 5th world without reaching Altius's shortcut
"Shield Knight:We must have missed the caved-in wall. We'll have to just forge ahead without Altius. See you on the surface, pal..."
Beginning of the 6th world
"Shovel Knight:Thanks, buddy! Now, can you go check in on Shield Knight? Make sure she's okay. If we find the right moment to use the Driver, we might be able to get ahead of Drill Knight, and end this absurd heist. Meet us down there, boy!"
Before the Enchantress's fight
"Shield Knight:I've arrived! Stop at once, before --
Ohno,whatishappening?!
" "Shovel Knight:Shield Knight! Be cautious! They've unearthed a dark magic, the likes of which I've never seen!"
[The Amulet absorbs the knights trapped in gemstones and radiates]
"Shield Knight: It's up to us, then. We've come this far - Let us end this madness!" "Shovel Knight:Right beside you, Shield Knight. Let's stick together!"
After the Enchantress's defeat
"Shovel Knight:Is... Is that it? She appears to be trapped again in the amulet."
[The ground shakes]
"Shield Knight:No! Listen..... The tunnels! The Tower of Fate is starting to move again!" "Shield Knight:I fear that possessing that amulet will bring only ruin... But we must at least secure it, before it's taken by anyone else!"
[Light beams from the Amulet's altar, Altius moves to seize the Amulet]
"Shield Knight:
Altius
, no!"
[Altius is zapped by the amulet]
"Shovel Knight:Grab him, quickly! We'll escape aboard this Rocket Drill!
Hangon!
"
Epilogue
"Shovel Knight:All right, Altius. I've set your wing, friend. It should heal up just fine."
[Altius flies away]
"Shield Knight:He'll need to rest at home for a while. You and I, however, must return to the tower, and prevent the amulet from being taken!" "Shovel Knight:You're right. Let's plan our ascent, and confront this dark power. But first, we ought to rest as well, and savor our victory. ..And before I forget, I have something in my bag that I must check on."
[Shovel Knight searches through his bag]
"Shovel Knight:Such a relief! It has survived this ordeal without a scratch!" "Shield Knight:What do you mean? What's in there?"
[Shovel Knight holds the Drifting Glass aloft]
"Shovel Knight:Take a look."
[A path to the Burrow opens up]
"Shield Knight:Is that.... Is that what I think it is?" "Shovel Knight:The Burrow. Where it all started for us." "Shield Knight:...I can't believe you found this. I haven't seen a Drifting Glass in ages! I'm speechless. ...We must have begun a hundred adventures there. We were so brash then!" "Shovel Knight:I felt it would be worth the effort to hold on to it. After our respite, what say we use it to travel back together for a visit?" "Shield Knight:Of course. I'd love that! Thank you so much." "Shovel Knight:Then, for now, a well deserved rest. We'll need our strength, to keep ayone from getting their hands on that amulet again."
Trivia[]
In her original concept, Shield Knight was a princess-like character simply named "Beloved". Like in the final game, Shovel Knight was supposed to defeat the Enchantress to save her. However, he didn't know that his beloved was turned into her foe, and ended killing her in the process and later burying her with his own shovel. The character was changed because the developers wanted her to be an equal partner to Shovel Knight as opposed to a traditional damsel in distress. The ending was changed around December 2013 as the developers judged it too grim for the game's tone.[3]
The Beloved's only two sprites can still be found in the game among the Village's NPC files, where she is simply named "Princess".
At one point in game development, Shield Knight was dubbed Princess Macguffin.
In some of her early sketches, Shield Knight carried a lance and sported a different armor to give her, in addition of her winged helmet and large shield, a Valkyrie-like appearance. Her armor was changed to be slightly similar to Shovel Knight's and reinforce the concept of them being partners.[4]
The official key art of her without her helmet and depicting her with long tan hair was only shown in the official artbook.
In Shovel Knight Dig, Shield Knight chuckles at some of Shovel Knight's replies to her in their idle dialogue by the well's mouth on the Surface.
