Board Thread:Questions and Answers/@comment-25908228-20141222101442/@comment-1173941-20150621123829

203.176.181.37 wrote: But matter of fact is, we all know that when the plot calls for it, Kirito would easily surpass them in skills and strength. Not quite. Whenever the plot calls for it, he doesn't get some unexplained boost in skill or anything. It's always someone else coming in to rescue him.

Edit: To illustrate my point:


 * In the rematch against Heathclif, Kirito was badly losing, and even fucked up fatally, and would have died. Until Asuna blocked a hit that probably would have killed him. And he got a chance to finish Heathcliff off when his guard was down.


 * While Sugou himself isn't a great fighter, there's still the point that, when Sugou had cornered Kirito to the point he couldn't do any more, Heathcliff shows up, and gives him admin access.


 * Against Death Gun too, he couldn't land a single hit on him. He was being pushed back at every turn, and slashed about wildly. He had a One-hit-kill sword, and couldn't hit him at all. The only reason he won that match was because of Sinon, who managed to feint him into retreating, which left him with an opening.


 * Then there's Kyouji, where in one hit, Kazuro was down, and he only made it through the night because Shino smashed a stereo over his head.

Even in Alicization he doesn't win too many fights on his own, after entering the tower. In fact, at every turn, he would have been dead if Eugeo wasn't there. And ultimately, he couldn't even kill Quinella after going all out—she died by a complete twist of fate—a fluke killed her.

in an interview when asked what would have happened if Kirito had been dual-wielding, Reki himself said that Kirito would have lost. Recently, a fan asked him about this on Twitter, and he responded that Exaclibur's stat advantage probably would have made a difference.