[theory] what is it that makes me think we might see SK's for flashback from Sasuke's perspective?
I originally posted this in my post a year ago as a friends-only entry; I never brought it up elsewhere, not even the SK FC, because we’re not supposed to bring up other pairings there. But since I’ve got this Tumblr now, I can finally share this little theory of mine.
So, what is it exactly that makes me think there’s a good chance of seeing Sasuke’s smile from his very own perspective?
That just so happens that there have been only two times in which Sasuke has smiled to someone at “random”, and the circumstances surrounding the revelations of said smiles are strikingly similar. Of course, I’m talking about two certain Uzumaki: Naruto and Karin.
So, it’s worth clarifying that my theory centers on Kishi’s writing style more than anything. As such, I’m drawing a connection between these two scenes purely from the perspective of Kishi’s writer's intent and style; not the bonds itself.
If you’re curious to see what in the world am I talking about, by all means, please do read~!
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When I went back and re-read the VoTe to look for the panels of Sasuke smiling at Naruto in order to make this graphic, I realized something quite interesting.
The timing of the order of the events is so similar, that it’s nearly staggering.
Just when do Naruto and Karin, for the very first time in the whole manga, remember the respective smiles Sasuke gave them?
After he stabbed them with a Chidori.
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Chapter 228, Page 11
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Chapter 480, Page 15
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Chapter 228, Page 12
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Chapter 481, page 02
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Chapter 228, Page 14
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Chapter 482, Page 12
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Chapter 228, Page 15
See what I mean? Those stabs were pretty unforgivable, especially considering just how important Sasuke is to both, Naruto and Karin; and right in the middle of that cruelty, something that should have tarnished their respective bonds for us readers - Kishi goes and delivers the exact opposite. Something that adds unexpected background and a meaningful layer of emotional depth and bonding from Sasuke’s end: and it’s all in the form of a single smile.
Now, you may be wondering: what does this have to do with the reason you think we might see FoD from Sasuke’s perspective?
First of all, we need to take a step back and regard those pages. Do you see the resemblance? When isolated like that, Sasuke’s smiles look kind of random, don’t they? They’re unexpected, especially considering the type of character Sasuke is and the way he carries himself. This is true even when it comes to the smile Naruto witnesses because one can’t help but wonder just what made Sasuke smile like that.
And that question is intentional; something Kishi deliberately meant to rise. Because he addresses it, later. Here:
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Chapter 229, Page 15
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Chapter 229, Page 16
In a nutshell: my reason to think we may very well end up seeing Sasuke’s encounter with Karin from Sasuke’s POV (or at least, his smile), is because the very same thing happened with Sasuke’s smile to Naruto, and there are quite a few similarities between both scenes, writing-wise (including a ’Sasuke who is currently in the Darkness’, go figure).
And what triggered Sasuke’s remembrance? What was the catalyst, and the requirement?
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Chapter 229, Page 14
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That’s right: Naruto had to assert his side of the bond with Sasuke, and spell it out to him.
In VoTe, we see Naruto himself wonder and even question his bond with Sasuke, something Karin also does (“What was I… to you?”). However, the big difference here is that Naruto, true to his nature, does not back away. Instead, Naruto proceeds to reassert the fact that to him, Sasuke is like a brother.
That is precisely what SasuKarin is missing right now, I believe; and that’s precisely the reason why I believe we may find out the reason for Sasuke’s smile after Karin does the same thing Naruto did.
In other words, once Karin lets Sasuke know just what he means to her; just why she goes so far for him. Granted, this last observation is nothing but extra speculation on my part and not the point of this theory, haha.
tl;dr I think we may see the smile from Sasuke’s POV because, the last time he randomly smiled to someone, we first found out from the character’s pov (naruto) and then Kishi proceed to show Sasuke’s; but only after he was forced to face the meaning of his bond with the character in question.
ns 15.158.61.43da2
