Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works! Episode 20 REACTION | Group Reaction

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[@sliceabletoast]

Lancer real Identity is Cu Chulainn, an Irish demigod. He was once disembowled, so he used his intestines to tie himself to a rock and proceded to fight and destroy an army solo. When he finally died, his dead body killed someone. Bros a fucking gigachad.

[@xuvial1391]

Lmao @ his dead body killing someone.

[@LOCALTAHOENJOYER]

@@xuvial1391 Cu Chullain was still standing with his sword in his hand when he died. The enemy was too afraid of his corpse because he might still be alive. Only when a raven/crow (can't really remember surely which is which) landed on his corpse did the soldiers confirmed he passed. The first soldier to approach his corpse died when the sword fell from Cu Chullain's hand, hence the "dead body killing someone" part.

[@Shinekage]

Another thing of note is that Gae bolg does not only curse a wound so it doesnt heal like Diarmuids Gae Buidhe, the spear tip literally turns into countless thorns inside the wound utterly tearing you apart form the inside! What we are not seeing here is that his insides are literally all torn to shreds, yet he still has strength to throw shade.

[@colt1903]

@@Shinekage I don't think Lancer Cu's Gae Bolg has the thorn part, does it? I thought that aspect of it was reserved for his Alter self, who is arguably a more accurate representation of him, ironically. At least, so I hear.

[@dedrogian]

@@Shinekage If that's true then Avalon and Rin's healing spell would not have saved Shirou back in the first episode.

[@MirroredDreamscape]

This is _the_ episode that fans of the original VN spent 9 years dreaming of seeing animated. And not only did Ufotable pull it off, they actually expanded it. UBW ep.20 was history in the making, in my eyes. God tier.

[@MrInuhanyou123]

Cosigned. As a vn Stan i have tons of issues with the anime adaptions of fate stay night including ubw. Last stardust scene is not one of those issues.

[@Jame5p420]

@@MrInuhanyou123 you know the scene is brilliant when most of us VN fanatics can’t help but praise it

[@r.k845]

Episode 20 is one of the best adapted episodes in anime period. If it wasn’t for the lack of “this illusion” it’d be better than the vn in every way.

[@tcaz]

I know this is old now but I just wanted to say that I've always felt like THIS episode is how you do a proper adaption. Did the Shirou vs Archer fight differ significantly from how the Visual Novel did it? Yes. The fight in the VN is much more introspective in terms of dialogue and less flashy, which works very well for a novel presenting an ideal vs ideal conflict. In contrast, the anime adds some more action during the talky parts, and because it can't do that introspection as well as a novel, expands the amount of backstory we're shown of Archer and presents that to support what they're talking about during the fight instead. You don't have to make a scene a 1-1 recreation of the source. You have to capture the essence of the original. The anime did that. I felt the same emotions and thought the same thoughts watching the anime as I did reading the VN, despite how they differed. THAT is what a good adaption is. I wish more adaptions understood that.

[@infernousgaming1393]

​@@MrInuhanyou123 I do have a problem with the "Last Stardust" scene; it's too short! Let me hear this amazing song for longer! (Seriously, the fact that we only hear about one minute out of Last Stadust's five-six minute track length sucks). Other than that, it's an amazing scene!

[@Siv3001]

"If a scratch like this killed me I wouldn't be much of a heroic spirit" damn F/Zero lancer just caught a stray shot 😭

[@furiousdestroyah9999]

The absolute disrespect for my boy Diarmudd

[@aetherdraw1281]

@@furiousdestroyah9999 I mean, Cu is Irish Hercules while Diarmuid was just a skilled spearman.

[@cosmoreverb3943]

Not even his war, and he's still taking L's

[@furiousdestroyah9999]

@@cosmoreverb3943 Press F for my boy dry mud

[@akritianwesha4151]

I mean.. Even Diarmund didn't die instantly but he didn't have any opening to kill anyone there. So he spent his last moments cursing them.

[@akritianwesha4151]

Lancer just doesn't stop. F*ucking legend

[@ishanadaitenshou9064]

There's only one regend and it's not lancer.

[@akritianwesha4151]

@@ishanadaitenshou9064 Yep.. Lancer is definitely not regend cuz he's a legend.

[@furiousdestroyah9999]

Lancer is such a bro

[@drakke125Channel]

Kiritsugu implanted Saber's scabbard into Shirou to save his life, which also served as a catalyst to summon Saber at the magical circle which Irisviel von Einzbern placed in the storage room with Saber. The scabbard is the reason why Shirou is able to heal in the first place but it only works if Saber is near him.

[@hamzahax]

I tear up every time I watch this scene "That's Hell you're walking into" No matter how many times, Shirou never looks back

[@MrInuhanyou123]

Last stardust scene is easily my favorite part of this adaption. They tied archer shirou and saber together perfectly as it was in the VN. As Arturia is the perfect symbol of Shirou and Archers ideal, as long as she is there with him Shirou will never give in and never give up on his values. He pulled out the sword and persevered in the same way as Saber did when she pulled caliburn, even with the threat of inevitable solitary ruin at the end. They will follow their values because they feel they are beautiful until the end

[@r.k845]

Not to mention all the people standing behind shirou, or shirou pulling out a sword in parallel with archer putting them in. Fantastic episode.

[@venom890]

And that's why I'll die on the hill of Cu being better than Diarmud, one has battle continuation and can stand up with a hole on his heart

[@xainreaper6458]

Oh Cu is just in a different tier of legend than Diarmuid xD. Cu Chullain is probably the most famous Irish hero

[@Archetype784]

Cu also has protection from arrows which makes him a great unit in fgo

[@LOCALTAHOENJOYER]

Irish Hercules diff

[@Shinekage]

@@xainreaper6458 This. Its basically comparing someone like Theseus to Herc. Outclassed in terms of legend.

[@anderu2384]

I still like diarmuid he's... Tactica

[@drakke125Channel]

Its ironic that shinji is choking rin just like Kariya Matou choking his love interest in Fate/Zero. Matou Shinji is basically Draco Malfoy XD

[@colt1903]

Now you know why Cu is indeed best Lancer.

[@mangofit1531]

best servant*

[@mad-scientist]

* Kana enters the chat *

[@LexariousOnlineVODS]

Karna is the best, cu is a good runner up though.

[@mad-scientist]

I can't believe I forgot about her but... Goddess Rhongomyniad... every scene with her gave me cold shivers, absolute BEAST

[@Vid_21]

​@@LexariousOnlineVODSKarna isn't top 5 lancers

[@danilociak6504]

Last Stardust. Best OST ever

[@shadowmonarch1699]

If only lancers were blessed with good luck

[@Landlordoffarms]

So basically almost never.

[@FrauZehel]

The only Lancer from an anime afaptation that isnt straight up unlucky is Lancer if Red

[@ADioSimp]

@@FrauZehel didnt ma man get slapped by the guy with plot armor

[@spiralspural8806]

The world will end

[@lucasamuelvargasjocano16]

Shirou was using Saber Scabard since the start, many times he recovered in a fast pace when rested near saber, because the scabard needs Sabers Mana to heal

[@TheDefectiveAI]

And the name Cu Chulainn! sung out loud that night! In a tale of rage n ruin and of might! Cu is very difficult to kill, even for himself.

[@GlassedGamer]

"Just because you're correct, doesn't mean you're right." is such a silly line if you haven't watched the show, but when you get the context, it's so good. Killing ten people to save a hundred is the logically correct answer, but that doesn't mean that killing ten people is right.

[@HellboyMC07]

That's a great explanation for this line which most people who don't see Fate make fun of.

[@azhua123]

'just because you're right doesn't mean your correct' - shirou

[@furiousdestroyah9999]

People do indeed die when they are killed

[@San_d_alphone]

@@furiousdestroyah9999 Anos :killing ain't enough to make me die lol

[@faker7091]

You mixed it up. It's the other way around

[@dandelyon2796]

It's pretty awesome that Saber decided to stay & watch, just for moral support, but because she did that the scabbard was able to heal Shirou

[@mormsophen3238]

Imagine lancer was rin's servant. They would be the strongest.

[@infernousgaming1393]

Have you played Fate/Extra?

[@paulwin9036]

So, it's reavealed in the Fate route of Fate/Stay night VN, the route you're supposed to watch first, that Shirou's body has Avalon, the sheath of excalibur that grants the user immortality. That's why he has advanced healing abilities and abnormal strength. They don't properly work for him though since its owner is Saber/Aroria Pendragon so.

[@furiousdestroyah9999]

Damn I forgot how freaking good that last stardust sequence was, it feels kind of close to HF the four rings

[@BekindBekbek]

This is probably the closest to original VN expirience that Fate anime can give.

[@connor8610]

This, the next and THAT episode are some of the best

[@akiraliu5486]

If I remember correctly, this lancer have a skill called "戦闘続行", which means he can continue fighting with a lethal wound for a while. In Cú Chulainn's legend, he kept fighting even after he was gutted by his enemy, and called his army to march for the next battle. He even took the time to pick up his organs and put them back in his belly. That's where this skill come from.

[@BekindBekbek]

"People die when they are killed" Cu: I`m demigod and Heroic Spirit. Think again

[@ehmolekkkkk]

Lancer(cu chullain) have Battle continuation skill, if I remember right is on the same rank as Heracles, so he can still fight after receiving mortal wounds

[@Toonie]

Amazing

[@pretorianxd6515]

I f LOVE THIS EP.....the fight between them is not a battle between heroes but a battle of ideals, one person's desires, which leads them to move forward, You don't need an artifact to change one's own Fate, But the desire to walk the path that you yourself have chosen, even overcoming hellfire to reach it. "I saw the Hell you are walking Into", but he keeps moving forward because he IS the Bone of Is Swords.

[@najmifarhan614]

Hey, that's hell you're walking into

[@scares3859]

Mah bro Cu is awesome, got guts and battle continuation, amazing lancer ngl.

[@SquirtleSquady]

Lancer the ultra homie

[@Wally_West]

Karada wa tsurugi de dekiteiru

[@enomiellanidrac9137]

I'm still sad Archer didn't get to do the full Unlimited Blade Works chant even once in the show, some verse were omitted each time.

[@ednamodee]

cu is literally the best lancer like put respect on his name

[@amg9878]

The OST... THE FUCKING LAST STARDUST OST...

[@tejasbhuriya299]

I don't know with this much animation fate stay night ubw is still underrated

[@Blindluck92]

Shirou is, by every definition, a psychological disaster. He is fundamentally incapable of being happy unless it's from making someone else happy or otherwise helping people. It's why he walks into hell every time without hesitating. It's why he and Arturia get along well. It's heartbreaking, and it's fantastic writing.

[@NightmareOO9]

For starters, this is one of my favorite episodes. I really love the English dub to this as archers and Shirou's voice actors do a incredible job showing their emotional states in this fight. Out of all the times I've seen this battle between them, physical and philosophical, I have never sided with Shirou. Can someone explain his side that doesn't (in no offense to anyone that sides with Shirou) sound like a child telling an adult they are wrong because the kid "knows better". (This is strictly from this fight, not how things are expressed in final ep of the show, strictly how shirou and archer arguments hold up against one another) How I've viewed their philosophical argument: Archer is the future, there for what he as seen is fact, he is a tool that goes out through history and will kill, and kill and kill, (reminds me of Kiritsugu Emiya's vision about the boats. Kill the few save the many) He has been there so long that he no longer remembers much of his life before hand as he is a counter guardian for all eternity. He believes his live is meaningless as he never truly had a goal of his own, and the goals he borrowed from Kiritsugu are not truly his. This goal led him down life's path to excepting becoming a counter guardian, not fulling understanding that protecting humanity for all eternity meant killing people for all eternity, (effectively becoming like Kiritsugu in his years as an assassin of ghouls and mages and we saw that was not mentally healthy for him). He points out Shirou's(His) hubris, being so confident that they can be a force for good they are inflexible in their goals and ideals. Because of this inflexibility Shirou never gained any passions of his own, (I take this as hobbies or romantic relationship, effectively having no life outside of the ridged sense of save people even at the cost of my life nothing else matters, and/or he was never passionit about saving people, it was an idea that only sounded great but never held meaning). He calls his ideals as hypocritical as he wants everyone to happy but he himself would have to be a part of everyone and without passion, not even the passion to save someone Shirou could never be happy. Ep 21 Archer talks about how stupid it is that Shirou can't see that saving one person and saving everyone are two different things, this is you believe it's true or not and doesn't really help or hurt his argument in the end in my opinion. Either way, Archer feels that what he is doing as a counter guardian makes him a murderer. Shirou is don't actually say much at all in the two eps that make up the fight. Shirou says there is something that Archer forgot, it was the one thing that he did forget. That being a vague "admiration build on a dream that the hell of his past could be undone" I'm not even sure what he means by that, is he wanting use the grail to wish it never happened but he never knew about the grail when he was younger so a literal wish isn't the case. Is he means an the general he wishes to get over his trauma? Or is he arguing that he always in himself had the drive to save others? It is so unclear, no matter how many times I listen to it what it is that Archer forgot. But in the end, what difference does it even make? Shirou becomes a counter guardian that goes out and kills, he feels regret for all the killing that Archer calls murder, so how does whatever vague forgot memory change anything.... It feels like a completely hollow statement. Shirou says he believed Archer was correct but not right.... no elaboration... Archer is wrong because Shirou says so. Shirou is telling his future self that his regret for becoming a murder is unfounded and he will gladly go into the future to become a machine with no life, changing nothing about himself but will somehow not become the future self in front of him... What? His argument is like a future version of yourself showing up and saying, "you walk into that burning building, not only will you not pull anyone out, you will get burned nearly to death. Don't do" and you say, "No i'll be fine" and walk into the burning house anyways. Again, proving that Archers is right about his hubris and mental/emotional inflexibility. Shirou doesn't care that archer thinks what he says is right... he will not listen to Archer and do it anyways because he is stubborn. Ep 21 Most of the rest of Shirou's side is Archer effectively calling him stubborn and is a annoyed, then somewhat admiral it at the end... Saber says, Shirou is catching up to Archer, but however... Thanks Saber, that input was very helpful. Archer says if he were not to fight fair, he would loose in some aspect, this statement is not explained and sounds like an excuse by the writer to say, this is why Archer who should be a way better swordsman hasn't killed Shirou... Moving on, Archer calls Shirou stubborn for getting up even though he is pulling his punches, Archer is anime surprised Shirou keeps getting back up. Archer remembers, (not sure if he means he always remembered or only now remembers) the look he gave as a man that would never give up and stuck to his dream even when others didn't (Why is it in stories do people know the look they give, either in others or in this case past self, you can't see yourself and unless its a repeatable emotional state you can do while looking in a mirror, how have you seen the look to see it in another person? Oh well, off topic) Shirou calls his dream beautiful and it isn't a mistake.... So in the end Shirou's argument has no substance from what I can see. He says he knows he is wrong but he doesn't care to his future self telling him he is going to regret it in the future. He wants the hollow life of a machine without ever experiencing it and the version of himself saying its terrible means nothing. As a last note, no matter what lesson Archer could learn from this, as he will exist for eternity he will forget the lesson at somepoint become bitter again.... there is no happy ending for Archer. But that is my opinion I truly do want someone to explain from what is said in this fight that makes Shirou's side sound like the right thing to do and why this would sway Archer. I want to like Shirou here but his side is what drags this down to much that I am only disappointed with the Archer vs Shirou.

[@furiousdestroyah9999]

Honestly I didn't read most of your great wall of text but the way I understood it was that Archer was forgetting about something as he was calling Shirou's dream a borrowed and hollow one: That the version he inherited from Kiritsugu is actually built on his own "dream", which was to prevent another tragedy like the grail mud in Fuyuki happening again. Shirou knows that this path will most likely lead to Emiya archer but he still wants to see it through because it's his own dream. Shirou pretty much woke up and said "Hokage dattebayo" and that was that

[@t.e.sprocketeering]

For me it is summed up in the line ‘just because you’re correct doesn’t mean you are right’ - Shirou wins the moral argument, not the pragmatic argument. The great divide between Archer and Shirou, both of them having now seen how this ends, becomes this: Archer sees the outcome of the ideal and brands the ideal as a mistake. Shirou sees the outcome of the ideal and recognises that it doesn’t change the fact that the ideal is beautiful and worthy. I could be wrong, but I think that what Shirou can’t accept about Archer is that Archer gave up on the ideal. It’s not that Shirou endorses the killing or accepts it as a necessary sacrifice, what he finds unacceptable is that Archer resigned himself to the fact that the killing was the only way and decided he wanted to quit, instead of keeping pushing towards the ideal in the hope of one day finding a better way and making it real. What Archer forgot is that he loves this ideal and this dream and chose to devote himself to it, it wasn’t forced upon him and it isn’t the enemy. Emiya Shirou might be wrong, from your perspective. But he is not wrong from Emiya Shirou’s perspective ‘I have no regrets, this is the only path, my whole life was Unlimited Blade Works’ - Archer lives in regret and defeat because he gave up on being who he is. Archer didn’t lose to the ideal or to the human condition, he lost to himself. Shirou, now forewarned of who that will make him, will not.

[@furiousdestroyah9999]

@@t.e.sprocketeering This reminds me of Naruto and Obito actually, great explaination

[@NightmareOO9]

​@@t.e.sprocketeering You've made a good point, and for that I can see how that view might sway Archer, I think that is my biggest problem was trying to look at it and see, why any of this would or could change Archer's mind (Still think it is a stretch, but like squinting your eyes and turning your head, I can kind see it). I still don't like it and I think it could have done way better. Kinda like how UBW abridged is doing it and actually making Shirou wrestle with his views and even though they haven't even got to the Shirou vs Archer fight, his perspective is already evolving. haha, maybe I'm just pragmatic and that's why I can never side with Shirou. As a counter to your point, of he is wrong in my perspective but not his, most villains or horrific people in history are right in their perspective. Shirou's dream/wish is to make sure that the tragedy like the mud never happens again. This is ironic if my research is correct. Many times or even most or all the times Counter Guardians are sent out, they kill everyone in the area, not just bad people, collateral damage is a common thing with them and the death tolls can be in the hundreds to thousands. This means Archer "has" recreated the tragedy he went though many, many times throughout his time as a Counter Guardian. This I do admit isn't expressed in the show itself from what I remember but his flashbacks to Archer's memories do paint a picture that doesn't argue against it. Even if not for the expanded lore of Counter Guardians, Archer calling what he does murder, still makes me see Shirou as walking down the path of a historically evil person doing terrible things because they think it is the right thing to do, in their mind. Kinda like how a lot of people see Hitler... Holy shit, UBW abridged Hitler line now makes more sense. But good argument T.E. Sprocketeering

[@leahleinx1065]

Ah yes...just because you're correct doesn't mean you're right. And guys always remember...people die when they are killed!

[@furiousdestroyah9999]

Logic 100

[@xenovious]

Last Stardust :]

[@fkez0510]

as a massive Kirei stan i hate how he goes out in UBW lmao

[@tonyreynolds2661]

The Fate route Shirou did make Saber's sword. It was the one that she drew from the stone. He also fully summoned Avalon to stop Gilgamesh

[@furiousdestroyah9999]

Damn, and his brain didn't just explode? Haven't watched or played Fate route so I have no idea, but in HF he was already struggling to project 9 lives which should be vastly inferior compared to Excalibur, or Caliburn

[@tonyreynolds2661]

@@furiousdestroyah9999 In the show he could see it from her memories and copied it, so I guess it was because they were getting close. Saber was the main heroine of the Fate route, Archer of that route did give him some hints but he died against Berserker

[@crackers5422]

@@tonyreynolds2661 It's not because of the memories he saw, he had it in him for 10 whole years, so you could say he instinctively understood Avalon's composition, therefore he could project a perfect copy.

[@tonyreynolds2661]

@@crackers5422 I meant Caliburn, he saw the sword in her memories and tried to make it

[@MrInuhanyou123]

@@furiousdestroyah9999 you didn't read the vn?!

[@blackren1611]

Stop pause always omg FOCUS

[@colt1903]

Y'know, come to think of it... Does Kirei's death feel like a psuedo plot hole here? Given his background, you'd think he'd be smart enough to know that Cu wouldn't die that easily. Or maybe he assumed Gae Bolg's sure death ability would apply to it's wielder as well? I don't dislike that he died here, but it does still feel a bit... Off, y'know?

[@CelesNihility]

Just because you are correct doesn't mean you are right. One of the two dumbest quotes in anime history is born here lol.

[@Blaze19]

That's more on the translation fault.

[@MrInuhanyou123]

It's not dumb at all

[@user-oi5eo6mv9i]

Just because you're factually correct doesn't mean it's right in its core

[@gavincharles1327]

This episode in particular sounds much better in the Eng Dub in my view. The best performance of this season was watching Archer EMIYA finally unload his poetic self-hatred towards Shirou's self-destructive hypocrisy and cutting away that self-righteous act. The greatest enemy is yourself. Wow that's a lot of 'Self' I've added in this comment.

[@jamjammerson1792]

Are you watching the heavens feel movies? theyre even better than UBW

[@bijoychandraroy]

I still don't get their ideals Especially Shirou's In this world brute strength isn't the deciding factor it's politics How they handle resources & matters any one sidedness or misscary then causes conflict Brute strength can only end a conflict not resolve it Bro want to change the world Become a "hero of justice" He should become a lawyer I guess in a society of mages things work differently

[@someoneelse4939]

Since it's not a spoiler anymore, I'll explain: when Kiritsugu saved Shirou at the end of Fate/Zero, he put the scabbard of Excalibur inside him to heal him. That's why he regenerated in ep.4 (after the fight against berserker) and even now. That's also why he summoned specifically that Saber (the scabbard he had inside himself was the catalyst).

[@dedrogian]

And also why he didn't immediately die when he was stabbed by Lancer during the first episode.

[@someoneelse4939]

@@dedrogian Maybe, but I'm not sure about that: generally speaking, the scabbard works with Saber mana and she wasn't near at the time. That said, such a powerful artifact has some effects regardless (for example changing Shirou origin to "swords", since he had it for such a long time), so I don't know, you may be right and Avalon could have stabilized him long enough to allow Rin to heal him (but if that's the case, it's never said in the visual novel).

[@user-uk9xw5wu3i]

@@someoneelse4939セイバーが召喚されていなかったから。

[@someoneelse4939]

@@user-uk9xw5wu3i はい、明らかに

[@kashakun5450]

still archer > shirou

[@johnjoshualaurenaria7158]

1st

[@ayshaanimationstudio4148]

Why are you two hating on kirei. He is one of the best fate character s. For me he is better than Gilgamesh

[@mmallowsmallows2575]

The hate is understandable tbh, Kirei will get the love he deserves in heavens feel for sure

[@akritianwesha4151]

Kirei is definitely top tier character but I understand why some people can't like him.

[@BekindBekbek]

I guess liking as character and as person is not the same thing. Kirei is great as character, but as person... not so much)

[@user-oi5eo6mv9i]

@@BekindBekbek That doesn't stop them from praising Gilgamesh and how badass he is when he appears, even though he's a complete dick though. It ain't it chief, Kirei just isn't that charismatic for them and in UBW he has zero to none actual screentime to fix this

[@BekindBekbek]

@@user-oi5eo6mv9i I guess in Gil's case it can be explained with Charisma A)