Personality

[fated_blade]

Saber is really very kind, but she has chosen a path of stoicism and coldness. She believes it to be the selflessness required of a King, but instead it distanced her from her people, and the ones that valued her the most. Though she is a kind person, she can seem cold and hard to become close to. But should she take a liking to someone, for their honor code or other reasons, she will stand by them through hell and back: she cannot break her oath as a Knight or a King. She helps those in need without having to be asked, and she refuses to turn her back on anyone she has the power to save. Injustice is her most hated adversary, and she will not let it stand as long as there is breath in her. Saber also has a tendency to put others before herself; she is reckless and often gets herself in to trouble. If not for the immortality granted in her life time, she surely would have died very young.

Saber’s kindness is most clearly demonstrated in her interactions with Irisviel, her Master’s wife in Fate/Zero. The relationship between the two is like a Lady and her Knight; Saber accompanies her so she can enjoy Fuyuki City for a day, protects her during battle with the other Servants—despite her injury—and feels comfortable and open enough to discuss her hesitations about her Master. She is the only person that Saber can show her more gentle side to, and often it seems she would prefer that Iri was her master rather than her Husband.

Saber is extremely goal oriented and goes through life with idealistic blinders on. Her life is for Britain, her Kingdom, no matter how many eons it has been dead. She falters little in the face of criticism; even Alexander has a hard time getting to her during their ‘feast’. She is however far more vulnerable than she often lets herself seem, and once the King of Conquerors finally undermines her kingship as well as her own image of herself she crumbles like the little girl she actually is. This moment of weakness is unfortunately what draws her haughty stalker, Gilgamesh, to her.

While Saber is focused on her goals, and willing to do whatever is necessary, she will never sacrifice her dignity. During her first battle with Lancer, they are interrupted by Rider—Alexander the Great—and he offers them a place in his army to assure victory. Not only does she refuse him out of insult, but she declares unabashedly that she is a king and will not bow to him. She is determined to achieve her wish on her own and will not ally herself with another simply to make it easy. Even when Gilgamesh presents her with the opportunity to have her wish granted in exchange for marriage, she still refuses him. The normally calm and collected Saber can be driven quickly to rage by the Golden King of Heroes. He is probably the only person she has ever truly hated. It is not merely his arrogant and barbaric ways, but his tyrannical theory of being a ruler that sets her forever at odds with him. His like for undressing her with his eyes doesn’t help one bit. But that is a rage that only he can incite.

The code of chivalry is the most important thing to Saber. Honor, honesty, strength, courage, and self-sacrifice are some of the values she holds most dear. The girl-king embodies all of these qualities to the extreme degree, and anyone that attempts to insult her by preventing her from carrying out any of them out earns a badge of hatred. Emiya Kiritsugu is one such person. His constant refusal to treat her with respect and trust as well as his slights to her honor as a knight causes her to mistrust and hate him. Even if their goals are more or less the same—save the world—he sneaks around in the shadows while she fights bravely on the battle field. The assault on Einzburn castle and his disregard for Caster’s crimes against innocent people causes her to have a rare, emotional outburst. But her strong sense of loyalty makes it impossible for her to openly disobey her Master. While his treatment of her and her ideals makes her angry, she would rather brood in quiet rage.

Kiritsugu’s betrayal at the end of the war not only brought Saber great anger, but also pain. A man she had started—through Iri’s help—to understand a little, and did trust as her Master, betrayed her. Betrayal to Saber is like an icy knife to the back in the worst of ways. In this case, his betrayal completely crushed her spirit and her will. She was reduced to a sobbing little girl apologizing over and over to her people and the burning kingdom before her. It is a slight she can never forgive, and her hatred for Kiritsugu will burn forever in the depths of her soul. Though as can be seen in Fate/Stay Night, this is not something that damages her visibly forever; she is able to recover her composure to fight a new Grail War.

Saber is not without a refined sense of humor. Her wit comes out beautifully when she fights with or against Lancer. His smart comments don’t get past her, and she is quick to retaliate with quips and assertions of her own superiority in a good natured way. She is still a knight, but she is able to gloat as a nobleman should when the time arises. However, her ability to joke on a more colloquial level is limited and practically non-existent. It leaves her a bit awkward when presented with a joke she doesn’t follow or understand, but she hardly feels ashamed for not having the knowledge to understand.

As far as romantic relationships are concerned, Saber has no interest in them. They are meaningless, distracting things that, frankly, offend her sense of honor. She will not lower herself to playing ‘the woman’ for any man, and she will submit to none either. It is not that she actively detests such arrangements, only that she does not see the point in actively pursuing one—especially since it gets in the way of her goals. Though this is the case, she is actually extremely insecure under the tough shell. In reality, she believes that no one can truly love her; she is a King that failed her country, and she is hardly suitable as a woman either—at least in her mind. She is very out of touch with her emotions and has a hard time with interpersonal relationships. And that leads to the scary topic of sex.

Saber is a virgin not only physically, but emotionally. She has never felt strongly about another person enough to want such things, and she has a very conservative view about the topic. Her dignity dictates that she not be allowed to enjoy such a vulgar act--as a ‘harlot’ would--, and the very thing offends her sensibilities to the point where she is unwilling to give in unless circumstances made it necessary. She sees herself as a King and Knight first, and will viciously refuse her position as a woman until compelled otherwise. If it is a matter of necessity, she will engage in the act only so far as it is required. That all being said, it is still not entirely out of the question for her to feel shame over having had intimate relations with a man. She would feel as if she was not strong enough to resist it, and that she is disgusting and shameful for having to give in. But it will all be buried under her seamless, stoic mask until the next time she is compelled.

Perhaps most important is Saber’s ability to compartmentalize her interactions with people. She is kind to Iri, but that does not mean she will be kind to everyone. Only Lancer seems to bring out her ‘quippy’ side, Gilgamesh inspires rage, Alexander gives her uncertainty, and Kiritsugu a sense of betrayal. No matter how she feels about a person or a situation, Saber’s masterful use of a stoic mask prevents her from allowing such feelings to leak in to her interactions with unrelated parties: her kindness is reserved for Iri, her wit for Lancer, her rage for Gilgamesh etc. Never would Saber let her emotions show to people that didn’t need to see them, nor would she let her actions be controlled or affected by others.