Ryunosuke and Caster return to their hideout and find it in ruin thanks to Rider. Ryunosuke immediately breaks down and begins to cry, asking who
would ruin his and Caster’s “artwork.” This leads to a conversation
between the two about God’s existence, with Ryunosuke stating that God
must exist and that he loves humans. He states God loves not only their
good attributes, but also their screams and blood. Through this twisted
conversation, Caster comes to the conclusion that they must do something
with more despair and terror than they ever have before. Meanwhile,
Rider and Waver go out into town to window shop. Waver is feeling
insecure about his status with Rider and wonders whether or not he would
have been better off having a lesser servant, like Assassin. Rider
brushes this notion off and gives Waver an inspirational talk that is
cut short by Caster’s appearance at the river. Saber, Lancer and Rider arrive there and agree to a truce to stop Caster, who has been absorbed into a giant
menacing creature that could potentially destroy everything.
At
this point I shouldn’t be surprised by Ryunosuke and Caster’s antics,
but I find myself again taken aback by their conversation. Ryunosuke
truly believes that God enjoys their murdering and that the world is
God’s entertainment. I actually appreciate Fate/Zero taking the time to
establish just how twisted Ryunosuke’s mindset is. There are far too
many underdeveloped villains in anime, so to explore the depths of
Ryunosuke’s mind proved to be fascinating (though also terrifying).
Caster’s interactions showed how the two are meant for each other, as he
finds true admiration for Ryunosuke. I was expecting Caster to turn on
Ryunosuke during their conversation, because that’s the type of monster Caster is, but instead he embraces his method of thinking and praises
Ryunosuke. This leads to Caster believing that an even greater blasphemy
is necessary, hence the summoning of the giant monster he's absorbed into.
Waver’s insecurities have been a lingering point with his
character, so to see them surface is appropriate. He entered the war to
prove himself, and yet now he is with a servant that is so powerful that
Waver finds himself unworthy of him. He feels especially
inadequate due to the size difference between himself and Rider, asking
Rider why he is so big when the history books claim he is small. Rider
tells him that his height and size don’t matter, because Waver reaches
for heights greater than he can imagine. He states Waver is an idiot,
but that he too is an idiot for having the same dream (striving for the
sea) for two thousand years. Waver and Rider’s partnership is probably
the best in Fate/Zero. Rider’s loud and abrasive personality is balanced
out by Waver’s meek and innocent personality.
I wasn’t
expecting so man y group battles during this war, but I am pleased with
all of the team ups. One on one battles are great, but to see ancient
heroes come together and combine their strengths is a lot of fun. Of
course, as soon as Saber, Rider and Lancer charge into battle the end
credits roll and season one of Fate/Zero has concluded. Ending the
season on a huge cliffhanger was expected, but painful due to the wait
for season two. The fight against Caster will most likely be the best so
far, so leaving off at the start of it gives great incentive to come
back in April.
Episode 13 marks the end of season one of Fate/Zero. Unlike Fate/Stay Night, Fate/Zero has taken its time to
develop majority of the masters and servants. While each episode had a
lot of exposition, it was intelligent and thought-provoking. Ultimately
this has given the Holy Grail War more depth this time around, making
every moment more enjoyable. Every character has a personal stake in the
war, and really it has become difficult to decide who to root for.
Though there have been few battles, the fights presented contained
exquisite choreography and astonishing animation. Combined with a breath-taking soundtrack, these attributes have made Fate/Zero a technical
masterpiece. With all of that praise in mind, season two will have to
pick up the pace a bit. At the end of season one we are left with only
one servant eliminated, so it’s time for our heroes to fall. The ride to
the end is sure to be a thrilling one, but one that will have to wait
until April.
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