[Dauerlutscher]

Originally Posted by relentlessflame

I totally respect that romance is not your preference and that you don't enjoy this sort of content. But I just want to point out that what we seemed to see of them on the outside and what was actually going on inside are a bit different here.

Kirito was a person who looked strong and stoic, and wanted to believe that he had the power to save people, but he struggled time and again with the realization of just how powerless he really is, starting all the way back with the way he abandoned Kline and blames himself for Sachi's death. This was actually a recurring theme of his character development throughout the whole work (even in this recent episode) that I honestly wish had been emphasized even more throughout the story. He may have looked strong, but he's actually incredibly fragile. It's only in front of Asuna (and a little bit with Suguha) that he can let that side of him out.

Asuna, meanwhile, was a person who took on a huge burden of responsibility and was so obsessed with clearing the game and getting her life back that she could easily have had a total breakdown (and she basically did). Even in the little time she allowed herself to sleep, she barely could do so being plagued with nightmares. She did everything in her power to stay focused and look strong -- and that's the Asuna we saw. But it wasn't until she began to fall in love with Kirito that she was able find some perspective, put an end to the nightmares, and start taking care of herself a bit more. Asuna has a huge strength of will, and that's really what drove her to push herself so hard, but all this takes a toll on a person, and it's only with Kirito/Kazuto that she could bring her life into balance.

So the bottom line for both of them is that they weren't "very much fine" before their relationship. They looked fine, but they were isolated and carrying huge burdens with no one to confide in or to rely on for emotional support. So that's why, when you see the two of them together, they tend to be almost the polar opposites of their regular selves in some ways. Every person has both strength and weakness, maturity and immaturity, fighting for some sort of balance. It's the times when they're with each other that they can not be afraid to let their "other sides" come out. And that's why, the show is arguing, that they're much better together than apart. By finding this balance, they'll be able to face even greater challenges together.

I can only agree with that. It's just a shame that everything was so extremely rushed.