Morning Star

The Morning Star is a recurring whip appearing in the Castlevania series. Its lash consists on a long metal chain, usually having the longest length of all other whips found in a game, and its tip ends in a heavy metal ball with spikes protruding from it.
It is usually either the standard or most powerful form of the Vampire Killer, though in some games, the whip is at its most powerful with a Platinum Tip.
==Origins==
A morning star is any of several medieval club-like weapons consisting of a shaft with an attached ball adorned with one or more spikes. Each used, to varying degrees, a combination of blunt-force and puncture attack to kill or wound the enemy. 
The morning star first came into widespread use around the beginning of the fourteenth century, particularly in Germany, where it was known as Morgenstern. The term is often confused with the military flail (fléau d'armes in French and Kriegsflegel in German), which typically consists of a wooden shaft joined by a length of chain to one or more iron-shod wooden bars (heavy sword pommels have also been used as weights). However, there are few depictions of such a ball-and-chain flail from the period, so the weapon of this type appears to have been uncommon.
==Characteristics==
The Morning Star is usually the highest possible form of the Vampire Killer whip (although there are some exceptions). It usually has the longest length of all other whips found in a game (mainly in the earlier titles) and its lash consists on a chain rather than being made of leather. However, its most characteristic feature, without a doubt, is that the tip of the whip ends in a heavy metal ball with spikes protruding from it.
The Morning Star power-up is an item –generally in the form of a whip or a crest– that can be picked up to upgrade a weapon to its next level (even when not upgrading it to a Morning Star).
Playable characters who do not normally use whips can also use Morning Stars as clubs or hammers, which are sometimes called by their German name, Morgenstern.
Of all the protagonists in the series, only Jonathan Morris has had the opportunity to use the Morning Star both in whip and cudgel forms. He wields the iconic chained whip with the spiked ball as the natural form of the Vampire Killer, as well as the massive Morning Star cudgel as a separate weapon.
==Item Data==
==Enemy Data==
==Notes==
*In Simon's Quest, the player can still purchase a Morning Star even if they have a stronger weapon.
==Gallery==
===Artworks===
Morning Star - Simon's Quest - 01.png|The Morning Star from the Japanese Simon's Quest instruction booklet.
NP Simon's Quest M. Star.jpg|Morning Star from the Nintendo Power - Castlevania II: Simon's Quest guide.
HC Morning Star.JPG|Morning Star from the Japanese Insert Card for Haunted Castle.
Chain Whip.PNG|Morningstar from the Japanese The Adventure instruction booklet.
Morningstar fall 2018 poster promo.jpg|"Morningstar" fall 2018 poster promo from the Castlevania animated series.
Morning Star - Castlevania (animated series) - 01.jpg|Morning Star Whip model sheet from the Castlevania animated series.
Brawlhalla - Morning Star.png|Morning Star from Brawlhalla.
===Screenshots===
The morning star whip.png|The Morning Star as seen in the Castlevania animated series.
===Animations===
C Whip 3.gif|Long Chain from Castlevania.
AM Whip 3.gif|Long Chain from the Commodore Amiga version of Castlevania.
HC Chain.gif|Morning Star from Haunted Castle.
TA Whip 5.gif|Morningstar from The Adventure
TA Whip 2.gif|Morningstar from the Konami GB Collection version of The Adventure.
DC Whip 3.gif|Long Chain Whip from Dracula's Curse.
BR Whip 5.gif|Stronger, Longer Whip from Belmont's Revenge.
KGC Whip 2.gif|Stronger, Longer Whip from the Konami GB Collection version of Belmont's Revenge.
SC4 Longer Chain.gif|Longer Chain from Super Castlevania IV.
CH Whip 3.gif|Morning Star Whip from the Original Mode of Chronicles.
BL Long Chain Whip.gif|Chain Whip (Long) from Bloodlines.
DX Vampire Killer.gif|Sacred Whip from Dracula X.
SOTN Vampire Killer.gif|Vampire Killer from Symphony of the Night.
SOTN Morning Star.gif|Morning Star from Symphony of the Night.
Saturn Vampire Killer.gif|Vampire Killer from the Sega Saturn version of Symphony of the Night.
CH Whip 6.gif|Morning Star Whip from the Arrange Mode of Chronicles.
HOD Vampire Killer.gif|Vampire Killer from Harmony of Dissonance.
HOD Steel Tip.gif|Steel Tip from Harmony of Dissonance.
HOD Vampire Killer 3.gif|Vampire Killer from the Boss Rush in Harmony of Dissonance.
AoS Vampire Killer.gif|Vampire Killer from Aria of Sorrow.
DOS Morgenstern.gif|Morgenstern from Dawn of Sorrow.
DOS Vampire Killer.gif|Vampire Killer from Dawn of Sorrow.
POR Vampire Killer.gif|Vampire Killer from Portrait of Ruin.
POR Morning Star.gif|Morning Star from Portrait of Ruin.
POR Vampire Killer 4.gif|Vampire Killer from Portrait of Ruin(Richter Mode)
DXC Vampire Killer.gif|Belmont Family Whip from The Dracula X Chronicles.
==See also==
*Chain Whip
*Vampire Killer (whip)
==External links==
*YouTube - Video showing obtaining and using the Morning Star in Symphony of the Night.
Category:Cudgels
Category:European Weapons
Category:Whips
Category:Adventure Items
Category:Adventure ReBirth Items
Category:Belmont's Revenge Items
Category:Bloodlines Items
Category:Castlevania Items
Category:Chronicles Items
Category:Curse of Darkness Items
Category:Dawn of Sorrow Items
Category:The Dracula X Chronicles Items
Category:Dracula's Curse Items
Category:Encore of the Night Items
Category:Haunted Castle Items
Category:Harmony of Despair Items
Category:Legacy of Darkness Items
Category:Portrait of Ruin Items
Category:Simon's Quest Items
Category:Symphony of the Night Items
Category:Super Castlevania IV Items
Category:Vampire Killer Items