Rider

Rider served as Shinji's Servant during the fifth Holy Grail War. She is silent, loyal, and very protective. Rider's preferred weapon is a pair of long nails connected by a single long chain. Rider is self-conscious about her body image and perceives her height as ugly. She also has an accent where she pronounces "r" as "d".

Rider is one of the speediest Servants among the 7. As the heroic spirit of Medusa, she has mystic eyes that petrifies people she sees. She wears a blindfold to keep this ability in check. As the Rider class, Medusa's riding skill is very high. She is able to mount divine beasts.

Background

Medusa appears in Greek mythology. She is a half-god, half-human female beast that can petrify anything she sees. She was defeated by the Greek hero Perseus.

Medusa the youngest of the 3 Gorgon sisters and is the only one who is mortal. She and her sisters Stheno and Euryale lived on a shapeless island near an island where golden apples grew.

The Gorgon sisters were originally beautiful women loved by the god of the sea, Poseidon. His wife was jealous of the sisters and they were transformed into demons by the goddess Athena who was jealous of their beautiful hair. After turning into demons, the Gorgon sisters hid in a lightless temple.

Perseus killed Medusa and took her head. Pegasus came from the severed neck of Medusa.

Fate/Stay Night

Rider was initially summoned as Sakura's Servant, but Shinji demanded that she hand her Master's right over to him. Sakura created a book that functions as his Command Spell to bind Rider to him. Being completely incapable of magic, Shinji was unable to provide Rider with magical energy, thus she resorted to finding other sources and she fights in a way that best conserves energy.

Shinji ordered Rider to create her boundary field in Shirou and Rin's school to absorb the life energy of the students to feed Rider. Rin discovered the field and allied with Shirou dispel it.

Fate

Shirou first met Rider when Shinji invited him to his home. She remained silent and Shirou was in awe at her beauty and deathly aura.

Later, Shirou fought against Shinji at school when he ordered Rider to activate her boundary field. Shirou insisted on fighting Rider in melee but he eventually realized that he was outmatched. He was kicked out of a window and he summoned Saber. Saber engaged Rider and Shirou attacked and injured Shinji. Shinji then ordered Rider to help him escape, which dispelled the boundary field.

The next night, Shirou and Saber found Rider in town. Rider brought Saber to the rooftop of a high-rise building to get enough space to use her Noble Phantasm. Saber launched her Excalibur against Rider's Bellerophon to defeat her.

Unlimited Blade Works

Rider was found killed in school shortly after she activated her boundary field.

Heaven's Feel

Shirou and Saber first found Shinji and Rider in town attacking a woman. Shirou sent Saber to attack and defeat Rider, finding her to be surprisingly weak. Rider was later seen again when she rescued Shirou from the hands of Zouken and True Assassin, showing that she had become a lot stronger. She explained that her Master Sakura had sent her to protect Shirou.

Later, Shinji invited Shirou to school to fight against Rider. She was shown to be weaker again. After Archer defeated Rider, Sakura revoked Shinji's right as a Master over Rider. Rider then returned to Sakura, showing to be a lot stronger again. Shinji then caused Sakura to go wild, activating the boundary field at school. Sakura passed out which dispelled the field. The next night, Rider gave Shirou a wet dream involving Rin while she stole some magical energy from him.

Shirou talked to Rider and she requested Shirou to protect Sakura. Before Sakura went to confront Zouken, she consumed her last Command Spell to order Rider to ally with Shirou before she embraced the Servant Avenger, Angra Mainyu. Just before Shirou and Rin went to face Sakura, Shirou promised Rider to protect Sakura and Rider followed him.

Shirou projected Rho Aias to help Rider's Bellerophon overcome Saber's Excalibur. After recovering from enormous outburst of energy, Rider carried Rin and Sakura out of the underground cavern. In the true ending, Rider lived with Shirou, Sakura, and Rin fueled by Sakura's magical energy.

Weapons

Unidentified Nail

Rider's preferred weapon.

A pair of daggers shaped like a nail connected by a single long chain.

Its origins are unknown. It possibly reflects her inner character.

Noble Phantasm

Breaker Gorgon

Rider's blindfold that seals her mystic eyes.

Her mystic eyes petrify everything that she sees. People with some amount of magic resistance will not be petrified instantly. Servants that are affected will have all their stats reduced by 1 rank.

Bellerophon

A magical bridle that is used to mount Pegasus, who then attacks Rider's target. Bellerophon is named after the man who rode on Pegasus.

Bellerophon can be used either by riding on Pegasus, or by summoning Pegasus to attack. It is one of the most powerful Noble Phantasms. It is also an extremely durable attack and is able to power through another attack launched against it.

Rider summons Pegasus by slashing her neck, using the blood to form a magic circle.

Blood Fort Andromeda

A barrier made from blood.

It is mainly used to consume the people within it as magical energy.