Aldnoah.Zero - The Finale

True to my predictions, the finale disappointed in several levels.

Let’s take a look at them, shall we?

First, let’s start with the good, because there were good parts. Amazing even.

Perhaps the greatest tragedy of Aldnoah.Zero is how much good there is in it. 

The show has so much potential that we can harder on it than on others when it fails to live up to those expectations.

Anyway, if there is one thing I can say about the final episode it is that it has some epic Slaine scenes.

Slaine’s character arc and journey has dominated Season 2. It’s fitting in a way for the show to end with him.

The Slaine/Lemrina scene made my inner shipper just so happy. I was seriously rooting for these two throughout the show. They really need a happy ending and together they could have gotten it. 

If he had taken her offer they could have become something big. Let there be no mistake, Slaine could have won even after the Princess’ (now Empress’) announcement.

He had royal blood on his side and that’s all the Counts really care about. His plans would be more attractive to them than the Princess’ desire for peace.

However, if he had done so he would have truly become the Princess’ enemy. For all the stuff he has done, the country Slaine wanted to build was one Asseylum was supposed to rule. How can he opposed the outcome he has been looking for?

He can’t. It’s not exactly what he wanted, but it’s close enough. In the end, putting Asseylum ahead of himself proves to be his undoing.

Anyway, back to the awesome scenes. I loved how all the mooks returned for Slaine. It shows that in spite of how he sees himself, he truly has become a hero for some of the people.

Seriously, that’s some true Loyalty there.

Even Barry (Barouhcruz) returned!

You totally thought that guy was going to sell him out the moment it suited him but nope.

Also, Harklight. Can’t forget about loyal Harklight who I was so sure was going to betray Slaine when I first saw him on the promo materials. The whole thing is all sorts of awesome.

The head, my boy. The head.

Then there’s the fight. There is something childish about the whole thing and that’s what makes it so fun.

Slaine knows he has lost. Slaine wants to self-destruct, but hey there’s the guy he really doesn’t like. Might as well try to bash his face in for a while.

There are some really cool lines in this fight. The moment when Slaine shut down the Tharsis’ prediction abilities told you everything you needed to know about his mental state at the moment.

Sure, he didn’t win, but it’s Inaho. Plot armor doesn’t begin to cover it.

Besides, he looked so damn smooth even in defeat.

He even did the Saaz Pose!

Lemrina was right! 

Now, let’s begin with the bad.

There were plenty of screwy things in this finale.

Starting with the fact, that everyone listened to the Princess.

One of the things Season 1 established pretty well was that a nice speech from the princess wasn’t going to solve anything. This was hammered several times all the way to the end with Asseylum giving a speech in a nearly empty auditorium.

Sure, she’s an Empress now. She has the support of a Count. Let’s ignore that some of these guys were willing to kill her when she was a Princess and manipulated the Emperor as they wished.

The cease fire still feels all sorts of odd. Why would Earth accept? Season 2 hammered the whole ‘no one is going to believe her anymore’. What is up with that?

Pic Unrelated yet Awesome

Let’s not forget that Earth leaders were getting cocky and shit because some things were going their way. Doesn’t sound to me like guys who were ready to accept a ceasefire.

In fact, we know some knights didn’t give their territories back. Would Earth really accept that?

Furthermore what happens to Vers? The need for reform was something clearly established as was the futility of living on Mars. Creating a new country on Earth was one of the best ways to solve their problems.

The lower classes won’t see the fruits of peace unless the feudal system is actually changed.

Damn it, Dad!

Then there is Doctor Troyard’s research. Mentioned in Season 1 and then never again. We never find what it is except for a convenient mention near the end to justify a bright Aldnoah future?

Seriously, you’d think they have covered a bit more of this during the 12 episodes they had for the second season. 

Also, what was the point of Marito?

Seriously.

Dorito in Mourning

Ultimately, it feels that all sorts of inconvenient issues are being swept under a rug for the sake of Peace.

For a show whose tagline is ‘Let Justice be Done, Though Heavens Fall’, the message here seems to be the opposite.

The Heavens are kept up at all cost. Even if those costs require people to turn a blind eye to all the inconvenient truths out there, because the moment you try to do the right thing you will have a war on your hands.