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The Best Episodes of Sword Art Online

Every episode of Sword Art Online ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Sword Art Online!

The Best Episodes of Sword Art Online

In the near future, a Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (VRMMORPG) called Sword Art Online has been released where players control their avatars...

Seasons4

  1. Background image for Awakening
    8.9/10(9 votes)

    #1 - Awakening

    S4:E19

    Escaping his nightmares, Kirito regains consciousness at last. With the Night-Sky Blade in his right hand and the broken Blue Rose Sword in his left, he faces off against Vassago, armed with the Mate-Chopper, now enormous in size.

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    Director:Unknown
  2. Background image for In the Far North
    8.8/10(12 votes)

    #2 - In the Far North

    S4:E1

    Six months have passed since the fierce battle against Administrator. Alice has brought Kirito to her childhood home, Rulid Village, where they live peacefully. Gazing out at the world that she saved with Kirito, Alice reflects on all that’s happened.

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  3. Background image for Stacia, the Goddess of Creation
    8.8/10(8 votes)

    #3 - Stacia, the Goddess of Creation

    S4:E10

    Asuna has logged into the Underworld using the superuser account of Stacia, the Goddess of Creation. After she descends, she is reunited with Kirito, thanks to Ronie and Tiese. But soon Alice arrives, leading to a precarious situation!

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  4. Background image for Taboo Index
    8.7/10(645 votes)

    #4 - Taboo Index

    S3:E10

    Ronie and Tiese are late getting to the dorm. Kirito rushes out in search of them, but no sooner has he gone than Frenica appears. She tells Eugeo about how she's suffered at Humbert's hands, and that Tiese and Ronie went to confront him about it.

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  5. Background image for New World
    8.7/10(7 votes)

    #5 - New World

    S4:E23

    Rinko informs Kazuto that Alice is missing. He’s about to rush to the Rath Roppongi branch when the doorbell rings. In a panic, Kazuto throws open the door, only to find a deliveryman there with a huge cardboard box.

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  6. Background image for Battle of the Knights
    8.6/10(8 votes)

    #6 - Battle of the Knights

    S4:E6

    The Final Load Test has begun, and the Eastern Gate has collapsed. Incited by Gabriel, now Emperor Vecta, the massive army of the land of darkness pushes on towards the Human Empire.

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  8. Background image for Ray of Light
    8.6/10(10 votes)

    #7 - Ray of Light

    S4:E12

    Due to Gabriel's scheme, U.S. players were given black knight accounts, and are now continuously logging in to the Underworld. They begin mercilessly slaughtering soldiers from both the Human Empire Army and the Dark Territory Army.

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  9. Background image for Memories
    8.6/10(8 votes)

    #8 - Memories

    S4:E18

    Sinon manages to severely damage Gabriel, but her strength has been sapped. Leafa collapses after wiping out the American players. And Asuna, her situation now hopeless, gazes at Kirito. But the Black Swordsman continues to wander through his dreams.

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  10. Background image for The Night-Sky Blade
    8.6/10(9 votes)

    #9 - The Night-Sky Blade

    S4:E20

    Alice and Asuna head to the World’s End Altar as Kirito confronts Gabriel. Unless he can defeat Gabriel and return to the real world before the maximum-acceleration phase begins, Kirito will have to spend the next 200 years in the Underworld.

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  11. Background image for Raids
    8.5/10(11 votes)

    #10 - Raids

    S4:E2

    A force from the Dark Territory is attacking Rulid Village. Though she’d lost her purpose in battle, in order to fight for her family, and for the people that Kirito and Eugeo tried to protect, Alice takes up the Osmanthus Blade once again!

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  12. Background image for Sword and Fist
    8.5/10(8 votes)

    #11 - Sword and Fist

    S4:E9

    Upon seeing Alice, Gabriel orders his entire army to capture her. The pugilists guild races ahead of the main force. As Alice and Bercouli try to come up with a strategy to counter them, the silent Integrity Knight Sheyta Synthesis Twelve steps forward.

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  13. Background image for Blood and Life
    8.4/10(8 votes)

    #12 - Blood and Life

    S4:E8

    The powerful formal art unleashed by the Integrity Knight Alice inflicts severe casualties on the forces of darkness. Alice encounters an enemy survivor and learns that Emperor Vecta's objective is to find the "Priestess of Light."

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  14. Background image for The War of Underworld
    8.3/10(9 votes)

    #13 - The War of Underworld

    S4:E13

    Sinon has logged in with the super-account of Solus, the Sun Goddess and rescues Asuna and the others at the last minute. Meanwhile, Leafa logs in with the super-account of Terraria, the Earth Goddess, and descends to the Underworld.

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  15. Background image for The World of Swords
    8.2/10(39 votes)

    #14 - The World of Swords

    S1:E1

    It's launch day for one of the most highly-anticipated video games of all time. Join the character "Kirito" as he begins his journey in the virtual world of Sword Art Online.

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  16. Background image for Departure
    8.2/10(479 votes)

    #15 - Departure

    S3:E4

    Kirito and Eugeo realize Selka has taken off to the End Mountains alone, and decide to chase after her. As they enter the cave, they encounter goblins, presumably from the Dark Territory, and must engage in a battle.

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  17. Background image for The Relentless Knight
    8.2/10(438 votes)

    #16 - The Relentless Knight

    S3:E15

    Kirito and Eugeo are on their way up the stairs of the Central Cathedral when they encounter two girls named Linel and Fizel. As they stand, wondering what two children are doing there, they let their guard down and...

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  18. Background image for Stigma of the Disqualified
    8.2/10(8 votes)

    #17 - Stigma of the Disqualified

    S4:E7

    Integrity Knight Renly Synthesis Twenty-Seven, in battle for the first time, flees his position, allowing goblins from the forces of darkness to infiltrate to the tent where Kirito is.

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  19. Background image for Heartless Choice
    8.2/10(8 votes)

    #18 - Heartless Choice

    S4:E11

    Asuna has created a bottomless chasm. The dark knights and the pugilists attempt to cross over to the other side, where the Human Empire Army waits. Meanwhile, Critter releases an announcement about a limited-time beta test for a bizarre new VRMMO.

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    Director:Unknown
  20. Background image for End to Eternity
    8.2/10(8 votes)

    #19 - End to Eternity

    S4:E14

    Despite its modest size, the Human Empire Army and Asuna valiantly battle the wave of American players surging towards them. But they’re hopelessly outnumbered, and the Human Empire soldiers start to fall one after another.

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  21. Background image for The Osmanthus Knight
    8.1/10(431 votes)

    #20 - The Osmanthus Knight

    S3:E16

    Though riddled with wounds, Kirito manages to activate his Perfect Weapon Control art. Continuing on their way to the top floor of the Central Cathedral, Kirito and Eugeo find themselves standing before a strange-looking floating platform.

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    Director:Unknown
  22. Background image for The Legendary Hero
    8.1/10(434 votes)

    #21 - The Legendary Hero

    S3:E18

    Eugeo reaches the ninetieth floor of the Central Cathedral, which turns out to be a vast bathing area. The perplexed Eugeo encounters Bercouli Synthesis One soaking in the bath. Meanwhile, Kirito and Alice are still climbing the Central Cathedral wall.

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    Director:Unknown
  23. Background image for Alice
    8.1/10(8 votes)

    #22 - Alice

    S4:E22

    The “Rath Attack Incident,” masterminded by the American National Security Agency, is over. Now head of the newly formed Oceanic Resource Exploration & Research Institution, Rinko unveils Alice to the world as an authentic artificial general intelligence.

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  24. Background image for Dark Territory
    8.0/10(10 votes)

    #23 - Dark Territory

    S4:E4

    Shasta, commander of the Dark Territory's dark knights, had intended to use Administrator's death as a chance for peace with the Human Empire. But his plans are thwarted by Emperor Vecta's return to the land of darkness.

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  25. Background image for The Night Before Battle
    8.0/10(9 votes)

    #24 - The Night Before Battle

    S4:E5

    Resolved to fight for humankind, Alice joins the forces of the Human Empire, bringing Kirito with her. But while the forces of darkness boast overwhelming numbers, only thirteen Integrity Knights are available to fight for the Human Empire.

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    Director:Unknown
  26. Background image for Prince of Hell
    8.0/10(7 votes)

    #25 - Prince of Hell

    S4:E17

    Asuna and the others succumb to Vassago and the Chinese/Korean players. Discovering the catatonic Kirito, Vassago kicks his wheelchair over. Enraged, Klein lunges at Vassago, only to be pinned down by enemy players. Just then, someone unexpected appears.

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Best Episodes Summary

"Awakening" is the best rated episode of "Sword Art Online". It scored 8.9/10 based on 9 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Kohei Urushibara, it aired on 8/23/2020. This episode scored 0.1 points higher than the second highest rated, "In the Far North".