Then and Now

Then and Now (鳥を見た日) is the eighth episode of ALDNOAH.ZERO, it first aired in Japan on August 23, 2014.

Synopsis
Princess Asseylum reveals herself to the Earth forces and Slaine remembers the time he spent with the Princess whilst being tortured by Count Cruhteo.

Plot
Act One

As well as a Kataphrakt, the crew of the " Wadatsumi" discover a battleship deep inside the cliff. It bears the name " Deucalion" on its bridge. Captain Magbaredge leads her crew onto the "Deucalion" and orders them to confirm that the ship is fitted out and to check for fuel, weapons and munitions. XO Mizusaki wonders why such a beautiful ship was abandoned without ever sending it into battle.

Shigo Kakei reports that they have reserved are still working and that if they can feed it power, it'll be good to go, but Nina sees no fuel gauge. The Captain realizes that the ship's ship was abandoned because it uses an Aldnoah drive. Yutaro approaches Seylum as she and Eddelrittuo enter the bridge. Seylum throws Yutaro to the floor, causing XO Mizusaki to pull out her gun. Seylum claims that she is a friend transforms out of her disguise, revealing her identity as the Princess. She approaches the center of the bridge to activate its Aldnoah drive.

Slaine gains consciousness, he flashes back to his first meeting with the Princess, when she gave him mouth-to-mouth. As he opens his eyes, the first person he sees is Count Cruhteo. Count Cruhteo asks for Slaine's objectives, he remains silent, and a Martian soldier electrocutes him.

Count Saazbaum messages Cruhteo, suggesting Slaine has had enough. Still, Count Cruhteo believes they needn't show pity to a member of a lower race. Yet, Saazbaum retorts that if Slaine dies, they will learn nothing and seek an audience with the emperor, heedless of the risk to himself; Count Saazbaum knows his intent.

Count Cruhteo is informed by a soldier that they have located the wreckage of an Orbital Knight Kataphrakt on the island. He shows images of the heavily damaged Hellas, belonging to Countess Femieanne. Count Cruhteo asks Slaine, who killed her. But Slaine continues to remain silent. Count Cruhteo sticks his gun into Slaine's mouth and asks; Slaine cannot talk, and thus Cruhteo electrocutes him further and walks away.

Warrant Officer Kaizuka, Inko, and Calm visit the bridge of the Deucalion. Inko asks Nina what makes the battleship fly; it is of Mars, the Aldnoah. Calm asks Nina if the helm controls are like an ordinary ship and if she'd be able to handle it.

The FCS (Fin Control System) has been adjusted to feel the same when she steers. Nina asks why Calm is away from his post. Calm just wants to look around and believes it is ok since there are no "bigwigs" around.

Calm realizes that Inaho isn't with them, his Senpai, Kisaki says he is in the "bigwig's" office with the Martians. Inko and Calm are confused, Nina says that it is thanks to the Martian that the ship's Aldnoah drive is working; Calm is furious that there is Martian on their ship.

Princess Asseylum has explained her situation to Captain Magbaredge, but she finds it hard to believe the Princess. Rayet suggests that if they disclosed the information, perhaps the Mars Knights would stop attacking. However, communications satellites, telecom bases have been wiped out, and long-range transmissions are impossible thanks to the Martians' jamming signal. They will continue on their course to United Earth HQ in Russia, until then, they will see to the Princess's safety.

The Captain turns her attention to Rayet and Inaho (whom she calls "Kaizuka Junior"). Rayet's excuse is that she is not a soldier. Inaho says he deliberately didn't inform the Captain. Asseylum backs Inaho up, saying she requested it because there may be someone in league with the assassins on board. As Eddelrittuo adds, Rayet says they cannot trusts Martians either because they are a nation that latches onto an archaic feudal system. Commoners are obsessed with proving themselves in a battle to win social standing and nobility who casually betray them grind them into the dirt. She firmly states that all Martians are the enemy and leaves as her eyes begin to tear up.

Slaine continues to suffer Count Cruhteo's torture. Slaine finally talks and asks Count Cruhteo if he has sworn loyalty to Princess Asseylum. Count Cruhteo does not reply, and Slaine is tortured further.

Lt. Marito wakes up in the infirmary.

Act Two Slaine flashed back to 2009 when he taught the Princess about Earth's creatures and the ideas of peace between Earth and Mars. Slaine asks Count Cruhteo if he cares for the Princess and if he is her ally. Count Cruhteo mentions giving Slaine's compatriots a greater taste of horror.

Leading Slaine to assume that Count Cruhteo is in on the assassination conspiracy and exploiting the assassination by crushing Princess Asseylum's dream. Count Cruhteo whips Slaine harder.

Inaho walks with Princess Asseylum through the ship. She allows Inaho to call her Seylum for short, but Eddelrittuo doesn't like that. He mentions he met someone on Tanegashima, but he is interrupted by Calm, who asks where the Martians are. He vows to avenge Okisuke Mikuni. The Princess introduces herself to Calm and assures him that she is doing all she can to end the conflict as soon as possible. Calm blushes and salutes the Princess.

Inko and Nina suddenly appear to an infatuated Calm reminding Calm of his previous vengeance comments on the Martians. Calm is in denial and says that there are good Martians and bad Martians, Inaho remains silent and does not back up his friend. Eddelrittuo believes that there is no trusting "Terrans", Rayet looks at the others from behind a corner.

The Princess says thanks to the many times Inaho has saved her as they visit the deck of the Deucalion. Inaho says he wasn't fighting for her alone, he fights because he'd be put in danger. Inaho mentions that the Martian he met on Tanegashima was looking for her and that he was scared she was being exploited. Princess Asseylum suspects it may be Slaine.

She shows Inaho her pendant by her "dear Terran friend", Inaho is surprised at this. She says that it's because of him and his stories that she grew enamored with the Earth. A black-tailed gull appears, and the Princess is thrilled to see a bird for the first time. As he suffers further torture, he remembers the day the Princess saved him. He vows to protect her and not let anyone, be it Martian or Terran, exploit her.

Count Cruhteo is informed of another Kataphrakt wreckage on the island, aside from Countess Femieanne's Hellas, the Deucalion. They say the unit's Aldnoah drive has been removed, Count Cruhteo believes it is no cause for concern because Earth cannot activate the Aldnoah drive, this makes Slaine laugh. Count Cruhteo demands to know why he laughed, how the Terrans slew the Hellas without Aldnoah. To his knowledge, only a handful of Versians have come down to Earth, and none of them possess the factor.

As a Kataphrakt heads for Castle Cruhteo. Count Cruhteo finally realizes the Princess is actually alive and asks Slaine if she is unharmed. Slaine is released from the chains and falls to the floor, he rhetorically asks that if she were, would they assassinate her again. Count Cruhteo is confused. Slaine asks Count Cruhteo if he gave Sir Trillram orders to kill the Princess and mentions Sir Trillam's last words. He admits that he shot Sir Trillram and that the meteor bombardment story was a lie, especially considering the Nilokeras'barrier of Nilokeras.

Slaine falls unconscious, claiming the Princess will smash his plans. Count Cruhteo finally puts together the pieces off the puzzle. He realizes that Slaine has shown true loyalty for going off in search of the Princess on his own and risk the suffering of wrath the Orbital Knights.

Count Cruhteo asks the bridge of Castle Cruhteo to patch him through to United Earth Headquarters to organize a cease-fire and their assistance in finding the Princess. The Kataphrakt approaching Castle Cruhteo has been detected. It is the Dioscuria, Count Saazbaum's personal Kataphrakt, and wage destruction on Castle Cruhteo. The Dioscuria finds Slaine, transforms and escapes.