Gilgamesh (Fate/stay night)
Gilgamesh is a fictional character from the Japanese visual novel and anime series Fate/stay night by TYPE-MOON.
An arrogant, selfish, and enigmatic Archer-class Servant. He appears familiar with Fuyuki City and claims to have a past relationship with Saber. Typically clad in an ornate golden armor, he possesses an immense number of Noble Phantasms, though none are representative of his true identity.
The seiyu of Gilgamesh is Tomokazu Seki. In English, he is played by Grant George.
Servant Status
| Master: | Tokiomi Tōsaka | Sex: | Male | Color: | Gold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alignment: | Chaotic Good | Height: | 182 cm | Talents: | Wealth |
| Noble Phantasm: | EX | Weight: | 68 kg | Likes: | Himself, power |
| Strength: | B | Magic Resistance: | E | Dislikes: | Himself, snakes |
| Endurance: | C | Independent Action: | A+ | Nemesis: | Archer |
| Agility: | C | Golden Rule: | A | ||
| Mana: | B | Charisma: | A+ | ||
| Luck: | A | Divinity: | B+ | ||
Abilities
Throughout history and mythology, individuals destined to amass vast fortunes and treasure are identified as possessing Golden Rule. Among these figures, Gilgamesh stands alone at the zenith of opulence, for he has at his disposal enough riches to purchase whatever he may need in any era of summoning.
To complement this wealth of a king, Gilgamesh also has the bravado of one. With his incredible Charisma, he is able to capably inspire and direct armies of any size, instilling them with such pride and passion for him and his objectives that their effectiveness in combat will increase.
Many of Gilgamesh's personal strengths stem from his high Divinity. Of the countless legendary or mythical figures in history, Gilgamesh originally possessed the most divine blood, for he was once two-thirds god. However, his hubris and defiant actions in life, as well as his disrespect for established deities, earned him the scorn of many divine figures, and in punishment for his actions Gilgamesh's divinity was reduced by a whole rank.
Noble Phantasms
- Gate of Babylon (ゲート・オブ・バビロン, Gēto obu Babiron): King's Treasury (王の財宝, Ō no zaihō)
- Rank: E ~ A+
- Type: Anti-Unit.
- A small, plain sword that doubles as spatial key, allowing Gilgamesh to access his vast wealth contained within a vault in the heart of ancient Babylon. Inside this treasury are a myriad of Noble Phantasms collected during the peak of Uruk's civilization. Gilgamesh either throws these weapons or fires them out of his vault like rockets. Any weapons or artifacts discharged by Gate of Babylon return to the vault after an indeterminate amount of time. Because he lacks proficiency with any of these weapons, Gilgamesh will typically only fire the weapons as projectiles; in several instances, Gilgamesh has removed and normally wielded weapons. It is the hurling of these weapons that designate his class as an Archer. Several Noble Phantasms (listed below) are of paramount importance to certain events in Fate/stay night.
- Merodach (メロダック, Merodakku): The Original Sin (原罪, Genzai)
- Rank:
- Type: Anti-Unit.
- A relatively unadorned but lustrous Noble Phantasm of immense magical power. Merodach is the source for the legendary evil sword Gram of Norse mythology, also known as Balmung in the Nibelungenlied and Nothung in Richard Wagner's Ring Cycle, which was brandished by Sigurd of the Völsunga saga who withdrew the weapon from a tree. In turn, Caliburn, the golden sword pulled out of a stone by King Arthur, was constructed from the schematic of Gram. Although not famous at all when compared to either of its descendants, the strength of Merodach as a Noble Phantasm exceeds either Gram or Caliburn. The name of this sword honors the chief god of the ancient Sumerians and patron deity of Babylon, Merodach.
- Merodach (メロダック, Merodakku): The Original Sin (原罪, Genzai)
- Durendal (デュランダル, Dyurandaru): The Unparalleled Famous Sword (絶世の名剣, Zessei no meiken)
- Rank:
- Type: Anti-Unit.
- This gleaming, holy sword is enchanted by three miracles, allowing its blade to never dull even when its user's Mana has been expended. Old legends call Durendal indestructible, and claim it was once wielded by Hector of Troy, a skilled lancer who fought in Homer's Iliad. Later, this sword became famous as the weapon gifted to the renowned paladin Roland by the Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne, who had originally received the blade from a seraph.
- Enkidu (エルキドゥ, Erukido): Chain of Heaven (天の鎖, Ten no kusari)
- Rank:
- Type: Anti-Unit.
- One of the few relics Gilgamesh actually used during his lifetime, this chain was forged specifically to immobilize gods, albeit significantly less effective against opponents with little or no divinity. Though not a true Noble Phantasm, Enkidu is Gilgamesh's most trusted weapon. This artifact honors Gilgamesh's old friend Enkidu, and is the very chain that bound the Bull of Heaven in Babylonian legend.
- Enkidu (エルキドゥ, Erukido): Chain of Heaven (天の鎖, Ten no kusari)
- Enûma Elish (エヌマ・エリシュ, Enuma Erishu): The Star of Creation that Splits Apart Heaven and Earth (天地乖離す開闢の星, Tenchi kairisu kaibyaku no hoshi)
- Rank: EX
- Type: Anti-World.
- An aphotic, pillar-shaped blade, etched with fine crimson letterings in cuneiform. With an energy output far superior to even Excalibur, rotation of Ea's tri-blade segments vacuums and compresses surrounding atmospheric gasses. Upon release, the ensuing cataclysmic blast sunders the foundations of reality, causing a collapse of time and space that disintegrates everything around the area of attack. Ea's material components have no origins in the mortal plane; unlike other weapons, it cannot be replicated through tracing. It is the most powerful Noble Phantasm in Gilgamesh's arsenal. The title Enûma Elish is an allusion to the Babylonian creation epic, and Ea is Babylon's patron deity of water.
- Enûma Elish (エヌマ・エリシュ, Enuma Erishu): The Star of Creation that Splits Apart Heaven and Earth (天地乖離す開闢の星, Tenchi kairisu kaibyaku no hoshi)
True Identity
Gilgamesh makes no effort to conceal his identity as the legendary Sumerian King Gilgamesh. He is the son of Lugalbanda, the 3rd King of Uruk, and of a goddess, Ninsun. Born into great wealth with more divinity than most demigods, Gilgamesh grows into a conceited and tyrannical ruler. His subjects, feeling this reign too harsh, pray to Anu, the King of Sumerian gods, for assistance. Anu, recognizing Gilgamesh's cruelty as a consequence of boredom, creates a wild-man, Enkidu, as a diversion and rival for The King of Heroes.
Enkidu becomes a lord of beasts, fiercely attacking those who would hunt his animals. A trapper, irritated with the troublesome Enkidu, seeks the advice of Gilgamesh, who recommends the aid of a priestess, Shamhat. Enkidu is "civilized" through Shamhat's seduction, and becomes forever shunned from the beasts he once protected. He then lives a quiet life aiding trappers and shepherds, but his wanderlust drives him to the Sumerian capital of Uruk. He is attracted to a wedding, where he overhears a boastful Gilgamesh exclaim his right to sleep with the new virgin bride. As Gilgamesh approaches the lover's bedroom, a furious Enkidu bars his entry, and the two men engage in a wrestling competition.
Gilgamesh and Enkidu are evenly matched, but Gilgamesh briefly attains an advantageous position and manages to pin Enkidu. Impressed by his opponent's prowess, Enkidu compliments Gilgamesh, and the two swear an oath of friendship. Gilgamesh proposes an adventure into the Cedar Forest to slay the demigod Humbaba, a guardian of gods. Following a tremendous battle, Humbaba is beguiled by Gilgamesh into lowering his defenses, allowing Gilgamesh to quickly restrain the brute. Although Enkidu was initially averse to killing the giant, he realizes Gilgamesh will become world famous for Humbaba's death, and despite Humbaba's pleas for mercy, Gilgamesh decapitates him. They then cut down the tallest Cedar trees and, using the lumber, build a raft on which they sail down the Euphrates back and back to Uruk.
Impressed by his heroic feat, the goddess Ishtar appears to Gilgamesh and offers him the opportunity to become her mortal consort. Gilgamesh rebuffs her advances, citing a host of mortal men who have romanced the goddess and met grisly ends. Flustered at her rejection, Ishtar asks her father, Anu, to send the Bull of Heaven to kill Gilgamesh and destroy Uruk. The bull rampages around Sumeria for several years, but with Enkidu's aid, Gilgamesh proves capable enough to restrain and butcher it.
Outraged by the death of a divine beast, Ishtar demands either Gilgamesh or Enkidu be killed as retribution. The god Shamash appeals for their lives; Gilgamesh is spared, but the unfortunate Enkidu is condemned to die for meddling with divine will. Shortly after this trial, Enkidu is striken with a dire illness and suffers for twelve days. During his last moments, he foresees a grim afterlife in a dream, and curses those who originally cultivated him. Gilgamesh mourns Enkidu's lifeless body for many days, and fearful of meeting the same fate, embarks on a quest for immortality.
Gilgamesh seeks out Utnapishtim, a former King of Shuruppak who survived The Deluge by constructing an Ark as advised by the god Ea. In repentance for the genocide of mankind, the Sumerian Gods gift Utnapishtim with immortality and spirit him away to Dilmun, the End of the World. After journeying over Mount Mashu and through a Garden of Gems, Gilgamesh crosses the River of Death and meets Utnapishtim.
Utnapishtim explains that immortality can be achieved if Gilgamesh remains awake for six days and seven nights; Gilgamesh makes the attempt, but soon succumbs to fatigue. Gilgamesh is frustrated with his failure, but Utnapishtim offers an alternative; a magical herb, which only grows on the ocean floor surrounding Dilmun, will bestow eternal youth onto whoever consumes it. Gilgamesh successfully retrieves the plant, but doubtful the shrub's properties, decides to test his prize on the elders of Uruk.
On the journey back, a serpent consumes the precious ambrosia while Gilgamesh bathes; horrified, he weeps at his loss. Upon arrival in Uruk, Gilgamesh stares at the imposing city walls he built and realizes mortal men cannot escape destiny, for true immortality can only be achieved through the legends dead men leave behind.
Role
Gilgamesh was initially summoned by Tokiomi Tōsaka in the 4th Holy Grail War, who used a fossil of the first skin ever shed by a snake as a catalyst. With Tōsaka's death, Gilgamesh participated with Kirei Kotomine to obtain the Holy Grail, intending to cleanse the world of humanity, which he felt had become corrupted and vile. When Kiritsugu Emiya killed his Master, Gilgamesh remained in the physical world long enough to be drenched by the pollution within the tainted Holy Grail. Contact with this ichor normally corrupts a Servant's ego, but Gilgamesh resisted submission to the evil influence. However, the saturation converted his spiritual body to one of flesh and blood, and Gilgamesh also become more eccentric and excitable.
In Fate/Zero, Gilgamesh was responsible for delivering the deathblow to the Rider-class Servant Iskander, King of Conquerors. He fought in an epic final battle with Saber, but their battle was interrupted by the destruction of the Holy Grail.
Although able to exist independently of Kotomine, Gilgamesh continued to cooperate with his old Master, who had been resurrected by the Grail's malevolent power. With Kotomine's aid, he was able to stockpile Mana for his Noble Phantasms through the consumption of human souls from children orphaned by the fire at the end of the war. Gilgamesh also retrieved a potion of temporary youth from his vault that reduced his physical age and allowed him to smoothly blend in with society.
Gilgamesh is antagonist in each scenario of Fate/stay night. In Fate, he kills Caster as she is assaulting Shirō's home in Miyamachou, and later ambushes Shirō and Saber during their date. Ultimately, he is killed in a climatic battle with Saber at the Ryūdōji Temple atop Mount Enzō. Gilgamesh is more active in Unlimited Blade Works, and reprises his role as the final antagonist; after easily killing Ilya and Berserker, he is "lent" to Shinji Matō after Shinji's Servant, Rider, is killed by Sōichirō Kuzuki. Gilgamesh attempts to use Shinji as the core of the Holy Grail, but he is killed by Archer after an arduous battle with Shirō. Gilgamesh has a small role in Heaven's Feel scenario, where he lacerates Dark Sakura with Gate of Babylon. However, he underestimates her regenerative abilities and is devoured by her shadows.
In Fate/hollow ataraxia, Gilgamesh once again consumes his potion of youth, and holds a low-profile in Fuyuki City to avoid interacting with previous Servants or Masters. As a child, he is extremely popular with other children, retaining his royal charisma but also affable and amiable. When Shirō reunited with this younger Gilgamesh, Shirō did not recognize him and was dumbfounded as to how Gilgamesh would eventually grow into such a haughty and selfish person. During the Fuyuki eclipse, he reverts to his adult form and assists the other Servants in slaying the endless horde of Shadow Wolf Beasts, providing the opportunity for Avenger to make his way to Heaven's Feel.