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The Black Knight was a robotic knight constructed by the planet computer of the Shore Leave Planet.

In 2267, drawn from McCoy's thoughts on Earth fairy tales, it represented the kind of threat he felt was appropriate to his role as Yeoman Barrows' protector. McCoy did not believe the knight was real, and so stood his ground when it charged him. It drove its lance through him, killing him instantly, or so it then appeared. When it circled to attack Kirk and Spock, Kirk shot it with a .38 police special, disabling it. Spock's tricorder readings revealed that the knight was like everything else of the planet – a multicellular casting, and not a real living being at all. During a brief interval when the landing party was distracted by an aircraft, the knight's body disappeared. (TOS: "Shore Leave")

The Black Knight was played by stuntman Paul Baxley, who received no on-screen credit for this performance.
Initially, this was to be the "White Knight". However, according to de Forest Research notes, dated 14 October 1966, "The "White Knight" is currently an advertising gimmick of Ajax. To avoid commercial identification and possible derogation, suggest White Knight used not be similar to White Knight of the commercials, e.g. have him on a black horse."
In the final draft script of "Shore Leave", the Black Knight's face, upon being revealed, was described thus; "The smooth flawless face of a wax dummy... not a cheap one, but rather like a Mme. Tussaud's face, too good an imitation to be anything but an imitation."

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