Well, that ending was...a thing.
I really hate to be THAT girl by harping on this again (but I promise this is the last time)...but as Lightning Count already said, we had
no explanation for Inaho. I guess we just have to accept that he is the only person who knows how to do physics in the ENTIRE Earth Sphere. I will admit that his eye did do SOME useful things later in the season! So much so that I think it's existence is justified to a point. I will also give the show props for actually making the crew of the Deucalion work together as a team during the last few episodes (and not just have Inaho fight the enemy 1v1 all the time) of S2. Better late than NEVER.
I am just going to put this in spoiler, so if you like Inaho and don't want to read this, you don't have too (sorry monster).
I just personally wish Inaho died at the end of season 1, giving the remaining cast time to shine and grow in skill in the next season. Others have already said that most of the cast's time was stunted this season. I agree.
Imagine how interesting it would have been if Aldnoah Zero gave one of the other pilots the robotic eye surgery! Rayet could have become the protagonist for example! Fighting for revenge, but trying to overcome her prejudices against the Princess and Vars in general for what they did to her father. It would have tied into her development last season and would have been a subversion of expectations of Inaho vs Slaine...AGAIN...
Inko could have been her conspirator when she released the Count and look at that! Half the cast is given interesting things to do! We could have developed the relationship between Marito and the Captain further, the XO, Kaoru Mizusak, could have been given a moment to shine and take command, Yuki could have worked together with Rayet in dealing with her grief and anger towards the Martians, Calm could have become a pilot again to honor Inaho's memory... But all this is just fanfic wishing...
Yet the amount this story would have been improved without the blank-slate Inaho to bog things down with his "awesomeness" would have improved the story immensely. IMO of course, but given how Inaho and the Princess had little interaction this season, what was the point of keeping him alive? Besides just wish-fulfillment, and continuing the shipping battle of last season, I just do not see a very good purpose for Inaho this season...and I probably never will...
Overall I thought Aldnoah Zero was fun. I just have some strong feeling about Inaho, but that does not mean I did not enjoy the ride. I also love how this show has drawn so many people into the mecha genre! A lot of friends, who never had an interest in this genre before, are now coming to me asking for things to watch now that A/Z is over! I am no longer just the girl-who-watches mecha...but I am the GIRL who WATCHES mecha shows!
So at the very least, I appreciate A/Z for this opportunity. And I hope that if we get more, be it OVA, another season, ect, I hope we get some combat on Mars. Seriously, I have wanted to see battle on that planet since Gundam Age teased us that in its SECOND OPENING...and did NOT deliver!
Anyone know of any other mecha shows coming out in the next few seasons? We still have Fafner, but that is just going to last until the end of Spring. Or maybe is now a good time for me to finally watch Macross 7?
For 2000 years I lay dormant, now I have returned to bring good cheer to you all once again!
-Me, 7/19/2020