Fate/strange Fake

Episode 11

Much of this episode is spent figuring out what exactly is going on with our heroes. One moment, they are in destruction-strewn Snowfield, the next they are in a peaceful yet empty version of the city. But while the mystery is looming in the background, what's truly interesting about this episode is that there are no antagonists to speak of. Jester is MIA, and Alcides (not to mention Faldeus) have been left behind in the real world. This leaves only those who were working to save Tsubaki safe and separated from those seeking to harm her.

Of course, it would be boring if we had all the same groups interacting, so things have been shuffled up a bit. Flat encounters Hansa and his squad of nuns while Richard and Ayaka meet up with the police. Meanwhile, Sigma and False Assassin wake up nearby to Tsubaki herself and encounter her mysterious servant—though they are smart enough not to start a fight before they understand what exactly is going on.

Flat and Hansa's plot in the episode is about reestablishing a connection with the outside world—in this case, Waver. In the process, we get a hint about a potential weakness for False Rider, as it is the place where Gilgamesh is being healed, where the fake world is at its thinnest.

On the character-building side of the episode, things are focused firmly on Ayaka and Richard. In his youth, Richard discovered that he was one of those individuals who could do practically anything well. This caused him to fear that he would be isolated by his talent—that he would end up bored, lonely, and unchallenged in life. However, by comparing himself not to his contemporaries but to heroes of legend, he found an existence he could chase forever and never reach: King Arthur. This explains his obsession with both her and having heroic adventures.

But there is also a darker side to Richard—what happened when his dreams clashed with reality. He was forced by his station as king to dirty his hands with the blood of others—something that only became easier with time. This is why he volunteers to kill Tsubaki if that turns out to be the way to escape and survive. He doesn't want the heroic policemen or, heaven forbid, Ayaka to have to do the vile deed.

Yet Richard is not the only one dealing with his inner demons. Ayaka is haunted by Red Riding Hood, the abused girl she could have helped but did not. At this point, she refuses to do the same with Tsubaki, saying that she will kill the girl herself if it must be done rather than just stand by as a witness again. Of course, Richard is against this—against any normal person having to do something so horrible as killing a child. Thus, their goal is clear: not to kill Tsubaki but to save her—even if that may not be the easiest thing to do.

And from a character standpoint, this shows us that Ayaka and Richard make each other better people. She inspires him to dream again—to not be tied down by the grim reality he often lived. Meanwhile, he makes her want to grow beyond the mistakes of her past—to reach out to those in need, be they friends or strangers.

Rating:

Random Thoughts:

• A rematch between Alcides and Hippolyta seemingly happened off-screen—and I feel annoyed at not having been able to see it.

• Grey got a speaking line! What a pleasant surprise! I had assumed she'd be left with nothing but unvoiced cameos.

• I think this marks our first direct mention of Rin in the series (though she was seen in a photo alongside Waver previously). It's important to note that, at this point in the timeline, Waver and Rin have been regularly going on adventures together (as seen in The Adventures of El-Melloi II novel series), so Gray's suggestion to contact her isn't an odd one.

• If “Ayaka” is not Ayaka, then Hansa's question of what she is has just become much more relevant—especially as she was clearly in Fuyuki during the events of Fate/stay night, as she met both Gilgamesh and Kirei Kotomine.

---

Fate/strange Fake is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

---

Disclosure: Kadokawa World Entertainment (KWE), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, is the majority owner of Anime News Network, LLC. One or more of the companies mentioned in this article are part of the Kadokawa Group of Companies.