Thank you so much! I’m not sure about “best” because Sasuke’s great in so many ways and it’s hard to be objective about it, but these are the first ones that come to mind when I think about this.
1. His belief in himself.
It took some time to build up, but after Sasuke left the Village (and before the ending) he never wavered when it came to his personal belief that if he wants something done, he is capable of doing it. I find it very admirable that against all odds he still fights for himself and doesn’t even question that maybe he can’t do what he wants to do.
2. His desire for autonomy.
Even though it doesn’t work out for him a lot and he ends up being manipulated I think that his drive to have control in his own life is really admirable and there’s so many examples of this but the one coming to mind right now is when Taka starts working with the Akatsuki and Sasuke’s all “Don’t forget, we’re the ones using them.” It’s like wow even in this situation where you’re literally working for other people you’re working for yourself and refusing to be manipulated. (And then he was manipulated anyway). But it’s the thought that counts!!
3. His honesty.
I’m too lazy to explain this one fully but -gestures to the scene where Orochimaru tells Sasuke he needs to be heartless and Sasuke replies that he’ll be heartless when he faces Itachi-. Like… he knows how he feels and there’s no embarrassment in it. Also he apologizes when he’s fucked up like he did to Karin after the Kage Summit Arc. Yeah.
Worst qualities…
I have a hard time answering this. I don’t mean that Sasuke’s perfect but when it comes to his “bad” qualities a lot of them like… don’t apply all the time or aren’t really indicative of his personality so much as the situation he’s in? Like I could talk about how he tends to be self-absorbed and not pay as much attention to the problems of others or think that he’s the only one with difficult trials or that his are the hardest, but then I’m also like– the only person whose trials Sasuke ever really saw are Naruto’s because he was unconscious or not present for practically the entire Chuunin Exams, then past Shippuden no one really talks about it in front of him or anything, and like he’s not the type to ask pretty much until Hashirama so it’s kinda like? Not surprising he makes those assumptions? But then again he did tell Hashirama that Itachi suffered more than him so like, lol, but by the time any of that happened he was pretty low on his ability to empathize with people just in general. Is that a flaw of his? I don’t know, it’d have to depend on if that could ever change.
And then he can be a pretty bad listener sometimes like when Karin was like “Hey Sasuke I think Konoha are after us do you want to plan something” and Sasuke was just like “no whatever we’ll just fight them if they get to us” like uh Sasuke? That’s a terrible idea. But again that isn’t true all the time so it’s like, is that Sasuke or is he just sometimes a bad listener? Is that important enough to call it one of his worst qualities?
He holds himself overly accountable for stuff like I remember during the Chuunin Exams there’s this part where he’s hallucinating that a younger version of himself is talking to him and blaming him for the Massacre and I’m like– Sasuke you weren’t even home when it happened let alone the fact you were literally seven and couldn’t have done anything but like, that’s a result of trauma.
IDK, maybe I’m just biased but I find it hard to list off his “worst” qualities without taking context into consideration and whether or not those behaviours are persistent. Sasuke’s pretty malleable and adapts to different situations so pinning down particular qualities and being like “Yeah that’s Sasuke all the time” can be hard although there’s a few ones that I can think of that are consistent that way and they’re all positive lol
[[ Sasuke. Definitely Sasuke. Overall, Sasuke gets more hate for his actions and behavior while most people usually understand Itachi was used (or at the base level, immediately label him as a good guy post his death).
Then to add ontop of the pile, you have some (very foolish) people who are pro Sasuke but anti-Itachi.
It’s ok to be critical of Itachi with his decisions regarding Sasuke and the night of the massacre. Because Itachi himself realizes that was wrong and makes no excuses. It’s not ok to pretend Itachi is some villain or should always be regarded as one. It ignores that he was a victim of Konoha’s system and was manipulated since he was 7.
ksjdflkj anyways. It’s wrong to be anti-both, but summing up all available parts of fandom, Sasuke definitely gets more hate thrown his way. ]]
Orochimaru sighs breath of relief out, over Itachi’s neck. His nuscles grow less stiff and he slouches in the embrace, finally letting go a little.
He presses his forehead against the side of Itachi’s neck, and just stares at the shadowed space between their bodies. Eventually he wets his lips, and whispers:
“This is top secret. Only my inner circle knows about me having these… ‘intensities’…” He does not like saying paranoia. “-that make me abort all logic. I suppose you’ve hereby entered that circle too. I had wanted that to go slower.”
Even without the explanation, Itachi understood that the worry of being betrayed was not something to, well…betray. Things like this shook the strength people had in their leader, and if it was already wavering? They would attack. It also showed that Orochimaru feared the possibility of being overpowered. And not even by a single person, at that.
“I understand.” It’s murmured, and he holds Orochimaru with him as he shifts their bodies to lay down. Might as well occupy all of the space the couch allows.
[[Today, like every day, is Appreciate Sasuke Day. ]]
listen. listen. i think konoha sucks and that taka was the best option for sasuke as much as the next guy. but i absolutely cannot handle yall calling him “healthy” at the beginning of shippuden. he was repressing every single emotion. he talked like, twice. just because he was on like three levels of dissociation doesnt mean he was like… doing. well. fjdmdkfjcm yall he was literally meticulously planning a murder-suicide
People: Sasuke wasn’t even that great of a character!
Me: It’s not that he’s THE best character but because of his journey; of what he had to go through and struggled with all while still having the passion and initiative to right the wrong in the web of lies the people who “love” him have surrounded him in. The biggest crime of it all is that he gets no justice and is shafted for some money making agenda and the sole knowledge that there are people who rejoice in this outcome disheartens me. So no. He’s not a world breaking character nor is he the epitome of heaven and light and all that is holy but I’ll still fite u on that. So miss me on that subjective statement.
UchihaSavior 