Merlin

, Class Name , is a Caster-class Servant summoned by Ritsuka Fujimaru in the Grand Orders of Fate/Grand Order. He holds the position of .
==Profile==
===Identity===
Merlin Memorial 3.png|Merlin mural in Fate/Grand Order Memorial Movie 2023.
Merlin Memorial 1.png|Merlin following the other Knights from the back in Fate/Grand Order Memorial Movie 2023.
Merlin Memorial 2.png|Merlin looking over the Current world in Fate/Grand Order Memorial Movie 2023.
The . The vagrant of the paradise. A prophet and advisor who made his entry into as the court magus, he would at times guide, at times torment, and at times help King Arthur as a king so that she could overcome many enemies and hardships. Still, though he is a wise man, he is fundamentally inhuman, because he was born of mixed blood from the union of an incubus and a human. With illusions as his forte, he can transform into various shapes——there was a case where he had changed into the shape of a beast whose insides are not human——and his true form is not certain.
====Legend====
Merlin's life is steeped with mystery. It is said that his mother was a princess of Wales, but it is also said that his father was supposedly a supernatural incubus who lived in the gap between the Earth and the moon.
It has been said that Merlin had performed many prophecies at a young age. Among the many prophecies that caused Merlin's name to become widely known, there was one in which, after correctly guessing about the existence of two dragons, and , sleeping beneath , he spoke of how, at the time of having that vision, those red and white dragons would fight against each other upon waking up. Merlin's words, which were transmitted in posterity as prophecies, indicated the red dragon as Britain and the white dragon as the , and under a great king would Britain finally gather their forces and surely reign over both and Rome. He also left behind many other prophecies, and amongst them were those concerning wars and even the king's death.
Merlin served King Uther Pendragon.Fate/stay night - Fate route - Day 13: infinity arms - Saber's contradiction Uther loved Igraine, the wife of Duke Cornwall, so he secured Merlin's assistance in winning her love at the price of leaving his child in Merlin's care.Fate/stay night - Saber's Status Profile Thus, after he rised up as a magus, Merlin helped arrange the marriage between King Arthur’s father - Uther Pendragon - and princess Igraine, and watched over King Arthur since before her birth. Merlin told Uther a prophecy about his child, who would become his appointed successor during their war-torn times.Fate/stay night - Fate route - Day 11: DragonSlay - The king's memories Under an arrangement from Uther, Merlin helped produce an heir bearing the "essence of a dragon", so Artoria was born as a human infused with a dragon's magical energy. Although the child was a girl who could not officially become the successor, Merlin was delighted all the same, believing that her sex never mattered. Confident that having her separated from the castle until the prophecy was fulfilled was proof that she would become king, when Artoria was five years oldGarden of Avalon - "A Tale of Knights: Kay" Merlin entrusted her to the king's vassal, Sir Ector, and had her raised as the child of a knight. Merlin visited at some point during Artoria's upbringing and swore Sir Kay to secrecy about the matter of her gender.Fate/hollow ataraxia - Sisters' crisis According to anecdotes, Merlin taught many things to the young Arthur and monitored the child's growth, taking on a role akin to that of a foster-father.
Merlin prepared Caliburn for the selection of the next king, but none could pull it out of the stone. As the other participants prepared a jousting match to decide the kingship, Artoria neared the sword and prepared to pull it without hesitation. Merlin appeared before her then, telling her she should think it through and described that to become "king" is to no longer be "human". Warning her that she should stop because she is fated to die a miserable death while resented by all of humanity, he showed her the end she would face.Fate/stay night - Fate route - Day 13: infinity arms - The king's memories Having prepared for that day since her birth and firmly believing in the smiling people she saw in Merlin's vision, Artoria pulled it without hesitation and became king. As he left her, Merlin said that in exchange for that miracle, she will lose that which is most important to her.
Artoria lost Caliburn at a later point and obtained Excalibur and Avalon from the Lady of the Lake. It is said that in legends, Merlin asked Artoria about which implement was better, chiding her for choosing the sword since the sheath will protect her. Due to Artoria having issues with discussing her gender and producing an heir, Merlin's magecraft was used to solve those issues by making her a pseudo-male for some duration of time, which allowed for the creation of Mordred from her sperm.
Possessing outstanding Clairvoyance, in spite of having foreseen all about the collapse of the Round Table and the crises within Britain, Merlin left Britain without telling anything to King Arthur. Merlin had left King Arthur before her last battle with Mordred due to his love affairs problem. He claimed that the cold-mannered woman had been trying to murder him, so he has taken refuge in the Reverse Side of the World where he'd crossed the boundary and stumbled into a foreign land known as Avalon. Merlin had thought that the evil witch could not reach him anymore, but he encountered a gate that was built with rough stones, resembling the stone circles. The gate was inscribed with "Only those free of sin may pass." Merlin realized that the gate was a trap and he was imprisoned when he had walked into it. Massive walls of stone emerged from the ground in front of him. The walls seem to vertically extend forever, effectively trapping the visiting magus inside; the place is like a tower without a roof.Garden of Avalon - Chapter 00: In the Flower Garden
There are many theories as for why Merlin never told King Arthur about the fate that awaits her, but it is often said that it was because he is not biased towards individuals, instead caring only about fate, or so the story goes. Afterwards, Merlin went to the utopia Avalon and then confined himself within a prison “tower”, called the Garden of Avalon, for all eternity, having transcended death. To ascertain the world of humans until the end of the universe, without being able to even die... as if to say that this is the fate of a foolish man, who playfully meddled with the fate of a single girl.
This also means that there is no possibility of him becoming a Heroic Spirit even if he is worshiped by the masses since he is unable to die in order to have his soul recorded in the Throne of Heroes.
The one who declared Arthur, who pulled out the Sword of Selection, Caliburn, as the "mark of the King of Britain", and later on guided him to the lake and gave him Excalibur as a substitute for the lost Caliburn, is none other than Merlin. He guided, helped, and numerously prophesized for Arthur, who started walking on the path of a king who dreamt of ideals—————
However, Merlin himself cannot continue on walking side by side with his beloved king. Due to the dreadful magic of Vivian, the Fairy of the Lake——some said that it was Merlin himself who had taught Vivian——Merlin was caught within the "tower". And so, even Merlin, who possesses the powerful ability of foresight, in spite of having foreseen all about the collapse of the Round Table and the dangers within Britain, was unable to convey his regrets as King Arthur had approached "that moment." It is said that Merlin, just like that, lost his life as he was trapped within the "tower". A life born in mystery, and died in mystery. However, there is an anecdote that says he is still alive even now, watching over the people... Accordingly, it is said that as Merlin stepped down from the era of King Arthur, he then helped the twelve heroes of the era of King Charlemagne, known as the Paladins.
A hunk of a magus, no matter how one puts it. Just by being there, Merlin exudes a fresh aura, as if flowers fills the surroundings. He was not a really major character in the legend, but all the Knights of the Round Table agrees on this: "Good grief. There's no helping it." He is that kind of character. Even Saber (Artoria) ended up behaving just like a girl her own age. A girl who is at lost when facing his mischievous father.
Merlin's role is the same as Gandalf from , no matter how one cuts it. Add that with a feeling of a fresh young prince. Now we have the gallant entry of a pretty boy of !
===Appearance===
Merlin wears a robe woven with the finest fabrics, though he still looks modest, his long hair appearing with the colours of the rainbow under sunlight.
===Personality===
Just like this, it is not like he is an ally of humans.
A young man who is like a wind blowing on the grasslands. Before him, anyone would end up letting the tension out of their shoulders - a refreshingly righteous person. Still, due to seemingly being quite lacking in terms of seriousness and such together with a lack of the sense of responsibility, one can see that Merlin may also appear as a shady con man. A rhetorician who, even while perceiving things in an objective manner and accepting the cruelty of the world of humans, turns it into something bright by saying things like: “But, it wouldn’t be fun otherwise, right?”
Despite being a hybrid being, Merlin has never hated humans. Rather, he is fond of them to such a degree that it is beyond natural. He loves the world of humans, loves mischief, and loves girls. Generally, he is the Magus of Flowers who retorts at most things with a refreshing smile and a calm expression such as “now, now.”
As Merlin explains to Ana, incubi like himself do not have emotions of their own. They feed off of humans' dreams to harvest “subtleties of the heart” from them. They then expend those harvested emotions as fuel to feel emotions themselves.Fate/Grand Order - Babylonia: The Absolute Frontline in the War Against the Demonic Beasts - Section 8: Uruk's Northern Wall
Openly like this, he tends to appear as having a perfectly happy personality, a perfectly happy guy, without a single worry, but since Merlin himself is self-aware about the fact that he is a foreign body in regards to human society, he never crosses that last step... the wall called friendship. Ultimately, (just like a child who enjoys tasty food,) he is always watching over and protecting the world so that mankind can reach a happy outcome.
... So, if one is looking only at the end result, Merlin is a good man, and a wise one. But inside, he is an incubus, a being very far apart from humans. He, a being that consume dreams, can essentially understand human emotions, but cannot truly sympathize with it. He is an alien-like, inhuman being, who only rationally excuses himself inside a dream (dream = a human mind activity) and consumes it, and then leaves just like an insect. Due to this macroscopic evaluation criteria, perhaps he just cannot understand the human heart, unable to even know the actions of a person or to sympathize with it. Normally, he would be an identical being with the Beasts, an adolescent life form of a higher order that is certified as an enemy of humanity.
Merlin is very boastful about his abilities as a mage, claiming that he inflicts jealousy and envy on all other Servants, especially Casters, since they are second-rate to him.
It's a given that Merlin could see through the identity of the ringleader behind the Grand Orders incident. It's also a given that he stays silent about it. The human protagonist must struggle with his own power; it is only fate, for otherwise, they would only perceive their enemy as one they cannot defeat. Not even Merlin can surpass the last boss (the King of Magecraft) this time. Actually, on this basis, no Heroic Spirit can surpass him. The one who is destined to be able to surpass him is not a Heroic Spirit, but only a human who lives (now) in the present. Therefore, he shall watch over the Master, just as he had once watched over many kings in the past.
Merlin shall believe in the Master, the hope of human history; he shall lend his power to the utmost; and then he shall entertain himself relaxingly. Merlin's desire is to carve open a path for the protagonist's own destiny, to watch him off as he walks towards the future, to gaze at that kind of "beautiful view".
"After that, I'll just do as I always do; disappearing completely from everybody's memory. Most other things, I can do without much of a fuss. But this alone, I can never get used to."
====Relationships====
;Artoria Pendragon
:"Master, to pair Artoria with me, are you a demon!? I mean, I'm actually happy, but I guess you can say I wasn't mentally prepared..."Fate/Grand Order - Merlin Lines
:Merlin boasts of her, his prided girl (king), Artoria, to everybody. However, since he essentially brought misfortune upon her, he is feeling a sense of responsibility now.
:"Until the very end, you did nothing but endure and persevere. I should think that it's fine for you to be rewarded now, no?" he said in an obvious tone.
;Artoria Pendragon Alter (Lancer)
:"Hmm... It's a future where Artoria didn't draw the sacred sword... I'm happy that she got to master Rhongomyniad. It's just... Like, vavoom! Her appearance changes that much when she matures!?"
;Artoria Pendragon (Lancer)
:"Master, I need a consultation. The king who I’ve been reunited with after such a long time for some reason looks at me like she’s looking down on a pig, but... Could she be hiding her embarrassment?"
;Knights of the Round Table
:To the group of troublesome oddballs: "Hahahaha. Really, you guys just never change! Until when were you all planning to keep on troubling Artoria? Well, I can't really stop it either because it's so amusing to watch, so I guess I'm not one to talk either!"
;Solomon
:Merlin is antagonistic to Solomon, a "magus of the crown position who gazed at both past and future" on the same level as him. If Solomon is the King of Magecraft who regards a high importance of the past, then Merlin is a magus who dreams of the future.
;Magi☆Mari
:A net idol who, even as the Incineration of the Human Order proceeded and the Earth's network system was gone, is still active for some reason. She supports Solomon, who had turned into a human, from the Internet. Solomon was like "Hey, is Merlin in the backstage or something? I don't feel like helping but I do feel a lot of complaining. Get a ride over here too" as he started a lonesome conversation with Magi☆Mari, although this had become a daily therapy for him. Solomon had never thought that perhaps it was Merlin himself who played as Magi☆Mari.
==Role==
===Fate/stay night===
In the Fate route, Merlin was mentioned when Shirou Emiya was dreaming about Saber's past.Fate/stay night - Fate route - Day 12: Interval Level4 - The king's memories Rin Tohsaka briefly mentions Merlin when they discuss about King Arthur's legend.
In the Unlimited Blade Works route, Saber describes Merlin as being still active in the present times even when she is summoned as a Servant. Saber reveals that she shares a common trait with Shirou as they were fond of an immature magus. Saber describes Merlin to Shirou, that he has the bearing of someone unlike a magus, much to the point where it would be hard to believe him when he claimed to be one. Noted to be a "troublesome adult", he is spaced out and clumsy, freely enjoying his pastimes and playing around like a child. More immature than Artoria, he was somebody she "couldn't leave alone", but she respected him greatly as a magus. Despite that, she describes him as the cause of every trouble and mentions that the age would have been better off had he been less mischievous. Agreeing with Shirou that he could be described as a "real bad guy", she describes his worst trait as being "weak against love affairs", or more aptly, "full of love." Although it led to his downfall, she believes he is "still casually talking about love."Fate/stay night - Unlimited Blade Works route - Day 10: strike lovers - Night training
In the Last Episode, Merlin explains to Saber that her dream to reunite with Shirou is difficult and near impossible. He informs Saber that two miracles must occur in order for them to meet again as normal people. One must wait continuously, while the other must pursue endlessly. They must realize that it is impossible to succeed, yet at the same time, be capable of enduring patiently.Fate/stay night Réalta Nua - Last Episode
===Garden of Avalon===
One half of the story is narrated by Merlin as he was imprisoned in the stone tower within Avalon. The other half resembles the conversations between Merlin and various Knights of the Round Table. The story tells the Fate version of King Arthur's legend from the day she pulls out Caliburn to her demise.
After Merlin witnesses Saber's last moments in the Fifth Holy Grail War, he is pleased with the outcome. He releases Cath Palug from the Garden of Avalon in the Reverse Side of the World. He insists Cath Palug to seek freedom and to play into something really beautiful.Garden of Avalon - Chapter 06: In the Flower Garden
===Fate/Grand Order===
====Fifth Singularity: E Pluribus Unum====
Merlin projects himself through Fou as Cú Chulainn Alter was about to kill Mash, putting them in an illusion. Remarking that he cannot truly intervene due to him still daydreaming, he declares that he shall meet Ritsuka and Mash properly at the designated future, and requests that they take care of his familiar for him.Fate/Grand Order - E Pluribus Unum: The Grand Battle of Legends in North America - Section 19: North American Myth War (Beginning)
==== Sixth Singularity: Camelot ====
Merlin is told by the fairies of a human-shaped rock that appeared at the edges of Avalon. This rock turns out to be the Bedievere of an parallel world who ended up in Avalon in his 1500 year search for the Artoria of his world. This Bedivere failed to return Excalibur to Vivian, thus preventing Artoria from dying when she was fated to. With Rhongomyniad still in hand, she wandered and eventually became a Divine Spirit. Knowing Artoria manifested in the Camelot Singularity as Goddess Rhongomyniad, Merlin gave Bedivere one last chance to complete Artoria’s last order. He warns Bedivere the Knights of the Round will awaken to the truth of Goddess Rhongomyniad if they discover Bedivere’s identity, and they do they’ll try to stop him from reaching Goddess Rhongomyniad, who no longer remembers Bedivere. To help prevent this, Merlin casts a spell on Bedivere to hide his identity from others. He warns Bedivere he’ll die regardless of the outcome, as his soul is already exhausted. Despite knowing that, Bedivere still wishes to complete his journey. Merlin then disguises Excalibur as Airgetlám, and warns Bedivere it’ll use his soul as fuel with every use. He then transports him to the Singularity.Fate/Grand Order - Camelot: The Sacred Round Table Realm - Section 17: Replica
====Seventh Singularity: Babylonia====
When Tiamat is freed from the Imaginary Number Space by Solomon, Merlin traps her inside a dream.Fate/Grand Order - Babylonia: The Absolute Frontline in the War Against the Demonic Beasts - Section 15: Decisive Battle He utilizes Independent Manifestation to arrange for Gilgamesh to summon him as a Servant, taking advantage of the fact that the era is before his birth. Eventually Gilgamesh sends Merlin to the Cedar Forest to find the Tablet of Destinies.Fate/Grand Order - Babylonia: The Absolute Frontline in the War Against the Demonic Beasts - Section 3: Gilgamesh's Calamity There he meets Medusa, and tricks her into a contract that sealed her Divinity until she's truly ready to face Gorgon.Fate/Grand Order - Babylonia: The Absolute Frontline in the War Against the Demonic Beasts - Section 2: Humanity's Oldest Fortress City
After three days of being lost in the forest, he and Medusa encounter Ritsuka, Mash, and Kingu (pretending to be Enkidu). He outs Kingu as a fake by mentioning that Gilgamesh had recently returned from his quest for the herb of immortality. Kingu attacks the group, so Merlin has Medusa assist Ritsuka and Mash. Partway through the fight, Merlin traps everyone, except for Medusa, in an illusion. Medusa then leads Kingu out of the forest. After the illusion is dispersed, Merlin explains who Kingu is. Fou soon attacks him; Medusa returns from luring Kingu away. Merlin then introduces himself and Medusa as Ana. He reveals he qualifies for the position of Grand Caster, though his Spirit Origin is that of a regular Caster. Romani Archaman finds it impossible for him to be a Heroic Spirit since he cannot die. Leonardo da Vinci deduces Merlin has been providing Chaldea with magical energy resources, as well as using a method akin to Rayshifting to rekindle Chaldea’s reactor, the Fire of Prometheus, without Solomon’s notice. Merlin confirms as much and then explains the method by which he was summoned. He also explains the circumstances under which he and Medusa came to know each other, revealing she is a Rogue Servant summoned by the Grail. Agreeing to lead Ritsuka and Mash to Uruk, Merlin tells Ritsuka they must clearly explain Chaldea’s mission to Gilgamesh. He also recommends using Uruk as a temporary base.
Leaving the forest, Merlin explains how Uruk is the only safe place left in Mesopotamia as the north is Demonic Beast territory and the south is a jungle from which none return. He says it is uncertain what will happen to humanity if Uruk, the first dynasty of Sumer, the blueprint of city-states is destroyed. Egypt’s first dynasty was flourishing during the same period, but they alone cannot preserve the Foundation of Humanity. Merlin, therefore, recommends first retrieving Solomon’s Grail and defeating the Three Goddess Alliance second if possible. He only knows the True Name of one goddess, calling the northern goddess the biggest threat since she controls the Demonic Beasts. However, he calls Ishtar (addressed as the soaring goddess) the most troublesome goddess, possibly even more so than the northern goddess.
Arriving at Uruk’s gate, Merlin introduces the others as refugees from Girsu to the guard. He wants them evacuated to Uruk and shows Siduri‘s sigil as proof he works with the Ritual Sect. Upon recognizing the sigil, the guard allows the group to enter, though briefly stops them to give Medusa his leftover candies
Heading to the ziggurat, the group is led to Gilgamesh’s throne room. There Merlin reports he didn’t find the Tablet in the forest. Gilgamesh decides to fight Ritsuka and Mash and orders Merlin not to interfere. Merlin agrees but has Medusa support Ritsuka and Mash. Gilgamesh loses interest halfway through the fight, however. He deduces Ritsuka and Mash are those he foresaw, given that Merlin brought them. He shows he possesses the Grail but refuses to give it to Chaldea. Ritsuka asks for it in exchange for defeating the Alliance, but Gilgamesh refuses their aid. Suddenly, Ishtar bursts from the roof. She tries to kill Gilgamesh for insulting her and Ritsuka to stop any rumors of their first encounter. Following the ensuing battle, Ishtar prepares to destroy the ziggurat. But she stops and leaves upon seeing who Medusa truly is. Not wanted by Gilgamesh, the group leaves the ziggurat. Seeing Siduri has been put in charge of Ritsuka and Mash, Merlin goes to peruse the markets.
Merlin later joins the others when Siduri leads them to new lodgings, which Mash dubs the Chaldean Embassy. Even though he has a room in the ziggurat, Merlin goes up to the second floor to pick his room. Later that night, the group eats with Siduri and Gilgamesh’s other Servants. Merlin later confirms Gilgamesh knows there is a fake Enkidu, though he’s never met them personally since he doesn’t leave the ziggurat. Gilgamesh reacted to the reports of a fake Enkidu without anger or sadness, only saying it was possible for a fake Enkidu would appear. Merlin tells Ritsuka to get help from Gilgamesh’s other Servants tomorrow while he’s away for unspecified reasons. Seeing Medusa has fallen asleep, he tells Ritsuka to take care of her, saying she fears humans. He then leaves the lodgings.Fate/Grand Order - Babylonia: The Absolute Frontline in the War Against the Demonic Beasts - Section 4: Hardworking Citizens of Uruk
After 20 days of Ritsuka, Mash, and Meduasa helping the people of Uruk, Merlin gives them a message from Siduri, saying they have the day-off. He finds it’ll be a good chance for Ritsuka and Mash to go on a date. He recommends going to the gardens in front of Eanna if they want a secret rendezvous before heading to the second floor. 
Recognizing the group's recent achievements, Gilgamesh tasks them with investigating Ur in the jungle. Ushiwakamaru and Benkei spare with them before they depart to help Leonidas. After the battle, the group then leave for Ur.Fate/Grand Order - Babylonia: The Absolute Frontline in the War Against the Demonic Beasts - Section 5: Welcome to the Jungle
The group eventually reaches the jungle, which is very hot and dense with ether on par with a Reality Marble. Nearing Ur, they're confronted by Jaguar Man. They fight her until she retreats, but they don't pursue upon realizing she is too powerful. They then continue onwards to Ur.
Entering Ur, the group finds its people alive and well. Merlin explains to the people that Gilgamesh sent them to investigate, believing he would’ve sent a large-scale rescue party if he knew they were alive. A woman reveals the jungle protects them from the Demonic Beasts. Merlin deduces they’re banned by the jungle goddess from leaving, lest they’ll be killed by the jungle. The rule also applies to those coming to help. Merlin deduces they sacrifice one person a day, noticing the lack of males. Those chosen are offered once a day to Eridu to satisfy the goddess. Unfortunately, Merlin’s plan to get more information is ruined when Mash reprimands the people for their decisions, causing them to bar themselves in their homes out of guilt. Jaguar Man then appears and fights the group. However, she is far too fast and powerful for them, as Merlin realizes she is a Divine Spirit. She catches up with the group several times as they escape the jungle, but Medusa drives her away each time. Returning to Uruk, the group reports their findings to Gilgamesh. Merlin reports the jungle was too dense for him to see Eridu from Ur. But he could sense a powerful divinity and assumes Marduk’s Axe is still in Eridu.
A day later, Ritsuka's party is ordered by Gilgamesh to retrieve the Tablet of Destinies from Kutha. He also tasks them with gathering testimonies from ranchers about Ishtar damaging their ranches along the way. After the others get ready, Merlin reveals Kutha's population suddenly died when the Alliance was formed. The expedition party sent there saw that none of the corpses had wounds on them.Fate/Grand Order - Babylonia: The Absolute Frontline in the War Against the Demonic Beasts - Section 7: The Tablet of Destinies
As they travel to Kutha, the group gathers testimonies from ranchers about Ishtar. They learn Ishtar has been attacking and extorting the ranchers. Merlin explains the circumstances of Ishtar's summoning. The group then continue onwards to Kutha.
Arriving at Kutha, Merlin suggests they split up to find the Tablet. He’ll go east; Mash north; Medusa west; Ritsuka south. When Mash refuses to leave Ritsuka’s side, Merlin reminds her Demonic Beasts can’t enter the city, and Ritsuka will have Fou and Romani’s navigation. After Mash concedes, Merlin explains the Tablet emits a minute amount of magical energy, so they should feel it if it’s nearby. After an hour of fruitless searching, Merlin, Mash, and Medusa rendezvous. Coincidentally, they see Ritsuka sitting on the Tablet. Ritsuka says Ziusudra rescued them from Kur and gives his message to Merlin. Merlin asks Romani for his records, but Romani finds there are none from the past few minutes, as if Ritsuka was dead. Merlin interprets Ziusudra’s message to mean that Ereshkigal has materialized. Ishtar then arrives and attacks the group for questioning the ranchers. They fight her, but she flies away whenever they gain the advantage. She suddenly gets drowsy, so Medusa takes advantage of it to knock her down. The impact knocks Ishtar unconscious, and the group tie her up.
Ishtar wakes up later that night, tied up in a rope woven from lapis lazuli and Demonic Beast hides. She explains the Alliance's goal and the non-aggression pact they have with one another. She also reveals the Grail summoned the northern and southern goddesses. Skeletons of Kutha’s deceased population, including those from the past, then surround the group. Ishtar helps the group breakthrough the horde, so they can escape, and leaves.
The group returns to Uruk and reports what happened in Kutha to Gilgamesh. He orders them to evacuate the surviving population of Nippur to the Northern Wall. He then instructs Rittsuka on how to read the Tablet. After Ritsuka retrieves a vision revealing Solomon's location from the Tablet, the group leaves for Nippur.
The group arrives at Northern Wall and meets up with Leonidas, Ushiwakamaru, and Musashibou Benkei. Leonidas explains Ushiwakamaru and Benkei's unit will distract the Demonic Beasts from the east. Ritsuka's group will enter Nippur from the west and rescue the citizens. The operation will be launched tomorrow evening.
Later that night, Merlin plants flowers along the wall to reinforce it. He advises Medusa not to tell Ritsuka the truth of her situation, finding that her distrust of humans is wavering, and her hopes for them are returning. While he considers emotions disposable, he calls it wasteful to not cherish those that were reclaimed. He describes Medusa's fear of being hated by humans if they discover her true identity, describing it as the biggest difference between her and Gorgon, and believes it’d be wasteful for her to discard it. He encourages her to continue hiding her true nature, as he does the same thing. Medusa asks him if he loves humans, to which Merlin confesses he doesn’t. As an inhuman, he has done terrible things for the sake of human society. While he doesn’t like individual humans, he enjoys the patterns humanity weaves. He tortured himself trying to justify it to himself, which resulted in his imprisonment in Avalon. He tells Medusa that Ritsuka won’t care if she is hiding something, saying they’re happier to be with her than they would be if they discover her secret. Even if she tells them her True Name, it would only tell them the enemy’s name, not help them fight it. Merlin describes Medusa’s existence as the vital point Gorgon didn’t expect. He tells Medusa to watch for the instant she’ll have to sacrifice herself. But that kind of ending bores him, preferring to trick the enemy and emerge victorious unharmed. He suggests Medusa do the same thing, which she agrees to consider.
The next day, the operation is initiated. The group arrives in Nippur, only to find Kingu there. They reveal the citizens were taken to the Demonic Beasts’ lair last night to be used as raw materials to create more beasts. Kingu then wounds Medusa since she’s their main target, but Fou teleports her and himself to safety. Suddenly “Tiamat“ emerges from underground and kills the soldiers accompanying Ritsuka's party. She blocks the group's escape, so they're forced to fight her, but she regenerates far too quickly. “Tiamat“ also confirms she has the Grail. Ushiwakamaru then arrives to hold her off while the group escapes. “Tiamat“overwhelms her and breaks through Nippur’s walls to pursue the group. Merlin tells the others to retreat, revealing his body will return to the world of dreams if it’s destroyed. However, he asks for their protection when “Tiamat“ uses her Mystic Eyes of Petrification on him, saying it would be bad if he lost consciousness. Leonidas uses Thermopylae Enomotia to protect them from her Mystic Eyes, but he isn’t able to avert its petrifying effects. Before completely turning to stone, he reveals the so-called Tiamat is Gorgon. Gorgon prepares to launch a full invasion of Uruk when Kingu stops and convinces her to wait for the 100,000 Demonic Beasts in the Blood Fort to be born. Gorgon returns to the Blood Fort, warning she’ll return to destroy Uruk in ten days. Kingu reveals their new True Name and they are a new human designed after Enkidu.Fate/Grand Order - Babylonia: The Absolute Frontline in the War Against the Demonic Beasts - Section 9: The Mother of Demonic Beasts
After Kingu leaves, the group return to the Northern Wall. As Benkei leaves for the ruins of Nippur, Merlin comments his dropout hurts their combat strength. He says unmotivated soldiers like him aren’t needed and points to the soldiers who are still willing to fight despite their fears. He suspects Benkei will return in time. The group then rendezvous with Medusa and Fou and report back to Gilgamesh.
Returning to Uruk, the group report to Gilgamesh on what transpired the previous day. Merlin theorizes Gorgon can create monsters because the Grail granted her Tiamat's Authority, Potnia Theron. Gilgamesh then tasks the group with recruiting Ishtar, so he can use her Gugalanna. He even gives them a portion of his treasury to bribe her with.Fate/Grand Order - Babylonia: The Absolute Frontline in the War Against the Demonic Beasts - Section 10: Good Morning, Goddess of Venus
The group travels to Ishtar’s temple on Mt. Ebih. Ishtar fights them until Mash shows her the cart of gems Gilgamesh provided them. Merlin explains they want to hire her, with the promise she’ll receive a large percentage of Gilgamesh’s gems. Ishtar eventually gives in to their bribery and flattery, and agrees to join the group. She then contracts with Ritsuka, and returns to Uruk with the others.
Gilgamesh tells the group that Marduk's Axe, which they can use against Gorgon, is in Eridu. Ishtar reveals the southern goddess is Quetzalcoatl. Outside, Quetzalcoatl heads straight for the ziggurat, killing any soldier who dares to attack her. The group heads out to fight her, but their attacks are ineffective. She then rides a pterosaur back to the jungle since she reached her quota of killing 100 humans a day. The group then witness Jaguar Man stacking the dead soldiers onto a cargo slab. They kill the were-jaguars she set upon them before leaving.Fate/Grand Order - Babylonia: The Absolute Frontline in the War Against the Demonic Beasts - Section 11: Hello, Goddess of the Sun
Back in the ziggurat, Romani demands Merlin to use his clairvoyance to see what Quetzalcoatl is doing now. Merlin replies he can’t overuse his clairvoyance, as he’s currently using his magical energy on other things. Quetzalcoatl would also notice if she's being observed and is likely to react violently. It is then insinuated Quetzalcoatl has a temple in Eridu dedicated to her to increase her divinity. The group realizes they will need to destroy the symbol of her power at the temple to lower her divinity. Gilgamesh then orders them to go to Eridu to defeat Quetzalcoatl and retrieve Marduk’s axe. Once they return, preparations for the battle with Gorgon will begin.
Entering the jungle, Merlin asks Ishtar if Gorgon ordered her and Quetzalcoatl to destroy humanity. Ishtar responds she doesn’t care about the Alliance and guesses Quetzalcoatl is helping Gorgon because they’re both snakes. Jaguar Man then appears, and the group fights her. With Ishtar’s help, they defeat her. Ritsuka then convinces her to join them through flattery. She guides the group to Ur, where they find the Urukian soldiers alive. Jaguar Man explains Quetzalcoatl revived the soldiers right after killing them. She also reveals the soldiers are forbidden to leave because they’re members of Quetzalcoatl’s army.Fate/Grand Order - Babylonia: The Absolute Frontline in the War Against the Demonic Beasts - Section 12: Temple of the Sun
The next day, the group is guided through the jungle to Eridu. They learn Quetzalcoatl has recently returned from Uruk. Jaguar Man says she, Mash, and Ishtar will hold her off while Ritsuka destroys Piedra Del Sol, the symbol of her power. She then gives them a spare of her weapon she made last night for this very purpose. The group then enters Eridu and breakthroughs to the temple. They also see Marduk’s Axe behind it. The group then executes its plan. Ritsuka reaches Piedra Del Sol at the temple altar, but Quetzalcoatl has defeated the others and begins approaching the altar. Quetzalcoatl joins the group, however, after Ritsuka demonstrates their resolve instead of destroying the stone. Due to the sheer size of Marduk’s axe, Quetzalcoatl fastens ropes made from jungle vines to her winged serpents to carry it to Uruk. After preparations are complete, she takes the group to see a cylinder seal in the center of Eridu. Merlin transcribes its inscription into the air to reveal the prophecy of Mesopotamia becoming a Singularity and Tiamat razing Uruk. The group realize Gilgamesh made preparations against the Demonic Beasts because he knew of the prophecy. Thanks to his preparations and the resolve of Uruk’s populace, Mesopotamia was able to stave off destruction for half a year before Chaldea arrived. Quetzalcoatl then orders Jaguar Man to supervise the winged serpents carrying Marduk’s axe.Fate/Grand Order - Babylonia: The Absolute Frontline in the War Against the Demonic Beasts - Section 13: Prophecy of the Heavens
Returning to Uruk, the group learns Gilgamesh has died. Merlin angrily demands who killed Gilgamesh, but Siduri says he died from overexertion. After apologizing for his outburst, Merlin asks Siduri if anything strange happened when they left for Ur. Siduri recalls there were several deaths from weakness, noting they seemed unnatural. Quetzalcoatl attributes this to Ereshkigal, the third member of the Alliance, meaning Ishtar isn’t one. Merlin reveals Ereshkigal was summoned when Ishtar was. She suspects one of Ereshkigal’s gallû spirits took Gilgamesh’s soul to Kur. The group head there to rescue Gilgamesh.
At Kutha, The group decides Ritsuka, Mash, and Ishtar will enter Kur, while Merlin and Quetzalcoatl stay behind. This is because a god's powers are nullified in Kur to prevent their escape after death. Ishtar shoots a large hole in the ground, sending Ritsuka and Mash down into Kur. Ishtar follows in after them.Fate/Grand Order - Babylonia: The Absolute Frontline in the War Against the Demonic Beasts - Section 14: Goodbye, Goddess of the Underworld
The group returns to Uruk after rescuing Gilgamesh and convincing Ereshkigal to help them. At the ziggurat, they immediately begin a strategy meeting for Gorgon. Gilgamesh orders the group to go to the Blood Fort, while the Northern Wall forces hold off Gorgon’s forces. The Blood Fort is in the underground lake deep within the Cedar Forest. Gorgon will lose much of her divinity once the Blood Fort is destroyed. Gilgamesh suggests Quetzalcoatl throws Marduk’s Axe at the Blood Fort from the Northern Wall, where it was relocated. Merlin devises a plan where he and Ritsuka will sneak into the Cedar Forest and head to the Blood Fort. Once they’re close enough, he’ll signal Quetzalcoatl to throw the axe to him. He gives Quetzalcoatl a cloth from his staff to wrap around the axe. As the cloth and his staff are essentially the same, the axe should reach him, even if Quetzalcoatl’s aim is off. The group then travel to the Northern Wall to begin the operation.
On the night before the operation, Merlin decides to answer whatever question Ritsuka wants to ask him. He confirms he was the one who sent Bedivere, revealing the latter appeared in Avalon at the same time Goddess Rhongomyniad appeared in the Holy Land. He had no choice but to send Bedivere, knowing he forced a cruel decision on him. As Artoria’s mentor, he prioritized correcting her mistake, despite knowing of Bedivere’s pain. He believes the situation with Bedivere and Goddess Rhongomyniad was resolved better than expected, believing it was impossible to save both. He calls humans flawed but finds the history they’ve created to be beautiful. To him, no matter what end humanity faces, their history will be worth leaving. He calls Romani’s evaluation of him correct, saying nothing will stop him from obtaining what he wants to see.
The next day, Ritsuka’s party reaches the Blood Fort. Merlin signals Quetzalcoatl at the Northern Wall to throw Marduk’s Axe to destroy the temple’s entrance. The group enters the temple, and at its center, they face Gorgon. Merlin restores Medusa’s divinity, and the group fights Gorgon, with Medusa offsetting Gorgon’s Mystic Eyes with her own. With Gorgon’s defeat, the temple begins to collapse yet she still lives thanks to her immortality. Medusa slays her with Harpe, seemingly dying in the process. However, the group soon learns Kingu has the Grail when they arrive. After the ensuing fight, spatial rifts suddenly open all over Mesopotamia. Tiamat suddenly injures Merlin as retribution for trapping her in a dream. Merlin realizes Gorgon gained Potian Theron by synchronizing with Tiamat. Gorgon’s death awoken Tiamat, and she found Merlin in her dreams. Meanwhile, outside at the Persian Gulf, the sea becomes the Chaos Tide, and a growing horde of Laḫmu emerges. After Kingu leaves, Merlin urges the others to warn Gilgamesh that an Evil of Humanity has awoken before disappearing.
Merlin eventually returns when the others are facing Tiamat in Kur, taking advantage of the Earth’s blank state from the Incineration of Humanity to temporarily physically escape Avalon and return to Uruk. He uses his flowers to drain the Chaos Tide of Tiamat’s Authority, stopping it from further encroaching on Kur. As Tiamat tries to fly back to the surface, Merlin describes how everything Ritsuka’s party tried to stop Tiamat failed because she is unfamiliar with he whom he dubs “Death”. He is the ace that Merlin has kept up his sleeve, having been summoned thanks to Ritsuka, and will abandon his Grand title to show his gratitude to them. He then points to Ziusdra, who reveals himself to be the Grand Assassin, the First Hassan. Hassan severs Tiamat’s wings while simultaneously forcing the concept of death onto her by reducing her Spirit Origin to that of a normal servant. Recognizing her own mortality, Tiamat unleashes more Laḫmu to protect her while she climbs back to the surface. With Ereshkigal’s blessing, Ritsuka, Mash, and Merlin fly towards Tiamat, breaking through the Bel Laḫmu with Hassan’s help. They reach Tiamat’s head, where her Spiritual Core is, and try to kill her. She proves astoundingly durable, so she takes down Merlin to remove his negation on the Chaos Tide.Fate/Grand Order - Babylonia: The Absolute Frontline in the War Against the Demonic Beasts - Section 21: Absolute Demonic Front Mesopotamia (II)
Catching the Grail that fell from the slain Tiamat’s throat, Merlin meets up with the others on the surface. He is shocked to see Quetzalcoatl alive, and she puts him in a joint lock when he tries to flee from her. Merlin demands to know how she’s alive since she supposedly sacrificed herself to kill Tiamat and failed. Jaguar Man reveals she rescued her. After Quetzalcoatl, Jaguar Man, and Gilgamesh disappear, Ritsuka, Mash, and Merlin start to get forced out of the Singularity. Merlin confesses he likes Ritsuka as an individual, describing them as a traveler who journeys between the books like himself. Yet Ritsuka isn’t a passive observer as they use those stories to save everyone and weave together a better ending. Once the Grand Order is finished, only Merlin will remember everything that happened. For that reason, he wanted to help Ritsuka just this once. After admitting he and Hassan could manifest due to the manifestation of a Beast, Merlin tells Ritsuka that they’ll fight the evil at the end of the era of humanity. He prays they will have clear skies at the end of their journey.a.Fate/Grand Order - Babylonia: The Absolute Frontline in the War Against the Demonic Beasts - Section 22: Returning to Chaldea
=== Final Singularity: Solomon ===
Merlin was amongst the "Babylonia" Singularity Servant to aid Chaldea agaist Demon Gods Pillars.
==== Christmas Event: Merry Christmas from the Underworld ====
At the sixth gate, Merlin reveals to Ritsuka and Altera that is Nergal's Malice attacking Chaldea and imprisoning Ereshkigal. Nergal is trying to usurp Ereshkigal’s position to be the god of the underworld. Merlin reveals Nergal closed the gates to keep out intruders, but Ritsuka and Altera made it through them, so Nergal has laid a trap for them. Nergal then appears and attacks Ritsuka and Altera, but they defeat him. Altera wonders if the attack on Chaldea will stop now, but Merlin says it won’t since Ereshkigal is the one who sent Sumerian Fever. He reveals Ereshkigal is attacking Chaldea to commit suicide. She should’ve returned to her original self as a consequence of breaking her oath as a goddess to help Ritsuka. But she couldn’t because Chaldea remembered her and kept records of her battles. Ereshkigal plans to give Kur to Nergal’ and dissolve herself in the waters of the Abyss to take responsibility. While defeating Ereshkigal will stop the Sumerian Fever, Merlin warns Nergal will rule Kur if Ereshkigal disappears. If Nergal does rule, Kur will become a place of suffering and decay. Merlin then pulls a Craft Essence depicting Altera from her sack that he claims is a dream she wished for. The gate then opens; Merlin warns the seventh gatekeeper isn’t allied with either Ereshkigal or Nergal, and their only desire is to defeat Ritsuka and Altera
====Fae Round Table Domain: Avalon le Fae====
Merlin visits Fujimaru in a dream, telling them a prophecy he heard on the wind about a child of prophecy who would save a kingdom of fairies and unite fairy and human alike. After sharing the prophecy the dream begins to grow distorted, and Merlin realizes he has been spotted by a frightening woman. As Fujimaru begins to wake up Merlin tells them that they will meet again after the battle, and until then he will continue to watch from his tower.
Lostbelt Artoria says that Merlin has been teaching her magecraft in her dreams. However it is implied that it is actually Oberon impersonating Merlin, as the person in her dreams uses Oberon's style of speech instead of Merlin's. Artoria is searching for Merlin when she first meets Fujimaru, and she initially mistakes Oberon for him when she meets Oberon.Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Avalon le Fae: Fae Round Table Domain - Chapter 1 Section 5 Oberon is hidden from Merlin's sight. Whenever Merlin uses his Clairvoyance to watch Fujimaru go through the Lostbelt, it just looks like Fujimaru is talking to themselves as Merlin cannot see Oberon.
Merlin projects himself onto the Storm Border to tell Artoria that she must complete her destiny by traveling to Avalon and forging Excalibur. When Artoria and her group travel through the Spiritual Tomb of Albion to reach Avalon, Merlin takes the form of Fou to guide them through the tunnels. Once they enter the Reverse Side of the World he appears in person. He is the Merlin from proper history, and refers to this Avalon as a "shadow" that the Lostbelt has taken in, unaffected by the bleaching of the world.
====Nahui Mictlan: Golden Sea of Trees Travelogue====
When U-Olga Marie has a dream where she fights all of the Grand Servants at once, Merlin appears as Grand Caster.Fate/Grand Order: Cosmos in the Lostbelt - Nahui Mictlan: Golden Sea of Trees Travelogue - Chapter 6: Striker of Burning Flames
===Other appearances===
Merlin made a cameo in the Fate/Apocrypha anime along with the Knights of the Round Table in Kairi Sisigou's dream.Fate/Apocrypha Anime - Episode 6: "Knight of Rebellion" Merlin later appears in Mordred's dream of Artoria Pendragon pulling the sword out of the stone.Fate/Apocrypha Anime - Episode 23: "Going Beyond"
In the Prototype Universe, Merlin's gender is female.
In Fate/strange Fake, Merlin is mentioned when it is stated that one of the Francesca Prelati's teachers of Magecraft was one of Merlin's former pupils.
In Fate/Grand Carnival, Merlin is the owner of Club M, a club where female Servants can attend to guests in exchange for QP. There is also a Neco Spirit modeled after Merlin, Mysterious Neco Z, who works at Ahnenerbe Chaldea.
==Abilities==
Merlin is one among the top-ranking Casters and is said to be the most feared magus in the country of Britain, even once being described as a True albeit rivaled by Morgan le Fay.Fate/Apocrypha Volume 1: Apocrypha: Great Holy Grail War - Chapter 2 Having reached the top of the Caster Class by meeting high standards in both power and legends, Merlin meets the necessary requirements to be summoned as Grand Caster.Fate/Grand Order 5th Anniversary Famitsu interview Q&A Due to still being alive trapped in Avalon, Merlin can't usually be summoned to fight in a Holy Grail War except under some circumstances. Should he manifest as a Servant, his Magical Energy consumption would be incredibly high, as supplying him almost drained Gilgamesh dry. Bolstered by his incubus heritage, Rin Tohsaka describes that being able to disguise Artoria's gender or "arrange for a child that should never have been born" should be an extremely easy task. The creation of Invisible Air is attributed to something he could have thought up for Artoria. Merlin has also shown to be able to turn Tiamat's Sea of Life into flowers, draining her power, even though it had spread to the point that it was covering almost all if not all of the Underworld. His magic can also be used defensively as he was able to block Cú Alter's Gáe Bolg to protect Mash even when he was trapped in Avalon in a daydreaming state. Merlin is capable of predicting the future, as he taught Artoria how to do so by reading the stars.Fate/stay night - Fate route - Day 15: Utopia - Saber, to the Church One of his known limitations is that he is unable to remote control Divine Constructs such as the Axe of Marduk due to them repelling human magecraft. He would only be able to make it levitate a bit and then drop it.
Merlin has the ability to teleport himself and others away from danger, but does so in the most conspicuous way possible. In the Babylonia Anime adaptation, he's shown summoning a bright pink orb that surrounds himself and his allies to warp them away. The orb also emits his signature flower petals. Merlin was capable of using a magecraft called Conceptual Conception, which he used to have Igraine be impregnated with the concept of the red dragon that protects Britain. This caused Artoria to be born with a dragon Magic Core inside of her.Fate/Grand Order - Artoria Pendragon (Saber) Interlude I: A Reason to Fight
However, Merlin does not treat magecraft as his forte, claiming that he stumbles during incantations and that it's easier to beat people down with a sacred sword instead. Having been Artoria's swordsmanship instructor, Merlin is an extremely skilled swordsman and has been shown wielding Excalibur, as shown when he fought multiple of Tiamat's New Eleven Offspring at once whereas even Ishtar's beams were incapable of piercing their skin.Fate/Grand Order - Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia - Episode 20: Absolute Demonic Front Mesopotamia II
As an Incubus, Merlin can freely walk into the mind of anyone who's asleep and mess with them however he wants, though to his chagrin in Lancer Artoria's interlude, Ritsuka only half asleep, meaning the protagonist would still remember this when he wakes up and could report it instead of dismissing it as part of a dream. He's able to temporarily exit his imprisonment in Avalon while taking a nap by letting his powers take him to the Fifth Singularity.
Just like the legend says, Merlin is really good at running away. Kingu considers that capturing him would be extremely difficult and killing him even harder. The reason he seemed weak during most part of the Babylonia Singularity, is that he was saving magical energy to aid Chaldea. Merlin claims that his only true weakness are the Mystic Eyes of Petrification, and as such, he refuses to fight Gorgon, who had been empowered by the Holy Grail and Tiamat's Authority.
Merlin possesses the proof of the Highest Mage; Clairvoyance: "The Eyes Which See through the World". Eyes that are able to see beyond while the person stands in place. From time immemorial, it is the power entrusted to the lands by the gods and the power shamans needed to guard lives. However profound and capable one's magic circuits may be in performing the strongest forms of magecraft, a mage who does not possess these "Eyes" shall not be given the title of the most supreme. Merlin's Clairvoyance is said to be on par with that of the likes of Gilgamesh and Solomon which both have EX Rank. While most uses of this ability allow the user to see the Future, or even the past as well, Merlin's can only see the Present.
===Skills===
====Class Skills====
*Territory Creation (C Rank): Creation of a "Workshop" territory that is advantageous to himself as a magus. But since he tends to get tired of it he usually just toss it away halfway.
*High-Speed Incantation (C Rank): The ability to hasten magic incantation speed. All Casters have beautiful pronunciation, though there are one or two exceptions. If he talks fast sometimes he bites his own tongue so the rank is low.
*Item Construction (C Rank): Creation of tools tinged with magic energy. The man himself is full of confidence but it's hard to say that he is superiorly talented for it.
*Mixed-Blood (EX Rank): The blood of something inhuman is mixed in. Merlin is a half-blood born from the union of a human and an incubus, and as such, he has perfectly inherited the incubus trait. This skill makes Merlin immortal, so the second his body is destroyed, he'll simply reappear in Avalon.
*Independent Manifestation (A Rank): A Skill that permits unsupported manifestation into reality. Originally, Merlin should not be summonable in the capacity of a Heroic Spirit; for, irrelevant of the future that comes to pass, his death shall not occur. Ergo, to serve a Master in the capacity of a Servant is in essence a fulfillment of his personal desires. To put it in other words, he acts as a Servant merely as a part of his hobby. For the purpose of making his fantasies as reality, he has by personal effort obtained this Skill, even though it would be normally restricted to a certain unique Class (Beast)——making use of it to the end of pretending to be summoned as a Servant.By use of this Skill, Merlin was summoned by Gilgamesh in the Babylonia Singularity as an irregular Caster. When questioned as to how this was possible when he wasn't yet deceased, he claimed that it may have something to do with his connection with the Singularity; or the fact that the era of the summoning lies prior to his birth——allowing for him to qualify as "not being alive."After Merlin apparently died following the defeat of the Gorgon, Doctor Roman indicated that the Merlin that had been traveling at Fujimaru's side was merely a projection and that his primary manifestation within the era was occupied with the task of restraining the Goddess Tiamat within her slumber. He suggested that Merlin may have been killed in the process of Tiamat's awakening.However, in the final confrontation against Tiamat, Merlin was revealed to be still alive——taking advantage of the Incineration of the Human Order to bypass his confinement within Avalon and physically traveling to Babylonia help Ritsuka's party in the Underworld.
====Personal Skills====
*Hero Creation (EX Rank): The techniques and arts to artificially give birth to and raise a "King". Merlin, who can be described as the true father of King Arthur, is known as the most prominent kingmaker in the world.
*Charisma (B Rank): The ability of personal charm. A skill indispensable for kings and leaders, but for some reason Merlin naturally possesses it.
:*Dreamlike Charisma (A Rank): Upgrade from Charisma.
*Illusion Arts (A→A+ Rank (Upgrade)): A Skill related to Mental Interference, and a magecraft for the use of beguilement. It refers to interference with the psyche, and the projection of illusions into reality. At A Rank, the introduction of nightmares unto the realm of the psyche is a matter of course; and even within reality, an illusion on the scale of a single village may be manifested with ease, to the end of successfully beguiling humans. He was able to trap Kingu without them noticing. Prior to the arrival of Chaldea to the Babylonia Singularity, he was the one responsible for postponing Tiamat's awakening by trapping her in a cage of dreams. Merlin is incredibly proficient in this type of magecraft as he is the teacher of the spirits who taught magecraft to François Prelati.Fate/strange Fake Volume 6 - Chapter 20: "Fantasy Becomes Reality"
===Noble Phantasm===
Merlin's Noble Phantasm is Garden of Avalon which reproduces in the surroundings the tower where Merlin is, even now, being confined. Flowers bloom all around above the ground, and no matter what kind of darkness or hell it is, the daylight shall shine upon it. Even if the area that he is allowed to be is but the gaol of mere 10 meters in four directions, and the view that was granted to him is but a the cut off sky in the faraway horizon, that place will eternally be a utopia. A place where Merlin the Magus of Flower exist is not hell, but none other than land filled with hope.
===Grand Caster===
Due to Solomon using Ars Nova in the final confrontation against Goetia and subsequently removing himself from the Throne of Heroes, Merlin became the current Grand Caster Servant. As a Grand Servant, Merlin has been granted a superb Saint Graph of a rank above normal Servants and stands at the pinnacle of all Heroic Spirits.Fate/Grand Order - London: The Death World in the City of Demonic Fog - Section 8: The Death of the Mage's AssociationFate/Grand Order - London: The Death World in the City - Section 13: Beyond the Fog
==Development==
As a casting gag, the female Merlin has the same voice actress as the female Artoria, while the male Merlin has the same voice actor as the male Arthur.
In the first draft for the British Lostbelt, Nasu planned on having Merlin be rescued from his prison tower.Avalon le Fae Synopsys - Translated by Comun
===Creation and Conception===
Merlin was illustrated by Taiki in Fate/Grand Order. Kinoko Nasu is the scenario writer for his character.
====Comment from Illustrator====
"The feeling of a completely unknown age, and the impression of someone inhuman. For the sake of expressing that, I have him wear a white kimono. There is a sword set all hidden weapon-like in his staff, but the man himself doesn't really use it as a weapon, but more like playing it around as a toy-like gadget. That is what the image I'm going for."
==References==
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