Sword Art Online - Alicization - War of Underworld - Episode 15 - 10 Second Anime

Kirito’s allies face tough battles inside and outside Underworld from Miller’s forces and tactics.

Episode 15 – “Instigation”

Hmm.

SAO likes to do one thing to make sure its action sequences and one-on-one battles are more exciting. The characters involved need to have an emotional relationship first. Positive, negative, long history of association, or anything else, the people fighting against and for each other need to have a bond. It was clear Sinon was going to face Miller at some point, because he’s the one who strangled her in GGO way earlier in the Alicization Arc. Vassago, as the former leader of Laughing Coffin, was always going to meet Asuna, Kirito, or any of his allies that helped put that player-killer gang down. SAO, just to tighten the screws, also made sure these worst enemies made themselves known to their respective opponents at the worst time. Things look bleak for the good guys inside Underworld, but at least there are a couple of rays of hope starting to glimmer, like those skeptical players from Korea and China.

One of those rays of hope outside of Underworld got a major kick in the stomach when Yanai pointed a gun at Higa. Miller’s mercenary team set up a reputation of ruthlessness and preparedness, so it was not that big a surprise that he might have planted an agent among the staff of the Ocean Turtle beforehand. We’ll have to see later if Miller is extorting Yanai’s cooperation, because he appeared reluctant to prevent Higa from reassembling Kirito’s damaged fluctlight. I wonder if Higa can play on that reluctance somehow. Whatever the case, I still stand by my prediction that Yanai won’t be with us for long.

Heh.

Sinon arrives too late to save Bercouli. I like how the dragons pay attention to her. Oh, Sinon needs to resort to harem dynamics to explain why Bercouli’s death is as important as Kirito’s injuries. They did it for you, Alice! She convinces Alice to keep flying toward the World’s End Altar. I already said goodbye to Bercouli last episode, but it’s important for SAO to show Alice’s goodbye. For REASONS. Sinon will also stick around where Vecta “died” because she thinks the player will reenter Underworld at the same location. It’s going to be a GGO reunion!

Where’s Leafa? Oh well. Let’s see the odd couple of the Boxer Chief Iskahn and Sheyta the Integrity Knight. Oh, let’s not be so obvious. SAO showed Sheyta with full, feminine lips after she realized she wanted to have Iskahn’s baby. Will that big red horde will let them? Doesn’t look like it when Iskahn’s weapon, his body, is as broken as Sheyta’s sword is missing.

Asuna’s allies hold their ground. Uh oh. Asuna and Klein just recognized Vassago as PoH, the leader of Laughing Coffin. And he just called in a new wave of beta players, from China and Korea! Oh, this Korean kid doesn’t trust the inciteful video Miller’s team broadcast. His cutie Chinese friend wants to check out “Japanese” hackers trashing a small game dev’s alpha testing. Taking advantage of old racist enmity. That Korean kid looks just like Renly. #SaveTheUnderworld I think those two are going to convince their guildmates to do just that!

As I expected, Sinon is going to meet Miller where he died, but it’s the GGO player she fears the most: Subtilizer. Somehow, he’s choking her from far away. Will her soul taste sweeter now?

That Korean kid doesn’t trust Vassago. Good man. It’s a desperate battle for the “hackers,” and Moonphase has seen enough.

Well, let’s see if Higa’s plan works out. Whoa, Yanai. What’s with the gun? The next episode has the title "Code 871," so maybe he’s the one who put that in there to sabotage the Alicization candidates.