Look, I love BBC Merlin and how they told the lore, but I’m a sucker for the relationship between Arthur and Mordred in the mythology. Specifically, I love how Mary Stewart (author of The Arthurian Saga**) and Nancy Springer (author of I Am Mordred**) wrote about the father/son relationship between them. So naturally, my brain has been conjuring up how I can include that in my Flipping the Coin au.
Since the main premise is Merlin died/Arthur lives, and now Arthur is the one waiting for Merlin to come back, things would stay consistent with canon up to the last episode (when Merlin flips the coin of their destiny and sacrifices himself so Arthur can live and thus stop Camlann from happening altogether). Which is where this idea will start:
Gwen is barren. She and Arthur never have kids. Eventually, everyone Arthur knows and loves dies. He can’t rule Camelot forever, and after Gwen’s death, he no longer wants to, so he fakes his death and wanders off figure out why he’s still here. He never gets an answer for that. Arthur spends the next millennium waiting. He keeps living. He meets people, experiences things he’d never experienced before, and learns things he’d never dreamed of learning. He can’t stay anywhere long, or else suspicions will rise, but he gets to see the world change, how technology advances, and witness humans continuing to be humans. When war breaks out, he joins the battle. It’s familiar. The rush of adrenaline is the same whether he’s wielding a sword or a gun. Only, he can’t see the enemy’s face anymore.
Peace comes again. At some point, he sleeps with a woman, and she happens to become pregnant. Bisexual disaster that he is, he’s had all sorts of partners from both sexes, but has never had this happen, even before the advent of reliable birth control. Later, he’ll learn her name is Morgause. She doesn’t look like the Morgause he knew before, nor does she act like her, but her name haunts him. After the baby is born, she gives him to Arthur, says she has no intentions of being a mother, and leaves. The last thing she had said to him was the baby’s name.
Mordred.
That night, Arthur holds Mordred and weeps.
There is irony in his son being named Mordred. First, in that the legends surrounding him, Merlin, Camelot, the Knights of the Round Table, and all of it, had long ago decided Mordred was his son. And two, in a retelling of that legend, it had aptly phrased what he sensed was happening now. Granted, he isn’t a sorcerer, he doesn’t have magic, so he can’t support his feeling with anything other than he’d been around a long time and knew to his very core that it was true. Mordred’s birth is a signal of the beginning of the end.
Fatherhood brings him a new sense of purpose. Gone are the days of loneliness and drudgery. Every day with Mordred brings a new light into his life. Each smile is a miracle. Seeing Mordred experience things for the first time brings a new appreciation. Being there to watch him grow makes time fly like it never has before. But Arthur is afraid. He doesn’t want to be his father. He doesn’t know how to be a father, or what the right way to do it is. In all the years he’s been on the Earth, he’s never known a man who could concretely say, “This is the way to raise a son,” and actually reap the fruits of their efforts. Too frequently, he’d seen sons grow outside of the visions their fathers molded for them and receive only disappointment and disdain in return. So he was afraid, because he too had been that son.
*cue a series of fluffy father/son one shots of Arthur raising Mordred until Merlin comes back, takes one look, and is is like WTF????? No, I won’t have Mordred for a step son >:(*
**Mary Stewart and Nancy Springer have several other works, not just the stories I mentioned. The ones mentioned are the ones I’m pulling inspiration from ^^
Additional notes below the break:
Guinevere’s barrenness is not a headcanon I typically subscribe to for BBC Merlin. My headcanon is that after Arthur’s death, Gwen gives birth, and their child eventually succeeds her as ruler.
I’ve always seen Mordred’s appearance as the harbinger of Arthur’s downfall. Thus, the reason for the plot bunnies in my brain going crazy with this idea of how I could bring him in, still remain mostly canon compliant with BBC Merlin, and build off some of my favorite parts of the lore. (Mandatory disclaimer: for BBC Merlin, I don’t headcanon Mordred as Arthur’s son. But for the mythology, I do wholeheartedly support that canon.)
Arthur’s choice to participate and live once Camelot is gone is a decision to contrast my headcanon of how Merlin handled it. I don’t think Merlin thrived. I think he stayed busy, and tried to remain hopeful, but I think he was anxiously consumed with the anticipation of wondering when Arthur would come back. In this au, Arthur may or may not know that Merlin is supposed to come back (I’m still working on that detail), but he’s always been around others. I think he would seek camaraderie, and companionship, and that he would connect with others but only to a superficial level. I don’t think he’d exist in a void of loneliness. Plus, he doesn’t have the guilt of knowing he failed because the pressure from the prophecy is very one sided *coughcough*causemerlinnevertoldhim*coughcough*
Anyways, that’s enough rambling from me about this. I’ll probably share some snippets of writing next because there are some fantastic scenes coming together in the draft so stay tuned! ;D
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Fate/Straw Hat
Been a while since I’ve made a fan Servant post, and I’m in a strong One Piece mood, so what if all of the Straw Hats were summoned at once for a Holy Grail War?
“Straw Hat” Monkey D. Luffy, Voyager
Gum-Gum Fruit- a Continuously Active Noble Phantasm that gives Luffy the properties of rubber; activation of Luffy’s Gear 2nd, Gear 3rd, and Gear 4th transformations are considered equivalent to invocations of this Noble Phantasm’s True Name, each of which providing increases to all of Luffy’s physical stats, along with specific focuses depending on the form (2nd most greatly increases Agility, 3rd increases Strength, 4th increases Endurance); the Gum-Gum Fruit gives Luffy great resistance to blunt force attacks, but he is susceptible to edged and energy attacks
Human-Human Fruit, Model: Nika- the real True Name of the Gum-Gum Fruit activated through Gear 5th, Luffy gains the ability to imbue other objects with rubber-like properties will also being able to more freely manipulate his body without care for factors like tension or malleability; increases all stats, including Magical Power and Luck
Conqueror’s Haki- the ability to impose one’s will on a target; will render non-magical humans unconscious and subdue animals/Familiars; weaker willed Masters or Servants may also be rendered unconscious, though other Servants of insufficient will or Magical Power will have their stats lowered by one rank; Servants of sufficient will or Magical Power will be completely unaffected
Observation Haki- the ability to sense the will and intentions of others, Luffy is able to briefly see into the future
Armament Haki- the ability to reinforce his own body, Luffy utilizes Ryuo to emit his Haki and damage opponents internally and from afar; damage is increased by combining Armament and Conqueror’s Haki
Thousand Sunny- the ship which Luffy captains; when summoned, the Thousand Sunny can attack with armaments such as the Gaon Cannon; if summoned in a Holy Grail War without the other members of his crew, the Straw Hat Crew will be summoned as Non-Classed Servants, but they will not be summoned if they are already participating in the War
Straw Hat- Luffy’s most defining symbol, it holds the Vivre Card that signals his allies when he is in danger; retrieving the Vivre Card allows Luffy to open a Reality Marble to the deck of the Yonta Maria where the target will be surrounded by the commanders of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet as Non-Classed Servants, as well as the other 5600 members on their own ships; individual members can also be summoned independently of the Realty Marble
Qualifying Classes- Rider (as Captain of the Thousand Sunny), Saver (as an incarnation of Nika, the Sun God and liberator of slaves), Boxer (as an unarmed melee fighter), Voyager (as an adventurer), Jester/Trickster (a non-canon Class for mythological tricksters, Luffy’s goofy personality and relation to Nika easily qualify him)
“Pirate Hunter” Roronoa Zoro, Saber
Santoryu- Zoro’s three-sword fighting style utilizing his true Noble Phantasms; Wado Ichimonji, Sandai Kitetsu, and Enma; named techniques are the equivalent of invoking the True Name of the swords used for each technique; all techniques can be combined with Armament Haki
Kyutoryu: Asura- Zoro becomes a three-headed and six-armed demon, tripling the number of swords at his disposal and increasing Zoro’s physical stats
Conqueror’s Haki- same as Luffy’s
Armament Haki- same as Luffy’s
Observation Haki- allows Zoro to sense the presence and intentions of others, though he does not have future sight like Luffy
Qualifying Classes- Saber (as a swordsman), Assassin (as a bounty hunter)
“Cat Burglar” Nami, Lancer
Sorcery Clima-tact: Zeus- Nami’s staff, allows her to summon and control weather phenomena; housed within is the living cloud, Zeus, who can be used to change the shape of the Clima-tact and enhance electrical attacks
Shiro Mokuba I- Nami’s Waver, a motorized scooter capable of extreme speeds
Qualifying Classes- Lancer (as a staff-user), Archer (long-range attacks), Rider (Mokuba), Caster (Clima-tact), Assassin (as a thief), Pretender (as a con-woman and infiltrator)
“God” Usopp, Archer
Kuro Kabuto- Usopp’s slingshot, grants him access to a wide arsenal of Pop Greens, plants with various combat and practical uses; named Pop Greens are the equivalent of invoking Kuro Kabuto’s True Name
Observation Haki- though not endowed with future-sight, Usopp is able to use Observation Haki to sense the location of targets at great distances, greatly assisting his aim
Usopp Tactics- Usopp’s deception-based fighting style, represented by his satchel; includes various items such as caltrops, rotten eggs, a chalkboard, ketchup for faking injuries, hot sauce, various Dials, and most notably the Usopp Hammer, a balloon made to look like a large hammer; Servants not known for their cleverness or intelligence are more susceptible to Usopp Tactics, and may even take actual damage from Usopp Hammer
Qualifying Classes- Archer (as a long-range fighter), Assassin (as a sniper), Pretender (as a con-man), Saver (as the “God” that liberated the Toys of Dressrosa), Alter Ego (as Sogeking)
“Black Leg” Sanji, Avenger
Ifrit Jambe- Sanji’s ability to harmlessly light himself on fire, granting fire-damage to his already extremely powerful kicks
Germa Exoskeleton- a Continuously Active Noble Phantasm, Sanji’s skin has some metallic properties, granting him near-invulnerability and enhanced healing in the form of buffing out dents made in his body
Sky Walk- an application of the Rokushiki technique, Geppo, gives Sanji the ability to walk on air
Stealth Black- Sanji’s Germa Raid Suit which grants him increased durability and mobility as well as the power of invisibility; only accessible when summoned as Alter Ego
Observation Haki- same as Zoro’s, though his works faster and provides a clearer sense of the targets intentions, allowing Sanji to react faster and more precisely
Armament Haki- same as Luffy’s, but Sanji cannot use Ryuo to attack from afar or deal internal damage; instead, Sanji tends to use Armament to reinforce his body and allow Ifrit Jambe to become hotter
Qualifying Classes- Assassin (tendency to operate behind-the-scenes, speed which makes him appear invisible), Berserker (tendency to become enraged easily and lash out even at his friends; Mad Enhancement influences the heat of his flames), Avenger (similar to Berserker), Alter Ego (as Stealth Black)
“Cotton Candy Lover” Tony Tony Chopper, Berserker
Human-Human Fruit- a Continuously Active Noble Phantasm, grants Chopper the ability to change between his six forms; Walk Point, Brain Point, Heavy Point, Kung Fu Point, Guard Point and Horn Point. Activation of each Point is equivalent to the invocation of the True Name
Rumble Ball- a medicine ball that, upon consumption, forces Chopper into Monster Point, a giant and powerful form with physical stats far surpassing his other forms, though only temporarily. After thirty minutes, Chopper is temporarily reduced to an infantile-state with extremely low physical stats
Chopperphage Nebulizer- Chopper is able to quickly concoct medicines to combat poisons, illnesses, viruses, etc. and can create a mist that diffuses these medicines across a wide area if necessary
Qualifying Classes- Caster (as a doctor), Berserker (Monster Point’s formerly berserk nature), Healer (not actually a canon Servant class, but as a doctor, it would be the most appropriate class for Chopper to have while still allowing for the rest of the crew to have reasonable classifications)
“Devil Child” Nico Robin, Assassin
Flower-Flower Fruit- grants Robin the ability to sprout hands, eyes, or even replications of her entire body from afar; named techniques qualify as invocation of the True Name; damage dealt to the copies will be dealt to Robin’s main body
Gigante Fleur- using many hands or legs, Robin can create giant versions of her limbs or even a giant version of herself for much more powerful attacks
Demonio Fleur- Robin summons a giant, demonic doppleganger of herself
Qualifying Classes- Assassin (as a literal assassin and infiltrator)
“Iron Man” Franky, Rider
BF-37, Armored Me- Franky’s near-invulnerable cyborg body, equipped with many weapons such as his Strong Right fist, Weapons Left, Franky Rocket Launcher, and most notably, Franky Radical Beam. All named techniques qualify as invocation of the True Name
BF-38, General Franky- by combining the motorbike Kurosai FR-U IV and Brachio Tank V, Franky summons a mech which he can pilot for an increased arsenal; weapons include the Franken sword, General Shield, and his most powerful attack, the General Cannon, an air cannon similar to the Thousand Sunny’s Gaon Cannon
Qualifying Classes- Saber (Franken, though this would necessitate that Franky be summoned as General Franky specifically), Archer (as a long-range fighter), Rider (as the pilot of General Franky and because of Kurosai), Caster (as an engineer and inventor), Shielder (because of his shield-like body), Gunner (because of his firearms), Launcher (Franky Radical Beam)
“Soul King” Brook, Caster
Soul Solid- Brook’s cane-sword; Brook uses the blade as a bow while playing his violin to hypnotic effect
Revive-Revive Fruit- a Continuously Active Noble Phantasm, this allows Brook’s soul to animate his skeletal remains despite his death; Brook is also able to project his soul for reconnaissance and to imbue objects such as Soul Solid with freezing properties
Qualifying Classes- Saber (as a swordsman), Caster (as a hypnotist and because of his ability to manipulate his own soul), Assassin (as a reconnaissance specialist), Performer (a non-canon Class embodying his musical abilities)
”Knight of the Sea” Jinbe, Boxer
Fishman Karate- a martial art that allows Jinbe to weaponize water, including in the air and in the opponent’s body to devastating effect. Named techniques qualify as invocation of the True Name
Fishman Jujutsu- same as above with distinct techniques
Armament Haki- same as Sanji’s
Observation Haki- same as Zoro’s
Qualifying Classes- Lancer (trained in trident combat as a former soldier of the Neptune Army), Archer (long-ranged Fishman Karate and Jujutsu attacks), Caster (water manipulation), Assassin (as a martial arts master), Boxer (as a martial arts master)
Nefertari Vivi, Ruler
Karoo- Vivi’s pet Super Spot-Billed Duck, capable of extremely quick maneuvers even while carrying a rider as well as running for long periods of times even in arid climates
Peacock String Slashers- Vivi’s bladed wire weapons
Enchanting Vertigo Dance- a belly-dance that utilizes the patterns on Vivi’s clothes to hypnotize the opponent
Qualifying Classes- Lancer (Peacock String Slashers as mid-range melee weapons), Rider (as Karoo’s rider), Caster (as a hypnotist), Assassin (as an undercover agent), Ruler (as a literal ruler and a talented negotiator)
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