Toaru Majutsu no Index Episode 20

Synopsis
In the past, a young child with white hair and red eyes gets attack by another. However, his powers redirect the attack, causing the other child to be thrown back.

The child possessed an ordinary human name before, with a last name that had two kanji characters and the first name with three.

The child is later attacked by grown men, but no matter how much they try his powers reflect them back and injures them.

The child had a name, and it was not a special one either.

The young child all on his own faces towards an entire army, ready to attack and possibly destroy the child. However, the child simply looks down upon and smiles at the pitiful creatures who persist with their intentions, here, the child knows that nothing they can do will hurt him, he is invincible, he is the strongest esper in Academy City, that child was the Accelerator.

In the present, a youn man with white hair and red eyes is running desperately towards his goal. He is the Accelerator. Remembering Yoshikawa Kikyou's words that at 12 midnight a virus will activate that would force Last Order to command all Sisters in the Misaka Network to attack indiscriminately on all humans, Accelerator runs towards the place he left Last Order.

Accelerator arrives at the restaurant where apparently there is no sign of a ruckus from a certain boy's previous excursions. Here, he is told that a man in a white coat has taken away Last Order after telling the restaurant staff that he is her relative. The waitress that humors Accelerator asks if there is anything wrong, to which Accelerator derisively states that there is definitely something wrong.

Accelerator later goes out of the restaurant to contact Kikyou and report to her about the situation. Accelerator asks why Amai Ao would take Last Order if the virus activating would occur even without doing anything. Kikyou says she doesn't know, to which Accelerator responds by asking if Amai Ao is already outside, and that maybe one of the many organizations on the outside has given him asylum. Kikyou however states that Accelerator's hypothesis is unlikely and states that someone has apparently penetrated security from the outside and snuck into Academy City. Because of this the security was changed from Code Orange during the day and is now Code Red, as such the flow of the traffic into and out of the city has been frozen making Ao unable to go outside. Hearing this, Accelerator asks if Ao has any friends that would give him asylum to which Kikyou responds that is also unlikely since there is no one Ao would've considered a friend. Accelerator agrees as they are the same, scumbags. Kikyou continues by saying that after the shutdown of the research facility, he has taken on a large amount of debt. Because of this without him having any money then any and all acquaintances he had has turned away from him.

Knowing that Ao is still inside the city, Accelerator smirks and states that human's actions become more simplistic when they lose their comfort zones. With that, Accelerator cuts Kikyou off and proceeds to find out where Ao.

Meanwhile, near a restricted research facility, a mysteriously out of place yellow car sits in desolation. It is Amai Ao's car. Here, Amai Ao bangs on his steering wheel frustrated that he can't go anywhere. Besides him is Last Order, breathing heavily and having electrodes stuck to her with a notebook computer on her lap monitoring her condition. He pleads to Last Order to be alive at least until after the virus gets activated.

Suddenly, an omen of doom appears before Ao. Slowly coming towards him in black and smiling is the Accelerator. Out of sheer terror, Ao tries to desperately start his car, and is relieved at the sound of his success. He floors his car towards the still-smiling Accelerator. However, it is all for naught, as Accelerator's powers easily crumples his car, making sure that Last Order is safe in the process. Smiling still, Accelerator taunts Ao asking how he should play with him. In a whimper, Ao desperately tries to get out of his car, but is stopped by Accelerator who tells him to calm down. Amai Ao later faints.

Securing Last Order, Accelerator contacts Kikyou again. He notices the electrodes connected to Last Order and inquires about it. To which Kikyou replies that it is probably an examination kit for the clones' experimental bodies. Looking at the notebook computer, Accelerator inquires what B.C. Operating rate stands for, to which Kikyou replies it stands for Brain cell operating rate. Seeing Last Order's current state, Accelerator asks if they can stop the virus using only the equipment Ao has. Kikyou however states that that is not possible as to overwrite the virus, they would need a specialized incubation tank and a Testament machine. During the conversation however, Accelerator begins to notice a distinct sound coming from Kikyou's line. Here, Kikyou reveals that she is heading towards where Accelerator is using a car as it would save more time and reveals that she has finished 80% of the analysis of the virus code infecting Last Order and that she'll make it by midnight. This simplyy annoys Accelerator for all the trouble Last Order has caused him.

Suddenly, a voice can be heard from Last Order and starts to speak in gibberish and moving erratically. Almost instantaneously, several warning signs begin to pop-up on the notebook computer's screen. Concerned, Accelerator asks Kikyou what's going on. Hearing, Last Order's ramble over the line, Kikyou concludes that the virus has begun it's preparations to activate, and states that the leaked information that the virus will be activating on 12 midnight was probably a red herring. With alarms going off, Kikyou carfully says to Accelerator that he is the only the one who is able to save the situation. She states that before the command to attack all humans is uploaded into the network by the virus, the code is entering a stage where it's being encoded into a superior command all Sisters must follow which would take approximately 10 minutes.

Kikyou tells him the most obvious and only single thing he could do in this situation: the elimination of Last Order.

Accelerator states that he may be the strongest his power is only good for changing the direction of forces, and it can only be used for killing people. And the only think of is to touch the skin to reverse the flow of blood and bioelectricity. Suddenly, Accelerator realizes something and contacts Kikyou regarding it. Having Last Order's personality file before the virus infection, Accelerator asks since he can control brain cells is there a possibility that he can manipulate Last Order's personality files. Realizing his plans Kikyou asks Accelerator if he is planning to use him and his powers as a substitute for a Testament machine, she tells he can't. Accelerator however, disagrees with his assessment and states that if he can use reflect (redirect), then he can also be able to manipulate, and plugs in the USB containing Last Order's data file into the portable digital. Kikyou states that even assuming that Accelerator could manipulate Last Order's brain, it would be impossible to completely eradicate the virus. Kikyou warns Accelerator that if he fails, not only will the clones die, but many more casualties will take place. Kikyou adds that they need Last Order in order to prevent that from happening.

Kikyou continues to argue with Accelerator, but he ignores her and throws away his phone. Using the portable digital terminal device, Accelerator completely memorizes Last Order's data file before her infection with the virus, and concludes that he will just simply get rid of all the code in Last Order's barin that doesn't match the previous data file and say that it is a piece of cake.

After destroying the portable digital terminal device, Accelerator touches Last Order's forehead. He tells Last Order that he is doing this all for her, and that she should not give the "I can't be save anymore" excuse to him.

With that he begins his operation. Accelerator compares the pre-infection date to the data within Last Order's head. However, he realizes that if he gets rid of all the code, then Last Order would be restored to her state the week prior, the week before she met him. He executes the command to destroy the mismatched code using his powers, and slowly the warning messages on the notebook computer disappear one-by-one. Last Order begins to respond to Accelerator's tampering, as she starts spouting random words and codes and moving erratically as well.

While erasing the codes, Accelerator ponders to himself what he is erasing along with the virus, and concludes taht it is better for her to forget anyway. Later, continuing his deletion, Accelerator brags that is too easy as if tempting fate. Suddenly, as if on cue, Amai Ao regains consciousness and points a gun towards Accelerator, telling him not to interfere. Accelerator is gripped with fear for the first for having a gun pointed at him. He has used up all his processing power in order to delete the virus inside of Last Order's mind, and doesn't have the computational capacity left for a redirection. Accelerator reflects with himself if he could take his hand off Last Order as so he can regain the capacity for a reflection, which would then make him invincible.

He doesn't, and is shot by Ao in the middle of his work, lamenting on how he was too naive at the thought that he – a villain – could save someone and start all over again.

Having shot the Acclerator, Ao laughs maniacally for having brought down the strongest esper with a gun, and still living. However, his laughing stops as soon as Last Order announces that the code that Ao injected into Last Order has code break error code, due to the error, Last Order deems that the processing of the command (to be sent to the Misaka network where it would force the Sisters to attack humans) has been aborted.

Accelerator has saved the world from the clones.

Seeing the failure of his operations, Ao points a gun at the unconscious Last Order. Angered that his fears were correct, Ao fires the hand gun. Suddenly, a hand emerges and manages to protect Last Order, reflecting the bullet back towards Ao's handgun, destroying it and injuring his hand. Writhing in pain, Ao turns his head and sees his worse fears come to fruition. The Accelerator has survived and has managed to compute a reflection right before the bullet reached his brain. Accelerator emerges holding the gaping and bleed hole in his head and gives a sinister smile. A disraught Ao mocks Accelerator for acting like a hero, however, Accelerator responds that he knows that a villain like him thinking he could save someone at this point in his life is stupid and naive. However, Accelerator states that Last Order has nothing to do with them, and that even though he has killed 10,000 Sisters doesn't mean he can let the other remaining Sisters to die. Accelerator acknowledges however that it seems like a sugarcoated farce. However, Accelerator states that no matter how rotten they are, and no matter how many reasons they can come up with will never be enough to let them die.

Wobbling, Accelerator tries to attack Ao, who manages to dodge him with incredible ease. However, Accelerator finally succumbs to his wounds and falls to the ground. Seeing Accelerator fall to the ground, Ao reluctantly checks his body and concludes that he has indeed not moving and with his powers not working. With that Ao takes another gun from his lab coat and points it at Accelerator. He mocks Accelerator, saying that in the end he didn't have the ability to finish off jobs just like heroes, and states that they are rotten regardless.

Then a small gunshot rang out, and Amai Ao began to bleed. Here, a woman named Yoshikawa Kikyou holds a small pistol with her; she was the one who shot Ao. Having been shot, Ao falls down once again.

Kikyou takes the naked and unconscious Last Order in the back of her sedan, where an incubation tank awaits her. Ao comes to once again and tries to sit up, however, he sees Kikyou loom over him. Kikyou apologizes for being a naive person, stating that she is not kind but naive, and that she didn't have the courage to shoot Ao in a vital area, but didn't feel like letting him go either. She aims and pulls back the hammer of her pistol, ready to shoot to kill Ao. Kikyou explains that she could only pick up what was going on through the sounds of the phone, and that she could at least tell there was nothing happening "outside".

Kikyou continues on by saying that Ao need not worry about Accelerator, as he knows someone special amongst his acquaintances. A person with frog-face, though he is called the Heaven Canceller by people. He is someone who could still save Accelerator's life. Ao tells that he doesn't understand why Kikyou is doing this, as her personality is that of one who weighs the aspects between risk and opportunities. Kikyou tells Ao that she didn't really want to become a researcher as she is now and states that she wanted to be a kind simple school teacher. She continues by saying that she wanted to remember each and every face of her students, and listen to them when they have problems. Kikyou continues on with the things wish she had done but could not do, and states that she still has attachments to that dream apparently, and kneels to Ao's level, still pointing her gun at him.

In the end, she still wanted to do something kind, not naive. Kikyou then points her gun on Ao's chest, however, at the same time as this Ao pulls out his gun and points it at Kikyou's own chest as well. Kikyou aware of this, asks Ao if he is afraid of dying alone, and states that if he has to take a life, choose hers instead of hers. Ao says that Kikyou being kind doesn't suit her at all, and says what she has is just strength.

Two pistol shots ring out in the summer night.

Yoshikawa Kikyou regains consciousness, and discovers that she is in a hospital of a certain frog-faced doctor – the Heaven Canceller. Here, Kikyou is surprised that she has survived, to which the frog-faced doctor rhetorically asks who she thinks performed the surgery. Kikyou states that she thought that she was shot in the heart at point blank range, to which the frog-faced doctor corrects her by saying it was actually a coronary artery extending fromt the heart. However, he states that she was pretty much dead on the spot, if it not for the efforts of that kid, the Accelerator. The frog-faced doctor states that Accelerator seemed to have the ability to control the flow of blood. He compares it to having an invisble tube that didn't allow a sinlge drop of blood to spill between the broken ends of her artery. The frog-faced doctor states that Accelerator subconsciously kept using his ability the entire time until she reached the surgery room, even while his life was on the line as well. The frog-faced doctor continues by saying that Accelerator has sustained damage to his frontal lobe, and has had his language and computational ability affected.

Hearing this, Kikyou tries to ask if it affects Accelerator's ability as well. However, the frog-faced doctor cuts her off, saying that making something work that is not working anymore is his policy. The frog-faced doctor says that he will help Accelerator regain his language and computational abilities, using the 10,000 clones remaining to make up for Accelerator's language and compuational abilities. Hearing the Heaven Canceller reference the Misaka Network, reminded her about Last Order, to which the doctor states Kikyou shouldn't worry about her. The frog-faced doctor states she is taking care of her as well as a child "similar" to her.

Before leaving, the Heaven Canceller asks what she is going to do now, as the higher-ups found out about the incident and has finally closed down the research facility and the experiment completely terminated. She was fired. Hearing this Kikyou is disheartened that she can't live as a researcher anymore. The frog-faced doctor then tells her that there are other paths and begins to leave. However, Kikyou raises her voice and pleads to him to save Accelerator, and that if he was unable to, then she will never forgive him. The Heaven Canceller, responds to her rhetorically asking who she thinks he is talking to. He continues by saying that this is his battlefield, and that will return from it, bringing a patient who has been fighting for his life.

Alone in the room, Kikyou remembers Accelerator's words regarding him: the man slaying 10,000 to saving the remaining ones. She smiles and says that Accelerator was able to do it because he tried.

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 his 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

 * Redirection - 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 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 Colt M1911A1 Pistol.
 * The tank used in the flashback is somewhat similar to the Type 10 battle tank the Japanese military uses.
 * The weapon that is seen being carried by the Anti-Skill is similar to the SIG SG 552, however, with a modified muzzle piece and a mounted scope.
 * Ao uses two Beretta 92FS in the episode.
 * The pistol that Kikyou uses is a Remington 1866 Derringer.
 * The language displayed on the portable digital camera looks similar to that of the XML.
 * If one pauses the episode during the part where Accelerator memorizes Last Order's data file, one can see that Kamachi Kazuma, Fukuyama Motoi, Koga Chuya and ASCII MediaWorks 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 referring to when he said that he is taking care of someone similar to Last Order?