ArjunaWP (アルジュナWP, Arujuna?), Class Name Archer (アーチャー, Āchā?), is an Archer-class Servant summoned by Ritsuka Fujimaru in the Grand Orders of Fate/Grand Order.
Arjuna is part of Hakuno Kishinami's army in Fate/EXTELLA LINK.
He is the Stray Archer (逸れのアーチャー?) summoned in the Waxing Moon Ritual of Fate/Samurai Remnant, allying with Master Miyamoto Iori.
Profile[]
Identity[]
Arjuna was a hero in Hindu MythologyWP from the ancient Indian epic poem, MahabharataWP, and was one of its protagonists. He was the rival of Karna and one of the greatest archers of ancient India along with Rama, Laxmana, Karna and Parashurama.[4]
Legend[]
Mirroring Karna as the Hero of Charity, Arjuna is the Endowed Hero (授かりの英雄, Sazukari no Eiyū?). He was born as the son of the KingWP of KuruWP, the third of the five PandavaWP brothers, and was also simultaneously the son of the Thunder God Indra.[2]
His fateful rival was Karna, his older half-brother by way of their mother, KuntiWP, though he never knew that they were related before Karna's death.[1][4] Every time Arjuna thought of Karna, he shuddered as if it appears that he was seeing himself reflected in a mirror. With that becoming clear, he became frightened.[1]
Arjuna was driven out of the country as a result of his older brother, YudhishthiraWP, losing in a gamble. At that time, he already had a premonition that a confrontation with Karna was unavoidable since his half-brother revered Duryodhana, who regarded the five Pandava brothers as archenemies, like a father.[2]
Arjuna most likely resolved himself to kill Karna during their first encounter during a conference held by the Kuru family.[2][5] At this conference, the five Pandava brothers indulged themselves in the martial arts they were so proud of and so famous for, with Arjuna's displayin his almost unparalled archery skill. When calls were made for someone to equal the Pandavas, Karna leapt up to participate and displayed martial arts of the same rank as Arjuna's. Karna challenged Arjuna to determine which of them was superior. But to challenge Arjuna, a member of the royal family, one must be higher than a KshatriyaWP (warrior aristocracy). However, Karna seemed to be a lower caste VaishyaWP (merchant class) or ShudraWP (a slave), and thus Karna was mocked and his challenge was refused. The Pandava brothers, except for Arjuna, who stayed silent out of envy for Karna's skill, further ridiculed Karna for his appreant lack of shame, despite being able to match them in skill.[1][5]
The antagonism between the KauravasWP, to whom Karna entrusted his bow as a soldier, and the Pandavas that Arjuna led intensified and finally became a war with their territory in the balance, which became to be known as the Kurukshetra WarWP. Karna continued to wield his strength so that the one hundred Kaurava princes, and consequently Duryodhana, would be victorious. On the Pandava side, the only one who could oppose Karna was Arjuna, but even he could only be resigned to the fact that facing Karna directly would be difficult. Through several conflicts, pretexts, and mutual hatred, the war between these two camps arrived at Kurukshetra.[5]
In Arjuna's final battle with Karna, Karna fell from his chariot by the hands of ShalyaWP, his charioteer, who betrayed him.[1][5] Due to Karna's curse, the wheel of his chariot was stuck in a rut. Sensing an opportunity, Arjuna shot Karna while he was struggling to budge the wheels of his chariot, an act that was cowardly and heretical.[1]
Although Arjuna managed to slay his nemesis, it came at the cost of his karma and his pride as a warrior. Nonetheless, Arjuna killed a hero and a holy man, but did so troubled by the way he obtained his victory.[1]
Appearance[]
In Fate/EXTELLA LINK, he has the following costumes:
- Indra's White Garb (インドラの白衣?)
- Divine Equipment of Agni (炎神の神装具?)
- Shiva Bathing Suit (シヴァの沐浴着?) (DLC)
Personality[]
Extremely diligent, just, upright, being compelled to aid others, and having no interest in wealth, Arjuna has a seemingly flawless personality with no clear flaws, leading others, including Karna, to view him as possessing a honest and faithful personality that seems to embody justice itself.[1][4] A personality that is whether it is all in accordance with his sense of values (by the ancient Indian customs) as a warrior.[1]
However, inside his heart, Arjuna carries another personality that can be called "black". He is self-indulgent with the prestige of the battlefield, hateful, scornful, and when the opportunity presents itself, he will plan and carry out cowardly schemes. Although he is extremely hesitant in the preliminary stages of these schemes, he will become more certain the more he plans it, even willing to kill anyone who takes notice of his hidden side.[2][1] Not being able to accept his own inner darkness, he behaves as if this side is separate from him.[2]
Arjuna feels at ease when he is alone, a sentiment he feels is unbefitting of a hero. He doesn't like it very much when people try to intrude into his heart, and he cannot bear to expose his shame. Thus, bonds are somewhat annoying to him, but he states that this is also the fate of a Servant. His wish for the Holy Grail is eternal solitude.[3]
Fundamentally quiet, Arjuna openly follows his Master like a butler, and most Masters would view him as someone without the slightest display of pride and the likes when he was actually of royalty.[1] When it comes to him and his Master, having his greatness be recognized is irrelevant due to the fact that he highly regards his Master as his partner.[3] However, if a Master tries to figure out Arjuna's true nature, it is likely that he is willing to kill them.[1] Alternatively, it is also possible he becomes terribly sad, and implores his Master to keep it a secret.[3] Having his inner darkness found out could earn Arjuna his Master's trust, but also risks to lose it. Even if one were to accepts that darkness, Arjuna would nonetheless feel ashamed of his moral shortcomings.[1]
Relationships[]
- Karna
- "Karna. To think that we'd be in the same camp... Is this another trick of the gods? I won't fight you now...but who knows what will happen the next time you show your face..."[3]
- As seen in the real life of the one already recorded in history. As already explained in the passage of the character's image. No doubt a fateful rival.[1] Like Karna, Arjuna felt an obsession towards Karna.[4] While Arjuna won't initially fight Karna if they are in the same camp, who knows what will happen if Karna shows his face the next time?[3]
- Rama
- "Rama, I am honored to fight alongside you. However, you're younger than I expected... No need for formalities, you say? Very well. Then let's fight together!"
- The protagonist of the RamayanaWP. The manner of that refreshing boy is dazzling. "Though unpleasant, can you not touch on the subject regarding my wifeWP? Because there were various circumstances too!"[1]
- Ashwatthama
- "Ashwatthama... A powerful and terrifying enemy. But if he were to be an ally, he would be worth a thousand warriors. Though I wonder why he is always so angry... To put it in modern terms, perhaps he lacks all of his essential vitamins?"
Role[]
Fate/Grand Order[]
Arjuna's & Karna's Trial Quest[]
Arjuna finds himself with Ritsuka on a ship during a storm. Though he doesn't know who he is, he knows he is a Servant, and Ritsuka is his Master. Ritsuka asks him where Mash is when Mash herself appears. She tells Ritsuka that they were blown into a strange Singularity during rayshift. They're also unable to contact Romani Archaman. After helping defeat some ghosts, Arjuna realizes victory or defeat means nothing to him. He believes he would've abandoned the battle if it weren't for Ritsuka. But Karna tells him that he isn't unafraid of death, rather he accumulated so much glory so easily that he grew tired of life. Karna refuses to let Arjuna to take such a path, calling him the only person he cannot accept. Arjuna fires at Karna, unable to stand his presence. Karna is elated to see such a reaction, saying such righteous anger is more fitting for Arjuna.
After the two battle, Karna asks Ritsuka to guide Arjuna. He warns he will be their enemy if Arjuna remains at their side. The reverse is also true. After Karna leaves, Arjuna confesses to Ritsuka that while his thirst for battle is gone, he wants to battle Karna for whatever reason. But more than that, he wants to deny everything Karna is. He calls it an improper desire, but Ritsuka says it isn't and tells him to go on a quest to find the answer. Then, after the storm passes, Arjuna bids Ritsuka farewell in the hopes they'll meet again.
Fifth Singularity: E Pluribus Unum[]
Arjuna is part of the Celtic army, serving under Medb. Medb calls him following Cú Chulainn Alter when Geronimo, Robin Hood, Billy the Kid and Nero attempt to assassinate her during a parade. While Robin escapes, the others stay behind to stall Arjuna and Cú Chulainn Alter.[6] Arjuna counters Geronimo's Tsago Degi Naleya with his Agni Gandiva. He then kills Billy after deflecting his bullets. Geronimo asks why he joined the Celts, but Arjuna remains silent. After Geronimo and Nero are killed, Medb sends Arjuna and Cú Chulainn Alter after Robin. They eventually catch up to him, but Scáthach stops Arjuna from killing him. Cú Chulainn Alter tells him to stand down, knowing his former mentor is too much for Arjuna.[7]
Arjuna is later put in charge of the Celtic south army for the climatic battle between the Americans and the Celts. He soon clashes with Karna, who leads the vanguard in the American south army. Here Arjuna admits his reasoning for joining the Celts was so he could stand opposite of his half-brother. Karna asks him to save the world if he is victorious in their battle. Their battle is suddenly interrupted however when Cú Chulainn Alter impales Karna from behind with Gáe Bolg. Cú Chulainn Alter’s actions angers Arjuna, for which the former reprimands the latter for focusing on his personal vendetta. Arjuna stops Ritsuka’s party from pursuing Cú Chulainn Alter when he retreats to recover his wounds from Vasavi Shakti. Florence Nightingale tells him Karna believed in fulfilling his duty as a Servant rather than indulging in his deep-rooted obsession. She calls it a mistake, and Arjuna must live with his regret like all other Servants. Arjuna admits there isn’t any need to fight, but he still wishes to settle the score to purge something in his heart. After he is defeated, Arjuna leaves declining Mash’s invitation.[8][9]
When the American north army is being overwhelmed by Clan Calatin, Arjuna appears to fulfill his promise to Karna. He sacrifices himself to destroy the Demon Gods with a restricted Pashupata. He disappears, hoping his sacrifice was enough to atone for his actions, and finally realizing how Karna felt.[10][11]
Da Vinci and The Seven Counterfeit Heroic Spirits[]
A counterfeit of Arjuna is created by Jeanne Alter. He's given the role of "a very sadistic science major upperclassman who gets all lovey-dovey when it matters most."
Using counterfeit Siegfried as bait, Arjuna and counterfeit Arash launch an ambush on Ritsuka's party. It is blocked, though, by Mash and EMIYA. After Siegfried disappears, Arash and Arjuna confront the group and explain their roles and Siegfried's. Arjuna says Chaldea should prioritize restoring humanity, calling it unnecessary to go after an issue that wouldn't result in a Singularity. He then offers not to attack if the group withdraws. Leonardo da Vinci considers it out of concern for Ritsuka’s safety despite being bothered by so many counterfeits being circulated. But Ritsuka convinces her otherwise, and the group fights Arash and Arjuna. After they’re defeated, Da Vinci speculates their Master resides at an art museum, but neither Archer confirms it before disappearing.
Event: Sanzang Coming to the West[]
Arjuna and Karna are underworld guardians meant to be Xuanzang Sanzang's final trial to restore her lost enlightenment.
Final Singularity: Solomon[]
Arjuna is amongst the "E Pluribus Unum" Singularity Servants to aid Chaldea against the Demon Gods Pillars. He puts aside his personal vendetta with Karna and decides to compete with him to see who could destroy the most Demon Gods.[12]
Interlude[]
Fate/EXTELLA LINK[]
Arjuna is one of the Seven Top Servants who makes an appearance in Fate/EXTELLA LINK. Arjuna appears undetected by Charlemagne, Nero Claudius and EMIYA (Archer) to offer an alliance with Hakuno Kishinami. He states that as long as Karna remains on Karl der Große's side, he will continue to oppose him. Charlemagne vouches for Arjuna and Hakuno Kishinami allows him to join their party.[13]
Arjuna recruits Cú Chulainn (Lancer), Astolfo, and Elizabeth Báthory to join Hakuno Kishinami's party and suggests planning an ambush on Karl der Große as an suitable course of action.[14] Arjuna would later destroy an entire sector of Karl der Große's St. Metropolita by using his Pashupata. He fights Karna who is boosted by the power of St. Metropolita alongside Charlemagne and defeats him.[15]
Fate/Samurai Remnant[]
Arjuna is a Masterless Stray Servant participating in the Waxing Moon Ritual. Miyamoto Iori can recruit him to join his team.
Arjuna manifests in the Waxing Moon Ritual and makes Kanagawa Port his territory. His territory is invaded by Dorothea Coyett and her Servant Koga Saburo. Arjuna successfully repels Koga and makes him flee due to the latter's fear of his Noble Phantasm. Koga informs his Master that Arjuna is a powerful foe and recommends that they abandon making Kanagawa Port part of their territory.[16] Koga would leave traces of his spiritual energy behind, drawing Sea Demons to Kanagawa Port. Arjuna would spend most of his time defending the local populace from these creatures.[17]
When Miyamoto Iori and his Servant Yamato Takeru enter Kanagawa Port, Arjuna demands a duel from them to see if they are the cause of the appearance of the Sea Demons. After Arjuna ascertains that they are innocent, he fights alongside them to defeat the creatures. Arjuna is the first Servant who notices that Miyamoto Iori has an inclination towards violence which is reflected by the latter's swordsmanship.[18]
Arjuna would later succumb to the brainwashing ritual of Tsuchimikado Yasuhiro. Miyamoto Musashi (Berserker) alongside Iori and Takeru would attempt to cross Kanagawa Port in order to follow Koga Saburo only to be thwarted by the mind-controlled Arjuna. It would take their combined efforts to drive Arjuna away.[19] After Arjuna is freed from the brainwashing ritual, he would return to Kanagawa Port where he would challenge both Iori and Takeru for one final duel. After the duel, Arjuna passes one his techniques down to Iori and further comments on Iori's inner nature. After concluding that it was unwise to probe any further, Arjuna offers his friendship to Iori and reveals his True Name.[20]
Other appearances[]
Arjuna was indirectly mentioned in the duel between Karna and Siegfried in Fate/Apocrypha as the legendary bowman Karna fought in his past. Karna saw the similarities between Siegfried and Arjuna, the face of a pure warrior trying to carry out his duty even while feeling anguished by something.[21]
Arjuna is given the nickname Nobunaga Archer (信長アーチャー, Nobunaga Āchā?) in Fate/GUDAGUDA Order because his voice actor is Nobunaga ShimazakiWP.
Abilities[]
Arjuna is the legendary hero of the Mahabharata, where he is depicted as its most prominent figure.[8] Although he is regarded by Geronimo as the strongest hero of India,[7] both Karna and Ashwatthama are famed as being his equals in power.[22] Arjuna is an Archer and one of the seven Top Servants summoned by the Moon Cell.[13] His skill at the bow is especially magnificent, to the point that he was praised when he was alive as having no equal.[5] He stands alongside Karna, Rama, and Parvati, as Da Vinci's top choices of which Servants she would have liked to summon in the Indian Lostbelt with the Spirit Origin graph.[23] Medb also regards him as a "top-notch" warrior just like Beowulf.[24]
Combat[]
As seen in the North American Singularity, Karna can overwhelm Arjuna in close-range combat by slowly closing the distance between the two, due to Archers shining in long-range combat. However, as expected of the great Arjuna, the two were nearly on par with each other.[9] Their battle was described by Dr. Roman as the very reenactment of mythology, and "off the charts in every way." Nothing less from a Top Servant.[8] Arjuna would prove formidable enough to penetrate Cú Chulainn Alter's Protection from Arrows with his arrows.[25] In the Seventh Singularity, he fought Ishtar to the point that the Goddess had to resort to her Noble Phantasm.[26]
During their fight in Fate/EXTELLA LINK, Karna had the support of the St. Metropolita, which was supplying him with magical energy. Despite having even more power than usual, the combined efforts of Arjuna and Charlemagne was able to defeat him.[15]
During the events of Fate/Samurai Remnant, Arjuna successfully repels Koga Saburo and makes him flee due to the latter's fear of his Noble Phantasm.[17]
Skills[]
Class Skills[]
- Independent Action (A Rank): It is possible to take action even without a Master. However, to use Noble Phantasms of great magical energy consumption, backup from the Master is necessary.[1]
- Magic Resistance (C Rank): Cancel spells with a chant below two verses. Cannot defend against magecraft on the level of greater magecraft and Greater Rituals.[1]
- Divinity (B Rank): Whether one has Divine Spirit aptitude or not. The higher the rank, the more they are treated as a mixed-race being of a physical Divine Spirit. Arjuna is the son of the God of Lightning Indra.[1]
Personal Skills[]
- Clairvoyance (C+ Rank): The skill representing eyesight quality that allows him to see targets at a long distance beyond kinetic vision. Arjuna is even able to see invisible targets. By concentrating extremely during the moment he shoots his bow, Arjuna manipulates his own sense of time.[1]
- Clairvoyance (Shooter) (B+ Rank): Upgrade from Clairvoyance in Fate/Grand Order.
- The Endowed Hero (A Rank→ A+ Rank (Upgrade)): A Skill representing the great hero Arjuna, where he was always loved the moment he was born. Anyone would occasionally give Arjuna the thing he needed at the moment. He will not lack in anything, as long as he doesn't have an active cause, like a curse.[1]
- Mana Burst (Flame) (A Rank): A Skill that came attached to his Noble Phantasm Agni Gandiva that he received from the God of Flames Agni. It allows him to release jet-like bursts of mana, not from his body, but as propulsion for his arrows, allowing them to pierce his enemies faster than a rifle.[1]
Noble Phantasms[]
Arjuna wields a longbow named Agni Gandiva, which he received from the God of Flames Agni. This Noble Phantasm allows Arjuna to shoot missiles engulfed in flames which have the precision of a homing missile thanks to his possession of the Clairvoyance skill.[1] Arjuna used it to destroy Geronimo's Tsago Degi Naleya with a single blow.[7]
Arjuna's second Noble Phantasm is Pashupata, a Divine Construct given to him by one of the Three Greater Gods of the Hindu religion, Shiva. It is an attack that delivers Moksha. In other words, instant death. The higher one’s Divinity is, the greater the probability it becomes for them attaining Moksha.[1] The time it takes to prepare this Noble Phantasm is noticeably high. As seen in Fate/EXTELLA LINK, Arjuna would have been killed by Karna's Vasavi Shakti had Charlemagne not protected him with Joyeuse Ordre. When Karna fired a second time, Arjuna was now able to face it with Pashupata due to having had enough time to charge it. The resulting explosion of the two Noble Phantasms equally matching each other sent Karna and Arjuna flying away.[15] Arjuna was able to destroy an entire sector of Karl der Große's St. Metropolita by using Pashupata. Not holding back while firing Pashupata results in Arjuna's death. By sacrificing himself, Arjuna was able to destroy Clan Calatin.[10]
Equipment[]
Arjuna possesses the arrow with which he killed Karna. Presenting it as a gift to Ritsuka Fujimaru, An Arrow Towards Karna (カルナへの一矢?) is thought of as the "ultimate symbol of trust" for Arjuna. For him, entrusting it to his Master is a personal statement that he will be able to live life as he desires.
Gameplay[]
Arjuna has 3 skills when available when played in Fate/Samurai Remnant.
- Agni's Wrath: Cuts with a blade made from bowstring, projecting a fiery slashing wave.
- Galvanic Fusillade: Rushes forward while firing a barrage of arrows from midair.
- Heavenfire: Rains arrows in all directions.
Development[]
Creation and Conception[]
Arjuna was designed by pako in Fate/Grand Order.[2] Yuuichirou Higashide is the scenario writer for his character, and he wishes Arjuna's and Karna's story to be told in another TYPE-MOON work someday.[4]
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 1.34 1.35 1.36 1.37 1.38 1.39 1.40 1.41 1.42 1.43 1.44 1.45 1.46 1.47 Fate/Grand Order material III - Arjuna, p.092-103 translated by Kinalvin
- ↑ 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 Fate/Grand Order Profile of Arjuna, translated by Master of Chaos at Beast's Lair.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Fate/Grand Order - Arjuna's My Room voicelines.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4
[] Fate/Apocrypha material - Encyclopedia: Arjuna [Person's name], p.155 [T] Arjuna [Person's name]
Karna’s rival in Ancient Indian epic poem, the “Mahabharata”… Or rather, story-wise, Karna is the rival and Arjuna is the one who is in the position of protagonist. He is Karna’s younger brother from a different mother, but Arjuna continued to fight Karna without ever knowing that.
He has an honest and faithful personality that seems to embody justice itself. (At the very least, the people around him, including Karna, perceived him that way.)
Both in the present as a summoned Servant and in his lifetime, Karna lived without fussing over anything, but the only thing that the detached Karna ever felt an obsession towards was Arjuna.
Even when his mother Kunti begged him not to fight his five younger brothers, including Arjuna, Karna swore to not fight any of them except for Arjuna. Even for his mother’s request, Arjuna was something to Karna that he couldn’t turn over.
And it was the same for Arjuna as well. To him, Karna was—
…These two will probably be told of in another work someday. At least, it would be nice if that happened.アルジュナ【人名】
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4
[] Fate/EXTRA CCC - Karna (Lancer) Matrix Class: Launcher
Name: Karna
Master: Jinako Carigiri
Noble Phantasm: Vasavi Shakti (O Sun, Abide by Death)
Keyword: Golden armor, hero of generosity
Strength: B, Endurance: A, Agility: A, Magic: B, Luck: A+
Divinity: A, Uncrowned Martial Arts: -, Discernment of the Poor: -Kewords Vasavi Shakti: O Sun, Abide to Death
A spear of light that can only strike once. A spear of mortality made of lightning.
When it was time for the fight between Karna and Arjuna to reach its final stages, Indra, Arjuna's father and king of the gods, in order to help Arjuna, took away Karna's greatest armor, the "golden armor" through trickery.
However, Karna's behavior on that occasion was so noble that Indra came to adore Karna, the enemy of his son, and gave to Karna, as compensation for taking his armor, the power of the god of thunder that even he had not mastered.
That was this "thunder spear." It holds the power to defeat the gods themselves, but there is not record of Karna using this in his myth.
Golden Armor
In Hindu mythology, the golden armor and earrings and the hero Karna had upon his body. Karna's mother, Kunti, feared being an unmarried mother and prayed for the armor and earrings from Surya in order to protect her son.
A defense-type Noble Phantasm that emits the radiance of the sun itself. Since it is light itself given shape, even a god would have difficulty destroying it, and Indra put in the effort to render it unavailable to Karna.
In the myth, Indra took the form of a Brahmin and visited Karna's castle. He approached Karna when he was taking his holy bath and said, "I wish to receive the things you carry."
Karna had sworn not to refuse the request of a Brahmin made during this time. While aware of Indra's trap, he accepted this request and handed over the requested item, the armor that was his only proof of his lineage.
While it was taken from him in the myth, as a Servant, Karna still possesses it. While it appears massive, it's an invincible armor that disregards physics and concepts to curtail antagonistic interference.
As long as he wears it, the damage Karna takes is reduced to one-tenth.
Hero of Generosity
The specialty of the Saint of Generosity Karna, according to The Mahabharata.
Karna is poor at expressing his emotions, but he has the tendency to become angry when those who have picked him up, those who have supported him, are scorned. Even if it is a relationship based only on mutual benefit, to repay a favor with a favor is how Karna lives.
Possibly due to that selfless devotion of his, when people came to him, seeking something, he would generally grant it to them, as long as they were being truthful.
And this was without considering possessions or assets but with him considering the state of their heart first.
However, during the Holy Grail War, his master's victory is his priority, so a request for him to "yield his victory" will go unanswered, and he would admonish his opponent, as such a proposal would have no benefit for them.
"What a ridiculous misunderstanding. First of all, victory is something one must attain for oneself. Is a victory that I give truly a victory for you?"
This is not out of ill intentions, but rather because the question of "Doesn't having victory yielded to you cause you to lose at life?" is matter of real worry for him.01 - 『日輪よ、死に随え』
一撃のみの光槍。雷光で出来た必滅の槍。
カルナとアルジュナの戦いが最終局面を迎えた時、アルジュナの父であり神々の王であるインドラは
アルジュナを助けるため、カルナの最大の武具である『黄金の鎧』を策略で取り上げてしまった。
しかし、その時のカルナの態度があまりにも高潔だったため、インドラは我が子の敵であるカルナに心酔し、鎧を取り上げた代償として自身ですら使いこなせなかった雷神の力を与えた。
それがこの『雷槍』である。
神々をも打ち倒す力を持つというが、神話においてカルナがこれを使用した記録はない。
02 - 黄金の鎧
インド神話において、英雄カルナが身にまとっていた黄金の鎧と耳輪。
カルナの母クンティーが未婚の母となる事に恐怖を感じ、 息子を守るためにスーリヤに願った鎧と耳飾り。
太陽そのものの輝きを放つ、強力な防御型宝具。
光そのものが形となったものであるため、神々でさえ破壊は困難であり、インドラはこれを無効化しようと尽力した。
神話において、インドラはバラモン僧に変化してカルナの館を訪ね、
カルナが御前の沐浴をしている時に“貴方の持ち物をいただきたい”とせまったという。
カルナには沐浴の時にバラモンに請われたら断らない、という誓いがあった。
彼はインドラの罠と知りながらもこの申し出を受け、求められるまま、
唯一の出自の証ともいえる鎧を差し出したという。
神話では奪われたままだが、サーヴァント化したカルナはこの鎧を所持している。
見た目こそ重厚になってしまうが、物理・概念とわずあらゆる敵対干渉を削減する無敵の鎧である。
これがあるかぎり、カルナにはダメージ数値は十分の一しか届かない。
03 -施しの英雄
『マハーバーラタ』において施しの聖者と言われたカルナの特長。
感情表現の乏しいカルナだが、自らを拾い上げたもの、擁護したものを貶められる事には憤怒する傾向にある。
それが利益のみの関係であれ、恩義には恩義で酬いるのがカルナの在り方だからだ。
そんな滅私奉公な性格からか、カルナは人から何かを求められた時、道理が通っていればたいていのものは与えてしまう。
これは彼が持ち物や財産にこだわらず、心の在り方を第一に考えているためだろう。
ただし、聖杯戦争中は主人の勝利が第一なので、“勝ちを譲ってくれ”という求めには応じられないし、それが相手にとって良くない提案であると諭す。
「ふざけた勘違いだ。 そもそも勝利とは自らでしか勝ち得ぬもの。
俺が施す勝利は、本当におまえにとっての勝利なのか?」
これは嫌味ではなく、勝ちを譲られた時点で人生に負けているのではないか?
と本気で心配しての質問である。Skills 01 - Divinity [A]
The son of the sun god, Surya. In order to allow him to unify with Surya on a later occasion, he possess Divinity of the highest rank. Compared to heroes related to sun gods with Divinity ranked below B, he exhibits high defensive abilities.
While Karna is not good at asserting himself, when it comes to protecting the dignity of his sun god father, he shows a furious determination.
It seems that for the motherless Karna, that his father was the sun god was his only certainty, on top of receiving that power, he swore that he would never be able to do anything that would shame his father.
02 - Uncrowned Martial Arts [-]
Skill at arms that when unacknowledged for various reasons. Each sword, spear, bow, Riding, and Divinity skill is brought down one rank, and attributes will be displayed as their complete opposites. However, once his true name is revealed, this skill will no longer take effect.
Also, this is a digression, but the rank of his luck stat was reported by Karna himself.
03 - Discernment of the Poor [-]
The ability to observe and see through one's opponent's personality and attributes. Cannot be tricked by deceit or spoken excuses.
Truly, he was a immensely prudent and superhuman hero. He had the virtue to accept differing ideologies, even if they were his enemies', and their accompanying ways of life and respect them as "ways to live."
But Karna has difficulty conveying his true nature. Karna's speech and conduct pricks at those true natures. Words and actions meant to deceive oneself, behavior meant to gloss over, conviction. Karna sees through all of those things and frankly states "the true nature that his opponent wants to hide."
As a result, he comes to be hated by the majority of his opponents and is forced to fight them.
Anyone would hate having their faults being spoken of.
It goes without saying, but Karna's words and conduct do not contain any disgust at his opponent('s faults).
For Karna who affirms the position of every human, both faith that is not compatible with him and beauty and ugliness that he cannot understand are things to be held in esteem. Because he cannot put the admiration in his heart into words, people misunderstand him as someone who "denies and hates everything."01 - 神性:[A]
太陽神スーリヤの息子。
のちにスーリヤと一体化するため、最高の神性を持つ。
神性がB以下の太陽神系の英霊に対して高い防御力を発揮する。
自己主張の乏しいカルナだが、父である太陽神の威光を守る事には激しい決意を見せる。
母のいないカルナだが、父が太陽神である事だけは確かであり、その力を授かった以上、決して、父を貶める事はできないと誓っているからだろう。
02 - 無冠の武芸:[-]
様々な理由から認められる事のなかった武具の技量。
剣、槍、弓、騎乗、神性のそれぞれのスキルランクをマイナス1し、属性を真逆のものとして表示する。
ただし、真名が明かされた場合、このスキルは消滅する。
また余談ではあるが、幸運値のランクはカルナ本人による申告である。
03 - 貧者の見識:[-]
相手の性格・属性を見抜く眼力。
言葉による弁明、欺瞞に騙される事がない。
実はたいへん思慮深い、人間的に優れた英雄。
異なる思想、敵側のものであろうとその生き方を受け入れ、“それもあり”と尊重する徳の高さを持っている。
しかし、カルナのそういった本質は伝わりづらい。
カルナの言動は本質を突く。
自らを偽った言動、取り繕う態度、信念。
そういったものを見抜き、『相手が隠しておきたい本質』を率直に語ってしまう。
結果、たいていの相手に嫌われてしまい、戦闘を余儀なくされる。
誰だって自らの短所を語られるのは嫌なものだ。
言うまでもなく、カルナの言動は相手(の短所)を嫌悪してのものではない。
人それぞれの立ち位置を肯定するカルナにとって、相容れぬ信念、理解できない美醜も尊ぶもの。
心の中では感心しているものの言葉には出さないため、結果として“あらゆるものを否定し、嫌っている”ように勘違いされてしまうようだ。Setting Personal Background I
Karna appears in the Indian epic poem The Mahabharata, as a hero on the vanquished side. (The central conflict of The Mahabharata is the war over influence between the Pandava royal family and Kaurava royal family.)
Karna became famous as the rival of Arjuna, the great hero of Hindu mythology.
Karna was born from the daughter of a human king, Kunti, and the sun god, Surya.
Kunti was the wife of the Kuru king Pandu, but he was under a curse that prevented him from producing children, so his queens each had no choice but other methods to bear children.
Kunti was a woman who had a mantra that allowed her to copulate with and bear the child of any god and, by those means, gave Pandu children.
...But. Before she became the king's wife, she tested the mantra and bore a single child. That child was Karna, the golden hero who was born from relations with the sun god Surya.
Kunti was a determined woman and, afraid of her first birth and anxiety over whether the god would acknowledge his own child, prayed to Surya: "I want proof that this child is your son."
Surya heard Kunti's words and gave his own power and attributes to the child as he was born.
This is the source of the golden armor that made Karna invulnerable.
But. Though she was shown such grace and faithfulness, Kunti threw away her first son. For her, who was to become the queen of Kuru king Pandu, the existence of her son nothing but unnecessary.
This is how Karna, who was thrown away by his owner mother, came to be ignorant of his own birth, but he lived with only the things he had been given by his father, the sun god Surya, held in his chest.
The form of Karna, who didn't know his own mother's face and who questioned whether his mother was motivated by dishonesty, couldn't be called beautiful.
Though he possessed his father's brilliant authority, his form was stained black. His countenance was cruel, and his every action was violent. Because of his lack of human mother, he didn't learn the subtleties of human emotion and spent his days being considered a nuisance by the people around him.
That was how Karna was raised, but he didn't hate his mother or his surroundings. Instead, he accepted everything.
"I was given life by my mother and father. No matter what kind of person my mother is, I do not hold contempt for her. If there is anything I hate, anything I hold contempt for, it is myself alone."
In contrast to his appearance, Karna was an exceedingly virtuous and perceptive child. Possibly the cause of that was because, while he was the child of a god, he was also a child without a single relative. Karna was blessed with the opportunity to question the poor, their lives, and their value. As a result, he chose, of his own free will, the path where he persisted in his own fastidiousness.
"I who was born with more than people should display a 'proof of my life' greater than those of people. Unless I do so, the people without power will not be rewarded."
What Karna had was simply the conviction to live without bringing dishonor to his father's authority and without shaming the people who compensated him. "Though he may be relentless and ruthless, he is also full of majesty," is Karna's stance given form.
And Karna, who had grown to be a young man, participated in a conference of the Kuru family. At this conference, the five Pandava brothers indulged themselves in the martial arts they were so proud of and so famous for. The third son Arjuna's skill at the bow was especially magnificent, to the point that he was praised as having no equal.
When the grounds were united as one voice praising the Pandavas, Karna leapt up to participate and displayed martial arts of the same rank as Arjuna's.
(This is a digression, but the reason for the unmotivated Karna to challenge Arjuna is unclear in the legend as well. The reason that Arjuna was the only opponent that Karna, who never envied nor hated anyone, was conscious of was established later.)
Karna challenged Arjuna to determine which of them was superior. But to challenge Arjuna, a member of the royal family, one must be higher than a Kshatriya.
(*Kshatriya... Those in the caste system who are of the military or royalty. Karna seemed to be a Vaishya (merchant class) or a Shudrya (a slave).)
Karna, whose challenge was refused due to the difference in status, was a laughingstock. The one who saved Karna in this situation was the eldest of the one hundred princes of the Kaurava clan, who opposed the Pandavas, Duryodhana.
He became interested in Karna and made him a king at that place. This is how Karna was saved from disgrace, but his foster father, who had heard of his promotion, appeared and established his origins.
The five Pandava brothers further ridiculed Karna, who displayed martial arts superior to their own, saying, "The son of a charioteer should have a sense of shame."
These words enraged Karna. If it were about himself, he would accept and be resigned to anything, but he would not allow insults toward his foster father. Even if it was a foster father who announced himself out of greed, to Karna, he was the father who raised him, who Karna should take pride in.
The antagonism between Karna and the five Pandava brothers had become something he could not step back from, but sunset had come and the curtain was drawn on the conference.
From then again, Karna, as the friend of Duryodhana, who saved him and treated him as a king, lived as a guest of honor of the one hundred princes of the Kaurava clan.
He would learn later that what awaits him beyond that is a cruel battle with the five Pandava brothers--great hero Arjuna.
Personal Background II
The antagonism between the Kauravas whom Karna entrusted his bow as a soldier and the Pandavas that Arjuna led intensified and finally became a war with their territory in the balance.
That war is called the Kurukshetra War, and that is where Karna's life came to an end.
Karna continued to wield his strength so that the one hundred Kaurava princes, and consequently Duryodhana, would be victorious. On the Pandava side, the only one who could oppose Karna was Arjuna, but even Arjuna could only be resigned to the fact that facing Karna directly was death.
Through several conflicts, pretexts, and mutual hatred, the war between this two camps arrived at Kurukshetra.
Things having reached this point, Karna's mother, Kunti, wagered one last gamble: to reveal his lineage to Karna and draw him to the Pandava camp.
Kunti told only Krishna, who was a friend of Arjuna in the guise of a normal person, of this situation, and the two of them went alone to meet Karna.
Kunti revealed that she was Karna's mother, spoke how fighting with the five Pandava brothers would yield no benefits whilst weeping, and persuaded him that by fighting together with Arjuna, he would attain glory.
Karna, without failing to show the friend of his arch-enemy Arjuna, Krishna, thanks, quietly listened to his mother's arguments.
Afterwards,
"I understand your words. To join hands with the five brothers and return to my proper form. That would be a story filled with light, without a single fault."
Then, facing the rejoicing Kunti, Karna continued speaking in an even softer voice.
"But I wish for you to answer one thing. Do you not feel that those words of yours were too late?"
She was too late in declaring she was his mother. She was too late in looking back upon Karna. "If you do not feel that this is a shame, then please answer. You, who declare yourself my mother, if you yourself have done no wrong, then I will accept the past without feeling ashamed."
While Kunti was a selfish woman, that was due to her natural innocence and and simple-mindedness; she was most definitely not a shameless woman. She knew her own deeds...throwing away Karna, who had just been born, for her own sake...were full of selfishness and reproached herself for that.
And for that reason, she possesses a minimum amount of pride. She could not tell to Karna, who had been raised alone until now, who was grateful to his foster family, who had never once embraced hatred toward another, a horrible lie.
Kunti broke off the negotiation without answering. Karna said this to Kunti, who stood with her head hanging,
"That is a deception, a complacent love. The only one your love can save is you. Your love is directed at no one but yourself. But--"
"I shall answer that feeling. From hereon, during the war, I will not kill any of the brothers who come to match me. I will only use all my power against my arch-enemy Arjuna."
Karna swore not to lay a hand on the brothers of the Pandava family who were inferior to him in strength. The countless times Karna allowed the five brothers to go after this was due to this pledge.
"Return to the place that you obtained with your own hands. ...Though it was only once, I am grateful that you called me your son."
Karna opened the castle gate and escorted Kunti out. That was the love that Karna bore for his mother, Kunti. It was not love for his mother at this late point in time but Kunti's resolution to raise "her feelings as mother" in the end... even if it wasn't genuine... That is what he answered. Kunti risked the danger of having her past come to light. To the hero of generosity Karna, such determination is worthy of compensation.
And so, just before the final battle. Arjuna's father, Indra, who understood that Karna could not be persuaded, took the form of a Brahmin, contacts Karna, and takes his golden armor.
Though Karna had lost the property of being unkillable that he received from his father, he never said he would stop proceeding to the battlefield. He did not care that when he had lost his golden armor he had hastened his own death.
Indra, who was touched by how gallant a figure Karna struck, asked why. Why did he continue to the battlefield, having lost his armor, but without reproaching Indra, who had hatched this scheme out of love for Arjuna?
"There is no need to hate you. It is simply a matter of being a step ahead. In fact--yes. Though you are a god, you are also a father. Such a thing brings me joy."
Then why do you advance toward the battlefield, asked Indra.
"To me, defeat is bringing shame upon my father. Even though death awaits me, I cannot run away."
After all, that was why he lived. To Karna, who lived his life with pride in those who gave him life and raised him, his life was not his own.
"Including, I owe Duryodhana a debt. For some reason, that impudent and timid man is so bright to me. It may be blasphemy against my father but, occasionally, I feel that that sweet light is the warmth of the sun."
It was not the fire of the sun that Karna carried nor the absolute brilliance of Surya; to Karna, the sun was the imperfect charm that humans displayed.
Indra, who saw the divinity of Surya himself in that form, gave Karna his spear. He had taken from this noble hero something greater than his life. Unless he gave something as compensation, his honor would be stained; above all--he was charmed with him: if it were this man, he could wield the greatest spear, that Indra had not given even to his own son.
After, Karna sent off the Brahmin, having lost his armor (flesh), and headed to the battlefield, as thin as a ghost.
The final battle with Arjuna. Karna was already without allies; his charioteer, whom he trusted with his body, was already an enemy, in collusion with the Pandavas.
He had a large number of heavy burdens, his feelings towards his younger half-brothers.
Due to his curse, the wheel of Karna's chariot was stuck in a rut. The string of Arjuna's bow was drawn back to its limits. These brothers who, for a long time, were manipulated by an unseen destiny to compete for supremacy, could only in this moment strike one another with all their might.
--And sure enough, Arjuna's bow shot down the sun.
It is said that after his death, Karna became one with his father Surya. Called "the hero of generosity," he was a saint with the creed of not refusing when people came to ask or rely on him. The hero who, while possessing exceedingly high abilities, was within a tragedy where he was the enemy of his brothers by blood, received various curses, and lost his life without showing his true worth--that is Karna.
This is a digression, but it is impossible to determine if Arjuna knew the truth...that Karna was his older brother...or not.
It seems the only people who knew that Karna was Kunti's son were Karna and Kunti, Krishna, and the sun god Surya.01 - 人物背景Ⅰ
カルナはインドの叙事詩『マハーバーラタ』に登場する、倒される側の英雄である。
(マハーバーラタはパーンダヴァ王家とカウラヴァ王家、両勢力による戦いを主軸として描かれたもの)
インド神話の大英雄アルジュナのライバルとして名高い。
◆
カルナは人間の王の娘クンティーと、太陽神スーリヤとの間に生まれた。
クンティーはクル王パーンドゥの妻だったが、パーンドゥは子供を作れない呪いにかかっており、后たちは各々の手段で子供をもうけるしかなかった。
クンティーは任意の神々と交わり、子供を産むマントラを授かった女で、この手段でパーンドゥの子供を産む。
……が。彼女は王の妻となる前に、マントラの実験として子を一人もうけていた。
この子供こそカルナ。太陽神スーリヤと交わるコトで生まれた、黄金の英雄である。
クンティーはしたたかな女で、初出産の恐れ、神々が自分の子を認知するかといった不安から、太陽神スーリヤに“この子供が貴方の息子である証拠がほしい”と願った。
太陽神スーリヤはクンティーの言葉を聞き入れ、生まれてくる子供に自らの威光、属性を与える。
これがカルナを不死身たらしめる黄金の鎧の出自である。
◆
が。そこまでの恩寵、誠実さを示されながら、クンティーは一人目の息子を捨ててしまう。
クル王パーンドゥの后になる事が決まっていた彼女には、息子の存在は無用でしかなかったからだ。
こうして母に捨てられたカルナは自らの出自を知らず、ただ、太陽神スーリヤを父に持つ事のみを胸にして生きていく。
母の顔を知らず、また、その母の動機が不純だった為か、カルナの姿は見目麗しいものとは言えなかった。
父の輝かしい威光は備わっているものの、その姿は黒く濁っていた。
顔つきは酷薄で、その一挙一動は粗暴につきる。
人間の母親がいなかった為に人の感情の機微を学べず、まわりの人間からは煙たがれる日々だった。
そんな境遇で育ったカルナだが、彼は母や周りを恨まなかった。むしろ全てを肯定していた。
「俺が生を受けたのは父と母あってこそ。
母がどのような人物であれ、俺が母を貶める事はない。
俺が恨み、貶めるものがあるとすれば、それは俺自身だけだ」
カルナはその外見とは裏腹に、優れた徳と悟りを得た子供だった。
神の子でありながら天涯孤独の身であったからだろう。
カルナは弱きものたち、その生と価値を問う機会に恵まれた。
その結論として、彼は自らの潔癖さを貫く道を選んだ。
「人より多くのものを戴いて生まれた自分は、人より優れた“生の証”を示すべきだ。
そうでなければ、力なき人々が報われない」
カルナにあるものは父の威光を汚さず、報いてくれた人々に恥じる事なく生きる信念だけ。
“冷酷、無慈悲ではあるが、同時に尊厳に満ちている”
カルナのスタンスはこうしてかたちどられた。
◆
そうして青年に成長したカルナは、クル族の協議会に参加する。
協議会ではパーンダヴァ五兄弟がその武芸を誇り、名声をほしいままにしていた。
特に三男アルジュナの弓の腕は素晴らしく、誰もかなう者はいないと讃えられた。
場がパーンダヴァを讃える声で一色になった時、カルナは飛び入りで参加し、アルジュナと同格の武芸を披露する。
(余談だが、消極的なカルナがなぜアルジュナと競おうとしたかは伝説上でも不明とされている。
誰も羨まない、誰も恨まないカルナが唯一意識した相手がアルジュナである理由は、後に判明する事になる)
カルナは優劣を決しようとアルジュナに挑戦する。
が、王族であるアルジュナに挑戦するにはクシャトリア以上の資格が必要となる。
(※クシャトリア……
カースト制度でいう武門、王族。
カルナはヴァイシャ(商人)、あるいはシュードラ(奴隷)だったと思われる)
身分の差から挑戦を断られ、笑いものにされるカルナ。
そんなカルナを救ったのはパーンダヴァと対立する一族、カウラヴァ百王子の長兄、ドゥリーヨダナだった。
彼はカルナを気に入り、その場で王として迎え入れる。
こうしてカルナは不名誉から救われたが、カルナの出世を聞きつけた養父が現れ、カルナの出自が判明してしまった。
パーンダヴァ五兄弟は自分たちより上の武芸を見せたカルナをさらなる笑いものにする。
“御者の息子風情が恥を知れ”と。
カルナはこの言葉に激怒した。
自分の事ならあまんじて受けるが、養父を侮辱された事は聞き逃せない。
……たとえそれが欲にかられて名乗り出た養父だとしても、カルナにとっては自らを育ててくれた誇るべき父だからだ。
カルナと五兄弟の対立はもはや引き下がれないものとなるが、日没を迎え、協議会は幕を下ろした。
以後、カルナは自分を救い、王として扱ってくれたドゥリーヨダナを友とし、彼らカウラヴァ百王子の賓客として生きる事になる。
その先に待つ、パーンダヴァ五兄弟―――
大英雄アルジュナとの過酷な戦いを理解した上で。
02 - 人物背景Ⅱ
カルナが武人として弓を預けるカウラヴァ百王子と、アルジュナを筆頭とするパーンダヴァ五兄弟の対立は激しさを増し、最終的には領地をかけての戦となった。
この戦をクルクシェートラの戦いと呼び、カルナはこの戦でその命を終える事となる。
◆
カルナはカウラヴァ百王子を、ひいてはドゥリーヨダナを勝たせる為にその力を振るい続けた。
パーンダヴァ側でカルナに対抗できるのはアルジュナだけであり、そのアルジュナをもってしてもカルナとの直接対決は死を覚悟しなければならないものだった。
いくつかの衝突、因縁、憎しみ合いを経て、両陣営の戦いはクルクシェートラに到達する。
ことここに至って、カルナの母・クンティーは最後の賭けにでた。
カルナに自らの出自を明かし、パーンダヴァ陣営に引き入れようと考えたのである。
クンティーはアルジュナの従者にして友人・クリシュナにのみ事情を明かし、二人だけでカルナと面会する。
クンティーは自分がカルナの母である事を明かし、実の兄弟で戦う事の無益さを涙ながらに語り、アルジュナたちと共に戦い、栄光を手にするべきだと説得した。
カルナは宿敵アルジュナの友人であるクリシュナに礼を欠かさず、また、母の説得を静かに聞き入れた。
その後に、
「貴女の言葉は分かった。兄弟たちと手を取り、正しい姿に戻る。
それはなに一つ欠点のない、光に満ちた物語だろう」
では、と喜ぶクンティーに対し、カルナはなお静かに言葉を続ける。
「だが、一つだけ答えてほしい。
貴女はその言葉を、遅すぎたとは思わないのか」
母と名乗るのが遅すぎた。
カルナを省みるのが遅すぎた。
それを恥と思わないのであれば、どうか答えてほしい。
―――母を名乗る貴方が、自らに何の負い目もないというのなら、自分も恥じる事なく過去を受け入れる、と。
クンティーは身勝手な女ではあるが、それも生来の天真爛漫さ、無邪気さからくるもので、決して恥を知らない女ではない。
彼女とて自らの行い……
自分のために生まれたばかりのカルナを捨てた事……
が我欲に満ちたものだと自覚、自責はあった。
なればこそ、彼女にも最低限の誇りはある。
今まで独りで育ち、養父たちに感謝し、何の憎しみも抱かないカルナに、醜い嘘だけはつけなかったのである。
クンティーは答えられず、交渉は決裂。
うなだれて立ち去るクンティーにカルナは告げる。
「それは欺瞞、独りよがりの愛だ。
アナタの愛で救えるのは、アナタだけだ。
アナタの愛はアナタにしか向けられていない。
だが―――」
「その気持ちに応えよう。
以後、戦において俺に及ばぬ兄弟を仕留める事はない。
俺が全力を尽くすのは、我が宿敵アルジュナだけだ」
五兄弟のうち、実力の劣る他の兄弟には手を出さないとカルナは誓う。
これ以後、カルナは幾度となく五兄弟を見逃すのはこの誓いからである。
「自ら手にした場所へ帰るがいい。
……一度だけだが。
息子と呼ばれた事には、感謝している」
館の門を閉め、クンティーを送り出すカルナ。
それはカルナなりの母親・クンティーへの愛。
いまさら母恋しでもないが、最後に「母親としての情」に訴えたクンティーの覚悟……それが真偽さだからぬものとしても……
に、彼は応えたのだ。
クンティーは自らの過去を明かす、という危険を冒した。
施しの英雄であるカルナにとって、その決意は酬いるに値するものだったのだ。
◆
そうして、最後の戦いの直前。
カルナの懐柔はできないと悟ったアルジュナの父、雷神インドラはバラモン僧に化けてカルナと接触し、彼から黄金の鎧を奪った。
父スーリヤから授かった不死身性を失ったカルナだったが、それでも戦いに赴く事をやめるとは言わなかった。
カルナは黄金の鎧を失った時点で、速やかに自らの破滅を受け入れたにも関わらずだ。
あまりにも潔いカルナに感じ入ったのか、インドラは何故、と問う。
アルジュナ愛しでこのような計略に走るインドラを非難せず、鎧を失い、なぜ戦場に向かえるのかと。
「アナタを恨む事はない。
一枚上手だっただけの話だろう。
むしろ―――そうだな。神といえど父親である、というのが俺には喜ばしい」
では戦いに赴くのは何故だ、とインドラ。
「俺にとって敗北とは、父の威光を汚す事だ。
死が待っているにしても、逃げる事はできない」
なにしろ、その為だけに生きてきた。
自らを生み、育ててくれたものたちに胸を張れるように生きてきたカルナにとって、自らの命は、彼自身のものですらなかったのだ。
「それに、ドゥリーヨダナにも恩がある。
俺はなぜか、あの厚顔で小心な男が眩しくてな。
我が父への不敬となるが、たまに、あの甘い光こそが、日の暖かさだと思うのだ」
カルナの背負う太陽の火ではなく、絶対的なスーリヤの輝きでもなく、人間が見せる不完全な魅力こそが太陽だとカルナは語る。
その姿にスーリヤそのものの神性を見たインドラは、自らの槍をカルナに与えた。
彼はこの高潔な英雄から命以上のものを奪った。
その見返りにあたるものを与えなければ自らの名誉を貶める事になるし、なにより―――
己が息子にも与えなかった最強の槍を、この男なら使いこなせるのでは、と惚れてしまったのだ。
◆
こうしてカルナはバラモン僧を送り、鎧(肉)を失い、幽鬼のようにやせ細った姿で戦場に向かった。
アルジュナとの最後の戦い。
カルナには既に味方はなく、身を任せる馬車の御者すらパーンダヴァに内通する敵だった。
数々の重荷、異母兄弟である弟への感情。
呪いによりカルナの馬車の車輪は轍にはまり、アルジュナの矢の弦が限界まで引き絞られる。
長く、見えない縁に操られるよう覇を競いあった兄弟は、ここぞとばかりに渾身の一撃を放ち合う。
――果たして、アルジュナの弓は、太陽を撃ち落とした。
◆
カルナは死後、父スーリヤと一体化したと言われている。
『施しの英雄』と呼ばれ、何かを乞われたり頼まれたりした時に断らない事を信条とした聖人。
非常に高い能力を持ちながら、血の繋がった兄弟と敵対する悲劇を迎え、
様々な呪いを受け、その真価を発揮する事なく命を落とした英雄―――それがカルナである。
余談ではあるが、アルジュナが真相……カルナが自分の兄である事……を知っていたかどうかは定かではない。
カルナがクンティーの息子である事を知っているのは、カルナとクンティー、クリシュナ、太陽神スーリヤだけと思われる。 - ↑ Fate/Grand Order - E Pluribus Unum: The Grand Battle of Legends in North America - Section 12: Sympathy for the Soldier
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Fate/Grand Order - E Pluribus Unum: The Grand Battle of Legends in North America - Section 13: Over the Rainbow
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Fate/Grand Order - E Pluribus Unum: The Grand Battle of Legends in North America - Section 18: The Killing Fields
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Fate/Grand Order - E Pluribus Unum: The Grand Battle of Legends in North America - Section 19: North American Myth War (Beginning)
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Fate/Grand Order - E Pluribus Unum: The Grand Battle of Legends in North America - Section 21: North American Myth War (Ending)
- ↑ Fate/Grand Order - E Pluribus Unum: The Grand Battle of Legends in North America - Section 22: Shielder, Master, Soldier, Nurse
- ↑ Fate/Grand Order - Salomon: The Grand Time Temple - Section 6: V/Halphas, the Armory
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Fate/EXTELLA LINK - Day 1: Prologue
- ↑ Fate/EXTELLA LINK - Day 3: Meeting Up With A Heroic Bandit
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Fate/EXTELLA LINK - Day 6: The St. Metropolita, West Gate
- ↑ Fate/Samurai Remnant - Dorothea Coyett Digression: Dorothea Makes Landfall
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Fate/Samurai Remnant - Dorothea Coyett Digression: Unforeseen Heroic Spirit
- ↑ Fate/Samurai Remnant - Arjuna Digression: Those Swords...
- ↑ Fate/Samurai Remnant - Chapter IV: Inescapable
- ↑ Fate/Samurai Remnant - Arjuna Digression: Initiation
- ↑
[] Fate/Apocrypha material - Encyclopedia: Lancer of “Red” [Servant], p.153 [T] Lancer of “Red” [Servant]
One of the Servants of the Red camp. One of the great heroes that appears in the Ancient Indian epic poem, the “Mahabharata”. His true name is Karna. Since details about him have already been revealed in “Fate/EXTRA CCC” and the material book “Fate/EXTRA material”, I will only write about Karna as concerned with his appearance in “Apocrypha”.
In the Great Holy Grail War, Karna is the Heroic Spirit who didn’t acknowledge Shirou Kotomine as his Master right till the very end. He continued to serve the Masters whose consciousness had been stolen until the end. He merely obeyed Shirou out of necessity in order to protect them; if it weren’t for that, he would have been an aloof Servant who would merely obey his Master’s desire to “obtain the Holy Grail”. He truly is a saint, although I get the feeling that, after having served with such an honest and faithful attitude, he said in the Moon Cell, “Then, this time I’m put together with a completely useless shut-in of a Master”, but who knows?
This time, he had an abundant prana supply, so he was able to utilize his full power at full throttle, unlike anything seen previously. Honestly, I feel regret over maybe having gone too far with him. He acts as if damage is nothing to him thanks to his golden armor, he sends the enemy flying with his “Prana Burst, he’s covered in flames like a burning phoenix, and his divine spear releases a humongous explosion—in contrast to his modest attitude, it gave the impression that he was rampaging violently.
He possesses power and skill that isn’t inferior to that of Achilles within the Red camp; truly a case of two star players in a single team. During the great battle in the second volume, Lancer of Black’s repeated attacks weren’t half-hearted at all, and any other Lancer besides Karna wouldn’t have been able to withstand it.
Karna saw in Siegfried in the face of a pure warrior trying to carry out his duty even while feeling anguished by something. It seems it was similar to what he saw in the legendary bowman who he fought in the past.
Also, originally in the Jumbo Jet Counter-Attack battle of volume 5, there were plans to have something like a ‘Massive Jumbo Jet Target Shooting scene where Karna readies himself and sticks his spear in the ground, and when Semiramis asks what he is doing, he says, “Weapons are unnecessary. A true hero kills with his eyes!”’, but it was too much of a ridiculous gag and it ended up being cut.“赤”のランサー【サーヴァント】
- ↑ Fate/Grand Order material VIII - Ashwatthama, Profile translated by King of Padoru
- ↑ Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Yuga Kshetra: Saṃsāra of Genesis and Terminus - Section 2: Meeting Hope in a Lonely World
- ↑ Fate/Grand Order - E Pluribus Unum: The Grand Battle of Legends in North America - Section 17: War
- ↑ Fate/Grand Order -turas réalta- Chapter 54
- ↑ Fate/Grand Order -turas réalta- Chapter 76