Forum - View topicSword Art Online: Alicization (TV).
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2857 |
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#20
It's been coming, it was telegraphed more or less from the ending scenes of last week's episode but it's come sooner than I expected. Next week should see how the anticipated duel between the two former allies pans out. Looks like the Administrator pulled out all the stops with her core command manipulation, so the 32nd Knight looks like he's going to be even more formidable a foe to Kirito than Alice was. If "Deep Freeze" is true to its name and petrifies its victims, then Bercouli is ridiculously strong to emerge from his cryogenesis enough to move his eyes and speak to Alice. Alice is probably right in saying Chudelkin has to reverse the spell or be killed to remove Bercouli from his stasis, but he's a slippery customer despite his appearance. I'm personally curious why someone with the Administrator's power and personality would even bother creating something like Chudelkin. First impression after viewing the Senate was the hive mind collective in Psycho Pass, only this lot have it rougher since they still have bodies and need physical sustenance to survive. Not a pleasant scene watching mealtime. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2857 |
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#22
Two big set-piece duels within one episode. Don't know if this is good or bad, since I don't know how long this adaptation is going to run for and if it's ending this quarter there's not much air time remaining. No matter what happens in the world Kirito is in, the overarching story isn't over since what happens in the "real world" while he's having his adventures took a back seat some time ago. If another animated adaptation takes place, there'll be plenty to talk about for what happened over there. As for the duels, the one with Chudelkin ended surprisingly quickly. It appears the move Kirito used to finish off Chudelkin (I don't know why but I was reminded of Saitou Hajime's Gatotsu, maybe it's Kirito's stance which triggered it) blew his cover as a visitor to the Underworld rather than one of its residents. This might be interesting later on for him to explain to his friends should they survive the next duel. As for the sword golem, Eugeo's bout of terror essentially made this one of those duels where a Deus Ex Machina moment is necessary to prevent the story from ending prematurely. The dagger trump card wasn't used exactly the way Cardinal intended, but if Administrator was right about how bladed objects wouldn't harm her then what better way to use the dagger than to summon Cardinal directly into the area to assist in the upcoming duel? If there are just 24 episodes for this adaptation, there's a lot left hanging to settle in two episodes. Kirito has the small matter of stopping Cardinal from resetting everything as part of her final solution, assuming they make it out of the Administrator duel in one piece. Will everything be nicely resolved two weeks from now without it being a rushed job? |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2857 |
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#23
I was wondering how this episode was going to be approached, what with the impending deadline and all. I initially expected something like a big tag-team brawl between the Administrator and her four opponents, but what actually transpiring was both unexpected and a pleasant surprise since the element of unpredictability is still alive going into next week. Cardinal knew Administrator would not hold true to her oath, so why make such a self-sacrifice without even the faintest hope of buying time for something? If taking enough punishment was for the sole purpose of getting Eugeo to find the determination to take up his fateful course of action, then it'll work out fine provided Kirito holds up his end of the bargain. Administrator swearing on her most precious possession is a curious move, I wonder if there's any deeper meaning behind it knowing full well she was never going to keep her word. Ah, Eugeo. If you're aware your original goal is impossible with the situation at hand, full credit to you for going down fighting. Besides removing one of Administrator's arms from play, your final hint about her immunity to metal weapons should come in useful next week. Although I have no idea if that's really going to be relevant if Kirito's blade (based on the core of a cursed tree) really isn't pure metal and can wound her with a clean strike. Administrator's off-hand comment about feeling sleepy and asking "someone" to give a full account of what happened after she wakes up is an interesting one. Who's she referring to? One of the human administrators who created Underworld? Bearing in mind Kirito is in this world in the first place because he was in a coma, will winning the final duel do something about his shattered mind and allow him to wake up again in the real world without permanent damage to his psyche? There's only one episode left, and there are many questions from the start of the series that still remain unanswered. If the animators are going to take a break before telling more of the story in the near future, I'm hoping for a satisfactory conclusion that doesn't leave too many loose ends. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2857 |
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#24
No, it's not a spoiler to state outright that the adaptation wasn't going to tell the whole story. After all, Asuna and everyone else in the turtle ship were ignored just before the adaptation midpoint and the whole focus on Kirito in the Underworld went on overdrive. Whatever happened in that final duel between the Administrator and Kirito wouldn't have ended the story by a long shot. A good duel to finish things. Kirito needs a bit of help to get a second blade to fully utilise his combat potential, but once he gets it there's enough of a handicap for the one-armed Administrator that he finally gets the win. After saying his goodbyes, it seems his journey has ended only for reality to crash on him hard. Those ships Asuna talked about the last time the scene shifted to the turtle ship foreshadowed a full-on hijack. Perpetrators having some link to the mysterious GGO clan with military-style tactics, if the face tattoos and cigarette scenes are any indication. So the infiltrators have fried the main cable and Kirito's soul is about to fry when Asuna somehow dives in and tries to save him. The scene cuts off there, but it wouldn't be Sword Art Online if the protagonist ended up getting killed here. Regardless, the cliffhanger ensures there's something for a continuation to latch on to, whenever that might air. |
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Stark700
 Posts: 11762 Location: Earth |
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The show's back today.
Underworld is apparently listed as 23 episodes (although I'm fairly sure it's going to be a split cour) |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2857 |
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S2 #1
Two years in the Underworld since the events of the finale is not a long time in the "real world" Kirito comes from. However, it's long enough that Alice has to give up her position and become Kirito's nursemaid for the duration of his catatonic state. At least he's improved to the point he can sleep and eat, but he's effectively unconscious since his soul got fried at the end of the first season. He's still alive, albeit barely. Nice OP and ED songs. If the OP animation is any indication, Alice will get her damaged eye restored somehow. Not sure how Kirito is going to snap out of his catatonic state given the cause, but it's his story so the writers will find a way to explain, no doubt with lots of in-universe technical jargon to justify his recovery. If the OP animation is any indication, Asuna and the rest of Kirito's friends will find a way to enter the Underworld somehow. Given the real life situation affecting the turtle ship at the moment, that's going to be a tall order until the hijackers are somehow driven off. Not sure why Alice said she was too weak to join the rest of the defenders preparing for the incoming invasion, cutting that tree down with Kirito's sword shows she's still capable of combat if she's forced to. Perhaps it's an admission she's not the same elite she was prior to the final fight, or is Kirito's condition so severe she absolutely cannot prepare herself mentally to face her former comrades? Either way, her home village has been attacked and she'll have to fight whether she wants to or not. |
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DuskyPredator
 Posts: 15480 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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I took it along the lines that she maybe does not want to fight, just wants to protect Kirito. Kind of looks like she does not currently have much to fight for, only Kirito and her sister. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2857 |
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S2 #2
So Alice has been keeping a blind eye as penance rather than some kind of permanent disability. Unsurprisingly she's still able to repel a low-level goblin raid once her mental shackles have been turned off. Things being what they are, she knows she can't do much defending her home village against infinite waves of raiders and is better off helping the other Knights in their main defensive abilities. Not sure how she's going to explain her change of heart to her former disciple though. Back in the real world, the situation is grim as Asuna and co. are at a disadvantage against invaders who are not only after A.L.I.C.E but also have a pipeline with the highest levels of the JSDF. Kirito is again called upon to bail them out, but he's not doing anything until his current catatonic state is reversed. Looking at Asuna's reaction at the end, it looks like she's going to use the spare terminal to dive into the Underworld to render what help she can. Meeting up with Synthesis Thirty should be fun, since one party is in love with Kirito in the real world while the other is falling for him in the virtual world. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2857 |
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S2 #4
If last week was about setting the future direction of this season between two opposing factions deadlocked over a VR machine in addition to giving uninitiated viewers a hint that the denizens of the Dark Territory aren't the monolithic villains they are made out to be, this episode gleefully crushes the prospect of rebellious Dark Territory denizens joining the Human Empire. While they're at it, the most pathologically disturbing main villain of the franchise is given an airing as to his motivations behind this raid. For all its trappings as a far-future virtual reality video gaming fishbowl, the series has always had its dark side which is never far from the surface. The Assassins Guild from Aincrad, Death Gun from GGO and the snobbish nobles attempting rape in the first half of this season, they've all been trumped in the stakes of sheer evil by this week's revelation. That odd remark about sweet souls and the girl who tried to touch him during his log-in make sense now, but how does someone like Kirito even take down a person whose soul is so corrupted even the artificial fluctlights trying to assassinate him can't do a thing when confronted by the awful truth about his personality. Alice and her compatriots have their work cut out for them. An unfortunate consequence of Kirito and Eugeo's sojourn up the Axiom Tower has led to many members of the Order losing their lives. As much as the Administrator was equivalent to spiritual scum, they'd dearly love to have her combat ability and administrator rights when faced with the sheer number of foes ready to pile in to the Human Empire led by two experienced VRMMORPG players using super-powered user accounts. If Kirito doesn't wake up soon, the Human Empire is finished. Asuna needs to get in quickly and pitch in with the defensive effort against the coming storm. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15480 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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The episode was pretty disturbing, with the psychopath villain. Can do without such child murder.
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2857 |
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S2 #5
This whole episode is pure setup for next week and beyond. No action, lots of dialogue. Alice is prepared to die on this battlefield and she probably will die or get captured by the Dark armies unless Asuna somehow gets close enough to Kirito to get him out of his catatonic state. Last week showed viewers the full scale of the opposition, this week shows how sparse the fighting resources at the disposal of the Humans are. I'm not sure why the Church didn't pull back the patrolling Knights, since it's brutally obvious the Dark Empire is going all-out against the Gate and can't be bothered with diversionary tactics. Kirito and Eugeo's juniors show up anyway, and it's quite sad for them to see the state Kirito is reduced to as well as the fate of Eugeo. As much as it consumes valuable airtime, it's also necessary to close an open thread that's been unresolved for too long. What are the odds Knight 31 betrays his comrades and tries to kill Kirito just so that his mentor can look at him as a male instead of a student? |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2857 |
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S2 #6
This battle arc is going to take a while to complete, there's too much riding on this for the whole conflict to be settled in one or two weeks. If the odds against the Human Empire weren't dire enough, choosing one of the Knights who is absolutely not up to the task essentially dooms the defenders unless they get outside help from Asuna or Kirito. The Knight leader chose the wrong person to bring along for this battle, but it's too late to change personnel or rethink tactics. As for the battle scenes, Fanatio and Deusolbert deliver the goods although not without considerable losses on their end. All of their work will be for nought if the weak left flank is enveloped and crushed, the two "novice" knights from Season 1 hint at being the Fifth Column so if the situation becomes more dire it'll only be a matter of time before the invaders roll through the canyon. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2857 |
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S2 #7
I'm glad I was wrong about the two apprentice Synthesis Knights, turns out they're fully behind the Human Cause and actually made the effort to go back to the tents to fetch the coward Knight and hopefully keep him alive to get him back to the battlefield where he's needed most. Speaking of the Coward Knight (Renly), his background exposition makes him more sympathetic than he initially appears. He has a surprisingly similar background to Kirito and Eugeo, only in his case he had massive mental trauma when he ended up accidentally killing his best friend in the arena. Even the Pontifex sensed something was wrong with him and ordered him put into deep freeze, but viewers are not told why he was released despite being branded a failure (those who read the book probably get the full picture, but it's not important as far as the story is concerned). Unlike his peers, he doesn't have full control over his assigned weapons, although what skills he does have are still sufficient to finish off one of the Council of Ten provided he's mentally up to the task. Kirito is still catatonic, but the influence he has over the people around him is outsized compared to his role in this adaptation to date. It's not the first time the franchise has given him too much credit for the efforts of others to be better than they are, but he's only good for showing a good example to others in his current state. Fanatio's plan to get Alice to siphon up all of the fallen lifeforce has worked well so far. The plan to use minions was predicted as was the strategy of using the rearguard to aim for the Knights specifically. Alice is well placed to use her reserve to full effect, but it's only a matter of time before her stock runs out and the overwhelming numbers of the invaders and/or the crack troop reserves they've been saving up all this while force the defenders to retreat. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2857 |
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S2 #8
To me, the episode shows the two sides of the Dark Territory. The stereotypical cruelty and disdain for humans is encapsulated by the leader of the Dark Mages, willing to sacrifice anyone and anything to stay alive and achieve her goals. On the other hand, there is nobility and dignity amongst its denizens. The Ogre Chief despite his wounds made the attempt to capture Alice for the long-term future of his tribe, while the Orc Chieftain's consort was willing to die for her emperor in the hope that the sacrifice would not be in vain for the tribe's future and salvation after death. Perhaps Alice realises this, since all of those lives expended in the battle ended up as fuel for her superweapon attack. It won't stop her from being enraged at the death of her disciple, but she's taken up the role of bait to draw the Emperor's attention, who will certainly bite and send everything he has after her as per the original objective. Speaking of Eldrie, he's made his exit from the scene in the grandest manner available. Not sure whose hand it was which kept him going, although it's hinted it might be Eugeo because of the brief focus on the ice crystals. Alice's actions have probably bought time for the Human Empire to regroup and hopefully catch the Dark Empire forces in a pincer movement. Next week's title indicates it's probably the turn of the Dark Knights and Pugilists to enter the fray. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2857 |
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S2 #9
The episode title showcases the face-off between the Dark Territory Pugilists and a Knight who has a few mental issues. Another cameo for the Administrator, but the weapons she crafts remain useful even after the tyrant has been killed. Hiding behind the emotionless mark is a ruthless killer who appears to be sated only by repeatedly and brutally slashing her enemies into ribbons. The Pugilist Champion is no slouch either, but he's outgunned here because she has the better equipment. The Dark Knight leader has his fun taking apart the low-level NPC supply corps, but Asuna's timely intervention has turned the tables. His final parting remark is an interesting one: he knows who she is from the Aincrad days so he's probably one of the SAO survivors. Most likely one of the Assassins' Guild survivors. Another question: How did Asuna get hold of one of the Goddess characters?! I thought they said a few episodes ago she couldn't really dive in with anything more than a decently levelled character, not someone on a par with the Dark God. I hope I'll get a proper answer to that, timely as her intervention is. |
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