Sword Art Online: Season 2/ Episode 12 "Bullet of a Phantom" – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

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Overview

The time finally arrives when there is less talking and more action.

Review (with Spoilers)

Despite us only being one episode removed since Death Gun and Kirito faced off last, strangely it feels like it has been more than that. However, with Death Gun and Kirito coming face to face, and finally facing off in close quarters combat, it is impossible to say the build up to this point wasn’t worth it. For even though their fight has just begun, with it being sword vs. sword, to expect anything less than a classic match would be ridiculous.

Topic 1: And Then There Were Four – Kirito and Sinon

Before our heroes set out to execute their plan, they realize that a 4^th player [2], Dark Wind, the runner-up of BoB last year, remains alive and on his way. So, in order to keep him from possibly being killed by Death Gun and his allies [1], it is agreed that Sinon needs to take him out. Something which poses to be a difficult task since Dark Wind is perhaps one of the most talented, and fastest, players in the game. However, with him stopping due to the amazing skills of Kirito to dodge a bullet from Death Gun, Sinon puts a bowling ball sized hole in him and kills him. Thus leaving the BoB challenge with just three.

Topic 2: You Don’t Know My Name – Kirito, Death Gun, and Sinon

Making the new target for Sinon to be Death Gun. Someone who she tries to kill with her Hecate II, but what ends up happening is he shoots at her when she shoots at him, and while she shatters his weapon, he destroys her rifle scope. Effectively making Sinon useless and leading to it being Kirito vs. Death Gun. Though, being that we can’t just get straight into the fight, a bit of taunting and backstory is given.

Of which we learn, from Asuna actually, Death Gun is one of the leaders of Laughing Coffin. Someone who, in fact, was taken alive after the raid. But here comes the serious problem: No one knows his name. He was going to offer it to Kirito while in SAO, but he refused to hear it due to him thinking he would have no reason to know Death Gun’s real name back then. S, with Kirito not knowing Death Gun’s true identity, there isn’t any real chance he can stop anything but him dying in the game, and Sinon dying in real life. For with the mastermind hidden behind the alias Sterben, which apparently means Death in German, Death Gun is all but protected against anyone stopping his mission and shown to be in a position where he has little, to nothing, to lose.

Topic 3: Look Into The Eyes of Death (Gun) – Kirito and Death Gun

Leaving us with watching these two fight and Kirito get his butt kicked. The reason? Well, Kirito has been out of the VR world so long that while he may be able to take out average, or even good players, he is of no match for Death Gun and his weapon which is made of spaceship metal. Something which easily outranks Kirito’s energy weapon. Making for a fight which makes it seem Kirito is in big trouble, that is unless Sinon has a spare scope or Kirito can pull some sort of trick out of his hat, or is willing to fight dirty.

Things To Note

1. Of which we are told there may be a maximum of ten. All of which who, strangely, aren’t in jail. At least considering they killed people in SAO. But with no camera being in SAO, I guess it would be hard to build a case.
2. Everyone else has been defeated.