Archer (アーチャー, Āchā?) is an Archer-class Servant able to be summoned by Ritsuka Fujimaru in the Grand Orders of Fate/Grand Order.
Profile
Identity
Archer's True Name is Sir TristanWP (サー・トリスタンWP, Sā Torisutan?), one of the Knights of the Round Table from Arthurian Legends. The tale of Tristan and IseultWP, the woman he loved, is a legend boasting outstanding popularity in Europe.[1]
Legend
Tristan is a child born from Rivalen, the King of Leonois, and Blancheflor, the younger sister of MarkWP, prince of Cornwall. However, his environment made it fitting to call him a "Child of Sadness". To begin with, his father Rivalen had died in battle without ever being able to see Tristan's face. His mother Blancheflor died postpartum, right after naming the boy Tristan and entrusting him to a loyal subordinate of Rivalen, Loire. Afterwards, Tristan became a knight who ended up serving under his uncle, King Mark. Tristan served the king well as a good knight, and the king too ended up having a deep trust in this handsome knight.[1][2]
But, one day, Tristan fell in love with a woman named IseultWP.[1][2] No, he was made to fall in love.[1] It was a love made to be by means of an aphrosidiac; yet nevertheless, it was the first love Tristan, the Child of Sadness, ever experienced, one worthy for him to devote his life for.[2]
The tragedy probably lied in the fact that Iseult was the woman who King Mark loved and vowed to marry. Before long, thanks to the admonition of King Mark's courtiers who envied Tristan, he was inevitably forced to leave the royal court.[1][2]
Afterwards, Tristan served under King Arthur as a Knight of the Round Table, performing numerous deeds and feats. There, he had friends; he had a king worthy for him to serve. Yet there was nobody he could love there; Tristan had been warned that the burning love inside him was due to the fault of the aphrosidiac, but he fully understood that such a drug had already long past its effectiveness.[2] He then came to marry a woman who had the same name of Iseult by coincidence, but still, his feelings for the past Iseult only grew stronger.[1]
Many times they passed each other, and Tristan still continued on being torn up over the insensitive Iseult. It would have been so much easier were his uncle King Mark is an evil man. However, King Mark had loved Tristan ever since the times where the latter had served under him as a knight. To Tristan, his countenance hold the vestiges of his sister. There is no way Tristan would betray him. Tristan then simply went through despair, day by day.[2]
Eventually, Tristan had collapsed due to being poisoned in a certain battle and, on the verge of death, he wished to once more be able to meet with Iseult.[1][2] Knowing of his predicament, Iseult too left behind her position under King Mark as his wife.[2]
"A white sail if she comes. A black sail if she does not——"[1][2]
Upon seeing the boat carrying Iseult, the other Iseuit who is Tristan's wife, Iseult of the White Hands, whispered the following to Tristan as he waited for the ship. "A boat with black sails is coming this way." The tale of Tristan was put to an end by means of a modest treachery (lie), uttered towards the husband who, despite taking a wife, had never tried to love her.[1][2] Tristan accepted those words so that he could atone for what he had done to his wife.[2]
"Yes, that is a wooden ship with black sails. Seeking salvation from a helpless person like me was a mistake. That is why, those are black sails.
———Thinking about it, I am an existence that can only harm others. With my music, with my bow, with my words, my close friends, those that I love, I continue to hurt all of them. Therefore, those are black sails. Her words are undeniably the truth. After all, I have no right to wait for a ship with white sails.
Please do not blame her. For me, those were black sails."[3]
Tristan was reunited with Iseult; yet by then, it was too late. Iseult, who didn't make it in time, kissed Tristan as her tears fell over. She had not been afraid of touching him, who had been poisoned to death, nor had she been afraid of dying herself.[2]
Tristan had separated himself from the Knights of the Round Table before he had succumbed to poison.[2] Indeed, King Arthur was a splendid monarch. He was impartial and honest, to the point that there were no space for even human emotions to creep in.[1][2] The very picture of the kings of old, showing no emotion even as it is there.[2]
———"Maybe, just maybe, the king is not mistaken?"
———"Nay, maybe it is I who had mistaken the king."[2]
Perhaps it was simply an extravagant worry. Perhaps it was but a speculation.[2]
However, the king had not even a splinter of feelings—————nay, it was that he simply harboured far too many feelings that he continued to fight while suppressing his self. It was tragic precisely because that was something right; it was sorrowful precisely because that was something right. Tristan no longer possessed the will nor the mind to fully endure such a thing.[2]
The unexpected sharp words that unintentionally slipped out, at the time when Tristan left the Knights of the Round Table. The words towards the too many knights———and, in a way that even he could not be aware of, even on the king himself, were bestowed a "curse" upon them. Indeed, he sorrowfully muttered like this as he left.[1][2]
“The king does not understand the hearts of men.”[1][2]
Appearance
No matter what Tristan does, he seems sad - and beautiful.[1]
Personality
Ever known as the "Child of Sadness", being a downer is a normal condition for Tristan. A narcissist slightly intoxicated with himself. However, since his circumstances are genuinely tragic, it's hard to call him out on it. The type that perceives things tragically and ends up thinking that every mistake is his fault. His thoughts are calm, his tactics precise; yet where it concerns women, his reason are shaken, in a good way. (For example, if his Master is female and someone had taken her hostage, even if it is presumably a trap, he would still go and walk in anyways).[2]
A member of the Knights of the Round Table. Perhaps it was due to his days of wandering (or to put it more accurately, it was due to him being included from other legends into the Legend of King Arthur), but Tristan's loyalty to the king is not absolute, or better put, less fanatic. However, he felt deep shame from leaving his service under the king, and it was during his following service where he set his mind to be completely faithful.[2]
Tristan is severe and without mercy against his enemies, but there is a side of him that would grieve for the enemies and shed tears for them once the battle is over. Is it not sinful of him, born without blessing, to kill those born with one?... That is what he kept on thinking.[2]
Tristan was quite popular due to his good looks and poetic behavior. He's also a master of the bow just like in the legends, but when other bowmen assessed him, they would give evaluations such as "I would hesitate to call that a bow" or "You have fundamental misunderstandings about what a bow is."[4]
Fundamentally, Tristan simply serves the Master as a knight. In the case where the Master is female, he will courteously treat her as a princess; while if the Master is a male, then he will dedicate his sword for him as a king. Perhaps this is due to the massive love affair he experienced when he was alive; the possibility that he would fall for someone is low. However, due to his beautiful countenance, it's possible for others to fall for him instead. The so-called "Diarmuid"-type Servant, but rather, there's just simply no chance to consequently make use of this nature of his.[2]
Should the Master raise their trust for him, Tristan would put to stake even his life to protect them.[2]
However, should the Master be a wicked one instead, be they man or woman, there shall be no mercy from Tristan.[2]
During the Camelot Singularity, Tristan was given the Gift of "Inversion" as the Lion King saw that he was unable to move out of despair after he killed his fellow Knights of the Round Table, altering his personality and turning him into a heartless killer.[5]
Quotes
"Of the Knights of the Round Table serving under King Arthur, Tristan of Laments. I have come in response to your summons. I pray that this body of mine may be of use to you. By your orders, Master."[2]
"—————Ahh, how sorrowful. For this self, born within sorrow, to once again let a child who would have been raised and engulfed with joy die."[2]
"Master. Please. Pay no mind to me, and simply keep on pushing through your path. This Tristan is but your attendant, one who would prune the wicked ones standing in your way."[2]
Relationships
Lancelot and Gawain, the equal delegates of the Round Table. The unconventional Lancelot, the grand Gawain. And Tristan, the natural airhead, in charge with (omitted). Of course, Tristan himself is completely unaware of this.[2]
- Lancelot
- "Married women are great..."
- "Yes, truly..."[2]
- Mordred
- (Verbally abused them both with "Nothing is great about that you bloody idiots" after hearing the conversation above.)[2]
- Gawain
- "Hahaha. Me, an airhead? Quite a joke you have there, Sir Gawain. Rather, are you not the airhead one?"[2]
- Bedivere
- "Was I sleeping during the parade? Now then, what might you be talking about?"[2]
- Artoria
- "For me to stand in front of her... that in itself is already an impertinence on my part. I have no other course of action but to fly away and escape."[2]
- Meltlilith
- "Mind it not. How could any knight ever abandon an owner of such a beautiful soul such as you, truly?"[2]
Role
Fate/Grand Order
Camelot: The Sacred Round Table Realm
Saloman: The Grand Time Temple
Tristan is amongst the "Camelot" Singularity Servants assisting Chaldea against the Demon Gods Pillars.[6]
Other appearances
Both Garden of Avalon and Einzbern Consultation Room tells Lancelot's point of view about Tristan, who left Camelot because King Arthur does not understand the hearts of men.[7]
Tristan and his ability with the bow are compared to Arash many times by Saber in Fate/Prototype: Fragments of Sky Silver.[8]
Abilities
Tristan's Class is normally Saber, but he is often summoned as an Archer due to his renown with the bow.[1]
Tristan is said to possess skill in using a bow equal to that of Arash. He is a powerful Heroic Spirit able to be summoned as a Servant with a piece of the Round Table. He wields the bow Failnaught, which possesses multiple bowstrings resembling, and is in fact, a string instrument. This bow does not launch regular arrows, but invisible sonic vacuum arrows to cut off foes. Due to the nature of this weapon, he can attack with a slight motion of a finger.
Skills
Harp of Healing (治癒の竪琴, Chiyu no Tategoto?)
A Skill that denotes Tristan's musical performance which makes use of the bowstring in his Noble Phantasm. Suppresses allies' mental disturbances, while opponents loses their fighting spirit.[2]
Unblessed Birth (祝福されぬ生誕, Shukufuku sa Renu Seitan?)
A Skill that shows one that is to be born with a sad fate. Because of that birth, lamentation follows him around, and Tristan was called the Child of Sadness. Adds a bonus to his performance of musical instruments because of his singing voice that is filled with sadness.[2]
Admonishment to the King of Knights (騎士王への諫言, Kishi-Ō e no Kangen?)
“The king does not understand the hearts of men—————”
The decisive trauma carved into the King of Knights. Regarding the legend, it is a sad admonition similar to having one’s heart gouged out, but the Knights of the Round Table that are summoned as Servants unanimously informed the king as such: “Nay, we do not know what is your greatest failure.”[2]
As for Tristan himself, regarding the last words he left behind, because the remark was too cruel, he is leaning against a state of extreme remorse.[2]
Weakness (Poison) (弱体化(毒), Jakutai-ka (Doku)?)
Regarding his legend, Tristan was weakened by poison on countless occasions that drove him onto the verge of death, so his resistance to poison is lowered to some extent.[2] However, when serving the Lion King, his Gift of "Inversion" nullifies this weakness.
Development
Creation and Conception
Shidzuki Morii is the character illustrator for Tristan.[1][2] Yuuichirou Higashide is in scenario writer for his character in Fate/Grand Order.[2]
Tristan was originally considered for the role of the Archer-class Servant in Fate/Prototype: Fragments of Sky Silver.
Comment from Illustrator
"When I drew Tristan's rough sketch, I scribbled a lineup of the Knights of the Round Table besides the manuscript, and 'the complete set of these guys really looks great, eh...' is what I thought. Then I checked the gathered materials, lined up the characters, and put the finishing touches for his last Ascension. It was kinda hard to understand from the card drawing, but the glimpse was of Lancelot's armor's shoulder pad. The violet thingy in his chest is the poison wound he got when he was alive. There probably was or wasn't a talk of how it could be a stuck-on seaweed."[2]
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.32 1.33 This reference needs to be fixed. Use "FGOSP4" instead of "Grand Order".
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 2.22 2.23 2.24 2.25 2.26 2.27 2.28 2.29 2.30 2.31 2.32 2.33 2.34 2.35 2.36 2.37 2.38 2.39 2.40 2.41 2.42 2.43 2.44 2.45 2.46 Fate/Grand Order material IV - Tristan, p.110-121, translated by castor212 and Clyton at Beast's Lair.
- ↑ Fate/Grand Order - Tristan's Bond Craft Essence: But I Lied Once
- ↑ Garden of Avalon - Knight of the Round Table Insights
- ↑ Fate/Grand Order - Camelot Zero
- ↑ Fate/Grand Order - Salomon: The Grand Time Temple - Act 07: VI / Spy Satellite Amon
- ↑ Garden of Avalon - Chapter 03: Story of Knights, p.076
- ↑ Fragments Round Table Discussion