Sword Art Online Episode 14

The End of the World (世界の終焉) is the fourteenth episode of the Sword Art Online anime adaptation and the last episode of the Aincrad Arc. It aired on October 6, 2012.

Plot
Kirito and the others continue fighting, until Heathcliff notices that the boss' life is about to extinguish, so he tells everyone to attack, and after a fierce battle, they finally defeat The Skull Reaper.



Everyone is exhausted from the battle. Kirito informs Klein that 14 players had died. The players begin to have doubts of freeing themselves of the cursed death game, since they had 25 more floors to complete that were inescapable by any means.That's when Kirito notices that Heathcliff is standing without any sign of fatigue from the battle and, at that moment, he recalls their duel. Kirito immediately attacks Heathcliff with the ability Rage Spike, and a purple shield appears, with the Immortal Object status appearing to everyone's shock, just like when Yui was attacked by The Fatal Scythe. Kirito explains to the players because of his status, he will never fall below the yellow zone. He also wondered where "he" was watching (he said in the first episode he would interfere with the players, but he never did) and adjusting the world. Suddenly realizing that there's nothing boring then watching others play an RPG along with the unusual state of Heathcliff, he deduces that Heathcliff is actually Kayaba Akihiko.



Heathcliff admits that he is Kayaba, causing one of the Knight of the Blood soldiers to attack him in anger. Kayaba quickly paralyzes everyone, execpt for Kirito. Kirito then asks him if he will kill everyone to cover his identity, but Kayaba says it wouldn't be fair for everyone, as they would never clear the game. He then tells the players that he will be the last boss, and will be waiting for them in the Ruby Palace on the final floor. But as a reward to Kirito for discovering his true identity, Kayaba offers a one-on-one duel with him, with no system assist, immortality disabled, and if Kirito manages to defeat him, he will free all the players.

Asuna pleads Kirito not to accept the challenge and to fall back, but Kirito has flashbacks of all of those who have died and, not wanting any more deaths, accepts the wager. Kirito apologizes to Asuna that he will not run away and reassures her that he will win and end the game. Agil and Klein also beg Kirito not to battle. Kirito thanks Agil for helping the swordsmen from the middle levels level up, and apologizes to Klein for leaving him on the first day. Klein retaliates that he will not forgive Kirito until he buys him a meal in the real world. Before the start of the duel, Kirito requests that if he does die, he wants Kayaba to make sure that Asuna can't kill herself for a while. Kayaba smiles and accepts the request. Asuna cries out for Kirito.



At the beginning of the duel, both fight at extreme speed. Knowing that Kayaba was the one who designed the Dual Blades skill and that he will be able to block the pre-programmed combos, Kirito tries to use his own skills, without the help of any Sword Skills. Kirito starts to corner Kayaba, but he loses focus for a mere moment and activates Eclipse, a high level Dual Blades skill and is unable to cancel it midway. Kayaba easily blocks each and every strike. Dark Repulser breaks on Heathcliff's shield and, just as Kayaba is about to deliver the finishing blow to Kirito, Asuna jumps between the two, saving him but is killed in the process. Kayaba is suprised at this, saying that it is impossible to neutralize the paralysis on her own, as the others were still paralyzed.



In disbelief of losing Asuna, Kirito swings his sword with little effort allowing Kayaba to easily send his Elucidator flying and stab him. But, in the moment his life drops to zero, Kirito stabs Kayaba with Asuna's Lambent Light, killing him as well. Kirito asks if "it was good enough" before he and Kayaba shatter into thousands of pieces. A voice of the system announces, "As of 14:55, November 7, the game has been cleared."

Kirito opens his eyes and finds himself in the sky outside of Aincrad. Kirito is shocked to see Asuna and tells her that he is sorry for dying and not getting her back into the real world. They hug and share a kiss, while watching the destruction of Aincrad. They see their house (the 22nd floor cabin), fall down, along with many other areas. Unexpectedly, Kayaba appears and interrupts them, and tells them that the 6,147 survivors have been sucessfully logged out of the game. He also tells them that Aincrad will be deleted in the next 10 minutes. Kayaba tells them he cannot remember why he created Aincrad, but recalls a desire to create a castle that surpassed all laws and restrictions. He then congratulates Kirito for clearing the game, and disappears in thin air.

Kirito and Asuna spend their last moments together, telling each other their real names as they see the last of Aincrad disappear. Kirito being the 16 year old Kirigaya Kazuto and Asuna the one year older Yuuki Asuna. Kirito cries and is apologetic that he was unable to send Asuna back to the other world. Asuna comforts him and tells him that meeting and living with him were the happiest moments in her life and that she loves him. Kirito and Asuna hug each other, waiting for the final moment. Both disappear along with Aincrad.



Kirito wakes up and finds himself in the hospital bedroom, while trying to make sense of where he is, he remembers Asuna, bringing tears and life back into his eyes. He takes off the NerveGear and grabs the IV drip stand for support and slowly walks out of his room to find Asuna while calling her name.

Inventory

 * Kirito
 * Blackwyrm Coat
 * Elucidator
 * Dark Repulser
 * Asuna
 * Lambent Light
 * Heathcliff
 * Liberator

Known Sword Skills

 * «Rage Spike» - Kirito
 * «The Eclipse» - Kirito

Locations

 * Aincrad Floor 75: 75th Floor Labyrinth - Boss room
 * The sky outside of Aincrad
 * Hospital in the real world

Adaptation Notes

 * Adapted Volume 1 Chapters 22-25


 * For a dramatic effect, the anime shows as if Kirito burst into polygons and then came back again, while in the next scene it shows the standing Kirito starting to glow. This is similar to how the anime portrays Kirito's finger bleeding in Episode 1, while in the next scene it was shown that he wasn't actually bleeding. In the novel, it was said that the flow of time slowed down for Kirito and he was able to move his arm while his body was slowly breaking down, giving him enough time to pierce Heathcliff before the former's body shattered into polygons.
 * In Volume 1 Chapter 21 and 22 of the light novels, while fighting "The Skull Reaper" in the 75th Floor, Kirito is still wearing the KoB's Guild Uniform, while in the anime he's wearing his Blackwyrm Coat.
 * The final part of "Warmth of the Heart", from Volume 2, and "The Final Promise" from Silica Edition are omitted in the anime. The anime does, however, portray the announcement being played over the game.

Quotes

 * "Something any kid knows. There's nothing as boring as watching someone else play an RPG." - Kirito
 * "Yes, I am Kayaba Akihiko. And if I may add, I am the game's final boss, who would have awaited you at the top floor." - Heathcliff/Kayaba Akihiko
 * "Damn it, Kirito! Don't you dare apologize to me now! I won't forgive you... I won't forgive until you buy me a meal on the other side!" - Klein
 * "This isn't a duel... We're fighting to kill. That's right. I'm going to kill him!" - Kirito
 * "I believe in you, Kirito-kun." - Asuna
 * "I wanted to leave the ground, to fly to that castle. For a long, long time, that was my only desire." - Kayaba Akihiko
 * "No, it isn't. We're going to disappear as one. So we'll be together forever." - Asuna
 * "I'm happy I was able to meet you, Kazuto-kun. To live with you. It's the happiest I've ever been in my life. Thank you. I love you" - Asuna

Trivia

 * There was a double animation error when Heathcliff is preparing to fight Kirito, a message appears that says, "Chaged Into Immortal Object". "Changed" was misspelled and "mortal" was accidentally written as "immortal".

Episodio 14