[Guppy]

Originally Posted by KleenexGhost

It was really interesting to me to see Kirito (who views the lives of NPCs are just as precious as an actual person) and Asuna (who views NPCs as just programs that will eventually respawn if killed)

Having just read the relevant scene by the author (it's not actually in the novels but was his first attempt at an SAO doujinshi), I don't think that's exactly right.

Spoiler for ME1: The Progressers doujinshi:

It wasn't that Kirito thinks the NPCs' lives are as valuable as the players'. As I understood it, Kirito was more concerned about the psychological effects on the players of killing (even indirectly) the NPCs.

On a logical level, it's clear that Asuna had a point. Given that SAO is a full-immersion game with very, very realistic NPC AI, though (the full extent of which hasn't been shown yet), Kirito's thinking is somewhat more understandable.

Originally Posted by GenjiChan

Another scene that caught me was in the starting after Kirito seemed to opposed Asuna's planned, she gave him a look as if she's telling him to "please Kirito, please help us... help me with this...".

Kirito: "....how can I refuse that look..."

Rather than debate the question of Asuna's expression, it's worth noting that right after that scene in ME1...

Spoiler for ME1: The Progressers doujinshi:

...Asuna challenged Kirito to a duel over their difference of opinion. And they didn't end up using Asuna's plan.