Toaru Majutsu no Index Episode 20

"Virus Code" (最終信号(ウィルスコード)) is the 20th episode of the Toaru Majutsu no Index anime series and the final episode of the Three Stories Arc adapted for the season, ending Accelerator's side of the story. It was first broadcast February 19, 2009, and was directed by Takashima Daisuke, storyboarded by Sugishima Kunihisa, and the script written by Nishizono Satoru. The ending theme, Rimless ~Fuchinashi no Sekai~ is finally replaced by Chikaigoto ~Sukoshi Dake Mou Ichido~.

Last Order was created to oversee the Misaka Network. Accelerator is received by one of the researchers in charge of the Level 6 Shift, Yoshikawa Kikyou. Here, Kikyou states that there is an emergency with regards to Last Order. An code has been overwritten in her brain that will send out a command to all the Sisters in the whole world to run wildly and spread chaos. Accelerator is forced to choose whether to protect Last Order or to stop Amai Ao. The time limit of the virus is September 12:00 midnight. Accelerator goes to the family restaurant where he broke away from Last Order, and is told that she has been seen with Ao. Then, he goes to find him in an abandoned research facility. Here, he captures Amai Ao with little difficulty before he gets away and secures Last Order, however, before the time limit even begins the virus is already activation.

Adapted From

 * Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 05

Major events

 * Accelerator erases the virus code from Last Order.
 * Amai Ao is killed.
 * Yoshikawa Kikyou loses her job as a researcher.
 * Accelerator is shot in the head, and loses his innate language and computational abilities. Crippling and forcing him to use the Misaka Network to do his calculations for him.

Characters
By order of appearance
 * Accelerator
 * Yoshikawa Kikyou
 * Amai Ao
 * Last Order
 * Heaven Canceller

New Characters
No new characters were introduced during the episode.

Abilities

 * Accelerator (Ability) - Accelerator, Level 5

New Abilities

 * Manipulation of bioelectrical signals - Accelerator, Level 5

Locations

 * Academy City
 * Julian Restaurant
 * Heaven Canceller's Hospital

New Locations
No notable locations were introduced during the episode.

Trivia

 * The kanji used for the title is a pun on Last Order's name, since it too can be translated as such.
 * The Testament machine is introduced for the first time in the anime adaptation.
 * This would mark the first time a virus has been installed into Last Order. This would later be attempted again and succeeded in the 2nd season.
 * The episode reveals the Heaven Canceller's name.
 * This would mark the first episode of Toaru Majutsu no Index where Touma is not referenced at all.
 * The episode features a new ending theme.

Referbacks

 * Several scenes from the previous episode are used in this episode for flashbacks.

Cultural References

 * The men in black that attacks Accelerator in his childhood carries a.
 * The tank used in the flashback is somewhat similar to the battle tank the Japanese military uses.
 * The weapon that is seen being carried by the Anti-Skill is similar to the, however, with a modified muzzle piece and a mounted scope.
 * Ao uses two in the episode.
 * The pistol that Kikyou uses is a.
 * The language displayed on the portable digital camera looks similar to that of the.
 * If one pauses the episode during the part where Accelerator memorizes Last Order's data file, one can see that Kamachi Kazuma, Fuyukawa Motoi, Kogino Chuuya and ASCII Media Works are written as part of the code.

Animation Trivia

 * After Accelerator is shot by Ao, he falls to the pavement. You can later see blood flowing from the back of his head, presumably from the exit wound from the bullet. However, it is later revealed that the bullet never exited Accelerator's body, and a scene featuring the back of Accelerator's head shows that there are no exit wounds or any blood on his hair.

Unanswered Questions

 * Was Amai Ao dead on the spot where he was shot at or was he dead on arrival?
 * What is the Heaven Canceller's true name?
 * Who is the person Heaven Canceller refers to when he said that he is taking care of someone similar to Last Order?

Quotes

 * Accelerator: "The second humans lose their comfort zone, the more simplistic their actions become." -Accelerator on humans.
 * Accelerator: "I can, I tell you. Who the hell do you think I am?" -Accelerator regarding his determination on saving Last Order with his powers instead of killing her.
 * Accelerator: "Geez... I was too naive. I thought I could save someone, and start all over again." -internal monologue, before Amai Ao's bullet hits his head.
 * Accelerator: "I know. Someone rotten like me, thinking he could save someone at this point. How stupid is that? Geez, I'm too naive; it gives me goosebumps too. But, you know? This kid's got nothing to do with us! I did indeed slaughter 10,000 Sisters. But, that doesn't mean I can let the remaining 10,000 die." -to Amai Ao.
 * Accelerator: "No matter how rotten we are, no matter how many reasons we come up with. It'll never be enough to let them be killed just like that!" -to Amai Ao.
 * Ao: "In the end, you just don't have the power to finish this off like a hero." -to unconscious Accelerator.
 * Kikyou: "It's over, Amai Ao. You're afraid of dying alone, right? Then choose my life to take along with yours. I will not let you choose a child's life, and I swear that by the kindness that lives in me just this once in my life." -said to Ao during their gun stand-off.
 * Ao: "Heh, kindness doesn't fit you at all. That's just... strength." -said to Kikyou before shooting her.
 * Heaven Canceller: "To make something that can't work anymore work again is my policy." -said to Kikyou regarding Accelerator.
 * Heaven Canceller: "There are plenty of other paths." -said to Kikyou after her realization that her career as a researcher is over.
 * Kikyou: "Hey, please. Save him. If you can't I will never forgive you." -said to Heaven Canceller, regarding Accelerator's life.
 * Heaven Canceller: "Who do you think I am? That is my battlefield, and I will return from my battlefield, bringing back a patient who has been fighting this entire time." -said to Kikyou regarding Accelerator.
 * Kikyou: "See? He was able to do it... if he tried." -monologue regarding Accelerator saving someone with his power.