slopfront
Reddit, read-only. No JavaScript. No cookies. No tracking.
preferences
Saved in links, not cookies.

Sword Art Online: Alicization – Episode 20 Discussion (Light Novel Reader)

42 points · submitted Mar 2019 by u/ZeHaffen · Official Discussion

Episode 20: Synthesis

シンセサイズ

THIS IS A LIGHT NOVEL READER THREAD. ANIME-ONLY WATCHERS SHOULD DISCUSS HERE.

Translated (including fan translated) light novel spoilers can be discussed without tags here. Untranslated content must remain tagged — violators will be banned for 7 days and repeat offenses will be banned for longer, depending on spoiler severity.

Knowledge of the main series anime up to and including Ordinal Scale is assumed in this thread. Spoilers for SAO, SAO II, and Ordinal Scale can be untagged.

Streaming Sources

Crunchyroll

Funimation

Hulu

The English dub airs every Saturday night on Toonami at 12:30am EST! It is currently behind the Japanese release by 17 episodes. For countries other than the US, check your local distributor!

Show Information

MyAnimeList

AniList

AniDB

Kitsu

Official Website (Japan)

Official Website (USA)

Previous Discussions

Episode 19 - Seal of the Right Eye

Episode 18.5 - Recollection

Episode 18 - The Legendary Hero

Episode 17 - Truce

Episode 16 - The Osmanthus Knight

Episode 15 - The Relentless Knight

Episode 14 - The Crimson Knight

Episode 13 - Ruler and Mediator

Episode 12 – The Sage of the Library

Episode 11 – Central Cathedral

Episode 10 – Taboo Index

Episode 9 – Nobleman's Responsibilities

Episode 8 – Swordsman's Pride

Episode 7 – Swordcraft Academy

Episode 6 – Project Alicization

Episode 5 – Ocean Turtle

Episode 4 – Departure

Episode 3 – The End Mountains

Episode 2 – The Demon Tree

Episode 1 – Underworld

98 comments · 90% upvoted · other discussions

comments

Read-only. Use the arrows to collapse threads.

SaintNeos 52 points · Mar 2019 · Suguha

Well, congrats to the anime team. They truly managed to make Chudelkin even more of a hatable piece of shit than I thought possible. His voice truly suits him horribly well, though I keep waiting to hear him scream "APPLI-ARISEEEE!" randomly sometimes XP Also, Zuberg's moments in those flashbacks were truly heartbreaking...

And finally, Eugeo Synthesis 32...damn, the scene hurt even more animated than I thought possible. His words, especially that cold tone in which he said them to Kirito, truly ran like a deep wound into our souls...even if he using the Force Incarnation to recover his blade was badass. Next time, the friends clash...

Also, obligatory Alice mentioning Kirito looks cool with 2 blades and he saying there is no way he could do it...Reki please, we know you try and keep mentioning there is no difference whether he dual wields or not, but we all know that's BS at this point XD

Thicshigi 10 points · Mar 2019 · Eugeo

he saying there is no way he could do it

While walking, running around and not sweating when they came back up without feeling handicapped with the weight like books :p

SaintNeos 3 points · Mar 2019 · Suguha

Exactly -w-

LufyCZ 1 points · Mar 2019

Isn't he number 31 ?

kamilios19998 6 points · Mar 2019

He is the number 32.

SaintNeos 3 points · Mar 2019 · Suguha

Nope, Eldrie was 31 :O

LufyCZ 1 points · Mar 2019

Oh yes, sorry, I forgot totally about him.

Figotech 1 points · Mar 2019

Everyone does

CL1_1tch 0 points · Mar 2019

Well he was already a really sketchy character just by reading the LN.

seitaer13 33 points · Mar 2019 · Strongest Player of 2020

We're finally to volume 14.

I don't know if my heart can take it.

OneMillionRoses 12 points · Mar 2019 · Asuna

I probably will cry...

Brandsert 11 points · Mar 2019 · Eugeo

Aw don’t cry Stay Cool

Thicshigi 7 points · Mar 2019 · Eugeo

That's going to make a sea of tears

Brandsert 4 points · Mar 2019 · Eugeo

Aren’t we all in a sea of tears already? There’s gonna be a worldwide flood when we get to episode 24.

RevenantSorce 2 points · Mar 2019

This is where I began to dislike Alice tbh from how useless she was up till to the final fight with Quinella. Sigh

seitaer13 3 points · Mar 2019 · Strongest Player of 2020

Her display of power versus the clown was pretty amazing to me.

RevenantSorce 2 points · Mar 2019

In the fight with Quinella, she didnt used her Perfect Weapon Control Art.

Juegew3 1 points · Mar 2019

I couldn't handle the tears while I read those parts, now animated...

Moug-10 1 points · Mar 2019

I won't be well after this.

I didn't cry at the end of the book but I know it will happen with the anime. I love this arc so much but Vol 14 is the dagger which stabs us into our hearts.

[deleted] 22 points · Mar 2019

Many years ago, I saw this image: https://66.media.tumblr.com/1d6edb25ea3159560e9528d30a85fa09/tumblr_n3z86vH8UP1ranzwvo1_1280.jpg

Always wondered when I'll ever get to see it in the anime... I can't believe that now's the time...

[deleted] 18 points · Mar 2019

[removed]

maybeanaveragesize 9 points · Mar 2019

What made him even more despicable was him just watching and yelling at his crystal ball of Eugeo and Quinella.

dark77638 17 points · Mar 2019

Yeah Kirito deserve to be hit by all of the girls he met.

Stoned Bercouli, i thought he did break stone off and show his normal skin In LN, but cracks all over his stoned face is freaking me out. Im afraid some of his face gonna break off.

Chamber of Senator is just too much but the room is too bright compared to my LN imagaination, i guess it is easier to show and animated. Highest effeciency for Administrator huh?

Chudelkin, SIGHHH, easily one of the top annoying characters of all time.

Also, sacred art in-training Alice was cute. Again Chudelkin is so much annoying and so disgusting, FBI should raid into the Underworld and arrest him.

Eugeo in blue armor with blue rose sword really suit him. We knew Kirito vs Eugeo gonna happen but this hurt me so much, best friend hurting each other against their will, under someone else’s command. Sonic leap vs Sonic leap, Aincrad style Vs Aincrad style. The beginning of the end. Cry a lot TT ^ TT

AsunasPersonalAsst 5 points · Mar 2019 · Mini Sandwich-kun

Stoned Bercouli

(muffled laughter)

I'm so dense and inappropriate rn please ignore

cyverm555 1 points · Apr 2019

Yea I definitely imagined the chamber of elders to have been a pretty dark room too because the translation goes:

There weren't any sort of lamps; the only sources of light were several blinking, faint, violet lights around the walls. Aside from that, there were round objects arranged uniformly with the same short gaps, but I couldn't recognize them.

OneMillionRoses 13 points · Mar 2019 · Asuna

Really good episode but fuck Chuldekin this asshole. What he did to Alice Schuberg is unforgivable ;_; Next week is gonna kill me and I also feel bad for anime fans who want Kirito to dual wield because they've no idea it will happen in the worst way possible.

DirtBagGaming16P 13 points · Mar 2019 · Klein

Yeah, you can already see people fiending for dual wielding, especially after the little tease we got in this episode. They'll certainly get it, but what has to be spent to get it.... man these next couple episodes are gonna be rough on the emotions haha.

KaiserNazrin 13 points · Mar 2019 · Alice

It's a good thing the clown doesn't live long.

clied_ 3 points · Mar 2019

spoil me more please. feels good to know he died lol

BleedingUranium 2 points · Mar 2019 · Argo's Guide

You really don't want more spoilers than that, it happens pretty near the very end and explaining would spoil everything else.

He gets what's coming to him, but not until Ep24, I'll leave it at that.

ellieisnotonline 13 points · Mar 2019

After all this I’m still straight for Eugeo but like,,, it’s hurting me man.

Also seeing Chudelkin explode?? I’ve been waiting to see that animated for so long and it did not disappoint.

Volume 14... it’s finally here. I don’t know how I’m going to take this...

Dreading/Anticipating the next episode, like I will for each one til the end of the cour

diesal3 8 points · Mar 2019

Volume 14... it’s finally here. I don’t know how I’m going to take this...

Get the tissues ready.

maybeanaveragesize 3 points · Mar 2019

Stay cool 😢

[deleted] 8 points · Mar 2019

"Light this tiny world up like the night sky" I'm not ready for this

goddale120 1 points · Mar 2019

I just realized what the next dual wielding banner will be on MD. Kills me I am going to have to start saving up for that...

Kikimanox 2 points · Mar 2019 · Alice

I'm not ready ;_;

RevenantSorce 1 points · Mar 2019

This is where I began to dislike Alice from how useless she was up till to the final fight with Quinella. Sigh

maybeanaveragesize 22 points · Mar 2019

Ahh the feels. Eugeo in his armor looked amazing. They did Chudelkin justice? Not sure if that’s the right word but it certainly made me hate him even more. Can’t wait for next week’s... I wonder if that’ll end on Eugeo approaching Quinella

Thicshigi 12 points · Mar 2019 · Eugeo

Mostly him trying to kill her and end it as a cliffhanger before the shield that covers Quinella stops and repels it

BleedingUranium 8 points · Mar 2019 · Argo's Guide

The next four are certainly going to be interesting for pacing, since Vol 14 is basically one really long fight. Heck, 90% of the book takes place in one room.

I_Love_Alice 6 points · Mar 2019 · Quinella's Mural Composer

They definitely did; he's a perfect copy of the character we know in the light novels, but the added visuals and voice acting really go the extra mile for him. Chudelkin is extremely bizarre and cocky, and I think the anime has shown that especially well.

BleedingUranium 4 points · Mar 2019 · Argo's Guide

They've really done a fantastic job with him, I actually think he feels less out of place, and definitely a lot more evil and villainous, in anime form.

diesal3 10 points · Mar 2019

"As the master, it's not time for me to lose just yet."

I hope this upcoming fight might be used to reveal some of Kirito's thoughts from Volume 13, Chapter 11, Part 3 (on the stone ledge), because this is an important fight.

Natchyy24 8 points · Mar 2019

Now that I think about it, Chudelkin reminds me of Betelgeuse from Re Zero

KaiserNazrin 7 points · Mar 2019 · Alice

Ironic that Betelgeuse has the same voice as Kirito.

Ksaraf23 1 points · Mar 2019

Yes.

homie_down 8 points · Mar 2019 · Alice

I feel like I've finally realized why I enjoyed reading the LNs more than watching the anime (not that I think the anime is bad/poorly adapted, for the most part). Some of the scenes where Alice & Kirito are just talking (like on the 95th floor) feel like they're dilly dallying when I'm like "c'mon, get a move on, people to save bitches to kill". But that sense wasn't really there as much when reading, since the pacing just always felt so much faster.

Regardless solid episode IMO. Chudelkin was just as awful as I remembered him, and the scene with the senators was even more gruesome than I expected. Plus seeing Eugeo's just cold & dead eyes really hit hard.

[deleted] 4 points · Mar 2019

I mean, when you read, the pacing depends on how fast you read. That's not the case for an anime.

homie_down 2 points · Mar 2019 · Alice

Yeah that’s what I meant. Since I’m somewhat of a fast reader I never felt like the dialogue was dragging on when there was something important that needed to be done. Like the convo Eugeo & Kirito had before finding Eldrie felt painfully long in the anime, but had no issue with it in the LN.

I_Love_Alice 3 points · Mar 2019 · Quinella's Mural Composer

It's funny you say that, because most of the dialogue scenes have gone as I expected them to go in the anime, but the stuff I was slightly iffy about was the dialogues during the fights.

In the novels, I got an idea that they're moving around, swinging swords, etc while shouting their lines at each other (the theater of the mind is a great thing). But in some of the fights in the anime, it feels a lot more stagnant with all of the dialogue and discussion between combatants. Of course, I've been re-reading the novels each week with the anime, and that's how they're written as well, but it just has a different feel to it in the novel as you say.

homie_down 1 points · Mar 2019 · Alice

That’s such a good point about the theater of the mind. So many things when reading are left to our imagination to have them make sense. Your point about the fights is definitely true as well, since that’s kinda how I imagined them too. And sometimes it can be quite difficult to reconcile what our head canon looked like when reading the LNs and what’s shown in the anime.

I may start doing what you did reading with each episode since the upcoming ones are def some of my favorite parts.

I_Love_Alice 2 points · Mar 2019 · Quinella's Mural Composer

Go for it, it's really nice seeing all of the extra detail. Watch the episode, then read after; that way you can have the show's visuals and voice acting to accompany the reading and really get the full effect.

diesal3 7 points · Mar 2019

Poor smol Alice. She's been through so much, and the animation has made that painfully clear.

IntegrityKnight 14 points · Mar 2019

I think I’m gay for Eugeo

ApkalFR 6 points · Mar 2019

Same

theguyfromuncle420 10 points · Mar 2019

“As the master I’m not ready to lose to the student yet” damnnnn boy it’s bouta get spicy af

Also, obligatory Alice best girl comment

We’re almost to that scene tho

enzer_pyro 11 points · Mar 2019 · Male Blank Slate

“I guess you don’t remember, but I’m the one who taught you how to fight with a sword. There’s no way I’m going to lose to my pupil just yet.”

An amazing episode, well kinda...

The «Morning Star Lookout» is a lot more populated than I actually thought, thought it was just an area with a lookout to the whole of the Underworld, nothing more, other than the stairs leading further up. But it was truly beautiful here. Also it's kinda funny how Alice pushing Kirito's head to the floor left a bruise.

The freezing of the «Great Bath» wasn't any different from how I read it in the novel, but everything about the background was just beautiful, such is the devastating power of the «Blue Rose Sword». Alice's voicework in this scene was particularly amazing too, it really pulled at my heartstrings. And also, the small bit of that technical-sounding «Swordland» really sold the whole equipping two swords moment there.

Here comes the «Chamber of Elders», which is way more technologically advanced than I initially thought. I was prepared for what was coming but I was still taken by surprise, everything here was unnerving, made worse in that these Senators have lost all of what made them human, even in the way they are actually fed and kept alive. Unsurprisingly, Chudelkin manages to one-up that with just his existence alone, I wasn't comfortable here either. The way he spoke of child Alice came off as way more vile than I actually thought, his expressions and mannerism don't help much either.

Boy I can't wait for episode 21/22.

And finally, the foreshadowed Union between the wielders «Gigas Sword» and the «Blue Rose Sword», other than the position of the floating platform, it's everything I imagined. One thing that really had me thinking was the «Incarnation Arm», Eugeo somehow managed to pick it up from Bercouli was how I saw it here. But still I never dreamed that it would take this long to see this moment animated, these past 3000 years. A1 really outdid themselves here. Though I was looking forward to them "Leaping" towards each other.

Kirito, are you ready to do battle with Eugeo Synthesis Thirty-Two?

To conclude, synchronized «Sonic Leap». Next Episode, the Beginning of the End.

BleedingUranium 8 points · Mar 2019 · Argo's Guide

Here comes the «Chamber of Elders», which is way more technologically advanced than I initially thought.

I wasn't expecting that either, but I really like it. It has the same sort of bizarre, otherworldly feel that the top of the tree in Fairy Dance had, it just doesn't belong in that world.

yuuka_miya 1 points · Mar 2019 · Fuuko

I'm not sure actually - those who created the tree in Fairy Dance probably had real world experience to fall back on, but what about Underworld?

Or did the Axiom Church just use stock objects in the Seed SDK or something?

RealMoobattle 1 points · Mar 2019

I'd believe this, since she was fused with Cardinal for a while

emil_jacob_2000 5 points · Mar 2019 · Yumiko

God this episode. It was a wild ride through and through, with the irritating clown (who is now the very definition of sadism), and the heartbreaking reveal of Synthesis 32.

HollywoodNA 8 points · Mar 2019

Holy shit, I hated Chudelkin in the novels, but man do I hate him more in the anime.
He is just so disgusting and terrifying.

Pretty slow episode, but these next couple will be quick, as we're finally wrapping up this arc.

Super sad to see Eugeo. They didn't make it as sad as it could have been, it's more of a "I have to do this" moment for kirito.

Not ready for the next couple episodes, hopefully when Eugeo has his last moment, it'll be sad and impactful. Still not ready for it.

Looking forward to the next one!

I_Love_Alice 6 points · Mar 2019 · Quinella's Mural Composer

it's more of a "I have to do this" moment for Kirito

You're right, but I think showing Kirito getting emotional and losing his grip on reality for a moment was also a solid way of handling his encounter with Eugeo. Seeing Kirito completely lose mental focus for a moment over the brainwashing of his dear partner is just as good of an angle to take for the scene, imo (it also sets the tone between the two of them for later).

On another note, Alice snapping Kirito out of his shock was a funny parallel to what he has done with Alice and the other knights so far.

BleedingUranium 4 points · Mar 2019 · Argo's Guide

Agreed! Kirito completely losing his grip on reality and focus, even just for a minute or so, was really all that was needed, given how incredibly composed and sure of everything he's been in every situation until now.

dtape467 4 points · Mar 2019

Stay Cool

ae86forlife 3 points · Mar 2019

Oh boy volume 14 here come the tears

MightyActionGaim 3 points · Mar 2019 · Alice

From here on out, “Forget-me-not” is gonna feel 100x more sad

OverseerNooter 3 points · Mar 2019

The Senate... holy shit. They made it worse than I thought possible. In my mind I pictured it way less torturous.

theguyfromuncle420 3 points · Mar 2019

Kirito: Eugeo the pontifex is evil!

Eugeo: from my point of view, you rebels are evil!

Kirito: well then you are lost!

Eugeo: this is the end for you my master

Zerokira1000 3 points · Mar 2019 · Ordinal Scale

I felt like they made Kirito less realistic.

He draw his Sword against his bosom friend too fast, as if he wasn't caring!

Unlike the LN, which Kirito was so hesitate about that.

dakgrant 4 points · Mar 2019

I'm a bit sad we didn't get a fight scene

BleedingUranium 6 points · Mar 2019 · Argo's Guide

This is exactly how Vol 13 ends, after all. ;)

vicdr97 1 points · Mar 2019

Would this means new op next episode???

BleedingUranium 6 points · Mar 2019 · Argo's Guide

No no, OP/EDs are for each 12 episodes, and we're at 8 of 12.

ChaosArtemisX 2 points · Mar 2019

Im really in a dilemma here guys... Like I want to see Kirito Dual Wielding and Kirito vs Eugeo animated... But REALLY don’t want to see why Kirito picks up the dual blades for battle being animated... Ma heart isn’t ready.

yuuka_miya 1 points · Mar 2019 · Fuuko

Today on Sword Art Online: Kirito and Alice discover the Sybil System.

crusnikblaze07 1 points · Mar 2019

What is good? To watch or to read?

[deleted] -2 points · Mar 2019

[deleted]

AsunasPersonalAsst 4 points · Mar 2019 · Mini Sandwich-kun

r/lostredditors

LJ-696 -7 points · Mar 2019

Hmmm going by pace. I think 22 and 23 might be all Asuna ans the events on the ocean turtle

Thicshigi 6 points · Mar 2019 · Eugeo

There's no real world scene from here on till the end when Kirito contacts them. The full details on the events are described in volume 15.

BleedingUranium 2 points · Mar 2019 · Argo's Guide

Also, it's over comms only, so there's about a 0% chance we'll actually see the real world again this cour. Not being able to see it at all is part of why the scene works so well too, because we know exactly as much as Kirito there.

LJ-696 -6 points · Mar 2019

I know thats why I’m here ;) but given they have added there is no reason to think they will not

Thicshigi 3 points · Mar 2019 · Eugeo

I don't see them skipping the parts that happens just to show something that comes in later book to give an insight of the last 4-5 pages of volume 14. This will also mean covering Subtilizer parts otherwise it wouldn't make sense.

Tryiscuit 3 points · Mar 2019

Showing some of the ending from the Ocean Turtle would let them show Kirito’s fluctlight ‘dying’. Could be a good way to set up the cliffhanger. We’ll see what they do though.

load 1 more replies →

NarutoKun13 1 points · Mar 2019

And what episode eugeo die? ( :( )

Thicshigi 3 points · Mar 2019 · Eugeo

24th

Kikimanox 6 points · Mar 2019 · Alice

They won't show the events from the ocan turtle until the end of the battle, then they'll show Kirito trying to communicate with them, probably ending the season on a cliffhanger with Kirito's mind getting broken. Since they also didn't show the "real world" side in volume 14 at all

Thicshigi 1 points · Mar 2019 · Eugeo

I know that, why are you telling me that?

Kikimanox 3 points · Mar 2019 · Alice

that reply was meant for /u/LJ-696 sry hehe (sry if you thought it was aimed at you)

NarutoKun13 -1 points · Mar 2019

oh no

im a joke to you sao?

we waste 2 weeks for asuna with so cliffhanger for eugeo , kirito and alice :(

Thicshigi 6 points · Mar 2019 · Eugeo

Who said Asuna's going to be shown? She won't be coming till cour 3. There's no real world scene till volume 15. Even when Kirito contacts he can only see Kiku and a few people running here and there and when Asuna tries to talk the whole screen is blank. So she won't be shown till 3rd cour

NarutoKun13 0 points · Mar 2019

I think 22 and 23 might be all Asuna ans the events on the ocean turtle

this ^

i think we see asuna 2 episodes like 6-7

Thicshigi 2 points · Mar 2019 · Eugeo

Well she was just speculating what A-1 does but since you are in LN thread you should know it yourself what will happen in the next 4 episodes.

NarutoKun13 -2 points · Mar 2019

I have not read ln. I just knew that eugeo dies only

LJ-696 0 points · Mar 2019

no guarantee of that. Anime got to do what the anime does.

I’m just mindlessly speculating

LJ-696 1 points · Mar 2019

No Idea 23-24 ish would be my guess

Destroyer29042904 -18 points · Mar 2019 · Argo

It was in this momrnt that I lost all the respext I had for Eugeo