Fate/Grand Order Story and Lore (CONTAINS SPOILERS)

[fumei]

I do think it being the first lostbelt helped slightly, given it could really hammer down on the "yeah, we're screwing over this world" without it feeling overdone. It does feel like the writers avoided going as hard on the guilt tripping afterwards sometimes given how heavy it was in LB1. But still, the Patxi farewell and Salieri closing the curtains were great moments.

LB1 also gets the bonus benefit of being the "revelatory" chapter in this regard. I do think though that it's not so much that they avoid going as hard on it in later chapters because of how much weight was placed on it in LB1, but rather that it's almost necessary for them to not put too much focus on it all the time because when we know we have to go through like 12+ chapters, it gets repetitive and loses its impact. Bringing it up to the same extent every chapter would have only worked well, I think, if we also got closer characterization of gudao and Mashu in that regard, but that doesn't get as big a focus as it probably should, so this is what we're left with.

[mami-kouga]

I remember when I used to have hope that the proto Arthur teasing from his trial quest could result in a LB6 storyline with him. Good times.

I gave up on that the moment Castoria got spit out. After that I mostly just spent the time before LB6 getting mad at people who kept insisting it would be Arthur's time to shine lol. "Don't get mad about the Waltz Collab, their obviously saving Arthur for the next lostbelt!"

[Comun]

Arthur coping only gets more insane with time.

[mami-kouga]

Well now that the Tsukihime cope has been hung in the closet, someone has to take over their duties

[Comun]

Pretty mild Interlude for a solo release.

Percival trains against Bradamante.
Bradamante praises the lack of hesitation in his spearmanship.
Percival acknowledges how often he was called pure or foolish for never thinking back in anything he does.
Fujimaru daydreams Percival's backstory.
Percival trains again this time vs Mordred and Gareth just for the gameplay and banter.

Nothing to justify the timing of its release unless Klingsor or Kundry are in Traum, which is really unlikely because Kundry got no portrait and Klingsor got the generic robed figure.

Kundry was consistently refered to as a witch, which IIRC is consistent with /Requiem. No hard hints that this actually means 1st Magic witch though.
Also the huge shoulderplate on Percival is actually Percival's shield, which he just holds there for better balance with his spear. (No, I don't get it either)

[Reign]

Percival called Kundry a witch in his Valentine scene too. I would think after establishing capital-W Witches as their own special thing the writers would be careful not to use the word when it doesn't apply to that, but I guess there's no way to be sure.

[OnesFleetingGlory]

I think it's more of a case that some people are just unaware of the term's significance in magi society, and just saying it for its general definition.

[Skull]

If Kundry does end up being a capital W Witch, then it’s a massive flex for a mage like Klingsor to casually enslave her like that.

[Kamera]

Maybe related, but in Wagner's Parsifal, Kundry is also referred by Klingstor as the First Sorceress (Urteufelin)

[Reign]

I've seen three separate people today talk about a theory that Kundry is Elaine (Galahad's mom). Was there anything in the interlude implying that or are they just throwing stuff at the wall and seeing what sticks?

[Comun]

I don't know enough to say. There was just

He controlled a witch. A sorrowful witch made to wander eternally due to mocking the Messiah. Her kiss was hex. Vicious Mystery capable of enticing even the lord of the Grail Castle. But that... didn't work on me. Was it because of the Lord's guidance or because of my own foolishness? Perhaps both. Touched by her lips, I wasn't enticed. Never lost sight of my self, never hesitated, and so I was finally able to directly confront Klingsor.

Miraculously enough, at the moment the wicked fortress was vanishing into the light, around its throne were several bloomed flowers. Did the tragic wandering witch forget them there? Or was this... her only act of consolation to the wicked mage attracted to what was holy yet never able to love it?

[OnesFleetingGlory]

Grail Castle is Corbenic, so that leads to them theorizing that she's Elaine of Corbenic herself? That's kinda a stretch.

[Skull]

It is presumably an attempt to reconcile Galahad’s Grail Quest with that of Percival’s which both have an almost completely different set of characters involved. I don’t fancy wrapping my head around it myself tbh.

[Reign]

Like OFG said it's probably just those people noticing Grail Castle Corbenic mentioned there and then jumping to conclusions.

In Parsifal Kundry seduced Amfortas to get the Holy Spear from him for Klingsor, but since Percival's profile mentions Balin bringing down Corbenic on Pellam, presumably Pellam is the lord of Corbenic in Fate?

[Comun]

Grail Castle is Corbenic, so that leads to them theorizing that she's Elaine of Corbenic herself? That's kinda a stretch.

I don't think that works. Taking the backstory from the top:

Klingsor, the mage. He cast his magecraft on the mighty Sir Balin, putting him to fight the lord of the Grail Castle, which lead to him leveling the castle. After doing so, he stole the Holy Spear Longinus once held by Sir Balin and took over as king in his wicked castle. He controlled a witch [...]

Klingsor was brainwashing Balin, but does his brainwashing through Kundry's kiss, so he already had enslaved her before he raided Corbenic.

And after I kill you I must deliver the coup de grace to the lord of the Grail Castle and strangle an useless witch!

Klingsor still hasn't finished off the Fisher King, indicating the Balin battle happened immediately before Percival's arrival (I guess the whole changing castles part was a magecraft transformation??). If Kundry was Elaine, then Klingsor only had control of her for a couple hours at best and I feel like that kinda diminishes the tragedy too much.

[Reign]

He cast his magecraft on the mighty Sir Balin, putting him to fight the lord of the Grail Castle

So yeah Pellam is replacing Amfortas's role from the opera then.

[Skull]

Ultimately I doubt Elaine is Kundry because that would mean that incest is wincest.

Galahad: “Hey uncle, why were you making out with mom back there?”
Percival: “Uh...it’s totally normal to greet family with a kiss, yeah that’s it.”

[MoonCell]

Wait a minute... Kundry is called a witch. She's also the reincarnation of Herodias, who was cursed due to mocking Christ while he was crucified. The first magician was born "the night when B.C. became A.D." The ages match! Might also be just a coincidence, but it's quite the intriguing one. Her being called the first sorceress in Parsifal is also very interesting.

[Reign]

So the Fate version of the Grail Quest is:

-Klingsor uses Kundry to get Balin and Pellam to fight
-Balin performs the Dolorous Stroke, Klingsor steals Longinus
-X time passes (I think traditionally it's years?)
-Somewhere in here Galahad gets David's sword and pulls out Balin's sword from its stone
-Percival redeems Kundry, defeats Klingsor, gets Longinus
-???? (presumably they heal Pellam with the spear and then he gives Galahad the Grail, even though it seems Percival did all the work)
-Galahad ascends to Heaven

- - - Updated - - -

also Bors is there

- - - Updated - - -

Wait no I'm mixing up the Fisher King with the king who actually gives them the Grail
why is it called the Grail Castle if he doesn't own it already

[rxrx]

So the Fate version of the Grail Quest is:

-Klingsor uses Kundry to get Balin and Pellam to fight
-Balin performs the Dolorous Stroke, Klingsor steals Longinus
-X time passes (I think traditionally it's years?)
-Somewhere in here Galahad gets David's sword and pulls out Balin's sword from its stone
-Percival redeems Kundry, defeats Klingsor, gets Longinus
-???? (presumably they heal Pellam with the spear and then he gives Galahad the Grail, even though it seems Percival did all the work)
-Galahad ascends to Heaven

- - - Updated - - -

also Bors is there

- - - Updated - - -

Wait no I'm mixing up the Fisher King with the king who actually gives them the Grail
why is it called the Grail Castle if he doesn't own it already

It feels like Percival only got the spear while Galahad is at another place questing for the grail? He sure doesn't have it when he fought and united the Longinus