Fate/strange Fake Finale: The Beautiful and Brutal Fate of Pale Rider & Tsubaki

Fate/strange Fake has reached its climax! To fulfill every wish of Tsubaki Kuruoka, “Mr. Black” has revealed its true form, Pale Rider, and officially joined the war.

In Episode 12 of the Fate/strange Fake anime, the mysterious Servant “Mr. Black” finally reveals its true form to fulfill the grand dream of the young and innocent Tsubaki Kuruoka. Although Tsubaki has always called it “Mr. Black,” every Servant in the Fate universe has a True Name, and “Mr. Black” is no exception. Usually, a Master will ask for a True Name or the Servant will offer it to build trust; however, since Tsubaki is just a child who only wants “Mr. Black” to stay by her side, she never thought to ask.

For those who, like Tsubaki, are not familiar with the Fate universe, allow me to quickly explain what a "True Name" is. Every Servant must have a True Name, as it is the name they held in their previous existence. To make it easier to understand, let’s look at "True" Saber as an example. While everyone simply calls him "Saber," in his previous life, he was Richard I; therefore, when he became a Servant, Richard I became his True Name. Other examples include "Fake" Archer (Gilgamesh), "True" Archer (Alcides), and "True" Rider (Hippolyta).

Normally, Servants will only share their True Names with their Master and keep them hidden from others, as revealing a True Name is essentially revealing a weakness. In the Fate universe's Holy Grail War, historical facts can be used against Servants. For example, if a Servant was killed by poison in their previous life, they will be vulnerable to or fearful of poison during the war. While True Names may not seem as central in Fate/strange Fake yet, historical facts play a massive role in other Fate works; understanding this will help you follow the rest of the franchise much more easily.

In the Fate universe, some Servants have True Names that are quite easy to guess. For example, many characters correctly identified "True" Saber and the identity of "Fake" Berserker (Jack the Ripper). However, while some are easy to figure out, "Mr. Black" remained a mystery because he is a pure black existence who never spoke throughout the entire anime series. Fortunately, thanks to Flat Escardos’s teacher, Lord El-Melloi II (Waver Velvet), we finally know the True Name of "Mr. Black."

In Episode 12, Lord El-Melloi II finally reveals the True Name of "Mr. Black": Pale Rider. Until now, Pale Rider had been living quietly within Tsubaki’s dream world and hadn't attempted to fight other Servants; however, after hearing Tsubaki’s wish, he decided to claim the Holy Grail for her and showed us an incredible transformation. The Pale Rider transformation scene is definitely one of the highlights of Fate/strange Fake. Through this transformation alone, Pale Rider left many characters within the Dream World feeling absolutely terrified.

Source: Fate/strange Fake Episode 12

Pale Rider: The Mysterious Servant and the Concept of Death

It was inevitable that both the characters inside the Dream World and Lord El-Melloi II would feel terrified; the moment Pale Rider arrived, the Dream World changed dramatically. As crows and rats swarmed together to summon his True Form, the Dream World itself began to collapse. The entire scene makes it feel as though the world is reacting to Pale Rider’s determination to wipe out every enemy. While the scene is visually perfect, it will likely leave viewers with big questions about what is actually happening right now.

Through the explanation from Tsubaki’s terrible father, Yuukaku Kuruoka, we learned that the power of bacteria allowed Tsubaki to become a Master. While we can understand that part, it doesn’t explain why Pale Rider specifically became Tsubaki’s Servant. Since our poor Tsubaki is in a constant unconscious state, it seems almost pointless for Pale Rider to seek her out; even if Tsubaki wanted him as her Servant, she isn’t in a position to actually help him win the Holy Grail.

Why did Tsubaki’s Servant have to be Pale Rider? I believe this has been a major question for everyone for quite a while, and in Episode 12 of Fate/strange Fake, Lord El-Melloi II finally gave us some important clues. In the Fate universe, regarding Magecraft, dreams are often perceived as a form of the afterlife. What does this actually mean? It means that, although everyone is currently inside Tsubaki’s Dream World, they are also effectively trapped inside an underworld that Tsubaki has created.

It may sound unbelievable, but from the perspective of characters in the real world, Tsubaki is no different than a dead person. This brings us to a cruel fact: after Tsubaki fell into her unconscious state, her terrible parents abandoned her, losing all hope that she would ever wake up again. Although we view Tsubaki as a living person, she is, unfortunately, no different from the dead in their eyes. Furthermore, before Tsubaki encountered Pale Rider, she wandered the vast Snowfield all by herself, crying from loneliness and fear. In Tsubaki’s mind, that place was no different from hell—it was the underworld.

Source: Fate/strange Fake Episode 12

The reason I am sharing this information is that while the characters call Tsubaki’s realm a "Dream World," it is actually no different from an underworld. While there are many different types of concepts and Heroic Spirits, one might expect a dream-related Servant to appear; however, the Servant who contacted Tsubaki is connected to the underworld instead. As I mentioned before, Pale Rider is the concept of Death, so he is naturally an underworld-related entity with the ability to reach out to Tsubaki.

While it certainly isn't something Tsubaki intended or hoped for, her world has somehow linked to the underworld, enabling Pale Rider to make contact with her. From Pale Rider’s perspective, it might have simply been like saying hello to a neighbour. After confirming their partnership, Pale Rider began bringing various living things from the real world into Tsubaki's world.

Tsubaki is clearly very happy, we could even say she feels blessed—to have everyone around her. While it is heartwarming to see her smiling so brightly, there is one detail we must notice: the difference between these animals. Although Tsubaki’s world is filled with many creatures that all seem to love her, only three specific species actually work for Pale Rider.

The three specific species are mice, crows, and Cerberus. These are the animals that actively move around the Snowfield, taking action whenever they sense someone trying to harm Tsubaki, while the other cute animals simply play with her. It is important to notice this because these specific animals are traditionally related to the underworld. This once again proves that the world Tsubaki created is actually an underworld, and Pale Rider has full control over it.

Source: Fate/strange Fake Episode 12

“Mr. Black”: The Pure Black Existence Who Answered a Child’s Sad Call

Since “Mr. Black” doesn't speak or communicate directly with little Tsubaki, the reason he contacted her remains a mystery. In Episode 11 of Fate/strange Fake, we learned that instead of a Master summoning a Servant, it was “Mr. Black” who reached out to Tsubaki. Perhaps he wanted to use her as a catalyst to learn, or perhaps he simply wanted to join the Holy Grail War. We can’t even rule out the possibility that he is just using her; however, we also can't deny that he has given her some truly wonderful days.

This is just a personal theory, but if “Mr. Black” hadn't contacted Tsubaki, she might have eventually given up within her own mind, leading to her complete death. While “Mr. Black” is difficult to understand, Tsubaki’s feelings are quite clear. It is heartbreaking to imagine how a young child feels when she is all alone in a town where no one cares for her and no one stands by her side.

After confirming their partnership, “Mr. Black” did everything in his power for Tsubaki. When she wanted her parents, he immediately brought them to her; when she wanted animals, he gathered every kind imaginable. Even when Tsubaki simply didn't want anyone to leave her, he followed the logic of her dream and locked everyone in even tighter.

Of course, Tsubaki’s wishes ended up involving many innocent people, which is certainly not a good thing—but this is the Holy Grail War, where Masters have wishes and Servants grant them. While “Mr. Black” seems to have turned Snowfield into a living hell, there are many wishes in the Fate universe far more terrible than Tsubaki’s. There are Masters who have turned their cities into even worse nightmares. Compared to those Masters, Tsubaki has truly done nothing wrong, especially considering she is a victim of her parents' cruelty.

Source: Fate/strange Fake Episode 12

A great example of this can be found in Fate/Zero. Fate/Zero is a brilliantly dark entry in the franchise; for those who haven’t watched it yet, I highly recommend giving it a try to see just how intense the Fate universe can be. In Fate/Zero, there is a Master named Ryuunosuke Uryuu who teams up with "Aohige," Gilles de Rais. This duo committed acts far more horrific than anything Tsubaki and “Mr. Black” have done.

Ryuunosuke is a depraved serial killer who murders purely for pleasure, earning him the reputation of a "devil" among the city's residents. When one devil teamed up with a historical monster like Gilles, they abducted countless children just for their own twisted amusement. There are even scenes where Aohige intentionally uses children as human shields against Saber (Artoria Pendragon), resulting in the deaths of many innocent children during the Fourth Fuyuki Holy Grail War.

The reason I brought up Ryuunosuke and Aohige is to show that while Tsubaki and Pale Rider have caused some harm, they are definitely not "villainous" by Fate universe standards. However, since Fate/strange Fake ultimately focuses on Ayaka Sajyou and "True" Saber, the chances of Tsubaki and her Servant surviving until the very end are incredibly low.

While the other characters have no reason to kill Tsubaki—and I don’t believe they will—it is likely that her final two wishes will never come true. Personally, I would love to see Tsubaki win the Snowfield Holy Grail War; however, with so many powerful forces involved, her dreams of staying together forever and becoming a true magus are simply impossible to fulfill.

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Pale Rider: Fulfilling a Young Master’s Grand Dream and Obtaining the Holy Grail

Perhaps he truly wants to help Tsubaki reach her dream, or perhaps he is simply using her for his own evil plots. He might even be looking forward to everyone trying to kill her. We don't yet know what Jester Karture is thinking, but in Episode 12 of Fate/strange Fake, he lured Tsubaki into speaking her grand dream aloud. As a child who always looked up to her parents and wanted to be useful to them, Tsubaki’s dream was simply to become a magus like they were.

Immediately after Tsubaki spoke her dream, “Mr. Black” transformed into his true form: Pale Rider. Aside from Jester Karture, no one—not even Tsubaki—knew exactly what had happened. As an innocent child, Tsubaki may have thought a "magician" was someone who performs magic tricks or works in a circus; unfortunately, in the Fate universe, being a magus is nothing like that.

Since Tsubaki is so young, she has no idea that her wishes are far more dangerous than anyone could imagine. In the Fate universe, a "magus" is nothing like the magicians we know in the real world; they aren't clowns, and they don't perform simple magic tricks. Instead, they are a group of dangerous individuals who control mysterious, ancient powers and will use any method possible to prove their worth.

Families like the Makiri/Matou, the Einzberns, the Tohsakas, and even Tsubaki’s own parents are typical mages. They are never satisfied with their current standing and are always striving to reach the top of the mage world. Even Lord El-Melloi II, though he is now kind and mature, used reckless methods in his youth to prove himself.

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In the Fate universe, mages are dangerous people; wherever they go and whatever they do, bloodshed often follows. It is impossible for someone like Tsubaki to become one of them, both physically and emotionally. As a kind child who knows nothing of the mage world, she is the complete opposite of a cold-blooded magus. Furthermore, since she remains in an unconscious state, it seems impossible for someone who cannot even speak to practice magecraft.

This is precisely why, as soon as Tsubaki spoke her dream, “Mr. Black” transformed into Pale Rider and decided to claim the Holy Grail for his friend. There are no conventional ways for Tsubaki to become like her terrible parents; the only way to grant her wish is to use the power of the Holy Grail to change her into something else entirely.

From the perspective of granting Tsubaki’s dream, Pale Rider made a major decision by fully joining the Holy Grail War to obtain the Grail, as it is the fastest way to transform Tsubaki. Of course, one could argue whether Pale Rider truly understands how this dream will affect her. Personally, I don’t believe he does; as the personification of death, he likely cannot comprehend human consequences on such a deep level. However, since he is simply trying to help Tsubaki, we can’t really blame him.

This is also why I don’t think Tsubaki can stay with Pale Rider forever. Although I personally wish she could win the Holy Grail, once she obtains it, she will inevitably be changed into something else—which is clearly not a good thing. While it is wonderful that Tsubaki found such a special friend, for her own sake, she simply cannot stay by his side forever.

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Pale Rider: The Relationship Between a Pure Black Existence and an Innocent Child

It is a point we can always argue: does Pale Rider view Tsubaki as a human to take advantage of, or does he view her as a friend? Throughout the events of Fate/strange Fake, we have seen that even when he was still "Mr. Black," he granted every one of Tsubaki’s wishes—whether it was for her parents, the animals, or her desire for no one to ever leave her.

Granting her every wish might make it seem like Pale Rider views Tsubaki as someone important, but in the Fate universe, these actions don't necessarily prove his intentions. Pale Rider has used these opportunities to significantly affect the real world. By helping Tsubaki, he gained the access needed to expand his own influence, making it difficult to tell how he truly views his Master.

While many people believe that Pale Rider is simply using Tsubaki, I have the complete opposite view of their relationship. If you watch Episodes 11 and 12 together, you can find some important clues about their bond. In Episode 11, there is a scene where Tsubaki makes a flower wreath and asks Pale Rider to stay with her forever.

At that time, because Pale Rider disappeared right after Tsubaki spoke her wish, she thought he had left her just like everyone else and felt incredibly sad. However, if we combine the events of both episodes, we find that the truth is quite the opposite. Pale Rider didn't leave because he wanted to abandon Tsubaki; instead, he went to deal with those who were trying to kill her—specifically at the same time "True" Saber’s group was discussing about killing her.

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After dealing with those threats, we actually see a scene in Episode 12 where Pale Rider—still in his "Mr. Black" form—is wearing the flower wreath Tsubaki made for him. This might seem like a small detail, but in the context of a Holy Grail War, it's very significant. Since Tsubaki’s gift was a simple, innocent gesture rather than a display of powerful Magecraft, the fact that Pale Rider kept it shows that he truly appreciates her.

In addition to this, after his transformation, Pale Rider explicitly mentions bringing the Holy Grail to his "friend." In Fate/strange Fake, the only friend Pale Rider has is Tsubaki. It’s quite obvious: who else would befriend a "pure black existence" besides her? From this declaration, it's clear that he views Tsubaki as a true friend and is willing to do anything for her sake.

As I mentioned before, Servants don't usually reveal their true selves in front of others, as opposing teams can use that information to develop counters. The fact that Pale Rider revealed his True Form immediately just to obtain the Holy Grail for Tsubaki proves once again how much he cares for her. One could argue that he simply looks down on everyone and thus dares to show his form, but the defeat of Gilgamesh reminds us that no matter how strong you are, you can always be overwhelmed by numbers.

No matter how powerful Pale Rider is, if the other Servants join forces, his chances of winning are low. However, from the way he summoned Cerberus to increase his numbers and used the crows to keep watch over True Saber’s group—all while constantly returning to Tsubaki’s side—it’s clear that Pale Rider knows how to wage war. Even though appearing in his True Form puts him in great danger, he chose to transform anyway, all for the sake of the Holy Grail and his friend, Tsubaki.

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Conclusion:

Fate/strange Fake has reached its final part and its ultimate climax. Very soon, we will know the ending for Tsubaki and her special friend, Pale Rider. Because Tsubaki has formed such a strong bond with him, it is clear that she wants them to stay together forever; however, the reality is that this dream is likely impossible. While there may be many ways to save Tsubaki herself, unfortunately, none of them seem to include a way to save her Rider.

Thank you for reading! I will be publishing more content soon, including plot explanations, character deep-dives, and much more, so please stay tuned. While you wait for my next post, feel free to leave as many episodic reviews as possible, as there are plenty of challenges waiting for you on AnimeOshi! Plus, AnimeOshi has just launched a new Dropkick on My Devil! campaign, so everyone is welcome to join!

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