In early February, Episode 6 of 'Fate/Zero' aired.
Xie Kaijun had already been waiting in front of the TV, ready for the broadcast to start.
To be honest, Yunteng TV airing the episode five minutes earlier than scheduled really helped boost the drama's ratings. Otherwise, many fans would've just gone straight to streaming platforms for the bonus cut — and likely wouldn't have chosen to watch on TV at all.
This move gave viewers a reason to rewatch and deepened their understanding of the show's finer details.
The first half of Episode 6 followed a familiar pattern:
The seven Masters scheming and clashing as they fought for the Holy Grail.
But in the second half...
The story arrived at one of the most iconic moments of 'Fate/Zero': the Roundtable of Kings.
"Let us determine who among us is most fit to be King — through wine."
When Iskandar met Artoria, this was the line he delivered — instantly changing the tone of the episode.
Then, with the sudden arrival of the Golden King, Gilgamesh...
It finally clicked for Xie Kaijun:
These three were all kings.
Rulers of their own eras, dominant figures in their nations' histories — seeing the three monarchs gathered like this...
Even though the world of 'Fate/Zero' was fictional, the rising music and solemn atmosphere stirred something in him.
Honestly, the scene had the flavor of Romance of the Three Kingdoms — like the legendary "Boiling Wine Over Green Plums to Discuss Heroes."
Three kings from history, sitting together, debating the essence of kingship.
Gilgamesh, who saw the Grail as nothing more than a treasure from his vault, didn't care about its wish-granting power. For him, having the Grail stolen was tantamount to theft, an insult to his status. It belonged to him. Without his permission, no one had the right to take it.
That was his philosophy. His will was law. That was his King's Path.
Iskandar's idea of a King? If he wanted something, he would conquer it. If negotiation failed, he'd take it by force. He didn't want to use the Grail's power to conquer the world — he wanted the Grail to give him a physical body so he could do it himself, in this modern era. That was his King's Path.
And Artoria?
She sought the Grail to change her past — to rewrite her fate, to save Britain from ruin during her reign.
This idea was scorned by both Gilgamesh and Iskandar.
"What kind of king sacrifices everything for their people? True kings are the ones for whom their people would give everything — even their lives."
"A king should be the most greedy, the most joyful, embody the extremes of both light and darkness — and inspire their people to say, I want to be a king like that. Your ideals and justice may have saved your people… but what about those who were only saved and nothing more? You do know what I mean, don't you?"
Iskandar's words left Artoria visibly shaken.
And Xie Kaijun, glued to his screen, couldn't tear his eyes away.
If 'Fate/Zero' had just been a battle royale among Masters for the Grail, it wouldn't have stood out. There were plenty of stories like that.
But in Jing Yu's view, this — the Roundtable of Kings — was where the groundwork was finally complete. From here on out, the show would dive deep into human nature and character exploration — this was where the series would truly ascend to greatness.
In the fan group:
"Honestly… I think Iskandar was right. If a King has no desires, what should his followers do?"
"Exactly. People admire saints because they know they can't live up to them. That's what makes them ideals. But if a real saint were to govern a country, no one would be happy. A nation ruled by saintly laws might be just and perfect, but it wouldn't be happy. Because the code of saints… goes against human nature."
"Now I understand why so many in Britain rebelled against Artoria. It's that old line: 'If our paths diverge, we cannot walk together.' Under a ruler who's utterly just, who demands moral purity from all… You start to see yourself as dirty and rotten. Maybe it's fine for a while, but eventually, you just want to scream: 'You go be your saint — I'll be a hedonistic tyrant and live my damn life!'"
"Among a crowd of good people, one evil man is the outlier. But among the wicked, a single righteous soul stands out as the freak. Artoria died for her kingdom, and in the end… died by the hands of her own knights."
"Still, even if Iskandar and Gilgamesh were 'right'... I just love Artoria."
"Same here. Idealists may be naive, but I love their purity. Those who've been corrupted by the world love mocking the untainted — but I'm the first to sneer at them."
"But man, Iskandar is so cool! I like both of them. The one I can't stand is Gilgamesh — Jing Yu plays him like a spoiled rich brat. Ugh."
"My heart breaks for Artoria. Just wanting to save your homeland… and being mocked for it. Iskandar and Gilgamesh are just selfish kings."
"To show no desire, to ignore your confused followers, to stand aloof, clinging to perfect ideals — that's not a real king."
Iskandar's words had a massive impact on Artoria.
But they also sparked fierce debate among viewers — with many aligning with Iskandar's philosophy. His popularity among fans skyrocketed.
And when he finally activated his Noble Phantasm — Ionioi Hetairoi, Army of the King…
A truly jaw-dropping scene unfolded before Xie Kaijun and everyone watching.
Across a barren desert, Iskandar stood with a never-ending army at his back.
All his former soldiers and followers, transformed into Heroic Spirits — even in death, they fought at his side, drenched in blood and glory.
This… was Iskandar's ultimate form in 'Fate/Zero'.
The visual impact and emotional gravity of that moment stunned countless viewers.
Some critics had called the show's character writing "boring" — but at that moment…
Xie Kaijun could only say: "Bullshit."
Even though he didn't agree with how Artoria's ideals were rejected, Iskandar's sheer charisma exploded off the screen.
He found himself wanting to leap into the drama and join Iskandar's charge.
Now that's an emperor.
As Episode 6 ended, Xie Kaijun took a deep breath, switched over to Qingyun Video, and immediately rewatched the episode.
And just as he expected…
The post-episode info segment focused on the life of Alexander the Great.
The era in which he lived — and how, after his death, his vast empire was split into three.
It felt…
"Like it actually happened in real history."