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The Worst Episodes of Sword Art Online

Every episode of Sword Art Online ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Sword Art Online!

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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 with their bodies using a piece of technology called Nerve

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    Sword Art Online Season 2 Episode 11 - What It Means To Be Strong
    6.4/10(714 votes)

    #1 - What It Means To Be Strong

    S2:E11

    After escaping from Death Gun, Kirito and Sinon lay low in a desert cave. There, Kirito speculates on how Death Gun murdered other players. In doing so, he hits upon a certain terrifying possibility.

    Director:Daisuke Takashima
    Writer:Muneo Nakamoto

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  2. Sword Art Online Season 2 Episode 18 - Forest House
    6.4/10(680 votes)

    #2 - Forest House

    S2:E18

    In an upcoming update of ALO, Floors 21-30 of New Aincrad will be unlocked. Asuna, Kirito and Yui revisit their dream of once again living together in their log cabin on Floor 22.

    Director:Kosaya
    Writer:Muneo Nakamoto

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  3. Sword Art Online Season 2 Episode 3 - Memories of Blood
    6.5/10(753 votes)

    #3 - Memories of Blood

    S2:E3

    In real life, the player Sinon is a high school student named Shino Asada. On her way home from school, she’s dragged into an alley by delinquent girls. Their leader, Endo, tries to extort money from Shino, but she bravely refuses.

    Director:Hironori Aoyagi
    Writer:Muneo Nakamoto

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  4. Sword Art Online Season 2 Episode 16 - The King of the Giants
    6.5/10(696 votes)

    #4 - The King of the Giants

    S2:E16

    Kirito and the others are tasked with subjugating the Frost King Thrymr, and a quest to recover Excalibur. It's Yui's guess that this isn't a quest planned by the game admins, but something automatically generated by the system. And if that's the case…

    Director:Hidetoshi Takahashi
    Writers:Muneo Nakamoto, Ryousuke Suzuki

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  5. Sword Art Online Season 2 Episode 7 - Crimson Memories
    6.6/10(727 votes)

    #5 - Crimson Memories

    S2:E7

    The man in the ragged cloak is an SAO survivor, and he might also be a player Kirito fought with to the death... This thought consumes Kirito, and his anguish is palpable - to the point that it worries Suguha.

    Director:Shu Watanabe
    Writer:Yukito Kizawa

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  6. Sword Art Online Season 2 Episode 8 - Bullet of Bullets
    6.6/10(725 votes)

    #6 - Bullet of Bullets

    S2:E8

    Kirito decides that Death Gun and the man in the cape will be appearing in BoB. He uses the remaining time to exchange information with Sinon and find out more about the contestants. Sinon sees how strange he was acting during the qualifier and asks him what happened. She learns that he is a SAO survivor. The main BoB tournament begins and 30 players are dropped in a 10km wide field.

    Director:Hirokazu Yamada
    Writer:Yukie Sugawara

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  7. Sword Art Online Season 2 Episode 15 - The Queen of the Lake
    6.6/10(712 votes)

    #7 - The Queen of the Lake

    S2:E15

    It's reported that the Holy Sword Excalibur has been discovered inside ALO. Hearing the news, Kirito and Leafa decide to take possession of Excalibur before other players get to it first.

    Director:Shu Watanabe
    Writers:Muneo Nakamoto, Atsushi Takayama

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  8. Sword Art Online Season 2 Episode 20 - The Sleeping Knights
    6.6/10(676 votes)

    #8 - The Sleeping Knights

    S2:E20

    Asuna is asked to help the guild “Sleeping Knights,” which has decided to disband soon due to the members’ circumstances. Before they do, they want to defeat a Floor Boss with only their party.

    Director:Yun ♫ Heizhai
    Writers:Muneo Nakamoto, Ryousuke Suzuki

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  9. Sword Art Online Season 2 Episode 2 - Cold-Hearted Sniper
    6.7/10(777 votes)

    #9 - Cold-Hearted Sniper

    S2:E2

    Armed with a large sniper rifle, Hecate II, the young girl Sinon is making a name for herself as the No. 1 sniper in GGO. When her squadron ambushes another squadron, she succeeds in taking out her first target. But when she takes aim at her second target, a robed “Behemoth,” he dodges the bullet.

    Director:Shigeki Kawai
    Writer:Yukie Sugawara

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  10. Sword Art Online Season 2 Episode 10 - Death Chaser
    6.7/10(735 votes)

    #10 - Death Chaser

    S2:E10

    Sinon is attacked from behind by Death Gun and paralyzed. He's using a Black Star Type-54, ironically the same gun that Sinon used to shoot the robber. Her memories of the incident come flooding back and Sinon loses control, and Death Gun tries to kill her to make Kirito angry. But just before he can kill her Kirito saves her at the last second. Sinon is out of the fight, and Kirito tries to flee with her but is pursued by Death Gun.

    Director:Makoto Hoshino
    Writer:Muneo Nakamoto

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  11. Sword Art Online Season 2 Episode 21 - The Monument of Swordsmen
    6.7/10(682 votes)

    #11 - The Monument of Swordsmen

    S2:E21

    Asuna and the Sleeping Knights’ attempt to defeat the boss on Floor 27 has been observed by a guild specializing in boss raids. Now 20 of its members block the boss room. With Kirito stalling the rest of the guild, can Asuna and the others break through?

    Director:Yasuyuki Fuse
    Writers:Muneo Nakamoto, Atsushi Takayama

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  12. Sword Art Online Season 4 Episode 15 - Instigation
    6.7/10(494 votes)

    #12 - Instigation

    S4:E15

    Bercouli pursues Vecta, who’s abducted Alice. After a long, vicious battle, Bercouli unleashes his secret sword skill, Uragiri, and finally defeats Vecta, despite having sustained severe injuries himself.

    Director:Takehiro Miura
    Writer:Muneo Nakamoto

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  13. Sword Art Online Season 2 Episode 1 - The World of Guns
    6.8/10(866 votes)

    #13 - The World of Guns

    S2:E1

    A year has passed since SAO was cleared. Summoned by Kikuoka of the Virtual Division at the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Kazuto learns of a series of bizarre murders linked to the popular VR game, Gun Gale Online (GGO), the only game in Japan played by pros.

    Director:Tomohiko Ito
    Writer:Tomohiko Ito

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  14. Sword Art Online Season 2 Episode 6 - Showdown in the Wilderness
    6.8/10(738 votes)

    #14 - Showdown in the Wilderness

    S2:E6

    A man in a beat-up cloak watches Kirito fight his first battle and demands to know if he's "the real thing". The man has the tattoo of Laughing Coffin, a murderer's guild that existed within SAO. He tells Kirito that he'll kill him someday, and vanishes.

    Director:Shunsuke Machitani
    Writer:Yukito Kizawa

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  15. Sword Art Online Season 2 Episode 12 - Bullet of a Phantom
    6.8/10(718 votes)

    #15 - Bullet of a Phantom

    S2:E12

    BoB nears its end, and the only surviving players are Kirito, Sinon, and Dark Wind, the second place winner of the last tournament. Since Death Gun may have multiple partners, and Dark Wind may be in danger as well, Kirito decides to defeat him first. He acts as a decoy while Sinon snipes the enemy. Kirito's trust in her pays off as her bullet strikes true, and he finally faces off with Death Gun.

    Director:Hiroshi Kimura
    Writer:Yukito Kizawa

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  16. Sword Art Online Season 2 Episode 13 - Phantom Bullet
    6.8/10(779 votes)

    #16 - Phantom Bullet

    S2:E13

    Death Gun's attack is modeled after Star Splash, a SAO skill that doesn't exist in GGO. Death Gun is skilled with not only a gun but a blade as well, and he gradually wears down Kirito's health. Meanwhile, Sinon's scope has been destroyed by Death Gun and she cannot attack, so she's forced to simply watch the fight. She grits her teeth and wonders if there's anything else she can do.

    Director:Shigeki Kawai
    Writer:Yukito Kizawa

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  17. Sword Art Online Season 3 Episode 2 - The Demon Tree
    6.9/10(623 votes)

    #17 - The Demon Tree

    S3:E2

    Kirito wakes up to find himself inside a mysterious world evoking a fantasy game. His memory fuzzy, he tries to log out, but is unable to return to the real world. After wandering aimlessly, he finds himself underneath a colossal tree.

    Director:Takashi Sakuma
    Writer:Yukito Kizawa

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  18. Sword Art Online Season 3 Episode 5 - Ocean Turtle
    6.9/10(581 votes)

    #18 - Ocean Turtle

    S3:E5

    In the real world, Kazuto Kirigaya lies unconscious. At Kikuoka’s request, Kazuto is moved to a well-equipped hospital, but when Asuna and Suguha try to visit, they’re turned away. Suspicious, Asuna and the others split up to find out more about Rath.

    Director:Koji Kobayashi
    Writer:Yukito Kizawa

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  19. Sword Art Online Season 1 Episode 8 - The Sword Dance of Black and White
    7.0/10(1197 votes)

    #19 - The Sword Dance of Black and White

    S1:E8

    After 2 years, people have got used to living in SAO, with a dwindling front line it might just be up to Kirito and Asuna to continue the charge.

    Director:Tatsumi Fujii
    Writer:Shuji Iriyama

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  20. Sword Art Online Season 1 Episode 16 - Land of the Fairies
    7.0/10(1033 votes)

    #20 - Land of the Fairies

    S1:E16

    A new MMO allows users to fly and encourages player killing. Kirito has joined this new game in search of Asuna and is pleasantly surprised with what he finds.

    Director:Yasuyuki Fuse
    Writer:Yukie Sugawara

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  21. Sword Art Online Season 1 Episode 22 - Grand Quest
    7.0/10(990 votes)

    #21 - Grand Quest

    S1:E22

    Kirito’s determination to save Asuna borders on the insane. His reckless is stopped when Leafa suddenly logs out.

    Director:Kazuhisa Ono
    Writer:Yukito Kizawa

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  22. Sword Art Online Season 2 Episode 4 - GGO (Gun Gale Online)
    7.0/10(783 votes)

    #22 - GGO (Gun Gale Online)

    S2:E4

    Kikuoka has recruited Kirito to investigate GGO, and so he logs in. To lure Death Gun into targeting him, he hopes to enter Bullet of Bullets (BoB), a tournament to decide the most powerful gunman in GGO. But as a first-timer, he doesn't know his way around this game, and soon loses his way, when he catches sight of Sinon and approaches her.

    Director:Hidetoshi Takahashi
    Writer:Yukie Sugawara

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  23. Sword Art Online Season 2 Episode 5 - Guns and Swords
    7.0/10(748 votes)

    #23 - Guns and Swords

    S2:E5

    To register for BoB, Kirito starts entering the required information into a terminal, but is astounded to see that the form includes columns for his real-world name and address. He is temporarily torn when he realizes that without this info, he won't be eligible for the top prizes...

    Director:Daisuke Takashima
    Writer:Muneo Nakamoto

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  24. Sword Art Online Season 2 Episode 17 - Excalibur
    7.0/10(688 votes)

    #24 - Excalibur

    S2:E17

    Kirito and the others are taking on Thrymr, the Boss lurking at the bottom level of the dungeon. But unable to make much of a dent in Thrymr's HP, they soon find themselves in grave danger. Just then, their new ally, Freyja, raises her voice…

    Director:Hirokazu Yamada
    Writer:Yukie Sugawara

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  25. Sword Art Online Season 2 Episode 22 - The End of the Journey
    7.0/10(720 votes)

    #25 - The End of the Journey

    S2:E22

    A few days have passed since Yuuki suddenly disappeared from in front of Asuna, and she still hasn’t logged in to ALO. Later, Asuna meets Kazuto on the school roof, where he hands her a note and tells her Yuuki might be at the location written on it.

    Director:Yasuto Nishikata
    Writer:Yukie Sugawara

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Worst Episodes Summary

"What It Means To Be Strong" is the worst rated episode of "Sword Art Online". It scored 6.4/10 based on 714 votes. Directed by Daisuke Takashima and written by Muneo Nakamoto, it aired on 9/13/2014. This episode scored 0.0 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Forest House".