Sword Art Online: Season 2/ Episode 9 "Death Gun" – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

Overview

With Death Gun spotted, taking him out becomes a top priority.

Review (with Spoilers)

The pace of the show, and action, picks up as Death Gun becomes an active villain. One which inspires Sinon and Kirito to temporarily team up, and a worried Asuna to go talk to Kikuoka. Though with Death Gun lurking amongst GGO, and both Sinon and Kirito being on his hit list, will either one be able to see him before he catches them off guard?

Topic 1: Watching in Horror – Asuna

As those of Alfheim Online watch the BoB tournament, at first it is just entertainment for them. They admire how fierce the competition is, but do wonder where Kirito is at? However, upon seeing Death Gun, and hearing him speak, those who are veterans of SAO recognize him even without seeing the Laughing Coffin tattoo. Something which I thought was a bit odd. Either way, with him being recognized comes the sense that Kirito is in real danger, thus leading Asuna to decide to go talk to Kirito’s employer: Kikuoku, a member of the Ministry of Internal Affairs: Telecommunications Bureau – Virtual Division. And while Asuna goes to search for Kikuoku, Yui is tasked with finding out about GGO. Leading to the assumption that Asuna may be on her way to that game, though with the BoB tournament having already started, I doubt she can hack her way into the match.

Topic 2: A Reintroduction – Death Gun, Sinon, and Kirito

While Asuna and friends watch what is going down in Alfheim Online, Death Gun takes out Pale Rider, Sinon shoots at and misses him, and then Death Gun has a stereotypical villainous monologue. One which is long enough for Sinon to reload and try to shoot again. But with Kirito needing to explain who Death Gun is, of which Sinon has already heard rumors about, they waste time listening to him, Death Gun, and talking to each other, and let Death Gun get away.

Topic 3: Divide and Get Conquered – Sinon, Death Gun, and Kirito

But being that Kirito doesn’t want someone to suffer the likely death of Pale Rider, who gets shot and killed with Death Gun’s handgun, he decides to go after Death Gun. Something Sinon joins him for under the excuse of still wanting her one on one battle, but there is still some weird interaction between them which makes me think that Sinon either has a crush on Kirito or admires him but hates his ego. Either way, while joining forces they take out another player of BoB, and we get to see Kirito destroy bullets and flip around like Yoda in Star Wars as Sinon lines up her shot and takes the player out.

And the episode ends with them in the city and trying to figure out between Gunner X and Sterben, who maybe Death Gun? Well, from what it appears it maybe Gunner X, though I’d argue there may be more than one Death Gun, and as Kirito and Sinon try to repeat their, “I’ll go ahead and you back me up” strategy, as soon as Kirito is gone Death Gun shoots Sinon with a stunner. With this, we learn Sinon has become demoted from Death Gun’s target to almost like a damsel who the villain in an action movie kidnaps, or attacks, to really upset the hero. Something which is sort of a slap in the face to the development of Sinon, but with them splitting the focus between her being a survivor, a love interest, and this bad ass, I guess rather than maintain this balance which made her fully dimensional, there may be a plan to just use her so Kirito fights at his hardest. Leading to the last moment of the episode: Kirito is nowhere to be seen; Sinon is stunned by both Death Gun’s rifle stun bullet, and us seeing Death Gun’s handgun, which is a Black Star Type 54, like the one Shinon used to shoot that guy in the post office; and Death Gun readying to execute her. Leaving us to wonder if Sinon may be sacrificed for the sake of giving Kirito a reason to fight harder, or maybe a last minute save maybe done?