Part 81: He Who Saw The Deep - Gilgamesh - Part 3

Gilgamesh 3



Y'know, it is certainly true Gilgamesh is ill-tempered and comes across poorly to a lot of folks, but most of that haughtiness comes from the achievements he accomplished during life. As a king or a wanderer, he assembled the prototypes of weapons that would, after his death, diffuse all over the world and give rise to most of humanity's great heroes. Put another way, his life represented the time humanity was most unified and of one mind - his. As he explains in Grand Order, his treasury does have a bottom, but it metaphorically represents the depth of combined human knowledge. More god than man, one who saw and knew more of the world than anyone before or since, someone who defied the gods and lived to tell about it, and someone whose legacy and name survived nearly 4000 years of history to last into the modern day. With that considerable resume, who wouldn't think quite highly of himself?

Gil's final outing is based on Dawn 6, the Nero-led assault on the Zero Dark. So it has a very small map, but there are two Ice Sector Traps. I'll be using Medusa's Mystic Code, called the Insulated Old Mirror. She's probably not a huge fan of mirrors, though. Definitely doesn't like seaweed, that I know.





Gilgamesh stage 3

The Festive Robe here is probably the closest look *I* would assign to the historical Gilgamesh, but that's not a hard bar to clear. Medieval plate armor would not be a thing for *many* centuries after when Gilgamesh would supposedly have been alive, and he *probably* wouldn't have blonde hair or red eyes, either. That's just real life Gilgamesh. I imagine his plate armor is some fancy set he found somewhere and likes using, and as for red eyes, red eyes are kinda visual shorthand in the Fate universe for characters who are semi-divine. While it's not every divine character that has red eyes, Heracles, Gilgamesh, Altera, Iskandar, Cu Chulainn, Rama, Ereshkigal, and Ishtar all fit the bill.

Fight against what fate has in store for you, and meet your unfortunate end. Those are the only words I have for you.

...You're a strange man. Cold, but warm enough to appreciate the world. Merciless, but generous enough to laugh off mistakes. Both you and the King of Conquerors. None of you ancient Kings can be measured with reason. ...I feel like I understand why I lost as well.

Hmph. You compare me to him? I suppose I haven't finished proving my superiority. Then let's go, Heroic Spirit Altera. Burn the brilliance of the King into your eyes until the moment we part ways!



The third Praetor is just beyond this point. Can you get us in, Archimedes?

Please leave it to me, my Lord. I'll hack through at once.

Saber has arrived at my base. Danger is approaching, my Prisoner.

You've made a mistake? How long will the cavern hold?

Not long. You must take back the base as soon as possible.

You've shown your hand, Altera. I will have the honor of taking Saber's head.



Bah. Waste of time for the king.

The shields are connected to the Aggressors, destroy them and they'll be dispelled. Hurry.



Calm yourself. And big of you to say that.



You really only have four Sectors to take over, but there is a time limit.



The cavern will be breached in six minutes. ...Hurry.





A perfectly-thrown Gate of Babylon, complete with a unique camera angle, felt so satisfying.



Handled that Sector Trap before it fired.



She doubts my ability.



This final Sector (well, not technically. You can approach from the south, as you can see), is fairly labyrinthine and has a lot of places for enemies to hide in. Your first job is taking out the Plant, obviously, just to stem the large tide of Aggressors that will follow if you hang out in this area too much.



Especially when you're frozen in place...



Gil's second to last special attack is using the Chains of Heaven as a massive chain strike that blasts away enemies that get caught in the Chains away. It does pretty good damage, but very little chance of follow-up.



Indeed. I actually had to *try*.



You should feel terrible, this contract is outdated. Give that mongrel to Altera.



Long story. If you fought Regalia Nero in the last stage and beat her, you already know how to counter her most dangerous form, as a Regalia wielder. This area is wide open, so it's easier to dodge Nero's charges and dive bombs, but as always, her attacks are extremely powerful 2-3 hits will take off a good 60% of your HP or so, if you don't have any defensive Install Skills.

Urk... Did I misread...? This power is unlike that between Praeteor and I! I'm surprised by your power... I have no choice but to use everything I have!



That was real close. You have to learn to know how far Nero can charge and how to dodge away.





Though sometimes you get sloppy...



Man, make me feel like the bad guy here, why don't you.



It's sometimes really weird to see a Servant's special attacks in a failed attempt to hit you. Then again, it's been a while since I recorded any part of Golden Poem.



Wonder why I keep KOing enemies with this move.



But we're not done yet. Not even close.



Oh... What serendipity that we meet. It's even as if it is an order from Heaven, is it not, Saber?!

You utter words of nonsense. I wish for you to fail here.

Hmph, I will not let your words cause me any embarrassment. Now, come into my embrace!

It should be noted that Gil's attitude toward Artoria has always been the same (likes her aesthetically and admires her spirit, all the while disdaining the actual woman's thoughts and feelings. Artoria's constant rejections only spurs him on), but in the original FSN he was way worse about it. He was basically threatening to rape her on numerous occasions, but his attitude regarding her has been significantly toned down as he's made more appearances in the series.



As far as how this fight played out, it was oodles of fun. Artoria always makes a fun enemy, because of the breadth and power of her attacks, and the fact she always seems to have something new to attack you with. I mean, just check this moment, shortly after the above screenshot.



Middle of a combo...



Just says "Nope", and jumps away...



And jumps out of the way of my attempted follow-up attack. Her AI is playing much more defensively because she has the Paralysis status effect, but even so, no AI in the game really operates like her.



Oh shi-



I actually managed to block it. As an aside, the battle music for this fight is easily the best track in the game. It's a remix of The Sword of Promised Victory, the song that usually plays when Artoria is activating Excalibur's full power. In this game, it sounds Final Boss As Hell, and it makes for a great climactic battle song. Best version of this song I've heard in this series thus far.



But after that Excaliblast, I tried to follow-up and counterattack. She had another idea.



We are fighting a truly worthy enemy.



Yep, his final special attack has him bringing out a smaller version of Enuma Elish. You can actually steer this one somewhat, but the point is it can damage pretty extensively. The cue to press triangle is after the Chains of Heaven S attack, he'll swing a golden axe. Then you press triangle.





What the hell was that?! Well, you know how Artoria unleashes a vortex of wind before she fires three projectiles along the ground? Well, if you get caught in that vortex, you'll be taken for a spin.



Uh-oh, she's charging Excalibur. Can we stop her?



Uh...



That was...perilous.





Your eyes do not deceive you. Artoria's vortex spun me around TWICE. She got me a second time when my first spin was about to end.



Geez, don't make me worry that much.



Normally I'd be peeved about losing EX rank, but that Artoria fight was great. Wouldn't trade it for anything. This stage also gave me bond level 30 for one of Artoria's Saberface friends, Jeanne d'Arc.






Gilgamesh ending

Ugh...!

*laugh* It looks like this battle is over, Saber! What good fortune to run into you on this battlefield-no, not fortune, fate! I suppose the Moon Cell summoned you just as it did the other Top Servants, but... How unfortunate for you! You will not cut down the piece of the Umbral Star! You will have to leave it to Hakuno to settle things with Altera. Your destiny is now decided! I know you've waited for this day! Now, both you and your Divine Sword will join me at my side!

No, such a wound could never fell me! This battle has only begun, King of Heroes...! You know so much, and yet you act only upon your base desires. I shall end your tyranny, and cut down your... Cut down your...?

Hm...?



Hn, ugh...?!

Gilgamesh, just now... Your hand...blackened...

Fun fact: all throughout the events of Fate/zero, Artoria never once knew Archer's actual name, which is why she usually just addresses him as "Archer". I'm not sure if Iskandar did, either, at the time, actually.

...Hmph. It looks like the second one has arrived. Altera is merely a force of physical destruction, but this is unfortunately a weapon that corrupts the soul... To think that being on the Far Side of the Moon would affect me like this. The malicious information has begun its work on me first...

"Malicious information"...? Is it true, then? That "all the world's evils" were cast to the Far Side of the Moon...? Tch, where are you going, King of Heroes? I'm not done talking...!

"All the world's evils" is an epithet for the contents of the corrupted Fuyuki Grail. The same mud that burned half of Fuyuki.

By your leave, King of Knights. There's something I must do first. We will settle things after I have taken care of this troublesome chore. But brace yourself. Even I have no idea what will happen when we next meet. At the very least, try to put up a fight.

*walks a bit*

...Now. Is this phenomenon the original source of the Goddess of Revenge, or something that has merely taken its shape? Not that it matters much to me. I will see for myself the truth of Velber a step ahead of you all...!

Mmm, how mysterious. Sounds like Gilgamesh has gotten into a bit of trouble...