Fate/Zero - "The Demon Spear" - Episode 4 Recap

The fourth episode of Fate/Zero, “The Demon Spear,” featured the first (real) fight of the Holy Grail War between Saber and Lancer. The past three episodes had a lot of setup regarding the rules of the game, the masters and servants involved and the dynamics of the relationships between them. This worked well in easing new viewers in, and it offered a new perspective on the series for older viewers. By the end of the third episode though I was craving a fight, and when Saber confronted Lancer I couldn’t wait until this episode.

“The Demon Spear” takes place right where episode three left off - with Lancer and Saber about to engage in battle. During the fight Kiritsugu and his assistant are actively searching for Lancer’s master, so that they can shoot him and take him out. Meanwhile Rider is watching in the distance and Assassin is also spying on the fight. Saber and Lancer seem evenly matched, but the tides turn against Saber when Lancer’s master gives him permission to use his noble phantasm. Saber struggles to figure out its abilities and near the end, it seems as though Saber may not be able to win. The fight then dramatically changes when Rider decides that he wants to enter the battle, causing it to turn into a three-way brawl.

Studio ufotable has really outdone itself with Fate/Zero because the animation here is nothing short of stunning. I expected the quality to drop during the fight sequences due to the fast pace, but luckily this wasn’t the case. Instead ufotable rose to the occasion and showed that no series should drop the quality of its animation because of action. Every swing of Saber’s sword and every jab of Lancer’s spears was smooth and clean. The remarkable animation really added to the intensity of the fight, and in general made me look forward to the rest of the Holy Grail War. This type of animation is what properly showcases the servants’ abilities and sets Fate/Zero apart from every other series this fall. The music is also very impressive, escalating each scene to the next level. It stands out particularly when Rider enters the battle, and the opera-esque music completely channels the presence of a king.

I had a few grievances with this episode. The first was that the fighting was bogged down by too much talking and chivalry between Saber and Lancer. Sure, it showcased what type of heroes they are, but in the end this produced too much downtime and killed the excitement at certain points. A few short exchanges would have worked better. The second was Kiritsugu’s discovery of Assassin. Assassin is known for being stealthy, so to be discovered so easily seemed careless on his and Kirei’s part. This could perhaps be chalked up to Kiritsugu’s covert skills, but it cheapened all of the work Kirei put into his plans in the last episode. The third and last grievance is Saber easily falling into Lancer’s trap. Lancer has two spears, one long and one short. When Lancer’s master gives him permission to use his noble phantasm he throws the short spear to the ground, and Saber immediately comes to the conclusion that only the long spear is his noble phantasm when he really has two. In the heat of battle it may be easy to overlook things, but Saber isn’t the type of servant to recklessly rush towards an opponent. It felt very out of character for her to forget about the short spear. She even admits moments after the attack that it is not uncommon for a servant to have more than one noble phantasm.

I have to say that I am thoroughly enjoying all of the smaller details presented in each episode of Fate/Zero, such as when Kiritsugu tells his assistant that they don’t have the means to take down a servant yet. Suddenly I’m interested in what Kiritsugu has planned, because a human taking down a servant is no small task. It was also revealed that Saber uses the air to hide her sword, since Excalibur gives away her identity. The notion that Irisviel may be a homunculus is curious, since it would explain why her happiness makes Kiritsugu sad. He stated that he would be the cause of her death, now I am starting to understand why. All of these details add a layer of depth to the series and makes it important to pay attention to every detail.

Fate/Zero would do well to ease up on the chatter and let the servants do what they do best: fight. I’m all for characterization, but there is a time and a place for it. When Lancer and Saber weren’t standing around complimenting each other, the fighting was as great as I expected from this series. For Fate/Stay Night fans it was a particular treat, because Saber isn't held back by an incompetent master. Instead she was able to fight with no restrictions. Lancer proved formidable, wielding two different spears and showing himself to be the quickest of the servants. Rider continues to be great; him entering the fight because he wants to have the honor of fighting with past heroes is so in-character. With Rider and Waver entering the fray, things have just gotten crazy. By the end of the fight Saber is at a disadvantage, but there is no telling where things will go. Will Saber be able to overcome the fatal injury to her arm?