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chuunin_archiveEssay on Naruto Chapter 484: Team 7
Sasuke’s Psyche and Naruto’s Resolve
By Zapenstap
Chapter 484 of Naruto is epic. It has everything—tears, rage, love, sacrifice, betrayal, heroism, Kakashi being badass, and some Itachi thrown in to make me smile.
Upon reading this chapter, I came to a conclusion about my interpretation of Sasuke.
Sasuke’s brain is broken.
Sasuke is a victim of childhood trauma. In real life cases, say something like sexual abuse, it is not uncommon for traumatic experiences at a young age to be forgotten or ‘blurred out’ by the victim only to come back to haunt that person when he/she gets older and matures. This is a coping mechanism. Although it seems obvious that Sasuke has coped with trauma in a variety of ways, this particular insight explains—in part—why Sasuke seemed ‘just fine’ when he was part of Team 7 in Konoha…which I posit is very important in how he has changed since then.
He wasn’t really fine.
The brain is wired. It is a complicated machine that functions according to patterns formed by instinct, habit, and experience. When trauma disrupts the pattern for healthy development, such as losing one’s entire family, the brain is damaged. Because its development is disrupted, the wiring reroutes, sometimes in a poor adjustment.
Sasuke’s suffers from such a problem. He is fully cognitive, of course, and deals with adult responsibilities, but to do so, his brain had to form workarounds to ‘get him through’. These workarounds manifest in choices such as being dismissive of others, hardening his heart, self-insulating by putting up walls, etc. This also explains why he doesn’t seem interested at all in sex, as most males his age would be.
Victims of trauma are not without hope. It is possible to ‘rework’ the wiring, but it takes time, patience, stability, and initially, a bit of a ‘jolt’ to shock him out of relying on his current mindset.
Sasuke was at his most stable when he was a part of Team 7. Getting him to stable was a gradual process. When Sasuke first joined Team 7, he was aloof and unresponsive. He had lived with makeshift wiring between the ages of eight and twelve, living on as he could, looking to the day he could kill Itachi as a reason to keep living. Over time, rewiring started to take place. He practiced teamwork. From the experience of saving and be saved, he learned to trust. He had a teacher in Kakashi. He was loved unconditionally by Sakura. And arguably the biggest influence was Naruto, who was too tenacious to accept that Sasuke just didn’t need or want friends and continually pushed Sasuke to act like a friend. Sasuke formed bonds.
All of this is known. What occurred to me upon reading chapter 484 is that it isn’t implausible to think that as Sasuke became more stable, the full impact of his trauma from childhood—which had receded out of necessity, to the point that he forgot parts of it, such as Itachi crying—gradually resurfaced. It wasn’t just that he ran into Itachi or Orochimaru’s henchmen that made Sasuke suddenly decide he had to leave Konoha. He was gradually becoming more aware of his own damage. Because he WAS coping so well, and because the trauma has to be dealt with eventually, the brain began to feed him insights that was not well. Again, this is a coping mechanism. The brain in a psychologically unhealthy person covers up the problem until things are more stable. Things were stable for Sasuke in Team 7. Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura were Sasuke’s new family.
Unfortunately, Sasuke couldn’t process that. As his brain started to heal, it also started to communicate to his heart how much he was hurting, deep down. The tragedy of the old family—his clan—rose high in his mind and blotted out everything else. This was helped along by some unfortunate timing, such as running into Itachi, who was probably running out of time himself (physically dying from his own trauma-related problems, and wanting to give Sasuke the opportunity of killing him, in a highly misguided attempt at helping him).
In non-ninja circumstances, the resurfacing of trauma would probably just have resulted in a bit of a breakdown. Sasuke would theoretically be helped through that, after which he would really start to heal. Unfortunately, Sasuke interpreted what was happening to him as a regression, especially when Naruto started to ‘outpace’ him with summoning and the Rasengan, which Sasuke later attributed to the Nine Tailed Fox (somewhat incorrectly). All Sasuke really understood was that he was inexplicably getting weaker, and it seemed to have something to do with Team 7. Sasuke didn’t see—or chose not to understand—that being in Team 7 was doing him a tremendous amount of good.
For years before Team 7, Sasuke had been nursing the ambition that the only way to deal with the loss of the old family was through vengeance, and that to accomplish that he must become really strong. This is the solution he’d been clinging to since he was eight because he had nothing else. Upon thinking that Team 7 was making him weaker, he decided to leave Konoha and his ‘bonds’ behind, figuring that that must not be the path to strength. The Nine Tailed Fox seemed to be working for Naruto, so he went to Orochimaru for ‘borrowed’ power of his own. When he felt strong enough, he decided to kill Itachi, thinking that would fix his problems. He succeeds in this ambition, but he doesn’t feel any better. In fact, he gets worse.
Sasuke never had any chance of returning to Konoha on his own after making the decision to leave and kill his brother, not because he’s a ‘deserter’ but because in leaving Konoha, Sasuke unwittingly axed the source of the stability that was helping him rewire his brain. Alone with Orochimaru, Sasuke became unstable again. As a result, to returned to his old ways of coping--coldness, arrogance, isolation. And not only is he unstable, but the trauma that resurfaced while he WAS stable is still there, so now he’s trying to deal with both things.
With Team Hawk, Sasuke once again gained small measures of stability. His thinking became calmer and gentler for a little while, which he may incorrectly have attributed to having killed Itachi and gained the Mangekyou. Some of the values he learned with Team 7 resurfaced against the 8-Tails. But then, under Madara’s guidance, Sasuke was persuaded to plot further revenge against Konoha. Thinking that relying on hate worked with Itachi, Sasuke decided that he had to become even harder, colder, and more hateful to achieve this new goal. This eventually resulted in blackening Sasuke’s emotions so much that Karin continually remarks how ‘wrong’ his chakra feels. Eventually, Sasuke is so inundated with hate and loathing, he probably feels disgusting even to himself. Killing Danzou makes him even worse. He turns on his new team, mortally wounding Karin. And now he’s trying to kill Team 7.
Sasuke has actually become unhinged. This is evident when Kakashi asks him to look for something in his mind other than the loss of his clan and his hate. Sasuke tries to conjure images of the life he had in Konoha. He can barely do it. He unjustifiably declares that everyone is laughing at him.
This can’t be further from the truth. There is, in fact, no logical reason for Sasuke to even think that anyone is ‘laughing.’ It might have been reasonable for Sasuke to believe that they don’t understand or don’t care, but laughing? Sakura, Karin, Ino, and Naruto have all been shown crying.
But Sasuke is trapped in emotions of victimization, loss, rage, and paranoia, all of which circle on himself. Because he feels so badly, perhaps it seems to him that anyone who is happy must be happy at his expense. Therefore, to make things ‘fair’ and get his justice, his course of action is to destroy their happiness by making them pay. Effectively, to kill them.
Sasuke’s particular rage against Team 7 is strange. Killing them because they’re in his way and he’s indifferent is one thing, but he seems almost giddy about it now. Why does he say he’s looking forward to killing Kakashi? What is it that excites him about that? Kakashi had nothing to do with the loss of his clan. Sasuke gets angry that Kakashi has a Sharingan eye, but that almost feels like something he has chosen to focus on to keep the rage flowing. My personal belief is that Sasuke is so steeped in hate that he can’t stand himself or anything that reminds him of a time when he felt better.
Sasuke has to rationalize in order to achieve his goal. At this point, he has to rationalize in order to keep functioning. If he doesn’t cling to the new wiring (the coldness, isolation, paranoia, anger, and hate he is convinced is making him strong) he will completely unravel.
There is some positivity and hope in the direction Sasuke has taken. He so completely off base that he might be getting to a point where it is possible to convince him that he’s wrong. Being convinced that he is wrong about even one thing he is convinced of, such as that everyone is laughing, might give Sasuke the ‘jolt’ required to shake him out of his mindset.
But is that even possible?
Kakashi repeats that he doesn’t want to kill Sasuke, but he will, which is why he says he understand how the Third Hokage felt. Even Sakura has come to believe there is no remaining choice.
Sakura loves Sasuke, but she attempts to kill him—again—in this chapter. After healing Karin, Sakura once again suppresses her feelings and waits for an opening. She gets a good one. Sasuke has been overusing the Sharingan like a drug and at least one of his eyes busts up as a result. Sakura seizes the opportunity to give Sasuke the drop. She might have succeeded, but finds—to her shock—that she still can’t do it.
Chapter 484 begins with the question ‘What has Sasuke’s Transformation Done to Sakura’s Feelings?’
The answer is that it’s hurt and confused them and turned Sakura against herself. All Sakura can think is that Sasuke needs to be stopped. To that effort, Sakura has been trying to blank out her true feelings so that she can do what is necessity. She wants to stop Sasuke because she loves him, and she didn’t want to burden anyone else (Naruto, Kakashi) with it because she came to the conclusion of what must be done on her own and truly believed she could do it. She especially wanted to protect Naruto—and went to the extent of lying to him about her feelings for him and Sasuke—because Naruto more than anyone has been holding onto the hope that Sasuke can be saved.
But in her attempt at assassination, Sakura remembers the Sasuke she loved since she was a child and (for the second time) hesitates. She just isn’t a cold killer who can suppress her emotions effectively. She loves Sasuke. Pretending she didn’t weakened her resolve to kill him.
But Sasuke shows no reservations in killing Sakura. When she hesitates, Sasuke seizes her by the neck.
Kakashi can’t save her, as he is recovering from having just used the Mangeyou. He shouts at Sasuke to stop, but the demand falls on deaf ears. Sakura braces for death.
Enter Naruto.
Up until now, Naruto has been struggling with what he is going to do about Sasuke. Naruto wants to save Sasuke and protect Konoha both, but right now, these two things are contradictory. After telling himself for years that Sasuke WILL come back to the village, facing the reality (and severity) of the situation—that Sasuke may not be savable; that he may need to be killed—caused Naruto to faint. In heading toward the battle, having just recovered from his swoon, Naruto’s mind is racing. He recalls what he has been told about Sasuke from multiple people—Itachi, the Raikage, and Gaara, all of whom have a different stake in the outcome and different perspective to offer. Gaara is the only one to give advice: Think very carefully about what you can do for Sasuke.
Naruto doesn’t know the answer. He hopes the answer will come to him when he see Sasuke.
And what does he see?
Sasuke—killing Sakura.
Naruto intervenes, rescuing Sakura at the last moment. The look Naruto and Sasuke give each other in the last panel speaks volumes.
Chapter 485 will reveal Naruto’s decision, but this is what I suspect is going through Naruto’s head:
The answer to Gaara’s question and the impossible choice Itachi told him he must make are one and the same. The best way to be Sasuke’s friend is to stop him, at all cost, even if it means taking his life.
This is because death is not the worst fate imaginable. Maybe Itachi felt the same way about the Uchiha Clan revolting against Konoha. Allowing Sasuke to become a person who would destroy Konoha, who would kill Kakashi, or Sakura, out of hate or paranoia or spite—this is a fate worse than death.
Naruto has to be convinced that killing Sasuke is the right thing to do in order to really fight him. Otherwise, he will fight with kidgloves and if he does that, he will lose. If he loses, everyone loses. This doesn’t mean that killing Sasuke is the only outcome of the fight, or even the desired outcome, but Naruto has to be prepared to go to this length.
But not in the way Sakura did. Sakura tried to bury her feelings and assassinate Sasuke. She tried to become cold…and failed. Naruto never ditches his feelings. He will weigh what is most important in his heart and make the hard decision (what Itachi called an ‘impossible’ decision) in order to protect what is most precious.
Of course, other thoughts are also rattling inside Naruto’s head--ideas about what is wrong with Sasuke. Naruto wants to understand Sasuke. Even if he has to end up killing him, he wants to understand. Sasuke was not always like this. Even knowing the truth about the part Konoha played in the death of the clan and Itachi’s tragic life does not quite explain the transformation. Itachi said that Sasuke was a blank canvas that could be painted any color. What happened for Sasuke to have turned into this?.
Sasuke believes he is strong, and boasts about his strength to Kakashi. Then he goes blind right afterward. I take the timing to be metaphorical as well as physical.
Sasuke isn’t strong. He’s broken. And he’s blind.
If Naruto manages to understand Sasuke, how can he convince Sasuke not only that this is true, but that the fix is in the weakness of love that he rejected? How can he prove that no one is laughing?
My premonition is that is won’t happen—not right now. Sasuke is fighting Naruto exhausted, half-blind, and in a crazy rage. He has to have used up most of his chakra. But in facing Naruto, he probably thinks he will maintain the upper hand just because Naruto doesn’t have the resolve to kill him, just as Sakura could not.
I think Naruto will prove him wrong. Only, unlike Sakura, Naruto will act in accordance with his feelings, which will translate (for example) into punching Sasuke through the heart while saying ‘I love you’ at the same time. And it won’t be funny. I wouldn’t be surprised if Naruto cries while he does it.
Sasuke’s reaction will be… interesting.
But even if Naruo DOES deliver a mortal blow, I suspect that Madara will save Sasuke somehow, because the story can’t end there. Of course, I could be utterly wrong. I have been before. Whatever happens, it will be good.
Double-spaced, this would be a ten page essay! ^_~ If you read, please comment!
PS: I am dying to right Chapter 12 of White Rain now… because Sasuke will interact with his nephew, and more importantly, Sasuke and Sakura will have hot make-up sex. I’m SO in the mood for that.
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no subject
Date: 2010-02-26 09:26 am (UTC)... there was a bunch more to this comment, but it turned into senseless latenight babble, so I'll spare you the tl;dr.
In any case, I admire you for being able to pull up something as amazingly well thought-out as this so quickly! You clearly understand the characters very, very well, and it was a treat to get a peek into that. ♥
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Date: 2010-02-26 09:44 am (UTC)I couldn't agree more with everything you've stated here. I was wondering what Naruto's answer would be and what set-up Kishimoto would have to sway him. And having Sasuke attempt to kill Sakura was perfect.
I'm 99% sure Naruto will see it now, that sadly, the only way to save Sasuke is to kill him... But that's not to say there won't be a three-day long monologue between them.
Can I just say what I loved about this chapter? Sakura and Karin's moment. Ah, I actually cried also. For me, it was beautiful and I can't really understand why I think this, because as much I like the two characters, I was secretly hoping Sakura would rip Karin's head off when they met [heh, what can i say? i ship sasusaku] but... this was so much more... just woah.
I applaud Sakura. She has grown, just so much from that somewhat insufferable little girl she was. And as much as I know (if it's to be this way) Naruto will be the one to bring Sasuke back from the 'darkness', i will always have a little hope for something like this. (http://www.onemanga.com/Naruto/56/16/)
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Date: 2010-02-26 09:56 am (UTC)I havent felt any sort of love for Sasuke for a good while now. only pity and sadness, and every time I think about what he's doing to Naruto and even Kakashi and Sakura [I'm not touching Sakura's character with a ten foot pole] its painful to watch.
this... clarifies things. but doesnt make me harbor any sort of hope for this situation but I agree that Naruto and Sasuke's reunion will be drastic. it has to be.
this was beyond interesting and apt and full of meaning and detail. this is the love of a series and its characters put into words.
Essay on Naruto Chapter 484: Sasuke's Psyche and Naruto's Resolve
Date: 2010-02-26 10:42 am (UTC)But what an amazing and insightful analysis.
Sasuke has always been the character that holds my interest in Naruto. So his recent actions have really thrown me. I've always thought that Sasuke would be redeemed but Kishimoto is making that so hard at the moment.
This has given me more hope as to how Kishimoto can pull this off.
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Date: 2010-02-26 10:45 am (UTC)the only part i do not agree with you is the part about sakura: i do not think she loves sasuke. actually i think that team 7 in general, including kakashi, are focusing on their feelings towards sasuke a bit much, and with sakura, it has become something more of an obsession with an idea than real feelings about sasuke.
how much love can sakura have towards sasuke, whom she has only known a short time, barely conversed with in that time, with her opinion about him blurred by a childhood crush? naruto knows him more than she does. yet it seems to me that when she said at the gates to naruto 'this is my life's plea, (or something like that) please bring back sasuke', she practically told herself that from now on she will do everything to bring him back at all costs for the rest of her life. her love for him was based half on fantasies and how could that have lasted and strengthened with the years when he wasn't even there?
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Date: 2010-02-26 11:33 am (UTC)Here is why I disagree with your last comment. Sakura has known Sasuke for as long as Naruto. And while Naruto knows Sasuke more in a brother/rival sense, Sakura knows him in a respected nakama/romantic sense. I am not saying this is a two-way thing, but you can't deny Sakura loves him. Her feelings shifted from "crush" to someone much more complex and deep when she was assigned to the same team as him. If you read the manga, there are lots of times when Sasuke and Sakura converse, and a lot of it indicates a strengthening relationship between them.
Sakura loves Sasuke. I'm sorry, but there really is no denying that, whether you support a Sasuke and Sakura pairing or whatever. And it's not based on fantasies at all, unlike when she was young. For a long time, her love for him has been based on respect and compassion. And the fact he wasn't there probably on strengthened her love for him. After all, she trained so hard to help bring him back. And the promise at the gates. That is why SHE was there first and not Naruto. That is why she lied to Naruto about her feelings. Because she feels this immense guilt that she's thrown all the responsibility onto Naruto and she was there to make things right - to save Sasuke from himself, because thats just how much she loves him. But, her feelings for Sasuke stopped her short again.
Remember when Sasuke was used as a pin-cushion by Haku? And Sakura sat by him and told Tazuna that a ninja was not to let emotion in, no matter the situation. Sakura is a strong ninja, but when it comes to loving someone, for as long as she has loved Sasuke, well, it's hard to overcome that emotion.
As for Team Seven are struggling to come to terms with the fact that a beloved comrade has become, well, a monster. Obsession it may seem, but they were the ones closest to Sasuke and so you can't blame them for remembering him as he was and being blinded/horrified by what he's become.
/woah sorry, i might have overdone it ^^'
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Date: 2010-02-26 02:56 pm (UTC)i'll give her some credit of realizing that she must stop chasing after a sasuke that maybe never existed and certainly does not exist any longer now and that she must stop making naruto chase after him (although naruto wouldn't give up even without her), but her realization lead to nothing in the end: she was not able to kill him, or even start a serious attempt, and once again needed rescueing and cried and cried, which is about all she ever does = = of course it's all kishimoto's fault since he is the creator, but really, she is the most annoying female character i have ever seen in any manga or anime.
naruto, too, is a little obsessive over sasuke, but at least he understands what sasuke is doing and why, because he, too, has experienced extreme loneliness and anger towards those around him, and knows how precious it is to be cared for by other ppl and how he might have ended if he didn't have iruka and sandaime and the others. naruto and sasuke were not only teammates, but almost soulmates.
remember when sasuke said to sakura that she has no idea how lucky she is and what it means to be alone? i do not aknowledge that someone who has no understanding of the most important feelings of another can say that he or she loves that person. especially if said persons are both 12 or 13 = =
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Date: 2010-02-26 06:00 pm (UTC)Besides, 16 is awfully young for us, but in a world where 13 year olds can head assassination squads, 16 is practically like being 32.
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Date: 2010-02-26 11:21 am (UTC)I really do wonder if darling Sasuke will come back to the village and kind of 'forgive' everyone...
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Date: 2010-02-26 11:42 am (UTC)I would like to say that I feel guilt is also a large part of Sasukes problem. Survivor guilt maybe? At some point in the manga he said "I couldn't stop him" and "I couldn't save them" even though he was very young and far less power-full than Itachi he feels he could/should have done more and that avenging their deaths is a way to relieve that guilt, only of course Itachi's death and now Danzou's have done nothing to ease his suffering which can only add to his current madness.
Also having just read SleepyFans scanlation my impression about Konoha
laughing was that it was more of a metaphor, that they were living a good life at Itachi's expense.
no subject
Date: 2010-02-26 02:12 pm (UTC)Also, I can't help but be pleased with the double meaning of 'being blind' and 'lost in darkness' with Sasuke. Given his state of mind and the loss of his sight these are particularly fitting.
Thanks so much for writing this!!
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Date: 2010-02-26 02:15 pm (UTC)It's been bothering me for the last couple of chapters at how quickly and how far Sasuke had fallen into 'darkness' and I'd never really given much thought to the fact that he's 'damaged'. I suppose seeing him in part one he just seemed distant. We never really got as much of a look inside his head and his particular kind of pain/trauma like we did with Naruto. He always seemed to be composed, but I love the way you go about explaining how this is simply him coping and he's not really as okay as he seems. I really feel like I can understand his character and the way his brain seems to tic (however messed up it might be).
Lovely essay, hun. ♥
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Date: 2010-02-26 03:28 pm (UTC)I don't think Naruto can kill Sasuke.
Also, Madara might be controlling Sasuke - after all, Danzou used the Sharingan to "control" the Kages at the summit, didn't he? (I'm not putting it past Kishi to do another ass pull.)
PS: I am dying to right Chapter 12 of White Rain now… because Sasuke will interact with his nephew, and more importantly, Sasuke and Sakura will have hot make-up sex.
It's "write". I'm sorry - the whole thing was perfect until the P.s. note.
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Date: 2010-02-26 03:55 pm (UTC)I also really agree with what you've said about Naruto; he'll always be Naruto, and will never try to put aside any part of his personality to do something. It's one of the things I find annoyingly endearing about him; he's kind of simplistic and at the same time he's complex.
Going to mem this! I think it's a great character outline for writers, actually.
no subject
Date: 2010-02-26 04:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-26 06:20 pm (UTC)I think Naruto will get through to Sasuke. After three chapters(or thereabouts)worth of punches. (Fingers crossed)
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Date: 2010-02-26 06:42 pm (UTC)The idea that Sakura failed due to her attempt to suppress the fact that she loves Sasuke, whereas Naruto's hope of succeeding is in accepting the fact that he must fight him - possibly to the death - while never giving up on his love for him, was particularly insightful. Oh, team 7 ;___;
Speaking of Team 7 - one of my favorite things about these past few chapters has been that they gave us a glimpse into Kakashi's pain over Sasuke as well. Because of Kakashi's personality - he keeps himself aloof almost as much as Sasuke does, albeit in a different way than acting coldly towards everyone - it's not often that we get any clear insight into his emotions. And it was so heartbreaking to finally get a sense of his loss and guilt over what happened...."sorry I haven't been a very good sensei..." :'(
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Date: 2010-02-27 10:09 pm (UTC)THIS.
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Date: 2010-02-26 06:50 pm (UTC)About what Naruto will do next, I strongly believe he didn't see an attempt of assassination at his arrival: he saw his most beloved person in total disgrace. Sasuke now is mind-broken, alone and blind. He will feel pity for him and he may realize he has to help him in order to protect the village. There's no much point on killing him right now (disabling Sasuke in some way may be another choice). I'm very interested on what Naruto could possibly tell him: in past chapters he said that in the time Sasuke left the village he couldn't really understand his friend's feelings of loss before himself losing Jiraiya. Now he knows he actually had a family and they are also dead. And there's the chat with Itachi, perhaps that's the key for Sasuke's redeem.
I'm waiting anxiously for the next chapter, whatever it happens ^-^
Thank you very much for writing this and for reading!♥ (sorry about my engrish :P)
no subject
Date: 2010-02-26 08:26 pm (UTC)And there's the chat with Itachi, perhaps that's the key for Sasuke's redeem.
*nods* And also the power that Itachi passed to Naruto that he hoped Naruto would never have to use :D
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Date: 2010-02-26 08:51 pm (UTC)Itachi nii-san surely seen this coming long, long time ago. But he still decided to trust in Naruto. The story is becoming truly interesting once again :)
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Date: 2010-02-26 08:27 pm (UTC)it will be interesting to see where kishi takes this! sasuke isn't classified with the other 'bad guys', he can't be (at least i don't like to think of it like that XXD) and so i don't think he'll be killed off like they have been. But it's obviously an issue that's raised, so i'm interested....hhhhm
wish i knew what was going to happen!
sorry this is not exactly of academic caliber
Date: 2010-02-26 11:55 pm (UTC)This reminds me of a brilliant Avatar video.
...Someone do this for Sasuke. IT WOULD BE HILARIOUS.
Re: sorry this is not exactly of academic caliber
Date: 2010-02-27 04:43 am (UTC)As for Sasuke, right now...he reminds me of Azula... XD
Re: sorry this is not exactly of academic caliber
Date: 2010-02-27 09:40 pm (UTC)LAWL!
Re: sorry this is not exactly of academic caliber
Date: 2010-02-27 09:41 pm (UTC)I would LOVE to see someone do this for Sasuke XD.
Re: sorry this is not exactly of academic caliber
Date: 2010-03-02 08:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-27 02:08 am (UTC)Really?
hells yes makeup sex
Date: 2010-02-27 02:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-27 06:01 am (UTC)I'm really feeling bad for Naruto T___T
I liked this chapter too!!! and I'm excited for the next!!!
no subject
Date: 2010-02-27 10:58 pm (UTC)I think Sasuke experienced something like THIS in Konoha right around the time he attacked Naruto on the hospital roof:
"Symptoms of PTSD that tend to be associated with C-PTSD include: problems regulating feelings, which can result in suicidal thoughts, explosive anger, or passive aggressive behaviors; a tendency to forget the trauma or feel detached from one's life (dissociation) or body (depersonalization); persistent feelings of helplessness, shame, guilt, or being completely different from others; feeling the perpetrator of trauma is all-powerful and preoccupation with either revenge against or allegiance with the perpetrator; and severe change in those things that give the sufferer meaning, like a loss of spiritual faith or an ongoing sense of helplessness, hopelessness, or despair." http://www.medicinenet.com/posttraumatic_stress_disorder/page4.htm
So Sasuke left Konoha. But it was BECAUSE he was feeling better that symptoms started to manifest. Since he left, it's just gotten worse.
Whatever he's got, Sasuke needs counseling, and support, and some stablizing habits.
And some Prozac wouldn't hurt
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Date: 2010-03-01 01:30 pm (UTC)Though, counseling and therapy is the best way to treat this people to have a long-lasting effect and eventually some realization and back to normal-phase.
^___^
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Date: 2010-02-27 06:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-27 09:35 pm (UTC)My prediction for the next chapter is that it'll be heavy on the dialogue. If it were the decisive battle then Sasuke would be at full strength and we would have seen a longer fight sequence between him and Kakashi. Besides, with Sakura, Kakashi, and Karin present I can scarcely believe Kishimoto would present us with something akin to The Valley of the End. And if Naruto can still go to simply talk with Pein after the havoc he wrought on Konoha, then Naruto can definitely take the time to try to understand his former friend, not despite his attack against Kakashi and Sakura but because of it. Of course, I feel before any real conclusion can be made Madara will swoop in and "rescue" Sasuke.
Whatever happens it will be a turning point for the overall story. I can't help but wonder if there is a way to redeem Sasuke when Kishimoto has effectively set him up to be a main villain. I still believe Sasuke's redeemable, but I worry it will be in a final-act-of-heroism sort of way than anything.
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Date: 2010-02-27 10:53 pm (UTC)I don't think Naruto will kill Sasuke in the next chapter, just that that might be the culmination (but I think if it happens, Sasuke won't 'really' die). I certainly HOPE that they talk! Dialogue is much more interesting and revealing to me (and healing, in Sasuke's case) than beating on someone. I DO think Naruto wants more than anything to understand Sasuke and talk him down, buuut it may not be possible. Pain was willing to talk, and changed, which surprised me actually. Not sure Sasuke will be. But we can hope for redemption at SOME point.
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Date: 2010-03-02 07:52 am (UTC)I've been wondering about that myself. We know that Shisui had the ability to manipulate people with his Sharingan, and Madara tried to take Shisui's eye from Danzo's corpse. Madara also wants to use the power of the ten-tailed beast, combined with his Mangekyou to manipulate the entire world to bring about peace. That combined with the fact that Madara's mask only has one eyehole makes me think that he lost an eye, and was hoping to replace it with an eye that has a similar ability.
Also, Sasuke didn't really destabilize the second time until after the start of the Iron Country arc. When he had minimal contact with Madara he was fine, comparing being with Team Taka with being with Team 7, and building relationships with them. It wasn't until Madara started spending more time with him did his chakra change and he started forgetting all about teamwork and his friendships. Madara is definitely manipulating him in some way, possibly similar to the Danzo tried to manipulate the Kages.
If that's the case saving Sasuke might be simply a matter of removing Madara's influence. To do that he needs to be convinced that it's happening at all, which may be difficult. Likely at some point the power that Itachi gave to Naruto (in the form of that crow he made Naruto swallow) will intervene, and I believe that actually might be the catalyst.
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Date: 2010-02-28 11:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-01 12:18 pm (UTC)I also cannot wait to read next chapter!
Greetings! <3
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Date: 2010-03-02 07:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-22 04:43 pm (UTC)Regarding Karin, just my theory but then I have a soft spot for Sasuke because of his childhood trauma, he could have wanted to get rid of her because things are getting dangerous and he cannot have her around. His way was brutal but effective.
Naruto has also mentioned that he would not be Hokage if he cannot save Sasuke so I do not believe that Sasuke would die. The whole point of the Anime would crumble. Naruto should be able to save anyone and therefore he would eventually bring Sasuke back. Naruto has probably just realized that Sasuke is hiding something from him and they have to talk through their mind/fists which can only happen in the fight.
Thus I do not believe that Sasuke is in the darkness. If he is then it is a pity but it is left to be proven.