Episodes 9 and 10 of Fate/strange Fake shake up the usual Holy Grail War formula by centering action around an almost altruistic rescue rather than personal ambition. Instead of mages fighting solely for power or wish fulfillment, a motley alliance of servants and nontraditional masters bands together to save a child from a grotesque captor. The resulting clashes are as much about identity, conviction, and what it means to be a hero as they are about flashy Noble Phantasms.
Table of Contents
Altruism and Unusual Motivations
One of the strongest narrative shifts in these episodes is motive. Rather than the typical self-centered reasons mages enter the Grail War, the drive to save Tsubaki brings together characters who, in different ways, act out of empathy, duty, or a search for meaning. Orlando represents the civil servant’s sense of justice. Ayaka embodies a civilian’s refusal to ignore a child in danger. Flat symbolizes a new generation of magi who idolize the ideals of past heroes. Sigma is, above all, a seeker—trying to discover who he is and what he stands for. This coalition transforms what would have been a simple skirmish into a morally driven, emotionally charged operation.
Breaking Down the Major Battles
The episodes revolve around three major fight sequences, each revealing different thematic and character-driven beats.
Alcides vs. the Police and Jack the Ripper
This confrontation pits Alcides (Heracles) against a combined force of police officers and Jack the Ripper—an unusual pairing that highlights opposing notions of myth and mundane fear. Jack functions less like a straightforward servant and more like a manifestation of humanity’s primitive dread: the unknown, the unseen, the predator in the dark. Alcides, who rejects his divine nature in favor of a self-identifying human existence, becomes vulnerable to exactly the kind of primal terror Jack embodies.
Still, Alcides remains terrifyingly powerful, wielding weapons and protections born of legend. What turns the tide is the human factor: Alexandre Dumas–inspired magecraft that transforms ordinary resolve into something heroic, allowing Flat and others to press an offensive. The idea that human stories can be made heroic—given power through mythic reframing—is a neat inversion of the usual fantasy trope where legends simply empower the chosen.
Richard vs. Gilgamesh: Pride, Jealousy, and Conviction
The fight between Richard and Gilgamesh is built on two main emotional undercurrents: Gilgamesh’s jealous pride and Richard’s lack of a compelling, personal cause. Gilgamesh has always been a mirror that exposes other characters’ blind spots. Here he exposes Richard’s missing conviction: protecting someone is a noble purpose, but Richard’s defense of Ayaka and Tsubaki doesn’t yet ignite the burning personal necessity that could truly challenge the King of Heroes.
As expected, Gilgamesh’s arrogance pushes Richard to his limits, and while Richard initially falls short, external interventions—particularly coordinated attacks by Alcides and Ishtar—bring the King of Heroes to the brink. The skirmish serves as both spectacle and character growth trigger; even a godlike hero can be toppled if those around him find ways to combine their strengths.
Jester, Sigma, and False Assassin: Jealousy and Growing Bonds
Jester’s conflict with Sigma and False Assassin is perhaps the most emotionally intimate. The vampire’s possessive fixation on False Assassin gives this fight an ugly, personal edge: Jester lashes out at the perceived betrayal of a servant choosing a new master. In truth, it’s Ayaka—not Sigma—siphoning power to False Assassin, adding dramatic irony to the clash.
The duel also deepens the evolving relationship between Sigma and False Assassin. Both are characters defined by lack—False Assassin feels inadequate compared to her ideals; Sigma lacks direction. But the fight demonstrates that shared striving is meaningful: teaming up and searching together has value even if the final answers remain unclear. Their bond is less about instant revelation and more about incremental growth.
Ayaka: The Central Mystery
Perhaps the most intriguing element across these episodes is Ayaka’s unexplained capability to supply mana and bolster servants—something normally reserved for True Magi. Alcides draws power from the corpses of thousands, a monstrous wellspring that explains his ferocity. Ayaka, by contrast, seems to provide power in a gentler, more mysterious way. She fires Excalibur, fuels False Assassin, and only complains of feeling a bit under the weather. This prompts the probing question from other characters: “not who is she, but what is she?”
The ambiguity around Ayaka shifts the narrative focus from mere combat to investigation. Her presence reframes allies and enemies alike, forcing them to reassess motivations, origins, and the very rules of the Grail War.
Thematic Threads: Identity, Heroism, and Jealousy
Episodes 9 and 10 thread a number of recurring themes: the search for identity (Sigma and False Assassin), differing models of heroism (Flat’s myth-making vs. Orlando’s duty), and the corrosive nature of jealousy (Gilgamesh and Jester). These themes are woven into action sequences rather than tacked on as exposition, which makes the fights feel organic and narratively meaningful.
Key Takeaways
- Altruism reshapes the Grail War—characters fight not for selfish wishes but to save another, flipping expectations.
- Gilgamesh acts as a mirror, revealing rivals’ internal weaknesses rather than serving only as an unbeatable boss.
- Ayaka’s mysterious power hints at deeper lore and raises stakes—her true nature is now a core mystery.
- Teamwork and human resolve can blunt legendary force, underlining that mythic power and human determination are not mutually exclusive.
Where to Watch
Fate/strange Fake is currently available to stream on Crunchyroll. For more background on the larger Fate franchise, you can check the Fate series overview on Wikipedia for context. Watch Fate/strange Fake on Crunchyroll. Fate series overview (Wikipedia).
Random Notes
- Ishtar’s personality here is markedly colder than some other iterations—without Rin’s moderating influence, she reads as more villainous.
- Several servants have been sidelined so far; Hippolyta and François Prelati have not featured in these particular confrontations.
- Even when Gilgamesh is defeated in bodily form, lore suggests his “body” is an incarnation enabled by powerful magics, so true death is not necessarily guaranteed.
- Ironically, the massive operation to rescue Tsubaki may be unwanted by its supposed beneficiary—dramatic tension built on conflicting desires.
Final thoughts
Episodes 9 and 10 of Fate/strange Fake are a strong reminder that the franchise can still surprise by shifting focus from wish-driven ambition to human-driven compassion. These episodes combine sharp character work with inventive battle choreography and deepen the series’ central mysteries—particularly Ayaka’s nature—without sacrificing momentum. If you appreciate fights that reveal character and stakes that complicate moral certainties, these installments are some of the most compelling in the run so far.
