Sword Art Online

[Kraco]

That's enough about the game. Make a thread for it in the appropriate forum for further discussion.

I hope Death Gun isn't so simple but rather is trolling Kirito right now. He surely knows Kirito is watching. It's a bit too early for more cruel mind games, in my opinion. He should observe Kirito for a while to recognize Sinon as somebody who matters to Kirito, and then point a gun at Sinon to see Kirito's reaction and panic. That is, if he cares about Kirito specifically any more than any other target he happens to choose. If he doesn't, well, in that case it hardly matters and he will just do what he would have done anyway.

[MFauli]

oh, and lol @ the random usage of German words again, Japan. "Sterben", was so obvious that would be Death Gun´s nickname :P (For those not familiar, Sterben is German and means "Dying")

[Buffalobiian]

Also, was Kirito really swimming naked? I mean ... he might have been invisible to the radar, but non-participants can stil watch every player, eh? :/

No better way to gain fans. I gather that's just anime liberties though. Getting equipment wet was probably what Sinon was on about. Given that this is GGO and not ERO, the naughty parts would should be incomplete.

[MasterOfMoogles]

There's something to be said about swimming unencumbered. But naked...

[Kraco]

Somehow that didn't surprise me overly much. Kirito's personality suddenly changed between the old show and this, and not in a good way. He can still fight, but the other parts don't make much sense anymore. In the beginning of SAO he was the lone wolf and a beater, then he slowly began to socialize with Asuna (and Yui), but his relationship with others was cordial, though he took a supportive attitude toward some of the girls. However, he still did what he wanted. Now, he's clinging to Sinon like some sticky n00b, as if he couldn't spend a moment alone. It's understandable he chose to gain information from her in the beginning since he has no particular love for the game, especially when he for some unfathomable reason didn't even google GGO to find out anything about it, but now later it's exceedingly strange. The main reason is what I mention above: He's basically on a dangerous mission here, so by hanging around with Sinon constantly he's in fact subjecting her to extra danger as well, all the more because he's incapable of coming up with any other nick for his character. I imagine he's going to leave the game to go back to his harem when he's finished with Death Gun, so what good is making friends here?

In short, his other actions make so little sense that taking an unnecessarily naked dip is to be expected.

[MasterOfMoogles]

I don't think his character is inconsistent at all.
In SAO and ALO, he learned the value of having a partner/someone he can rely on.
It would make sense he would want to make a friend in this game he doesn't know anything about and where he is all alone. Especially since he saw that Sinon was a nice person initially.
Stripping down just because that's the best way to do things in the game system also seems very Kirito-like.

Death Gun is killing people regardless of Kirito, so him being around shouldn't really increase or decrease danger. You could even argue him being around her gives her a better chance since he will protect her and he knows what is going on.

[Kraco]

Death Gun is killing people regardless of Kirito, so him being around shouldn't really increase or decrease danger. You could even argue him being around her gives her a better chance since he will protect her and he knows what is going on.

I might have agreed on that before Death Gun had the little chat with him. Like I said myself, he got in faster by having an experienced player explain him things, since he was too busy flirting with Asuna to read the simplest of tutorials on GGO before jumping in. Now, however, he knows he's a target already, so anybody close to him will become a target as well. Sinon might or might not be a target herself, as far as Kirito knows.

But maybe you are right and he is in fact consistent: He didn't give a shit about others in the beginning of SAO and now he doesn't care if Sinon gets drawn into his mess, as long as he gets to enjoy yet another girl's company. He's still the same beater deep down.

[MasterOfMoogles]

He didn't give a shit about others in the beginning of SAO and now he doesn't care if Sinon gets drawn into his mess, as long as he gets to enjoy yet another girl's company. He's still the same beater deep down.

I don't think this characterization is really fair. The whole point of being the beater was to take the heat off of the original beta testers.
He generally cares that other people don't die and he wants to help them out. However, he won't go out of his way to change his own plans.
For example, he wanted to bring Klein with him in the beginning, but Klein wanted to stay with his friends so Kirito left because it would've been too dangerous with all of them.
He stuck with the Black Cats of the Full Moon to make them stronger, but wouldn't reveal his true level because he thought it would still be safe.
Kirito let Liz tag along on an adventure even though it wasn't really safe because he thought he could protect her.
Kirito used Scilica to find the orange guild, though he also did want to legitimately help her.

In this case, Kirito knows Death Gun is targeting strong players, so anyone at the BoB finals would potentially be fair game. By sticking with a potential target he both increases his odds of reaching his goal and can protect her at the same time if need be. The situation is actually kind of similar Scilica's story, except Sinon isn't useless and there are a lot of potential targets.

Also, let's be real, what teenager wouldn't follow this around:
Sword Art Online II - 08 - 20.jpg

[DarthEnderX]

If he has Sinon save Pale Rider, then there won´t be any progress.

Well, he'd know Death Gun's user name at least.

No better way to gain fans.

Except his fans all think he's a girl. And if they see him swimming naked they'll realize that he's...not.

Kirito's personality suddenly changed between the old show and this, and not in a good way.

Agreed.

he's clinging to Sinon like some sticky n00b

Because he is. In SOA, he was never a noob, because he'd played the beta extensively before the game started.

I imagine he's going to leave the game to go back to his harem when he's finished with Death Gun, so what good is making friends here?

Well obviously, any new harem he acquires here will transfer with him when he goes back. Duh.

[MasterOfMoogles]

Maybe he watched Free! before this tournament?

[Ryllharu]

For example, he wanted to bring Klein with him in the beginning, but Klein wanted to stay with his friends so Kirito left because it would've been too dangerous with all of them.

In this case, Kirito knows Death Gun is targeting strong players, so anyone at the BoB finals would potentially be fair game. By sticking with a potential target he both increases his odds of reaching his goal and can protect her at the same time if need be. The situation is actually kind of similar Scilica's story, except Sinon isn't useless and there are a lot of potential targets.

Uhh...remind me where that info about Klein was from? I know the other ones were directly shown in the anime...but Kirito just ran off when Klein asked if he wanted to be friends with them. No motivation at all discussed. Kirito was adamantly silent in the anime about everything involving Klein.

Let's also not forget that Kirito empathized the best with the sociopath that trapped them all in there as part of his little experiment.



I don't know why he would target Sinon over anyone else though. She's good, but she is not at all overconfident, like DeathGun's preferred targets. DeathGun has only killed or gone after people that are significantly better than their peers. Ones who are confident they cannot be taken down.

Sinon appears to be the opposite of that. She is extremely careful and methodical. She runs almost all the time and waits for a better spot. She does stupid, suicidal rushes at overconfident people herself (minigun guy, Kirito). She hates people who can enjoy battle for its own sake. If anything, DeathGun and Sinon are compatible, their targets will often overlap.

[Kraco]

In this case, Kirito knows Death Gun is targeting strong players, so anyone at the BoB finals would potentially be fair game. By sticking with a potential target he both increases his odds of reaching his goal and can protect her at the same time if need be. The situation is actually kind of similar Scilica's story, except Sinon isn't useless and there are a lot of potential targets.

No. Kirito already knows himself to be a target because Death Gun told him as much face to face. He has no way knowing if Sinon is, especially if she happens to drop from the tournament. However, Sinon hanging with a certain target will most assuredly ensure Death Gun will pay more attention to Sinon as well. Moreover, Sinon might become a victim not because Death Gun would have targeted her otherwise but because she's with the intended target.

Kirito is already married. He shouldn't chase other women anymore. Asuna has enough worries as it is, with shady government officials enlisting Kirito to hunt killers.

[KrayZ33]

We just saw Death Gun about to kill a player that has entered BoB for the first time. If we didn't know already that one of his targets is Sinon, I'd say that he's targeting everyone

Uhh...remind me where that info about Klein was from?

just before he ran off to grab the best level-spots, he offered Klein to follow him, but he declined because he had friends playing too

Kirito's personality suddenly changed between the old show and this, and not in a good way.

it's not 'sudden'
his mental breakdown was sudden, but his overall change is to be expected isn't it...

[Ryllharu]

just before he ran off to grab the best level-spots, he offered Klein to follow him, but he declined because he had friends playing too

I mean this part, "Kirito left because it would've been too dangerous with all of them."

Since Kirito runs off without another word to go screaming at killing crappy mobs right after Klein says he'll play with his friends...I'm guessing any mention of motivation is from the novels.

[KrayZ33]

Well tbh that was exactly what I thought he meant too when he said "if it was just Klein, but 2 more... or even one more" (Klein interrupted that thought by saying "I can't ask a stranger to risk his life for us/me")
It might be the case that he was an asshole all along and didn't want to share XP/Loot with so many people.
But why would he want Klein with him then...

[Buffalobiian]

Klein's stuff was covered in the anime. Kirito said specifically that you needed to advance right away of you wanted to survive in this game, but Klein hanged back. It's clear Kirito advanced because it wad the best option. I agree with Moogle in this respect at least.

@DE: naughty parts were nonexistent, Kirito just had no boobs.

[DarthEnderX]

DeathGun has only killed or gone after people that are significantly better than their peers. Ones who are confident they cannot be taken down.

Obviously he doesn't give a shit about overconfidence, because they've already shown that she IS on Death Gun's hit list(and is, in fact, the next one on it).

If you're argument is that Kirito doesn't know that, then fine, but Death Gun is going after the strongest people. And he considers Sinon to be such a person.

[Ryllharu]

because they've already shown that she IS on Death Gun's hit list(and is, in fact, the next one on it).

Uhh...refresh my memory with an episode number and a timestamp? I am positive whatever scene you're referencing is not the way I interpreted it, because I don't remember that at all.

I don't even remember him having a list. He wants to kill Kirito after seeing the name, and anyone else who happens to be good along the way of that goal.

[Crash]

Uhh...refresh my memory with an episode number and a timestamp? I am positive whatever scene you're referencing is not the way I interpreted it, because I don't remember that at all.

I don't even remember him having a list. He wants to kill Kirito after seeing the name, and anyone else who happens to be good along the way of that goal.

Episode 3 at 21:45. He opens up a folder containing 3 pics, two of which were X'd out in red and the third was Sinon. He reaches out to caress it in creepy bad guy fashion and cracks a typical "i'm gonna do bad things" smile.

[Ryllharu]

Much appreciated.

On rewatching, I still got a different type of creeper vibe from it. More Fatal Attraction and less "The Most Dangerous Game".