Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online S2

Key Takeaways

• Setting on a sinking Ocean Liner adds excitement, complexity, and dynamic changes to the final battle.
• Character development in the final showdown reveals new sides to Llenn and Pitohui, adding intrigue.
• Conclusion of the Third Squad Jam sets the stage for a new Test Play with top players in upcoming episodes.

After a thrilling and exciting rollercoaster ride filled with twists and surprises since the start of the season, we finally arrived at the end of the Third Squad Jam Tournament. Just to clarify, this is not the end of this second season—that will come in a couple of episodes—this is merely the end of this particular arc.

Anyway, there are a lot of interesting things happening in this episode. The high-intensity battle, the ruthless and surprising tactics, the overall progression of the fight itself, so many good things. However, the two things that we’ll focus on in this article are the highly dynamic setting and the character development. In other words, the place and the people.

Titanic 2.0

Let’s start with the setting first. Continuing from the previous episode, the set for this final fight between Team LPFM and Team BTRY is in a sinking Ocean Liner, in the middle of the ocean. This location is not only unique, but it is highly dynamic as well, which makes it perfect for the unhinged final battle between two highly accomplished players.

A Dynamic Last Stage

The decision to use the sinking Ocean Liner for the final showdown is nothing short of genius. Not only does this massive ship have open stages for direct shootouts, but it also has countless rooms for stealth attacks and high elevation which is great for sniping. This means the players can employ all sorts of strategies in this place.

That being said, it is actually the sinking part that makes this stage so dynamic and fun. The gallons of seawater that enter the ship’s hull means the players have to move fast unless they want to drown. Not only that, there’s also the risk of the ship breaking apart like Titanic at any given moment, which makes everything so much more complicated. All of these variables create a stage that keeps on changing by the minute. As a result, the final fight becomes so much more exciting to see.

“At this rate, the hull will snap, and the ship will go down. Just like the Titanic in that movie.”

Adding More Layers of Excitement

Anybody who has ever played FPS games before can attest to the fact that the location of the mission/competition is responsible for half of the fun. A great location can enhance the players’ immersion and enjoyment. The same thing applied to the third Squad Jam. Having a unique stage that constantly changes as the battle progresses adds more layers of complexity and excitement to the viewers. From the sinking island to a sinking ship, the team behind the Squad Jam really knows how to make an exciting tournament.

It’s Not Over till I Say It’s Over

The next thing that stands out the most in episode 8 is the character development. This is especially true for the two main protagonists, Llenn and Pitohui. In this final battle, these two gunners show a different side of themselves that we have never seen before.

Different Sides to the Heroes

Everybody knows that Pitohui is the brain, while Llenn is the brawl. This is not to say that Pito is bad at using her body or that Llenn can’t use her brain, but those are simply the things that they excel at. Pito’s strength lies in her cunning and tactical mind, while Llenn’s strength lies in her extraordinary speed and agility.

In this final stage, however, it seems like they switch shoes. They show that there is more to them than what we’ve known so far. Knowing that her opponent is the cunning Pito, Llenn comes up with a crazy plan that catches Pito off guard. Similarly, knowing that her opponent is the agile Llenn, Pito gets out of her comfort zone and begins to run, jump, and even climb the back of the ship with her knives, a level of tenacity that we’ve only seen from Llenn.

Character Development at the Last Moment

Seeing that this is the second season of Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online, it’s safe to say that the characters’ quirks and personalities have already been fairly established at this point, especially the two main characters. We all know who Llenn and Pito are, and we know what to expect from them. We know that Llenn can pull off crazy maneuvers and Pito can come up with crazy plans.

However, the fact that we get to see some new sides of these two rivals, both through their dialogs and their actions, means there is still room for some character development for them. It would’ve been fine if they stayed as they are, but now that we know there is room for Llenn and Pito to grow, we are excited to see some more character development in the future.

It’s a Wrap

Episode 8 marks the end of the 3rd Squad Jam (SJ3) Tournament story arc. It’s a wrap. SJ3 is undoubtedly one the most exciting story arcs from Gun Gale Online, but with approximately four episodes to go till the end of the season, the question becomes what’s next?

What’s Next?

With just 4 episodes left for the season, it’s hard to imagine a story arc as comprehensive as the SJ3. However, before the credit rolls around for episode 8, the showrunners present some teasers for the viewers. A short clip alluding to what will happen next after our heroes conquer the SJ3.

Apparently, some of the top players of SJ3 will receive an email from the organizers, inviting them to participate in some sort of Test Play. The objective seems to be quite different than the usual tournament format, so we look forward to what this series has in store next.

Season 3?

Speaking of what will happen next to Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online, the question will naturally lead to the bigger picture. Will GGO have a third season? Seeing how exciting the second season turns out to be, the fans of this series, like us, certainly expect to see more of Llenn and Pito. But at the time of writing, there’s no news regarding a third season yet. The studio or the publisher usually announces a new season at the end of the current season, so all we can do for now is just wait and see.

Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online S2 is available to stream on Crunchyroll.