Saber Of Red

Lore
As much as I want to do King Arthur, I recently finished the Fourth Singularity in Fate/Grand Order. So I decided to do those focused around Saber first. I’ll like to note that in Fate/Prototype, both King Arthur, and Mordred appeared as males. Mordred the treacherous nephew, or bastard son depending on which work your reading. For now I’ll focus on later variants of his story. Born from a incestuous relationship from Arthur’s halve sister, the Queen of Orkney. Mordred’s fiasco is a wild ride, from slaying his father, to exposing Arthur’s wife Guinevere affair with Lancelot that brought ruin to Camelot. He’s ultimately the main reason for Arthur’s downfall, in which during war, he made himself High King of Britain. If treason had a persona, Mordred would be the personification of it.
History

Sir Mordred was born the youngest son of Queen Morgause, halve sister of King Arthur, an raised as the son of her Husband King Lot. King Arthur was told by his Prophet Merlin, that one day his child would destroy his realm. Once he realized that Anna Morgause was his halve sister, he planned to have every child born on the same day as Mordred birth set adrift. The large boat would later sink, an every child would die on this day. This day would be called would be called May day, or the May Day Massacre. Mordred, on the other hand would survive this day, an wash ashore on a island to be taken care of by Lord Nabur. Once Mordred was an adult he travelled to Camelot, an capitalized off his brother Sir Gawain fame, an was made the 13th Knight of the Round Table. From there he would accompany Sir Lancelot, who he promptly did not like, whatsoever. Although Lancelot, was considered an ideal Knight. Mordred would spend his time, raping married women, an killing their husband’s. Along with his brothers Gawain, Gaheris, and Aggravayne, he took up the name of Orkney, slaying the son of Pellinore, Sir Lamorak. Mordred conspired with Aggravayne to expose Lancelot, an Guinevere’s affair which pretty much started a war. This war would be the downfall of Camelot. Mordred recieved an Oracle from a Prophet, telling him of his true origin, that he’s King Arthur’s heir. This sent him into a frenzy ultimately killing the prophet, an the Knights that was with him. Favoring Mordred, King Arthur, made him the Regent of his Kingdom while he was at war with Lancelot. That plus he was out of the continent campaigning against the Roman Empire “Umu”. While he was away, Mordred made Alliances with Saxons, Pics, & the Scots and faked the news of King Arthur’s death. Mordred declared himself King, an he seige Arthur’s wife, Guinevere. She must’ve been a loose beauty, than again Arthur was lusting after his own sister. The Queen’s reaction is pretty debatable, an it varies in each form of literature. In one story she fled, an barricaded herself in London, an another she agreed an had his children. When news finally reaches Arthur, he immediately returned to retake his throne. 3 major battles soon followed, 2 of which was won by Arthur. The battle of Dover, than Barham Down. The final battle of Camlann also would 2 possible endings, both of which would leave Arthur, an Mordred as the last warrior’s standing. This is mainly influenced by if Guinevere, flees or agrees with Mordred. If Guinevere flees, King Arthur kills Morded but suffers a fatal wound. Just before dying he begged one of his Round Table Knights to toss Excalibur in the lake. If Guinevere agrees, she steals Excalibur, loses the sacred Scabbard, and gives it to Mordred, for the final battle. Mordred would use this weapon to kill Arthur, after which he was mortally wounded by the holy spear Rhongomyniad. Mordred would survive, an be prosecuted by Lancelot, who stilled deeply admired King Arthur. Lancelot would go on to kill Guinevere, than bury Mordred in the dead Queen’s tomb. Mordred would soon eat the remainder of her body, just before dying of starvation. His 2 son’s would later continue the rebellion of their father. One thing is for certain in each version of the story. The once proud Round Table, was now dead, along with the era of the Knights.
Fate Lore

Now Mordred in the Nasuverse like her father, is predominantly women. So her birth, an story takes a few different routes compared to the Arthurian Legend. Although she keeps her status as The Treacherous Knight, she was born as a Homunculus Clone. If Fullmetal Alchemist taught me anything it’s how well these stories tend to go. But just like her father, Mordred would be raised as the next heir to the throne. Who started a rebellion just to here Artoria call her son just once. S/N: Although Fate Grand Order uses Altria Pendragon, I’m going to stick with calling her Artoria Pendragon.
Birth Of The Rebellion

Mordred was born between the union of Artoria, an her sister Morgan Le Fay. A little background knowledge first, Morgan was a evil fairy witch who hated Artoria’s very being. Mainly for taking her spotlight from her family. Morgan enchanted Artoria a pseudo-male at the time, because that’s a thing, an stole her sperm to develop a Homunculus in her ovaries, because that’s also a thing. Morgan became obsessed with Mordred, telling her every day that was the rightful heir to the throne. Although her life was short spanned thanks to being a Homunculus, she believed it was her right to kill Artoria, an take the throne. Raised in secret, an told to obey the King until it was time, to never take her mask off. Like her mother, Mordred would also become obsessed with Artoria, but instead of hatred, it would be admiration. If you played the 4th Singularity in London, you’ll run into Mordred. You’ll realize she would randomly lash out at you, but starts to accept Mash. This would be because Mordred was ashamed of her twisted birth. She would unconsciously become violent, but start to feel sympathetic towards Mash, similar to Solomon’s reaction. As she began to rapidly age, Mordred started to worship King Arthur, as the perfect king. At Morgan’s behest, and a display of her suburb swordsmanship, she was named the 13th Knight Of The Round Table, an given a Sword of Legend. Unlike her counterpart in the legend, Mordred was the ideal knight of chivalry. Spent her duties trying to impress her king, even when she had a huge disdain for other humans. Morgan being the bitter sister she is, used this opportunity to tell Mordred of her unorthodox birth. Telling her that the King doesn’t know, neither would he care to know, nor love a filthy child. Instead of feeling hatred, she felt joy, alive for the first time. That she actually felt she was the true successor of the King of Knights, mind, body, and soul. At this point Mordred is ecstatic, happy that her godlike father figure is actually her father. She decided to tell Artoria of this, but instead of open arms, she was immediately rejected. Telling her that she would never accept Mordred as her legitimate child, or make her successor to the throne.
Camelot Downfall

At this point Mordred believed she was rejected all due to her mother. She believed Artoria’s hatred for Morgan was the reason she was seen as a dirtied child. The words Morgan spun in her mind, turned her deep seeped love for King Arthur, into unfathomable hatred. Soon after the Round Table began to distrust Artoria, an a rebellion broke out. Mordred became the leader of this Rebellion, an she seized Camelot for herself while Artoria was on a expedition towards Rome. After returning from a prolonged battle, Artoria returned to a ruined Camelot. Mordred declared she never loved King Arthur, an that Artoria threw Camelot into ruin because of her unnatural personality. The battle went on for a few years until the final battle in Camlann. The Knights that stayed with the King died, leaving only the two on them on a pile of corpse. Which is in fact, the scene Artoria reminisces about when she becomes Saber. So the pile of dead bodies she’s standing on in the opening of the Fate/Stay Series with Excalibur, was this moment. Mordred claimed everything was pointless, now since the country was destroyed. She blamed Artoria for not making her the rightful heir, an how much she lamented her birth. She asked if her rejection was due to Morgan being her mother. Artoria simply stated that Mordred just didn’t have the ability to run a country. Since she actually didn’t genuinely care for people. She was ultimately defeated while pierced with the Holy Spear Rhongomyniad. Upon collapsing she reached to touch Artoria hands just once, but she was rejected once again being denied to even die in peace. Still bound by a curse her mother placed on her, she continued to swing her sword even after death. She fatally wounded Artoria who died, soon after having one of her knights permanently discard Excalibur. Camelot an the Era of the Knights came to a end. Makes you wish for the reunion of the two as servants. Only fair, since Gilgamesh got to see Enkidu again, even though he was actually Kingu, sent to help Beast II. (Tiamat) In the end Mordred even despised those who sided with her. Confused as to why they would follow her, someone who only cared for herself, over her father, who devoted her life to her country.
Holy Grail Wars
Fate/Apocrypha

London Murders
Mordred was summoned by Kairi Sisigou, as a Saber apart of the Red Faction. Her wish was to simply pull Excalibur, an prove to her father that she’s the rightful heir to Artoria once an for all. That Morgan being her mother didn’t matter. Kairi, & Saber eventually hear of murders going on that could be linked to the war. They run into a strange poisonous fog, that ends up being the Noble Phantasm of Assassin of Black, Jack The Ripper. Saber’s overwhelming strength immediately destroys the fog. Just before they could fight Archer of Black, Chiron interfered. Since they were also investigating the murders, assassin immediately retreated. Saber in the process attacked Archer, while her master attacked Fiore. Although they were equally matched, they both soon retreated also.
Yggmillenia Castle

Mordred, & Kairi arrived to their first large scale battle a little later than the others. This battle between the Red, & Black faction would control the ongoing war. Mordred encounters a injured Rider Of Black, Astolfo. Mordred easily overwhelmed Astolfo, she also goes on to defeats Seig, Saber Of Black, who tried to protect Rider. Surprised to run into another Homunculus, she get’s ambushed by Frankenstein, the Berserker Of Black. Frankenstein is also unable to overpower Mordred, as she was beaten to the point of disappearing. Fran attempts to use her Noble Phantasm as a suicide bomb, which also fails thanks to Kairi. Seig, and Mordred, battled one more time using their Noble Phantasm with Mordred being the victor. Before she could kill him, Spartacus, Berserker Of Red interrupts the battle an Seig escapes. Later on Mordred killed Astolfo master, Celenike. Who tried to force him to kill Seig, since he seemed to care for him. At this point the Black Faction is clearly losing this war. But looks can be deceiving, since Mordred end up forming an alliance with the Black Faction, after saving Jeanne De Arc, and Astolfo from Hanging Gardens Of Babylon controlled by the Assassin Of Red, Semiramis. Mordred despises Semiramis, saying she has the same disgusting smell as her mother Morgan. Jeanne manages to convince Mordred to help them stop Avicebron Noble Phantasm. With the help of Seig, they destroyed his golem. Afterwards along with Jeanne, they attended a meeting with the Black Faction, creating an alliance between them to stop Shirou.
Final Battle

Mordred storms the Hanging Garden, to confront Semiramis, overwhelmed even with the use of her Noble Phantasm. When Mordred believed she was about to die, she realized her wish isn’t to simply replace her father, but just to see her smile once. At this moment Mordred came to realize the reason she started her revolt against Artoria, was to simply relieve her of her burden. Kairi manages to save Mordred, only to get fatally wounded in the process. Afterwards Mordred somehow dealt the final blow to Semiramis. Unfortunately once the smoke cleared out, they both died in the process. With both of them stating their true wish for the grail. One to bring happiness to her emotionless father, an the other to revive his dead daughter.
Fate/Grand Order
London Fiasco

Modred plays a key part in the 4th Singularity she appears in. She mysteriously appeared along with several other servants. Unprecedentedly majority of the ones that appeared, were the same one’s that appeared in Apocrypha. She even battles with Artoria Alter, her evil father, or who she claims was her true self. Really wish they dove farther into this meeting, but we all know Artoria will never accept Mordred. Unfortunately she was badly injured in the final battle with Solomon, so badly that Anderson sacrificed his life to save her’s.
Camelot/Zero

Mordred was summoned once again in the 6th singularity. This story w Ias a pretty interesting twist, with a fated reunion. But first an explanation, Mordred was summoned along with the Knight’s of the Round Table by the Lion King. The Lion King looks pretty identical to a Lancer Artoria. But if your hoping for a reunion between Mordred, an her father you won’t find it here. Especially since Mordred also had no memory of her time in London, or her time with Mash. So the tearjerking moment she had about her father, she don’t remember. The Lion King is a Divine Spirit who took the appearance of Artoria. So in shorts she’s the Goddess Rhongomyniad, who is basically a Divine Ghost with a Holy Spear. She told the Knights they had a halve a day to decide, rather to side with or against her. Mordred, along with Gaiwain, Lancelot, Agravain, Tristan, and Gareth, decided to side with her. They killed the remaining knights, than formed Knights of the Lion King, with each recieving a gift, Mordred would recieve the “Gift Of Rampage,” an annoying little skill that allows her fire off her Noble Phantasm every turn. They rampaged through the Holy Land, killing everyone that opposed them. During her battle with the False Crusaders, Gareth sacrificed herself to beat Richard I. Mordred begged her saying it was no need, but Gawain killed both of them anyway. From here the Holy City was established, with Rhongomyniad as King. Mordred was the only Knight who wasn’t granted citizenship in the city. Remaining forbidden from staying due to the events with the False Crusaders. Needless to say she didn’t care much, as long as the Lion King had a need for her. Up til Mash finally killed her, Mordred had undying loyalty towards the Lion King.
Relationships
- Artoria Pendragon
Mordred’s Father, an her greatest sin ever committed.
- Artoria Lily
Princess version of her dad who carries Caliburn, the sword Mordred used against her.
- Lancelot
Mordred, & Agravain used Lancelot’s affair with Guinevere to bring ruin to Camelot under Morgan Le Fay orders. Although Mordred had no idea her mother manipulated her.
- Gawain
Mordred’s halve brother, who was also killed by Mordred during the war of Camlann. Gawain believes he’s the reason for Artoria’s death, due to him forbidding Lancelot from fighting in the final battle against Mordred’s betrayal.
- Agravain
Mordred’s halve brother, who worked as Morgan’s assassin. He manipulated Mordred under her orders to expose Guinevere, which ultimately got him killed by Lancelot in a fit of rage. Which explains why Lancelot shows up as either a Berserker or Saber.