<p>Looking at the past results on the <a href="http://fairytail.wikia.com/wiki/S-Class_Mage_Promotion_Trial" rel="nofollow noreferrer">S Class Mage Promotion Trial wiki</a>, I would likely say that they had to fight the S-class mages present at that time (Eg: Erza had to fight either Laxus or Gildarts). It is not clear when and who Gildarts fought. It could have been Makarov, it could have been previous guild members or he could have shown his competence through other ways. It isn't really known how the previous tournaments went down. Remember that they don't have to win the fight to be promoted, like when Gildarts let Natsu continue the game or they might even get lucky like Gajeel. So the competition is not a power ranking.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Past Results</p>
<ul>
<li>X???    Gildarts Clive</li>
<li>X778    Laxus Dreyar (Age 17)</li>
<li>X779    No Successful Candidate</li>
<li>X780    Erza Scarlet (Age 15)</li>
<li>X781    Mirajane Strauss (Age 16)</li>
<li>X782    Mystogan</li>
<li>X783    No Successful Candidate</li>
<li>X784    Trial Suspended</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-24T10:50:25.603Z
2016-04-21T09:06:39.073Z
2020-06-17T09:17:53.303Z
Peter Raeves
<p>No, it hasn't been revealed in manga or anime. But maybe someday they will have long flashbacks like in Naruto (which I hope they don't) and give more details of Mirajane's, Gildarts' and Erza's previous years.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-28T16:48:32.373Z
2016-12-07T13:29:56.970Z
2016-12-07T13:29:56.970Z
adimoh
<p>each exam is different. when gildharts said he had to go through the same thing he wasn't necessarily saying he had to fight an S class wizard. he was just saying that he took the exam </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-21T07:12:42.943Z
2016-04-21T07:12:42.943Z
actionrandell
<p>In the Tenrou Tree Arc, Gildarts told everyone who was moaning and groaning that he had to face the same thing as well when everyone was told that you had to face Erza and Mirajane which was...</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Fighting a S-Class Mage</p>
</blockquote>

<p>So who was the S-Class mage that Mirajane, Gildarts, and Erza faced. Was it ever revealed in the manga or anime?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-28T05:21:34.463Z
it has not been mentioned as yet
debal
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-28T05:44:28.453Z
maybe makarov? or any other older member like Hades and Evan or maybe Warrod? There's still nowhere to be found but I think that's the best member of fairy tail before Mirajane, Laxus, Gildarts and Erza
Darjeeling
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-28T11:12:57.093Z
The real question is why isn't Natsu an s-class mage? Pretty sure he could take down any of the other s-class mages without breaking a sweat, using his dragon-slayer magic.
Alex-sama
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-03-28T11:18:14.007Z
@Alex-sama- That's incorrect as he barely survived against versing Gildarts and didn't even defeat him.
Izumi-reiLuLu
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-05-28T00:34:07.337Z
if the wording is "a S-Class Mage" and not "a *Fairy Tail* S-Class Mage" then maybe a job was sent off to another guild to send S-Class Mages, a Guild that probably had the same ideal for promoting Mages like what Makarov does (ie. observing their strength, heart and soul)
Memor-X
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-07T15:07:09.667Z
@Alex-sama let us not forget that he lost every time he tried to fight Erza.
Callat
<fairy-tail>
Who did Mirajane, Gildarts and Erza face off against to become a S-Class Mage?
# Who did Mirajane, Gildarts and Erza face off against to become a S-Class Mage?
Posted by: username_0 on 2014-03-28
In the Tenrou Tree Arc, Gildarts told everyone who was moaning and groaning that he had to face the same thing as well when everyone was told that you had to face Erza and Mirajane which was...

> Fighting a S-Class Mage

So who was the S-Class mage that Mirajane, Gildarts, and Erza faced. Was it ever revealed in the manga or anime?
**Tags:** fairy-tail
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: it has not been mentioned as yet  
> **username_2**: maybe makarov? or any other older member like Hades and Evan or maybe Warrod? There's still nowhere to be found but I think that's the best member of fairy tail before Mirajane, Laxus, Gildarts and Erza  
> **username_3**: The real question is why isn't Natsu an s-class mage? Pretty sure he could take down any of the other s-class mages without breaking a sweat, using his dragon-slayer magic.  
> **username_0**: @Alex-sama- That's incorrect as he barely survived against versing Gildarts and didn't even defeat him.  
> **username_4**: if the wording is "a S-Class Mage" and not "a *Fairy Tail* S-Class Mage" then maybe a job was sent off to another guild to send S-Class Mages, a Guild that probably had the same ideal for promoting Mages like what Makarov does (ie. observing their strength, heart and soul)  
> **username_5**: @Alex-sama let us not forget that he lost every time he tried to fight Erza.  
---
## 3 answers
### Answer by username_6 on 2014-06-24. Score: 5
Looking at the past results on the [S Class Mage Promotion Trial wiki](http://fairytail.wikia.com/wiki/S-Class_Mage_Promotion_Trial), I would likely say that they had to fight the S-class mages present at that time (Eg: Erza had to fight either Laxus or Gildarts). It is not clear when and who Gildarts fought. It could have been Makarov, it could have been previous guild members or he could have shown his competence through other ways. It isn't really known how the previous tournaments went down. Remember that they don't have to win the fight to be promoted, like when Gildarts let Natsu continue the game or they might even get lucky like Gajeel. So the competition is not a power ranking.

> Past Results
>
> * X??? Gildarts Clive
> * X778 Laxus Dreyar (Age 17)
> * X779 No Successful Candidate
> * X780 Erza Scarlet (Age 15)
> * X781 Mirajane Strauss (Age 16)
> * X782 Mystogan
> * X783 No Successful Candidate
> * X784 Trial Suspended
---
### Answer by username_7 on 2014-03-28. Score: 0
No, it hasn't been revealed in manga or anime. But maybe someday they will have long flashbacks like in Naruto (which I hope they don't) and give more details of Mirajane's, Gildarts' and Erza's previous years.
---
### Answer by username_8 on 2016-04-21. Score: -1
each exam is different. when gildharts said he had to go through the same thing he wasn't necessarily saying he had to fight an S class wizard. he was just saying that he took the exam
---
