Gilgamesh (Fate/stay night)

Noble Phantasms

• Gate of Babylon: King's Treasury

Rank: E ~ A++

Type: Anti-Unit.

A small, plain sword that doubles as spatial key, allowing Gilgamesh to access his vast wealth contained within a vault in the heart of ancient Babylon. Inside this treasury are a myriad of Noble Phantasms collected during the peak of Uruk's civilization. Gilgamesh either throws these weapons or fires them out of his vault like rockets. Any weapons or artifacts discharged by Gate of Babylon return to the vault after an indeterminate amount of time. Because he lacks proficiency with any of these weapons, he is only able to use them as disposable projectiles. It is the hurling of these weapons that designate Gilgamesh's class as Archer. Listed below are several of the more famous Noble Phantasms widthdrawn from Gate of Babylon over the course of Fate/stay night. In the anime, there are several other weapons he employed: a dagger that can freeze his opponent, the scythe Harpe that Perseus used to decapitate Medusa, the sword Gram from Norse mythology, and a number of unnamed long swords that he used to fight Saber.

*Enkidu: Chain of Heaven

:Rank:

:Type: Anti-Unit.

:One of the few relics Gilgamesh used during his lifetime, this chain was forged specifically to immobilize gods, albeit significantly less effective against opponents with little or no divinity. Though not a true Noble Phantasm, Enkidu is Gilgamesh's most trusted weapon. This artifact honors Gilgamesh's old friend Enkidu, and is the very chain that bound the Bull of Heaven in Babylonian legend.

Gilgamesh, wielding Enûma Elish and Enkidu

*Enûma Elish - Ea: The Star of Creation that Splits Apart the Heaven and Earth

:Rank: EX

:Type: Anti-World.

:An aphotic, pillar-shaped blade, etched with fine crimson letterings in cuneiform. With an energy output far superior to even Excalibur, rotation of Ea's tri-blade segments vacuums and compresses surrounding atmospheric gasses. Upon release, the ensuing cataclysmic blast sunders the foundations of reality, causing a collapse of time and space that disintegrates everything around the area of attack. Ea's material components have no origins in the mortal plane; unlike other weapons, it cannot be replicated through tracing. It is the most powerful Noble Phantasm in Gilgamesh's arsenal. The title Enûma Elish is an allusion to the Babylonian creation epic, and Ea is Babylon's patron deity of water.

True Identity

Enkidu becomes a lord of beasts, fiercely attacking those who would hunt his animals. A trapper, irritated with the troublesome Enkidu, seeks the advice of Gilgamesh, who recommends the aid of a priestess, Shamhat. Enkidu is "civilized" through Shamhat's seduction, and becomes forever shunned from the beasts he once protected. He then lives a quiet life aiding trappers and shepherds, but his wanderlust drives him to the Sumerian capital of Uruk. He is attracted to a wedding, where he overhears a boastful Gilgamesh exclaim his right to sleep with the new virgin bride. As Gilgamesh approaches the lover's bedroom, a furious Enkidu bars his entry, and the two men engage in a wrestling competition.

Gilgamesh and Enkidu are evenly matched, but Gilgamesh briefly attains an advantageous position and manages to pin Enkidu. Impressed by his opponent's prowess, Enkidu compliments Gilgamesh, and the two swear an oath of friendship. Gilgamesh proposes an adventure into the Cedar Forest to slay the demigod Humbaba, a guardian of gods. Following a tremendous battle, Humbaba is beguiled by Gilgamesh into lowering his defenses, allowing Gilgamesh to quickly restrain the brute. Although Enkidu was initially averse to killing the giant, he realizes Gilgamesh will become world famous for Humbaba's death, and despite Humbaba's pleas for mercy, Gilgamesh decapitates him. They then cut down the tallest Cedar trees and, using the lumber, build a raft on which they sail down the Euphrates back and back to Uruk.

Impressed by his heroic feat, the goddess Ishtar appears to Gilgamesh and offers him the opportunity to become her mortal consort. Gilgamesh rebuffs her advances, citing a host of mortal men who have romanced the goddess and met grisly ends. Flustered at her rejection, Ishtar asks her father, Anu, to send the Bull of Heaven to kill Gilgamesh and destroy Uruk. The bull rampages around Sumeria for several years, but with Enkidu's aid, Gilgamesh proves capable enough to restrain and butcher it.

Outraged by the death of a divine beast, Ishtar demands either Gilgamesh or Enkidu be killed as retribution. The god Shamash appeals for their lives; Gilgamesh's divinity is merely lowered, but the unfortunate Enkidu is condemned to die for meddling with divine will. Shortly after this trial, Enkidu is striken with a dire illness and suffers for twelve days. During his last moments, he forsees a grim afterlife in a dream, and curses those who originally cultivated him. Gilgamesh mourns Enkidu's lifeless body for many days, and fearful of meeting the same fate, embarks on a quest for immortality.

Gilgamesh seeks out Utnapishtim, a former King of Shuruppak who survived The Deluge by constructing an Ark as advised by the god Ea. In repentance for the genocide of mankind, the Sumerian Gods gift Utnapishtim with immortality and spirit him away to Dilmun, the End of the World. After journeying over Mount Mashu and through a Garden of Gems, Gilgamesh crosses the River of Death and meets Utnapishtim.

Utnapishtim explains that immortality can be achieved if Gilgamesh remains awake for six days and seven nights; Gilgamesh makes the attempt, but soon succumbs to fatigue. Gilgamesh is frustrated with his failure, but Utnapishtim offers an alternative; a magical herb, which only grows on the ocean floor surrounding Dilmun, will bestow eternal youth onto whoever consumes it. Gilgamesh successfully retrieves the plant, but doubtful the shrub's properties, decides to test his prize on the elders of Uruk.

On the journey back, a serpent consumes the precious ambrosia while Gilgamesh bathes; horrified, he weeps at his loss. Upon arrival in Uruk, Gilgamesh stares at the imposing city walls he built and realizes mortal men cannot escape destiny, for true immortality can only be achieved through the legends dead men leave behind.

Role

Although able to exist independently of Kotomine, Gilgamesh continued to cooperate with his old Master, who had been resurrected by the Grail's malevolent power. With Kotomine's aid, he was able to stockpile Mana for his Noble Phantasms through the consumption of human souls from children orphaned by the fire at the end of the war. Gilgamesh also retrieved a potion of temporary youth from his vault that reduced his physical age and allowed him to smoothly blend in with society.

Gilgamesh is antagonistic in each scenario of Fate/stay night. In Fate, he kills Caster as she is assaulting Shirō's home in Miyamachou, and later ambushes Shirō and Saber during their date. Ultimately, he is killed in a climatic battle with Saber at the Ryūdōji Temple atop Mount Enzō. Gilgamesh is more active in Unlimited Blade Works, and reprises his role as the final antagonist; after easily killing Ilya and Berserker, he is "lent" to Shinji Matō after Shinji's Servant, Rider, is killed by Sōichirō Kuzuki. Gilgamesh attempts to use himself as the core of the Holy Grail, but he is killed by Archer after an arduous battle with Shirō. Gilgamesh has a small role in Heaven's Feel scenario, where he lacerates Dark Sakura with Gate of Babylon. However, he underestimates her regenerative abilities and is devoured by her shadows.

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