Berserker (Fate/stay night)
Berserker is a fictional character from the Japanese visual novel and anime series Fate/stay night by TYPE-MOON.
The Servant of Illya, he is a swarthy giant with adamantine skin and gross brawn. He wields a colossal stone Axe-Club, and is capable of causing massive destruction with the mere backlash of his swings. As a Berserker, he was stripped of his sanity and reason, acting feral and animalistic in combat. Berserkers are praised as members of the "Strongest" class, though they are difficult to control. Illya, however, appears to have little trouble managing Berserker.
The voice acting for Berserker is done by Tadahisa Saizen in Japanese and Michael McConnohie in English.[1]
Servant Status
| Master: | Illyasviel von Einzbern | Sex: | Male | Color: | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alignment: | Chaotic Mad | Height: | 253 cm | Talents: | None; Mad Enhanced |
| Noble Phantasm: | B | Weight: | 311 kg | Likes: | None; Mad Enhanced |
| Strength: | A+ | Mad Enhancement: | B | Dislikes: | None; Mad Enhanced |
| Endurance: | A | Battle Continuation: | A | Nemesis: | Gilgamesh |
| Agility: | A | Bravery: | B | ||
| Mana: | A | Divinity: | A | ||
| Luck: | B | Eye of the Mind (Fake): | B | ||
Noble Phantasms
- God Hand: The Twelve Labours
- Rank: B
- Type: Support.
- A divine blessing in honor of his deeds in life, Berserker's flesh has become extremely durable, granting invulnerability to any attack below the rank of "A". Furthermore, he has an accelerated regeneration rate, and can not only neutralize normally fatal injuries, but resurrect himself from death eleven times, granting him a total of twelve lives. Berserker's rugged hide and dark complexion are consequences of this sorcery. The name is inspired by The Twelve Labours imposed on Heracles by Hera.
- Nine Lives: The Shooting Hundred Heads
- Rank:
- Type: Anti-Unit
- Considered to be Berserker's most precious Noble Phantasm, Nine Lives is the legendary bow and arrow set used by Heracles to slay the Hydra. Heracles' technique with this bow, which consisted of nine consecutive shots, was also adapted for use on other weapons. Due to his class, however, Berserker lacked the necessary complex motor skills to successfully manipulate Nine Lives, and never used it during the 5th Holy Grail War.
True Identity
Illya introduces Berserker as Heracles, the demigod from Greek mythology also known as Hercules to the Romans. He was born of a coupling between Zeus and a mortal woman, Alcmene. Although named in honor of Hera, the goddess was jealous of her husband's affair and outraged by Heracles' birth. As a boy, Heracles had a volatile temper, but he pacified his anger by living peacefully as a shepherd. During adulthood, in a bout of madness induced by Hera, he murdered his wife, Megara, and her children. In a penance for his gruesome deed, Heracles undertook the Twelve Labours of King Eurystheus, which earned him his Noble Phantasms and solidified his legendary status. Heracles is most famous for his wide range of skills, cunning, and incredible physical strength.
Role
Berserker was summoned by the Einzbern family in Germany several months prior to the 5th Holy Grail War, with a slab of stone from Heracles' temple acting as a catalyst. Historically, the Einzberns have lost every Holy Grail War, and were responsible for polluting its contents during the 3rd Holy Grail War and despoiling all future incarnations of the grail. With the most famous hero in mythology, the Einzberns hoped Illya would prove capable of winning the Holy Grail and restoring their lost miracle.
Although Ilya has incredible magical power, restraining Berserker's mighty spirit caused her great anguish. In retribution, she has kept him in a continual state of madness, rendering him unable to think coherently any time. However, Berserker has shown great devotion to Ilya, striving to protect her whenever she is threatened.
Despite his advantages, Berserker was permanently slain in all three scenarios. During Fate, he was killed six times by Archer before being fatally gored by Saber and Shirō Emiya. Near the beginning of Unlimited Blade Works, Berserker was constricted by Gilgamesh's chain, Enkidu, and was impaled to death while trying to shield Ilya from a hailstorm of blades. In Heaven's Feel, after Berserker was devoured by Zōken's shadow, the shadow regurgitated him as Dark Berserker, a decrepit and blind version of his former self. Dark Berserker, while distracted by Ilya, was finally felled by Shirō.
References
- ^ "fate/stay night (TV)". Anime News Network.