Naruto 629 & 630
It's been a week of awesome finales (Supernatural, Doctor Who, Elementary, Vampire Diaries (which I don't even watch)), and I'm gonna go ahead and add these chapters to the lineup. Even if they're not finales proper, they're part of what I'm assuming is the last story arc of the series, so.
Let's get this out of the way: I CALLED IT. I SO CALLED IT. Rin choosing to die, that is. I'm not gonna go back and find the entry where I called it, so y'all will just have to trust that I did. Huzzah, female character with some agency! (Well. Minus the whole being-made-into-a-jinchuriki-against-her-will-thing, which is really cool by the way, but I'll take what I can get with Kishi.)
Also, Obito didn't do all of this specifically because of her death; she was just a symbol for him of everything the shinobi world does to fuck people up, did I get that right? That's something. I'm just glad there's more to his evilness than "you let the girl dieeeeeeeeeeeee". Yeah.
Can't tell whether Obito was going for manipulative or genuinely comforting when he was telling Kakashi to let go of his guilt. Either way, it was a nice little scene. As was Kakashi throwing Obito's most oft-used quote about protecting comrades back at him--with a nice little twist. Oh, how I love the both of you and your layers and your tragic, beautiful relationship. *happy sigh*
One other thing about the Kakashi/Obito scenes--dunno if it was intentional, but I loved Kakashi calling Obito out on trashing Rin's memory and sacrifice and all of her nobler intentions, everything she did for the sake of the village, by trying to destroy it. Sasuke/Itachi parallels, anyone?
Other things, hmm...Shikamaru being all strategist again, lovely; Sakura and Ino getting to do stuff, also lovely; Minato coming back and saving Naruto's life....AHSHGRWHKBGWKGRW. I know, I know, they've already had their Big Emotional Reunion via the Kyuubi and Naruto's head, but I can't help it. I'm excited to see them interact and possibly fulfill the Back-to-Back Badasses trope.
And I am even more excited to see Sasuke take the battlefield (because he should be with the zombie!Hokages, yes?). He and Naruto will be fighting together, on the same side, for the first time in years and years, or hundreds and hundreds of chapters if you prefer, and they've both gotten so powerful and they'll make such a fantastic team and TEAM SEVEN WILL BE BACK TOGETHER AGAIN I CANNOT TELL YOU WHAT THIS DOES TO ME.
Aghhh, I will never be able to quit this series. Still here until the bitter end, anyone else?
Let's get this out of the way: I CALLED IT. I SO CALLED IT. Rin choosing to die, that is. I'm not gonna go back and find the entry where I called it, so y'all will just have to trust that I did. Huzzah, female character with some agency! (Well. Minus the whole being-made-into-a-jinchuriki-against-her-will-thing, which is really cool by the way, but I'll take what I can get with Kishi.)
Also, Obito didn't do all of this specifically because of her death; she was just a symbol for him of everything the shinobi world does to fuck people up, did I get that right? That's something. I'm just glad there's more to his evilness than "you let the girl dieeeeeeeeeeeee". Yeah.
Can't tell whether Obito was going for manipulative or genuinely comforting when he was telling Kakashi to let go of his guilt. Either way, it was a nice little scene. As was Kakashi throwing Obito's most oft-used quote about protecting comrades back at him--with a nice little twist. Oh, how I love the both of you and your layers and your tragic, beautiful relationship. *happy sigh*
One other thing about the Kakashi/Obito scenes--dunno if it was intentional, but I loved Kakashi calling Obito out on trashing Rin's memory and sacrifice and all of her nobler intentions, everything she did for the sake of the village, by trying to destroy it. Sasuke/Itachi parallels, anyone?
Other things, hmm...Shikamaru being all strategist again, lovely; Sakura and Ino getting to do stuff, also lovely; Minato coming back and saving Naruto's life....AHSHGRWHKBGWKGRW. I know, I know, they've already had their Big Emotional Reunion via the Kyuubi and Naruto's head, but I can't help it. I'm excited to see them interact and possibly fulfill the Back-to-Back Badasses trope.
And I am even more excited to see Sasuke take the battlefield (because he should be with the zombie!Hokages, yes?). He and Naruto will be fighting together, on the same side, for the first time in years and years, or hundreds and hundreds of chapters if you prefer, and they've both gotten so powerful and they'll make such a fantastic team and TEAM SEVEN WILL BE BACK TOGETHER AGAIN I CANNOT TELL YOU WHAT THIS DOES TO ME.
Aghhh, I will never be able to quit this series. Still here until the bitter end, anyone else?