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ローゼンメイデン 
This is a very exciting episode that should be on the fans' watching list, especially those who felt that the series has been on a rather slow progress lately. This episode seems to make up for a lot of that by featuring two action scenes and very little talk. There is also a very neat character development here which would not be obvious right away but will explain Shirou's character in the future. Having said that, the main attraction on this episode is on the battles. I have to praise the animation team for their effort on this episode. I think the battle scenes would not have been as effective as this one had been if the animation were not up to scratch. Major props also go to the composer, whose scores elevate and make the fight scenes a lot grander than usual. All in all, this is one exciting episode that I hope will be repeated in the future.
The episode begins with Saber facing off with a new Servant called Assassin. Much to her surprise, however, Assassin reveals that his real name is Sasaki Koujiro, a famous Japanese swordsman. While the two continue their talk, Rider is seen perching on a tree and observing the two. She, however, quickly leaves after a few seconds. Because Assassin told her his name, Saber feels obligated to return the favour. Before she reveals her name, however, Assassin walks closer to her and tells Saber that he prefers that they know each other through their swords. Because of this the two begin a battle against each other. It starts slowly with Saber on the offence while Assassin merely attempts to deflect her attack. While this happens, Shirou wakes up in the middle of the night, feeling some kind of a pain in his chest. He is suddenly reminded of Saber and upon checking her room, realises that Saber has gone off to the Ryuudou temple on her own.
Back in the temple, Saber has a little bit difficulty fighting Assassin because he seems to be rather good at evading her attacks. From time to time, however, Assassin also stands his ground and deflect Saber's sword with his own, forcing Saber to find new ways to attack the Servant. Meanwhile, Rider is seen breaching the Kekkai that has been placed around the temple. Upon landing on the courtyard, however, she is quickly confronted by a group of skeletal armies. At the same time, Assassin stops fighting Saber so he can taunt her a little bit. He tells her that he's pleased with her ability and even manages to guess the measurement of her invinsible sword using his eyes. He, however, demands Saber to draw out the power of her hidden sword or else she's going to die. Assassin then concentrates and uses his Tsubame Gaishi move. Despite this, Saber is simply knocked back instead of injured due to the attack.
Meanwhile inside the courtyard, Rider is in the middle of destroying the skeleton armies when all of a sudden Caster appears behind her. Rider tries to attack Caster with her chain but Caster simply uses her magic to block the attack before attacking Rider with her power. While this happens, it appears that Shirou finally arrives near the staircase that lead to the temple. At the same time, Saber is in the middle of getting explanation from Assassin about his technique which basically an attack from 3 different sides. The reason that the attack failed to injure Saber was because the staircase didn't give his legs enough room to manuever the attack. This time around, however, he intends to do it properly. As Assassin raises his sword to do the move again, however, Saber unleashes her own Noble Phantasm attack, causing great winds to surround the blade and slowly create a typhoon-like effect.
The power of Saber's attack is so strong that it is felt inside the courtyard, distracting the fight between Rider and Caster. Rider uses the opportunity to run away from the fight while Caster simply looks amazed at the sheer magnitude of the power. Meanwhile down the staircase, Shirou can feel the stigma in his hand being activated in response to Saber's magic. As Shirou tries to climb the staircase, however, he notices the presence of another figure, who's most likely to be Lancer, trying to reach the temple as well. Shirou immediately asks the figure to identify himself and this in effect is heard by both Saber and Assassin, who decide to stop the fight. Shirou then arrives in time to carry Saber, who falls unconscious due to lack of power. When Shirou arrives home trying to lift Saber to her room, Rin appears to tease him about the compromising position that Shirou and Saber are in at the moment but tells him to continue anyway.
Shirou becomes flabbergasted and tries to explain the situation but it appears Rin already guesses that Saber went out on her own to fight. She offers to take Saber into her room while Shirou makes some tea. Shirou then asks Saber why she went to fight despite his request. Saber replies that it's normal for a Servant to fight and in exchange asks Shirou why he didn't allow her to fight. Shirou claims that he simply doesn't want to see a girl getting hurt. As someone who's involved in a battle, Saber finds such comment to be insulting and asks Shirou to correct his perception. Shirou barks that he wants to do the fight on his own. Thankfully Rin then interferes and tells Saber that the truth is, Shirou simply doesn't want Saber to taint her innocence for his sake. That's why he's been taking on the battles himself even if it seems unreasonable. Upon hearing this Saber decides to allow Shirou in the battle on the condition that he allows her to train him in sword fighting.
Impression:
I really like this episode for several reasons. First of all, the fights look awesome, even if it gets disturbed by the small talks from time to time. The animation when Saber unleashes one of her Noble Phantasm was just awesome. It also helps that the music reinforces the idea that this is one grand attack that Saber is about to pull off. It is therefore unfortunate that the fight get halted right away but they have a lot of episodes left to make up for this. I also like the confrontation that Saber and Shirou has in the later part of the episode. In a way Shirou does sound a little bit sexist but I believe and so does Rin, from the sound of it, that he'll probably do the same thing if Saber happens to be a man. He simply doesn't want others to forsake their life and innocence for his battle. What is also good about this is that Saber will end up giving Shirou a training in sword handling, which would not only useful for Shirou during battle, but will also add up to the development of his character in the future.
Most people will probably find it weird that a Servant can be a Servant for another Servant in the case of Caster and Assassin. However, I believe this will be explained later on in the series. I am more interested as to why Lancer was seen trying to sneak into the temple during a major fight between Saber and Assassin. It's probably the same reason as Rider but in both cases, we don't know their reason. Judging from the preview, however, it looks like next week's episode will return to Shirou's Harem scenario. And it looks like it'll be a hilarious one with Saber getting naked in front of him and Illya trying to tempt him with the forbidden fruit known as 'Loli'. Will Shirou has the power to resist or will he succumb to temptation? And what will Sakura have to say about all of these? I suspect she'll be very unhappy if she opens the front door only to see Shirou in front of a very naked Saber. I can just imagine how fun it will be if it ends up being true.
This episode looks awesome. Guess it's going towards the Fate ending. Although I can't recall if Caster fought Rider so soon.
Just finished watching....that's an AWESOME ep. Two thumbs up for F/sn !!
Hmm, if I have a servant, I'd like to have Caster on my side. Just look at her, she doesn't have to protect herself because there are skeleton armies to attack her enemies. Saber looks cool as a servant but she's too temperamental IMO.
sheesh, and I was just about to give up on this. I supposed I'll go and download the raw now.
Caster v Rider is UBW only, iirc.
You know, when Sakura walks in and sees a naked Saber running around the house... she is so going Kaede on Shirou. :D
Of course, it looks like Saber lost (yet again), and that she's taking Rin's advice on how to get Shirou's attention if the next week's preview is at all accurate. Plus, I'm afraid of what Ilya's doing.... or will be doing. If Shirou thought things were bad before, when Sakura and Fuji-nee discovered Rin staying at Shirou's house... imagine the hell that will be unleashed when they find another blonde gajin under his roof as well... and one who's apparently underaged.
Shirou had better make sure his life insurance and will are paid up and up to date.
Actually, she doesn't even need to BE under his roof - having Ilya glomp him once in public like that, in Sakura's view, with the whole 'onii-san!' look she's got there in the last shot of the preview is probably enough to doom him. :D
Stupid Shirou!! You don't run away when a girl comes on to you. I hope someone smacks some sense into him.
Maa...Maa....Shirou's a gentlemen. So he probably run off to get a blanket,
to wrap it around themselves together..........
(Damn! Ecchi bugs' nesting in my brain again.)
thumbs up for the comment on the rider's first pic in this ep... lol
your comments are hilarious lol
I noticed today (holycow! And I didn't see it before!)...
Saber has got the same "hair antenna" as Suzuka!!!
O_o
Shokku!!!
Maybe Shirou runs because Saber has a wang down south? Have you never wondered how she got the name "Saber"?
/le gasp!
Hermaphrodite.
Excellent ep. btw. Finally starting to see a little more action and some more interesting, flashy attacks.
>>>Hmm, if I have a servant, I'd like to have Caster on my side. Just look at her, she doesn't have to protect herself because there are skeleton armies to attack her enemies. Saber looks cool as a servant but she's too temperamental IMO.
If i ever fought in the war, i would want RIN for a servant, finger gun ftw
Meh. Found this episode to be rather weak. Less dense exposition, but NOT more action, which is wierd considering there was actually fighting. But the animators can't quite hide the lack of good sword-play with RPG light swish effects and speed lines. Kenshin this sure as hell isn't. It's below par compared to EVERY recent and not-so-recent swords anime in actual combat.
Shirou is going to learn the sword? Wut? He's a Master, he fights with magic. He's a magician, isn't he? Develop THAT power first.
BTW, if Servants can disobey their Masters all they want without getting into trouible and with no restraint save for the command seal which can only be used a few times, than why the hell are they Servants and why the hell do they need or even follow a Master?
Where the hell is Archer? How come he's not going off to do what he wants like Saber?
Hey any one else notice that one of the sound effects sounds an awful lot like a storm trooper blaster?
It will be interesting to see who is the ultimate master of Caster and Assasin.
If Shirou is going to learn to play with a sword, given his lack luster magic powers as well he'd be the worst paladin ever...He's better off learning how to use a gun.
-Those who live by the sword get shot.
>>Shirou is going to learn the sword? Wut? He's a Master, he fights with magic. He's a magician, isn't he? Develop THAT power first.
>>BTW, if Servants can disobey their Masters all they want without getting into trouible and with no restraint save for the command seal which can only be used a few times, than why the hell are they Servants and why the hell do they need or even follow a Master?
>>Where the hell is Archer? How come he's not going off to do what he wants like Saber?
I'll answer some of your questions, try paying more attention to the story itself next time.
Shirou is going to learn the sword because Saber wanna teach him. He's not obligated to do it. If he wanted to learn magic he should have asked Rin already, it's his bad.
Servants are living spirits. They have their own will. Their own minds. They are not mindless puppets. Saber went to do what she wanted because Shirou completely disagreed with her ideals. A Servant only follows your order mindlessly if you use a seal, witch can only be used 3 times. And Servants can't survive without a Master, that's why they fight and protect you and for you. If a master dies, so do their servants.
Archer? Rin do not need him at the moment, so He's in his spiritual form. In Spiritual form he can't leave Rin's side, that's why he doesn't run around like a lazy pig.
BTW This episode is awesome, GREAT! Thumbs up for Episode 9, Ellegance Under The Moon F0R T3H \/\/1/\/!!!!
Okay, let me get this straight.
The Master can only command his or her Servant 3 times. At all other times, it's completely up to the Servant wether they will listen to the Master's orders or not. So basically, they aren't Servants at all and the Master isn't really a Master.
So that means that if I were a Servant, there would be NOTHING stopping me from just going to go do what I want. "Hi, I'm your Servant, but I won't follow any of your orders except if you use your command seal, so please get that out of the way as soon as possible so I can go do what I want without having to worry about it."
Wrong.
Servents depend on the Master for Mana and support.
Did you not pay attention to what he said?
A servant CANNOT surive without a master.
So? How does a dependency for energy make them "Servants"? They draw the energy they require anyway. At most it makes them partners, but they aren't an extension of the Master's will because a Master HAS NO WAY OF ENFORCING IT -- outside of the command seal, which can only be used a few times. So, ONCE AGAIN, what is stopping me, as a Servant, from just telling my Master to get bent while I go do what I want? I use any amount of mana that I need ANYWAY, it's not like the Master is able to stop me from drawing it.
GUTB, what's to stop you (as a hypothetical Servant) from running off and abandoning your Master? The fact that there are six other Servants and Masters running around trying to kill your lifeline, i.e. your Master. And, secondly, that you want to win the War, since the Grail will grant your wish as well, and the highest chances of accomplishing that are if you work with your Master.
And, someone correct me if I'm wrong, but the terms 'Master' and 'Servant' are used in this case less in the way we generally think of them, but rather to signify that both entities have entered into a magical contract of sorts. It does not actually mean the servant is in any way below the master (save the aspects of the seal, and that the Master is their link to the material world.)
GUTB: Part of the problem that Saber has right now is due to her Master not being an accomplished Mage. Otherwise, she could do what all the others do (ethereal form, etc)... except that she can't draw on the mana reserves that other Servants here can. Plus, the Command Seal should be thought of as an absolute override that's built into the Servant/Master Contract - the Servants are independent entities, BUT the contract includes three 'gimmes' on the Master's side, which are enforced by the seals. Burn all your seals, and the Servant/Master contract is broken.
Problem: Servants can live for a short time without a Master, in order to seek out a new one... but for the most part, losing your Master is death itself, which is why most Servants tend to strike at Masters, since they're (usually) a lot easier to kill than the Servants are. That's part of why there's a wave of people being drained of life and souls in town - the Servant or Servants doing this (including, apparently, Rider) do this because their Masters can't provide enough mana for them to work with. Shinji himself admitted that he's heir to a magical tradition but can't even cast... which is one reason Rider had to drain his sister's Archery club captain in the first place. A Servant can't just leech off a Master without any consequences, especially when said Master has limited or almost no magic talent in the first place.
Besides which, as a Servant, you're there because you're the one who has to win the Holy Grail War... but you can't do it alone. You ultimately need a mana source to sustain you, which the Master provides... and because the Master also has to, IIRc, work with the Grail in order for it to function properly. The Servant gets the Grail, but the Master is the one who has to make it work. Therefore, on top of the problem the other Servants (with Masters) pose... if you're without a Master, whatever goals you have that the Grail will grant you cannot be achieved without a Master activating things.
Basically, three things stop the Servant from running around completely out of control, on top of the obvious 'if they're not summoned by a Master, they can't participate in the Holy Grail War' problem: they're mana-limited, the Master is required to activate the Grail (again, if I'm remembering this correctly), and because the Contract established by the Grail gives the summoner a Command Seal which CAN be used to force the matter... and when the contract is broken, the Servant has to find either a new Master or recontract with the existing one... although if they'd had the three Seals burned, then I doubt they'd do that.
One thing I forgot to note - as explained in Ep 3... a Mage without any Command Seals can't contract with a Servant, so they'd have to find someone else who still had theirs. Without that contract, they're not going to get enough mana to survive.. at least, without risking being killed by another Servant/Master pair who was tracking the wave of killings to take advantage of the low-mana status of the Servant in question.
So Servants aren't "servants" in any way, and at most they are just partners. That was my point.
So WHY does this show have Servants acting loyal and pretending like they're faithful retainers of their Masters, following orders? In reality, you'd expect the Servant to become the dominant partner because of the power difference, but they follow orders even if it grates on them -- sometimes. What possible reason would Saber have to put up with Shirou's order to not fight, not protect him, etc, if she doesn't have to follow them? Is the Servant-Master thing more like a game with rules that good sports follow dilligently?
So there is NOTHING stopping me as a Servant from telling my Master to get bent while I go do what I want. Okay I don't want him or her to die. So? How does that make me follow orders? I need mana. So? How am I stopped from drawing what I need anyway? I depend on my Master for my material form and to use the grail. So? How does any of that stop me from doing what I damn well please?
Basically, you are just arguing this point for the sake of being a pain in the ass.
For the same reason demons or other summoned beings tend to act like 'servants' for their summoners, even though they're usually individuals with powers of their own - because they're bound to the summoner by the force of the contract (and in this case, the power of the Holy Grail), which means that while they have their own wills, wishes, and powers... they're ultimately dependant on a Master for their existence, which tends to at least make the 'servant' APPEAR loyal to the summoner, since the latter holds the key to their existence.
They don't have to act as faithful retainers - Rider and Lancer obviously don't, but at the same time they're bound by the contract (a point which you've missed, and which has been emphasized again and again in the show and previous statements here) to their Masters, as embodied by the Command Seals to follow their Master's dictates. This doesn't mean they have to, unless forced by the Seals... but it's a pretty bad idea to piss off the mana source who ALSO has to activate the Grail for them, which is the whole point of the exercise.
In Saber's case, her sense of honor and duty bind her to Shirou's command - it's in her personality to be loyal to her Master, although at times she will disobey said Master in order to do what she feels is right, even if she feels a little bad about it later. In Archer's case, he's bound to Rin by the fact that she's a powerful mage who quite literally controls his existence through the Seals, and because they're quite compatible on the mental level, so she can usually reason with him and make the arguments logical enough that he'll follow them. In Rider's case, Shinji has some other hold over her which forces her to follow his commands. Lancer's Master wants to keep Lancer alive for the war, and may have invoked the Command Seal to keep Lancer from engaging after his identity's found out. In Berserker's case... well, he appears to barely have a will of his own, which would make him quite vulnerable to the commands of a powerful summoner like Ilya. And in Assassin's case, he HAS to follow Caster's commands, since if she cut him off, he's doomed - all the other Masters are currently taken, so he'd have to kill a Servant to bind to that late Servant's Master.
And how are they stopping you from doing whatever you please? Well, you're a Servant summoned to fight in the Holy Grail War - without the Master, you've no purpose... and for that matter, no existence, since the Grail enforces the Master's will on the Servant in the first place. Piss off the Master enough, and you're either going to get Command Sealed to follow the Master's orders - period - or else you're going to be without a Master, which means death because all the other Masters are taken.
A Servant is a summoned being, bound by a contract and the Grail's will, to the Master - without that Master, they're dead. The Master has a limited amount of mana, and they could (in theory) burn off all your seals to cut you off the source, or order the Servant not to be able to draw mana unless ordered to, or unless it's supplied by the Master in person (which is done in game via various methods). Without the Master, you're not going to win the Holy Grail War... which means that you're screwed, since your Master will leave you to die somewhere at another Servant's hands, or you run out of mana after your first fight because your Master won't supply you any more, and you'll need another source - quickly - to keep you going. You're also without any extra support without a Master - Servants can only heal through time or healing spells, something most Servants can't cast by themselves... which means that without a Master to either protect or repair them, they're easy prey if wounded.
Remember how Saber fainted in this episode? She pretty much ran down her whole mana store in the battle, and Shirou wasn't supplying any to her throughout the thing - it's not like the Master is a mana bank that the Servant can automatically make withdrawals from, at least not for more than a very minor amount of mana. Besides, they're there to fight for the Grail, and if they can't use it.. what's the point? They want the Grail for something, which is why they're fighting in the first place. Without a Master to use it for them, then they're basically risking death for nothing.
Woot, you surely is a Fate/stay night knowledge book... I think I would never be able to explain such stuff that way XD
Fate/stay night story is awesome, the rules, the ways to fight... everything is awesome... I was like... O_O!!! when I watched the 1st episode, and now I'm totally addicted to it. Every new episode is kind of a new piece of a big dream jumping forth in my mind, and I'm never tired of watching every single episode lots and lots of times when the time allow me to do so.
TYPE-MOON ftw, you guys have my respect, Fate/stay night rulex 411~!!!!
All you've done is pointed out why it's a bad idea for a Servant to treat a Master poorly. But I'm not arguing THAT, as I've said, at most they are PARTNERS.
But how does ANY OF THAT stop me, as a Servant, from doing what I want? If the contract doesn't magically enforce a bond of loyalty, than how is a Servant in any way required to obey a Master? This is a major question that the episode brings up, and no one can really answer. We all know why a Servant NEEDS a Master. That's understood. But there is nothing there to enforce the loyalty of the Servant. If a Servant doesn't need to be loyal, than how are they servants except when they chose to be?
For instance. Seras is loyal to Alucard because the supernatural power of the vampire curse MAKES her loyal. Okay, so that makes sense.
If the contract between Master and Servant magically enforced the loyalty of the Servant, than Saber would never disobey Shirou's orders except maybe if Shirou himself was in immediate danger of dying. But she disobeyed his order for no reason other than she was just sick of waiting. That's called: "Doing what you want".
I have an answer for that. It is because of the Holy Grail all the spirits are fighting for. All those heroic souls made bounds of loyalty towards the ones who they would call 'masters' in exchange of having their wishes granted by the Holy Grail in the future. THAT is because a servant just can't idle and do what they please, like wander around and screw their masters. Saber, in that aspect, wanted to look for clues in the temple, but Shirou said no to her, and they would wait. IT IS SABER's KNIGHTHOOD TO ALWAYS TAKE THE FIRST STEP, AND AS SHE SAID TO SHIROU IN THE EPISODE, SHE IS ACCOSTUMED TO THE FACT THAT SHE COULD DIE IN BATTLE. Shirou went against that policy of hers, and for not using a Stigma, she did what her Knighthood claimed. It is her natural behavior to protect her Master. She is a Knight. A Warrior. She feels that fighting is her duty number one. That is why she fought Assassin, even against Shirou's will.
GUTB, everyone already answers that the 'Servant' title does not carry the same meaning as what it normally implies. They are called 'Servants' because technically they are the Masters' avatar in the battle against another Master. A Servant is quite powerful so a Master can't just fight another Servant on his/her own. That's why there is a need for a 'Servant'.
The 'Servants' do have their free will but most of the time they will follow their Master's order because they do not materialise in this world to slack around or do nothing. They are in it to win the Holy Grail so they can have their wish fulfilled. In this sense, the relationship between a Master and a Servant is more symbiotic rather than enforcement. So to summarise, they work together because:
1. They tend to have similarity in personality and way of approaching situation. It's more bothersome for them to disobey their 'Master' and find another Master since usually the first one they get is the best default Master as determined by the Holy Grail.
2. They are in it to win the Holy Grail. A Servant may have disagreement with a Master but the two will work around it because that's the only way they can win the Holy Grail.
3. A 'Servant' knows that his/her 'Master' is usually not strong enough to fend off the attack of another 'Servant'. In their interest to win the Holy War, they have to ensure their 'Master' survival. Because without the Master, they will perish as well.
None of these are enforcement for them to be loyal to their 'Master' but they will be loyal because it's in their interest to do so. Because at the end of the day, they do not materialise to do other things. They materialise in order to win the Holy Grail.
Now, obviously you are very aware of these concepts. So the question is, what is it that you find objectionable? Is it the use of the word 'Servant'? Which admittedly, is quite loosely used in this series. But the thing is, even a normal Servant in a real-world context does not have to be loyal to his/her Master. They only do so because they get paid to do it. However, when they are unhappy with their Master, some Servant often choose to quit the occupation.
Your example of Hellsing is a very extreme definition of Master/Servant. That sounds more like Slavery to me because the Servant has no choice nor freedom to do what he/she wants to do. Remember, this is 'Servant' we're talking about not 'Slave'. A 'Servant' has more freedom to do what he/she wants because they are in it for something. A 'Slave' has no freedom to do what he/she wants to do.
I understand why a Master is needed. I understand the basic motivation for Servants.
But besides the command seal, a Master has NOTHING to enforce his dominant position in the relationship. There is NOTHING, besides the seal, which stops a Servant from doing what he or she wants. They have free will. BUT they, for some reason, seem to defer and obey their Masters. WHY? If the Servant is the more powerful partner of a Master-Servant pair, than it would be the other way around -- the mage serves and obeys the heroic spirit. Unless the mage can control the spirit, HENCE they are called Servants and Masters.
If Saber wants to strike, who the hell is Shirou to tell her not to? Why does she even need his permission? She may want to convince him to go along with it, but in the end, she didn't NEED his permission, did she? She just did whatever the hell she felt like.
When a real servant disobeys a master, than the servant can be disciplined (which the master is able to do because of the master's greater position/power). But how can a Master discipline a Servant? Waste a seal to force them to do something humiliating? What's the point if you can only use it twice without losing the Servant? So even though, for some reason, Servants act obediently towards their Master, they can still do whatever the hell they want when the feel like it. If they can ignore the orders of a Master, than how can you describe the relationship as Master-Servant? It doesn't make sense.
Anyone else think he's going out of his way to miss the point?
Also, GUTB, here is your answer.
BECAUSE TYPE-MOON SAID SO.
[Quote: Fencedude]
>>Anyone else think he's going out of his way to miss the point?
>>Also, GUTB, here is your answer.
>>BECAUSE TYPE-MOON SAID SO.
Yes.
That's a good (and perfectly legit) answer, y’know.
[Quote: Haesslich]
>>Berserker's case... well, he appears to barely have a will of his own,
Actually, isn't the Berserker class notorious for being hard to control? I’m pretty sure they’re known for turning on their masters (GUTB, see? They don’t ALL blindly follow orders.) And Berzerker being who he is, he ought to be even harder. That’s why Tohsaka has been saying Ilya’s far more powerful than both Tohsaka and Emiya—Ilya managed to summon an extremely powerful Servant, and, on top of that, controlled him through the Berserker class. No small feat.
Now, GUTB, I think I may actually have something that I hope will, if not answer your question, aid. You are of the opinion that an order must be backed by force in the form of power or punishment. And for it to be effective for some, that is likely true. However, for others, there are other forces behind the command that may move them to follow it. For Saber, it is her knightly conditioning. For others, perhaps they feel an obligation to follow the orders of the one who brought them into the world. Or perhaps it’s the oath they swore, saying that they would serve in return for their abilities. Or perhaps a combination of those and others. To each of them, that force is as real as the force of punishment. You may call it stupid, outdated, or whatever, but the fact remains; even in real life, there are people who will follow even the most inane commands because they feel an obligation to do so.
Of course, if what I conjecture is true, then your next post will very closely resemble the previous ones you’ve made on this page.
disclaimer: I've not played the game, this is just my observation
GUBU, neither master or servant have a dominant role in the relationship. The command seal, as you like to call it, is pretty much your three wishes for summoning a genie out of a bottle. That's your reward for bringing them into the world, it doesn't make you dominant, all it does is 3 times you can get them to do something you want. (Being the hentei I am sometimes, I wonder if you can say, Saber, by this command, would you have sex with me? ^_^ j/k)
I think the simplest way to think of this is really that the master and servant are a team in this tournament trying to win the holy grail. The master is the strategician and the servant is the fighting tool. They rely on each other to do what they do best to win. If only Shirou has any brains on how to win this, Saber would not have done what she did. All the other servants pretty much do what they do because they understand that it is their best way to win.
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