Reviews whether a change takes the most optimal approach for its stated intent and, when it does not, researches the code, validates a concretely better approach via holistic analysis, and either proposes it (report mode) or applies it behind a confidence gate (apply mode). Judges four axes — codebase-fit, simplicity, performance, robustness — at the approach level, deferring line-level and failure-mode findings to code-quality, critical, and holistic-review. Stays silent when the approach is already optimal (quiet early-exit). A `plan` mode reviews a drafted plan's approach at plan time (aw-planner Phase 1) — the cheapest moment to switch. Called by the pr-reviewer agent, the polish skill, and aw-planner as a default-on lens; also runnable standalone, where `--deep` also judges every `critical deep` lens's alternative (end-of-feature check). Triggers on "is this the best approach", "better way to do this", "is this optimal", "optimize this approach", "rethink the approach", "/optimize-approach".