So here we are, a very first episode of the second season or as some would say a second batch of the episodes from War of The Underworld based on the light novel SAO Vol. 17 - Alicization Awakening and pages from around 40 to 80.
Ohh boi, ohh boi. This first episode had as always an amazing OP as well as ED not to mention one great episode that was divided into 4 parts. To be fair i would say 3 but lets go for 4
1st Part
Sinon being transfered over underworld (as Super Account 02 / Solus, Goddes of Underworld Star) melting away two houndred thousand red faction aka american players lured down by a fake website offering the most realistic VRMMO in whole world by Critter and also becouse of this event she saved Asuna and Human Empire army from being butchered down.
The other part of it was reunification of Sinon and Kirito which in later part of the book has bigger meaning upon which Kirito will eventually wake up and it will be an epic event.
Part with Sinon ends when she charges in pursuit against Dark God Vector whom kidnapped Alice.
It is also funny because Asuna gets to know that Sinon/Solus can fly and has no limit with it.
2nd Part
Leafa as Super Account 03, Terraria Goddes of the Earth falling down from sky, a long way away from the battlefield and meeting with lilpilin Orc Clan Chef who came to grieve after his love and 3 thousand orc that were ordered to gave away their lifes and become a magic force that would be used by Clan of the Dark sorcerers.
This part has some intense as i like to call it action scene. The one that some say had no meaning or was too much hentai styled. To be fair i agree, yes in book there is something similar to this but not as graphic as we got in episode.
It is also a big change for Lilpilin to whom it is unkownk how come a human doesnt run away from him and instead is simply saying hello and wants to talk to him.
Because of this lilpilin has managed to break the seal of the code 871 and is able to hurt Dee which in the end is her doom from the hand of Leafa.
Some of you might think that Leafe couldnt have done anything at all while being captive by Dee, but it is not truth. Truth is that she didnt wanted to kill anyone without knowing what it could make.
3rd Part
Fight in old ruins, Asuna and Human Empire Army vs Red Knights aka American players.
Same as with part 2 of this episode, this one has much more context and has more description about fights in book than what we can see episode.
Too bad they didnt showed that Asuna was already exhausted with all the fighting as well as all the injuries she took.
But if they would go with full Ruins battle fragment i suppose it would take majority of the episode time. if you would like to read more about it, Vol. 17, Ch. 20, part 4
She took lots of Injuries and at the end she even wanted to risk being logged out by using Goddes of Creation Powers to stop red players.
But as we know it, a one Samurai showed up in the last moment and thus saved them like Sinon did it at the beginig.
Of course, there is also one more person to show up with Klein which is Agil as well as 2 thousand players of HardCore VRMMO players from Japan that were brought here by Leafa and companions.
I think these scenes might show up at the beginig of the second season, hopefully.
4th part
Integrity Knight Bercoulli chasing down Dark God Vector and eventually using his Time altering sword to cut off the wing of the Dark God Vector dragon and fighting him on the ground. in this part i am not going to write a lot since the next episode shoudl clarify everything about it, and it should be amazing fight to watch and how much he will do to save Alice.
Additional part
If there is something great about Anime it is OP (Opening) and ED ( Ending Credits) which are magnificent. Those are the two stuff that are obligatory to watch since the has a lot of clues toward the direction in which we are going.
Overally
if you like the SAO Underworld, those new episodes are defending by themselfs and even the delay made it better, especially that alongside SAO there is a new Season of Re Zero.
Two great anime to watch at the same time.
Link to bigger Gifs
https://imgur.com/a/ci7AnLU