Stormblast
Leaf Village Regular 🍃
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2014
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I am asked with relatively high frequency why I do not like Uchiha Sasuke seeing how most geniuses in this manga appeal greatly to me. Kakashi, Itachi, Minato, and Tobirama are four of my top five favorite characters and all are noted geniuses in various aspects and facets. My second favorite character is Uzumaki Naruto (only behind Hatake Kakashi, the single greatest entity to grace this series), who is not as intellectually gifted in the aforementioned ninja, and I'm sure a few people know this about me. Bearing this is mind, my fandom to Uzumaki Naruto is not tethered to my immense disliking of Uchiha Sasuke, which seems to be commonplace among NB, being a fan of one and hating the other blindly or with lackluster reasoning, to say the least. Allow me to clarify once more, this thread has (well, mostly) NOTHING to do with Naruto or Kakashi in regards to this Mean Girls "you're either with us or them" mentality. My tastes in character ally within themselves and that's that.
I will be breaking this down into the major flaws of his character and what makes him unlikable. First will be the fact that Sasuke is a walking Deus Ex Machina.
Throughout the years of this series, no character has had 1/2 as many Deux Ex Machina copouts as Uchiha Sasuke. There are several noted ones such as magically having a
Sasuke was noted to be
As readers, we all knew Sasuke would win that fight because plot demands it. But to do in such a despicable way and to waste a unique, interesting character as Deidara in such fashion... it's downright insulting that Kishimoto just expects us viewers to "go with it". What's more, as pointed out earlier, this is just one of many Deus Ex Machina instances with Sasuke. Kishimoto has a pattern of writing Sasuke into a hole, then forcing a loophole into the system to make Sasuke alright. Never mind how dumb it is Sasuke can magically bind with Jyuugo's chakra perfectly just because, Naruto didn't feel like summong Bunta at VOTE, Haku didn't hit a single vital point despite being attacked mid flight and magically unbloodlusted, that Bijuudama Laser can't penetrate a wave of water, or that being stabbed in the heart doesn't result in immediate death yet still able to crawl and talk. Don't question, just go with it!
And this Deus Ex Machina detracts from his character greatly because there's ****ing fun in that. No matter what situation he encounters, no matter what threat arises, no matter the odds, some shenanigans will prevail and he will magically be alright. There's no enjoyable suspense there, no investment can be made because the danger is all faux. In fact, so much so, that it actually detracts from OTHER characters and grants them a big dose of PIS. Like Deidara, during the fight, loses his edge as an intelligent, observant fighter and lets his butthurt over the mere sight of the Sharingan change his persona. Or turn Danzo from a killing machine with prey in hand, to a monologuing, mustache twirling dope without the good graces to swing his Futon Blade three inches for the kill. No, the leader of an ASSASSINATION SQUAD just feels like talking to the enemy this time. How lucky. Which brings me to my NEXT point.
This is sabotaged not only through the Curse Mark, but through Taka. Sasuke outright says, "
Then Sasuke goes from Grey Avenger, which while it didn't interest me, it made sense, to revenge-obsessed at any target to sate his own hurt feelings. He initially started out with reasonable intentions of killing Itachi being his named ultimate goal for he sake of his clan's honor, but that changed into killing anybody who gets in his way, which is against the stated nature. Take Team 7's first meeting after the time-skip, Sasuke goes straight for the
Then his chastising of Orochimaru really is just ghastly. He calls Orochimaru
Then there's the fact he can't make up his own mind. He can't decide how he should acquire power, he can't decide who the target for his revenge is except everybody apparently, he can't conclude on his own what to do with Itachi's will, even though he supposedly was always looking out for those very interests to start with! None of this development, while mostly negative, he cannot call his own. Just like Itachi said, he's completely a blank canvas painted by whoever is holding the brush closest. And that, objectively, makes for a bad character. One of many faults within him.
Literal essays can be written on his flaws and the poor execution of his character, which is almost ironic because it's one of the easiest to create. However, Kishimoto has stained Sasuke with hesitation and it's plain he himself is unsure of Sasuke's fate/character direction and has been for quite a while. I could go on, but this will suffice for now.
What I have provided is pure fact and that's why it will elicit the reactions it does. I depart for now and await the legions of "TL;DR" that will follow. Ah well, haters gonna hate :hyper:
I will be breaking this down into the major flaws of his character and what makes him unlikable. First will be the fact that Sasuke is a walking Deus Ex Machina.
Deux Ex Machina also known as "asspulls"
A quick
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for those unfamiliar with the term, which ironically uses Sasuke as a very example of this authorial blunder.Throughout the years of this series, no character has had 1/2 as many Deux Ex Machina copouts as Uchiha Sasuke. There are several noted ones such as magically having a
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up his ass, who outrageously managed an S/T the split second before Ay snapped his neck, at the Five Kage Summit Arc to save him from a vicious reeming at Mei's hands (gee, how convenient) or the fact that the Uchiha Curse of Hatred was invented to give Sasuke an excuse for his evil ways (hell, even Black Zetsu himself accomplishes this as of late), the most infamous and bullshit Deus Ex Machina that still disgusts me to this day is Manda's bullshit sacrifice. Sasuke was noted to be
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out of chakra, so much so that he couldn't even channel Chidori Nagashi and it literally
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due to his chakra exhaustion. But he summons manages to summon Manda, which requires a blood sacrifice and a seal, then the actual summoning of the animal takes place. Sasuke somehow still had time to jump hypnotize Manda, jump in his mouth, and ride out the explosion, which is LAUGHABLE because
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at it! It dwarfs mountains and cityscapes, and is literally leveling the entire environment. Let us not forget that Sasuke did not even have Sharingan active, so he had to activate that, somehow process what's going on, and then perform this bullshit miracle in a literal
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. For Christ's sake, the Itachi Pursuit Squad
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the explosion in full from Bum**** Okieville, East Jesus Nowhere (note the sensor feat from Kakashi as well, able to recognize and deduce chakras after one encounter.) But hey! It's no problem!
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conveniently has the summoning scroll because why not?! At least Sasuke sustained mortal injury though, right? NOPE! Despite all this, and the incredible stretch that the explosion had such little effect against Manda to start with, Sasuke is still able to walk, talk, and move relatively
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. What's more, Sasuke is back on his feet in no time because, lo and behold, he's now Orochimaru pseudo-jinchuriki and is granted access to his
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.As readers, we all knew Sasuke would win that fight because plot demands it. But to do in such a despicable way and to waste a unique, interesting character as Deidara in such fashion... it's downright insulting that Kishimoto just expects us viewers to "go with it". What's more, as pointed out earlier, this is just one of many Deus Ex Machina instances with Sasuke. Kishimoto has a pattern of writing Sasuke into a hole, then forcing a loophole into the system to make Sasuke alright. Never mind how dumb it is Sasuke can magically bind with Jyuugo's chakra perfectly just because, Naruto didn't feel like summong Bunta at VOTE, Haku didn't hit a single vital point despite being attacked mid flight and magically unbloodlusted, that Bijuudama Laser can't penetrate a wave of water, or that being stabbed in the heart doesn't result in immediate death yet still able to crawl and talk. Don't question, just go with it!
And this Deus Ex Machina detracts from his character greatly because there's ****ing fun in that. No matter what situation he encounters, no matter what threat arises, no matter the odds, some shenanigans will prevail and he will magically be alright. There's no enjoyable suspense there, no investment can be made because the danger is all faux. In fact, so much so, that it actually detracts from OTHER characters and grants them a big dose of PIS. Like Deidara, during the fight, loses his edge as an intelligent, observant fighter and lets his butthurt over the mere sight of the Sharingan change his persona. Or turn Danzo from a killing machine with prey in hand, to a monologuing, mustache twirling dope without the good graces to swing his Futon Blade three inches for the kill. No, the leader of an ASSASSINATION SQUAD just feels like talking to the enemy this time. How lucky. Which brings me to my NEXT point.
Broken Aesops
There are several within Uchiha Sasuke's characterization. My personal (least) favorite being the Curse Mark. Do we all remember what was said about the Curse Mark? It was stated implicitly in black and white that Sasuke using the Curse Mark would only hinder and impede his growth, but through the story, it became his crutch. By using this outside power, he was able to stand toe to toe with foes well beyond the scope of his strength and accomplish his goals, as well as granting him access to brand new powers such as Black Chidori and give him some rudimentary Senjutsu, as well as the
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aspect being absent for Sasuke as he spams for years on end with no consequence. So much for stunting his growth, eh? Furthermore, as Indra's incarnation (see Minator93's
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as to why this bullshit happened), he's supposed to be a lone wolf of sorts. Someone who relies on his own prowess and gifts while not utilizing the effort of others. This is sabotaged not only through the Curse Mark, but through Taka. Sasuke outright says, "
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". Then, there's all the other instances where certain death was imminent if not for Taka's intervention such as Karin's many healings of him, Jyuugo and Suigetsu jumping in the fray vs Raikage, Suigetsu tanking the aforementioned Bijuudama, Jyuugo curing his smashed windpipe and feeding his Susano'o direct power, etc. How anyone of an "Indra" mindset can accept so much help and call himself a lone wolf is beyond common sense. Then Sasuke goes from Grey Avenger, which while it didn't interest me, it made sense, to revenge-obsessed at any target to sate his own hurt feelings. He initially started out with reasonable intentions of killing Itachi being his named ultimate goal for he sake of his clan's honor, but that changed into killing anybody who gets in his way, which is against the stated nature. Take Team 7's first meeting after the time-skip, Sasuke goes straight for the
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, saying it's all on a whim, while also maintaining that he didn't finish Naruto off at VOTE because it was, again, on a
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. Now we not only know that to be complete horseshit because of Itachi's famous "You lack hatred" speech and Sasuke's musings of Naruto being his best friend, but also because Sasuke knows the importance of having a bond. He even says during this
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confrontation that having too many bonds causes one's resolve to weaken, so it clearly cannot be a whim at any point he chooses to sever a bond. He knows that murdering your closest friend was the way to unlocking the untold power of the MS, he knows that Itachi wanted him to do that... yet it was all on a whim? What the ****? That's some next level ridiculousness. Sasuke's killing intent was again highlighted as he about to drop Kirin on Team Kakashi, and "
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". HOWEVER, Orochimaru was adamant about instilling ruthlessness in Sasuke and scolded him for not killing those
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, with Orochimaru saying how he'll never beat Itachi without it and he wouldn't kill anybody but Itachi. But this entire spiel is thrown out the window and Sasuke goes for a death blow against his former, supposedly on a whim. But that can't be, because he supposedly had no intentions of killing... or apparently not? So either it's all not on a whim and Sasuke is too stupid to realize his hypocrisy or he's just doing as Itachi would do to gain power DESPITE AGAIN protesting that he wouldn't do it that way out of not giving Itachi the satisfaction just chapters earlier. It's so circular and ridiculous, it's sickening. Then his chastising of Orochimaru really is just ghastly. He calls Orochimaru
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and pathetic for his methods of gaining strength, while Sasuke uses those literal same techniques by actively using the Curse Mark and Orochimaru's healing powers post-absorption. His contradictory dialogue is also noted during MS days where he claims this was all done in the name of the Uchiha and to avenge his clan, his ultimate goal in life. That's all well and good, but he sabotages his own merits and shits on his own logic because he doesn't care about their sacrifice or why it happened or the pain it caused Itachi. He likes to ***** and moan about nobody knowing pain he does, but Itachi easily had it worse. However, he desecrates Itachi's sacrifices and what he strode for by vowing for it's destruction... which is only magnified at the pukable Hokage declaration, his changing at the behest of a bedtime story, and the dialogue vs Kakashi at the Samurai Bridge. Then there's the fact he can't make up his own mind. He can't decide how he should acquire power, he can't decide who the target for his revenge is except everybody apparently, he can't conclude on his own what to do with Itachi's will, even though he supposedly was always looking out for those very interests to start with! None of this development, while mostly negative, he cannot call his own. Just like Itachi said, he's completely a blank canvas painted by whoever is holding the brush closest. And that, objectively, makes for a bad character. One of many faults within him.
Literal essays can be written on his flaws and the poor execution of his character, which is almost ironic because it's one of the easiest to create. However, Kishimoto has stained Sasuke with hesitation and it's plain he himself is unsure of Sasuke's fate/character direction and has been for quite a while. I could go on, but this will suffice for now.
What I have provided is pure fact and that's why it will elicit the reactions it does. I depart for now and await the legions of "TL;DR" that will follow. Ah well, haters gonna hate :hyper:
