Kandarian Dagger

Kandarian Dagger

The Kandarian Dagger is a large dagger found by Professor Raymond Knowby while exploring the ruins of Castle Kandar. Since it's rediscovery, it has fallen into many hands who use it to combat the forces of evil.

The Dagger first appeared in the 1981 film The Evil Dead.

History

Creation

The exact year of the Kandarian Dagger's creation and creator itself are unknown. According to Raymond Knowby upon his eventual examination of the dagger, the handle was carved from human bones.

Arrival In Castle Kandar (1300 AD-20th Century)

At some point after the departure of Ash Williams from 1300 AD, the Kandarian Dagger was eventually discovered and placed in a special chamber in Castle Kandar. In the late 20th century, Professor Raymond Knowby, Henrietta Knowby, Annie Knowby, and Ed Getley discovered the dagger (along with the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis) in the castle's ruins. It was brought back to the Knowby's Cabin when Raymond and Henrietta returned to the United States.

Events At The Cabin

Ash Williams and his friend Scotty discover the Kandarian Dagger in the fruit cellar of the Cabin shortly after the group's arrival. Over the course of two nights, the dagger was used to fight against Deadites and was used to (accidentally) stab Jake in the chest. Later, Ash's severed hand stabbed Annie Knowby in the back with the dagger.

30 Years Later

"The Bayonet Boomstick" was created using the Kandarian Dagger (Home)

Some time between Ash being sucked back in time and the early 21st century, a Dark One calling itself Ruby Knowby found the dagger. When Ruby got her hands on the Necronomicon, she used the dagger to remove the flesh cover of the book. After Ash Williams made a deal with Ruby to unleash all the evil upon the world, Ash took the dagger from her "for insurance". When Ash returned to his hometown of Elk Grove, Michigan, he taped the Kandarian Dagger to the end of his Boomstick, creating a makeshift bayonet.

During a battle with the giant demon known as Kandar The Destroyer, Ash Williams launched the dagger at the monster using a tank. The Kandarian Dagger proved to be the only thing effective at harming, and eventually killing the demon. After it's usage to bring down The Destroyer, the dagger's fate remains unknown.

Powers & Abilities

The dagger absorbs the soul of a resident of Hell (Beyond Dead By Dawn #2)

Since multiple variations of the dagger exist in several alternate realities, each version seems to have a different ability. In the original "prime" universe, the dagger's blade burns the flesh of any supernatural entity it comes in contact with such as Deadites and even the Dark Ones, making it potentially one of the few ways to kill a Dark One.

The dagger is also able to send the souls of non-possessed entities (such as normal humans) to the Deadlands. In the reality where Annie Knowby escaped Hell, the dagger itself absorbed and contained the souls of it's victims in it's handle. Using a spell, the contained souls could be released from the dagger.

In Other Media

Comic Books

• The Kandarian Dagger's first comic book appearance was in the "Necronomicon" short story featured in the Tales of Army of Darkness anthology one-shot, where Ash uses the dagger against his Deadite mother during Thanksgiving dinner.
• The dagger's next appearance was in Dark Horse's 2008 comic adaptation of The Evil Dead.
• Space Goat's Evil Dead 2 comics heavily feature the Kandarian Dagger in many of it's issues. While Annie Knowby and the simulacrum Ash Williams use the dagger in the main series of comics, the dagger is also featured in the Tales of The Ex-Mortis anthology series, where it was seen in the possession of the time-traveling monster fighter Kiko Nam in the "Say Your Prayers" short story.

Video Games

• In Evil Dead: Hail To The King, the Kandarian Dagger is used as the main weapon of the Deadite Annie Knowby boss.
• The Kandarian Dagger is a unlockable weapon in the mobile game Evil Dead: Endless Nightmare (and it's subsequent re-releases Virtual Nightmare and Extended Nightmare). Originally called the "Kandarian Blade" in-game, it was later changed to "The Demonic Dagger". It is the most powerful weapon in the game.

Gallery

Pablo and the Kandarian Dagger (Rifting Apart)

Brandy Barr weilds the dagger (The Mettle of Man)

Ash removes the dagger from the Thanksgiving turkey (Tales of Army of Darkness)

Scotty and Ash discover the Kandarian Dagger and the Book of The Dead (The Evil Dead #1)

Kiko Nam used the Kandarian Dagger in Arizona (Tales of The Ex-Mortis #3)

Kiko Nam kills a Deadite (Tales of The Ex-Mortis #3)

Annie Knowby releases the spirits trapped within the dagger (Beyond Dead By Dawn #3)

Annie Knowby breaks the Kandarian Dagger (Dark Ones Rising #1)

Notes

• The Kandarian Dagger was created by Tom Sullivan.
• The "hero" dagger prop seen in Evil Dead II is the same dagger used in The Evil Dead. Tom Sullivan changed the blade from a metal one to a more spine/bone-like design. In the Ash vs Evil Dead series, the dagger underwent a third redesign, making the handle snake-like and a dull grey/stone colored blade.
• Army of Darkness and Evil Dead (2013) are the only films in the franchise not to feature the Kandarian Dagger, though it was featured in related expanded media based on those films.