L's death
So I just read a note in a Death Note fanfic and I feel like I actually have to defend the authors of Death Note. Weird, I know.
Basically, the person said that people, probably their fandom friends, had complained about L's performance as a detective from the time Light comes out of confinement up until his death. That these friends argued the only thing that made sense was his cared for Light and didn't want to properly pursue the case. This author argued it was only because the authors already knew they were going to replace him and were more concerned with not messing up the plot for the new characters.
I call bullshit on this. First of all, L is still as determined as he was before, if perhaps a bit sadder. I totally think L felt for Light, but I see nothing in the anime, most especially the manga, that says he wasn't going to break through that and capture Light anyway. Everything he does is what naturally comes from having to play catch up on understanding the Death Note. And if he didn't ask a few key questions well perhaps he thought he knew the answer and didn't need to find it out. For example, why not ask Rem why she was helping a human? He, wrongly, assumed that her reasons for helping Light weren't important. He didn't want to understand the reasons.
Secondly, if that was the case then he wouldn't have talked to Watari. Whatever reason you accept for this that was planning on his part. Now, this person said that L should have simply sent Light's name, and other case facts, to Near and Mello. I have come to think this was a test for them. His last for them. Either they would work together, find the information and bring Light down, or one would come out on top, but I think he firmly believed they would succeed in some way. As for leaving information behind he did only Light deleted it. Who else could that final message be for but someone from Wammy's? Why would it say it was his, "firm achievement"?
Thirdly, I think L's own failings were the reason that he didn't do many things that would have given him the information he needed. He would never sacrifice himself. He wore mask after mask and he wasn't about to change that. So how could he compete with Light who had not one but three allies essentially? It's only when someone from 'L's' side, Mello, sees the bigger picture that they win. It was only with the same love that Rem felt for Misa that the tide could be turned. Whether it was love for L, Near, or whatever who knows. And even if I'm firmly a yaoi girl myself I don't mean just romantic love. I mean seeing someone as more important than yourself. Mello did it because somehow, in the end, someone became more important than his own vengeance and his own goals. I firmly believe what Mello did was for love, otherwise I don't think they would have come out on top.
Basically, the person said that people, probably their fandom friends, had complained about L's performance as a detective from the time Light comes out of confinement up until his death. That these friends argued the only thing that made sense was his cared for Light and didn't want to properly pursue the case. This author argued it was only because the authors already knew they were going to replace him and were more concerned with not messing up the plot for the new characters.
I call bullshit on this. First of all, L is still as determined as he was before, if perhaps a bit sadder. I totally think L felt for Light, but I see nothing in the anime, most especially the manga, that says he wasn't going to break through that and capture Light anyway. Everything he does is what naturally comes from having to play catch up on understanding the Death Note. And if he didn't ask a few key questions well perhaps he thought he knew the answer and didn't need to find it out. For example, why not ask Rem why she was helping a human? He, wrongly, assumed that her reasons for helping Light weren't important. He didn't want to understand the reasons.
Secondly, if that was the case then he wouldn't have talked to Watari. Whatever reason you accept for this that was planning on his part. Now, this person said that L should have simply sent Light's name, and other case facts, to Near and Mello. I have come to think this was a test for them. His last for them. Either they would work together, find the information and bring Light down, or one would come out on top, but I think he firmly believed they would succeed in some way. As for leaving information behind he did only Light deleted it. Who else could that final message be for but someone from Wammy's? Why would it say it was his, "firm achievement"?
Thirdly, I think L's own failings were the reason that he didn't do many things that would have given him the information he needed. He would never sacrifice himself. He wore mask after mask and he wasn't about to change that. So how could he compete with Light who had not one but three allies essentially? It's only when someone from 'L's' side, Mello, sees the bigger picture that they win. It was only with the same love that Rem felt for Misa that the tide could be turned. Whether it was love for L, Near, or whatever who knows. And even if I'm firmly a yaoi girl myself I don't mean just romantic love. I mean seeing someone as more important than yourself. Mello did it because somehow, in the end, someone became more important than his own vengeance and his own goals. I firmly believe what Mello did was for love, otherwise I don't think they would have come out on top.