"It will KEAL!": Here's What Doug Marcaida's Catchphrase Really Means

Season 8 of Forged in Fire has featured some of the most tension-charged scenes in the history of the show. Contestants like Kyle Farace and James Welker demonstrated exceptional craftsmanship throughout the episodes, proving to the judges that blacksmithing is anything but an obsolete art. The knife-testing scenes likely gave Forged in Fire fans enough to think about, but there's one question that continues to preoccupy some viewers: What does the phrase 'It will KEAL!' mean?

The phrase sounds uncannily similar to 'It will kill!' — which, coincidentally, is the exact opposite of its designated meaning. Doug Marcaida, one of the judges appearing on Forged in Fire, is frequently credited as the person who first came up with the phrase.

Many believe that the mantra was coined to make the show — which does feature a fair few harrowing scenes — more suitable for families and younger audiences. So, what exactly does 'It will KEAL!' stand for?

"KEAL" is an acronym for "Keep Everyone Alive." In other words, the sentence emphasizes the importance of celebrating the art of forgery without causing harm.

The weapons featured on the show are put to a series of rigorous tests. In this context, 'It will KEAL!' is used to describe a design that has passed the test. Its opposite — 'It will not KEAL!' — denotes a contestant's failure to create a robust enough blade that could slice through any and all materials fathomable.

The phrase continues to serve as a source of confusion for viewers who are relatively new to the show.

"In Forged in Fire, Doug Marcaida doesn't say 'It will kill.' He says 'It will KEAL,' as in, 'Keeps Everyone Alive I'm -????" tweeted @lVYTWT.

"Love when my man on Forged in Fire says 'It will kill,'" tweeted @DOCisChief.

"The way I look at the TV when the dude from Forged in Fire says "iT wiLL KiLL" he always says that s--t so weird lol," tweeted @AMBERRICALDAY.

Ric Flair (aka Richard Morgan Fliehr) made a cameo in Season 8, Episode 18 of Forged in Fire.

Frequently hailed as one of the greatest wrestlers out there, Ric earned renown for his exceptional eye for theatrics, his charismatic personality, and, of course, his unmatched ability to take the enemy down.

On Forged in Fire, he attended the evaluation of a pair of so-called Bastard Swords.

The three-part event series sees eight members of the U.S. Army make their way to the forge to prove that they have what it takes to create exceptionally well-designed, heavy-duty weapons that look good and perform spectacularly well. The blade-oriented extravaganza kicks off with a brand-new episode on Wednesday, July 21, 2021.

Catch new episodes of Forged in Fire Wednesdays at 9 p.m. EST on History.