ALDNOAH.ZERO / First Impressions

「夢幻の彼方 -The Fortune’s Fool-」 (Mugen no Kanata -The Fortune’s Fool-)
“Beyond the Dream -The Fortune’s Fool-“

This is starting to smell quite strongly of a tragic ending, at least for the principal characters.

I’m sure the Sl-apologists will find a way to write off his actions this week just as they have all the others, but it’s hard to see much good left in Slaine at this point. It’s not so hard to see where the good was, perhaps, but as he’s dug himself deeper and deeper trying to make a foundation for his castle of deceit, any goodness in Slaine has been buried so deeply it’s hard to believe it’ll ever see the light of day again. “I’m doing all this evil so things will be good in the end” has been the sop of many a genocidal megalomaniac over the years. Indeed, the only real question at this point is whether Slaine’s actions on the personal or socio-political level are the more despicable.

The sad thing is, I’d really hoped for better because the VERS system was rotten to the core and desperately needed someone to come along and blow it up. But many an upheaval with the potential to do good has turned evil under similar circumstances. As his lies are exposed Slaine is going to have no choice but to become more and more vicious now, and a big one was exposed this week when Lemrina discovered the truth about her half-sister. At this point Asseylum was also being let in on the truth of her situation, Mazuurek’s gambit having prompted Eddie to spill the beans.

Meanwhile, on Earth, the combined lightning-invisibility attack is wreaking havoc even with Inaho’s tactical ability. The authorities have apparently decided the best use for their only weapon of consequence is suicide missions, though so far (thanks to Inaho) the Deucalion has stubbornly refused to be destroyed. But this one is perhaps Inaho’s toughest challenge yet, and many of the assumptions he makes about the enemy turn out to be wrong (he certainly didn’t predict quantum teleportation). And a lot of pilots die as a result, though certainly less than if Inaho hadn’t been involved. Turns out lightning and invisibility are taking the “combine” thing literally, pulling off a gattai move that allows them to use the complementary powers of both. Very clever indeed.

Of course Inaho gets the win in the end, as he has to at this stage of the story, helped by using a clever ruse of making his Kataphrakt the same capacity as Lightning to avoid its electrical attacks. But to do so he has to use his eye to literally assume control over every gun in the fleet, and I have to say his ending is looking a lot more Haruto-like (ironic, as I’ll touch on in a minute). And Central Command is retrofitting the Deucalion for a big-time mission, which sounds suspiciously like it could be an attack against the VERS moonbase. Our long-awaited bishoudown may be coming, if the parties live long enough to see it.

Slaine is doing his part to survive, at least for now. I wasn’t sure where this was going when Lemrina confronted Asseylum and pulled a gun on her, but apparently her notion was to join forces against the guy who’s been lying to both of them. But their choice to confront him was rather a foolish and naive one, and doomed to failure. Sure, it was clever to have Asseylum turn the tables and impersonate Lemrina – there’s no way she can deny the truth about what Slaine has become now. But they should have pretended everything was all right and plotted an escape from Slaine’s clutches, because Slaine is way too smart to think Asseylum would ever have pulled the trigger. And he’s obviously unbound by any sentimental attachments to Asseylum – he still loves her, but he’s so thoroughly given up hope of her ever returning the favor that committing any atrocity in order to achieve his goal has little obvious downside.

So Slaine’s plan to wipe out most of Earth’s population and create a joint Earth-Mars empire (what would that be called – Ears? Math?) to present to Asseylum proceeds apace – though just what he expects her to do with it, I have no idea. But there are more cracks in it than the hull of the Titanic, and another one just appeared – apparently Slaine’s racist guardian Cruhteo had a son, Croncain(?). And yes, he’s played by non other than Ohsaka Ryouta, Haruto himself, who joins Aldnoah.Zero just as it’s beginning to take on a pronounced Valvrave tint. Hard to say what role he’ll play in the increasingly explosive VERS situation, but he’s damn sure not making things any less complicated for Slaine, who now also has to deal with the lack of a royal mouthpiece to endorse his leadership (unless he tortures or coerces one of the Princesses to do so). This is going to be a shame.

Zephyr’s Quick Impressions:

I didn’t see that coming.

It seems like we’re saying that every week, and it goes to show just how (as Enzo put it) “predictably unpredictable” ALDNOAH.ZERO has become. Just when you think you’ve pinned down the potential paths this story could take, the next episode throws that up in the air. Best of all, it forces you to reconsider the obvious signs you might’ve missed previously, and there are few words to express just how great the last string of episodes have been. And honestly, the screenshots tell everything here. One moment we have this, the next we have them teaming up to take down the noticeably shocked Slaine, and then we realize he had already prepared himself for this by surrounding himself with people who didn’t quite care for the original VERS hierachy in the first place. The utter destruction of all “three” (if you don’t count in quantum teleportation) Counts on Earth, the Deucalion prepping to go back into space, and the issues Inaho is starting to face with his new eye are just toppings on the dramatic cake that is ALDNOAH.ZERO, and I’ll admit I didn’t expect to be this excited for the series’ final episodes.

Perhaps the most interesting part of it all though, is how Slaine’s actions are setting things up so things will work out whether he succeeds or not. Because on one hand, the success of his plan would have him firmly planted as the leader of a united Earth/Mars world, one presumably free of war for the duration of his reign. On the other, his defeat would allow both of the Princesses + Inaho and Co. to find the common ground that could lead to the same thing. Of course, that’s assuming that they manage to navigate through the bureaucracy at the head of the Earth Nations, and that’s something that would be made much easier should the Deucalion succeed in their next operation. The fact that both Cruhteo’s son (that was a surprise!) and Mazuurek are in the picture bode well for the situation should any of the Princesses not make it, and it looks like there’s more than adequate amount of backup to ensure this story ends on a happy note in regards to Earth/Mars relations. The question is, who from the main cast will live to see it? Things are certainly looking grimmer and grimmer for both Slaine and Inaho at this point…

98 Comments

      1. same first milliseconds here, but then. It was nearly the same as when she was about to shutdown the life-support Systems in this Heal Tank
        (or they read my Speculation. Well they used my “Illusion” idea just inverted. So Asseylum faked to be Lemrina…)

        WorldwideDepp
        Reply

    1. I don’t think more than two cours was ever planned, but there’s no “confirmed” when an anime has decent sales. This one does, so it could get some sort of continuation – maybe OVAs like Gargantia (which sold about as well).

      Guardian Enzo
      Reply

    1. They don’t know how to fight powerless humans though, they gained their piloting skill by sparring each other. Those orbital knights are nothing but names in powerful mechs, take away the mechs and they are defenseless babies that don’t even know hand-to-hand combat. Sort of like nobles with all the power and no knowledge how to use it properly.

      Dwarg
      Reply

      1. It helps to build up an Image, if you see these Nobles in the WW1 Scenario, where they have the Privilege to command some Soldiers just because of their Status and not their Skills

        WorldwideDepp
        Reply

  5. Was it explained in earlier eps why Lemrina has to use a wheel chair? We’ve seen her walk normally so just wondering why use it if she could walk. Weak legs or injury?

    silentvoice
    Reply

    1. She was only walking without assistance in low gravity areas; while the show has yet to explain precisely why Lemrina is too weak to stand and walk in normal gravity, it can be safely assumed that she is either sickly or just handicapped.

      She was pretty handicapable of ruining Slaine’s day for him in this episode though lol.

      randomly
      Reply

  6. Slaine, you crafty mofo! You were always the tragic figure in this story, but who would have though you’d be the mastermind behind your own demise 😀
    And to the creators: please get the guy a cape and a nice looking chair to shout his commands from! Right now it just looks funny when all the Grand-Master-Plans are discussed in a cubicle ^^

    ilion4o
    Reply

    1. I feel sorry for Slaine.

      Even Lelouche had CC as a confidante while Slaine has…. Harklight. And Lelouche had a frenemy in Suzaku, while Inaho pretty much 999% hates Slaine now.

      DZ
      Reply

  7. This was the first episode I unreservedly enjoyed in a while. It would take too long to identify all the baggage that brought previous episodes down and that was not present here, but I feel like they’ve finally gotten the formula right. It just flowed.
    I was actually thrown off a little when they reminded us that there was a two-year timeskip. Under those circumstances, Slaine’s change is a lot less surprising. He had time to get beaten down by human folly, corruption, and despair. In that sense, the biggest tragedy isn’t that we see what he’s become, but that we saw what he once was…

    mythnut
    Reply

  8. Both Inaho’s and Asseylum’s seiyuu just won Best Rookie awards in the 9th Seiyuu Awards.
    Being Slaine is suffering indeed.
    (although Ono Kensho probably is not qualified for the Rookie award anyway since he entered the industry by dubbing Harry Potter years ago.)

    Bankai & Sons LLC
    Reply

  9. Well, Slaine’s house of cards is shaking even as he dreams of victory to end all wars. His combined allied counts force was routed by Inaho, and both princesses have turned aginst him. Due to defeat on the ground there will be calls for him to step down, or even direct mutiny, and he no longer can count on princess -either one! – to boost his popularity. Of course Cruhteo’s son is quite possibly the catalyst that will light up the fuse of discontent. (for those who dont remember – Cruhteo was staunch loyalist to Asseylum who got killed by Saazbaum back in the first series). Mazuurek is out of sight for now, but I bet my eyepatch of power (chu2byou forever!) that he is either orchestrating mutiny with the goal of freeing Asseylum or delivering news to Inaho.
    I think the Earth HQ got to pretty same genocidal conclusion as Slaine, and intend to use the Aldnoah power of the Deucalion to destroy colonies on Mars itself. Without logistical support from the homeland, even the mighty aldnoah-powered castles and kataphrakts will eventually run out of beans bullets and bandages.

    ewok40k
    Reply

  10. There will no be Tragic on both Princess, well at last they would not be killed that fast

    Remember, and that are facts that even the Studio can not ignore

    Lemrina is the Aldnoah.Zero Power Source for Slaine’s entire Army. The Mecha, His Castle and so on. I bet even the Moon Base is under her Control. So if Lemrina get killed, this Power source is dead, And Slaine Dream is dead, too

    So possibility of Lemrina get killed in near Future is Low. Or they begin to exchange her Powers back to the Old Vers King. But for that the Old King need to “restart” the Drives, so possibility is even low as lower

    Asseylum is the Aldnoah.Zero Power of Deucalion. And here the possibility is stronger. Because Earth do not depend heavy on this Ship, well they even do not Trust these Drives and want to get rid of it.

    So possibility for Asseylum is higher to die then her Half-Sister Lemrina. Earth Defense Army want to kill her or not? She is the Enemy (from the Fake Videos). Only Deucalion and Inaho knows the Truth

    But i see that Deucalion is still needed, so Asseylum’s Death Flag is rised but will not fall so quickly

    But in the other hand, if they kill Lemrina the War and the Power uprising from Slaine would end in a instant. And there are still the Old Kings Knights on Orbit. Or did Inaho killed them all so far?

    3 peoples have the Power of the Drives

    the old King
    Lemrina
    Asseylum

    All Story progression surround about these three Healthiness

    What i could see as Speculation, that one of the Old King’s Counts capture one of the Princess to Control or Break Slaine’s and Inaho’s Power. Slaine for the New VERS Empire and Inaho for Deucalion

    This are unshakable truths

    What they would focuses is about their Princess Knights. And right now this is only Slaine and Inaho

    or we see Yuki-nee being a old Knight with Amnesia arise as Last Hope pf Earth.. But also here, possibility is Low

    WorldwideDepp
    Reply

    1. For Yuki-nee being the last Ace. We need a Flashback of Lt.Marito when we lost his Comrades in the first Fight, in saving the Female Pilot out of the Mecha… But i dunno. He lost his Comrades, are fighting to the Death and after the Impact Nuke, he rescue a Enemy Pilot? But that would explain the little crush he has on her (Remember the beginning? Where he is still Training Instructor in the School?)

      So Yuki-nee being an Hidden Secret, is Low, lower then Low. Nearly impossible. But if they want to build her up, they should come with a good Background Story…a good dam Story…

      WorldwideDepp
      Reply

    2. other Possibility for an 3rd Season:

      They Key will be this Men and the Message he brings with him, from the Old King
      https://randomc.net/image/ALDNOAH%20ZERO/ALDNOAH%20ZERO%20-%2021%20-%20Large%2038.jpg

      “Surrender your Dreams of became independent from VERS Empire peacefully or we start the Same War that result in the Born of the United States!”

      France would be VERS Empire on Mars, and US would be New VERS Empire on Earth

      So in the end, Slaine must put his Earth Attack plans on Ice to switch over to defend his New VERS Empire against the Old VERS System. So we get in the End Slaine end up in the middle of all again. The Earth invasion is postponed, the VERS are fighting a Civil-War against their Traitors. This could be a stretch of time, they need for the 3rd Season. This just rebalanced the tide of War back to all three Equal Powers. Depend in how Desperate the VERS Empire on Mars fight here. EDF just need to cut all ties from Earth of both Sides to let them Bleed out themselves. Without resource Supply’s they sometime run dry… You get a gist from WW2 History. Where lack of Fuel and such…. i think i do not need more explanation

      So, if this Fresh Count bring this Message for stop the New VERS Empire Rebellion, and fight them. Slaine must pull his focus to defending and gain Earth land for resource supporting. And here the EDF just need to prevail that, and let Both of them fight themselves
      Slaine will not last long on a two side Front-line on a War

      But perhaps i should stop for now Speculation about the After Time. Perhaps the plan to End it this with a Big bang. I am very curious in what they plan to give us

      That would be the last Speculation from me. i looking forward to the Final fight (even if the OP spoil us a little. Is it Asseylum or the Aldnoah power in this Light?)

      WorldwideDepp
      Reply

    3. Small corrections here and there especially as regards the “power source”

      1) Slaine is the one who activated the Aldnoah in Tharsis at least. A few eps ago Lemeria gave him the activation factor and told him to power up Tharsis himself

      2) Inaho is actually the one who powered up the Deucalion.

      So right now the 2 Princesses don’t really control any of the important mechs or machinery. If anything they can power down all of them though. I don’t know if they can revoke the activation factor. Though it seems like they can as has been hinted when Slain took over

      Juan
      Reply

  12. I’m sure the Sl-apologists will find a way to write off his actions this week just as they have all the others, but it’s hard to see much good left in Slaine at this point. It’s not so hard to see where the good was, perhaps, but as he’s dug himself deeper and deeper trying to make a foundation for his castle of deceit, any goodness in Slaine has been buried so deeply it’s hard to believe it’ll ever see the light of day again. “I’m doing all this evil so things will be good in the end” has been the sop of many a genocidal megalomaniac over the years. Indeed, the only real question at this point is whether Slaine’s actions on the personal or socio-political level are the more despicable.

    Not a fan of Slaine or even watch the show, so this isn’t strictly related to the anime, but I’ll leave this here since the above paragraph ticks me off a bit.

    I’m curious, is the author of the review in favor of having countries in the real world entirely getting rid of their military,police and other security services?And by extension the entire legal system(not much point if you don’t have anyone to enforce laws)?If not the only difference between you and what you described as a ‘genocidal megalomaniac’ is the scale and severity of the evil you’re willing to commit(or worse in favor having others commit it while you keep your hands clean).After all you’d agree violence and locking people up in cages is evil, although law enforcement officials do it regularly and a number of countries have death penalty even though killing people is generally considered evil.Of course the things I just mentioned are done after a trial for the sake of justice,stability,safety,peace and other good and righteous things, and most people in the world either agree with it or thinks it’s necessary – not much different from what you described is it?

    Just to point out I’m not saying countries should get rid of the military/police/legal system, I think those things are necessary too. What bothers me is the self-righteous attitude that either the author,myself or people in general are any better than those he clearly considers evil, doubly so when you consider a lot of countries today are democracies, which makes it impossible to just point to national governments and claim it’s their fault and nothing to do with you.

    anon
    Reply

    1. “Not a fan of Slaine or even watch the show, so this isn’t strictly related to the anime, but I’ll leave this here since the above paragraph ticks me off a bit.”
      Don’t take a paragraph out of its context if you want to analyze the content… At least watch it and you’ll more or less understand what he meant by that.

      cryarc
      Reply

      1. I watched some of the first season and a little of the second, plus read the reviews here so I do have a general idea of the story, but like you mentioned context is important when understanding something.Although the more likely case is I’ll find some melodrama along with the plot being framed in a way that makes Slaine look bad(not saying he’s a good person either), which would probably make me understand what the author ‘meant’ in the sense I’d probably be disgusted and repulsed by Slaine, but what of it?The fact I find an act or a person disgusting or repulsive doesn’t make them evil.

        Can someone point out the specific actions of Slaine that makes him evil while taking into account what I wrote above?

        p.s:I’m not defending or considering Slaine to be a good or a bad person, I just find the reasons given by people who consider him evil to be hypocritical.

        anon
        Reply

      2. @anon

        Slaine’s idea of creating a peaceful world as he put it is basically to remove all kinds of difference. His reasoning of the Vers Earth war goes along the line of the Vers side leaving the Earth to live on Mars in effect being different from Earth and as such it was inevitable for war to break out between the two. Hence his idea of coming up with “peace” is to “wipe out everyone from one side” so that there would be no differences anymore and hence no conflicts.

        If you watched the episode you would understand that the author of the review is actually criticizing Slaine’s line of thinking in that he will willingly engage in genocide justifying it as a necessary step towards peace. By extension also, Slain has in effect abbrogated upon himself the authority to judge who is worthy to live in this new world of his.

        Juan
        Reply

    2. Oh, I need to explain that the author never even once implying he wants to abolish government/military roles. In that paragraph he was explaining how he condemn a megalomaniac figure who wages war by the reasoning it’s for the sake of getting a peaceful world. This megalomaniac’s idea of peace was to completely eradicate any possible group outside from themself, instead of cooperating with them. Have you ever heard of Hitler’s Nazi? Yeah, this Slaine does what Hitler did, those whose not of his affiliation shall perish mindset. So will you still support the idea to keep having this war games?

      cryarc
      Reply

      1. well, i supported him in believing they let him walking some kind of French Revolution way. Where his kind of Vers Servants break free from the Count’s Terror regimes.

        Slaine has fallen. And he knows it

        WorldwideDepp
        Reply

  13. Martian pilot are so delusional that other than Slaine none of them understand basic tactic. How can they just waltz and fight in a open field without any tactic. Aren’t martian knight suppose to be well verse in tactic?

    walaoa
    Reply

    1. It’s their arrogance and i honestly don’t think they train with their own mech to know their weaknesses. They are so used to win battles with sheer power and no much effort, they pretty much get fcked when facing actual resistance.

      Satyr
      Reply

  14. I thought Slaine was delusional and probably a megalomaniac but not to that extent. “Everlasting peace”? hahaha. As long as there is individuality there is going to be dissension. And if there is dissension, there is going to be eventually war. Even if he creates his wonderful kingdom, there are still people who are going to be discontent. Hell, he even demonstrated it himself by breaking from the Vers empire. If Asseylum didn’t pull that disguise stunt, Slaine would have probably served his most refined bullsht to keep her in the dark lol.
    Always a treat to see Inaho’s team work and arrogant martians knight get their comeuppance. Shame he is probably going to pay the ultimate price for using bionic eye.
    I’m still curious about the creators of the Aldnoah tech and i wonder if they are going to pop up at some point if there is a 3rd season.

    Satyr
    Reply

  15. I’m sure the Sl-apologists will find a way to write off his actions this week just as they have all the others, but it’s hard to see much good left in Slaine at this point. It’s not so hard to see where the good was, perhaps, but as he’s dug himself deeper and deeper trying to make a foundation for his castle of deceit, any goodness in Slaine has been buried so deeply it’s hard to believe it’ll ever see the light of day again. “I’m doing all this evil so things will be good in the end” has been the sop of many a genocidal megalomaniac over the years. Indeed, the only real question at this point is whether Slaine’s actions on the personal or socio-political level are the more despicable.

    I have no doubt that they will still try to make excuses for Slaine even when he would destroy an orphanage with a nuclear weapon.

    Slaine is a hypocrite, a warmonger, a liar, manipulating, a traitor…
    Why people defend this guy is way beyond me.

    maroon
    Reply

    1. Well, he was sympathetic at the begining but ever since the number he pulled at Tanegashima you could see him slowly turning into monster obsssesed with Seylum. Slaine is not even doing this out of real conviction, it´s just his sick to “protect” the peincess, Saazbaun was insane but at least that monster belived on what he was doing.

      haseo0408
      Reply

  16. In case that someone not noticed it, but in the End EDF is rebuilding the Deucalion into some kind of Mecha Carrier with this Catapult, and looks like they thicken their Nose Armor as a side effect. So the Fight will be a Mecha fight, where Deucalion will be on the Back Lines. Only providing Support Fire. Or Deucalion just function as external Engine to bring these Mecha Carrier module up into Space, and then separate it for Fighting. Like towing Wood-build Planes stuffed with Soldiers on Bombers in WW2

    WorldwideDepp
    Reply

  17. On top of Slaine melodrama, we learn that he’s got some hardcore lofty goals. This is rich, the guy actually thinks he can create a world devoid of conflict.
    He must have forgotten that none of the orbital knights have sworn loyalty to him, Asseylum doesn’t want this, and that these knights are so self centered that once they’re done with the Terran’s they’ll just inevitably fight among each other.

    I’ll just say right now that I don’t believe for a second that Inaho will meet a Haruto end. Though, he won’t get out of this conflict unscathed. I believe, entirely, that Slaine will not live in the end. I also believe either Lemrina or Asseylum will be the one to kill him.

    Kabble
    Reply

  18. https://randomc.net/image/ALDNOAH%20ZERO/ALDNOAH%20ZERO%20-%2021%20-%20Large%2001.jpg “I’ve created my own route now Harklight. Let it be known that the Slaine route is the path of a real G who moves past the NTR and plot hax for the new world order.”

    https://randomc.net/image/ALDNOAH%20ZERO/ALDNOAH%20ZERO%20-%2021%20-%20Large%2036.jpg “They want me to be the final boss so badly then let’s give them what they want.”

    https://randomc.net/image/ALDNOAH%20ZERO/ALDNOAH%20ZERO%20-%2021%20-%20Large%2037.jpg “I’ve lived long enough to see myself become the villain, I won’t die a hero. Even if I lose I still win, we all get Slained in the end.”

    magoiichi
    Reply

    2. One thing that really bothers me about this episode is about Asseylum’s action to confront Slaine Troyard.

      I know she would get upset and perhaps, angry to Slaine. But what I wouldn’t expect is how EASILY this girl goes for the gun as way to threat Slaine to stop the war. WHAT!? Why in the God’s name would you do such a thing!? Why not to try at LEAST talk to him or persuade him? Some people may argue that is no point to talk with Slaine, but this is freaking ASSEYLUM we’re talking here! Slaine’s childhood and best friend!

      You don’t just cast the one you’re care for along time aside like he was nothing and say, ‘You’re no longer the Slaine I knew’, and pull out a gun to threat him without even at the very least make some bloody effort to save him! Have you forgotten all those good old memories that you shared back then? Have you forgotten the undying loyalty that Slaine had for you? Do you not have single shred of loyalty and trust towards the one whom you loved???

      Now, either the writer are bad at writing Asseylum’s characterizations OR the writer knew this and they wanna show us how determine the Princess is about her achieving her “PEACE” to the point she would even kill her old friend.

      Azure2020
      Reply

      1. That bothered me, but because it was a stupid move strategically that the princesses should have known would fail. But to criticize her for lack of loyalty to Slaine is pretty absurd if you ask me. After having heard what she’d just heard – not just from Eddie and her sister, but directly from Slaine’s own mouth – Asseylum could not possibly have thought for a moment there was any hope of reasoning with him. He’s spent the last two years systematically pissing on everything she lived her life for, and she’s the one who gets criticized for disloyalty? That seems pretty backwards to me.

        Guardian Enzo
        Reply

      2. I have to agree with Enzo here. Stratigically it’s a very stupid move but then again I guess it wouldn’t be Asseylum if it wasn’t. Through S1 she constantly showed a penchant towards nievete and I guess a bit of that moved on to S2 with her “ordering” Slaine to cease and desist.

        Even that though, I don’t think her actions in pulling a gun out were unjustified. Slaine himself said that he knew that Asseylum would be against it and showed that he really didn’t care in the least. If you have to criticize Asseylum about anything it would be poor startegic planning and pulling out a gun as a bluff without the resolve to pull the trigger.

        Juan
        Reply

      3. Well, the problem is when Slaine told his “real” motives to Asseylum, Asseylum is actually disguising herself as Lemrina. Which means Slaine could possibly tell nothing but lies since he thought that was the real Lemrina he is speaking to. Also the fact that Asseylum immeaditely trust Lemrina’s words from the very moment they first met shows the lack of trust that she had for Slaine.

        Asseylum should know by now that the peace she wants is no more. Even Kaizuka Inaho stated that no else will even bother to listen to her since every Counts pretty much detest Terrans.

        I don’t know.. Maybe I’m too quickly jumping to conclusion that Asseylum has no care for Slaine. Hope in the next episode they will explain to us as to why she did such a thing towards Slaine.. I REALLY don’t want to hate her for this…

        Azure2020
        Reply

      4. Well you are free to look at things the way you want to. All I can tell you is that Asseylum as Lermina basically told Slain first that she knew the jig was up. She dropped the bombshell that she knew that Asseylum had woken up. At that point, Slaine knew that there was no point lying anymore and I don’t think that he was lying when he answered the question either.

        As for Asseylum believing what Lermina told her, I think what she told Asseylum pretty much confirmed the story that Eddylritto just told her as well. Even if she didn’t necessarily have to trust Lermina she can rightly put her trust in Eddylritto who seems to have told her the same set of facts that Lermina simply confirmed.

        But if you still feel that it was wrong of her to act that way, you are free to believe what you choose to believe. In my mind, Slaine was the first to betray Asseylum the moment he chose to shoot Inaho and side with Saazbaum in engaging in a plan that he knew full well betrayed the ideals of Asseylum. Worst yet he used an imposter to “destroy” that ideal

        Juan
        Reply

      6. One thing that really bothers me about this episode is about Asseylum’s action to confront Slaine Troyard.

        I know she would get upset and perhaps, angry to Slaine. But what I wouldn’t expect is how EASILY this girl goes for the gun as way to threat Slaine to stop the war. WHAT!? Why in the God’s name would you do such a thing!? Why not to try at LEAST talk to him or persuade him? Some people may argue that is no point to talk with Slaine, but this is freaking ASSEYLUM we’re talking here! Slaine’s childhood and best friend!

        You don’t just cast the one you’re care for along time aside like he was nothing and say, ‘You’re no longer the Slaine I knew’, and pull out a gun to threat him without even at the very least make some bloody effort to save him! Have you forgotten all those good old memories that you shared back then? Have you forgotten the undying loyalty that Slaine had for you? Do you not have single shred of loyalty and trust towards the one whom you loved???

        Now, either the writer are bad at writing Asseylum’s characterizations OR the writer knew this and they wanna show us how determine the Princess is about her achieving her “PEACE” to the point she would even kill her old friend.

        You know, after everything Slaine did, no one in his right mind would not do what Asseylum did. The moment the counts realize how much of a traitor Slaine is, they will not support that hypocrite genocide idiot. Slaine has no integrity and no loyalty.

        Baboon
        Reply

      7. @magoiichi

        Slaine shot Inaho not primarily because of the gun, but more because he didn’t stop reaching for the Aseylum’s hand.

        He’s just an obsessive jealous guy who can’t handle rejection ^_^;

        .Mero
        Reply

  19. One thing I note about today’s episode is the quantum teleport count. While the invisibility+electricity combo is a decent tactic, that quantum teleport is simply broken lol. If he was smart enough to save one kaths in the back (or simply avoiding concentrating all his copies in one single open field) he would be invincible, unless they made some limitation to the power (which was not mentioned at all)

    zeroyuki92
    Reply

  20. I don’t know. Japanese anime love to redeem the villains, so I won’t be surprised if Slaine somehow redeems himself, and the series ends with a new promise to revamp Vers society. Granted, Slaine’s redemption will probably require his overwhelming defeat, thus “shocking” him out of his villain state, but that’s par for the course when it comes to anime.

    And, yes, that weight of generations of anime bearing down also means all the “hints” of Inaho’s eye will likely amount to little (some pain/glitch in the battle, and we get a momentary gasp of “oh no”), that will be forgotten as the credits roll on a brave new future for Earth and Vers, with the hope of peace.

    Don’t get me wrong. I’m always hoping one day an anime director (and his/her producers) lets the whole thing come crashing down in flames, without a single person getting the happy ending, but that pretty much never happens.

    At this point, trying to theorize how Inaho is going to overcome Slaine’s precog should be interesting.

    Drew
    Reply

  22. I groaned twice.
    First when it looked like the princess was about to get killed, again. Secondly, when a new character, Cruhteo jr., appeared this late in the series.

    boingman
    Reply

  23. This series is okay, but I think Kakumeiki Valvrave is better than this. KV’s character designs was more well drawn and plot is more complex and settled wisely, but it is such a underrated show and many forums everybody is complaning like “it is a trainwreck”. AZ is so slow, nothing suprise me.

    Selin
    Reply

  26. You have to be kidding me!? I tought Slaine got Smarternot dumber! He really thinks he´s going to archive everlasting peace by commiting a genocide of all the terrans and then creating an empire of matians on Earth? Ok Slaine, here is a quick lesson on Humanity, Humanity 101:

    Where there is more than one human conflict will ALWAYS arise, sometimes it wil be over something stupid that can be resolved peacefully, some other times it will scalate into war between the parties involved, it´s just something that´s part of who we are as humans so Slaine my despicable bastard, you have wasted your efforts in the most foolish way.

    haseo0408
    Reply

  27. Agh. They won but huge casualties of the main forces and the assault teams but still they have enough resources and reinforcement. Now Inaho is having trouble for his Mathematical Eye Calculation. Without it there is no guarantee for there success.

    What about Slaine do they have replacement for there losses?

    Private
    Reply

    1. Now that I think about it the only Orbital Knight shown back at episode two that is still alive is the one with the kataphraks with energy whips, Barochruz is the only other that have sworn loyalty to Slaine so I guess the little monster is runing out of allies.

      haseo0408
      Reply

  28. True story, when the knights started mocking the Earth Forces for doing the same tricks to fight them, my first thought was “Do this people have any self-awareness?”. After all, their machines are all just one-trick ponies. Worse they are glass cannons, bypass their defenses and they die with just a few rounds from a Kataphrakt rifle. Good Lord these people are idiots. Slaine makes the effort to get their s*** together and mix up their fighting and they still screw it up.

    And speaking of Slaine, he has gone from subtle, cunning antagonist to the completely deluded madman. That’s like several level ups of douchebaggery right there. The last time in our history that someone spouted genocide as a means to utopia, he had people marching around with a bent X. I would say I’m impressed, if he wasn’t culpable for all that warmongering and mass murder. I’m so going to enjoy it when he gets the short end of the karma stick.

    fragb85
    Reply

    1. Couldn’t have said it better myself. They had highly advanced technology, but they lack so much for the sense of strategy that when they’re exposed to their weakness they fall apart fast. I was actually very curious to how that particular Vers knight with the quantum teleportation could have been used, especially as a defensive measure for the invisible Kataphrakt and the electric Kataphrakt to get rid of the smoke screen, which symbiotically they could do a lot of damage to the Earth forces (though why they attack in the plains its a mystery). In the end, they still fudged it up and, though to be fair they were not aware of Inaho’s OP eye, it shows that they lacked military expertise to fully execute their Kataphrakts expertly to which Slaine barely used them effectively.

      Dualash
      Reply

    2. If the same “trick” works, use it as many times as possible. The Vers are the invaders here, if using Inaho to put each count down works, then keep using him. He’s saving the world by killing one count at a time. They’ll run out of counts soon enough.

      Lyfe
      Reply

      1. Not all Count’s got back to Mars when the First War ended, 37 Count’s remained in Earth Orbit. So, if Shit gets serious, Mars can bring some Count’s backup

        WorldwideDepp
        Reply

    3. If Martians had any clue, that copycat aldonoah should have been used as a food copying machine and got a million copies of nice Earthian dishes so that they can feed themselves.

      Saburau
      Reply

  29. Does anyone else get the feeling that Slaine’s underling is planning something? For some reason I’ve been getting that vibe from him. The way he praises Slaine sounds……..I don’t know fake sometimes?

    I really wonder if they are going to play up the irony by having him betray Slaine in a similar fashion to the way he betrayed Saazubum. Wouldn’t necessarily be a bad plot twist but still hope it doesn’t happen 🙁

    Still didn’t really care for the fight. I thought it would be a little bit more suspenseful but at at this point I’m not seeing our main characters ever being in real danger till the final battle. Might as well call Inaho’s eye “Godly” at this point for that last feat he pulled off. It would be one thing if the targets weren’t moving but the fact he had to calculate where they would be moving from a bunch of different mechs which were all in various different positions is just………..yeah.

    Wonder why Lemrina disguised herself as the princess and then pretended that she was going to kill her. That transition to the scene Asseylum and Slaine had made little sense to me.

    I sometimes wonder if the writers are bringing these new characters to the story as they go. I mean Cruheto’s son should have been introduced WAY back in season 1 or at the very least lightly mentioned when his father died. Now here we are with only 3 episodes left he’s finally showing his face and is also affiliated with Slaine’s father who is still for reason know nothing about despite his influence on the story. Lemrina got similar treatment since it’s very strange we didn’t hear from her at all in season 1 but at least she’s been an established and influential character from the beginning of season 2.

    leatherhead333
    Reply

  30. Cruhteo, you slut! xD Didn’t expect him, of all people, to actually have a son. He must have head sex only once to get an heir.
    And it’s funny to see how different they are character-wise.

    But all in all, this is really leading to something tragic.

    Hikarie
    Reply

  31. Since the first season, final boss has all the previous kataphract abilitiies, does that mean Inaho is going to have to fight one with AoE freeze, lasers, attack drones, future prediction, invisibility, electrical storm, generates tornadoes, and quantum duplication?

    … on a more practical note, instead of waging war for Earth’s resources, since they have quantum technology, could’t they just like…. steal a potato from earth and duplicate it and solve their food problems etc? >_>

    Nymbryxion
    Reply

  32. I’m really disappointed with this show now. I don’t understand why they still push the ‘monster of the week’ approach when the series is almost over. This is such bad planning.
    The entire Mars-Earth war is a joke as only Inaho seems to be competent. Where is the rest of the Earth army? Are they all dead? It’s like some bad fanfiction, in which the self-insert of the author wins the war single-handedly. In other words, it’s unrealistic and ridiculous as hell. If you combine it with linking Inaho’s ‘hero of the day’ stunts with science-based methods of defeating said monsters, the ridiculousness is amplified x100.

    The only interesting developments are on the Martian side and they are sidelined or reduced to cheap and quick drama. For a series that is 24-episodes long we got surprisingly little character development.

    sherrislok
    Reply

  33. Finally, just as I said way earlier in this season:

    SLAINE IS A VILLAIN!!!!!

    It’s offical now. If what RINA had told me in our earlier discussion still holds, the only way for Slaine to become a ‘hero that changed the system’ is for him to die before his time without all his evil deeds made public. From what I can see, that’s the only way for Slaine to leave a better name in history rather than a back-stabbing S.O.B. who cheated a powerful yet lonely girl to climb up to the throne.

    As for TERMINATOR/ MIDNIGHT EYE INHAO, originally I would like to say ‘INAHO! GO! GO! GO! GO GET SLAINE AND SAVE THE PRINCESS, SAVE THE DAY!!!!’

    Unfortunately, after seeing his eye’s conidtions in these two episodes, I can’t say that. Now, I just want someone could tap on his shoulder and say this:

    ‘Look, son, you’ve done well. You have done far more than enough. Now, go to the Doc. We will take care of the rest’

    Just like many people have said, it’s strange that there is no other ‘Kinght Killers’ in UEF. Look, ‘Instrutor PDST’ had taken down Mazurek’s Cataphrak, right? That means any UEF pilot/ soldiers using the right tactics stand a chance against these VERS invaders. Thus, there is no need to send Inaho for every ‘Knight hunt’.

    In fact, consider the O.K. (Ortial Knights) are ganging up against Inaho, the best tactics is sending in more Knight Killers, not just more average pilots who haven’t mastered the art of Knight hunt yet.

    That’s all for now. I guess I will save the rest of my comments for, hopefully, next episode or the finale.

    TOMA
    Reply

    1. My Prediction:

      Inaho gets a New Mecha. It is inside of the new modified Deucalion. It has an new Prototyp Cockpit. It has the salvaged Engines of this Capture Mecha of this Count that escaped.
      He will get an Extra Connector that plug it into his Eye. So he can be on nearly the same Level as Slaine’s Mecha. His Brain PC sync with a Powerful on Board PC, can calculated in an Instant nearly the same Tricks as Slaine-sama. But i think Inaho will not handle it that long. because he must react to the solution the PC spites out in a instant. Like Slaine-sama. Or Inaho’s New Mecha as an Semi-Battle Autopilot, that take this choice out of his hands

      See, with some Tricks and a reasonable combo with his Eye. Inaho can be like Slaine-samas Mecha. it is nearly the Same. Just that Inaho here, has the Body/Brain/Eye Fatigue aftereffects that Slaine do not have

      Well, let us see in how this New Count can Disturb the Power balance of this New VERS Empire. if he has some Firepower in backhand, then Slaine will end in a 2 Front-line War.
      And i do not think the Writers want to do this

      WorldwideDepp
      Reply

      1. ..or perhaps he get an Eye Connector that direct Link to his Brain to move his Hands and Feet. But perhaps here it is better to give Inhao an Semi-Battle AI Autopilot as assistant. So he can focus on the Weapons. Or an 2 Seat Mecha, where one is the Pilot and the other the Gunner

        WorldwideDepp
        Reply

      4. Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun was for Mangas, and Shirobako was for Animes. I learned alone through these two a lot. especially if the first one, is more on the Slapstick/Humor side

        WorldwideDepp
        Reply

  35. Show Spoiler ▼

    But i bet, you sure has an inverting Ending, of all my thinking
    this is my fast first Thoughts for future episode 22 and behind

    Do not touch until you watched ep 21

    WorldwideDepp
    Reply

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