seaside-breeze:

nightjasmine10:

dezzydoesthings:

ask-master-genkai:

Kuwabara had greater spirit awareness than Yusuke ever did. He was the only one who made it through my forest without running into all the evil crap I shoved in there. Yusuke is the idiot who ran straight in a line. Even without proper training with a master in his field, he developed amazing skills and power that I would say is unparalleled. I would even go as far as to say that he is the strongest living human at this moment. In short, yes, yes, he would. 

But I would not train him. He is too goodhearted, too heroic…

I’ve seen his kind before. If he was spirit detective instead of Yusuke, he’d be dead… over…

…And over again. Any time a sacrifice needed to be made, the heroes always were the first to step up. When they felt their opponents were innocent –

…When their friends needed them…

… When they thought they were fighting someone weaker than them, like that girl from the demon Triad… They faltered. He faltered.

Yusuke was never afraid to hit back. He’d hit teachers, girls… He was even willing to kill humans for the greater good.

Kill a man, with his bare fists, if necessary –

But Kuwabara is a hero. He saved the kid who tried to kill his friends, he took beatings for a little kitten; he’s a goddamn saint compared to me and Yusuke. A classic hero, like the kind you read stories about from ancient writers long dead and gone.

And that’s why I wouldn’t want him to be spirit detective, why I would never train him. Like Koenma, I’ve seen it before. Good men, men who love and care and sacrifice – they say you either die a hero or become the villain.

I’ve seen it before.

Koenma chose Yusuke because he was Sensui’s opposite. Sensui was more talented than any human I’ve ever heard of. He also had a strong sense of morality. Toguro had a strong sense of responsibility. Those positive traits were their downfall. They were flipped upside down, inside out, with a single tragedy. And their good became evil.

Yusuke was never that good. He was just a stupid punk. He didn’t care about anything. All he had were murky shadows. He couldn’t be corrupted, because there was nothing to corrupt. He couldn’t die a hero or become a villain, because he was never a hero to begin with. He was willing to kill innocents. He was willing to break rules for his own amusement. Even his first death, as tragic as it was, was punctuated by the fact that so many people were glad to see him gone – he made so many enemies, made so many mistakes, caused so much trouble already at 14. And he’s too much of a slacker to ever try destroying the world. Part of my training with him was to help him uncover those murky shadows, to part them when needed, to clear his mind and focus.

But Kuwabara…

I’ve buried students like him before. I wouldn’t do that again. Perhaps it’s unfair to Yusuke – he sacrificed himself, too. But that’s because he’s a fighter, not a hero. He’d fight till he was the last one standing. He’d fight, even die, for the right causes. He wouldn’t sacrifice. He wouldn’t go dying on me the moment a pretty little thing needed his help. Yusuke will live. If only to spite his enemies. 

And Kuwabara… Sure, he got in trouble, as well, and caused trouble. But he was always honorable, always had his rules, always fighting like a hero would. If he was spirit detective, we’d be in good hands. For a time.

… But we’d never see him become a man. He’s the first to step up, even now, when it’s not his responsibility. What do you think being the sole protector of human world would do to this kid? It would destroy his potential. It would destroy him. He needed to be in the shadows. His good had to be obscured, or he’d never make it this far. It’s all about balance. That’s how you get the two biggest punks out of a middle school to became the world’s saviors. And how you get villains who dedicated their lives to protect others. You must balance the good and the evil, you must cast and part shadows at will. Yusuke can do this. Kuwabara can’t. I suspect Koenma saw this firsthand, too. How many spirit detectives died heroes at ages decades younger than I? Even Toguro… so obsessed with staying alive, died before this old crone who did not give a damn.

…..

So yes, he’d be a great spirit detective. But I would not train him. 

Like. Amazing.

@datshq

As crazy as that sounds, it is the truth. Holy shit. Like, this revelation is so amazing and makes so much sense. 

Holy shit this is one hell of a character study.