Agent Galahad

Agent Galahad is the name of several fictional characters serving as the protagonists of the Kingsman franchise, part of the Millarworld, published by Marvel Comics under the company's imprint Icon Comics, and by Image Comics. The first two Galahads, Gary and Jack London, were created by artist Dave Gibbons and writer Mark Millar for the 2012 comic book miniseries The Secret Service, Jack being a gentleman spy who recruits his nephew Gary to become an agent of MI6; after Jack's death, Gary assumes the Galahad mantle and saves the world. In 2014, these characters were adapted by Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn as Gary "Eggsy" Unwin and Harold "Harry" Hart in the feature film Kingsman: The Secret Service, changed in adaptation to be unrelated, with Harry having been a friend of Eggsy's deceased father Lee, recruiting Eggsy to the independent intelligence agency Kingsman; the characters return in the 2017 sequel Kingsman: The Golden Circle, and will return again in the 2020s in Kingsman: The Blue Blood. Due to the success of the Kingsman film series, the comic book mononymous Gary was retconned to also be named Gary "Eggsy" Unwin in the 2017 one-shot The Big Exit, before again returning in the miniseries The Red Diamond and Big Game, in which he respectively partners up with SASS agent Kwaito and vigilante Mindy McCready.
The 2021 First World War-era prequel film The King's Man introduces the first Agent Galahad, Pollyanna "Polly" Wilkins, a founder member of Kingsman and the former maid and romantic partner of Kingsman leader Orlando, created by Matthew Vaughn and Karl Gajdusek.
The characters have received a generally positive critical reception.

Comic series

''The Secret Service''

In The Secret Service, Gary is recruited by his uncle, Caractacus "Jack" London, to work for the British Secret Service.
File:Dave Gibbons.jpg|thumb|Artist Dave Gibbons holding aloft a signed drawing of Gary "Eggsy" Unwin at San Diego Comic Con International in 2017.

''Kingsman: The Big Exit''

In Kingsman: The Big Exit, shortly after Brexit, Gary "Eggsy" Unwin, known as Agent Galahad of the MI6 black ops offshoot Kingsman, is tasked with safeguarding the United Kingdom's controversial "divorce fee" for leaving the European Union on its journey to Brussels.

''Kingsman: The Red Diamond''

In Kingsman: The Red Diamond, Eggsy teams up with SASS Agent Kwaito against the Red Diamond, self-made South African mining magnate Jakobis Du Preez.

''Big Game''

Eggsy returns in Big Game, where-in he rescues a mid-20s Mindy McCready from assassination at the hands of agents of the Fraternity of Super-Criminals.

Film series

Feature films

Harry Hart / Agent Galahad and Gary "Eggsy" Unwin / Agent Galahad appear in the 2014 film adaptation Kingsman: The Secret Service, and the 2017 sequel Kingsman: The Golden Circle, respectively portrayed by Colin Firth and Taron Egerton. In February 2019, Gemma Arterton had joined the cast of the First World War-era prequel film The King's Man, playing Polly Wilkins / Agent Galahad.

Short film

On 20 July 2017, Fox released an animated crossover short film between Kingsman and Archer, titled #TBT to That Time Archer Met Kingsman, featuring Eggsy and Sterling Archer.

Future

Harry and Eggsy will return in Kingsman: The Blue Blood, described as the "final chapter" of their relationship.

Video games

Harry Hart and Eggsy Unwin appears as playable characters in the 2017 turn-based match-3 role-playing combat game Kingsman: The Golden Circle by NHN PixelCube, and the 2019 hybrid action adventure-construction simulator Kingsman: The Secret Service.

Merchandise

In May 2017, Funko released Pop! Vinyl figures of Harry Hart and Eggsy Unwin.

Reception

Reviewing Kingsman: The Red Diamond, Jesse Schedeen of IGN lauded "Eggsy's quest for legitimacy and happiness, goals that seem no more within his grasp than when he was simply another London punk Daniel Craig's James Bond, there's a working class "chip on his shoulder" quality to Eggsy. Unlike Bond, Eggsy has a kind, ordinary humanity to him that makes him a very likable protagonist", further complimenting the overall "more grounded and character-driven approach" to his story as compared to the previous film adaptations' "bombast".