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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!

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...
Genres:AnimationSci-Fi & FantasyAction & Adventure
Episodes
96
Avg. Rating
7.7
S1
S2
S3
S4
E1
E2
E3
8.1
7.1
7.9
8.0
7.7
7.5
7.7
7.8
7.9
7.2
7.7
7.6

Worst Episodes Summary

"The Seal of the Right Eye" is the worst rated episode of "Sword Art Online". It scored 6/10 based on 304 votes. Directed by N/A and written by Yukito Kizawa, it aired on 2/24/2019. This episode scored 0.2 points lower than the second lowest rated, "The Queen of the Lake".

  • The Seal of the Right Eye
    6.0/10304 votes
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    #1 - The Seal of the Right Eye

    Season 3 Episode 19 - Aired 2/24/2019

    Seeing Alice’s reaction when he mentioned the name Selka, Kirito decides to tell her the truth about the Integrity Knights. Meanwhile, after being knocked unconscious during his battle with Bercouli, Eugeo awakes on the top floor of the cathedral.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: Yukito Kizawa

  • The Queen of the Lake
    6.2/10529 votes
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    #2 - The Queen of the Lake

    Season 2 Episode 15 - Aired 10/18/2014

    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

    Writer: Muneo Nakamoto, Atsushi Takayama

  • The King of the Giants
    6.6/10515 votes
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    #3 - The King of the Giants

    Season 2 Episode 16 - Aired 10/25/2014

    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

    Writer: Muneo Nakamoto, Ryousuke Suzuki

  • The Truth about Alfheim
    6.7/10747 votes
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    #4 - The Truth about Alfheim

    Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 11/25/2012

    While Asuna continues her attempt to escape, another woman in Kirito’s life tries to make sense of her emotions.

    Director: Ho Pyeon-gang

    Writer: Muneo Nakamoto

  • To the World Tree
    6.8/10749 votes
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    #5 - To the World Tree

    Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 11/4/2012

    Leafa is making enemies leaving her area and group to team up with Kirito. On their way to neutral Territory, they speak more of the rules and areas of the ALO.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: Yukito Kizawa

  • Excalibur
    6.8/10509 votes
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    #6 - Excalibur

    Season 2 Episode 17 - Aired 11/1/2014

    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

  • Forest House
    6.8/10499 votes
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    #7 - Forest House

    Season 2 Episode 18 - Aired 11/8/2014

    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: N/A

    Writer: Muneo Nakamoto

  • Crimson Memories
    6.9/10535 votes
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    #8 - Crimson Memories

    Season 2 Episode 7 - Aired 8/16/2014

    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

  • Captive Queen
    7.0/10749 votes
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    #9 - Captive Queen

    Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 10/28/2012

    As Kirito learns about the game from Leafa and the hatred between the races, Asuna learns the truth of her role from the Fairy King.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: Yoshikazu Mukai

  • Land of the Fairies
    7.1/10773 votes
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    #10 - Land of the Fairies

    Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 10/21/2012

    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

  • The Lugru Corridor
    7.1/10734 votes
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    #11 - The Lugru Corridor

    Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 11/11/2012

    Something isn’t right; Recon has sent Leafa a message “I was right. Be careful. S." What does he mean and will Leafa and Kirito have the time to figure it out?

    Director: Ho Pyeon-gang

    Writer: Shuji Iriyama

  • The World of Guns
    7.1/10667 votes
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    #12 - The World of Guns

    Season 2 Episode 1 - Aired 7/5/2014

    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

  • The Girl of Morning Dew
    7.2/10907 votes
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    #13 - The Girl of Morning Dew

    Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 9/16/2012

    The newly married couple is enjoying their time away from the front lines. But a new guest will take them all the way back to the beginning.

    Director: Ho Pyeon-gang

    Writer: Yukie Sugawara

  • Return
    7.2/10818 votes
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    #14 - Return

    Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 10/14/2012

    Kirigaya is adjusting to his life outside of the game, but he hasn't forgotten about Asuna. A recent visit to her in the hospital, he meets Sugou Nobuyuki.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: Muneo Nakamoto

  • Memories of Blood
    7.2/10562 votes
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    #15 - Memories of Blood

    Season 2 Episode 3 - Aired 7/19/2014

    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: N/A

    Writer: Muneo Nakamoto

  • What It Means To Be Strong
    7.2/10525 votes
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    #16 - What It Means To Be Strong

    Season 2 Episode 11 - Aired 9/13/2014

    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: N/A

    Writer: Muneo Nakamoto

  • Zekken
    7.2/10499 votes
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    #17 - Zekken

    Season 2 Episode 19 - Aired 11/15/2014

    Hearing rumors about a brilliant player known as Zekken, Asuna decides to mount a challenge. But when Asuna logs out, she is told by her mother to take an exam to transfer into an academically oriented high school.

    Director: Shigeki Kawai

    Writer: Muneo Nakamoto

  • The Sleeping Knights
    7.2/10499 votes
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    #18 - The Sleeping Knights

    Season 2 Episode 20 - Aired 11/22/2014

    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: N/A

    Writer: Muneo Nakamoto, Ryousuke Suzuki

  • Murder in the Safe Zone
    7.3/10955 votes
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    #19 - Murder in the Safe Zone

    Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 8/5/2012

    A player has been killed inside a safe zone and not by the known means. Asuna and Krito take it upon themselves to find out how and why this is happening.

    Director: Yasuyuki Fuse

    Writer: Yukito Kizawa

  • One Little Step
    7.3/10532 votes
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    #20 - One Little Step

    Season 2 Episode 14 - Aired 10/4/2014

    Kyouji attacks Shino, saying he'll kill himself after she's dead. Kazuto saves her at the last second by jumping Kyouji. During the fight, Kazuto is hit with Kyouji's poison syringe, but miraculously it doesn't work and Kirito is saved. The next day Kazuto and Shino go to meet Kikuoka, and discuss the incident. Kikuoka has a message from one of the captured Death Guns...

    Director: Tomohiko Ito

    Writer: Yukie Sugawara

  • Ruler and Mediator
    7.3/10387 votes
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    #21 - Ruler and Mediator

    Season 3 Episode 13 - Aired 1/6/2019

    Kirito and Eugeo have been rescued by the young girl, Cardinal, who has secluded herself inside the Central Cathedral’s Great Library. Cardinal explains to Kirito how the Axiom Church and the Taboo Index came to be, starting with Administrator’s past.

    Director: Hiroshi Kimura

    Writer: Muneo Nakamoto, Yukito Kizawa

  • Beyond Time
    7.3/10323 votes
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    #22 - Beyond Time

    Season 4 Episode 21 - Aired 9/6/2020

    The maximum-acceleration phase has begun. Alice successfully logs out of the Underworld, but Kirito doesn’t make it in time. In the real world, Higa and Kikuoka rush to shut down the STL, in order to disable the maximum-acceleration phase, but…

    Director: Tomonari Tanaka

    Writer: Muneo Nakamoto

  • Illusionary Avenger
    7.4/10920 votes
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    #23 - Illusionary Avenger

    Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 8/12/2012

    Kirito has figured out the how and now he has to figure out the why.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: Yukito Kizawa

  • General of the Blazing Flame
    7.4/10748 votes
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    #24 - General of the Blazing Flame

    Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 11/18/2012

    Kirito and Leafa have made it to the meeting and Kirito’s bluff as an ambassador has been called out. If he can survive in a fight against the Salamanders General Eugene, his plan to prevent a war might work.

    Director: Makoto Hoshino

    Writer: Naoki Shouji

  • The Dream Begins
    7.4/10520 votes
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    #25 - The Dream Begins

    Season 2 Episode 23 - Aired 12/13/2014

    As a tester for the world’s first medical-use Full-Dive device, Yuuki has been diving into virtual worlds from the hospital. Unable to leave her hospital room, she longs to go to school again. To make that wish come true, Asuna asks Kazuto for help…

    Director: Shigeki Kawai

    Writer: Yukie Sugawara