Archer’s identity is Tecumseh: Shooting Star, or Panther Across The Sky, the legendary Native American Shawnee who, alongside his brother, raised a pan-Indian resistance to protect his people from destruction at the hands of the Americans.
Like many of his people, Tecumseh’s early years were ravaged by war. He lost his father to frontiersmen at an early age, and found himself fighting to protect his people’s towns and hunting grounds from the hands of the Americans time and time again. Even his eldest brother, who had raised him and his siblings after the death of their parents, lost his life to the Americans during a battle Tecumseh himself had taken place in.
It would be understandable had these traumas tainted the young boy and make him grow into a vengeful, angry man, but that was not so. Tecumseh was well regarded for having an honourable and peaceful demeanor. He despised those who did things such as the abusing of prisoners or the killing of innocents, and forbade his parties from partaking in such acts. The enemies that did find themselves captured by him were treated with utmost humanity.
It was in these early years that he gained the respect as a great warrior and hunter. His bravery and skill were unmatched, and his companions that fought alongside him were always inspired by his confidence and valour. Alongside his integrity and eloquent way with words, it was clear he had the makings of a great chief.
On the other hand, Tenskwatawa, the brother of Tecumseh, had spent his early years tainted with depression and alcoholism. He had been the laughingstock of the tribe and his family, a disgrace to his people. But something inside him had changed one day. Abandoning his shameful ways, he claimed the Great Spirit had given him a vision - a vision of Native American prosperity. A world where their people could live strong, free, and proud of their ancestral heritage. A world of peace, free from the taint of war brought by the Americans.
Tenskwatawa would eventually be known by many as “The Prophet”. The Prophet’s words struck a chord with hundreds of oppressed Native Americans across the land, and many went on pilgrimages to hear the words from the man himself. People revered him as one chosen by the Great Spirit, one with incredible power, who had foretold of a great apocalypse that would one day swallow up all the enemies of their people.
All those who knew him were shocked by this change, Tecumseh included. Yet even though he was unsure of the truth behind his brother’s powers, he understood the strength behind his words. His brother was right: his people could not stand idle and let themselves be swallowed up. Only by standing together could they survive this turmoil, and eventually, prosper. With his brother at his side, he would soon begin the first steps towards their dream.
As Tecumseh and the Prophet’s following grew larger, the Americans continued their approach onto their land. Tecumseh and his people, who had rejected the ways of “civilization” and did not acknowledge the treaties the Americans had used to unrightfully obtain land, came into conflict with them many a time. But it was Tecumseh who maintained that this conflict must be solved through peace - he would not bring his people into war, unless it was absolutely necessary. It was during these peace talks that the Americans first started to recognize the man that would become one of their greatest foes in the years to come.
However, in time, Tecumseh would eventually realize that peace was impossible. Despite his continuous pushes for cooperation, the Americans continued with their underhanded ways, and threatened to destroy everything he had built. The time to fight back -- not with words, but with gunpowder and tomahawks -- had finally come.
And so he took the dream of pan-Indian unity his brother had sparked, and ignited it into a raging inferno. Travelling across the frontier, he spoke to tribes of all different languages and cultures, warning them of what will happen to their people if they simply stand by and do nothing. He spoke of a future, like his brother before him, where all tribes could stand united and proud.
Many heard his call. Tribes that were once hated enemies settled their differences, uniting under Tecumseh’s inspirational words. Tribes that were normally pro-American ignored these ties, disgruntled by their continued poor treatment. Tecumseh was soon becoming a chief among chiefs; a leader of all Native Americans in the region.
His followers soon fell under the impression that it was he, not his brother, who had been granted powers by the Great Spirit. While Tecumseh could not confirm their claims, he could not deny the presence he felt in battle, or the subtle signs that seemed to guide in his travels. But whether he was aided by supernatural forces was irrelevant to him -- he knew the path before him was the correct one. He would save his people.
Following the battle of Tippecanoe, and the worsening relations between the Americans and the British-controlled Canadas, the raging inferno would eventually climax in the War of 1812. The Native Americans and the British would form an alliance, like once before, to fight off the Americans. Tecumseh, acting as the voice of his people, gained much admiration from his British allies, and he would form a friendship -- although short -- with the famed major-general Isaac Brock. Their combined effort would lead their forces to one of greatest victories of the war, the Siege of Detroit.
But this victory would not last long. Because of poor leadership on the side of the British after the death of Sir Isaac, along with the overpowering Americans forces, Tecumseh would eventually lose his life at the Battle of Thames.
And as he died, so too did his dream of pan-Indianism. Although some would try to reignite the fire, none would be as successful, for nobody was capable of matching the raging passion of Tecumseh. He would forever be remembered by his people as one of their greatest heroes, to the British as an irreplaceable ally, and to the Americans an unforgettable foe.
Unlike most of his kind before him, Tecumseh had not stood for a single tribe: he had been the voice of all Native Americans, the sole hero left capable of uniting and inspiring hundreds despite the impossible foe in front of them. In time he would be compared to greats such as Napoleon Bonaparte, and even one of his greatest enemies, William Henry Harrison, would go on to say had things been different, Tecumseh might have been the founder of a great empire.
Summoned as a Servant, Tecumseh cannot deny the boons “civilization” has brought to the world, and bears no ill will towards the people of the nation that has now spread across the land he once called home. But the fire in him has not extinguished. His wish for the Grail is the same ideal it has always been: to give his people a home they can live in peace, united, strong, and proud. And, just as he did in life, he will fight for this wish until his last dying breath.
Originally Posted by RoydGolden
Servant Lancer:
