Gabriel Knight

Gabriel Knight is the central protagonist of the series. Aside from his double duties as a novelist and supernatural investigator, Gabriel is also the proprietor of St. George's Books.

He was played by Tim Curry in GK1 and GK3, and by Dean Erickson in GK2.

This article concerns his appearance in the original versions of the series (see separate articles for the novels and 20th anniversary edition).

Background

The son of Philip Knight and Margaret Templeton Knight, he lost his parents when just eight years old and was raised by his grandmother, Rebecca Knight. Unknown to him, he descends from an ancient line of German "Shadow Hunters" or Schattenjäger.

His best friend from childhood was Franklin Mosely. With Gabe they used to play Monkey-in-the-Middle and they pissed off their Senior year teacher Ms. McKelly and Gabe's grandmother, and they met girls at the library that way. Once Mosely stole Gabe's bike. When Mosely worked as a detective for the New Orleans Police Department, one night the two used illegally a police tracking device to freak out girls.

With his mother's trust fund, he opened his book shop in the French Quarter of his hometown of New Orleans. Gabriel is a down on his luck author. He begun researching about Voodoo and writing a book on it. His main character would be a female orthodonist, although he apparently promised his friend Franklin Mosely a part in the book, and so he shared with him "privileged" information concerning Voodoo Murders for the book.

When the series starts, Gabriel suffers from a series of nightmares, which no doubt come from his unknown heritage. His instinctive drive to delve into the Voodoo Murders, ultimately leads him to discover his family's ancient heritage as a line of supernatural detectives; the Schattenjägers.

Upon the conclusion of his first case, Gabriel moves to Bavaria to reluctantly take up his birthright. His next two cases as a Schattenjäger are chronicled in the second and third games of the series. By GK3 Gabriel has taken on the job of a Schattenjäger full-time. He is hired by Prince James of Albany (in the GK3 graphic novel) to protect his infant son, Charlie, from a group of vampires called "The Night Visitors", later revealed to be the "Adepts of the Holy Blood". Charlie is kidnapped as Gabriel becomes paralyzed (through unknown means). He follows the kidnappers to a train where he is knocked out, waking up at the Couiza station and making his way to Rennes-le-Château where he begins to investigate the area and tour-group staying at the Rennes Hotel.

Eventually Gabriel is revealed that Prince James Stewart is a blood-descendant of Jesus and confronts the Adepts in the newly-built, underground Temple of Solomon. In the aftermath of his battle with the demon Asmodeus and the death of Montreaux, the head-vampire, Gabriel, Mosely and Mesmi discover the body of Jesus that is carried off by Emilio Baza through a shining portal. When Gabriel returns to the hotel he discovers that Grace has left for India.

It is also revealed that Gabriel is a descendant of a Roman soldier who nailed Jesus to the cross. The Schattenjäger talisman and dagger being made by blessed steel turned gold.

Personality and traits

Gabriel Knight is a writer of horror novels and antique bookshop owner who researches a series of voodoo murders in 'modern-day' (c. 1990s) New Orleans for his next book. He is a ladies' man, and has a definite opinion about everything. He is also well-read, intellectual, and insightful. He has a dry wite and a reckless disregard for danger. Charismatic, sardonic, and intuitive, he has a way with women that has at times proven to impede the progress of his cases.

He is not a classic hero, that is to say he doesn't feel compelled to do the right thing. As a young man, Gabriel got away with murder by taking advantage of his good looks, and as an adult he carries on the tradition. He has a sort of opinion that the means justify the ends - that is to say getting what he wants. He thinks like a rogue, and chances are his choices reflect that course.

He has a deep some say 'silky' New Orleans drawl (as voiced by Tim Curry).

He was an American will-of-the-wisp who gave scarcely a thought to anything other than his own wants and desires. After his journey of discovery and terror that spanned the ages and the continents, it ended with Gabriel's uneasy acceptance of the previously unexamined meaning of his very name and his family history. Gabriel, the messenger of God; Knight, the English translation of Ritter. With the understanding comes the assumption of his title as a shadow hunter.

He has poor social skills and bears a bit of a redneck personality. He also has a huge relationship with his grandmother, whom he adores greatly.

Novels

These are the known novels written by Gabriel Knight;

• The Voodoo Murders
• The Brutal Beast

Game Breakdown

Sins of the Fathers

Day 1

Gabriel makes a trip to the Voodoo Museum and meets The Girl. He learns that Dr. John will not be in until tomorrow. Gabriel has some time to look at the displays.

Gabriel received a phone call from his Grandmother, who requested him to go visit her house. He goes there, and learns about St. Louis Cemetery #1 and Granny suggests he goes visit his family tomb there. Gabriel also is sent up into the attic to look at some of his grandfather's old things. He finds a clock up there that belonged to his grandfather, and his father's old sketchbook.

Day 10

Gabriel and Grace look out over the destroyed hounfour in the 'Good' ending slide.

See Also

• Gabriel Knight (GK Novels)
• Gabriel Knight (GK 20th Anniversary Edition)

Trivia

• He is voiced by Tim Curry in Sins of the Fathers and Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned. In The Beast Within, he is instead voiced and portrayed by Dean Erickson.

• Gabriel's exact age and birthdate throughout the series is inconsistent. According to the Sins of the Fathers novel, Gabriel was 33 in GK1, born in 1960. Unlike in the game where he was orphaned at 8, the book says he was only a year old. GK3 suggests he was born in 1963 on his passport, or 35 in 1998 (which would make him 30 in 1993).

• His sign is Aquarius, and therefore born between January 20 and February 20.