"So basically, Artoria is King Arthur, right? And she joined the Holy Grail War to erase the part of herself that once wanted to become king?"
"Not exactly erase. If you read Mr. Jing Yu's Character Notes, you'd know that when Artoria drew the Sword in the Stone, she experienced a moment of fear. She worried: 'What if someone else is more suited to be king—someone who could build a more peaceful kingdom?' In the end, I think she believed there was someone else who could pull that sword, and that person might have led Britain to a different future."
"Honestly, that ¥1.5 I spent on the streaming site version was so worth it. Mr. Jing Yu's world-building is incredible. I thought in the first episode Kiritsugu just summoned some girl, but I never expected that girl's backstory to be this compelling."
"You can tell something's up just by the fact that Tang Rui gained a million followers on Qingyun Blog in just one week. Even though the 'Fate/Zero' storyline didn't hook me that hard, Artoria's character definitely did."
"I feel so bad for her. Poor wife!"
"Ugh, calling her 'wife' already? You shameless creep."
"But for real, is there no romance in this drama at all? I kinda like the idea of Gilgamesh and Artoria as a couple! Their looks are so perfect together."
"Give me a break. After reading Artoria's character notes, I honestly think that golden pretty boy doesn't deserve someone like her. Maybe staying single really is best."
"Of course she's single. Makes it easier for you to call her 'wife,' huh? Pervert!"
"Why isn't it 8 p.m. yet?! This wait is killing me…"
And so, with fans buzzing in anticipation, 'Fate/Zero' Episode 2 finally aired.
Its premiere rating jumped dramatically compared to last week, debuting at over 7%.
Even Yunteng TV hadn't expected that.
Jing Yu had added so much bonus content to the streaming platform version that Yunteng TV had been worried the audience would migrate there instead. But clearly, they were overthinking it.
After all, most people had already paid for their cable subscriptions. They weren't going to not watch it. Plus, it aired five minutes earlier on TV, and the viewing experience is generally better than streaming. As for the extra content, people could just watch that online afterward.
Soon, the opening theme ended, and the story began.
Episode 2 opened with interactions between Waver and Iskandar.
A timid, pretty boy and a bold, burly older man—interacting.
A former king, summoned to the modern world as a Heroic Spirit by the Holy Grail—what's his first reaction?
"I shall conquer the world!"
"Man, this Iskandar guy is hilarious."
"Honestly, though, that fits perfectly with his title as the King of Conquerors."
"Alexander the Great, huh? Kinda curious about this character's backstory now."
"Mr. Jing Yu's world-building is so good. Honestly, my biggest enjoyment so far has come from exploring the Heroic Spirits' historical backgrounds."
"Yeah, most drama focus on their lore, but seeing drama with this level of historical world-building? That's rare. And the lore's actually interesting."
"So far, the official trailers and website have only revealed three Heroic Spirit backgrounds, right? King Arthur Artoria, King of Heroes Gilgamesh, and King of Conquerors Iskandar. The last two are still a bit vague. But since they're not the leads, do you think Mr. Jing Yu will flesh out their stories too?"
"Hard to say. I hope he does. Especially that golden snob—why is Gilgamesh acting like he's better than everyone? If he's all talk and no bite, that'd be hilarious."
Fans continued discussing in real time while watching.
To be fair, 'Fate/Zero's early episodes are all setup.
The emotional impact isn't random—it's earned. Without proper groundwork, audiences can't be moved.
There were moments of Kiritsugu's everyday life with his daughter Illya; interactions between Waver and the mighty Iskandar; conversations between Artoria and Kiritsugu's wife about life, ideals, and dreams…
And then came one of 'Fate/Zero's first antagonists: the "sunshine boy" Ryuunosuke Uryuu.
A serial killer who committed crimes not for money, but for fun.
Simply put: a maniac.
And yes, he was the seventh Master in the Holy Grail War.
"Ryuunosuke Uryuu. Freelance. Hobbies include murder. Likes children and young women."
That was the first thing he and his summoned Servant said.
And his Servant? Just as deranged.
He released a child Ryuunosuke had captured, only to have a monster devour the kid just as he reached the front door of that twisted house.
With this insane duo's appearance, 'Fate/Zero's slow-paced story suddenly turned dark and tense.
"Whoa… this plot…"
"Wait, this feels nothing like Mr. Jing Yu's previous shows!"
"This has some serious dark vibes."
"Yeah, I'm used to Mr. Jing Yu's youth romance dramas. Seeing something this grim—where people die—feels surreal."
"Where are the fight scenes? Isn't this series supposed to be about high-octane battles? We're halfway through Episode 2, and still no real action?"
"Same here. I really miss Mr. Jing Yu's action scenes. Remember his sword fights in 'Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal'? They were insanely good. But then he switched to making romance dramas… such a waste of a great action star."
"When do Ryuunosuke and his Servant die? Damn, that scene freaked me out. I really thought the Heroic Spirits on the Mage side were the good guys, but these two are pure evil. Poor kid…"
"It's just a TV show—don't take it too personally. But yeah, that kind of scene is hard to avoid in this genre."
"Damn, these two are even discussing how to make killing more artistic."
"Not only that—they totally hit it off, like kindred spirits. Sickening!"
"It's like they're perfectly matched. Honestly… It's almost funny how disgusting they are."
"Still… Ryuunosuke's kinda hot. How can such a sunshine-looking guy be that messed up inside?"
"That's how they get you. The obviously creepy ones get caught early. It's the ones who look harmless that manage to deceive and hurt others."
The scene shifted again.
Kirei Kotomine ordered his Assassin-class Servant, Hassan, to infiltrate the Tohsaka household for intel.
Just as Hassan was about to succeed…
A flash of golden light.
"Worm crawling on the ground—who gave you permission to lift your head?"
Finally, the special effects fans were waiting for.
A rain of weapons descended from the heavens, nailing Hassan to the ground in a heartbeat.
A dazzling golden youth floated high above, a corner of his vast treasury of weapons materializing behind him.
Rich. Handsome. Powerful.
At that moment, fans all had the same thought:
This is the final form of a rich, handsome elite.
In fan chat groups:
"Holy crap! That's Mr. Jing Yu's work?! So cool!"
"Helpful civilian 'Goldie' kills a home invader caught in the act?"
"Wait, that's it? Hassan's already dead? That's pathetic!"
"Weren't these Heroic Spirits supposed to be from history? This one's trash. Aside from his ninja moves, he didn't seem that impressive."
"But damn, that golden guy is insane!"
"Tohsaka Tokiomi is hilarious. He summoned Gilgamesh, but still acts scared of him?"
"Just how powerful is this guy? Why is the Master afraid of Gilgamesh—even though he hold Command Seals?!"
"Wait, am I already two episodes in? Mr. Jing Yu's pacing is kind of slow…"
"Yeah, I feel that. Let's see some real fights already!"
Meanwhile, Kiritsugu's deepening bond with his assistant and the growing friendship between his wife and Artoria took the spotlight.
"As King Arthur, you probably never had time to enjoy life, right?"
"Kiritsugu is someone who suffers even when surrounded by happiness."
Episode 2 of 'Fate/Zero' ended, once again, with more setup.
But in the final scene, Artoria and Irisviel were ambushed by an unknown Heroic Spirit.
A Lancer-class Servant launched a surprise attack—marking Artoria's first battle that night.
A preview, really—a tease for Episode 3.
This kind of slow build isn't boring per se, but definitely not what you'd call thrilling.
Fortunately, the unique setting of 'Fate/Zero' kept audiences intrigued, even before the climax hit.
Episode 2's average rating landed at 7.56%.
Just in its second week, 'Fate/Zero' had already topped the Spring Season ratings chart for Great Zhou TV.
Unlike before—when Jing Yu's works only peaked during dramatic climaxes—this time...
As long as the quality holds, audiences seem willing to wait.
After watching the TV broadcast, many viewers—still hungry for more—headed to the streaming platform to check out Jing Yu's extended cut.
In Episode 2's streaming edition, Jing Yu focused on expanding the background of the Assassin-class Servant, Hassan.
To be honest, most of that info came from the source material. Jing Yu supplemented it with some historical references from the last century. It wasn't as captivating as last week's Artoria-focused lore drop, but fans still found it enjoyable.
After Episode 2 aired, everyone started to understand Jing Yu's approach.
On the streaming site, each episode likely expands on the background of one Heroic Spirit and their class.
You could skip it and still follow the plot just fine.
Like Hassan—he got one-shotted by Gilgamesh. Even if you didn't know his background, it wouldn't ruin the viewing experience.
But knowing the lore?
Watching that moment—where Gilgamesh annihilates Hassan—suddenly hits different.
"So even the King of Assassins is just a worm in his eyes?"