Saber (Fate/stay night)
Saber is a female anime and manga character who features in Fate/stay night.
Contents |
Biography
Origin
Artoria Pendragon (Japanese: アルトリア・ペンドラゴン, Hepburn: Arutoria Pendoragon)
The king chosen to be the King of Britain was bestowed with a mysterious power, a black primeval cursed energy native to Britain, but its power had waned and Artoria's father Uther Pendragon was said to be the last of its keepers, which is why he came up with his plan to sire a manmade child of a human and a dragon. Merlin once foretold how the white dragon representing the Saxons and the red dragon representing Britain would battle each other, and then afterward Britain would be united by a great king who would defeat the Gauls and Romans. As the incarnation of the red dragon, Artoria was created to oppose the incarnation of the white dragon, Uther's brother Vortigern, who opposed the oncoming Age of Man and wanted to keep Britain a realm dominated by Mystery. Artoria was born into a time of chaos and war that began with the demise of the Western Roman Empire. It had been believed to be indestructible, but it was only awaiting its destruction at the hands of invading barbarians. In preparation for the war against the barbarians, Rome deprived her island province of any military forces left there. Once Britannia lost the empire's protection, it could not escape becoming independent, causing it to break into smaller countries soon after. This time of barbarian invasions and self-destructive strife between clans started a long period of war that would later become known as the Dark Ages. Artoria was born into this period as the heir to the throne, the daughter of the King of Britain, Uther Pendragon, and the blue-eyed Igraine, the wife of Uther's servant, the Duke of Cornwall. The king, believing in Merlin's prophecy, yearned for the birth of his appointed successor, but the child born was a girl and not the one he desired.
According to legend, Uther and Igraine would later marry thus making Igraine's other daughter and Artoria's half-sister, Morgan le Fay her official sister. However, the truth was that Morgan was not born until after Igraine and Uther were married, and she was the true blood daughter of Uther as well, making them full sisters. Furthermore, it was said that Arthur was left in Merlin's care as the price for his assistance in ensuring the success for Uther's love of Igraine, saying "I will properly guide this child, one bearing a great destiny, and protect him from the crisis of the royal family". The true reality was that Artoria was not a boy, so the king could not make a child that was not male his successor even if she was fated to one day become a king. She was entrusted to the king's vassals and was to be raised as the child of a mere knight. The king fell into despair at the situation, but Merlin was delighted because the sex of the one to become king had never mattered. He was confident that the fact of the girl being separated from the castle until the day of prophecy was proof that she would become king. Artoria's hometown was on the coast among green hills, where the wind raged and the sea bristled like the manes of a thousand galloping white horses. If one were to gaze at the faraway land from atop a cliff, they would see a long coast shrouded in mist, running as far as the eye can see. There, when Artoria was five years old, Merlin placed her in the care of Sir Ector, a simple and wise old knight, who raised her as his adopted child and successor. Though Ector did not believe in the prophecy, he did feel the same air from the girl as he did his king. He felt that he must raise her as a knight, and he wished for her to grow. He never needed to wish for such a thing, as she trained day after day to become stronger than anyone. She swore to bear her sword for the only reason that 'only a king can save a ruined country headed for death' without ever being told such. During this time, she was raised with Sir Kay as her brother, but they still loved each other as siblings after she learned the truth of their relationship. She acted as his squire and received training from him, while also doing other chores such as pulling along his horse. She was better than him in terms of swordsmanship, but she never beat him in a fight due to his arguments declaring himself the winner rather than actual skill.
While living here Artoria pretended to be a boy and went by the name Artorius, with only Merlin and her adopted family knowing the truth. At night she was taught by Merlin in her dreams, so even in her sleep she never truly got rest. Once the day of prophecy arrived, knights and lords from around the country gathered to be selected as king. Each expected the selection to be through jousting to select the most superior one to become a king, but the only thing prepared at the place of selection was a naked sword stuck in a stone with a golden inscription on the hilt reading 'Whosoe'er pulleth out this sword of this stone was rightwise king born of England'. While many knights grabbed the sword trying to follow the command, none were able to pull it out. As they began the expected method of selection by jousting, Artoria, only an apprentice not qualified for jousting, neared the deserted stone of selection and reached out for the sword without hesitation. Before grabbing it, Merlin appeared before her to tell her to think things over before taking it. He told her she would no longer be human upon taking hold of the sword, but she only responded with a nod because she has been prepared for the fact that "becoming a king means no longer being human" ever since she was born. She knew that a king is someone who kills everyone to protect everyone. She thought about it every night and shuddered until morning came. While not one day passed where she did not fear that fact, she said that it would end this day. The sword was pulled out as if it were only natural to do so, and the area was filled with light. She became something not human in that instant. The king's gender doesn't matter, and no one will care about the king's appearance or even notice it as long as the king acts like a king. Even if anybody did notice the king was female, it would not be an issue if she was a good king. This started the time of the king who would become a legend.[17] She stopped aging at 15 years old, back when she pulled Caliburn from the stone. Artoria secured her strength and rallied followers for ten years, among them such storied knights as Gawain. Ten years after she pulled Caliburn from the stone she slew the usurper king Vortigern in the fortress city of Londinium with the use of Rhongomyniad and was crowned King of Britain.
Fate/Zero
Saber came to be summoned by Kiritsugu Emiya in order to participate in the Fourth Holy Grail War on behalf of Jubstacheit von Einzbern and the Einzbern family. Kiritsugu was recruited by Jubstacheit and given Avalon, excavated from Cornwall, to summon the legendary King Arthur. At first, Emiya was surprised that the famous King Arthur was a young woman but this did not change anything about his plans. He partnered Saber with his wife and vessel for the Lesser Grail, Irisviel von Einzbern, to act as Saber's Master in the open while he acts from behind to win with his own methods. Saber was unaware of Avalon which had been given to Irisviel without her knowledge. Saber and Irisviel arrive together in Fuyuki by plane from the Einzbern Castle in northern Europe because Saber cannot dematerialize due to her unique status. Kiritsugu travels separately from them and meets up with his protege, Maiya Hisau. Following the challenge of another Servant, they quickly encounter their first opponent that night. Saber engages Lancer, and despite a mostly even fight, she is left with a wound from Gae Buidhe to her left hand that prevents her from utilizing her full strength and Excalibur. Their fight is interrupted by the Rider, who declares the supremacy of his kingship and an invitation to join his army, but Saber claims her own kingship as a reason to never bow before another lord.
The arrival of Archer, who claims that his own rule far exceeds their own, and Berserker, who takes an interest in Saber after battling Archer, confuses the situation even more. After Lancer is forced to battle alongside Berserker to kill Saber through a Command Spell, Rider interrupts that fight so that she and Lancer may properly finish their duel at a later time. All of the Servants then retreat for the night without any further battle. Saber and Irisviel encounter the deranged Caster on their way to Fuyuki's Einzbern Castle, and he mistakes her for Jeanne d'Arc due to a slight resemblance in their appearances. While she manages to drive him off, she in unable to convince him of his mistake and he promises to save her soul from the curse of God. After Kiritsugu attempts to kill Lancer's Master, Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi, to remove the handicap caused by the wound left from Lancer, both he and Caster plan separate attacks on the Einzbern Castle. Saber, while discussing strategies with Kiritsugu and Irisviel, starts to become disgusted with Kiritsugu's attitude toward the Holy Grail War, such as his action of attacking Kayneth when she already has a planned duel with Lancer and avoiding Caster so another Servant can kill him instead. Caster shows up soon after, and he taunts Saber by slaughtering a number of children.
Fate/stay night
Fate/Unlimited Blade Works
Overview
Personality and attributes
In appearance, Saber was a young girl in her early-mid teens with a slender physique, soft skin, and green eyes. She had finely textured blonde hair that seemed as if sprinkled with gold dust. Her face showed some signs of naivety and displayed a regal sense of elegance. In life, she was was known as the Once and Future King who was a legendary hero of Britain known as the King of Knights (騎士王, Kishi-Ō?). When summoned, she assumed the name Saber (セイバー, Seibā?) where she adopted her Servant class name in an attempt to hide her True Name from her opponents. If corrupted, she assumed a dark garbed version of herself that was known as Saber Alter (セイバー・オルタ, Seibā Oruta). Another incarnation of her was a wandering goddess known as the Goddess Rhongomyniad (女神ロンゴミニアド, Megami Rongominiado?) who was known by the title of Lion King (獅子王, Shishi-Ō?).
A strong-willed young woman who usually speaks truthfully but will lie if deemed necessary.
Artoria Pendragon was born the daughter of Uther Pendragon and his wife Igraine. The couple would later have another child who was a daughter as well who was named Morgan le Fay.
Powers and abilities
As a Servant, Artoria is widely considered to be the strongest Heroic Spirit in the Saber class. She was the one considered the "Most Outstanding" among the seven classes due to its excellent ratings in all categories.
Her initial Noble Phantasm was Invisible Air: Barrier of the Wind King (風王結界インビジブル・エア, Fū-Ō KekkaiInbijiburu Ea?) that was a sheath of wind which covered Excalibur and concealed it so that it could not be easily recognized as the famous holy sword of King Arthur and expose her identity. It was a Bounded Field closer to magecraft than a Noble Phantasm where it was made up of multiple layers of wind compressed into super-high pressure air with a massive amount of magical energy, which distorted the refraction of light and rendered what was inside completely invisible.
Notes
- Saber was created by Kinoko Nasu where she featured in the setting of TYPE-MOONs Fate universe.
Alternate Versions
In other media
Television
Films
Video games
- In Fate/Grand Order, the various versions of Saber appeared as playable characters in the setting of the mobile video game.
Appearances
- Fate/stay night:
- Fate/stay zero:
External Links
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