Spoilers for Fate/Zero.
As I’ve said many times before, Rider and Waver are my Fate/Zero. I really do not care about the stories of any of the other characters. Most of the others in this show are a bunch of deep-voiced, brown haired, stoic dullards. Kirei, Kitisugu, even characters like Saber, Lancer and Irisviel were all boring as hell. I do rather like Gilgamesh though. He is the ultimate in self-important stuck up pretty boys, so convinced of his own fabulous that even casting his eyes upon mere commoners is beneath him. He is the hardest man to earn any respect from in the entire universe.
Let’s rewind back to the start of the story when Rider was trying to grill Waver about what he was going to wish for if he got his hands on the Holy Grail. All Waver wanted was respect. Not world domination or lots of money or a harem or anything. Just respect, which Rider scoffed at. Rider said that he should wish for something he had no control over, like getting taller. Rider saw in Waver that he could be a respected person if he just applied himself.
The beauty of the Rider/Waver storyline is that he never needed to win the Holy Grail war. By simply summoning Rider and living under his hard fatherly hand of tutelage, Waver would grow into a person worthy of respect. They were never going to win the war, because it had no purpose in the narrative. Before they went out to their final battle, Waver officially released Rider from his contractual binding, which is the exact point Rider considered Waver an equal.
And so Rider was killed by Gilgamesh. Inevitably too, as in order for Waver to grow any further, he had to leave Rider and explore the world himself. But right after Gilgamesh killed Rider, he strode towards Waver in all his pompous arrogance with what appeared to be the intention of killing him. You can’t do that! You can’t kill Waver right at the moment his narrative arc has come in full circle! That would be the biggest dick move ever. I know you like killing people Butcher Gen, but this would be just morbid depression for the sake of it.
![[Commie] Fate ⁄ Zero - 23 [16AFFC47].mkv_snapshot_20.32_[2012.12.16_13.53.35]](https://thecartdriver.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/92fa0-commie-fate-e28184-zero-23-16affc47.mkv_snapshot_20.32_2012.12.16_13.53.35.jpg)
But no, Gilgamesh didn’t kill him. Waver faced him down and earned Gilgamesh’s respect. The hardest man in the entire history of mankind to impress, Waver had done it. He didn’t need the Holy Grail. His wish had already come true.
The Cart Driver 
Written in a matter-of-fact tone that makes no attempt to win the reader’s heart or to drive them to watch the show. But yet it captures an unforgettable moment in a fantastically average series. It amazes me how you do it, Scamp.
I am indeed quite amazing
The Adventures of Rider and Waver really was one of the best OVAs of the year.
They should weed out all the unnecessary stuff and just release this as a movie. I’d actually pay for this.
I’m still seriously considering this. Unfortunately I don’t know how to edit the type of video files my Fate/Zero collection are saved in. I’d have to download avi files
That scene where rider totally breaks saber’s rhetoric down is one of my favorite scenes in Fate/Zero.
Also i did kind of like that lancer guy, he was a morbid character too but i did feel sorry for him.
I liked what they were setting up with his doomed relationship, but then it went absolutely nowhere
So how long till we get an official release of The Adventures of Rider and Waver?
I want the Adventures of Rider and Waver as well. I would show that in Anime Club instead of Fate/Zero
According to supplementary material, after the War Waver replaces Kayneth as a professor at the Magic Academy in London and becomes quite popular and well-respected. He would later go on to teach fellow Grail War veteran, Tohsaka Rin. At this point he is the only remaining survivor of the 4th holy Grail War.
Proof once again that Waver is the best ever
I’m still gutted Rider bought the bullet from one of the most unbelievably overpowered deus ex machina attacks in anime history. How the hell do you defeat a world-destroying weapon? One shaped like a giant veined-dildo no less!
One day I’ll write my own fanfiction ending to Fate Zero, where Santa shows up & asks Rider to become his successor. Thus the world is saved by a magical Macedonian bro in a flying chariot who gives out presents & teaches emotionally insecure teenagers to love, rather than bringing their issues into online FPS games. Also, Kirie, Kiritsugu, Kayneth, etc, would be recast as the emo, privileged white kids they were always meant to be.
You’re welcome.
Implying they aren’t already emo privileged white kids OHSNAP
The best part about Rider’s death is it syncs up perfectly with the first half of Chariots of Fire. Never forget.
It also syncs up surprisingly well with the theme music from Popee the Performer
But does he get taller? I must know!
I have to say, that is how you do a
second-to-last episode.Whoops, *
third-to-Excellent post.
Like Vuc said, excellent post.
And yes, Waver’s growth was the highlight of this series.
I would also say that Rider earned Gil’s respect. I know that doesn’t seem like much, but in a way it kind of does.
Realistically speaking, Rider had no chance against Gilgamesh but he attacked anyway and he almost reached him to. It showed that even though totally overcoming his faith was impossible for Rider, his dreams got him pretty damn close.
I don’t know what I am trying to say…
Have a good day!
I think Gilgamesh always respected Rider to an extent, as shown in that drinking scene they had together. But he didn’t fully respect Rider because he still didn’t flinch when Rider was bearing down on him
Waver got approval from the most arrogant bastard in the universe. Heh. Nice writing.
Saber & Lancer & their useless banter are the most awful element in Fate/Zero. Those two should just rent a love hotel room and get over it already.
The heroic chitchat between Saber and Lancer was one of my favorite things in the show honestly, though that might be because every time it started some friends and I would go, “What are you doing? Kiss her you fool!”