FULL EPISODE SPOILERS AHEAD
Time to bring your swords to the gun-fight, as we've got a good old fashioned Aincrad smackdown coming at you these next two episodes!
Yes, finally, after dawdling in a cave for an episode and a half and building upon our characters, we've finally reached the top of the mountain where they no longer need development, no longer need nurturing, no longer need awkward moments of sitting around. Now it's time to gear up and kick some booty.
This episode really feels like, to use a football term, "the fourth quarter." Nothing really ever happens in the third quarter, it's just dramatic build up for a big ending in the fourth (in a good game, that is). Both teams are looking to see who flinches first, who came up with the better end game. Will it be team Protagonist, or Team I'm Too Cool for You to Remember my Name?
I use that stupid analogy because the energy of this episode is through the freaking roof. Once we remind ourselves of the plan and get a little more into the mystery of Death Gun, there is non-stop, exhilarating action that keeps you on your toes the whole way through the episode.
The episode starts with Kirito scanning the map, trying to find out where everyone is and whose holding up. When he goes to check how many people have died, there are 24, 25 if you count a disconnected due to heart attack Pale Rider.. Well that was brief. BUT, counting himself, Sinon, Death Gun, and a still remaining player known as Dark Wind, there are only 29 players out of the 30 that started. Ah, there we go. Now we've got a good old mystery on our hands again!
He reports back to Sinon and the two try to figure out if Death Gun killed them or if that final player is camping it out and praying that the other four players neutralize each other. The more morbid case is the one they, obviously, stick to go with. Because, you know, drama and stuff.
Sinon at first advises that they let Dark Wind try to find them, and then let Death Gun take him out so that Dark Wind is out of the way and Death Gun has Kirito and Sinon all to himself. Kirito, however, is more hesitant about that, seeing as how Death Gun may have more than one accomplice in all of this, since there were ten surviving Laughing Coffin members after all of this.
You know I realized something I feel like I should have realized something a long time ago: regardless of the fact that it was a video-game, Laughing Coffin was considered a "murder guild" in SAO, not a "Player-Killing guild." The difference is fairly obvious, where the former is real death and the latter not so much. So, having said that, and given the fact that most LC members probably killed someone before, there's just one question:
Why didn't Internal Affairs arrest these people when they woke up?!
What, could they not find proof that they killed people?! There's overwhelming evidence in that one battle alone, not mentioning the probable hundreds of other witnesses that had to have seen them kill people. These are murderers, they killed for fun no less! I think that definitely warrants putting them away. Internal Affairs went through the trouble to put normal kids together in school fearing how they would act around others, but they didn't arrest the psychotic murderers? How does that work?!
It's just another plot-hole that is never really answered and completely undermines the story. Had they made ten arrests, we wouldn't even be having this conversation right now. The whole thing could have been avoided if the LC members were just behind bars.
But, whatever. The show doesn't bring it up so I suppose it expects not to care or something like that. Kirito and Sinon take arms and go to their positions, fleeing the cave. Sinon climbs a tower and takes aim around Kirito to see when he moves and track wherever Dark Wind or Death Gun shoot at him from. Kirito, meanwhile, stands perfectly still out in the open, shutting off all senses but his hearing to find Dark Wind. Then, he tunes his hearing for Death Gun.
It's a very well done and tense moment. Everything is quiet, it's still. You have no idea where the bullet is going to come from because Kirito has no idea where the bullet is going to come from. Plus, you've gotta wonder if Sinon is going to be able to make the shot? It's a shot to save Dark Wind's life, potentially, and maybe even her own if she can take out Death Gun. Everything hinges on the next few moves from all of the players. Not at all forgetting there is still one that has mysteriously not shown up.
Kirito spots Death Gun and just barely dodges his bullet, which destroys part of the tower Dark Wind was taking position at. Sinon spots Dark Wind and takes him out, saving his life in the process. It's weird to say that she shot him and saved him, but, this is anime. Stuff like that happens.
With rapid speed Kirito charges toward Death Gun, blocking all of his long range shots. Sinon also shoots at Death Gun, who fires right back, the two of them damaging the other's guns and essentially rendering them useless. Death Gun, though, is not one to really be trifled with. He brandishes a small sword out of it, and my first thought is: "holy crap he transferred that from SAO" but sadly no, that's not the case.
How cool would that have been?
Anyway Kirito attacks, but Death Gun dodges much quicker and jabs Kirito in the shoulder with his blade. Ruh-roh.
In the real world, Asuna talks to Yui through Skype (or maybe she has like the Yui app) and arrives at Kazuto's hospital room, where he is breathing heavily and sweating profusely. Yui manages to pull the battle up on the screen, where Asuna tries to recognize the name Sterben. The nurse recognizes it not as a name, but as the German word for death.
Ooooh, look at Death Gun getting all foreign on us. Clever clever.
Back in GGO, Death Gun laments Kirito for spending too much time in the real world, forgetting who he is as the Black Swordsman he came to hate in SAO and losing his touch with a blade, even making fun of the fact that Kirito isn't using a traditional sword.
The smack-talk here is just great. We've haven't seen Kirito in his element like this in a long, long time. The few fights he's been in have been pretty sloppy on his part, so it's great to see him buckle down and talk witty with his opponent, who might be the most threatening of all long-term opponents in the show. This guy is almost the exact opposite of Kirito, yet remembers everything, making him all the more dangerous. The dialogue is quick and back and forth and you can feel the two burning up inside to have an all-out duel, classic SAO style. Guns are not their weapons. Swords are.
Through this, though, Death Gun reveals that the reason Kirito can't remember Death Gun's real name from SAO is because he never learned it. After the battle, when Death Gun was walking past him, Kirito muttered to him that he never wanted to know the man's name, as they would never cross paths again.
Oh, Kirito. Not your brightest moment.
Therefore, Kirito will never be able to track down his real name (unless they manage to stop the accomplices) and can never truly defeat him. As Kirito prepares for battle, Death Gun strikes again, surprising Kirito with his speed, and the episode ends with Death Gun releasing a barrage of quick attacks that completely overwhelms Kirito.
AH another cliffhanger ending! Darn you, SAO, why must you make us wait all the time?!
Anyway this episode was great. It was awesome to see our two characters get right down to it and figure out their plan of action. No more moping or relishing in the past, it was time to put the past where it belonged and get on that battlefield to prove they'd grown out of it. The action was great, there were great moments of suspense, and Death Gun just continues to be a menacing villain.
You know who should play Death Gun in the English dub? Crispin Freeman. That would be LEGENDARY. I would probably cry (single tear).
So with Kirito on the ropes, can he win the day? Will Sinon come to his aid? Find out as the final battle in the BoB comes to a close tomorrow! See you then.
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