Sword Art Online Episode 12

Yui's Heart (ユイの心) is the twelfth episode of the Sword Art Online anime adaptation. It aired on September 22, 2012.

Plot
On November 1st, the 1st Floor main settlement, «Town of Beginnings»; Kirito and his family were having their breakfast at the guestroom of the church where Sasha and the children players reside in. Yui seems to have recovered from her panic attack earlier. Kirito and Asuna learn from Sasha that Yui has not been seen here before amongst Sasha's many walks around the town. While talking with Sasha about her duty of taking care of the kids on the First Floor, they soon receive a visit from Yulier, a female player from the «Aincrad Liberation Force». After Yulier thanks Kirito and Asuna for punishing her fellow «Army» members who were causing trouble, she tells them that she came to ask for their assistance.



Yulier explains that the change in her guild was caused by the action of its former sub-leader: Kibaou, whom was trying to overtake leadership over «The Army» guild away from a player named Thinker. Kibaou was sentenced to be punished after his actions caused the death of Cobert and two more members of the guild, when he ordered his group to go challenge The Gleam Eyes by themselves. Before the judgement was given, Kibaou contacted the Army’s leader to meet face to face unarmed. During the meeting Kibaou tricked Thinker, sending him into a high-level dungeon without any armor, weapon or Teleport Crystal. Once Yulier heard about two high-level players that had come here, she went to find them. Kirito and Asuna have doubts about Yulier's story, as it could be a trap. However after Yui states that Yulier is "telling the truth", Kirito chooses to believe in her story, instead of later regretting not helping her, and they agree to help. Kirito and Asuna hope that Yui would stay behind, however Yui wouldn't accept it and they are forced to take her along as well.



Yulier explained about the recently found dungeon, in which Thinker was being held hostage. She told the group that Kibaou wanted to have this area for The Army's personal benefit, however the monsters were too strong for him, so he couldn't use it as much. The dungeon is speculated to have been unlocked as the clearers made progress on the higher floors. Kirito enjoyed defeating the Four Eyed Frogs, collecting their toad meat drops in the process, hoping for Asuna to cook them, but she threw them all away, the scene making Yulier smile.



They finally arrived before the safe area, where Thinker was trapped, and Yulier began running towards him, but Thinker yells to her to stop. As Kirito was wondering why Thinker was telling them not to come closer, he detected an enemy hiding in the shadows. As The Fatal Scythe was about to land its scythe on her, Kirito jumped right on time to stop Yulier from being killed by it. Kirito then asked her and Yui to run to the safe area, which she agreed, and also asked Asuna to go there too, but she refused. Even though Kirito was unable to identify the boss, he presumed that it was a high level boss. As the boss attacked, Kirito and Asuna blocked it, but were blown away from the hit and lost half their HP in the process.

The blow from the scythe was very hard on them, and both were unable to get back up. As the boss was about to deal the finishing blow on Kirito, Yui left the safe area and stepped in front of The Fatal Scythe, who then attempted to attack her, but the scythe was repelled. Kirito and Asuna were shocked at the fact that Yui was an immortal object, and not a player. Yui then changed to the clothes she was originally using, and generated a the Object Eraser in the shape of a huge flaming sword, and removes the boss from the game.

Back in the safe area, Yui explains that she was a program meant to take care of the player's mental health, but she was unable to do so because the Cardinal System told her not to interact with the players. She only saw hate, rage and desperation in the players, until she saw Asuna and Kirito, so she decided to meet them. She then explained that she was going to be deleted by the Cardinal System for not obeying its orders and said her farewell to Kirito and Asuna.



Kirito takes the keyboard in the GM access found in that safe zone and manages to save Yui's program by transforming it into an in-game object and storing the information in his Nerve Gear's local memory. On the way home, Kirito and Asuna talk about recreating Yui after they escape from SAO.

New Characters

 * Yulier
 * Thinker

Named Monsters

 * Four Eyed Frog
 * The Fatal Scythe

Guilds

 * Aincrad Liberation Force

Inventory

 * Kirito
 * Dark Repulser
 * Elucidator
 * Asuna
 * Lambent Light
 * Yulier
 * Teleport Crystal x 3
 * Thinker
 * Teleport Crystal - given by Yulier

Locations

 * Aincrad Floor 1: Town of Beginnings - Church, Black Iron Palace - Hidden Dungeon; Town of Beginnings - Teleport Gate Plaza
 * Aincrad Floor 22

Adaptation Notes

 * Adapted from Volume 2, Morning Dew Girl


 * In the novel, Asuna herself accessed the shared inventory with Kirito and deleted the Scavenger's meat from the inventory without taking it out, while in the anime, Kirito takes out all of the meat from the inventory and Asuna literally throws it away.
 * The part about Thinker exiling Kibaou and his followers after his rescue was omitted.

Episodio 12