The Eternal Champion is a fictional creation of the author Michael Moorcock and is a recurrent feature in many of his novels.
About
The fictional Moorcock Multiverse, consisting of several universes, many layered dimensions, spheres, and alternative worlds, is the place where the eternal struggle between Law and Chaos, the two main forces of Moorcock's worlds, takes place. In all these dimensions and worlds, these forces constantly war for supremacy. Since the victory of Law or Chaos would cause the Multiverse either to become permanently static or totally formless, the Cosmic Balance enforces certain limits which the powers of Law and Chaos violate at their peril. Law, Chaos, and the Balance are active, but seemingly non-sentient, forces which empower various champions and representatives. The Champion Eternal, a Hero who exists in all dimensions, times and worlds, is the one who is chosen by fate to fight for the Cosmic Balance; however, he often does not know of his role, or, even worse, he struggles against it, never to succeed. Since his role is to intervene when either Law or Chaos have gained an excess of power, he is always doomed to be surrounded by strife and destruction, although he may go through long periods of relative quiet. All the incarnations of the Eternal Champion are facets of each other, and the Champion may also be aided by a companion, who, like himself, exists in various incarnations. Likewise the Champion is often associated with a romantic interest that is possibly an aspect of an eternal figure. Other characters in the various books have occasionally crossed over from one universe to another, although it is unclear what their status in the multiverse may be. Normally, the incarnations of the Champion do not interact and are treated as serial incarnations for facets of a single consciousness, but various cataclysmic events may bring them together in various ways. This is very dangerous, but amplifies the Champion's power enormously. In every aspect, the Champion is a warrior almost without peer. When he wields some version of his usual weapon, the Black Sword, few can stand against him. He is also usually an adept, if often unwilling, leader of fighters and has strategic and tactical abilities.
Count Urlik Skarsol, the second identity assumed by John Daker
The "Scar-Faced Brooder" from Michael Moorcock's The Time Dweller: One of the earliest incarnations of the Eternal Champion, but set in Earth's final years
Incarnations of the Companion to Champions
Some of the incarnations of the "Companion to Champions" include:
Jaspar Colinadous
Jermays the Crooked
Jhary-a-Conel
Alnac Kreb
Moonglum
Oladahn
Gurni Gurnisson
Incarnations of the Eternal Consort
Some of the incarnations of the "Eternal Consort" include:
Cymoril
Zarozinia
Catherine Cornelius
Ermizhad
Rhalina
Medhbh
Yisselda
Sabrina
Alisaard
Colinda Dovero
Mrs. Amelia Underwood
Oona von Bek
Sam Oakenhurst
Queen Eloarde
J&C characters
There is also a very obvious repetition of characters whose first names begins with the letter "j", and whose last names begins with the letter "c". Some of these "J&C" characters seem to be companions, while others seem to be mentors, and still others are champions. A summary of "J&C" characters created by Michael Moorcock:
This is the sequence as published by White Wolf Publishing from 1994 to 2000. That was the last time they were published all together in a comprehensive collection, though there have been several stories added to the cycle since then, and some of the stories have been published in new editions, as well. In brackets are listed the incarnation of the Eternal Champion featured in a given story. Vol. 1: The Eternal Champion
The Eternal Champion [Erekosë/John Daker]
The Sundered Worlds
Phoenix in Obsidian
"To Rescue Tanelorn"
Vol. 2: Von Bek
The War Hound and the World's Pain [Ulrich von Bek]
