「邂逅と訣別 -Out of the Past-」 (Kaiko to Ketsubetsu -Out of the Past- )
“Chance Meeting and Separation -Out of the Past-“

Does it still count as being NTR’d when the guy deserves it this much?

Actually, if you want to really parse it there are a lot of reasons why what happened in this week’s Aldnoah.Zero isn’t netorare at all (not least that Inaho is at least as much the protagonist as Slaine is), but I won’t deny that’s the first thing that popped into my head when Asseylum made her “You’re always a part of me, too” declaration (which she topped off with a talismanic gift). But whatever you choose to call what happened, there’s no doubt what happened – Asseylum has made her choice, if there was ever really a choice to be made. What remains to be seen is whether that choice will have any practical application.

You certainly have your choice of headlines in this episode, which threw everything but the kitchen sink at the audience in true final arc fashion. As speculated here, the mission the Deucalion was conscripted for was an invasion of the Parnassus base – but only as a kind of multi-layered bluff. In the first place its half of he assault force was effectively a decoy to draw the VERS forces away from the real target, and in the second the whole thing seems to have been a cover to get a special ops team inside Slaine’s landing castle to assassinate the princess. If you stipulate that the Earth’s top brass aren’t smart enough to listen to Inaho telling them Asseylum is an imposter, I suppose killing her makes sense strategically – though I’m not sold on why it should be the top priority.

Of course preventing that from happening is Inaho’s top priority. And this being Aldnoah.Zero, the two adolescent arch-rivals are going to be several steps ahead of the likes of Earth High Command. They’ve both anticipated that a covert operation was going to happen, and each taken steps to keep it from succeeding. Yes, our long-waited bishoudown is finally upon us – sort of – when Slaine goes to the scene himself when things start to get dodgy in the princesses’ evacuation. Though the fight itself is kind of a letdown – Slaine wings Inaho with a bullet to the shoulder, but the real drama in this episode (and there’s plenty of it) is sandwiched on either side of this event.

Also sandwiched on either side of this event, and the invasion itself, is Klancain’s role in the story. It seems a bit iffy to have a character appear so late and play a critical role, but it appears likely to happen. At first Slaine takes the very logical approach of trying to figure out where Cruhteo’s son stands – trying to make an ally of him before classifying him as an enemy. There are hints that Klancain may be working with those close to the dying Emperor to try and undercut Slaine, but it’s not wholly clear what his long-game is. And that question becomes especially important in light of the fact that it’s he who ends up by Asseylum’s side at the close of the episode.

Then there’s the Haruto Effect and Inaho’s eye, which ramps up exponentially this week. Obviously using it is having a more and more debilitating impact on Inaho, but the reverse Pinocchio, the real boy who got his wish and became a robot, ends up casting logic aside and risking everything to save Asseylum. Their meeting makes it absolutely clear that it’s Inaho Asseylum loves, though not that it will ever matter. In a somewhat outlandish development Inaho’s eye goes all Dr. Strangelove and takes over his body after Inaho passes out. What does this mean exactly – is Inaho now brain-dead? I tend to doubt it, as Eye, Robot did say “temporarily take over” Inaho’s cognitive and ambulatory functions – but what kind of prosthetic is capable of doing that in the first place? It’s certainly unlike any other technology we’ve seen in A.Z.

In the final analysis, then, Aldnoah.Zero has turned out to be a pretty traditional and simple anime story – two teenage boys moving Heaven and Earth to try and win the heart (or at least custody) of the girl they love. I don’t see any happy endings in the pipeline for either of them, though. Inaho has been giving off a strong self-sacrifice vibe for a very long time, and he really should have been dead at the end of the first season anyway. And Slaine has been systematically sneering at fate and practically daring the Universe to smite him in its vengeance for his arrogance and conceit to an ever-increasing degree. His fall, when it comes, is likely to be really spectacular. But before that happens it seems as if Inaho is going to get one last crack at him – he’s taken two bullets from Slaine, and I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t get a chance at some payback.

Zephyr’s Impressions:

You know the finale’s fast approaching when you get all out assaults on enemy strongholds, assassination attempts, epic ship transformations (didn’t know I was watching Macross), and fated meetings. It’s another superb episode overall, and it was great how filled with action this week ended up. The time for talk is now officially over, and it’s all about seeing how the slow motion train wreck that is Slaine ends up. His plans to establish a new nation are falling apart in every way possible—most notably due to his inability to separate himself from a Princess who isn’t even on his side anymore—and his past transgressions are also coming back to haunt him in form of Klancain to boot. It’s only fitting that that the latter ends up both finding and saving Asseylum (while looking like a boss) instead of Slaine, and his charm falling to the wayside only symbolizes how luck has never been and will never be on his side.

And ultimately, it’s a pity in the overall scheme of things because Slaine was never really a bad guy, but rather someone turned into someone else due to the nature of his circumstances. Had he been given the chance to meet up with either Asseylum or Lemrina earlier, things could’ve ended up a lot different, and there’s a measure of irony to how Lemrina might’ve formed a better pair with Slaine instead. Alas, things don’t always work out the way you want them, and this was one of those cases.

Looking forward, the major question that remains is what happens from here. Klancain’s involvement as a third party between Slaine and Inaho spells trouble for the latter two, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up creating one last major headache for our main pair—possibly by somehow escaping with them back to VERS. The scenario where they both fight each other to try and reclaim her—cue the flashbacks to the opening sequence—seems like a likely conclusion to the general story line here, but that’s assuming that robot Inaho can wake up from the headache he’s already got. (Ha. Ha.) Terrible jokes aside, was I the only one wondering whether or not robot Inaho intentionally led Asseylum to a trap? It’s quite possible the remaining Earth commando was there as a coincidence and we likely won’t ever find the answer to this question, but I’ll be damned if I didn’t feel something potentially sinister with that robotic eye of his…

Bonus: Quick Picture of the ALDNOAH.ZERO Art Canvas from Aniplex.

104 Comments

      1. @Reite

        The plot demands that Inaho, Slaine, and Asseylum live. No matter what’s thrown at them, they won’t die until the plot demands that they, Inaho and Slaine face off, or the plot demands that one of them die for reals this time. Thus plot armor. It’s pretty common in story telling.

        Lyfe
      2. @Lyfe – yeah, I know what plot armor is, although I’m not fond of this trope if used so blatantly (especially after the end of S1). But by “no one” I meant literally “no one dying except Sir Trillram” (and Okojo, that was his name?). You die in a mecha or you don’t die at all.

        Reite
      1. One thing for sure is, no matter if a robot or Inaho himself, his face is perpetually stuck in a manner that never looks like he would smile or seem depressed.

        Anyway, poor Slaine, his plans are falling apart by each episode.

        L002
    1. Yep, It´s finally official, there is no other way you could interpret: “You´re part of me as well” any ohter way romantic. and you know what´s funny of all this and I can´t belive I´m going to say this but we must thank Lemrina for making InhoxSeylum a reality, she was the one that hit Seylum hard with her words, she was not asking the princess Asyelum Vers Alusia loved, she was asking who Selyum the girl loved and Seylum must have realized her sister was right, she was in a very pathetic situation. How could you make your people happy when you don´t know happiness at all.

      haseo0408
  1. I was surprised that a space trebuchet was the item that got outfitted onto Deucalion. Though kind of a let down on the fact that only the kats from the BB used it…ONCE.

    -A micro Neo vs. Smith gunfight flashback moment…
    -Inaho’s consciousness seemed to have shutdown due to the pain from his AI Eye finally overwhelmed him. Ouch.
    -So what is the princess going to do? Head off to Deucalion or let herself pulled along by Klan Klang Klancain
    -Are both Harklight and Barouhcruz going to bite the bullet next week?

    -OTOH, Slaine vs. Inaho part 2 when?

    FYI, I thought everyone was expecting electromagnetic catapults last week…

    info600
    1. I like the train of speculation that Barouhcruz will turn on Harklight or just not defend him, as he hasn’t gotten over Slaine killing his friend, especially since Slaine had the gall to give the Kat to his servant and then send it out to support him. At least one of them will die though.

      Seraph
    1. Highly doubtful. He and his father before him were firecely loyal to Asseylum. And in combat condition you do not holster weapons until all clear, and there are other strike teams running around the base…

      ewok40k
      1. i was frighted, when the Bullets hit the Celling. I was expecting a Decompression Alert or something, but Lucky the Wall hold the Bullets. Or it will crack little by little now..

        I still think, that they do not show this pictures without deeper meaning…

        WorldwideDepp
    2. I think they could have rewritten the story. I heard the voice actor for the Emperor has recently passed away because of illness.(RIP) I have a feeling that there was no Klancain and the Emperor was the one who visits the moon base to meet Slaine originally. That could explain odd introduction of a new character at the end of the series.

      Saburau
      1. He is Bedridden, and this King sitting on the Throne speaking to his Peoples is just an 3d Illusion. He never real leaves the bed, and if he want to Visit the Counts he could use these Gate Room technology. Or is it only 1 Way Communication device? Or they could called Slaine via this Device to visit the Old King

        No, the Old King visit Slaine on the Moon. not sound plausible

        WorldwideDepp
  2. @Guardian Enzo ” though I’m not sold on why it should be the top priority.”
    the UFC terrran forces didn’t know that in the second cour Asseylum (Lemrina) was the Slaine puppet, and did’t know about the Lemrina existence for the Aldnoah activation purpose, so killing Asseylum will be a smart strategical move ’cause they kill the enemy lead and cut off the Aldnoah activation in a move.
    @Zephyr “his charm falling to the wayside only symbolizes how luck has never been and will never be on his side.”
    I belive that the necklace lost by Asseylum is connected to the necklace she gives later to Inaoh, and symbolizes that she lost/don’t care about the Slaine charm while she give a charm to Inaoh.

    On a side note i wonder what was the last favor Asseylum asked to Eye.program-kun: she ask to Inaoh to don’t kill Slaine, or she simply ask Inaoh the favor to bring back to her the necklace, so they can meet again later?

    Hypes
    1. Killing Asseylum removes legitimacy behind Slaine’s attempt for a throne, reducing Vers side again to bunch of rival feudals… possibly even starting civil war. It also removes one Aldnoah activation source currently on the front lines (they don’t know about the other princess).
      Unfortunately they don’t know the real princess who is all for peace is alive and running around that castle.

      ewok40k
      1. In an sense things are going to Terrans’ way because with Asseylum about to escape from Slaine’s hands, Vers actually looks like on the verge of having a civil war.

        Saburau
      2. Slaine only kept her around because the Princess is a pawn for him to establish himself. That and he has a creepy obsession with her, with his one sided love. But again, back to that, if Slaine killed Asseylum, the Counts would kill him. She’s a figurehead and well loved among the Vers. He’s used this to his own advantage.

        Lyfe
  3. I think I laughed at this episode more than I should have. I could buy the whole magic Aldnoah technology as a staple for Scf-fi. But the Inaho eye-bot take over was quite frankly ridiculous, even on a show like this. Inaho’s pitch has always been fighting with logic and SCIENCE(!!) so I could also buy he could program a device no larger than a ping-pong ball for complex analysis. But now its capable of taking over brain functions? There are already jokes about Inaho being a robot, why follow it up with an actual robot take-over?

    And speaking of unintentionally funny, Slaine further cements his slide to the the tragic villain by whining at Inaho on their fight for the princess. Sure Slaine blame it all on Inaho, that’s not a sign of a deluded madman. Inaho had nothing to do with your decision to escalate war and validate mass murder. The final nail on the coffin is the princess herself choosing Inaho over Slaine. I’m so going to enjoy it when he gets what coming to him.

    Klancain’s role in all this is a bit confusing to me though. If he’s supposed to represent the VERS loyalists, doesn’t Mazurek fill that role already? It feels a bit redundant. It would certainly make a lot of sense if Mazurek was the one who rescues Asseylum at the end, but he isn’t even in this episode.

    fragb85
    1. There are already jokes about Inaho being a robot, why follow it up with an actual robot take-over?

      I’m glad this happened,lol. Might as well go all the way with it, shows some signs of self-awareness from Aldnoah(thought it still sucks as showing said self-awareness).

      MgMaster
  4. Idk what to call it, but I think we should just name the eye Ina-bot.

    When Ina-bot told Seylum that help would arrive in 420 [blaze it] seconds I can’t help but wonder if Kanclain was who it meant.
    The bishoudown was pretty stupidly orchestrated. They got too close to one another to be grazing and whatnot.
    Overall a really good episode and I frikken bleated with happiness watching the Deucalion turn into that badass thing. The only thing I would say was excess/useless melodrama was Lemrina telling Seylum to go on w/o her…even though she wasn’t exactly slowing them down in any way (I bet that wheelchair can move faster than hime-sama and Doritos put together).

    I feel like Kanclain is there to work against Slaine and is either willing to assist the Terrans to achieve that goal or he has no intention of working with them either.
    We’ve got good stuff going on. I wish we’d get more on Slaine’s pops.

    Kabble
    1. Still have fanboy lunatic of Slaine defending him.
      Slaine is the worst character ever created in the mecha genre, is one that has fewer features within the genre.
      Slaine is a Bizon 2.0 was proved in this episode, besides being NTDR, the villain miserable Inaho guilt and hate him for the stupidity and shit he did, never learning from mistakes.
      TO ERR IS HUMAN PERSIST IN ERROR is Slaine.
      He destroyed the image and the name of the princess, and her dreams, thanks to this unfortunate misiravel Slaine, she turned target high-ranking Ufei.
      Slaine is an unhappy miserable, lunatic.
      Inaho can have a cyber eye, is much more human than the monster Slaine.

      SLAINE-NTRred
      1. you really need to relax man, :)))

        anyway as a neutral watcher, we can all guess what Slaine is basing his bull crap on

        S1, trying to get to the princess, he feels Inaho prevented him from meeting her, making him suffer the torture etc…

        Nikto
      2. Ugh, I better not get labeled as a Slaine supporter because of this…I almost never comment on this show anyway.

        Evil/dumb/idiotic character =/= bad character

        Slaine’s hardly an impressive character but the (sad)truth is that hate him or not, he’s the most well-developed character in this show. This is NOT praising Slaine as it’s speaking about the quality of the rest of the characters. Thing is, the supporting cast could’ve been fairly interesting if they got more attention.

        MgMaster
      3. Newtype April 2015

        (http://i.imgur.com/D8c54yV.jpg)

        Male Ranking:
        1. Kougami Shinya
        2. Archer
        3. Kirito
        4. Shiro
        5. Ginoza
        6. Araragi
        7. Producer
        8. Inaho
        9. Meliodas
        10. Bellri

        Female ranking:
        1. Tsunemori Akane
        2. Saber
        3. Tohsaka Rin
        4. Asuna
        5. Ange
        6. Rei (Evangelion)
        7. Rin
        8. Shinobu
        9. Sento
        10.Azuma

        The highlight is by Slaine account.
        Coming out of the list, and will not appear in the April issue.

        Newtype
  5. My god robot-inaho’s spiel about perceiving the princess as a “part of himself” was so cringe inducing I had to pause the video to make a face. Also, the fact that he can recreate a map of the base seems impossible…

      1. I have the feeling you’re right, Barouhcruz at least seems suspect, it is possible Barouhcruz will turn on Harklight in next battle, but fail and then Harklight will turn on Slaine at the end.

        Seraph
  6. Let the great NTR or Not debate commence.

    Well honestly I don’t see this as NTR. NTR for me is when a pairing that has been established for the viewers/readers is suddenly broken up by some other character.

    Season 1 of A/Z basically showed us the development of Seylum x Inaho. Sure there was ample showing of Slaine’s one sided (at least it wasn’t shown to be reciprocated) feeling for Asseylum, but undoubtibly on the romance front, S1 was about forming Seylum x Inaho.

    The Slain x Hime shipping line basically comes mainly from Slaine’s personal feelings for her. Nothing in any of the flashbacks even suggested that Seylum might have reciprocated the feelings he had for her. For me it showed merely friendship or at most that she treated him close to being her best friend. This isn’t basis enough to consider what happened as NTR. Otherwise every arch-type childhood friend in those harem and romance series should be considered NTR as well since Slaine’s storyline is that of a “childhood friend” in that kind of series.

    Juan
  7. The Musik at the Beginning, it remembers me of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lAfMT5FIZE (Clint Mansell + MOON OST)

    Killing the Princess: Like i wrote, they know the Connection of the Princess and Aldnoah. They do not know of Lemrina, and they want to end this War in killing of the Drivers. They have the knownlentgh of Deucalions System Shutdown on the killing attempt. But yeah, someone had to tell this Airheads, that the Count’s Around Earth where there long ago of the Princess. So killing her would solve nothing, the Count’s thread is still there. So much to Military logistics, But perhaps they wanted to weak Slaine’s battle-spirit. While Assylum is an VIP of the VERS Peoples around Earth. So this attack is some kind of Battle Moral breakdown

    Klancain, is there to “save” Assylum out of the Moon Base, and there both was so close to be saved into Inaho’s hand. Or it will still happen, but when Edelritto will use the Comm Link, i bet Klancain’s Pistol will be the “Do not do that, or i must shoot you as a Traitor!” obay force. So Klancain will stretch out Aldnoah Zero into a 3rd Season. So Inaho and Slaine will survive for sure. But i cannot say that for the Rest of their Crew, let it be Deucalion or Harklight. If they go there and only Inaho and Slaine survive here, then the Anime will lost many Fans. Not all support them both full hearted

    the Matrix aka John-Woo Gun fight of both, was epic. They used the nearly zero Gravity of the Space dock for their Showdown. And looks like Slaine is using Assylem now too, like he detested from Inaho in Season 1. Slaine is now the same as Inaho. And that what he hates about him. Yes, both will not be friends anymore in their Life. Not even forced ceasefire will help

    The Future:
    1. With Klanclaine help, a 3rd Season is nearly grasp range. Depend of course if he survive the Final Action chaos
    2. If Klanclain rescue the Princess into his Space ship to Mars, then the “The Princess is in a another Castle” joke is no joke anymore, it became reality. Another Damsel ins Distress Rescue A.Z. Style
    3. I just Hope some important “Side Chars” will not die. Like Marito, Yuki-nee Both are important Persons for Inaho’s mental State. Yes, even if he has no very emotions shown
    4. Slaine.. Well, aside Harklight how many really Allies he have so far?

    5. I wonder in how they “Patch” Inaho that fast up, that he is capable to fight now. After loosing consciousness he will pass the hole Moon-Base Fight, and his Orange Mecha is parked on an Asteroid. Perhaps Remote Controlled “Come to me!” AI will activate or some Pal will tow his Mecha to him

    6. i stop putting more wood into the Future Story Campfire. i am just Curious in how they want to give us the Final Fight. i am looking forward to it

    WorldwideDepp
  8. I think the biggest failing of this show is that it’s set up in such a way that without Inaho Vers would have conquered the Earth already. People are so useless in battle, including against the Counts that they would have been killed ten times over if Inaho wasn’t fighting.

    Lyfe
  9. Many theories, many absurdities, as usual… yep, this is Aldnoah Zero we all loved.

    > Indeed, that damn catapult module is a freaking waste to just used ONCE (oh god, why… can’t they see that its freaking cool?). Cant they at least use it as makeshift Schurzen or something? Oh wait, it will hinder the gun…

    > As for Nao-bot, I think many people here misunderstand a quite a bit. One, its not just the eyeball. The analytical engine is most likely located in his skull, as a replacement for his left temporal lobe. The eyes serve as convenient sensor and co processor jammed together. Two, even the above mentioned point is not accurate. The analytical engine is (apparently) actually INAHO’s OWN LEFT HEMISPHERE (its strike me funny even when fainted, Inaho’s grip on his gun didn’t slip). The machine behind the eye tied into it, and form the wetware that become the physical structure for the analytical engine itself. Yes, there are two entities in his head, 24/7. Three, therefore its not takeover. Its a copilot taking the wheel when the pilot fainted.

    Zvir Zirnitra
  10. https://randomc.net/image/ALDNOAH%20ZERO/ALDNOAH%20ZERO%20-%2022%20-%20Large%2027.jpg “I’m right here Inaho, you was talking all that shit now how you gonna act?!”

    https://randomc.net/image/ALDNOAH%20ZERO/ALDNOAH%20ZERO%20-%2022%20-%20Large%2026.jpg “My eye isn’t giving me enough information to take this dude out, to hell with this shit, I’m audi 5000!”

    https://randomc.net/image/ALDNOAH%20ZERO/ALDNOAH%20ZERO%20-%2022%20-%20Large%2024.jpg “That’s right, walk away bitch, bringing that trash up in here, this my house!”

    magoiichi
  11. Even though he is aware that princess Asseylum is a separate individual he misidentifies her as part of himself. He therefore placed Maximum priority on her safety and has acted to protect her. – Is it just me or did the robot I eye just made a Tsundere confession to Asseylum on Inaho’s behalf before Inaho? LOL!

    Well jokes aside AZ sure did a 180 in this week’s episode. The same line was repeated between the two MCs only in reverse. Though I think Inaho only said those cheesy lines so that he could distract Slaine. And as for the robo-eye take over – this is an anime where they have dimensional barriers, unlimited replication , seeing the future. Something like Inaho’s eyes running a back up program by taking temporary control over his body should be the norm. Besides if Inaho can control his left eye computer through just thought then it shouldn’t be surprising if the computer can also effect his body(with Inaho’s permission of course).

    Xblaze
  12. Inaho and Slaine are in love with each other at a subconscious level lol. That’s the only explanation i have for them not be able to aim for sht when it comes a face-off. for fck sake, even at point blank range, they still missed lol.
    Anyway, Slaine castle of cards is crumbling. I think Harklight is going to backstab him. This dude is just way too friendly and supportive, there is just something off about him.

    Satyr
  13. This episode was actually pretty good (well, except for the kill the princess bullcrap, again. She’s too much of a plot device to be in any real danger and it’s not like her death will stop the war.) Even if Slaine and Inaho can’t shoot for shit, it was good to see Inaho throw Slaine’s words back at him. Why didn’t they just keep Mazurek around instead of bringing in Cruhteo Jr.? Maybe they’re together and planning on turning the tables on Slaine. At least give me that AZ.

    Surprisingly Ina-bot is the most human Inaho has ever sounded. I was never on the Inaho-Asseylum ship, but I liked that scene. It does seem to be setting up for one of them to die, but then again, this is AZ.

    dmohican14
  14. Anyone upset, surprised, or in disbelief with the eye development needs to take a seat.
    When we learned Inaho survived the headshot it was clear that bullet did more than just get rid of an eye.
    You can’t convince me this isn’t the only logical progression with that eye cause no way is that eye computer not connected to his brain.

    Tori
    1. I’m more surprised a lot of people never saw this coming. It was foreshadowed at episode 15. The scene with him talking to himself seemed like he was having a conversation with R2D2 than just speaking out loud.

      blakraven66
      1. it was foreshadowed more blatantly when Inaho was talking with the Doc about the Eye and the Doc was warning him about modifying the program to allow it to use more of his brain

        Juan
      2. That it was, the Doctor didn’t say it would kill him though. Overusing it would likely cause him brain damage. I seriously want a one eyed Inaho in Season 3 if made. Perhaps Inaho could be comatose for the opening eps of Season three after his battle with Slaine(At the end of Season 2, its obvious its coming..).

        Inaho had a bullet to the head ending with Season 1, how about a collapsing and falling into a coma after a battle with Slaine end to Season 2? The Aldnoah Drive would still function I believe as he wouldnt be dead.

        Lyfe
  15. Not sorry about what I’m about to say, but even if I’m the only one who thinks this, but to me Asseylum is a fool, naive, inconsiderate, and hypocritical, for her, Vers can go to hell, (99% sure she doesn’t even know the situation of her own people, disgusting) and please that of ooooh they belong together, I actually expected better of this series, not the typical shonen hero, and the ooh the sweet princess (useless as always, except for euphie and cornelia), and the other good guy turned bad thing (boooooring). And guys pls IF you guys didn’t know, the staff of the series actually ship Orangebat XD! I, myself, can’t believe it O_o.

    harshreality
    1. The harsh reality is that Asseylum tried everything to work towards peace. If Assholes like Saazbaum and Slaine would not have interrupted with their genocide plans and exploiting Asseylum, the Martian people would have had a real chance.

      Not true
      1. Not really, Asseylum is too naive and easy to manipulate, let me tell you terrans are no good people, at least the ones that HAVE the power o rule above others. As you see in the last chap. Just because she got the luck to meet a bunch of some nice people doesn’t mean everyone is.

        harshreality
      2. Erm she doesn’t know much of what’s going on because she was erm, in a coma(Artificial or not, jury’s out on that) for 2 years. She objected strongly to what she knew about Slaines ideals.

        @terrans are no good people

        Er yeah, pay attention. Fake princess Asseylum on the news inciting war against Earth, wanting to establish a new empire on Earth. Yeah, err.. They want to kill her because err Slaine has made her out to be a female Hitler with his little puppet pretending to be her.

        Lyfe
    2. She is or rather was definitely nieive. No real way to work around that and in fact it’s rather understandable considering she stood at the pinnacle of society away from where the worst of the worst happens. The same can be said about lots of ordinary people.

      For example, people living in first world countries (the ordinary ones) seldom know the hardships of people living in the lower strata of thrid world countries. In first world countries the government institutions work to help the “poor” there or there are NGOs with funding. In third world countries the poorest of the poor are left to their own devices as even the NGOs and gov’t dont have enough resources. Imagine feeding 6 people on one small pack of instant noodles for one day if they are lucky.

      Also let’s assume that there was no assassination attempt and the war didn’t break out. If Asseylum had managed to broker a peace between Earth and Mars it could possibly have been beneficial to both. Vers providing tech and Earth providing resources. The thing is that it didn’t happen like that and you thrust a completely nieve person into a mess like war. I don’t find that it was bad or anything.

      Juan
  16. You know, I have absolutely no trust at all in Clankain, she just have to see the little he did, his reaction when he saw the Tharsis, the way he behaved when talking with Slaine and later when he was scorted out of the control room and finally the look of thos eeyes the end tell he´s no ally of Seylum. I bet all my savings he´s going to try to use her to recover the position he lost with his father´s death, all the Orbital Knight (with the exception of Mazurek) are back stabing vipers worthy of A Song of Ice and Fire and there´s no reason to belive Clankain is any different, specially considering Crutheo was a huge scum as well.

    haseo0408
  17. Dam, inaho gonna end up with a harem, cuz not only does he has asseylum, but faker is also going to find him and that is the start of season 3 where the faker falls in love with inaho. dam that’s some twist. only make sense as they are adding some characters late in this season likely to be developed in the third season.

    xiong
  18. Plot armor, Aldnoah activator, Robot eyes, harem, and now a magical talisman. Inaho surely made fine loots in his conquest.

    If he gets his hands on a kat this wargame would be finished.

    kabayongtao
    1. The health risks. If we assume that Aldnoah follows real world terms, if soldiers start experiencing brain damage from using such an eye, the military would get sued from all angles.

      Lyfe
      1. Well, as long they do not make the Rock Lee reference with him, i am okay. Remember, Rock Lee from Naruto can even fight without conciseness. His Muscles remember the Moving, but how do they can see the attacks? 🙂

        So, as long they do not made Inaho into an Rock Lee v2.0 i am okay

        WorldwideDepp
  19. NO!!!!!!! INAHO!!!! NO!!!!!!! You are so fucking close to HIME-SAMA!!! She’s just there, right in front of you! How can you fall now?! ON YOUR FEET, LT. KAISUKA!!!!

    When I saw that scene, when I saw Inaho fianlly reunited with Asseylum, the first thing came to my mind is: ‘Ah…you came a long way to this, aren’t you, Inaho?’ No doubt, that is the best moment of this episode.

    TERMINATOR INAHO’s condition is obvously worsening to the point that might end up killing him. This time, I must say something negative about our Kinght Killer: Look, Inaho, if you are not feeling well, YOU MUST NOTIFY YOUR SUPERIOR OFFICER. HIDING YOUR CONDITIONS AND ACT TOGUH IS JUST IRRESPONSIBLE, NOT HEROIC.

    But then, consider what Inaho has done this time, he will be court martialled for sure. Poor TERMINATOR INAHO, you are Earth’s hero, always, but I doubt your heroic can save your ass this time.

    Back to HIME-SAMA, OUR HEROINE FINALLY REUNITED WITH THE HERO, NOT THE VILLAIN! AT LAST!!!! Asseylum has obviously lost control of the situation. Now, with even the UEF wants her head, it seems her best way to survive is escaping back to Mars with Cruteo’s son. In this aspect, this episode seems to be on a right approach.

    Unfortunately, these are probably the only good points in this episode. Overall, this ‘Operation Lunar Gate’/ 2nd Battle of Moon doesn’t make any sense to me, right from the top. Here are the reasons:

    1. Why would UEF top brass never consider the possibility that the HIME-SAMA on camera is just an imposter? Look, Inaho had notified Ducallion’s captain and she should have pumped this Intel up the chain of command, right? If she didn’t, why?

    2. What’s the point of modifying Ducallion into something like this? Does UEF thinks that space operation is not difficult enough and it’s ‘necessary’ to accerlerate the cataphrats by drifting them out first, then demands them to ‘hook up’ mid-flight, so that the chance of the giant arm missing them and fail to launch will increase?

    3. You call those clowns ‘special forces’? Seriously? Does this season’s production team ever care about military common sense? For example: the special force soldier will not ask who is Princess Asseylum and tell them to prepare themselves before shooting; In that situation, anyone not in UEF uniforms will be shot on sight. For fuck’s sake, Olympus Knights, if you lot are too lazy or busy to do some basic research in modern warfare, PLEASE!!!! AT LEAST WATCH AN OLD SCHOOL MILITARY SCI-FI ANIME CALLED ‘AWOL’. IT HAS SOME NON-SENSE, TOO. BUT IT STILL MADE A FUCKING LOT MORE SENSE IN TERMS OF SPECIAL OPERATIONS THAN YOUR FARCE!

    4. Following point 3, the military non-sense: IS IT REALLY NECESSARY FOR SLAINE TO ANTICIPATE THE SPECIAL FORCE’S ATTACK? Where is the officer on duty? What about other staffs? It seems the ‘businesses’ that Slaine has to deal with is as little as the documents on his desk in office(i.e. non-existence), that’s why he always has time for everythings, INCLUDING LEAVING THE COMMAND CNETRE AFTER HARKLIGHT WAS SENT OUT! Seriously, I was speechless at that scene, IT’S SO FUCKING STUPID.

    I can keep going on and on but let’s put a stop now and let my emotion settle down a little. Overall, I am quite disppointed about this episode. The only good things are developments on Inaho’s side. Slaine? Well…MORE COMMENTS ABOUT ‘SLAINE VILLAIN’ COMING SOON.

    TOMA
  20. I knew Inaho is gonna say that again to Slaine being a enemy alone and exploiting her IT WAS YOU WHO TURN HIM into a number one suffering genius leader with your autistic mind. Now look what are your now? Getting Shot by Slaine 2x times cuz of your NTR and feeling more knowledgeable earth, nature and animals than Slaine to make her impress using a Wikipedia on Tablet.

    Whoa NOW YOUR ARE NOW INABOT. What ever the Earth scientist install that eye seems to me there is a connection why the title called Aldnoah Zero. And i think that ending is Probably Deep and unexplained science.

    Private
    1. Ah…just a question, are you really the ‘Private’ that have been making posts about the military aspects of this season of A/Z? I am surprised you are not talking about the military tactics about this episode.

      TOMA
      1. Land warfare is different from Space. There’s nothing much tell about Space tactics.

        If we human put in space there is no cover and the area is vast open. Only thing require is mobility, smart precision weapon technology, electronic warfare and much more resources for ammunition, extra oxygen, space food, portable medicine, heating equipment to battle freezing at space.

        Private
      2. To Private:
        So, it seems I was right before: there is no point in sending the cataphrats into sapce in the fist place, because one doesn’t need to modify a MBT to be ‘space worthy’ just becuase they happened to need a tank gun for a certain space mission.

        TOMA
  21. I certainly also had an inkling that the robot eye was evil…but I also thought that Inaho would go Terminator-mode on the spot and pull a gun on the princess and that didn’t happen. For now, the eye has my benefit of the doubt.

    I don’t think Slaine counts as being NTRed, simply because I just don’t see the pairing ever happening in the first place no matter how the tables turned. Inko on the other hand…I felt like she had a decent chance if things didn’t turn out the way it did 🙁

    North
    1. I agree with you, North. It’s so obvious from the beginning of season 1 that the ‘love’ of Slaine towards Asseylum is one-sided all along. Just look at how happy Asseylum is when she got to see Inaho JUST ONCE MORE. Man! If that is not real love or at least something close to it, I don’t know what is.

      And so, no matter how much I try, I still can’t understand why would so many people said it is Inaho doing NTR–if my understanding about NTR and the definition on urban dictionary are correct, that is. ^_^

      TOMA
    1. Then you think, he purposely shut down his Mecha Drive? Where did he gone hiding? With his Castle Destroyed from Count Saazbaum? let us not speak of leaving this Castle wreak with a Shuttle or something

      WorldwideDepp
    2. Yes, I also think Cruteo Senior is dead, dead, dead. It’s just too odd for him to pop out now. Unless Aldnoah Zero is going to do the classic, old school Mecha cliche: the fallen hero(s) being ‘resurrected’ right before the final show down to joint force with the protagonist for one final epic fight.

      Hang on, ‘Daimidaler’ has just gone and done it last year…so…Oh, Shit!

      TOMA
    3. I don’t have any logical reasoning for all of those questions lol. He could be a brain in a vat for all I know. I just don’t remember the last time I saw an anime character perish in a ‘cloud of debris’ and stay dead.

      North
  22. There’s not going to be disadvantages for Vers.
    They can trade resources from individual countries of UFE with;
    1. Leasing of Aldnoah Drive as power source (thus still keeping their monopoly on its activation and technology)
    ex. A landing castle land in a deserted African desert and use electrical pipelines to supply energy to nearby impoverished cities, in return for resources or agricultural local products.
    Real world example; Japan leasing their hybrid car system to foreign countries, Turkey building powerplants selling to impoverished countries, US/Russia arms supplier that despite selling you jets but doesn’t give you the blueprints and have agreements not to reverse engineer by international law (thus still maintain their monopoly on the technology).

    2. Offering defense agreements and pacts with individual UFE countries
    ex. despite united under UFE, Earth countries are still divided. UFE also suffers from riots, rebellions, and terrorists. The Vers Counts could offer their service as elite mercenaries for good agreement/privileges.
    Real world example; Brunei had defense pact with British, in return British citizens working in Brunei gets massive (~30%) tax exemptions on many things including tuition fees and electric bills.

    3. Open friendly borders, trade, and Vers immigrant workforce and Vers companies
    ex. with open borders achieved by Asseylum’s diplomacy and opening od Vers diplomat embassies, Vers people can migrate as workforce in friendly countries, offer their expertise, form companies or inter-national(in this case inter-planetary) joint companies. This way they can bring some of the profits back home, or companies wholly owned by Vers government can invest in other countries.
    Real world example; there are many because that’s how our world works. From low end spectrum we have Pakistani doctors working in UK sending home money to family, from high end spectrum we have multinational banks HSBC, drugs company, licensed brands and franchised brands such as Starbucks and Panadol. These companies have royalty dividends that bring back profit to the parent company in another country.
    She is not totally naive that’s for sure. She knew she would have oppositions, thus why when early in episode 2 and 3, she had no doubt the assassinations were attempts by Vers spies and allied herself with UFE.

    Saazbaum is a formidable political enemy that even hardcore loyalists like Count Cruhteo didn’t anticipate Saazbaum was a traitor to the monarchy, and because he had been so close and influential to the Emperor as we seen it episode 5-6.

    She knew the futility in wars. She herself an orphan, the father she never met; Gilzeria, was responsible for the racism, start of the first war, and which ultimately resulted in Heaven’s Fall. Thousands of Vers troops, were wiped out, and millions more of Terrans died either in the flash or in the starvation after the devastation. Asseylum grew up inheriting that mantle, and sins of her father. Gilzeria had nothing to show for it, nothing came from the war except 10 more years of Martians suffering, and resentment from Vers people such as Saazbaum and his conspirators.

    Gilzeria’s fault in the first war, indirectly caused the future near death of his unborn daughter. He also doomed his bastard child Lemrina to the life of political tool.

    When its clear Saazbaum and his conspirators would not listen to reason as of episode 11, she wasn’t naive enough to be pacifist like Relena Peacecraft of Gundam Wing, but had enough guts to jump in a mecha from miles above, possibly killing herself, to deactivate the Landing Castle and stop the war, possibly killing her own people.

    She may not shoot directly like Slaine, but she knows her hand has blood of her people in it and not naive enough she can’t take more of Versian blood if it means for the betterment of Vers.

    If you want naive, look as Saazbaum, the man sentencing Asseylum death for crimes Gilzeria did. A man who spill Martian blood partly because his soldier fiancee died in the war. Boohoo, if everyone takes revenge for every soldier’s death World War 1 would never end. Saazbaum who admitted he could kill Terrans just out of hate and racism alone, realize it was Gilzeria’s propaganda, but still let himself be controlled by it.

    These self-absorbed self pitying characters that rationalizes they were doing things for the betterment of others, are really just doing things for the sake of themselves and their wants. These naive people blame the world, which drive their self-satisfying notion of forcing their own way as the “only” right way.

    Mature people take the world as it is, make do with it, and fight for what’s really important.

    Saazbaum really wants revenge, if not he could have helped solve Vers problems through other means. Those other means does not pander to his want for blood.

    azurestratos
    1. Nice post. Looks like you have just given them the basic of the plot of 3rd cour–if it will materialize, that is. ^_^

      I agree with your comments about Saazbum and Asseylum. There is some nice insight in it. Too bad this season is already too late for any of these good points to be included or developed. THAT, I WILL DEFINITELY TALK ABOUT LATER.

      P.S.
      ‘Relena Peacecraft of Gundam Wing’…WOW! Haven’t heard that name for ages! XD

      TOMA
  23. Ep 23:

    My Title for this Episode

    Diplomatic Power in War Times

    episode 23 Spoiler thoughts
    Show Spoiler ▼

    All Hail to the KING!!.. aehm.. Well you see it

    WorldwideDepp
    1. and yes…

      Episode 23 Spoiler Thoughts ADD
      Show Spoiler ▼

      WorldwideDepp

Leave a Reply to Makise Kuristina Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *