

Episode 14: “The End of the World”
- 14 of 25
- October 6, 2012
- 23 min
- Aired
Contents
| Series | Sword Art Online |
|---|---|
| Episode | 14 of 25 |
| Japanese | 世界の終焉 |
| Original air date | October 6, 2012 |
| Episode length | 23 min |
| Studio | A-1 Pictures |
| Previous episode | Episode 13: “Edge of Hell's Abyss” |
| Next episode | Episode 15: “Return” |
| Streaming | Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu |
“The End of the World” is episode 14 of the anime Sword Art Online. It first aired on October 6, 2012.
Summary
The summary below describes what happens in this episode.
After defeating the Skull Reaper, Kirito realizes Heathcliff is Akihiko Kayaba. Akihiko paralyzes everyone except Kirito and offers him a one-on-one duel. Asuna takes the hit meant for Kirito.
Characters in this episode
Music in this episode
- OP 1“crossing field” — LiSAAnimeThemes
- ED 1“Yume Sekai” — Haruka TomatsuAnimeThemes
Where to watch
Streaming services that list Sword Art Online. What you can watch depends on your country. Acino does not host any video; each link leads to the service's own page.
Episode guide
All 25 episodes → · 22 of 25 episodes have a summary
About the series

This anime series is set in a virtual reality game where players are trapped and must survive. The story follows Kirito and his interactions with fellow players, including Asuna Yuuki, as they try to escape the game. What makes it distinctive is the high stakes, where death in the game means death in real life.
Read the article →References
- “Sword Art Online”. Kitsu. Retrieved October 22, 2026.
- “Sword Art Online”. MyAnimeList. Retrieved October 27, 2026.
- “Sword Art Online”. AnimeThemes. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
Episode titles and air dates come from Kitsu. The summary is written by Acino with AI assistance and checked so that it does not copy other sites.