Quote Originally Posted by Budweineken
@Kraco, it's not a matter of knowing Shirou's skills, Ilya simply thinks that he can't do anything because of the spell (or whatever) she did on him. It seems that it should've rendered him useless, incapable of doing anything.
Well, that's just a theory, unless I'm forgotting some line. After all Ilya said the effects of the spell were already lessening, first allowing Shirou to wake up, then talk. I don't remember her ever seeing Shirou do anything, so she might very well think he's good for nothing, as far as magic goes.

What you are saying about the materializing the real sword sounds indeed like something that could happen. Even if it didn't make much sense, unless it somehow connected Shirou and Saber. Otherwise it would be like creating a device that independently generates more energy than creating and supporting it takes... But of course something is going to happen with the sword, or it wouldn't have gotten such a big role.