Summary
Sword Art Onlinehit the ground running with the Aincrad Arc, introducing future fans worldwide to the fictional technology of NerveGear and FullDive. While Aincrad probably remains SAO’s most famous and beloved arc, the storylines that follow all contribute in their own way to the success of the anime. Following Aincrad, SAO travels to the world of Alfheim in what is known as the Fairy Arc. With Asuna and 300 other players still trapped by their NerveGear, Kirito races to find Asuna and free her from her new prison.
But with her captor being all too eager to keep her to himself, Kirito must rely on new allies to help him conquer this new world. The Fairy Arc of SAO explores more of the family backstory of both Kirito and Asuna, as well as broadening the world of SAO by introducing new game worlds, mechanics and conflicts to the story.
The Fight is Not Over
Kirito Must Enter A New World To Save Asuna
We begin this arc with the revelation that it has been 2 months since players were released from Aincrad. However, even though Kirito and most of the other players have managed to recover in the real world, about 300 players still remain trapped by their NerveGear, including Asuna. Kirito regularly visits Asuna in the hospital as doctors work on her case, which upsets Kirito’s cousin (Suguha). It is one day while visiting Asuna in the hospital, that Kirito learns some shocking news. Asuna is set to be married to an employee at her father’s company, a man who is revealed to be responsible for managing FullDive research after the company behind SAO went bankrupt.
But this is happy news for no one, as it turns out that the man she is to be married to (name Nobuyuki Sugou) was already rejected by Asuna in real life, and he is now taking advantage of this situation to take what he wants. Kirito is saddened and enraged at his powerlessness, and we later see Suguha comfort him as he cries. However, he soon receives an image from someone taken in a newly released VRMMO, an image of a character that looks strikingly like Asuna, and he knows that he must investigate.
A New World Brings New Abilities
Alfheim Online Is Famous For Its Innovative Flying Mechanics
Kirito visits his friend Agil from Aincrad, and is informed of this new VRMMO, Alfheim Online. The name Alfheim means “Land of Faries”, and the premise of the game is that there are 9 fairy races who are attempting to make it to the top of the imposing world tree that dominates the Alfheim skyline, in order to find the Fairy King, Oberon. Those who complete this task will be granted unlimited use of one of the game’s most intriguing features, flying. The top of this tree is where the picture of “Asuna” was taken, and Agil gifts Kirito the game so that he can check it out himself. When Kirito enters the game, he discovers he even has some skills and items from Aincrad still with him. He is also immediately struck by a strange new mechanic; flying! He doesn’t have very great control of it at first. Until he is helped by another player character (Leafa) who he saves from an ambush. As thanks for this deed, she begins to show him the ropes.
Leafa continues to help by explaining the lore of the world tree, where she reveals that the challenge to scaling it is that it is guarded by unending swarms of NPCs, and no one has come close to beating it so far. However, Kirito is determined to forge ahead, so Leafa agrees to meet up again in the game to discuss more about a plan to tackle this grand quest. Unbeknownst to both of them, however, is the fact they already know each other in real life! Leafa is actually Suguha, who doesn’t realize that Kirito is her cousin, with Kirito not recognizing her either.
We then switch to Asuna’s point-of-view, as we learn that she is in fact the girl in the photo. She is then visited by “Oberon”, the Fairy King, who is actually Nobuyuki Sugou. He reveals that he intervened when Kayaba logged people out of SAO and kept a few of them trapped in their NerveGear. Now, he wants to experiment with altering human memories and much more with the FullDive technology. Asuna is disgusted by him, and wishes for Kirito to come and find her.
Foes Turn To Friends
Everyone Comes Together to Help Kirito Achieve His Goal
Through the challenges of this arc, we see Leafa deeply invested in helping Kirito overcome the challenge of the world tree, although she expresses clear jealousy at the fact that his ultimate goal is to find a girl at the top. This all comes to a head when Kirito reveals that his quest actually is to find Asuna, and upon mentioning that name, Leafa realizes that Kirito is actually her cousin Kazuto.
She had grown closer with the character Kirito in the game, due to her cousins' emotional distance in real life, so the revelation that her new in-game friend is also distracted by the same situation was hard to deal with. However, after a difficult discussion in real life, and before he sets out on the final leg of the quest on his own, Suguha meets up with Kirito in the game. They make up, and she decides to continue on to help him save Asuna.
It isn’t just Suguha who comes to Kirito’s aid, however. The competing fairy races, as well as Leafa’s friend making a heroic last stand, all make their mark by coming together and contributing to Kirito’s victory in ultimately scaling the world tree.
Reunited at last
Kirito Faces Off With Sugou And Finally Reunites With Asuna
Kirito finally arrives atop the World Tree, only to learn that the “Grand Quest” of Alfheim was a lie. In reality, Oberon (Sugou) was merely using this game for his own experiments. In a final showdown with Sugou that mirrors Kirito’s battle with Heathcliff (Kayaba), Kirito is rendered immovable, as Sugou taunts Kirito and assaults Asuna. This time, however, Kirito overcomes the challenges of Sugou by utilizing Kayaba’s administrator code, after learning that Alfheim was really just a copy of Aincrad. With Kirito now in control, he gives Sugou a legendary sword, and challenges him to a fair one-on-one fight. Sugou, not skilled in combat like Kirito even with an extremely powerful weapon, is swiftly defeated and humiliated, with Kirito’s ability to change NerveGear settings meaning that Sugou is experiencing excruciating pain in real life as well.
After finally reuniting with Asuna in Alfheim, Kirito logs out and faces off with Sugou in real life one last time, overpowering and nearly killing him before heading into the hospital to meet Asuna face to face. Following their reunion, some time passes, and we learn that the SAO survivors are attending a new school provided just for them, and are beginning to adjust well to their new life. We also learn that the VRMMO industry looked to be on the brink of collapse following the Aincrad and now Alfheim scandals. However, after Kirito releases the “World Seed” he received from Kayaba, which allows anyone to create their own VRMMO world, the industry begins to rise once again. Kirito uses the Seed himself in order to reestablish “New Aincrad” in the Alfheim world. He looks upon the rebuilt creation, eager to finally conquer it once and for all, with Asuna, Suguha and all of his friends by his side.
Sword Art Online
Cast
Sword Art Online is an anime series that follows protagonist Kirito as he and thousands of others become trapped in a virtual reality MMORPG where death in the game means death in real life. Kirito must navigate this perilous and immersive world to find a way to escape, facing numerous challenges and building alliances along the way. The series explores themes of survival, friendship, and the blurring line between reality and fantasy.
