Watcher (ウォッチャー, Wocchā?) is a Watcher-class Servant summoned by Sigma in the True and False Holy Grail Wars of Fate/strange fake. Although summoned in the place of True Lancer, the shadows of Watcher claim Sigma himself will become True Lancer.
Profile
Identity
Watcher's True Name is unknown, censored as ○○○·○○○○.[1]Although described as a Heroic Spirit, is said to be an abnormal phenomenon that would be hard to call a hero, god, or demon.[2] Upon its summoning, Enkidu senses an "abnormality" with his Presence Detection skill and wonders if he has "angered them a little," but does not believe it has anything to do with a Heroic Spirit being summoned.
The purpose of Watcher is not to act as Servant replacing one of the other classes. It is a "lookout" observing the Holy Grail War, and said to be an obstacle for Sigma to overcome so he can become "Lancer while living." It will give him "unreasonable" trials to overcome so that he can "become somebody."
Appearance
The actual Servant has yet to appear. Its shadows speak to Sigma, appearing and disappearing to speak in turn.
Personality
The shadows profess that Sigma is unlucky in having summoned Watcher, that he is now burdened with unavoidable hardship. They have high hopes for him that he'll become Lancer. The shadows often speak of regret and hatred.
Role
Fate/strange fake
Day 1
Sigma summons his Servant without a catalyst at the behest of Francesca. Upon the summoning being completed, he is greeted by Watcher's shadows, confused by their appearance. They mention that he is unlucky in having summoned them, but that they have high hopes that he'll become True Lancer.[3] Watcher himself doesn't show himself or speak to Sigma, instead observing the Grail War and transferring the information he receives to the shadows. The parties of the war are unable to notice Watcher, except for False Lancer, who can sense a presence similar to certain beings in their own era, and False Caster, who can sense someone watching him.[4]
False Assassin approaches Sigma and the shadows warn him. He asks Watcher to assist him, but the shadows remind him that they cannot touch anything. False Assassin assumes he is talking to himself, but realizes he is a Master and attacks. Having observed her in battle, the shadows are able to warn Sigma about her Noble Phantasm, Zabaniya: Phantasmal Pedigree. Thanks to the warnings, Sigma is able to dodge each attack and escape. As he is running, he comes across Ayaka Sajyou. The shadows tell him she is an innocent dragged into the war, so he attempts to take her to safety. False Assassin and Saber arrive. The shadows explain that Ayaka is Saber's Master and that Saber is Richard the Lionheart. Mysteriously, the shadows imply that Sigma would be able to take Saber on in a fair fight.
Because of Sigma attempting to protect Ayaka, Saber and False Assassin invite Sigma to join their alliance. Due to the fact that nobody can see the shadows of Watcher, Sigma claims that he has summoned Lancer Charlie Chaplin to both Saber's alliance and Faldeus Dioland, one of the people behind the war, who is keeping in contact with Sigma, and that Chaplin chooses to remain concealed for now. Later, Sigma has a chat with False Assassin over the nature of their faith. When she wishes him well and leaves, he stares at her, causing the shadows to tease him and ask if he is smitten, which he denies.[5]
Day 2
Watcher continues to supply Sigma with much information throughout the War, telling him about the battle between True Archer and True Berserker, the spies in the other sides of the War, as well as the upcoming battle for the safety of Tsubaki Kuruoka, the young comatose Master of False Rider.[6]
Abilities
Watcher's exact abilities are unknown. The actual Heroic Spirit has not appeared, but Sigma can feel the connection through magical energy to Watcher. He states that it does not seem to be draining his magical energy. The Watcher Class is not the normal Servant class under which the Heroic Spirit would be summoned. The shadows mention potentially being properly summoned under the Gatekeeper class.[7]
Observation
Watcher has the capacity to completely observe every action within a certain area from the moment it is summoned. It cannot see into the past, so anything from before its summoning is unknown to it.[7] The exact radius is unknown, but there are some areas in Snowfield outside of its range.[8] This information is shared with the shadows, allowing them to notify the Master of what Watcher observes. While it can use the knowledge to predict certain actions, form ideas as to how individuals will act, and deduce patterns from basic personality traits, it knows nothing of what it has not directly observed, and it cannot read minds.[8]
It can observe entire groups and point out exact numbers, individual flaws like traitors within the group, and their entire scope of activity. It cannot grasp the intentions of those who act wordlessly and dispassionately without them first taking observable action. If the individual is like the existence possessing Fillia, they can completely isolate their presence from observation even to the point where Watcher cannot even make a guess.[8] Upon its summoning, it notices the various irregularities of the Holy Grail Wars, including that Heracles was transmuted into the Avenger Alcides and other unnatural existences being drawn into the city.[7] It can observe and relay even Servant True Names and Noble Phantasms should it observe them.[8]
It cannot be directly felt or sensed by others, but Enkidu is able to notice some sort of presence upon its summoning. Caster senses the feeling of being watched. Although nothing has physically changed about his room, he feels "as if the quality of the space itself had changed." Although an uneasy feeling, he decides to pay it no mind and feels fine with an "audience" spectating.[7]
Shadows
Upon summoning, various figures referred to as Shadows (影法師?) of Watcher appear, with which only the Master of Watcher can hear and interact. Due to Watcher's influence, they appear directly in the summoner's brain to interact. They can interact with Sigma in some sense, allowing him to feel one put a hand on his shoulder.[8] He describes the shadows as being like Heroic Spirits, two of them claiming to be able to appear as proper Heroic Spirits under other circumstances, but they are not Heroic Spirits in their current state as Watcher's shadows.[7] Sigma cannot read their statuses like a Master would be able to view those of Servants. They cannot use any Noble Phantasms, and lack anything that can be called a weapon, not a blade or even a chopstick.[7]
They each appear one at a time to speak in turn, displaying distinctive appearances and personalities.[7] They guide Sigma for unexplained reasons related to his supposed destiny to become Lancer, mentioning Watcher's trials frequently. They will generally not act on their own until asked, unless there is an impending danger of which they wish to warn Sigma. While they may be vague and deliberately withhold information, they do not lie to Sigma.[8] They are granted knowledge of the Holy Grail War and the modern world through both Watcher and the Grail much like the Servants.[8][7]
Captain
Captain
The self-proclaimed Captain (船長?) is the first of Watcher's shadows to appear. He is a modernly-dressed, aging old man with gray hair and a large vertical scar that runs from his face to below his collar. His features are described as being "old enough to be called elderly" but also strong enough to give the presence of an active-duty marine. He appears in an old chair, carries a cane in his hand, and he has a distinctive smooth, white artificial leg attached at one knee.
He claims that as a proper Heroic Spirit that he would manifest as a class founded on vengeance rather than as a Rider. Upon sensing True Archer, he feels "presence like his own" and resonates his own rage with it.
"Boy with wings on his back"
The boy with wings on his back is a self-described "escaped prisoner." Compared to the more modern looking captain, he is dressed more like someone from ancient myths. Upon his back and shoulders, he is fitted with mechanical wings, having degraded to looking skeletal with pieces of wax and white feathers interwoven throughout.
"Child with the serpent staff"
The child with the serpent staff is a young boy in his early teens. Wearing a white garment, he carries a staff with a living snake entwined around it. He says his appearance of being a child is due to the effect of using his own body as part of a clinical study to test Medusa's blood.
Samurai
One of the shadows wears an "outfit that reminds Sigma of a Japanese temple." Despite being faced with the possibility of Sigma having to fight Saber, the individual states that he would not try to stop Sigma if Sigma wished to face Saber as a trial. Sigma notes it seems strange that the shadow acted as if Sigma stood a chance.
Knight
One of the shadows is a knight. He asks Sigma if he knows of King Arthur's Holy Grail quest, and falls silent after Sigma says it's a Monty Python comedy.
Carefree man
One of the voices is noted to be particularly carefree even during a serious situation. He also says he would have "materialized and made a go of it as a Heroic Spirit" if Sigma had been a woman.
Development
Watcher was originally going to be a Shielder-class Servant.[9]
References
- ↑ TYPE-MOON Ace - Volume 11 - pg.117
- ↑ Fate/strange fake volume 3 teaser - However, Sigma does not yet know. That what he had summoned was an especially abnormal "phenomenon" that can hardly be expressed as the sort of heroes, gods and demons.
- ↑ Fate/strange fake Volume 3, Interlude: "The Passion of the Nameless Soldier"
- ↑ Fate/strange fake Volume 3, Interlude: "Watcher"
- ↑ Fate/strange fake Volume 4, Interlude: "The Boy Does Not Believe In God"
- ↑ Fate/strange fake Volume 4, Interlude: "The Parade of Treachery"
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 Fate/strange fake - Volume 3
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 Fate/strange fake - Volume 4
- ↑ TYPE-MOON Ace 12 - Pg. 105