Aldnoah.Zero - Episode 24 [END] Discussion / Poll

[karice67]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

Good points.

This final episode doesn't do anything to resolve the issues caused by Aldnoah power being concentrated solely in the hands of the nobles and those who the nobles choose to pass.

Sure, Asseylum herself might be a good peace-loving ruler, but who's to say her children will be?

Saazbaum was right about at least one thing, and that was the corrupting influence of Aldnoah power residing strictly in the hands of the Vers nobility and those that they chose to share it with. It was this legitimate issue that played a role in Slaine's decisions, as well as Harklight's.

That issue has not been resolved at all.

Wait a minute. Did everyone just stop watching at the end of the battle or something?

The news reporters specifically discuss this issue:

We’re told that Empress Asseylum herself will participate in the activation ceremony, but research into making Aldnoah activation privileges universal so that anyone can do it is still ongoing. When that happens, industries using Aldnoah will develop and will greatly help with Earth's reconstruction. And as the nation that produces Aldnoah, it should also prove to be an effective means for the Vers Empire to earn foreign capital.

[playmaker2k]

This is one of the few anime endings that left me with more questions than answers. I can write off 20 of them for Aoki to answer and it still wouldn't be enough.

Example:

What happen to Dr. Troyard? What was his overall plan and why didn't Slaine take up his father's work? Why is Rayet's character development non-existent for someone who probably wants to redeem herself for her father's sins? Why was Marito's PTSD swept under the rug too conveniently? Why hasn't Asseylum seen her peoples' living conditions back at VERS? Why does she seem more like the Princess of Earth than anything else? Why haven't we seen anything from VERS other than racist Counts?

The production team slipped up a few times.

Asseylum's message for Inaho was to save Slaine from the "chains of misery", but she didn't know anything about his suffering until after Edderitto told her an episode later. This along with seeing her Grandfather's condition is what gave her the reason to make a move and stop the "chains of misery".

To be honest, Mazuurek should have never existed and should have merged his role with Klancain where he meets Inaho after losing to the United Forces and ends up in prison and is later released with Slaine's Pendant. With this, he is no longer a plot device, but an actual character with purpose.

I think this would have lessen the blow when Asseylum announced him as her fiance and most people wouldn't mind the NTR as much. I think.

There was one detail I did like, it was the last scene where we saw Slaine's pupils. He was a clouded individual throughout the whole series, but now it appears that after getting closure he's returning to his old self from childhood. That was the only time he was shown with pupils. The clear, innocent eyes of a child.

Did you guys catch that callback from EP1 with those kids wishing upon a shooting star?

Oh and for shipping, you guys are so blind. Clearly, Inaho x Yuki is the real OTP. They're basically riding off to the sunset together.

I want to say more, but I'm just disappointed right now. So much potential. Still lol at the X-men reference.

[serenade_beta]

...................?????????????

Hah? What the hell was this?

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by cyth

Sure, I'm a Slaine hater because I hate badly written characters. Saazbaum and Lemrina were equally terrible, as was Asseylum to some extent. The whole show is full of bad characters. The Terran side I sympathize with because they were the underdogs...

Underdogs... lol

Yeah, Inaho and his all-knowing cybernetic eye really shouts "underdog".

The Terran side may have been the underdog in Season 1, but it rarely felt that way to me in Season 2.


However, yes, the characters aren't that well-written when it's all said and done. But like Haak wrote, Slaine was reasonably likeable throughout most of Season 1. So some of us held out hope that his motivations here in Season 2 would get elaborated on a bit more, and hopefully result in a story and a clash of ideas a bit more complex than the very old and tired "give peace a chance!" narrative that mecha anime has done to death.

I think Inaho got the confession on tape,

What did he confess to on tape?

I don't think anyone, not even Slaine fans think he should get one.

Why shouldn't Slaine get a proper trial? Slobodan Milosevic got a proper trial.

When dealing with something of this nature and complexity, I think a war crimes trial would probably be appropriate.

Now you want the people to have a trial = more drama.

Yes? And what's wrong with that?

Shin Sekai Yori had a very memorable trial that many viewers of it thought made for a superb scene. The guilt of the character put on trial was never in question.

[nooneagain]

Spoiler for playmaker2k's comments:

Originally Posted by playmaker2k

This is one of the few anime endings that left me with more questions than answers. I can write off 20 of them for Aoki to answer and it still wouldn't be enough.

Example:

What happen to Dr. Troyard? What was his overall plan and why didn't Slaine take up his father's work? Why is Rayet's character development non-existent for someone who probably wants to redeem herself for her father's sins? Marito's PTSD was swept under the rug too conveniently. Why hasn't Asseylum seen her peoples' living conditions back at VERS? Why haven't we anything from VERS other than Counts?

The production team slip up on a few occasions.

Asseylum's message for Inaho was to save Slaine from the "chains of misery", but she didn't know anything about his suffering until after Edderitto told her an episode later. This along with seeing her Grandfather's condition is what gave her the reason to make a move and stop the "chains of misery".

To be honest, Mazuurek should have never existed and should have merged his role with Klancain where he meets Inaho after losing to the United Forces and ends up in prison and is later released with Slaine's Pendant. With this, he is no longer a plot device, but an actual character with purpose.

I think this would have lessen the blow when Asseylum announced him as her fiance and most people wouldn't mind the NTR as much. I think.

There was one detail I did like, it was the last scene where we saw Slaine's pupils. He was a clouded individual throughout the whole series, but now it appears that after getting closure he's returning to his old self from his childhood. This was the only time he was shown with pupils. The clear eyes of a child.

Oh and for shipping, you guys are so blind. Clearly, Inaho x Yuki is the real OTP. They're basically riding off to the sunset together.

I want to say more, but I'm just disappointed right now.

and what about the other martians who were given a not-so-good treatment, an example would be rayet's family, do they get a compensation? how does she plan to make up with those people. Maybe I missed it?

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by karice67

The news reporters specifically discuss this issue:

We’re told that Empress Asseylum herself will participate in the activation ceremony, but research into making Aldnoah activation privileges universal so that anyone can do it is still ongoing. When that happens, industries using Aldnoah will develop and will greatly help with Earth's reconstruction. And as the nation that produces Aldnoah, it should also prove to be an effective means for the Vers Empire to earn foreign capital.

This news report is part of the official story. The same official story that is blatantly lying about Slaine being dead, and about who was truly behind the Asseylum false flag operation of Episode 1.

So, given those two big lies, why should I put much trust in other parts of this official story?

[EternalSpringFlower]

Wow. It has to be the most uninspired ending of the year. Bland is bland is bland.
Where are twists? Asspulls? Unpredictable, heart pounding moments of awesome? Unexpected developments?

Where is Lemrina killing Slaine and then herself in a lovers' double suicide, Klancain turning out to be an ancient alien, Inaho eloping with Princess while revealing afterwards he's been Eye!Inaho since episode one and slowly gaining his humanity?

I'm still salty Asseylum didn't get much to do until the very end & the dumb marriage thing. Two fighting guys and one girl who needs to marry for politics is so yesterday. One can't call AZ antifeminist because Magbaredge, but come on, if a guy has slighted you, beat him up in your own mecha.

And say what you want, Slaine's intention to go up in flames together with the moonbase was kind of beautiful. (Harklight and Count B-whatever were kind of beautiful too, never thought I'd be saying that.)

Though it doesn't make his turn of face less sudden. So he didn't want to even discuss it with her when he was at gunpoint yet once Asseylum NTRed both him and Inaho using Cruhteo Jr, he suddenly decided to give up and see her side of the argument? Wut?

The prison scene, though, I can't decide if it's intentional irony or just bad writing. Asseylum didn't ask Inaho to save Slaine's life. She asked him to save Slaine from the chains of misery.
Yet Inaho saving Slaine and then putting him in isolation made Slaine's misery more, not less. He was ready to die, he wanted atonement in death.
Is it because Inaho (due to his unemotional nature) is unable to take Asseylum's request at anything but its basic literal meaning?
Or is it Inaho's vengeance? Did he intentionally misinterpret it to make Slaine suffer more?
I think it's just a plot hole, though, because anything else is too sophisticated for this primitive plot.

I mean, here we have all the problems and questions with the Eye arising and then... a little surgery solves everything. Wut? I didn't want Inaho to die or go insane, bc I don't hate him--I wanted something interesting to come out of it. Chekhov's gun turned out to be a wet noodle.

Oh, and if I were an Asseylum x Inaho shipper? I would have been pissed as all hell. After what amounted to a love confession they got nothing. Zero. Aldnoah Zero. (Same as with the social unrest on Vers and the Aldnoah mystery, yeah.) Neither Asseylum nor Inaho seem to even be aware they are supposed to have some feelings for each other beyond distant friendship now. Their relationship is not resolved in any way.

All in all, what a rushed, boring, safely played ending. So little drama.

I can see the third season, though, they left a little pathway for that mentioning the rogue Orbital Knights & not resolving the Aldnoah mystery. Maybe Lemrina can lead them.

[frodonk]

That ending was very rushed and didn't resolve anything. It's not like it erases all the emotions everyone felt during the war. UEF still tried to assassinate asseylum and martians still tried to commit genocide, those things cannot be simply glossed over because some princess from mars shouted "I WANT PEACE" and everything is forgiven.

I'm still hoping that Inaho will become the emperor of vers one day, and asseylum becomes known for marrying people from different planets 3 times

[lubczyk]

Isn't it crazy that the Terran public accepts that a single Terran boy was responsible for the whole war, and not the Martian royal family (Ray, Gilzilia, Asseylum), other Martians (Rayet's family), the Martian Counts that brutality waged and some still continue to wage the war?

The Terran public knows that Gilzila started the first war. The Terrans saw Ray's procamation of war. They saw Lemrina (as Asseylum) spur on the war. The They saw Slaine proclaim war against Them. Why would any reasonable Terran or Martian accept that Slaine was solely responsible?

[playmaker2k]

Originally Posted by frodonk

That ending was very rushed and didn't resolve anything. It's not like it erases all the emotions everyone felt during the war. UEF still tried to assassinate asseylum and martians still tried to commit genocide, those things cannot be simply glossed over because some princess from mars shouted "I WANT PEACE" and everything is forgiven.

Exactly, there needs to be some serious social reform. Slaine might have turn to the dark side and angered a lot of people, but he was always fighting against something like that. What did she do? She basically magic wand the whole thing with pretty words and everyone dances. Asseylum attained peace without singing a single note.

You're not Minmay!!!!

[Benigmatica]

Well, got to say that it ended well but it needs more closure like what's gonna happen to the rest of the Orbital Knights and such.

Good job for A-1 Pictures and Gen Urobuchi though...

[karice67]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

This news report is part of the official story. The same official story that is blatantly lying about Slaine being dead, and about who was truly behind the Asseylum false flag operation of Episode 1.

So, given those two big lies, why should I put much trust in other parts of this official story?

To me, there are things that can be hidden, and there are things that cannot. Even if certain truths known by only a few people can be hidden, if something like research is being carried out into something as public as the Aldnoah power (on a pretty large scale too, considering that Dr. Troyard's theories have supposedly already been proven), then I find it hard to believe that it can be hidden.

It's also a matter of what we think of Inaho and Asseylum, since they'd have to be involved in the research. You're basically saying that you believe that they don't want what's best for the planets that they've been fighting so hard to protect for the entire series.

But if that's the way that most of you have taken this series, so be it.

Maybe I'm a trusting person. And maybe the fact that international relations is what I'm doing with my life means that I've taken this outcome--some truths hidden by the victors, hope that the Aldnoah power will actually be used to benefit mankind as Rayregalia originally wanted--as the most realistic one I would have expected (if Aoki et al were actually hopeful for humanity at all). But that's fine. I enjoyed this series far more when I stayed away from here, and it looks like that will continue to be the case.

For those of you that enjoyed it, I hope you keep liking it. And for those of you that didn't, or who were disappointed, I hope you find something else to like sooner rather than later.

[nooneagain]

Originally Posted by Benigmatica

Well, got to say that it ended well but it needs more closure like what's gonna happen to the rest of the Orbital Knights and such.

Good job for A-1 Pictures and Gen Urobuchi though...

urobochi? I thought he has very little involvement in this show?

[lubczyk]

Season 3: Slaine of the Rebellion (on Vers).

[Terrestrial Dream]

Originally Posted by nooneagain

urobochi? I thought he has very little involvement in this show?

I believe so, cause this show doesn't feel like his work. The characters are so weak and bland.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by karice67

To me, there are things that can be hidden, and there are things that cannot. Even if certain truths known by only a few people can be hidden, if something like research is being carried out into something as public as the Aldnoah power (on a pretty large scale too, considering that Dr. Troyard's theories have supposedly already been proven), then I find it hard to believe that it can be hidden.

It's possible that they're lying about the research happening, and/or that they're overstating the likelihood of the research meeting with success, in order to make things sound as good as possible to the people of Earth.

In any event, some short exposition line is hardly a good way to resolve this sort of thing, in my opinion. This should get at least some "show", and not purely one brief "tell" that is, as our discussion shows, at least somewhat disputable.

It's also a matter of what we think of Inaho and Asseylum, since they'd have to be involved in the research. You're basically saying that you believe that they don't want what's best for the planets that they've been fighting so hard to protect for the entire series.

Not necessarily. Asseylum might just be exaggerating the truth of the situation in order to make people feel more hopeful about things. That I could see being in-character for her.

Edit: If you see this finale in a good light, that's fine. It's probably intended to be taken that way, in fairness to you. I just would have preferred something more concrete that also felt a little less easy and convenient. The show had some very good moments - and even this finale had some - but it could have used a bit more work.

[Syaokura]

Originally Posted by Terrestrial Dream

I believe so, cause this show doesn't feel like his work. The characters are so weak and bland.

Urobuchi was only directly involved in the first three eps, IIRC, and the rest was all Mr. Boku no Pico's doing.

Also WTF was up with the Zero Requiem knock-off at the end, only minus Slaine dying? Putting the blame entirely on one person's shoulders to end the war worked with Lelouch because he planned it all himself and made enough atrocities to make people focus on him. Also that didn't feel like a such an afterthought unlike in here.

It's true that Slaine did a bunch of shit wrong, but he didn't instigate the assassination plot on Asseylum; Saazbaum did. So what gives? Did Slaine himself suggest it as his own way of atonement? Inaho? Asseylum (which I doubt since it'd be so OOC of her, but whatever)? The UFE? The press?

ETA: Forgot to add that as much as I appreciate Slaine, unlike his apologists, I do think he deserves to face the consequences of his actions; it's only fair -- be it through death or jail time. My problem is HOW it's all set up. The last half of the finale should've been Slaine being court-martialed for being a dick, or I don't know, Vers and Earth fighting over who gets to put him on trial and some extraditing.

[zerozeronine]

Originally Posted by Syaokura

Urobuchi was only directly involved in the first three eps, IIRC, and the rest was all Mr. Boku no Pico's doing.
.

The basic plot of the entire series was Urubuchi's,aside from the first 3 eps.

[Terrestrial Dream]

Originally Posted by Syaokura

Urobuchi was only directly involved in the first three eps, IIRC, and the rest was all Mr. Boku no Pico's doing.

Also WTF was up with the Zero Requiem knock-off at the end, only minus Slaine dying? Putting the blame entirely on one person's shoulders to end the war worked with Lelouch because he planned it all himself and made enough atrocities to make people focus on him. Also that didn't feel like a such an afterthought unlike in here.

It's true that Slaine did a bunch of shit wrong, but he didn't instigate the assassination plot on Asseylum; Saazbaum did. So what gives? Did Slaine himself suggest it as his own way of atonement? Inaho? Asseylum (which I doubt since it'd be so OOC of her, but whatever)? The UFE? The press?

ETA: Forgot to add that as much as I appreciate Slaine, unlike his apologists, I do think he deserves to face the consequences of his actions; it's only fair -- be it through death or jail time. My problem is HOW it's all set up. The last half of the finale should've been Slaine being court-martialed for being a dick, or I don't know, Vers and Earth fighting over who gets to put him on trial and some extraditing.

I agree. Even if you hate or like Slaine, the way they treated at the end is not the just way, rather insulting. At least let the man make his decision to face his crime instead of hiding everything. Wasn't one of the problem with Slaine was with his lies? So more lies?

Originally Posted by zerozeronine

The basic plot of the entire series was Urubuchi's,aside from the first 3 eps.

Well the execution really sucked.

[nooneagain]

Originally Posted by zerozeronine

The basic plot of the entire series was Urubuchi's,aside from the first 3 eps.

so does that mean he is responsible for this ending as well? I'm not really knowledgeable when it comes to production and stuff.