Sakura Matou

Sakura is the adoptive sister of Shinji and biological sister of Rin Tohsaka. She doesn't reveal much about herself and her details were only revealed on the Heaven's Feel route. Sakura is shy, timid, submissive, soft-spoken, and eager to please, but occasionally shows strength when she feels threatened or challenged.

Sakura is a member of her school's archery club. Her brother Shinji is a friend of Shirou. She had known Shirou for 4 years, but she only started visiting his house since the previous year. Sakura learned cooking from Shirou. Shinji is very abusive of her. Shirou eventually discovered it and it strained his friendship with Shinji.

General Information:

• Birthday: March 2
• Blood Type: O
• Height: 156 cm
• Weight: 46 kg
• B85 / W56 / H87

Background

The Matou family was losing its magical powers in its recent years. The latest in line, Shinji was completely incapable of magic. His grandfather, Zouken requested to adopt Sakura from the Tohsaka family, because Rin had already been chosen as the successor of her family being the older sister, and that he did not want the Matou magus family to die out.

Sakura was adopted into the Matou family 1 year before the fourth Holy Grail War, 11 years before the fifth Holy Grail War. Back then, she had black hair and blue eyes like her older sister Rin. Zouken subjected Sakura intense training which caused her to suffer greatly and became emotionally withdrawn. She had resigned to fate.

The fourth Holy Grail War concluded with the Holy Grail being shattered by Kiritsugu's Servant Saber. Zouken knew about the Servant Avenger, Angra Mainyu who was laying dormant within the Holy Grail. He implanted a piece of the Holy Grail and his worm familiars into Sakura in order to turn her into an artificial Holy Grail which turned her hair and eyes purple. He bound Avenger to Sakura as her Servant and planned to feed her with the defeated Heroic Spirits of the next Holy Grail War in order to bring Avenger into the world.

During this time, Zouken kept his plan secret from Shinji in order to prevent him from discovering Sakura as the real successor of the family and to prevent him from compromising his plan. Shinji managed to find out and was devastated. He dared not defy Zouken's wishes but he abused Sakura for stealing his right as the successor. Sakura felt pity for him and did not retaliate.

For the 10 years until the fifth Holy Grail War, she bottled up her resentment and hate for Zouken for subjecting her to excruciating pain on a daily basis and for Rin for not coming to her rescue. 4 years before the fifth Holy Grail War, Sakura witnessed Shirou stubbornly trying to jump a bar for track-and-field practice. She gained renewed fortitude and fell in love with him. 3 years later, she gathered enough courage to approach him and befriend him.

Fate/Stay Night

Sakura summoned Rider which officiated her participation in the fifth Holy Grail War as the Matou family's representative. Due to her desire to not fight and pressure from Shinji, she used her magic to create a book at the cost of one of her Command Spells to give Shinji command of Rider.

Prologue

Sakura was first seen with Gilgamesh near the Matou house. He appeared to be threatening her before leaving.

On the Fate and Unlimited Blade Works routes, Sakura did not get involved in the war. Shirou and Rin worked to keep the war secret from her and Shirou worried about her safety knowing that her brother Shinji was an active Master. Sakura was also annoyed by the sudden introduction of Rin and Saber in Shirou's life.

Heaven's Feel

Sakura discovered that Shirou was developing a Command Spell on his left hand. She became distraught at the prospect of facing against him in the war and the possibility that he may lose his life. Sakura also became very sickly as her involuntary Servant Avenger started becoming active in the form of her shadow. Avenger started moving about the city devouring people.

Sakura loved Shirou and subtly requested that he kill her if she loses herself to her Servant Avenger, Angra Mainyu.

After Shinji and Rider were defeated by Shirou and Saber, Zouken cursed his weakness and started taking an active role. Later, Shinji kidnapped Sakura from Shirou's home and demanded that she make another book for him to gain command over Rider. He held Sakura hostage at school and phoned Shirou, inviting him for a duel. At school, Rider was defeated by Archer. After witnessing Shinji's abuse of Rider, Sakura revoked his right as Rider's Master.

Later, Shirou learned that Zouken was holding Sakura hostage with his worm familiars and was forcing her to fight. Shirou found Sakura at the town's park and she revealed that Zouken had ordered her to spy on Shirou. She hated herself for keeping the truth from Shirou and for being too weak to rebel against Zouken. Shirou decided to discard his ideals and swore to save Sakura.

Zouken formed a contract with True Assassin and allied with Avenger to devour Servants to feed the Holy Grail that he implanted in Sakura. Caster was devoured first. After Lancer was devoured by Avenger, Kotomine informed Shirou about the danger posed by Avenger and sent Gilgamesh to investigate. Avenger devoured Saber, Berserker, then Gilgamesh. Sakura became more sickly with each Heroic Spirit that she contained as a Holy Grail.

Sakura suspected that she was indirectly causing all that damage and wanted to confront Zouken. She consumed her last Command Spell to order Rider to ally with Shirou. At the Matou house, she ran into Shinji who tried to abuse her again, but she snapped and killed him. She then embraced Avenger and wielded his powers. She kidnapped Illyasviel in order to obtain Archer from her to complete the Holy Grail within her.

Shirou and Kotomine went to rescue Illyasviel from her castle and Sakura confronted Kotomine, stopping his heart. Later when she moved to the site of the Great Holy Grail, she sent an image to tell Shirou to leave Fuyuki City before Angra Mainyu was unleashed.

Sakura decided to give up on obtaining Archer, and instead betrayed Zouken, killing him by purging herself of the last remaining worm parasites within her and devouring True Assassin.

In the underground cavern under Ryudou Temple, she tries to open the gate to the Great Holy Grail in order to use its power to give form to Avenger. She sent Saber Alter to guard the entrance but invited Rin in to personally kill her. Sakura ranted about how she suffered under Zouken's tyranny and how Rin was much better of. Rin managed to match Sakura's power with the Gemmed Sword of Zelretch and Rin hugged her, apologizing for not being there for her.

Sakura then realized Rin's love for her and started resisting Avenger. Shirou then appeared and projected Caster's Rule Breaker to free her from Avenger. Rider then carried Sakura and Rin out of there.

In the normal ending, Shirou projected Saber's Excalibur to destroy the Great Holy Grail, losing his life in the process. Sakura then spent the rest of her life waiting for Shirou's return.

In the true ending, Kotomine showed up and dueled Shirou. Kotomine expired and Illyasviel appeared with her ceremony dress to sacrifice herself to seal the Great Holy Grail. Sakura was left with a vast amount of magical energy. Rin obtained an homunculus body for Shirou and his body was sustained by Sakura's energy. Rider also lived with them sustained by Sakura's magical energy.