| This may not be the page you're looking for. Please see King Arthur (disambiguation) for other pages about a character or group known as King Arthur. |
| “ | Of what worth is a king who fails to protect the powerless?
— Artoria Pendragon
|
” |
Artoria Pendragon (also romanized as Arturia or Altria) is a major character in the Fate franchise, having first appeared in the visual novel Fate/stay night and often acting as the franchise's mascot. Artoria is based on King Arthur from Athurian myth.
Most of Artoria's life aligns with the Arthurian myths, with the most significant difference being that she was born a woman and forced to hide her true gender with the aid of Merlin. Having proven her kinghood by pulling Caliburn out of the stone, Artoria would come to succeed her father Uther, and bring an age of prosperity to Britain. To better aid in protecting her people, she would also create the Knight of the Round Table and recruit many great knights to her cause. Believing kings should be inhuman to govern effectively, Artoria never showed emotion, nor did she let it ever cloud her judgement. Although this ideology lead her to rule justly and bring her realm into a golden age, some felt ostracized by this, believing she didn't understand human emotion.
The golden age that Artoria brought to her kingdom was not to last. It was eventually revealed that Lancelot had an ongoing affair with her wife Guinivere. Although Artoria wished to pardon Lancelot, the knight feared retaliation from his king and ran, causing civil war to break erupt across the kingdom. To make matters worse, Artoria's traitorous son Mordred seized the throne in her father's absence. Artoria would slay Mordred during the Battle of Camlann but suffered fatal injuries herself. With her last breath, she made a deal with the world to serve as a Heroic Spirit in exchange for the chance to obtain the Holy Grail and wish to reverse the ruin brought to her kingdom. Thus her spirit would be perpetually trapped inside her body at the moment of her death, unable to pass onto to Avalon or ascend to the Throne of Heroes.
Artoria would be summoned as a Saber-class Servant in multiple Holy Grail Wars, though it was the Fourth and Fifth Fuyuki Holy Grail Wars that would be the most influential on her life. In the aftermath of the Fifth Grail War, all the possible outcomes of the war were fused together into one timeline by failed experiment preformed by Rin Tohsaka and Artoria continued to live with her Master Shirou Emiya.
Battle vs. Black Knight (Dane Whitman) (by Jon memeing)[]
Dane sat with his hands on his lap, dimness and silence surrounding him, inside this isolated room in his castle. His only company were books, Medieval weapons, and magical artifacts, scattered all around the place.
The world had been slowly turning more dangerous every year, with every conflict he had to face. First, an alien invasion led by the Hulk, then a bloody Civil War between the heroes. Then, there was the Skrull infestation, and the takeover of the cunning Norman Osborn.
Everything was turning crazy, everyone going insane. Problems became more and more difficult to fix, and Dane himself reflected if they, the super-powered, were to blame.
“You fretting?” the spirit of Sir Percy of Scandia, asked, appearing as a phantasmal silhouette, almost gaseous in nature, behind Dane’s back.
Dane sighed, before saying, “Anxious? Yes. Things have not been as easy as it was back then. I don’t even know if I can help out much longer.”
“You worry about your skills?”
“Probably? Though it’s more on my conviction to the whole superhero thing rather than my fighting abilities.”
Sir Percy nodded before walking around the study. He stopped in front of an 18th century portrait of King Arthur, before saying, “I believe a more proper training in the knightly arts can help you, dear squire. You may be the Black Knight, but you’ve never really knew what chivalry is. Superheroics is close, but still far from the commitment of a professional warrior.”
“You want me to learn chivalry?”
“It can help. If morals is of your concern, it does help to learn more from good people. And I know a lot of them back in my time.”
Dane stood up and went to Sersi’s desk near his. He grabbed a book from her shelves, one that was filled with spells and magicks from her life’s adventures. “Eh, what the hell. I do need to get out of this bloody room anyways. I think Sersi’s got something here than can help us travel back through time. Question is… who is the best person who can teach me?”
Clapping his palms, Sir Percy happily suggested, “No one better to learn chivalry than thy king himself. King Arthur of Camelot.”
In an apartment balcony somewhere in Fuyuki City, Saber took in the cold breeze from the early morning. Traffic was non-existent yet and peace still permeated. She’d never been a long sleeper, much less nowadays after her whole world had changed. She was no knight anymore, nor a king. She was a modern woman now, with modern problems, and modern duties to attend to.
Arms suddenly wrapped around her shoulders, giving a relief of warmth to counter the cold. She then felt a nose rummaging through her hair, and lips that gently kissed her nape. The embrace made Saber close her eyes and bite her lip, giving her comfort from her doubts, and love in a new strange world. “Why so early? You beat me to making breakfast,” the boy who hugged her said.
“You need rest for your education, Shirou,” replied Saber. “Let me take care of you sometimes.”
“We’re here to take care of each other,” Shirou said before he disengaged and headed back. “And Saber?”
“Yes, Shirou?”
“Thanks for staying.”
Saber blushed and smiled, before waving goodbye to her love. This had been a good idea so far, remaining in this world and time the same way Gilgamesh did. She sighed and let the warmness in her heart flow from her body. She had never felt anything like this; this feeling called love. A warm feeling that conquered her coldness. A feeling she wished would never end.
Several minutes after Shirou left to school, a thunderous crack made Saber recoil in surprise. The explosion came from just behind their apartment, right in the yard where they did their laundry. Shirou had always been a private man, especially in the matters of magic. So a noisy incursion like this could mean danger. A rogue magi perhaps? A mad servant or a vengeful enemy?
Saber donned her armor and readied her weapon as she headed downstairs to investigate.
Dane and Sir Percy looked in awe and confusion, scratching their heads upon the results of their time-travel. This was no Medieval era they came upon. Far from it in fact. It was a modern city; a bit different from the hustles and bustles Dane was accustomed to, but a modern city nonetheless.
There were small apartments and signs with Japanese characters on them. The sun was warm, lacking the dreariness of good old England. And the people? Oh there were a lot of them alright. Noisy, volatile, and pretty much in a hurry during this rush hour morning.
But still, it was all far from their intended destination.
“This is… weird,” Dane remarked.
“Indeed so…” added Sir Percy. “Did the spell malfunction?”
“Hey!” a voice suddenly called out to the time-travellers. Standing behind Dane and Sir Percy was a young blonde woman, encased in blue and silver armor, carrying what appeared to be an invisible weapon. She looked at them with cold piercing eyes that sized them up, weighing the threat they might be bringing.
The woman, Saber, was not as adapted yet to modern life. But she knew that even the mundane and common world was wrought with dangers all around. She sensed something in these men, and her instincts kicked in, drawing multiple paths that a fight might start in.
“Good morning… fair lady in armor,” Dane greeted. “Yeah, um, to be honest, I have no idea what to say in this fuck-up that’s happening.”
“You can start by stating who you are and why you are here,” Saber instructed.
“Me? While I don’t like to brag…” Dane answered. “But it’s me. I’m the Black Knight. Member of the Avengers? The guys who saved the world yadda yadda.”
“Believe us, we intend no harm, m’lady,” added Sir Percy. “You might not believe this, but me and my companion drew a spell that is supposed to take us back in time to meet King Arthur and—“
“Well, congratulations, you two,” Saber interrupted. “You found her.”
Sir Percy opened his mouth in surprise. What did she just say? What on Earth was she on about?
“Are you saying…” Dane said, perplexed, “that you are King Arthur?”
“Yes, I am,” answered Saber.
“Poppycock!” Sir Percy exclaimed. “Arthur is no woman! What heresy is this?!”
“I know this is a shocker,” Saber said. “But yes, I am King Arthur. My sex had been hidden by my father to —“
“Liar!” yelled Sir Percy. He then turned back towards Dane, furious anger boiling inside him, as he commanded the Black Knight, “This imposter lies! Punish her!”
“What?” Dane asked. “What the hell, mate?”
“Do it! I feel something wrong here. Something dangerous. We are not safe! Deception for now, but trust me, murder comes forth next if we are not careful!”
Saber raised her invisible weapon and made her stance. “You are right. You both are in danger,” she said. “Especially if you don’t leave this place at once.”
Dane put his fingers on the hilt of his ebony blade, feeling the darkness drew him near. He recoiled, wincing, at ever going to such a last resort. He instead took out his uncle’s power lance, contended with first starting with something safer to use, on an opponent that he didn’t really want to fight.
“Easy now,” Dane said. “We don’t want no trouble.”
“Leave… now!” Saber said as a gust of wind from her weapon propelled her with blinding speed towards Dane.
Dane tried to dodge the incoming attack, but his reflexes proved slower, and a slash from Saber’s invisible weapon ripped through Dane’s armor. The Black Knight managed to flip out of the way, as he fired his lance’s machine guns at Saber. But the bullets only bounced off, prompting Dane to fire lasers instead, which too proved useless. Saber, on the other hand, retaliated by unleashing a gust of wind that knocked Dane away.
“Fucking hell!” the Black Knight cursed.
“Use the blade, Dane!” yelled Sir Percy.
“Not yet!” Dane answered as he unsheathed his false blade. As Saber moved forward, Dane made a wild swing, cutting the abdomen of Saber. The female knight clutched her midsection in shock after seeing the devastation the blade caused. She then unleashed her mana burst to bash Dane away and give her some room.
“Dammit!” Saber thought. “I am not going to die here!”
As Dane attempted to make another slash, Saber finally removed her invisible air and unleashed excalibur’s true form. A giant downward swing came upon Dane, and when he attempted to block it, the power was too much that he was disarmed of his weapon.
“Shite!” Dane yelled, and with no other choices left, he finally unleashed his ebony blade. Dane then made a wild thrust that pierced through Saber’s shoulder. Though screaming in pain, the female knight kicked him away and slashed at his back. The two knights faced each other, bloodied and bruised, but still standing nonetheless.
“You…” Dane said as rage began to collect inside of him; a rage that was enough to rival even Wolverine’s and Thor’s. A madness that caused misery and destruction. One that was both a blessing and a curse, yet something that Dane would never be proud of. “Diiiieeeeee!!!”
Hundreds of powerful slashes struck a surprised Saber from all directions. She blocked most of it but several shredded through her skin and muscle. Saber began to bleed in a shower of blood. She parried a slash and a thrust, but a pummel broke her nose, and a swing cut her shoulder.
“Continue, Black Knight!” Sir Percy told Dane Whitman. “I can sense it. Her magic is draining. It will not be long before she finally falls.”
This was it. Saber was finished. She couldn’t possible survive this any longer.
“Saber!!!!” a voice suddenly entered her consciousness.
As Saber continued to defend herself in vain, the familiar voice gave her both hope and dread. Shirou had returned. He probably had heard of the battle she was in and ran back home. But this… No. Shirou should not be here. This opponent was far more than what they had faced before. Shirou was in danger. He could get hurt… He could… Die…
To the astonishment of Dane and Sir Percy, Saber became encased in a blinding radiant barrier. Every attack he did bounce off. Everything he threw seemed null and void. Saber, on the other hand, thanked the heavens for allowing her to summon avalon once again, her long lost sheath. Through Shirou’s appearance, and the blessings of the fairies, Saber felt joy, hope, and rejuvenation.
“Saber…” Shirou murmured. It was excalibur’s turn this time to burst with fiery energy. A magnificent, spectacular golden aura emerged from the sword itself, making it searing hot with the righteous fury of a thousand courageous cries.
“What the bloody hell is happening now?” Dane asked, panicking.
“S-Squire…” Sir Percy could only murmur. “I-I don’t know…”
“This ends now!” Saber yelled as she raised her sword above her head. “Ex… calibahhhhh!!!” yelled Saber as a powerful torrent of golden energy came barreling towards Dane.
Wordless and terrified, Dane attempted to block the gigantic energy attack coming towards him. The power of that blast was enough to throw him into the air, making him fly through trees and buildings. With determination, Dane eventually managed to plant his feet back to the ground. His armor and sword held up, but he could feel his body… no… his whole essence… burn away by such godly attack. Doom clouded his mind, and Dane cried for his life, his mortality fleeting every second. The fact that he would not be able to save people anymore. The possibility that he might not see his friends… and Sersi… his beloved Sersi… anymore…
“Noooooooo!” Dane screamed, making a promise not to die that day. A promise to get home. And with all the strength he had from countless battles with supervillains, aliens, and gods, Dane lifted his ebony blade as energy continued to push and disintegrate him. Just inches enough so that the blade could absorb more of Saber’s attack. Just enough to…
And then, something hit Saber like a chugging iron train. Her ribs broke and collapsed, her torso burst open with blood and bone. Her skin and armor burned away, and with a scream, Saber was no more.
Shirou saw the whole horror happen. That Black Knight somehow redirected Saber’s own excalibur attack, like how one redirected a beam of light, which ripped through Saber. But it didn’ matter anymore how he did it. Shirou could not believe his eyes. He could only grit his teeth and cry.
With shaking legs, Shirou ran towards what remained of Saber. Her beautiful face still remained gorgeous yet her body was mangled mercilessly and brutally. He knelt down and clutched her in his arms, tears bursting like there was no tomorrow.
“Saber! Saaaaabbbbbeeeeerrrrr!” Shirou could only cry for his lost loved. His partner, his sheath, the bone of his sword… No more.
Dane himself knelt down and wept. Nothing besides the ebony could kill him, yet he felt no victory. He only felt sick and sorry for what had happened. He didn’t even know what made everything turn this way. There was misunderstanding, yes. But he had always tried to do good. He had always tried to save, not hurt. Was it survival? Was the threats Sir Percy felt legit? Or was this murder? A murder of an innocent girl whom this young boy loved.
“This is all your fault…” Dane said as he turned towards Sir Percy.
“Apologies…” Sir Percy said, regret also obvious in his words. “Let us get out of here. This is enough lesson for today.”
Expert's Opinion[]
The battle is really close but I'm giving a tie-breaker in favor of the Dane Whitman, the Black Knight. Saber has everything going for her including speed, strength, and powerful range attacks. But Dane still beats her since his ebony blade can absorb and redirect magic, so Saber's attacks, and even herself entirely (Servants are made of magic) will be weak against the ebony blade. Couple with the fact that Dane has training and more experience fighting many dangerous foes in the MC's Earth 616, and Dane would win.
To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here.
Battle vs. Sonic the Hedgehog (by Appelmonkey)[]
Saber and Shirou walked through the streets of Fuyuki together hand-in-hand, enjoying a moment of peace. Suddenly, Shirou stopped in his tracks. “My Ally of Justice senses are tingling!” he exclaimed. Looking around for the source of the disturbance, he spotted a blue blur rapidly approaching a pair of lovers on the other side of the street. “Oh no, innocent people are in danger. I have to save them!”
“Shirou, wait!” yelled Saber, but it was too late as her Master had already crossed the street to knock the two civilians out of the way. “Trace on!” he exclaimed, manifesting a shield in front of him to block the oncoming blow. “Brain off,” he added, drooling from his mouth as he was hit by the blue force, sending him flying high into the sky until he was nothing more than a twinkle on the horizon.
“Shiroooooooou!” Saber cried as her boyfriend flew away from sight.
“Yikes, didn’t mean to do that,” said Sonic, the rat-faced blue hedgehog bitch. “Do you think he will be fine?”
“Who cares?” scoffed Excalibur, the talking sword in Sonic’s hand. “He was a ginger. They don’t have souls.”
“So that is why you wanted me to let Gawain kill himself.”
“Still baffled that you saved him.”
Saber turned to the source of the voices and found herself stunned. She expected to see a mighty warrior. Instead, she stood face-to-face with a strange fusion between a human and a hedgehog. She would have found it cute if her blood weren’t boiling. “You…” she growled. Sonic’s peppy demeanour immediately dropped at the sight of the angry blonde. “Uh, oh.”
“You hurt my Shirou!” Dashing forward, Saber manifested her armour around her body and her own Excalibur within her grasp, swinging the invisible blade to decapitate Sonic. Acting quickly, Sonic ducked before the blow could land.
“Wait, wait. Lady, I’m–”
Before Sonic could finish, Saber swept at his legs. “I’m sorry!” he continued, jumping over the invisible blade. “I promise I will get your boyfriend back. He probably only has one broken bone. Or two. Or three…Oh god, did I murder a man?”
That did little to calm the angered king, who slashed Excalibur downwards to split Sonic in half. This time, Sonic intercepted the blade with his own, only to get a kick to the face for the trouble, sending him flying into a wall. “Alright, that hurt,” he groaned and shook his head. “I don’t want to hit a girl, but man, I hate that woman!” Curling up in a ball, Sonic spun in place before launching himself towards Saber.
Acting swiftly, the Servant blocked the attack with her blade, only for Sonic to continue spinning mid-air, grinding against her sword before she managed to batter him away. Landing on his feet, Sonic wasted little time dashing towards his enemy, and again, she blocked his attack. Before Saber could launch a counter-attack, her foe had disappeared. Sensing Sonic approaching from behind, she spun around and slashed her sword to intercept the oncoming attack, but again Sonic proved too quick for her, seemingly disappearing into the wind.
This exchange repeated several times, and with each clash, Sonic gained more and more momentum. Even assisted by her Instinct, it proved increasingly difficult for Saber to keep up, yet she managed to hold her ground. Deciding to change his approach, Sonic began running circles around Saber, creating a small tornado that tossed her into the air. Coming to a halt, Sonic looked up, using his free hand as a blinder, and admired his handiwork. “That should do it!” But Saber wasn’t so quick to give up. Tightening her grip around Excalibur’s handle, she expelled Invisible Air, roaring as she propelled herself back to Earth like a rocket to end the battle in one swift blow.
“Uh oh,” Sonic muttered a second before Saber crashed into the ground, creating a massive crater, toppling houses and kicking up an enormous dust cloud that somehow took the shape of a giant dumb cat creature. Yet, the dust cloud swiftly dissipated as a strong wind blew at the epicentre, revealing a brilliant gold light of the unveiled Excalibur and Sonic clad in the armour of his version of the legendary blade. Sparks flew through the air as the Excaliburs wielded by the mighty kings with speed and strength beyond that of normal humans clashed against each other. With her swordsmanship and Instinct, Saber pushed Sonic back for just a moment before the golden knight retaliated with a barrage of blows so fast that even the King of Knights found it nearly impossible to keep up.
A thousand times, the two clashed within the blink of an eye, neither gaining the upper hand, forcing the two kings to jump back and separate.
“I see now…” muttered Sonic’s Excalibur. “That strength, the magnificent golden blade, that technique. This warrior is another version of King Arthur!”
“A lady King Arthur?” scoffed Sonic. “That’s dumb. Girls can’t be Arthur!”
“But a rat can?!” shouted Saber from the other side of the crater.
“Shut your *burunyu* mouth!” Sonic blinked as the unnatural sound slipped from his mouth. “What the *doridoridori*? *Nyaga*! Why can’t I *nya*ing swear? Ugh, whatever.”
Carried by Excalibur’s magic, Sonic flew towards Saber. Saber readied her blade to parry the oncoming attack before the blue blur changed course at the last second, evading the edge as he swooped around her, channelling his Soul into a mighty kick, causing her to stumble back. Capitalising on the opening, he again drew on his Soul, extending Excalibur’s magic outer blade and followed up with a rapid series of slashes, pushing Saber back with the force of his assault.
Just as she was about to fall, Saber firmly planted her foot on the ground. Burning the mana inside of her, she increased her swiftness and strength. A loud clang echoed through the streets as their blades once again connected. This time, however, Saber's power proved too much as Sonic was launched into the air, spinning out of control faster than my life before stabilising himself. Meanwhile, Saber closed her eyes and raised her blade to her chest. She envisioned Shirou’s smiling face, his meals, his company. All things this pretender king took from her. She would avenge her Master’s death. Excalibur’s blade began to glow with magic energy as Saber invoked the blade’s name.
“Ex…”
“She is about to unleash her ultimate attack!” Excalibur warned.
“We’re the only ones who get to rip off Dragon Ball! Let’s get her!” The full power of Excalibur overflew Sonic, turning him into a bright golden comet powerful enough to obliterate the Heroic Spirit.
“...CALIBUR!” With a swing of her sword, Saber unleashed the full power of her Noble Phantasm, shooting out a beam equally bright and gold as the comet flying towards her. The brilliant power of both Excaliburs clashed, bathing the city in blinding light, and causing multiple car crashes, including the bus that just so happened to hold entire Death Battle staff.
For a second, it seemed neither could get the upper hand, but as the voting dictated, Sonic had to win. With a burst of newfound energy, the rat-faced fuck burst through Saber’s attack and rammed into her, sending her flying right after Shirou.
Sonic had achieved victory, but it wouldn’t be long-lived as just a second later, the Flash would appear and give him a lethal injection before swallowing Excalibur whole and running off into the sunset. Unfortunately, his attosecond-perceiving reflexes were too slow to spot Deathstroke’s wire and tripped.
Expert's Opinion[]
TBW