[FairyKing]

Despite some disappointments, overall I enjoyed it a lot. Honestly, that describes both the finale and Zero-One as a series (and to be fair, it describes most other media too). For me the highlight of the episode, and possibly all of Zero-One, wasn't the final battle between Aruto and Horobi but that moment in between fighting when they were just talking. I do think it was different from endings we've seen before, in that it wasn't an argument or clash of ideals. It was empathy and compassion, and realizing the only way to truly end their conflict was to not destroy each other.

As for Izu, it seems like Aruto and the writers intend it to be like the original Izu has amnesia, not like a new one was built to replace her, so I'm just gonna imagine that Aruto used the original Izu's progrise key in the new body to give it the same personality and character traits that made Izu herself, it's only her memories that were lost.