Waver Velvet

Waver Velvet (ウェイバー・ベルベット) is the Master of Rider in the Fourth Holy Grail War of Fate/Zero. He later became known as Lord El-Melloi II (ロード・エルメロイⅡ), a highly respected professor within the Mage's Association and the main protagonist of the Lord El-Melloi II Case Files.

Background
Waver was born as the third generation of the Velvet family, but it was not a very prestigious line. His grandmother, the first generation, was the lover of a certain magus who picked up the very basics of magecraft during their pillow talk. Waver's mother, the second generation, only sparsely practiced as a way to honor her mother. Waver was the first to seriously follow the path of magecraft, so his heritage and innate abilities were lacking. His mother found the Association’s hierarchical system annoying and disapproved of Waver seeking out the tutelage of a proper mentor, but he was strongly drawn to magecraft. His parents eventually both died of illness, so he took the opportunity to sell all of his family’s possessions to gather enough money for his tuition for the Clock Tower without anything leftover.

Becoming Lord El-Melloi II
Three years after the events of the Fourth Holy Grail War, he returns to the Clock Tower and displays diligence after having been changed by his interactions with Rider.

He became a third year lecturer while studying the bare essentials, he had no choice but to rely on others due to his own fundamental lack of ability. As a lecturer for third year students, he quickly made a name for himself. At first, he wasn't even placed into a specific Faculty, so his lectures had a vanishingly small number of attendees. Thanks to this, however, the lessons had a practicality to them that was unrivalled elsewhere in the Clock Tower, and the new generations of students with nowhere else to go flocked to him. Winning the approval of other lecturers that had failed in their struggles for power, he was able to take the stage and actualize a multilateral approach to education that had yet to be seen.

Kayneth's sudden death leaves a gap the organization of his research left at the Clock Tower, and House El-Melloi is left on the verge of ruin. While still considered Kayneth's "most useless formal student", Waver collects the unorganized and unattended works before they are lost, compiling them into the tome named "Lord Kayneth's Encyclopedia of Arcane Secrets." His actions restore the El-Melloi house, and he become known as the "man who revived the Archibalds" or "new El-Melloi." The encyclopedia becomes what acts as the foundation for the flourishing of the house and its descendants.

"I recognize your deeds to the Archibald family, but since you were only making up for what you caused in the first place, you better serve me for your entire life."

- Reines El-Melloi Archisorte, 10th Head of the Archibald family

Waver takes on the title of Lord El-Melloi II, after the proper heir, Reines El-Melloi Archisorte, a young girl at the bottom of the family's hierarchy, recognizes his achievements, but only does so while letting him know that Kayneth's death was his fault and that he will have to serve her for his entire life. He was the youngest Lord the Clock Tower had ever seen. Amongst the twelve nobles who administer the Clock Tower, he's the lowest ranked. He attains the fourth order rank, "Fes". He was previously in charge of Mineralogy department until he changed to the 12th Modern Magecraft Theories department.

The majority of people thought he wasn't anyone special. It was assumed that he was a mere puppet the El-Melloi family had, at their convenience, forced into the unenviable position of heading that hodgepodge of subjects known as Modern Magical Studies. But, they soon learned that they were terribly wrong. His works eventually cause him to be recognized as a great professor. Within the Clock Tower political party, Lord El-Melloi II is in the flexible reformist camp. He is the type to respect one’s merits, regardless of tradition or novelty. Rather than label him a conservative or a reformer, it might be most accurate to call him a neutral party.

He wishes to further his own studies, but his mediocrity as a magus keeps him from advancing. He attains a reputation as a great teacher, but cares little for it due to not even being able to advance in rank within the Clock Tower.

Appearance
In the Fourth Holy Grail War, Waver was nineteen years old. Although he was a bit shorter than an average person. His body tended to be frail, because he had done nothing but study in his childhood, and had little time to forge his body, but he didn’t think it was a weakness. Rather, Waver had pride in polishing up his intellect.

As Lord El-Melloi II, he is a man in his early thirties with long loose hair. He wore a red coat with golden ornamentations on its shoulders, and his face bore a tremendously sour expression. He is often seen smoking a cigar. In Character material, he is seen wearing an elbow sleeve shirt with Admirable Great Tactics logo on it.

Fourth Holy Grail War
Waver can be called a "spoiled brat" who is the very embodiment of a "narcissist that does not doubt he's a genius." He displays traits of cowardliness, being short-tempered, and constant complaints without action. He has an inferiority complex about his abilities as a magus and Master, and he constantly doubts himself at every turn. He forms a bond with Rider over time that begins to change him, with Rider bolstering his confidence and recognizing his traits. He praises Waver for riding into the front lines of battle with him, he comforts Waver upon seeing Caster's victims, and remarks in his abilities as an unconventional but exceptionally talented magus, though Waver quickly refutes him.

Though he often fights with Rider, he bonds with him over the course of the Holy Grail War, and he even pledges his allegiance to Rider as one of his subjects. Even Gilgamesh praises his loyalty, causing his life to be spared because of remaining steadfast in following Rider's final orders.

Lord El-Melloi II
After becoming Lord El-Melloi II, he takes on a reputation as a famous lecturer of the Clock Tower. His involvement with Rider changed his previous attitude, allowing his persistent effort to lead to him being called a professor. Known as "Great Big Ben London Star”, "Professor Charisma", and "Master V", he has been even named "the number one man female students would like to sleep with", among others. He cares little about his reputation, and he would rather focus on his own success as a magus. His irritations towards it has even caused people to say that he has walked through the institute with a constantly cranky look to him for several years. He is not an ambitious person, and he does not like to become involved with his students, having once said, "What a load of codswallop. Why should I, stuck at the fourth tier I still be, have to bloody look after other people?" He dislikes people calling him Lord El-Melloi without the "second" because it is unbearably grating without it.

He takes after Rider in that his sole pleasure lies in Japanese video games, though he has come to hate Japan and Japanese people. He orders a large number of games, and after playing through them fully, takes the time to diligently give his thoughts on the games through their survey cards. Though he often receives game memorabilia through sweepstakes, he cares little for it and mostly believes that it is the proper action to relay his opinions back to the game designers even if he must pay international postage to airmail them to Japan. Much of his room is full of the memorabilia, though he also has a cabinet where he keeps the fragment of Rider's cloak that he used as his catalyst.

Fate/Zero
Shortly before the Fourth Holy Grail War, at the age of nineteen, he developed the revolutionary concept that a mage's power could be increased through effort, experience, and knowledge rather than increasing magical potential through that of a mage's genetic lineage. His idea was dismissed by his lecturer, the nobleman Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, who tore up Waver's manuscript without another thought. He experienced nothing but hardship and failure in his work. Outraged and humiliated, Waver discovers that Lord El-Melloi will participate in the Fourth Holy Grail War in Japan. Stealing the artifact El-Melloi intends to use to summon his Servant and running off to Japan, Waver intends to win the Holy Grail in order to force the Mage's Association to recognize his genius.

Using the stolen artifact, he summons the Rider-class Servant, Iskandar. The two of them stay with Glen and Martha Mackenzie, an elderly Canadian couple living in Japan, for the duration of the war. The couple, thanks to Waver's magical abilities, are under the impression that he is their grandson. Waver is the youngest Master in the Fourth Holy Grail War. This caused him to gamble everything on the Holy Grail War. Though an adept mage, his confidence in his own skill comes off as arrogance. Waver is not courageous by nature and somewhat short-tempered, cowardly, and whiny. In contrast, his Servant Iskandar, the King of Conquerors, is noble and physically overbearing. Much to Waver's chagrin, the enormous man has little interest in the Holy Grail and cares more about conquering the world again, especially now that he realizes the world is much bigger than he was aware of during his life and is particularly fascinated by ordinary aspects of modern life. The Master and Servant have difficulty getting along at first due to differing personalities and Rider's self-centered nature makes him especially difficult to control and Waver finds himself accommodating his interests to his Servant's to ensure Rider remains focused on defeating opposing Servants.

Despite their differences they had a very close bond of friendship, similar to that of a father and a son. This is evident in the fact, that on their first encounter with the other servants and masters of the war, Rider defended his master's dignity after Waver was being tormented by Kayneth, who was threatening to make Waver suffer for stealing his artifact and entering the Grail War with the servant he was intending to summon. Rider disparages Kayneth by calling him a coward, saying that someone like him could never be his master even he really was summoned by Kayneth.

After Caster's death, Rider used all his magical energy from his own supply when he used Ionioi Hetairoi. Waver aware of this, he gathered food and went back to the summoning place where there is a leyline to help provide magical energy to Rider. Waver questions Rider why he didn't take any magical energy from him, Rider explains that servants are soul eaters and he didn't want to see Waver dying for the Holy Grail that possibly do not exist. However Waver is determined to continue the Holy Grail War to the end which left Rider impressed and Waver slept for the whole day providing magical energy to Rider.

As the Holy Grail War continues, Waver and Iskandar's friendship strengthens, Iskandar teaches Waver how to live like a man. Saber on her motorcycle chased after Rider as she thought Rider kidnapped Irisviel. Waver acknowledges Rider's method of conquest, while Rider's Via Expugnatio clashes with Saber's Excalibur. Rider's chariot was destroyed and Waver told Rider to activate his Ionioi Hetairoi, however Rider said Via Expugnatio was the only gamble he take against Saber.

After Saber destroyed Rider's Chariot, Waver had to walk back to the Mackenzie residence. As he walked back, he sees Glen on the roof who calls Waver to join him to see the view of Miyama Town. Glen reveals that he knew Waver was not his grandson because he was too nice to be his actual grandson. Waver asked if Glen was angry but to his surprise, Glen was happy to see Martha smiling as Waver and Rider came to live with them. Glen offered Waver to stay longer but Waver expressed that he could not as he's risking his life for something. Glen's opinion differs as there is not anything that worth dying for when people look back in their lives.

On the final day of the war, Waver decides it is too dangerous for him to continue participating in the war and uses all three of his Command Seals to order Iskandar to defeat all the remaining Servants, win the Grail, and not to return unless he succeeded. By using all of his Command Seals, Waver effectively abandons his position as Rider's Master and allows the Servant to do as he wishes. However, Iskandar insists that Waver stand at his side as he rides off to his final battle as his friend, rather than his Master.

During his battle with Archer, Iskandar uses his final Noble Phantasm: Ionioi Hetairoi. However Gilgamesh uses his Anti-world Noble Phantasm to destroy Iskandar's Reality Marble in an instant. As Iskandar and Waver manage to evade the blast, Iskandar asks Waver if he wants to be his subordinate, which Waver accepts. Iskandar orders Waver to live and tell the story of his king, leaving Waver in a safe location to observe the battle. When the King of Conquerors is defeated by the golden Servant, Archer confronts Waver. Though he is afraid, Waver courageously stands up to Archer, declaring that he is a follower of Iskandar and that he has been ordered to live for Iskandar's sake. Out of respect for Iskandar's final wishes, Archer spares Waver's life.

He survived the Fourth Grail War, he returned to Mackenzie house safely. The time he spent with Iskandar has positively influenced him, he wanted to stop studying for a while and travel, experience and understand the outside world. He decided to stay in Japan for a while and asks Glen and Martha for permission to stay at their place. When he looks around his room and finds the game that Iskandar brought earlier, Waver at first thought it was silly but decides to try new things out and realizes he likes playing video games after this. After the war, he expresses several regrets: he wonders if the conflagration caused by the end of war could have been prevented if he and Iskandar had still been around and also that he wanted to be Iskandar's friend as an equal rather than a subordinate.

The Outsiders’ Performance
In the side story of the special drama CD, Taiga Fujimura as an adult tells Saber how she was inspired to become an English teacher when she encountered Waver and Rider in the fourth Grail War. She was looking for the thief who broke into her friend Otoko Hotaruzuka's store and stole their best wine barrel. She encounters both Waver and Rider during in the night after she fell from the roof. Rider becomes a translator for both Taiga and Waver, as Waver did not learn Japanese before coming to Japan, and Taiga explained to Waver and Rider that she chased after the thief until he flew off.

Taiga instantly jumped in the cold water to save the dog while believing Waver and Rider would also help out. As Waver and Rider helped Taiga out of the water, Waver questioned why Taiga is so persistent on helping people. Taiga replied that she believes in kindness in others. Waver thinks this is quite cute, though Rider says something completely different which left Waver in disarray: Rider claims he wanted Waver to have a romantic experience. Taiga chased after an underwear thief, dragging Rider and Waver to help her. After they handed the underwear thief to the police, they helped reunited the puppy to its owner.

Waver asked Taiga if she helped others, does not she have any problems herself. Taiga claims that she is worried about her love, school and future. Waver and Rider suggested she is suitable in teaching and guide those who seek knowledge. Waver suggested they should part ways and head back home but Taiga wants to go after the wine barrel thief. Waver and Rider explained that searching for the criminal at night in Fuyuki City is getting more dangerous. Taiga tried to introduce herself to the two but Waver hypnotizes Taiga to head back home for her own safety. Rider thought of stealing more wine barrels from the market for Taiga but Waver stopped him from creating more trouble, Waver had a plan that could help her. Taiga says an anonymous person sent a dozen barrels of high-class London red wine outside her friend's house.

Capsule Servant
Waver appears in both Shirou Emiya and Rin Tohsaka stories, he is surprised to see that both children have become Capsaba Master.

In Shirou story, Waver decided to challenge him because it is his destiny and he can't run away. Waver was emotionally unprepared and he convince himself to take the grail and take the world just like Rider. Shirou suggest Waver to live more care freely.

In Rin story, Rin recognizes Waver as a magus. Waver proclaims himself as a famous genius magus at the Clock Tower. Rin notices Waver to possess not so many magic circuits. Waver was so shocked from her statement that he claims kids are cruel.

Lord El-Melloi II Case Files
The setting follows closely to Fate/Zero, Waver survives the Fourth Holy Grail War and becomes Lord El-Melloi II.

Prior to the events of the Adra Castle Detachment case, Lord El-Melloi II encounters Gray and takes her as his apprentice.

Case. Adra Castle Separation
The Adra Castle case takes place 10 years after the Fourth Holy Grail War. In the events of Adra Castle case, Lord El-Melloi II was informed by Reines El-Melloi Archisorte about the recent death of the Adra Castle owner and requested him to investigate. Although Lord El-Melloi II reacted negatively, Reines manage to manipulate him by suggesting he will be able to take part in the Holy Grail War, if he is able to resolve the Adra Castle case. He calls his apprentice Gray on an early Autumn and travelled with her to the castle.

Lord El-Melloi II investigating on Hishiri Adashino death, by using his alchemy.

Back in London, Lord El-Melloi II meets Hishiri who was supposedly be deceased. It turns out that Lord El-Melloi II suspicion of the conspiracy was true but he had no proof. Hishiri thinks she's pretty similar to Lord El-Melloi II, in both realizing that the search for the Root is futile, though Waver notes that there is a significant difference between can't do it because of lack of talent versus not trying because of lack of interest. Hishiri suggests that they should join forces, but Waver excuses himself, though not before she asks him if he hasn't given up yet. Lord El-Melloi II claims he hasn't given up. Waver says that he wants to meet Rider again. That as soon as his contract with Reines is finished, he'll return to being a single magus and participate in the Fifth Holy Grail War. Gray, hearing this, asks that Waver take her with him.

Fate/stay night
Though Lord El-Melloi II does not appear within Fate/stay night, he is noted to have a great impact ten years after the end of the Fifth Holy Grail War. He arrives in Fuyuki and, together with Rin as the head of the Tohsaka clan, sets out to completely take apart the Greater Grail. They are opposed by members of the Mage's Association wishing to retrieve it instead, leading to great turmoil of the same magnitude as the Grail War. His side eventually is victorious, and the Greater Grail is completely dismantled, marking the conclusion of the Fuyuki Holy Grail Wars.

In Ufotable adaptation of Unlimited Blade Works scenario, Lord El-Melloi II is seen speaking to Shirou Emiya in the epilogue. Lord El-Melloi II questions why Shirou went to the Clock Tower to study magecraft. Shirou replied that he learned many things while attending the Clock Tower, and he wants to dedicate his life to become a Hero of Justice. El-Melloi II rejects this notion as idiotic but not without merit, proceeding to remark that Shirou's dream is too large for the Clock Tower to contain.

Curtain Call ~ LET US DRIVE TOGETHER ~
After the epilogue of Ufotable adaptation of Unlimited Blade Works scenario, Rin spends her days together with Shirou in London. Rin goes to purchase a car, however Shirou is worried about Rin using modern technology. Rin suggests asking for a favor from someone they can depend on and ask Lord El-Melloi II.

Fate/Apocrypha
The world of Fate/Apocrypha did not have a Fourth Holy Grail War in Fuyuki, so Waver had instead participated in a subspecies Holy Grail War across the world with Rider as his Servant, in against Kayneth. He gained the title of Lord El-Melloi II in the same manner.

Lord El-Melloi II, along with Rocco Belfaban and Bram Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri discussed about the recent failed operation against Yggdmillennia in Trifas. With the Yggdmillennia announced them possessing the Greater Grail, the Mages Association responded and sent fifty specialized magi 'hunters'. However, everything was ruined by Lancer of Black who annihilated forty-nine magi. With the last magus adjusted the Greater Grail to summon additional Servants. When Rocco asked for Lord El-Melloi II opinion, he suggested to alter their approach for a counterattack. Lord El-Melloi II believes victory can be successful if they assemble seven Masters. El-Melloi II suggested to bring in the professionals from the outside and the Clock Tower must provide at least one or two magi as this Holy Grail War is on an utterly different scale. The three men are the people overseeing the selection of Masters for the Great Holy Grail War. He is in charge of recruiting prospective freelance talents with Belfaban.

Lord El-Melloi II, Rocco and Bram discuss about the Great Holy Grail War situation. They have not heard from the Red faction, they believed that Shirou Kotomine from the holy church has killed five masters from Association and he had stolen the Greater Grail. They made a decision, the Mages Association will remain as spectator and observe the outcome. Lord El-Melloi II returns to his office and he took out Iskandar's catalyst, reminiscing his bond with Iskandar. Meanwhile, Reines El-Melloi Archisorte was already in the room sitting on the chair and drinking cup of tea casually. Flat Escardos was eavesdropping the whole conversation leaving El-Melloi II face pale. He punishes Flat by giving him more homework.

After the Great Holy Grail War, Caules Forvedge Yggdmillennia attends classes in the Clock Tower. However, one day, Caules had his class changed with a single phrase by Lord El-Melloi II, who told him, "Why are you studying this kind of magecraft which doesn't suit you? Your talent is much more suited to this, you know?", and before he realized it, he was surrounded by classmates who were dangerous in terms of both talent and personality.

Fate/Grand Order
Lord El-Melloi II becomes a Pseudo-Servant.

Fate/strange fake
Several months before the False Holy Grail War of Fate/strange fake, Lord El-Melloi II decides to play the video game Night Wars of the British Empire, mistakenly believing it to have been a game about knights. He still plays it and notes down his thoughts on the game as usual. This enters him for a chance to win a replica signature Jack the Ripper knife with a sheath, but the trivial toy is quickly lost from his mind. He later wins the prize, and like much of the other merchandise he inadvertently wins, it is sent to the Clock Tower with several other packages.

He later is the first to notice the strangeness occurring in America due to irregularities in the ley lines and through information leaked by Faldeus. He connects it to the happening of another Holy Grail War, resulting in Rohngall and Faldeus being sent to investigate. After one of his most troublesome students, Flat Escardos, eavesdrops on the result of the investigation, Flat beseeches him to help him participate. El-Melloi furiously grips his pupil's face in rage, but he is quickly shocked into silence by the method he used to eavesdrop. While Flat is a prodigy, he lacks the intelligence to properly utilize his talents, and though El-Melloi's teaching prowess allowed him to advance more than any other, he was still unable to graduate. This left El-Melloi with mixed feelings in not letting him go even though he normally hates to let unprepared students out into the world.

He attempts to have Flat understand the true nature of the war, moving past his anger and reaching a form of ascetic enlightenment. He attempts to reason that Flat is unsuited to the battle, but his words do nothing to daunt him. He is unable to use logic with Flat and eventually outright denies him, though Flat's idea of befriending the other Servants reminds him of Rider. He begins to think of lending the fragment of Rider's cloak should Flat return again, but Flat's mistake with the Jack the Ripper toy knife, not remembering it or checking it to see its significance, causes him to think that Flat has given up on participating. This causes him to make the choice of giving it to him and reinforcing his misunderstanding. He returns to his room, reminisces over Rider's cloak, and then believes the situation with Flat to be settled.

Back in London, Rohngall and his unnamed student decided to meet Lord El-Melloi II and ask his opinion about the False Holy Grail War. Lord El-Melloi II continues his class. When Lord El-Melloi II learns from Rohngall that Flat Escardos was participating in the False Holy Grail War, Lord El-Melloi II collapsed on the lecture platform. Gray takes him to the infirmary.

Fate/kaleid liner PRISMA☆ILLYA
Lord El-Melloi II is the tutor of Rin and Luvia in Fate/kaleid liner PRISMA☆ILLYA, he was reporting the situation to Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg. It made him angry when he found out the estimated damage was £2 Million. He is noted to have been distraught in dealing with their violent arguing until Kischur intervened. He and Kischur orders Rin and Luvia to retrieve the Class Cards from Fuyuki City.

When Rin and Luvia successfully collected all the class cards, Rin contacted El-Melloi II and Kischur in London. They praise their efforts in collecting the cards and the stability of Fuyuki's leylines. However they ordered Rin and Luvia to stay in Fuyuki for one year and learn common sense as Japan values cooperation and harmony. They declared that both girls need to amend their personalities in order to be Zelretch student.

Fate/Labyrinth
Lord El-Melloi II was ordered by the Mage's Association to investigate the Subcategory Holy Grail in the Seventh Labyrinth of Caubac Alcatraz.

Other appearances
Waver appears briefly in Carnival Phantasm with other Fate/Zero characters.

In Type-Moon's April Fools' Day 2009, moon.cinemas.jp is a fake movie theater site listing a number of parody films. Waver was featured in Tank Man (戦車男), a parody film of. Waver's character has been gender swapped to a female and the heroine of the story. Waver plays the role of Sensha Otoko's love interest. The story is expanded in TYPE-MOON 10th Anniversary Phantasm comic, where Sensha Otoko saves Waver from being harassed by Kariya Matou in the library. Sensha Otoko presented a Saber figure to Waver, a gift which Waver was conflicted because Iskandar said he loves the figure. Waver assumed Iskandar was talking about the Saber figure until Iskandar corrected her saying he loves the motorbike and the Saber figure was the decoration. She is seen later overprotective about the figure when Diarmuid was insulting Iskandar lack of gift knowledge. The discussion came to an end when Waver dived to save the figure. She later sent a message to Iskandar about her appreciation with the present and how she is interested in learning more about motorcycle from Iskandar.

In Type-Moon's April Fools' Day 2015, Tmitter is a fake online social networking, a parody of. El-Melloi II's online user account is @tmtt15_elm_2nd.

Abilities
Waver's poor lineage gave him a circuit count and crest quality of the lowest standard. He lacks the prerequisites to actually practice magecraft, and he cannot even provide the cost of Rider's Ionioi Hetairoi, causing Rider to bear the cost himself to keep from draining and killing his Master. If Kayneth has "3,000 MP", Waver has a paltry "5 MP." He improves his ability enough over time that he has no trouble declaring that he is a powerful archmagus as of becoming titled Lord El-Melloi II, but his skills as a magus are still hopelessly average.

He is capable of hypnotic suggestion to a certain degree. It allows him to make Glen and Martha MacKenzie believe him to be their grandson for a long duration of time, but it is lacking in that it fails to affect Glen for the entirety of Waver's stay. He believes he has completely failed in what should be the most basic art among basic arts and has no excuse even if it was by luck or accident that he broke free from it.

Observation
Even at nineteen, Waver possesses the power of observation and insight that give him remarkable talent as a researcher. He could had insisted that “Magecraft is a subculture!” and taken the world by storm after starting a business as a critic, but he would have quickly obliterated by the Association. His inborn talents instead take another form later in life.

As Lord El-Melloi II, he could be called an "investigator of magecraft". However Luviagelita Edelfelt and Kayneth said that by understanding magecraft, all he is doing is destroying it. For example, he only witnessed Luvia's Gandr once and he easily deciphered Edelfelt magecraft.

Tutorage
His true talent is realized as a lecturer due to being the best person at detecting the hidden talent of others and training it, described as the "unusual talent of could not put magecraft to practice, but ingenious in the reinterpretation of theories and classification of systems." It can be said in comparison to running that he could never be an athlete because his leg strength is among the absolute worst, but his talents can shine as a coach because he can imagine the perfect running form. Magi that study under him as students receive no less than the rank of "Brand" and "Pride". He doesn’t take many students. All of his graduates have achieved the rank of Pride or greater within a decade, without exception. It is said they could change the entire internal power structure of the Clock Tower if they were to gather under him. His works as a talent production are regarded as the greatest masterpieces of their time, but he doesn't really care because he is more focused on becoming a successful magus himself. He may well be the greatest instructor in the Clock Tower. And, he doesn't even crush his pupils like Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg does.

Disciples:
 * Ayaka Sajyou
 * Ayaka from Fate/school life is a student of his.


 * Fezgram vor Sembren (フェズグラム・ヴォル・センベルン)
 * Son of Feend vor Sembren. Promoted to either the ranks "Brand" and "Pride".


 * Flat Escardos
 * Flatt became his student when the other professor gave up on him, five years after the Fourth Holy Grail War. Lord El-Melloi II's oldest disciple. While Lord El-Melloi II does not like to let unprepared magi into the world, he came to regret keeping Flat around.


 * Gray
 * Luviagelita Edelfelt
 * Nazica Pentel (ナジカ・ペンテル)
 * Sister of Radia Pentel and relatives to the Pentel brothers. Promoted to either the ranks "Brand" and "Pride".


 * Org Rum (オルグ・ラム)
 * Relative to Jean Rum. Promoted to either the ranks "Brand" and "Pride".


 * Radia Pentel (ラディア・ペンテル)
 * Sister of Nazica Pentel and relatives to the Pentel brothers. Promoted to either the ranks "Brand" and "Pride".


 * Rin Tohsaka
 * He becomes the sponsor of Rin after she arrives in London to begin her studies, but he lays out the condition "I will not give you one ounce of instruction. Eh well, I will at least send letters of recommendation to the other departments" due to his hatred for Japan. Though he attempts to connect with Rin, a complete game dunce, while being internally excited about the thought of discussing video games with her, she displays no interest in or . Causing his anger to flare, the only thing he can say to her is "Fuck! You're the worst Japanese in the world." Rin has taken a half year apprenticeship under him.


 * Roland Berzinsky (ローランド・ペルジンスキー)
 * Relative to Rottweil Berzinsky. Promoted to either the ranks "Brand" and "Pride".


 * Svin Glascheit (スヴィン・グラシュエート)
 * Svin became his student, five years after the Fourth Holy Grail War. One of the oldest disciple along with Flat.


 * Verner Caesarmund (ヴェルナー・シザームンド)
 * The current heir of the Butterfly magecraft. Promoted to either the ranks "Brand" and "Pride".

Alchemy
Waver can do basic alchemy using tools brought from London, including twenty-four vials for ores and reagents, a spirit lamp mortar, and droppers. Using a basic practice of mixing complementary reagents into river water from the Mion river, he can detect residual magical energy, and doing so on various samples collected from parts of the river can be used to trace a target. Water with latent magecraft turns a rust red color, water with strong traces turns a murky black, and normal water is unaffected. This allows him to pinpoint the lair of Caster using the specifically labeled samples and a map to find where the traces are strongest and when normal water ends.

He follows the idea that the Water element is the first step that should be taken when tracking magi because it always follows the absolute principle of being something that “flows from a higher place to a lower place.” Tasks like calculating the wind's direction and reading the earth's pulse are more difficult than finding the lowest flow of the water pulse, especially in an area with rivers like Fuyuki. He dislikes such methods, instead wishing for a true “Magecraft Contest” instead of milling about like a forensic investigator. Rider praises him for obtaining great results from a poor method over a better method, but Waver perceives it as an insult.

As Lord El-Melloi II, he uses alchemy for his forensic investigation. In the Adra Castle case, he was investigating upon the death of Hishiri Adashino. He take out a vial of some sort of liquid from his jacket. With one drop of that liquid, the colour of the bloodstain changed dramatically. By analysing the concentration of magical energy remaining in the bloodstains, he can determine when Hishiri died. Orlocke commented that rather than science, his method was more like Medieval era Alchemy or a form of Witchcraft. Orlocke believes his methods are too direct, and it's getting farther away from the Mystery. Lord El-Melloi II replied that he tried numerous methods, but this is the best method for him.

Volumen Hydrargyrum
Upon succeeding the El-Melloi title, he inherits Kayneth's Mystic Code, Volumen Hydrargyrum, and he is able to improve its functions by modifying it into a kind of humanoid automaton, Maid Golem (メイドゴーレム), that is similar to the. While it normally does chores, it seems there is a troublesome bug that causes it to run out of control while insisting that it is a killer robot from the future. This may be because of a harmful movie it was shown during its developmental stages. She currently acts as the maid of Reines El-Melloi Archisorte.

Development
Waver was to receive more scenes to flesh out his growth, but it was felt that it would have made the identity of the main character too confusing if he was given too much focus. While attacking Caster's lair, they would have found a small girl Assassin, who Waver would believe to be one of Caster's victims after she had her memories and the awareness of being Assassin hidden away. Rider, knowing of her identity, would have kept quiet to honor Waver's chivalry. As another addition to the Mackenzie household, their interactions would have served to lighten the story at the time, but after the confrontation with the Assassins at the Einzbern Castle, she would have regained her memories as Hassan. Through a dramatic farewell tragedy, Waver would climb another step on the path to becoming an adult.

Creation and Conception
Waver was a -like “King of Cowards” in the setting stage of the novels, but his character had grown to the point at the end where he could be mistaken for the protagonist. Takashi Takeuchi said his original design motif was "sarcastic, smart-alecky boy". He had no trouble designing Waver because he had a clear image of the character. He really wanted to draw him, and feels the design that makes him look incompetent was for the best.

Atsuhi Ikariya was in charge of the character design for the anime version.

(Voice Actor of Waver) said Waver was a tough character to play. It was a lot of pressure on him since Fate/Zero was a terrific novel and he had a great role.

Originally Nasu wrote all of Lord El-Melio II's students are "Grand" ranks.

Reception
Takeuchi said the epilogue where a young man lost his childish leader has brought him to tears. To Takeuchi, Waver is now oddly cute to him. He was originally designed to be just another loser character but watching him develop and grow is very moving. Takeuchi said Waver was popular in the original novel, so he figured he would be loved in the anime. He was amazed the way he was drawn in the anime, the look of a "heroine" written all over it. He states that Ufotable anime has reimagined him as a character that the viewers can come to like normally.

Gen Urobuchi wants to write about character like him at some point, and feels that he is the character with the most vivid expressions. He wanted to ask a question in the anime version, "Why are you sticking your butt up in the air?" whenever Rider (Iskandar) hits Waver. The prospect of seeing another author write about Waver as he was getting his footing as a magus, able to do nothing bit sit back and watch as events unfolded around him, was honestly a point of unease for me. But in the end, that worry was for nothing. The character that came out on the other end of ten years had grown splendidly, crowned with the title of Lord, and a completely different man from the boy I had written. The gentleman who had polished his powers of analysis, bearing a cunning like an old man's wisdom, while still hiding the distortion of his youth somewhere in his heart was truly an enchanting character!

Kinoko Nasu said that Waver is a teenaged boy mixed in with the other protagonists and there was not much time for a lot of beautiful young ladies. He said Ufotable has succeeded in capturing his character as he's drawn differently from most bishounen characters. He thinks they did a good job of portraying a youth who is slowly growing into a man.

(Voice Actress of Irisviel) said she really liked and thought it was cute when Rider (Iskandar) hit Waver so hard with a finger flick that the boy went flying. She thought the pairing with Iskandar and Waver was great because of the contrast between violence and emotion, watching them carry on was a lot of fun for her.


 * In the Type-Moon's 10th Anniversary Character Poll, Waver from Fate/Zero was ranked 15th, the sixth most popular male character. Lord El-Melloi II was ranked 124th.