Fate/Zero – 06

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[Commie] Fate ⁄ Zero - 06 [7622898E].mkv_snapshot_01.11_[2011.11.05_18.07.53] [Commie] Fate ⁄ Zero - 06 [7622898E].mkv_snapshot_18.03_[2011.11.05_19.06.34] [Commie] Fate ⁄ Zero - 06 [7622898E].mkv_snapshot_18.31_[2011.11.05_18.25.07]

While this was more of a “calm before the storm” episode than anything, it was still exciting in that funny way Fate/Zero’s talky eps have a way of being…

“Night of Stratagems”, indeed.  There was all sorts of interesting stuff happening here, especially for a relative newcomer to the material as I am.  In the first place, Caster did indeed mistake Saber for Jeanne d’Arc, which was the only explanation that made sense but it’s still nice to see it confirmed.  Also confirmed is that both Caster and his master, Uryu, are absolutely crazy.  “An insane servant and a master unable to control him” is how Tokioimi puts it, and that sounds good to me.  Caster is now so frustrated over “Joan” not recognizing him that he declares his intentions to commit larger and grosser atrocities as an affront to God, in some sort of bizarre attempt to bring Saber back to her senses.  Thankfully we were spared the details of what was happening in the dungeon where the two psychopaths are hiding, but with 15 children already kidnapped I imagine we’re going to be dealing with some grisly stuff next week.

There were a couple of relatively new turns for the series that were quite interesting to me, one of them being the focus on the rules of the Grail War.  While there’s obvious a code of conduct that mages are more or less expected to follow even in this situation, it’s equally obvious that there are a couple of players at least – Caster/Uryu and Kiritsugu – for whom rules mean nothing.  Last week there was much focus on the divided nature of the servants, with chivalry being the chasm that splits them – this time, we got a look at how the masters are different.  Uryu and Caster’s crimes are obvious, but Kiritsugu – nominally the hero of the piece – thinks nothing of blowing up an entire hotel to attempt to kill Keyneth, who has surrounded himself with a great wall of magical defense.  There was a fire drill that cleared the building, but I doubt Kiritsugu would have hesitated merely because civilians would die. 

Of course Keyneth is not dead, I’d stake my car on that.  And while Kirei witnesses Kiritusgu’s attempt on Keyneth’s life and almost kills Maiya in the aftermath, any outrage over that deed is soon set aside as Assassin brings him word of Caster’s atrocities.  These are apparently such a blatant violation of rules that they can’t be ignored, and a decision is reached by the priest at the sanctuary – who I assume is acting as a sort of referee – that all of the masters shall combine their efforts in an attempt to stop Caster and Uryu in their tracks.  Given that they seem to be making no attempt to cover those tracks finding them shouldn’t be hard, but I suspect we’ve seen only a tiny fraction of Caster’s true power.  I’m also very curious to see how this attempt to get the other masters to work together takes shape – I suspect that isn’t going to be as simple as it looks.  The irony here is that I sense the outrage is not so much over the nature of Caster and Uryu’s crimes themselves – the kidnap and murder of children – as over the fact that they’ve broken the rules of the game and risk attracting unwanted attention from the muggles.

The other prominent focus of the ep was on strategy, and Keyneth is clearly in the camp of relying on subterfuge to win the war.  He has his wife Sola-Ui (Toyoguchi Megumi) with him, and she’s a mage too – and is effectively cheating by acting as a second master to Lancer and providing an additional source of prana (though she’s clearly not immune to Lancer’s charms – that mole!).  I don’t know if that literally violates the rules, but then the secret alliance between Tokiomi and Kirei is probably on similarly ambiguous ground.  Of even more interest is the fact that Gilgamesh – a clever fellow he, in addition to being an egomaniac – looks to be trying to drive a wedge between Kirei and Tokiomi.  Due to their circumstances those two are spending a lot of time together, and Kirei has been very much the enigma to this point, his motivations for allying with Tokiomi or indeed fighting at all unclear.  I like the fact that Gilgamesh notices that just as we do, and as he seems like the most devious of all the servants, I’m curious to see just what he has in mind – is it pure mischief, and attempt to sow trouble?  Or perhaps genuine dislike for his master, who he dismisses as “boring”?

Notably absent this week was the Rider/Waver pair, which sort of makes sense given that Rider’s clear forte’ is action rather than strategy, and Kariya/Berserker, who’ve had almost no role in the series thus far.  I’m very curious to see what Waver is going to bring to the table, as he’s the one figure who’s contributed nothing in terms of either brains and brawn to the game thus far.  But he was smart enough to finagle his way into that game, so sooner or later, I assume that intelligence will play some sort of role in events on the ground.  For now, things seem mostly focused on the seeds that were planted in this episode, and the Kirei/Tokiome/Archer thread is the most interesting of those. 

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[Commie] Fate ⁄ Zero - 06 [7622898E].mkv_snapshot_16.08_[2011.11.05_18.22.05] [Commie] Fate ⁄ Zero - 06 [7622898E].mkv_snapshot_16.30_[2011.11.05_18.22.27] [Commie] Fate ⁄ Zero - 06 [7622898E].mkv_snapshot_16.57_[2011.11.05_18.23.33]
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Guardian Enzo

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15 comments

  1. b
    belatkuro
    November 6, 2011 at 2:59 am
    Reply

    Sola isnt an additional prana source, she's the only one providing prana to Lancer. Normally a Master is the one both providing prana and holding the Command Seals but Kayneth cheated obviously.
    And yeah that mole. Sola is being NTR'd right in front of Kayneth and the one doing it is unaware 😛
    History is repeating itself again. Look up Diarmuid's legend and you can guess what will happen to them 🙂

    And there were cut parts in the Caster/Ryuunosuke part, obviously from how the camera changes scenes. Reserved for the BDs I guess as it was quite disturbing in the novels. Would you like to know what happened? 🙂

  2. d
    deafvader
    November 6, 2011 at 3:06 am
    Reply

    @Enzo: It would be a serious troll if they show Keyneth's wife only to kill her off. And in the preview we hear lancer's voice. So Key should be alive.
    As for Saber her chivalry causes problem. If you do not run over a sadistic child killer, at least slash him when you have the chance!!

  3. d
    deafvader
    November 6, 2011 at 3:10 am
    Reply

    @bel:
    1. So why can't Kayneth be a prana source? Is he that weak? And where was his wife during the battle of saberxlancer? she had to be nearby to cast 'heal'.
    2. yes, i would like to know. there was no screaming so i was a bit confused.
    3. Diarmuid's legend= spoiler?

  4. F
    Fencedude
    November 6, 2011 at 3:29 am
    Reply

    No no no. You have to start with a comment about Iri's driving! Thats required!

  5. F
    Fencedude
    November 6, 2011 at 3:32 am
    Reply

    but I doubt Kiritsugu would have hesitated merely because civilians would die.

    I'm not so certain, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that some of Kiritsugu's previous events ended up having a much lower bodycount than first reported…

    I’m very curious to see what Waver is going to bring to the table, as he’s the one figure who’s contributed nothing in terms of either brains and brawn to the game thus far

    Waver brings the moe and the uke.

    And man, so many masters getting NTR'd by their servants in this war.

  6. admin
    November 6, 2011 at 3:32 am
    Reply

    @belatkuro

    Heh, yeah, I know the Diarmuid story.

    Nope, I'm very happy not knowing what happened.

  7. d
    draggle
    November 6, 2011 at 3:33 am
    Reply

    I forgot all about Lancer's mole! That scene makes a lot more sense now!

  8. A
    Anonymous
    November 6, 2011 at 3:47 am
    Reply

    @deafvader
    i believe his (Kayneth)role is pretty much mix between Iri and Kiritsugu. his fiancee provide mana for Lancer while he support (heal) and/or attack with offensive magic. that way he can keep his fiancee (and her command seal) safe.

  9. b
    belatkuro
    November 6, 2011 at 4:11 am
    Reply

    @deafvader
    1. As you know, they are magus and magus fight using spells and stuff. Masters give out some of their prana to sustain their Servants. But Kayneth made it that way so that when he fights he can be able to utilize his prana fully in fighting instead of giving some to the Servant. But well he didnt quite do that in the earlier fight and chose to hide only so he got scolded by Sola.

    2. I'd like another one to say that he wants to know it as well before I say it ;D

    3. Not really but it gives you something to guess about how things will go in the Kayneth camp.

  10. m
    momogoldfish
    November 6, 2011 at 4:22 am
    Reply

    Needs more Rider. He stole the show and didn't give it back so he has to take responsibility.

    Also Gilgamesh is a pimp while Caster is a deluded 30+yr old virgin living in his own fantasy (jokes)

    Also would like to know what happened in the novel. Mayhaps a link to that part of the novel since GE is not too interested?

  11. admin
    November 6, 2011 at 4:54 am
    Reply

    It's at the beginning of Vol. 2, if anyone really wants to know what happened in the Caster/Uryu scene (I caved and read it). Honestly, I thought what happened in episode 2 was more disturbing.

  12. h
    hrmmmm
    November 6, 2011 at 5:20 am
    Reply

    small error "things nothing of blowing up an entire hotel…". I think you meant 'thinks'

    Kiritsugu sounds like he's in trouble next ep =O

  13. T
    The Kenosha Kid
    November 6, 2011 at 6:13 am
    Reply

    You know, after this episode, the previous five kinda feel like exposition of various sorts: 1-3 setting up the characters and their motivations, and 4 and 5 making their powers clear. I've got the feeling that the plot is only now starting to kick into gear.

    Having seen F/SN, I can safely say that that conversation between Kirei and Gilgamesh is going to be utterly terrifying in hindsight. I won't say any more spoilerish than that, though.

    It's funny, too, that I was entirely creeped out by that Uryuu/Caster scene, even though nothing was shown. It just kind of oozed wrongness.

  14. K
    Karmafan
    November 6, 2011 at 11:14 pm
    Reply

    Did I misunderstand or is the council running this Holy Grail War gonna order all the masters to take a break from fighting each other to team up and destroy the serial killer master and servant that are murdering children (before they go back to fighting for the grail)?

  15. admin
    November 6, 2011 at 11:45 pm
    Reply

    That was how I interpreted it. Guess we'll see.

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