William Tell

Overview

William Tell is an Archer-class Servant featured in the mobile game Fate/Grand Order, representing the legend of Swiss nation-building as the series' first Servant hailing from Switzerland. In Lostbelt No. 4: Yugakshetra, he is summoned as one of the Lokapala serving Arjuna Alter, imbued with the divinity of the wind god Vayu. Rather than a grand political strategist, he is portrayed as a grounded, relatable hero whose past deeds stemmed from his love for his family and his identity as a skilled hunter and protective father.

Appearance

William Tell is a middle-aged, muscular man with short grey hair, blue eyes, and facial hair. Reflecting his practical mindset, he dresses in modern military or mercenary-style gear, accompanied by a coat resembling a ghillie suit. He carries a crossbow into battle and utilizes red, glowing arrows of magical energy that float around his body. Since becoming a Servant, he has taken up smoking cigarettes.

Personality

William Tell is a warm, dependable father figure who values peaceful, everyday life above all else. Embodying the ideal of a protective parent, he possesses a tolerant and relaxed demeanor, yet harbors a deep disdain for tyrannical authorities who abuse their power. His past actions were driven not by political ambition, but by a simple personal desire to protect his loved ones. The traumatic ordeal of being forced to shoot an apple off his son's head remains a lingering trigger, causing him heart palpitations whenever he sees a young boy with an apple atop his head.

Abilities

A master of the crossbow, William Tell can fire rapid volleys of magical red arrows, conduct snipes using his camouflage coat, or strike foes directly with his weapon. His Aiming skill allows him to synchronize with his surroundings by controlling his breathing and pulse, achieving flawless accuracy. His hunting background grants him mastery over setting traps, heightened senses, and extraordinary patience in harsh conditions. His Noble Phantasm, Apfel Schießen, fires a guaranteed-hit arrow that manipulates causality through his son's trust. If this first shot somehow fails, his secondary Noble Phantasm, Zweite Schießen, manifests a secondary arrow meant for the tyrant, ensuring the target's destruction at the cost of high magical energy.

Background

Originating from 13th to 14th-century Swiss folklore, William Tell was a hunter from the Uri canton. After refusing to bow to a hat displayed by the tyrannical governor Hermann Gessler, he was forced to shoot an apple off his son's head with a crossbow. Though he succeeded, he admitted that a second concealed arrow was meant for Gessler had his son been harmed. Arrested for his defiance, Tell escaped during transport and ambushed Gessler in a narrow mountain pass, shooting him through the heart and igniting the movement for Swiss independence. In FGO's Indian Lostbelt, he was summoned as a divine general with memory alterations, but ultimately recalled his core identity as a father and rebelled against Arjuna Alter to help Chaldea.

Relationships

William Tell acts in a fatherly manner toward his Master, Ritsuka Fujimaru, asking to be directed only against beastly threats and irredeemable villains. He retains a deep hatred for the tyrant Hermann Gessler, whom he killed in life. He feels a natural kinship with Robin Hood as a fellow woodland hunter, though he disdains Robin's reliance on poison. He connects with Atalante over their archery skills, apple-related lore, and protective instincts toward children. In Chaldea, he frequents the smoking area with Yagyu Munenori and Sakata Kintoki, often exchanging stories about parenthood with Munenori, while seeing reflections of his own son in young Servants like Alexander.

Trivia

Although often referred to in popular culture as a legendary bowman, historical depictions of William Tell specifically feature him using a crossbow. He only began smoking cigarettes after becoming a Servant, as he strictly avoided smoking during his lifetime so that animal prey would not catch his scent. In Fate/Grand Order, he is implemented as a 3-star Archer with a unique combat kit centered around dealing massive anti-evasion damage to opponents.