❊ prologue ;; LUCETI APPLICATION
†. application
Name: Gilgamesh
Fandom: Fate/Stay Night
Gender: Male
Age: Looks in his early twenties, spirit is ~4.7k years old
Time Period: Unlimited Blade Works route, day 15 (before the final battle at the Temple)
Wing Color: Gold
History: True History: The Epic of Gilgamesh
FSN History: Originally summoned via the fossilized skin of the first snake that shed during the 4th Holy Grail War, Gil's original master was Tohsaka Tokiomi, Rin's father. They didn't like each other much, because Tokiomi was boring and all Gil wanted was something interesting worthy of his almighty attention. Tohsaka Tokiomi and Risei Kotomine, Kirei Kotomine's father, were BFFs, so Kirei became their apprentice. Kirei, despite being a priest and a bored sadist, somehow catches Gil's attention anyway, and it is WHOLLY thanks to the King of Heroes leading him by the nose that ultimately led Kirei to betray Tokiomi, team up with Gil, and keep participating the 4th Heaven's Feel on the night that he was ordered by Tokiomi to gtfo of Fuyuki. Kirei interests Gil and they have coinciding goals, so they stuck together as partners.
Near the end of the 4th war, it became Kotomine Kirei and Archer (Gil's class) versus Kiritsugu Emiya (Shirou's adoptive dad) and Saber. After Kiritsugu killed Kotomine and ordered Saber to destroy the Grail, Gilgamesh stayed in the human world long enough to be splashed with its content, the evil Angra Mainyu. Result: he was given flesh and blood (still needed magical energy though to use his powers), and found his views of the world ever-so-slightly tweaked once he understood the tainted Grail's true nature. He no longer needed Prana for survival (he still did for his abilities), though he does keep his qualities as a spirit (can appear/disappear, summon his armor at will, etc). Doesn't change his personality, though - made it worse, actually. While Zero showed just how complex he can get and how his mind ticked, in FSN he was more or less LOLOLOL WOMEN AND CHILDREN the entire way through.
In FSN during the 5th war, he was the 8th rogue Servant, and he stayed alive because of getting showered by the Grail, which is how he obtained a complete body and no longer needed prana for survival. Still, Kotomine, brought back to life by the Grail during the 4th war (he got sniped by Kiritsugu), used a bunch of orphans from that fire to feed and stockpile Gil with magical energy (yes insert dead baby jokes here this is SERIOUS MAN) so that he can use his hax abilities - not because he needs to, no. Simply because they are both dicks and trolls of epic magnitudes, and they CAN. After a decade of twiddling his thumbs, Gil no longer thinks much, and the only objectives he then have are 1. to make Saber his, and 2. obtain the Grail in order to wipe humanity because these losers weren't worth ruling over anymore . It's debatable on whether encountering Humanity's every sin justifies something like that or not, but then again, Nasu also spits us in the face by giving Gilgamesh "Chaotic Good" as alignment. Either way, it was more like whatever that survives the Grail's purge WILL be worthy of his reign - Gil firmly believes in 'survival of the fittest', making him a huge darwinist of also epic dickweed proportions.
That is to say, in the events of UBW, Kirei thought that it would be funny to 'lend' Gilgamesh to Matou Shinji, the latter being an absolute loser who got his Servant Rider killed a bit too early on in the war. Bitter of his defeat, Shinji made his way to the Church, where Gilgamesh accepted Kirei's proposal to ‘help’ the kid out. In other words, he did whatever the hell he wanted, and most of it went to contributing in his goal for mass genocide by using the curse within the Grail to wipe the planet of mankind. …Oh, and score Saber in the process, which is why he tracked down Ilya, the current vessel, to yank her of her heart. He originally planned to make Rin the vessel instead, but turns out she was Saber’s Master, and then stuff happened, so in the end Shinji got stuffed Ilya’s heart into his stomach and became an eldritch monstrosity of growing flesh. It’ll do for the Grail, and after having brought that thing to the Ryoudoji Temple, Gil then proceeded to sit on his ass as he waited for the peanut gallery to show up with his crown jewel so that he could finish this joke.
Personality: To anyone familiar with the actual epic, his personality's near identical to how the tyrant was known to be BEFORE he met Enkidu, even when in both FSN and Fate/Zero, it’s been dictated otherwise. Chalk it up to Nasu, but the King of Heroes has far more to him than just an ego larger than the universe itself. Still, let’s start with that.
∞ PRIDEFUL
Of two-third divine blood and only a third human blood, Gilgamesh was born a demigod every bit as much as he was born king. Hailing from the earliest age of men and civilization as we know it and possessor of all of the world’s treasures during his time, he literally had the planet in his palm. Bestowed with irrefutable authority over his city with such a rich heritage flowing through his veins, there is absolutely nothing about himself that he has even a shred of reasoning to not be proud of, and that trait is just as much of a quality as it is a fault.
∞ ARROGANT
It’s the core trait that makes him such a jerk, and also his one critical character flaw. Because Gilgamesh is so proud of who he is - he’s a hotshot and he knows it, he sorely underestimates and belittles everyone else. His unending use of the word ‘mongrel’ is already indication enough, and his defeat in EVERY route in FSN just highlights this even further, because all his demises result in his dicking around and not taking his opponents seriously. In Fate he fucks around with Shirou and stabs him through the stomach in front of Saber for lulz (then again Shirou was being a dumbass trying to bullrush GIL), and never focused on taking either of them seriously despite having actually drawn Ea to face Saber. He was then defeated because of Saber’s timing and Avalon’s abilities. In UBW, he toyed with Shirou at the Ryudoji temple, always testing how much farther he could push the boy - until Shirou managed to complete the incantations for his Reality Marble, going so far as to cut off Gil’s sword arm so that he was unable to resort to Ea. In HF, he already knew Sakura’s potential, and went so far as to TELL HER personally before the war officially began, but still never did anything until it was too late. He took her threat earnestly when he confronted her, but by then it was already too late; she survived with ease the blunt of his Gates, and in retaliation, managed to devour him whole in the blink of an eye.
...He was too powerful of an entity to corrupt, however, so she settled for draining his prana instead.
∞ ELITIST
Also applicable to every ‘ist’ under the sun, such as racist, sexist, and so on. The great King of Heroes has taken a look at the modern world of the year 1994 and the following decade, and has deemed it ugly beyond compare and utterly worthless in his eyes. He may have treated them like objects, but he still also held pride in his own people during his proper era, and the population on Earth today are just a bunch of sinful and filthy lowlifes who are all lazy, greedy, self-centered, and wasteful. Gilgamesh has a keen eye for all that of value, and there is none to be found, here, despite the fact that this era is still marginally interesting.
∞ DISDAINFUL
The world is ugly and humanity has become petty. As scornful as the King of Heroes is over his garden, he is still not one who delights in useless bloodshed: he claims to only kill out of disgust, and that is not wrong. After all, the mundane collectivity is also far too worthless for him to even consider dirtying his own treasures to end their miserable existences. It's the one reason why he deemed the Grail fitting of ending humanity; something so vile as to contain the 5.6 billion curses created by humans themselves is the one perfect tool to also wipe their very creators off the face of his world. On his own, Gilgamesh cannot be bothered.
Additionally, 'fuck the gods' would be a personal motto of his. In the official FSN character information sheets, Gil's divinity is classed B, but noted to be originally A+ - it dropped to B because he was too contemptuous of the very gods of his time, and that was enough to completely drop him a rank and a half as a hero. So rank EX disdain? Oh yes.
∞ VAIN
To the extremes, and another character flaw that ties into his arrogance. He says that every treasure in this world is his and believes every word of that, because to him, it is true. Everything of worth exists for his purpose, so it would only be natural for him to take whatever he wants. He also emphasizes enough on appearances. He may be a tyrant and a savage, but the First King still has the royal graces to fully live up to his title. His casual wear in FSN looks normal enough, but it’s no doubt of very expensive leather, and it does make him look good. To quote from Fate/Zero:
Although the outfit, decorated with leather and lacquer, looked like it was full of a distasteful glamor, it did not create any incongruities when paired with the overwhelming presence of the golden Heroic Spirit.
Fate/Zero; Act 12, Part 4
It also played directly into his demise in UBW, as well. He had the perfect chance to kill Shirou after he offed Archer in the ruined Einzbern manor, but because of a growing fire, he left the building right as he was about to swordspam a completely defenseless Shirou - solely because the ashes of the fire would dirty his shirt.
∞ AVARICIOUS
“It’s not something you can understand. The total amount of my wealth even exceeded my knowing, but as long as it’s a ‘treasure’, then it would obviously belong to me. You should have more sense than trying to rob my treasure away.”
Gilgamesh. Fate/Zero; Act 8, Part 5
That should be self-explanatory, but yes. Everything is his, or rather - everything is rightfully his. He even haughtily declares to Tokiomi at the beginning of Zero that he shall forgive the Magus for summoning him, if there was so much as one thing worthy of his eye, in this already worthless era. …Then he found Saber, and… well. Everyone should know about that one, by now. The King of Heroes is always on the lookout for that of value to add to his collection, though as for why, exactly… Your interpretations may vary.
It may be that he’s filling a void that even he himself is unaware, but whoop, speculations ahoy.
† INSIGHTFUL
“-Guys who have no self-awareness, only simply pursue instinctive pleasure. Just like those beasts who chase the scent of blood. This type of feeling in their hearts will manifest instinctively in their words and actions.
Therefore, Kirei. When you, through yourself, again recounted all that you have heard, seen, and understood, you have already amply shown your inner thoughts. That which your words describe in greatest detail, is also that which you are most interested in.
In other words, observing a person's words and actions is the best way of understanding his interests. Toys like humans, stories like life - there is truly no more meaningful way of entertainment.”
Gilgamesh. Fate/Zero; Act 9, Part 3
For all the douchebaggery and jerkassness that he is, Gilgamesh is extremely perceptive and knowing of the basic forces that drive humanity to do what they do. He is the one who originally convinced Kirei Kotomine to remain in Fuyuki City during the Fourth Grail War, and he also understands Saber’s sacrifice for her own country much better than even she does of her own acts. He can read others, see through their actions, and easily determine their motives - that is how he judges their worth. How else can a king appreciate beauty, if he cannot properly tell what is valuable from what that is not? So once in a while he does say something deep that will make the other party think long and hard, but that’s if they catch his attention first. In other words… don’t count on it much.
† AESTHETE
“The overly-mighty ideal that she harbored within her would burn her into nothing but ashes at the end. Those tears that she would shed at her final moment… I imagine it would be very sweet to the taste.”
Gilgamesh. Fate/Zero; Act 10, Part 5
Tying in with his insightfulness, if there is one thing that the Golden King is good at, it was spotting hidden treasures even in a wallowing cesspool. They may say ‘beauty in the eye of the beholder’, but Gilgamesh would be a far harsher and more accurate judge than any other being could ever pray to become. He has every right, after all. Let it be the better wine that Kirei has collected compared to the cheaper ones of Tokiomi, Saber's virgin beauty, Alexander's will, and so on, he is the master of all connoisseur, and nothing of worth shall escape the eyes of the one who possesses all.
† INCONTESTABLE
"Do not take me so lowly. How can I be a hero if I cannot swallow a curse such as this?
All evils of the world? Heh, bring at least three times as much as that if you want to stain me.
See, Saber. A hero is someone who carries with them everything they see.
I am already carrying everything in this world."
Gilgamesh. Fate/Stay Night; Fate route
The King of Heroes knows who he is and where he stands. No matter how low he’s sunk and how far he’s fallen, he is a powerful entity that will not be questioned by any other force he deems - no, knows to be inferior. That goes beyond just his essence; Gilgamesh does not back down. He does not turn down worthy challenges (dismissing pitiful mongrels is different), and when he sets his eyes on something, nothing in any world will be capable of stopping him from getting what he wants. He is diamond-set in his conviction and beliefs, and with a pride as powerful as his, his will is nothing short of the entire world’s command.
† SOLITARY
“Who would understand you after I die? Who else would march forward by your side? My friend… when I think that you will live on all alone henceforth, I can’t help but shed tears…”
Enkidu. Fate/Zero; Act 10, Part 5
Gilgamesh may be sitting on the very top of the power chain and any caste pyramid, but the top is always a lonely place. The King had a dear companion that understood him fully once, but that man has been no more for a very long time now. Not one to regret and dawdle on the past, the King of Heroes has long since moved on, but Enkidu spoke truly on his deathbed; he understood his brother best, after all.
Once a great King and still a fearsome one, he has walked through many paths during his life. Where he is now is at the same time both the highest of peaks, but and also the lowest of abysses. He has gone through countless trials to get here, as well as numerous life-altering events, both good and bad. The road has been treacherous, but there he now stood: a place that none other could ever hope to reach, not even beyond their wildest dreams or nightmares. The King understood everything, but nothing could understand him.
He will never willingly mention this, but it is almost certain that these are matters that he is fully aware of. He may hold expectations still for his withering garden, but finding companionship again is not a notion that he would so foolishly delude himself with. It’s fine, though; his power and his wealth are without peer. He’ll wade through whatever fate has to throw at him still; the King of Heroes will never bow.
† FORLORN
True Immortality is attained by the legends that dead heroes leave behind.
The Epic of Gilgamesh; Tablet Eleven
Legend says that once the King returned from his quest, he may have lost the Herb of Immortality, but he’s gained wisdom that could be enviable even to the gods. Some claim that he became kind; others say that he passed away from grief regardless from his brother’s death.
Either way, whatever that Gilgamesh has gained from such an arduous journey, it is also irrefutable that he’s lost a great deal. As he stood during the Grail Wars, his Nobility is without doubt the most notable of his losses - his brother set aside. The King of Heroes now reveled in chaos to the extreme and possessed ideologies that were, while logical, also contorted by all the sins he embodied, the very faults that he shunned the rest of humanity for. Saber and Rider, Arthuria and Alexander, both wondered on how such a great king could have become so twisted. They are not the only one, for Gilgamesh himself does as well - though that part of him has been made unconscious to him as whole for a long time, now.
Somewhere deep down, the real King of Heroes that proudly led Uruk to an era of unprecedented prosperity wonders somberly what has happened to himself. He wonders how time and circumstances have changed him, and how disdainful he has become of the world that he once so deeply loved. That fragment of shining honor still exists and manages to break through, once in an eternity, such as during his final moments facing Saber on the Fate route after his defeat. Gilgamesh humbly acknowledge his loss and declares lightly that it has been indeed an enjoyable experience, before disappearing from the world for good to return to the Throne of Heroes.
That was a small step. Maybe he can find where the rest of his went, but after… everything? That’s something that even his A rank Luck would have trouble in determining.
Strengths: Gilgamesh's unfaltering pride must be his biggest emotional and mental strength. It is because of that, that Angra Mainyu could not corrupt him at all upon touch, while it would easily taint and break any other Servant (again, it could be argued that Sakura ate him instead of making him another pawn was not only because she was hungry, but also because he simply could not be corrupted too, so he had to be destroyed and then digested by force). As for physical... ... The guy is a goddamn gamebreaker, for crying out loud. He shoots out flying weapons and each one of them has a unique hax ability of their own. He can also spam them hundreds at a time. Dumb firepower or not, he's still the most powerful of all Servants and could have won any Grail War easily, if only he ever took anything seriously.
Weaknesses: Two. ONE: His ego. His strength is the very thing that also makes up his biggest weakness: Gilgamesh is a dumbass not because he's stupid, not at all: he's dumb because he underestimates everything EVER, hence never makes good and strategic use of his huge arsenal, and that's why on every route, he ends up getting killed. That is his fatal Achilles' Heel, as an otherwise perfect and invincible foe. TWO: Gilgamesh actually isn't all that stellar in close range combat. He knows the rudimentary of most traditional weapons and is good at archery, but it can be said without doubt that he can't make efficient use of a grand majority of the weapons that he owns. Gilgamesh is a collector, not a wielder; that is why he was defeated in UBW, though admittedly, the bigger reason for his loss was still because of his ego.
ABOUT ABILITY CAPS
First of all, don't underestimate Gil. By all means you should let him underestimate YOU because that's how he always loses, but never do it the other way around. He's the most powerful character in Fate/Stay Night and among the most powerful in the entire Nasuverse for very good reasons, which is why he should not be taken lightly and do think twice before deciding on challenging him. As for why? Here are some links to his abilities:
♦ General Information Post about Gilgamesh' abilities
♦ Gate of Babylon, on TYPE-MOON wikia
♦ Sword of Rupture Ea, on TYPE-MOON wikia
♦ Chain of Heavens Enkidu, on TYPE-MOON wikia
Does that sound bad? Yes, of course it does. Get out of here, Fakers. ANYWAY! Gil will be nerfed to make things better in Luceti, so here are the three general guidelines I will abide by:
1. Any swordspam from Gate of Babylon will be like magically enhanced normal weapons. In other words, think of an Ice Needle spell, but of steel. It's akin to a rain of blades coated with extra magic that would allow it to dent and pierce defenses that normal swords will be unable to bypass, but can also be shielded and maybe dodged, depending on the opponent's abilities.
2. Only the Noble Phantasm that he is wielding directly on-hand will have their full power. A definite handicap, because while Gilgamesh is an owner, it is specifically stated that he is not a wielder and cannot fight with practically all the weapons in his treasury to anywhere near their maximum efficiency. Is it the main reason why he is classed as an Archer to begin with: shooting the deadliest of ammos all with crippling effects, and paired with infinite stock, flexible range and inane speed, that truly made learning to wield them a useless thing to do. The King wouldn't waste his strength for trifles, after all. For any possible spams, refer to 1.
3. Ea cannot destroy Reality. That's... a no-brainer. It'll just be a Kamehamera level blast. Ea is like Marble Phantasm. You don't bring that sort of hax into an LJRP, 8|;;
If you've still got any concerns, you can either post them on any of my OOC entries (here, the permission post, my HMD, etc), PM me @ daruki or this journal, or hit me up on AIM at Rukiderp. I'm quite easy to get a hold of, so please don't hesitate! o/
Name: Gilgamesh
Fandom: Fate/Stay Night
Gender: Male
Age: Looks in his early twenties, spirit is ~4.7k years old
Time Period: Unlimited Blade Works route, day 15 (before the final battle at the Temple)
Wing Color: Gold
History: True History: The Epic of Gilgamesh
FSN History: Originally summoned via the fossilized skin of the first snake that shed during the 4th Holy Grail War, Gil's original master was Tohsaka Tokiomi, Rin's father. They didn't like each other much, because Tokiomi was boring and all Gil wanted was something interesting worthy of his almighty attention. Tohsaka Tokiomi and Risei Kotomine, Kirei Kotomine's father, were BFFs, so Kirei became their apprentice. Kirei, despite being a priest and a bored sadist, somehow catches Gil's attention anyway, and it is WHOLLY thanks to the King of Heroes leading him by the nose that ultimately led Kirei to betray Tokiomi, team up with Gil, and keep participating the 4th Heaven's Feel on the night that he was ordered by Tokiomi to gtfo of Fuyuki. Kirei interests Gil and they have coinciding goals, so they stuck together as partners.
Near the end of the 4th war, it became Kotomine Kirei and Archer (Gil's class) versus Kiritsugu Emiya (Shirou's adoptive dad) and Saber. After Kiritsugu killed Kotomine and ordered Saber to destroy the Grail, Gilgamesh stayed in the human world long enough to be splashed with its content, the evil Angra Mainyu. Result: he was given flesh and blood (still needed magical energy though to use his powers), and found his views of the world ever-so-slightly tweaked once he understood the tainted Grail's true nature. He no longer needed Prana for survival (he still did for his abilities), though he does keep his qualities as a spirit (can appear/disappear, summon his armor at will, etc). Doesn't change his personality, though - made it worse, actually. While Zero showed just how complex he can get and how his mind ticked, in FSN he was more or less LOLOLOL WOMEN AND CHILDREN the entire way through.
In FSN during the 5th war, he was the 8th rogue Servant, and he stayed alive because of getting showered by the Grail, which is how he obtained a complete body and no longer needed prana for survival. Still, Kotomine, brought back to life by the Grail during the 4th war (he got sniped by Kiritsugu), used a bunch of orphans from that fire to feed and stockpile Gil with magical energy (yes insert dead baby jokes here this is SERIOUS MAN) so that he can use his hax abilities - not because he needs to, no. Simply because they are both dicks and trolls of epic magnitudes, and they CAN. After a decade of twiddling his thumbs, Gil no longer thinks much, and the only objectives he then have are 1. to make Saber his, and 2. obtain the Grail in order to wipe humanity because these losers weren't worth ruling over anymore . It's debatable on whether encountering Humanity's every sin justifies something like that or not, but then again, Nasu also spits us in the face by giving Gilgamesh "Chaotic Good" as alignment. Either way, it was more like whatever that survives the Grail's purge WILL be worthy of his reign - Gil firmly believes in 'survival of the fittest', making him a huge darwinist of also epic dickweed proportions.
That is to say, in the events of UBW, Kirei thought that it would be funny to 'lend' Gilgamesh to Matou Shinji, the latter being an absolute loser who got his Servant Rider killed a bit too early on in the war. Bitter of his defeat, Shinji made his way to the Church, where Gilgamesh accepted Kirei's proposal to ‘help’ the kid out. In other words, he did whatever the hell he wanted, and most of it went to contributing in his goal for mass genocide by using the curse within the Grail to wipe the planet of mankind. …Oh, and score Saber in the process, which is why he tracked down Ilya, the current vessel, to yank her of her heart. He originally planned to make Rin the vessel instead, but turns out she was Saber’s Master, and then stuff happened, so in the end Shinji got stuffed Ilya’s heart into his stomach and became an eldritch monstrosity of growing flesh. It’ll do for the Grail, and after having brought that thing to the Ryoudoji Temple, Gil then proceeded to sit on his ass as he waited for the peanut gallery to show up with his crown jewel so that he could finish this joke.
Personality: To anyone familiar with the actual epic, his personality's near identical to how the tyrant was known to be BEFORE he met Enkidu, even when in both FSN and Fate/Zero, it’s been dictated otherwise. Chalk it up to Nasu, but the King of Heroes has far more to him than just an ego larger than the universe itself. Still, let’s start with that.
∞ PRIDEFUL
Of two-third divine blood and only a third human blood, Gilgamesh was born a demigod every bit as much as he was born king. Hailing from the earliest age of men and civilization as we know it and possessor of all of the world’s treasures during his time, he literally had the planet in his palm. Bestowed with irrefutable authority over his city with such a rich heritage flowing through his veins, there is absolutely nothing about himself that he has even a shred of reasoning to not be proud of, and that trait is just as much of a quality as it is a fault.
∞ ARROGANT
It’s the core trait that makes him such a jerk, and also his one critical character flaw. Because Gilgamesh is so proud of who he is - he’s a hotshot and he knows it, he sorely underestimates and belittles everyone else. His unending use of the word ‘mongrel’ is already indication enough, and his defeat in EVERY route in FSN just highlights this even further, because all his demises result in his dicking around and not taking his opponents seriously. In Fate he fucks around with Shirou and stabs him through the stomach in front of Saber for lulz (then again Shirou was being a dumbass trying to bullrush GIL), and never focused on taking either of them seriously despite having actually drawn Ea to face Saber. He was then defeated because of Saber’s timing and Avalon’s abilities. In UBW, he toyed with Shirou at the Ryudoji temple, always testing how much farther he could push the boy - until Shirou managed to complete the incantations for his Reality Marble, going so far as to cut off Gil’s sword arm so that he was unable to resort to Ea. In HF, he already knew Sakura’s potential, and went so far as to TELL HER personally before the war officially began, but still never did anything until it was too late. He took her threat earnestly when he confronted her, but by then it was already too late; she survived with ease the blunt of his Gates, and in retaliation, managed to devour him whole in the blink of an eye.
...He was too powerful of an entity to corrupt, however, so she settled for draining his prana instead.
∞ ELITIST
Also applicable to every ‘ist’ under the sun, such as racist, sexist, and so on. The great King of Heroes has taken a look at the modern world of the year 1994 and the following decade, and has deemed it ugly beyond compare and utterly worthless in his eyes. He may have treated them like objects, but he still also held pride in his own people during his proper era, and the population on Earth today are just a bunch of sinful and filthy lowlifes who are all lazy, greedy, self-centered, and wasteful. Gilgamesh has a keen eye for all that of value, and there is none to be found, here, despite the fact that this era is still marginally interesting.
∞ DISDAINFUL
The world is ugly and humanity has become petty. As scornful as the King of Heroes is over his garden, he is still not one who delights in useless bloodshed: he claims to only kill out of disgust, and that is not wrong. After all, the mundane collectivity is also far too worthless for him to even consider dirtying his own treasures to end their miserable existences. It's the one reason why he deemed the Grail fitting of ending humanity; something so vile as to contain the 5.6 billion curses created by humans themselves is the one perfect tool to also wipe their very creators off the face of his world. On his own, Gilgamesh cannot be bothered.
Additionally, 'fuck the gods' would be a personal motto of his. In the official FSN character information sheets, Gil's divinity is classed B, but noted to be originally A+ - it dropped to B because he was too contemptuous of the very gods of his time, and that was enough to completely drop him a rank and a half as a hero. So rank EX disdain? Oh yes.
∞ VAIN
To the extremes, and another character flaw that ties into his arrogance. He says that every treasure in this world is his and believes every word of that, because to him, it is true. Everything of worth exists for his purpose, so it would only be natural for him to take whatever he wants. He also emphasizes enough on appearances. He may be a tyrant and a savage, but the First King still has the royal graces to fully live up to his title. His casual wear in FSN looks normal enough, but it’s no doubt of very expensive leather, and it does make him look good. To quote from Fate/Zero:
Although the outfit, decorated with leather and lacquer, looked like it was full of a distasteful glamor, it did not create any incongruities when paired with the overwhelming presence of the golden Heroic Spirit.
Fate/Zero; Act 12, Part 4
It also played directly into his demise in UBW, as well. He had the perfect chance to kill Shirou after he offed Archer in the ruined Einzbern manor, but because of a growing fire, he left the building right as he was about to swordspam a completely defenseless Shirou - solely because the ashes of the fire would dirty his shirt.
∞ AVARICIOUS
“It’s not something you can understand. The total amount of my wealth even exceeded my knowing, but as long as it’s a ‘treasure’, then it would obviously belong to me. You should have more sense than trying to rob my treasure away.”
Gilgamesh. Fate/Zero; Act 8, Part 5
That should be self-explanatory, but yes. Everything is his, or rather - everything is rightfully his. He even haughtily declares to Tokiomi at the beginning of Zero that he shall forgive the Magus for summoning him, if there was so much as one thing worthy of his eye, in this already worthless era. …Then he found Saber, and… well. Everyone should know about that one, by now. The King of Heroes is always on the lookout for that of value to add to his collection, though as for why, exactly… Your interpretations may vary.
It may be that he’s filling a void that even he himself is unaware, but whoop, speculations ahoy.
† INSIGHTFUL
“-Guys who have no self-awareness, only simply pursue instinctive pleasure. Just like those beasts who chase the scent of blood. This type of feeling in their hearts will manifest instinctively in their words and actions.
Therefore, Kirei. When you, through yourself, again recounted all that you have heard, seen, and understood, you have already amply shown your inner thoughts. That which your words describe in greatest detail, is also that which you are most interested in.
In other words, observing a person's words and actions is the best way of understanding his interests. Toys like humans, stories like life - there is truly no more meaningful way of entertainment.”
Gilgamesh. Fate/Zero; Act 9, Part 3
For all the douchebaggery and jerkassness that he is, Gilgamesh is extremely perceptive and knowing of the basic forces that drive humanity to do what they do. He is the one who originally convinced Kirei Kotomine to remain in Fuyuki City during the Fourth Grail War, and he also understands Saber’s sacrifice for her own country much better than even she does of her own acts. He can read others, see through their actions, and easily determine their motives - that is how he judges their worth. How else can a king appreciate beauty, if he cannot properly tell what is valuable from what that is not? So once in a while he does say something deep that will make the other party think long and hard, but that’s if they catch his attention first. In other words… don’t count on it much.
† AESTHETE
“The overly-mighty ideal that she harbored within her would burn her into nothing but ashes at the end. Those tears that she would shed at her final moment… I imagine it would be very sweet to the taste.”
Gilgamesh. Fate/Zero; Act 10, Part 5
Tying in with his insightfulness, if there is one thing that the Golden King is good at, it was spotting hidden treasures even in a wallowing cesspool. They may say ‘beauty in the eye of the beholder’, but Gilgamesh would be a far harsher and more accurate judge than any other being could ever pray to become. He has every right, after all. Let it be the better wine that Kirei has collected compared to the cheaper ones of Tokiomi, Saber's virgin beauty, Alexander's will, and so on, he is the master of all connoisseur, and nothing of worth shall escape the eyes of the one who possesses all.
† INCONTESTABLE
"Do not take me so lowly. How can I be a hero if I cannot swallow a curse such as this?
All evils of the world? Heh, bring at least three times as much as that if you want to stain me.
See, Saber. A hero is someone who carries with them everything they see.
I am already carrying everything in this world."
Gilgamesh. Fate/Stay Night; Fate route
The King of Heroes knows who he is and where he stands. No matter how low he’s sunk and how far he’s fallen, he is a powerful entity that will not be questioned by any other force he deems - no, knows to be inferior. That goes beyond just his essence; Gilgamesh does not back down. He does not turn down worthy challenges (dismissing pitiful mongrels is different), and when he sets his eyes on something, nothing in any world will be capable of stopping him from getting what he wants. He is diamond-set in his conviction and beliefs, and with a pride as powerful as his, his will is nothing short of the entire world’s command.
† SOLITARY
“Who would understand you after I die? Who else would march forward by your side? My friend… when I think that you will live on all alone henceforth, I can’t help but shed tears…”
Enkidu. Fate/Zero; Act 10, Part 5
Gilgamesh may be sitting on the very top of the power chain and any caste pyramid, but the top is always a lonely place. The King had a dear companion that understood him fully once, but that man has been no more for a very long time now. Not one to regret and dawdle on the past, the King of Heroes has long since moved on, but Enkidu spoke truly on his deathbed; he understood his brother best, after all.
Once a great King and still a fearsome one, he has walked through many paths during his life. Where he is now is at the same time both the highest of peaks, but and also the lowest of abysses. He has gone through countless trials to get here, as well as numerous life-altering events, both good and bad. The road has been treacherous, but there he now stood: a place that none other could ever hope to reach, not even beyond their wildest dreams or nightmares. The King understood everything, but nothing could understand him.
He will never willingly mention this, but it is almost certain that these are matters that he is fully aware of. He may hold expectations still for his withering garden, but finding companionship again is not a notion that he would so foolishly delude himself with. It’s fine, though; his power and his wealth are without peer. He’ll wade through whatever fate has to throw at him still; the King of Heroes will never bow.
† FORLORN
True Immortality is attained by the legends that dead heroes leave behind.
The Epic of Gilgamesh; Tablet Eleven
Legend says that once the King returned from his quest, he may have lost the Herb of Immortality, but he’s gained wisdom that could be enviable even to the gods. Some claim that he became kind; others say that he passed away from grief regardless from his brother’s death.
Either way, whatever that Gilgamesh has gained from such an arduous journey, it is also irrefutable that he’s lost a great deal. As he stood during the Grail Wars, his Nobility is without doubt the most notable of his losses - his brother set aside. The King of Heroes now reveled in chaos to the extreme and possessed ideologies that were, while logical, also contorted by all the sins he embodied, the very faults that he shunned the rest of humanity for. Saber and Rider, Arthuria and Alexander, both wondered on how such a great king could have become so twisted. They are not the only one, for Gilgamesh himself does as well - though that part of him has been made unconscious to him as whole for a long time, now.
Somewhere deep down, the real King of Heroes that proudly led Uruk to an era of unprecedented prosperity wonders somberly what has happened to himself. He wonders how time and circumstances have changed him, and how disdainful he has become of the world that he once so deeply loved. That fragment of shining honor still exists and manages to break through, once in an eternity, such as during his final moments facing Saber on the Fate route after his defeat. Gilgamesh humbly acknowledge his loss and declares lightly that it has been indeed an enjoyable experience, before disappearing from the world for good to return to the Throne of Heroes.
That was a small step. Maybe he can find where the rest of his went, but after… everything? That’s something that even his A rank Luck would have trouble in determining.
Strengths: Gilgamesh's unfaltering pride must be his biggest emotional and mental strength. It is because of that, that Angra Mainyu could not corrupt him at all upon touch, while it would easily taint and break any other Servant (again, it could be argued that Sakura ate him instead of making him another pawn was not only because she was hungry, but also because he simply could not be corrupted too, so he had to be destroyed and then digested by force). As for physical... ... The guy is a goddamn gamebreaker, for crying out loud. He shoots out flying weapons and each one of them has a unique hax ability of their own. He can also spam them hundreds at a time. Dumb firepower or not, he's still the most powerful of all Servants and could have won any Grail War easily, if only he ever took anything seriously.
Weaknesses: Two. ONE: His ego. His strength is the very thing that also makes up his biggest weakness: Gilgamesh is a dumbass not because he's stupid, not at all: he's dumb because he underestimates everything EVER, hence never makes good and strategic use of his huge arsenal, and that's why on every route, he ends up getting killed. That is his fatal Achilles' Heel, as an otherwise perfect and invincible foe. TWO: Gilgamesh actually isn't all that stellar in close range combat. He knows the rudimentary of most traditional weapons and is good at archery, but it can be said without doubt that he can't make efficient use of a grand majority of the weapons that he owns. Gilgamesh is a collector, not a wielder; that is why he was defeated in UBW, though admittedly, the bigger reason for his loss was still because of his ego.
ABOUT ABILITY CAPS
First of all, don't underestimate Gil. By all means you should let him underestimate YOU because that's how he always loses, but never do it the other way around. He's the most powerful character in Fate/Stay Night and among the most powerful in the entire Nasuverse for very good reasons, which is why he should not be taken lightly and do think twice before deciding on challenging him. As for why? Here are some links to his abilities:
♦ General Information Post about Gilgamesh' abilities
♦ Gate of Babylon, on TYPE-MOON wikia
♦ Sword of Rupture Ea, on TYPE-MOON wikia
♦ Chain of Heavens Enkidu, on TYPE-MOON wikia
Does that sound bad? Yes, of course it does. Get out of here, Fakers. ANYWAY! Gil will be nerfed to make things better in Luceti, so here are the three general guidelines I will abide by:
1. Any swordspam from Gate of Babylon will be like magically enhanced normal weapons. In other words, think of an Ice Needle spell, but of steel. It's akin to a rain of blades coated with extra magic that would allow it to dent and pierce defenses that normal swords will be unable to bypass, but can also be shielded and maybe dodged, depending on the opponent's abilities.
2. Only the Noble Phantasm that he is wielding directly on-hand will have their full power. A definite handicap, because while Gilgamesh is an owner, it is specifically stated that he is not a wielder and cannot fight with practically all the weapons in his treasury to anywhere near their maximum efficiency. Is it the main reason why he is classed as an Archer to begin with: shooting the deadliest of ammos all with crippling effects, and paired with infinite stock, flexible range and inane speed, that truly made learning to wield them a useless thing to do. The King wouldn't waste his strength for trifles, after all. For any possible spams, refer to 1.
3. Ea cannot destroy Reality. That's... a no-brainer. It'll just be a Kamehamera level blast. Ea is like Marble Phantasm. You don't bring that sort of hax into an LJRP, 8|;;
If you've still got any concerns, you can either post them on any of my OOC entries (here, the permission post, my HMD, etc), PM me @ daruki or this journal, or hit me up on AIM at Rukiderp. I'm quite easy to get a hold of, so please don't hesitate! o/