Sword Art Online – 24

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Rocking those sparkly fairy wings like a boss.

With only one more episode to go how are we going to survive without Kirito, Asuna, Leafa and Yui!? I think we will be fine because all signs point toward a second season, but we still have to get through this episode! So what are your thoughts this week OC?
Let’s be honest…I’m 500% done with SAO, and I just want this show to be over. After episode 25, I don’t think I’m going to touch the VN or season 2 (if it’s announced). SO DONE. But we’re in the final stretch, so bailing now as the finale is approaching is pointless. This week’s penultimate episode was not what I was expecting at all, and I’m curious to see how everyone felt about it.

You have been BANNED!

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Fireworks for all!

Overcooled // Sugou was always a ridiculously evil and sleazy character. He waltzed right in and taunted Kirito by sniffing Asuna’s hair and rubbing his future marriage in his face. He’s been fondling Asuna at every chance he gets with a giant grin on his face. What I’m trying to say is that he was the lowest of the low right from the start. Somehow, episode 24 finds a new sub level below that and puts an obscene amount of effort into making Sugou the most detestable life form on the planet. It is like they threw together every trait a villain ever possessed, threw it into a melting pot, and then made Sugou from it. He tortured Kirito, revealed his plan for world domination and molested Asuna all while cackling like a rabid hyena. You cannot get more evil than that! It was just too much. I couldn’t believe they thought he would be a compelling villain when he’s so uninspiring. Over-the-top villains can work. That’s the bread and butter of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, after all. But SAO has no idea how to properly handle characterizations, so it feels forced.

Thankfully, he dies pretty quickly. The showdown is mostly cringe-worthy monologues and Asuna getting her clothes ripped off, but he dies in the end. Kirito pulls the power of Kayaba Akihiko out of his ass and saves the day. The dude isn’t even alive, and he’s almost as much of a villain as Sugou is in my mind. Now he’s Kirito’s saving grace all of a sudden? *sigh* Well, at least they found a way to log Asuna out safely since actually beating Sugou in battle wouldn’t actually do anything since he’s the GM. I guess Sugou is alive, but just in a LOT of pain from the pain absorber being turned down.

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Time to Save the Princess

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Foshizzel // Last time Kirito and Yui got through the wall of crazy raid level bosses and reached the next room with the power of hacking! Which I will totally admit seeing Yui bust through the walls with her power was kind of awesome and yes her hug with Asuna was nice for a random touching moment, but I knew they would be able to simply log out of the game that easily thanks to Sugou being a GM and all. Now this is where everything got strange, before the final fight even started Mr. Boss man used a brand new anti- gravity spell on Kirito which naturally shut him down and I knew he would stand up even with a big ass sword stick in his chest. I have to ask why do all the SAO villains suck at being EVIL?! Seriously all they ever do is stab Kirito and then WALK away from him. I think they need to go back to super villain school and learn how to finish off your rival, but hey I know Sugou had other things on his mind like molesting Asuna after ripping her top off and licking her tears…yeah…that dude is totally insane! Thankfully Kirito used Heathcliff’s access codes which allowed our hero to basically become a temporary GM. Did anyone else notice that Kirito seemed to be enjoying himself a bit much when he sliced and diced Sugou up into tiny pieces? Sure that guy did all kinds of dirty things to Asuna in the game and in the real world…wait what am I even saying? Screw that dude! I am glad he got royally owned.

Bonus Caption: Show ▼

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Mommy’s Back

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Admiring his boob jiggle physics engine

Overcooled // I feel like a bitter old lady when I say this, but I really feel like I don’t like a lot of the characters anymore. I’m sick of them. Asuna in particular seems like an entirely different person to me in this arc. I liked how in SAO she could hold her own and fight, but all she does in ALO is sit in a cage and get molested. She still tries to escape, but I wish she had more of a hand in fighting and not just being rescued by Kirito. Leafa has the same problem of very rarely engaging in battles, except for random enemies or mobs. Kirito can’t manage to share the spotlight for even a second to let someone else kick some ass. I can’t even think of a single fight that didn’t have Kirito in it. Moving back to Asuna, she’s more like the stay-at-home mom now. She’s only there for romance stuff now instead of fighting. Oh Asuna, I hope in whatever new game Kirito starts to play that you actually get the chance to not be a level 1 fairy sex slave in a cage so you can kick butt. Being stuck as a prize at the end is no fun.

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Final Thoughts

I was waiting all this time for an epic final battle, and it never came. Am I too gullible? I guess Kirito’s journey to the top of the World Tree was really the main event. This means episode 25 will end on the most anti-climactic of notes with some sappy scenes and perhaps some cliffhanger about this seed. I really don’t care about Asuna and Kirito getting back together, so I’m really not looking forward to the next episode if it’s going to be all about her waking up to see him for the first time in real life. Episode 24 is one of my least favourite of the entire series, so I’m afraid I may leave the series with a very bitter taste in my mouth. I think I was lost when Sugou started slurping up tears like a smoothie. Ugghh.

Well that was a strange little episode! Not a lot really happened this week besides Kirito and Yui saving Asuna and the final showdown between Kirito and Sugou, but I already knew that was going to happen because we were building towards the main event between those two. Honestly though can we even call that a showdown? I don’t think Sugou even knows how to fight without using his crazy ass GM powers to create his own spells…then again Kirito used Heathcliff’s passwords and pushed Sugou back to a lower level, but of course I don’t think he wanted a fair fight with some jerk who messed around with Asuna’s body in both worlds practically EVERYDAY! Thankfully Kirito watched Asuna log out before he did and I was screaming at my computer like YOU BETTER NOT LOG OUT BEFORE SHE DOES. So what happens now? I mean surely we have not seen the last of Sugou, I have a feeling he will pop up next time to screw everything up for Asuna and Kirito.

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Final boss: Yui-chan?!?!?! Stay tuned next week to find out how she defeats Papa Kirito with her secret technique!

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11 Responses to “Sword Art Online – 24”

  1. Krono says:

    Well I do have to admit that the “Evil Oberon” was way over the top. The villains went from “I did it because I thought it would cool and I can” to “I love to watch others suffer and all the better if I get paid for it.” So…yeah hardcore 180 there.

    Ah well, and y’all were complaining about hacks before. Either way they will wrap this up next episode.

    Quite frankly I would not have a problem if they did the Phantom Bullet arc next season. That arc so SO much better in its pacing. I do not believe it will be like this one, if they do it right, where there is a great deal of talking and then a little action. Kirito will not have the ludicrous game bending abilities as well. This way it would simply look like he is an amazing player and not look like he hacks all the time. Sadly, regardless they would have to do an episode to set up what is going on in the next arc.

    Oh well, I guess this was one of those things where it was more fun for me to read than to watch.

    • Highway says:

      Krono, a little advice from the guy who’s got such a reputation for getting comments caught by the spam filter they put it in my title…

      If you try to post a comment, and when it refreshes the page it just goes to the top, then your comment got caught by Spammy. Best thing to do is not panic, and wait for a while to see if one of the Metanorn folks get it out on their own (cause they do check the spam filters, at least some of them). If it doesn’t show up after an hour or so, you can make another comment saying “Hey, I’ve got a comment caught by Spammy.” and they’ll go get it for you. So you don’t have to retype out your comments, or really worry about it too much.

    • Overcooled says:

      The villains get more loopy and the hacking gets worse. It almost makes our past complaining about Kirito’s godliness seem petty!

      I think SAO has a really big fanbase so I wouldn’t be surprised if it got another season. We’ll have to wait and see. A lot of people say this ALO/Fairy Dance arc was the weakest one…but it was a pretty big turn-off for me. :B I wish I could enjoy it, but I don’t think I can any more.

      As for comments, Highway knows the ins and outs of conquering Spammy so just do what he says. Sorry that our spam-eater exists in the first place, but we’ll do our best to fish out your comments!

    • Foshizzel says:

      I just can’t see what will be different in the gun thing? I mean WHAT can they do to make it interesting? Yeah I know I know reaaaadddd the noveeeelz to find out, but even if that novel is the best you still have to realize an anime is an adaptation of the original work and that is always a 50/50 of what they keep and what they decide to toss out.

  2. BlackBriar says:

    I had mixed feeling through this entire run. Damn, I hated Sugou!! Total slime ball and I was cringing all through what he was doing to Asuna. He reminded far too much of Deadman Wonderland’s Tamaki but amazingly a lot worse. But, boy did like seeing him getting his pathetic, whimpering ass kicked. I sadistically enjoyed every moment of him being chopped up by Kirito because his demise was long overdue and the finishing blow was through his skull. Of course Kirito enjoyed it; his girl was being molested by a freak. Now why couldn’t those parts be dragged out?

    Kirito suddenly using Kayaba Akihiko’s ID and powers was surprising. My theory is that before SAO completely closed down, Kayaba Akihiko secretly left something to Kirito during their conversation and it popped up when he was about to give up. Kayaba was misguided but he was nothing like Sugou. Though he was cruel for trapping innocent people, at least he had the decency to get rid of all his powered items and skills so he and Kirito could have a fair fight to free everyone. Sugou was just jealous, in his shadow and using innocent people for his selfish ends. Him stabbing Kirito and walking away was typical villain arrogance of the belief they win and have complete control of the situation.

    Now I’m curious with what Kirito plans to do with Kayaba’s gift. I’m going to take a guess that this is going to end with him getting a job in the gaming corporation (probably taking Sugou’s place), especially with that piece of data and he later marries Asuna.

    • Foshizzel says:

      I hated Sugou like everyone! Seriously WORST filler villain of the entire series! Hell Mr. Heathcliff was at least more entertaining even though he was screwed up in the head~ One thing that was hilarious was his screams! I can’t imagine anyone recording those lines without laughing afterwards! Yeah Kirito did enjoy it and of course who wouldn’t?

      I hated that part the most, but I come to expect such things out of SAO sadly and whatever it was not a huge shocker to me because Kirito can do EVERYTHING >.< I picture it like this: -Asuna's dad-"You brave young man! You saved my daughter! AGAIN...so you wanna work with me as a GM of my future games because you are so godly." -Kirito-"Sure why not I FREAKING LOVE VIDEO GAMES DUDE! And you daughter..." THE END THE END

  3. Highway says:

    Given what Sugou was, I thought the Deus Ex Machina to beat him was fine. He wasn’t a fighter. It wasn’t like he was facing a guy like Heathcliff, who was actually *good* at the game. He was fighting a guy whose only power was the GM console. And he took that away from him, and then sliced him to pieces (let me note that Reki’s bad guys seem to die in pretty horrible ways). Really, Sugou was a horrible villain for Kirito, because he wasn’t even in the same sport, much less the same league.

    The ALO arc really suffered because there was less to actually distract us. The Sugu brocon / trying not to brocon / ending up broconning ANYWAY story was pretty good, but when that was done, it fell apart completely. There wasn’t any background of fighting to go to to finish it out. We’ll see what happens with the end of the arc, because it’s pretty obvious Sugou is gonna drag his worthless ass to Asuna’s room and / or call her dad and “Kazuto beat me uuuuup” or some stupid shit like that.

    • Foshizzel says:

      Sugou is a really squishy clothie! Kirto is the big badass warrior that can two shot anyone…I facepalmed when Kirito gave Sugou that sword and wanted a fight? REALLY BRO? REALLY? This guy molested your waifu over and over again and you think he knows how to fight? LOLOLOL Nice.

      ALL THE BROCONNING! That killed ALO for me as well but like OC it wasn’t very fun at all and I wish it was shorter so we could get a sneak peek into the other story.

      Right Sugou is defeated in the GAME world, but in the real world I think Asuna’s dad is going to believe him over some random teenage boy that happens to know Asuna? After all he probably doesn’t know how Kirito feels about her anyway…that and Sugou has money? Not to mention possible connections to dangerous people? For some reason I get that vibe from him xD

  4. d-LaN says:

    @OC You can’t bail out of SAO now! The better part is yet to come! It is generally agreed tht ALO/Fairy Dance is the worst arc of SAO truth be told…. Even I am not sure on how I feel abt it…. Btw Mother Rosario is told frm Asuna point of view so yay? I think you would enjoy reading Progressive too.

    Tht fatality kill of Slimegou is long overdue. Just sayin’. The Kayaba ex Machina will make sense if they didn’t cut the plot dump of it in the next episode. I can’t argue abt how Kirito forgive him completly though because even I am not too sure what to think of it.

    • Overcooled says:

      No, I can’t do it! Please forgive me! I’m done. I’ll just pretend this is the last arc to ever be released.

      Plot dump, eh? I’d prefer that to romance, actually. Guess I’ll see.

    • Foshizzel says:

      That kill shot on Sugou was the best part! Yay blood! WOOOOO!! I don’t think mr bossman is going to give up without a fight I mean if I were him id I dunno? Kill Kirito IRL? Which is what he should have done at the start? Then again that would be like one episode LOL

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