Is Haru really that bad?

Today I watched Accel World episode #18, which didn't have Haruyuki Arita in it. Now, I know Haru sucks as a protagonist, but making an entire episode without the protagonist is just bad.

I mean, "Kuroyukihime" (aka Black Lotus) has got what it takes to star the anime, everything it takes to star that anime actually. But making an entire episode, and by the way quite possibly two, starring her can only mean the staff knows Haru isn't cutting the mustard as protagonist.

Sword Art Online VS Accel World

I was watching Sword Art Online and noticed something very important. The main character. Kicks. Ass.
For those who don't know what Sword Art Online is, it is an ongoing sci-fi anime where a thousand MMO players get locked inside a virtual reality game. Which kind of makes me think about Accel World, another ongoing sci-fi anime I have started watching, with a multiplayer VR fighting game as a plot element. The difference between those two? One has a kick-ass protagonist. The other has a lame protagonist.