The entire Fate franchise is filled with unique characters inspired by historical, mythical, and real-world figures who are just as intriguing and awesome as the reimagined ones! Each Servant from Fate draws its persona from pre-existing staples in political hierarchies of the past. From deities to legends, the cast of characters come from a wide variety of religions and cultures. Historical figures in the Fate series are cleverly crafted to reflect true and unique aspects of their actual counterparts. At the same time, the animated characters are reconstructed with an entirely new look - sometimes even a different gender. Compiled here is a complete list of the characters linked to actual historical figures in Ufotable's Fate Stay/Night and Fate/Zero series. Check out which legendary icon your favorite Servant is inspired by below.
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Appears In: Fate/Stay Night, Fate/Zero Saber's resilient and charismatic identity is none other than that of King Arthur. As one of the main characters in the Fate series, she wields the legendary Excalibur and its hallowed scabbard, Avalon (named after the place Excalibur was forged).
Appears In: Fate/Zero The proud and impetuous personality of Rider is the embodiment of the late and militant Alexander the Great. Rider highlights the ambitious, prideful, and hearty aspects of the legendary conqueror.
Appears In: Fate/Stay Night, Fate/Zero The tablets that comprise the Sumerian legend in "The Epic of Gilgamesh" tell the story of an arrogant king-declared-demigod who ends his tale on a quest for immortality. Archer's identity as Gilgamesh reflects his own kingly desires of gathering treasures and ruling as an immortal leader.
Appears In: Fate/Zero The Assassin is a single, multi-person entity of deadly weapons cast in the image of the Persian Hassan-i Sabbah, a founder of an assassin group known as the Hashshashin, or "Assassins." The split-personality Assassin in Fate/Zero takes on the form of the manifested Hashshashin group.
Appears In: Fate/Zero Berserker carries the persona of Sir Lancelot du Lac, a knight of the Round Table who had an affair with King Arthur's wife, Lady Guinevere. In real life, King Arthur forgave them both. However, Berserker craves to be punished, as he could never forgive himself.
Appears In: Fate/Zero Diarmuid Ua Duibhne is a skilled and beautiful warrior in Irish mythology who had a magical "love spot" placed on his forehead. This spot would cause any woman who looked at him to instantly fall in love. In the anime, the Irish legend is reborn as a Lancer class Servant, who uses the same weapons as Diarmuid Ua Duibhne. He even has a "love spot" that enchants ladies right into his arms.
Appears In: Fate/Zero Although Gilles de Rais served alongside Joan of Arc in the Royal Army, he was later hanged for kidnapping and murdering children, as well as dabbling in the occult. Caster embodies the wicked half of Gilles de Rais' life, murdering children before rampantly preaching just moments afterward.
Appears In: Fate/Zero Joan of Arc is famously known as the great heroin of France who liberated the nation from the Hundred Years' War. She briefly appears as a Ruler class spirit in Fate/Zero, portrayed as a humbler believer in the importance of every heroic spirit. This reflects the real Joan of Arc's canonized Roman Catholic saint-like nature.
Appears In: Fate/Stay Night Lancer, the heroic knight and spirit of the lance, is the legendary Irish hero Cú Chulainn. Reflective of his historical counterpart, Lancer fulfills his great deeds with valor and sometimes, in a fearsome battle frenzy.
Appears In: Fate/Stay Night As a bold representation of Greek mythology's greatest hero and an all-around symbol of masculinity and strength, Heracles is the Berserker Servant. He exudes confidence and brute strength.
Appears In: Fate/Stay Night The silent but vigilant Servant in Fate/Stay Night that takes the form of Rider is none other than the terrible and sultry Greek Gorgon, Medusa. While a look at the hideous Medusa will turn even the toughest soldier to stone, Rider is a powerful entity who takes the form of the once-beautiful Medusa, before she was transformed into a monstrous being.
Appears In: Fate/Stay Night In the tales of Medea in Greek mythology and beyond, she is known as a tragic witch or a sorceress. Caster highlights this in her temperamental and woeful Servant form in Fate/Stay Night.
