Playable Archer (Fate/Extra)

Archer (アーチャー) is the Archer-class Servant available to be chosen by Hakuno Kishinami in the Moon Cell Holy Grail War in Fate/Extra and Fate/Extra CCC.

Identity
Archer's True Name has been lost, so he is an Anti-Hero with no name (無銘). An unknown Heroic Spirit. A "Faker". In his previous life, he was a mere magus just like the Masters who participated in the Holy Grail War. Not as versatile as Rin Tohsaka, but apparently possessing a Magic Circuit specialized in a single magecraft. He put into practice the Hero of Justice that many people dream about, but when faced with a disaster that could not be solved with just his own powers, he sold over his "self after death" to the Moon Cell as compensation for a miracle. As a result, he is thus employed as the concept of “Hero of justice” after death, as a Servant instead of a hero.

As for the human who became his source, there is a person who spent his previous life as a personifier of justice in the past like that, but he is no longer said individual. This Heroic Spirit is the shape of a convenient “Hero of justice” that people desired, which started with the shape of that person. The person who became the source for this Heroic Spirit certainly exists, but by the time he was worshiped as a hero, his name as a human had been completely forgotten from people's memories and history. Archer is described as being of the same "existence" as the Archer of Fate/stay night, but not the same "person." Furthermore, the "True Name" under which he attained effective functionality as a Heroic Spirit differs from that of Fate/stay night's Archer as well.

Life as a Human
He was Shirou Emiya, the source of this Heroic Spirit. This person experienced survivors guilt in his youth as he was the sole survivor of a major disaster, his body lived yet his soul died that day. He wanted to atone as the survivor so he doesn't consider his life as his own. He swore he'd never let another tragedy happen again. He gave up his name and his humanity and swore that he'd live for those who had died and not for himself. His warped ideals of becoming a hero of justice is how he grew up.

He made the promise come true by stopping those who tried to use strength for their own self interests. He believed that anyone who acts selfless and stays true to one's ideal can become a personification of justice. He was addicted to the feelings that his devotion to others gave to him. By volunteering and resisting, his self-righteousness allows him to save others. While it was for selfish reasons, his desire to help others led to him becoming a legend amongst them. Under his altruism he was just in truth a mercenary and he was alone only for a short time. He had friends who approved of his ideals and took charge of all things. Thanks to them, he was able to immerse himself deeper to his sense of duty.

In his "last time of saving everyone", one of the cores of a nuclear power plant has a melt down. He went into the core to stop it and bypassing the security on the way.

Even though Archer was blessed with close friends, a caring lover, his life was not as ideal as it seemed. He was a criminal; even if he was on the side of justice, he was no hero. He acted above the law and stuck fear to criminals and government alike. His friends soon came to realize that he would strike down evil no matter what form it manifested in. His closest friend began to fear him, "I thought this man helped me because he cared for me, but... if I had become a detriment to the public, he wouldn't hesitate to strike me down." So his friend decided to lure him into a trap where he was caught by the police. It wasn't his friend that betrayed him but it was his ideals that did. His friend realized that he was bonded not to a man but to a demon enforcing indiscriminate justice. He never hated his friend in the past or in the present but he felt it was unfortunate.

In the end, it was the human court system, not some evil force or nefarious villain, that spelled the end of the man that would become Archer. Tried for the various crimes he had committed in the name of justice, Archer accepted all of the consequences for his actions. If he pled not-guilty, it would amount to disgracing the deaths of those he was forced to sacrifice. He accepted the people's justice without defiance. In the final moments before his execution, he thought he would be killed by righteous hatred but it was karma. Thus he became a hero with no name. His death showed the public the very sort of embodiment of justice that they yearned for.

Appearance
Archer is a young man in his mid-twenties and he has the same overall appearance as his counterpart.
 * Red Plain Mystic Code (赤原礼装) - Archer's signature costume. He wears a black body armor made from a special material that has yet to be discovered by mankind as of the present time. His red overcoat is a type of holy shroud.
 * Cool & Wild (クール＆ワイルド) is the rogue form where he wears a stylish red leather jacket. His main outfit in Fate/Extra CCC is something he is embarrassed to be seen wearing, noting that he definitely did not choose to wear it. If Hakuno compliments him on it, he changes his mind very quickly, nothing that he had always wanted to wear that kind of clothing during his lifetime. He had a female acquaintance tell him “Rock style doesn’t suit you, so knock it off, seriously.”, so he had avoided such clothing since then. Pleased with the praise, he thinks that he should show off even more skin.
 * Modern Black Costume (黒色の現代衣装) is his casual clothing in which he wore black T-shirt and black trousers. He styled his hair down and wears glasses.
 * Black Swimmer (ぶらっくすいまー) is his outfit in Fate/Extra CCC
 * Mythology Mystic Code of Wrought Iron (錬鉄の神話礼装)

Personality
His personality is based on his counterpart, however there are some difference between the two. He is noted in Fate/Extra CCC as being less cynical.

Unlike his counterpart, he doesn't regret pursuing his ideals of becoming a “Hero of justice” but instead he made peace with them. Whenever he speaks to Hakuno about his past, he would smile as he recounts the birth of a selfish, idealistic hero of justice. He claims that he never considered himself as a hero and simply followed his sense of justice. Whenever he thinks back, he has a nostalgic feeling, "Ah, the good old days." As he evaluates himself, he thinks that he wasn't as bad of a person as he once thought, something that Hakuno rubs onto him. He believes that its always wrong to kill someone, no matter what ideals are at stake. To kill for personal gain is evil. Hakuno believes that he killed himself by choosing his ideals over his humanity. The him in the past and the current him are different people. His fight with Hakuno has been meaningful and redemptive, though at times he is frustrated with Hakuno's inexperience. But nevertheless, Archer thought Hakuno to be a good Master.

He retained memories of the Fifth Holy Grail War that he once participated in, he makes several references to it. He remembers the real Shinji Matou and commented the young Shinji Matou to be more good natured. Saber makes a big impression on him. For example, he commented that he is experienced at fighting an invisible sword while fighting against Assassin and even able to project her Excalibur. He even lectured Gawain about King Arthur's rule while retaining her humanity. He certainly remembers Kiritsugu Emiya as he used his story as an example on how he destroyed a plane infected with a virus to save the majority.

His room in Fate/Extra is fashion in stacks of chairs and tables together with red cloth covering them. In Fate/Extra CCC, his room has guns decorated on the wall.

Fate/Extra
Archer is one of the selectable Servants in Fate/Extra along with Saber and Caster. As Servants in Moon Cell are selected for their compatibility, Hakuno and Archer are compatible because they are both nameless existence and had been guided by a force beyond their control.

Fate/Extra CCC
With Hakuno Kishinami loses memories in the far side of the Moon, Archer helps Hakuno like a nagging instructor. It is noted when he is the servant of the female Hakuno, Meltlilith will fall in love with him in her own deranged manner. She would mention his "Body of Steel" on occasion.

In Archer's ending, Hakuno would meet Archer before becoming a Heroic Spirit.

Fate/Extella
Archer returns as a selectable playable character. This time, he will be facing other parties in an upcoming war and he's in Nero's Party along with Nero, Gawain, Cú Chulainn, and Li Shuwen.

Other appearances
He appears in TYPE-MOON Ace Omake Theater (Type-Moon Ace おまけ劇場):
 * Fight!! Ms.Blossom Cost Chapter (「たたかえ!!ブロッサム先生　コスト編) - Archer, Caster and Saber fights Sakura, in order to save Hakuno.
 * Let Me Hear!! Ms.Blossom Merry Chrismas Chapter (きかせて!!ブロッサム先生　メリクリ編) - The Servants and Sakura celebrate Christmas. Archer calls himself as Santom (サンタム), his costume is a parody of Enoch in.

Abilities
The Hero of Wrought Iron (錬鉄の英雄) is the title given to the one who in his previous life was involved with many weapons, tempered them, and produced weapons for many swordsmen and soldiers. The proof that this Archer was a human suitable not for battle, but rather manufacture. The weapons that he uses are manufactured by a Magecraft called Projection. Both the swords in his hands and the swords he creates by means of a Skill are imitations analyzed and reproduced from the basic structure of the originals. Kanshou & Bakuya (干将・莫耶) is a pair of married swords that Archer favors. Their performance as swords is high, but they also possess an aspect as a mystic armament for divination and ceremonial uses. Originating in the of China, it seems they are counterfeits of the work by the craftsman, who was widely known in ancient China. Assassin instantly recognizes them as fake but at the same time admires them as if the original swordsmith has return as a Heroic Spirit.


 * Pre-Projection (投影準備) - "Trace on". A magecraft that raises the effectiveness of Projection by 1, it uses 10MP.
 * Hrunting: Hound of the Red Plains - Weaken - It requires one Projection and 30MP to use this skill. It does physical damage and lowers defense.
 * Hrunting: Hound of the Red Plains - Fatigue - It requires two Projection and 30MP to use this skill. It does physical damage and lowers enemy's offense.
 * Structural Reinforcement (構造強化) - A self use skill that raises accuracy of Projection when using GUARD.
 * Structural Mastery (構造把握) - Projection increased by 1 from the beginning.
 * Crane Wing Three Realm (鶴翼三連) - He uses the Kanshou & Bakuya to perform this sword technique, it uses 50MP. Inflicts Projection damage on an enemy.
 * Rho Aias: The Seven Rings that Cover the Fiery Heavens - Archer's ultimate defense that cancels the opponent's move. It uses 60MP and five Projections to activate.
 * Caladbolg II: The Fake Spiral Sword - It requires 3 Projections and 70MP, it pierces an enemy.
 * Independent Action (単独行動) - This ability allows him to remain independent by rejecting any kind of support from his Master. When this skill reaches rank C, he can remain in the world for a single day without establishing a contract with a Master. After battle, Archer recovers a small amount of health.
 * Excalibur Image: Forever Distant Golden Sword is a degraded version of Excalibur utilized by Archer that can only be utilized within Unlimited Blade Works.

Unlimited Blade Works is not a weapon, but rather a Reality Marble, a type of Magecraft that embodies the mental world of the caster and, even if just temporarily, rewrites reality. It is a special Magecraft described as a great forbidden spell, and there are exceedingly few who have learned it. "Unlimited Blade Works" is a faraway land that the wizard who specialized in tempering swords finally arrived at by wagering his life. All the weapons he saw that hold the concept of "sword" are stored in this Reality Marble. While this is active, his abilities are greatly enhanced.

Fate/EXTRA material notes that Noble Phantasms replicated under Unlimited Blade Works are degraded from their originals by one rank, similar to the circumstances of the Archer of Fate/stay night. However, though Playable Archer would in principle be normally incapable of tracing items of no inherent rankability (ergo, EX Rank Noble Phantasms), it becomes possible for him to do so with the support of the original owners of said items.