Artoria

Biodata

Power Progression

Appearance

• Hair: Blonde 918.
• Height: A source of insecurity; she repeatedly wishes to grow taller while ringing the Bells of Pilgrimage 910 917.
• Travel equipment: Carries the Staff of Prophecy and wears Shirou’s ring-shaped Magic Crest on a cord as a necklace 878 923 927.
• After Shirou’s apparent death: Her normally lively presentation gives way to a haggard face, dull eyes, and an indifferent expression 922 924.

Personality

Artoria is lively, outspoken, and quick to argue. She trades insults with Tristan and Barghest, bristles when Shirou tests her judgment, and insists that she will not lose an argument even when she cannot match Morgan’s intellect. Her confidence also has an insecure side: she is more sensitive about her height than Shirou expects 892 904 910 929.

She has no personal interest in the throne, but commits herself to fulfilling her mission. Even when unable to ring a Bell of Pilgrimage, she continues quietly improving her magecraft rather than complaining. She also condemns Morgan’s attack on Wales as retaliation against vulnerable fae 892 904 918.

Her willingness to sacrifice herself is accompanied by difficulty recognizing that she deserves a life beyond her duty. She agrees to disappear for the holy sword’s creation, then interprets Shirou’s sacrifice as an obligation to carry on his mission. Shirou explicitly rejects that interpretation: he saved her so that she could live her own life 920 925 928.

Despite her competitive streak, she does not readily claim an unqualified victory over Morgan. She acknowledges that the Queen healed her after winning their first exchange, fought without the throne, and had already expended substantial magical energy 931.

Abilities & Skills

Combat Magecraft

Artoria favors practical, varied combat magic rather than a single repeated attack 892.

• Channels magical energy through her staff to repel incoming attacks.
• Fires magical bullets and crescent-shaped blades.
• Uses catalysts and attacks from the ground to bind opponents.
• Provides support magecraft that compensates for Shirou’s limited attack coverage against the Mors 892 901.
• Can create aerial footholds and maneuver through dense projectile barrages 927.

Projection Magic

Under Shirou’s instruction, Artoria develops the ability to forge weapons through Projection. A golden sword inscription appears on her forehead when she embraces her role as a sword-forging fae 907 910.

• Projects swords from Pan-Human History, with Ea explicitly excluded 910.
• Cannot reproduce Shirou’s otherworldly weapons, such as the Blades of Chaos 910.
• Produces Caliburn without the usual reduction in rank 910.
• Cuts apart curses, Water Mirrors, and pursuing magical stakes with projected blades 924 927.
• Eventually deploys nearly a thousand swords, though their Mystery remains inferior to Morgan’s highest-level magecraft 927.

Fae Eyes

Artoria’s Fae Eyes become an active part of her battlefield perception 878 924 927.

• Increased output lets her identify the core of Tristan’s curse and sever it 924.
• Helps her monitor attacks arriving from multiple directions during her duel with Morgan 927.
• Her encounter with Tristan is described through dramatically slowed perception; the passage does not establish that she literally stops time 924.

Bells of Pilgrimage

The six bells grant Artoria an enormous increase in magical power 917 927.

• Uses resonance magecraft to connect and ring all six simultaneously 917.
• Suffers a thirty-five-hour collapse after the resulting Spirit Origin surge 917.
• Reaches magical reserves comparable to Morgan’s independent reserves, but not the additional power available through the throne 927.
• Equal reserves do not erase differences in experience or Mystery 927.

Holy Sword and Defensive Magic

Artoria eventually wields the Holy Sword of the Stars rather than merely relying on conventional projected blades 929 931.

• Releases thirteen pillars of holy sword light to oppose Morgan’s thirteen Holy Lances 929.
• Their initial collision is equal in firepower and Mystery; Morgan cannot trigger the swords’ special offensive advantage 929.
• Her use of the holy sword permits Artoria Avalon’s manifestation, completing the conditions for Shirou’s resurrection 931.
• Later provides protection with properties similar to Avalon, completely blocking Cernunnos’s cursed breath long enough to create an opening for Shirou 936.

Equipment / Items

• Staff of Prophecy — Her primary staff during the pilgrimage and battle with Morgan. Oberon previously spoke to her through it while posing as “Merlin” 923 927.
• Magic Crest necklace — A top-tier crest made by Shirou, consisting of a ring threaded onto a cord. Presented as a protective charm, it also copies her mind and memories; those stored memories are submitted to the planet in her place during the holy sword’s forging 878 920.
• Magecraft catalysts — Used to overcome Tristan during their Gloucester duel 892.
• Projected Caliburn — A reproduction of the Sword of Selection that retains its rank 910.

History

Joining Shirou and the Theater Company

In the Nameless Forest, Shirou offers Artoria a genuine choice about whether to accompany him. She chooses a brief explanation and learns that the Fae Kingdom threatens his world. Their objectives align, and she accepts his assistance with her mission. Before they leave, he gives her the Magic Crest necklace and reveals that he knows about her Fae Eyes 878.

Shirou takes her to Gloucester’s auction intending to publicize her identity as the Child of Prophecy. When Gareth is offered as the final lot under that same title, Artoria raises Shirou’s bid to thirty million Morgan Pounds. She subsequently defeats Tristan in a magecraft duel and helps Gareth settle in with the Theater Company 890 892.

Wales and the Pilgrimage

Artoria and Shirou agree to help Oberon protect the forest of Wales from Morgan’s army. During the journey, she advises Shirou to tell Gawain the truth about his return rather than conceal it out of fear of hurting her. Her own encounter with Barghest proves dangerous: exposing the Faerie Knight’s true name removes the bestowed blessing but does not weaken her, and Artoria is badly injured 904 906.

Artoria then discovers her aptitude for sword-forging and develops Projection under Shirou’s guidance. At Orkney, she links all six Bells of Pilgrimage and rings them alone. Shirou finds her after her prolonged collapse; later, approaching Albion’s remains, he recognizes that he has been measuring her against Morgan and pushing her too hard 907 910 917 918.

The Furnace of the Stars

At the Inner Sea of the Planet, Artoria accepts that forging the holy sword will consume her existence. Shirou prevents the sacrifice by using the memories copied into her Magic Crest and taking over the forging himself. He sends her away with the instruction to live well 920.

His apparent death leaves her visibly exhausted and withdrawn. She conceals the news to preserve her negotiating position with Camelot, confirms Oberon’s earlier impersonation of Merlin, and defeats Tristan again while traveling to meet Morgan 922 923 924.

Confrontation with Morgan

Artoria challenges Morgan at Camelot. Although their independent magical reserves are equal, Morgan overwhelms her with superior Mystery and a simultaneous release of thirteen Holy Lances. Artoria awakens in Avalon and encounters Shirou, initially believing that they have met after death 927 928.

Shirou explains that she was never meant to inherit the burden of his mission. Before she returns, he asks her to defeat Morgan on his behalf, and she confesses her love for him. Morgan has healed her, allowing a second confrontation in which Artoria finally releases the Holy Sword of the Stars 928 929.

That release enables Artoria Avalon to manifest and Shirou to return. Artoria learns that Avalon was created from her memories and Shirou’s Magic Circuits, and that her subconscious refusal to wield a sword purchased with his life had delayed his resurrection. Morgan accepts the result and agrees not to obstruct Artoria further, though Artoria herself regards the victory as heavily qualified 931.

Britain’s Final Threats

Against Cernunnos, Artoria supplies a defensive opening for Shirou by blocking the giant’s cursed breath. During the subsequent Abyssal Wyrm crisis, she reports that the damaged Holy Lance can no longer be used and offers further support despite her depleted magical energy 936 940.

Relationships

• Shirou Amamiya — Traveling companion, magecraft teacher, and the man she loves. He saves her from the holy sword sacrifice; she later confesses her feelings and unknowingly fulfills the condition needed for his resurrection 878 892 920 928 931.
• Morgan — Fellow Paradise Fae, predecessor, and principal opponent. Artoria addresses her as “Sister,” but their comparable magical reserves do not initially overcome Morgan’s superior skill and Mystery. After their battle, Morgan agrees to stop obstructing her 907 927 929 931.
• Tristan — Hostile rival whom Artoria defeats twice. Their first duel leaves Tristan bound to Shirou under a wager; their second demonstrates Artoria’s improved Fae Eyes and curse-cutting Projection 892 923 924.
• Gareth — A captive Artoria attempts to purchase at Gloucester’s auction and later helps settle in with the Theater Company 890 892.
• Oberon — An ally who requests aid for Wales and previously guided her through the Staff of Prophecy while impersonating Merlin. After uncovering that deception, Artoria resolves not to spare him out of gratitude if they become enemies 904 923.
• Barghest / Fae Knight Gawain — An opponent whose power survives the removal of her bestowed blessing. Their antagonism also brings out Artoria’s sensitivity about her height 906 910.
• Artoria Avalon — A separate holy sword fae created from Artoria’s copied memories and Shirou’s Magic Circuits. Avalon inherits her memories but had already encountered Shirou through his connection to holy swords across parallel worlds 931.

Notable Quotes

“Honestly, I’m not interested in the throne or anything, but I’ve already decided to fulfill my mission. So-!” 892

“My brain might not be as clever as yours, but I’ll never lose an argument to you! Sister!” 929