I won't have the cheek of calling it something like "briefing" or "debriefing", since I refuse to imply imply there's anything brief about it. It's an interesting idiosyncrasy of Japanese fiction, to exposit, on, about, around, before, after, during, within, without, or besides battles. Well, Tropes Are Not Bad; it does a great job of raising tension, and of allowing us readers who know nothing of strategy or fighting to follow the action*. But, beside matters of timing, it can sort of hurt psychological realism, and thus, immersion.
I mean, really, Tohsaka Rin? You're taking time, in the middle of a battle of split-second superhuman blow-spamming, with your life on the line, to reminisce on the details of the Grail War? Not only that, but you now show awareness of stuff that you didn't seem to know only a few screens ago, when you were surprised that Archer looked human? I can only guess, but it would seem like Nasu-sensei was Writing by the Seat of Your Pants.
As for Shirou's wound, I wonder if Rin will ever find out that he had Avalon inside all along, and didn't need her to spend her trump card in him... Certainly, the author goes to great lengths to show us that Rin is a good person, and also not quite as intelligent or thoughtful as she'd like to believe. It's certainly an interesting narrative device, this "family tradition of firmly grabbing the Idiot Ball at the most critical times". Is Critical Intelligence Failure tropable, given that we already have What An Idiot? Couldn't she at least ascertain how much Shirou had seen, and take some measures besides resurrecting him? I mean, what if the Lancer or his master saw him again and killed him when she was away from him?
And now, we're at home. Rin makes a critical Intelligence failure: she hasn't even a wish or a goal to fight for! Rin makes a critical Wisdom success: "The World is simply the set of things you care about. I already rule that." Well, now I know why, when Shinji Ikari thought of saving the world, he only saw the faces of named characters. "Don't you care about, you know, the rest of humanity?" Obviously, he didn't. It's still a wisdom fail, because these kids have failed to consider how the state of the rest of the planet affects "their World", how everything is connected, etc... But still, Rin deserves cookies for her intuitive grasp of moderation.
I take it back. I fight because there's a battle? What, you're just Going to See the Elephant? Ha! I'm sure you and Gilgamesh will understand each other perfectly!
No, wait, it's worse! She's fighting to win! Of all the stupid motivations to put your life on the line... what are you, an Edo era Rounin?
Aha! You caught up! As we say in my native tongue "only yet does it rise by you!" Quick, there is a witness on the loose! Where's a darned neuralizer when you need one?!" And then the next thought hits her: "Team lancer won't bother with just flashing the guy! At this rate, my sacrifice will be wasted!"
Double-edged sword: when something that can work in your favour can also work against you. For instance, as she gets to Shirou's house, she's just in time to see Shirou's servant kick Lancer out... phew... only to immediately attempt to murder both her and archer... whoa!
As Rin lays on the ground, contemplating the beautiful harbinger of her death, I can only think "Whatever happened to cute, chivalrous Saber from Zero?"
CUE OPENING CREDITS!
PEDANTIC NOTE: Sabers only have one edge. Excalibur has two edges. I can't figure out whether my Stealth Pun has been messed up or not.
