Sir Justin

The first hero named Shining Knight was Sir Justin a knight of the round table in the days of King Arthur. One day, while riding to battle an ogre, Sir Justin was attacked by outlaws. As he fought them off, his lance scratched a tree, releasing the wizard Merlin. In gratitude to the knight, Merlin enchanted his sword and armor and gave his horse wings, renaming him Winged Victory. Merlin's gifts help Sir Justin prevail in his battle with the ogre, but not before the ogre buried him and his horse in ice.

Sir Justin and his horse spent the next centuries in suspended animation before being revived in 1941 by Dr. Moresby. He took the name Justin Arthur for his civilian identity. He would fight evil wherever he found it, joining both the All-Star Squadron and the Seven Soldiers Of Victory. He also had a romance with Firebrand (Danette Reilly).

Gardner Grayle

The name Shining Knight was used breifly by Gardner Grayle whist fighting alongside one, also brief, incarnation of the Seven Soldiers of Victory. His only power was precognition, but he used a suit of technological armor to increase his physical prowess. He would later become the Atomic Knight.

Sir Ystin

Ten thousand years ago, in a time before the Biblical flood, Sir Ystin fought along side the Knights of the Broken Table in a last stand against the Sheeda's harrowing. These knights were led by Sir Lancelot, as Arthur had already fallen. Sir Ystin is also called Justin at various times. Ystin is presumably an ancient version of the name and is similar to the Cornish Yestin.

Although Ystin is introduced as a man, it is later revealed that she is in fact a woman, Ystina, hiding her gender to become a knight.

Last of Camelot

Shining Knight and Vanguard

While her fellow knights fought to defend Camelot from the invading Sheeda who are led by Neh-Buh-Loh, Ystina and her winged horse, Vanguard travelled to the Sheeda's Castle Revolving to retrieve Arthur's imperishable treasures. They found the Cauldron of Youth, but were immediately attacked by Gloriana Tenebrae, the Sheeda Queen. Ystina snatched Arthur's sword Caliburn (another name for Excalibur) from the queen and fought her. Ystina realized that the fight was hopeless and pushed the cauldron through a time portal, though she was not aware of what it was, and followed soon after with Vanguard.

Out of Time

Shining Knight escapes Police custody

Ystina and Vanguard literally fall out of the sky over modern day Los Angeles, where she is immediately taken into police custody. She is completely unable to communicate with the police officers, so she escapes their custody and runs off into the night. While contemplating what happened to her, she is confronted by a Sheeda Mood 7 Mind Destroyer.

Shining Knight attacks her guilt

No one but Ystina can see it and even she cannot physically attack it, it threatens to kill her with words. The Mind Destroyer than proceeds to taunt her with the fall of Camelot and how the Sheeda had desecrated all she had once loved. The Mind Destroyer mused that perhaps things might have been different if the Shining Knight had not ran away.

While sitting on a bench, listening to the Mind Destroyer's insults, a gang attacks the old man sitting next to her. Ystina fights them off, vowing that virtue won't disappear from the Earth while a knight of Camelot still lives. With her guilt gone, the Mind Destroyer crumbles away. The old man, speaking a language she understands, changes her clothes and warns her of the fight to come.

Vanguard

Meanwhile, Vanguard is taken to the stables of Don Vincenzo, the undying Don. The Don has Arthur's Cauldron of Youth, as well as a number of other magical and technological treasures. The Don's home is attacked by Sheeda, again led by Neh-Buh-Loh. Vanguard helps the Don in his last stand, though Vanguard himself is rescued by Zatanna.

Back In Police Custody

Ystina heads to a nearby police station and voluntarily surrenders to them. F.B.I. agent, Helen Helligen and antiquities expert, Gloria Friday, are brought in to investigate hre story. Examining Ystina's sword, Friday explains that the sword is from the first Arthurian Epoch, ten thousand years ago and that civilizations are cyclical in nature. Helligen expresses concern that the knight may have brought ancient disease with "him" and Friday explains that disease was unknown in Arthur's court as they were "peak human" and even microscopic races owed allegiance to Arthur. Gloria then questions Ystina in ancient Arthurian where she explains her story and warns of the coming Sheeda. Before Ystina's warning can be given, she realizes Gloria is Gloriana, the Sheeda Queen. The queen's soldiers attack the police station and they escape with the sword and Ystina. Before leaving, Gloriana bites Helligen's arm, poisoning her. She is suffering the effects of the poison when she meets Bulleteer.

Galahad

Galahad reveals Ystin's secret

At Gloriana's throne room, she reveals that she has corrupted Ystina's mentor Sir Galahad, the Perfect Knight. Galahad has been transformed into a sadistic monster during his imprisonment by the Sheeda. Despite Ystina's pleas for reason, he attacks her, as Gloriana gloats at her triumph. Having defeated the Shining Knight, Galahad lifts "him" up and jokes that he is about to make a eunuch. The Sheeda Queen realizes that she can smell the "blood of a womb". Galahad rips open Ystina's chest armor, revealing the truth, to the amusement of the queen.

Shining Knight defeats Galahad

Ystina once again tries to appeal to Galahad for mercy, but he continues the battle. Gloriana then commands for Ystina to be broken and made into a slave too before leaving to greet her husband. Galahad drops his swords and begins beating her with his fists. Realizing there is nothing of the couragous knight she once served left, she raises his swords and cuts open his head. She then vows that she will be Gloriana's death.

Seven Soldiers

Ystina confronts Gloriana in Castle Revolving. They fight hard, but Gloriana is convinced of her victory as only seven can beat her and Ystina is just one. Ystina does severely wound her, however. In her rage, Gloriana pushes her over the castle edge to fall on the streets below. As she falls she is rescued by Vanguard who was in the streets below with Zatanna. Spyder shoots Gloriana with an arrow that sends her into the streets, where she is killed by the Bulleteer's out of control car.

Ystina adapts to 21st century life

With the Sheeda defeated, Ystina enrols in a modern school. She is still haunted by the destruction of Camelot and Galahad, whom she loved. The magician

Ali-Ka-Zoom informs her that although the records are sketchy, there is mention of a Queen Ystina the Good who helps rebuild civilization, ending the Age of Death. She may have big adventures left after all.

Ystina does make a brief cameo as one of the future heroes arriving with Lex Luthor on the last page ofTeen Titans #52.

Television

Shining Knight was a recurring character in Justice League Unlimited. This appears to be the original version, Sir Justin. He was frequently teamed up with Vigilante.