Mark Watches ‘Death Note’: Episode 33 – Scorn

In the thirty-third episode of Death Note, Near begins his final trap for Light. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Death Note.

As I get closer to the ending of Death Note, I think it’s fascinating that I also get to watch Light slip up more and more. While he’s still a master manipulator, it’s also clear that he can control less and less of the world around him. It’s all starting to come apart at the seams, isn’t it? Let’s discuss!

Near

I’m absolutely a broken record at this point, but Near is BOLD AS FUCK. And it works so well both as character development and as a way to demonstrate that he is not just a repeat of L. Granted, there is a really cool scene where Near speaks openly about his regard for L’s morality, and I thought that was a fantastic reminder of how Near was raised. If he justifies his actions after killing Light and Mikami, he’ll be disrespecting the work that L had done.

Yet where L was calculating and methodical, Near is brash and impulsive. It doesn’t make him a bad investigator, mind you. If anything, his constant nudges and shoves have pushed Light to a point where he’s no longer allowed to be comfortable. He has to make impulsive decisions in response to Near, and that is where he’s messing up. So Near’s decision to move his investigation to Japan is a huge step. Not only does it upset Light, but it allows him to plan his final move. Again, he’s not interested in assassinating Light and Makami and taking the Death Note. He’s got to be more delicate than that in this final stretch. Aside from having Takada and Makami followed and surveilled, what is he planning for Light? How does he think Light will finally reveal himself to him?

Light’s Plan

I’m lost. Okay, so! Lost has Takada contact Mikami. She then requests five pages of the Death Note and tells him to continue killing people with a “fake” notebook. Which makes no sense to me! How can Mikami kill anyone if his notebook is fake? Perhaps I misunderstood this, and Mikami scheduled out deaths in order to cover himself. But what did he do with the real Death Note? Hide it? Give it back to Light? Of course, all of this is useless to talk about if Mikami didn’t actually do as he was told. HOW THE FUCK DID MIKAMI KILL THAT MAN ON THE TRAIN? How?????? I DON’T GET IT.

Misa and Takada

I do appreciate the utterly chilling argument that these two have over dinner, namely because it’s a direct parallel to the same sort of mind games that L and Light used to have. I do think it’s not quite as fulfilling as it could be, given that Misa still has no real characterization outside of her relationship to Light. There’s a hint of something else here when she resents her lack of popularity and when she plainly states that Takada will probably get executed for helping Kira. That was probably the single most exciting moment in this episode because it seemed so jarring. I had to remind myself that Misa has no knowledge of the Death Note anymore! In that act, I saw a chance for Misa to be a character independent of Light, one who has her own story and motivation.

I understand why she’s attached to Light, though. She’s yet another pawn of his. I don’t understand how Light is going to deal with Misa. I saw this episode as Takada’s chance to see what kind of threat Misa might be. Given her behavior in “Scorn,” I imagine the title is referring to her opinion of Misa. It’s only upon Misa’s claim that Light will catch Kira that Takada abandons the dinner. She doesn’t see Misa as a significant player anymore, right? She’s not a threat. But… what if Takada is just a pawn, too? It’s not like Misa is wrong about her assessment of Light’s character. Light does use people to get what he wants!

I’ve got four episodes left and not one clue as to how this ends. I’m impressed, y’all.

The video for “Scorn” can be downloaded here for $0.99.

Mark Links Stuff

I am now on Patreon!!! MANY SURPRISES ARE IN STORE FOR YOU IF YOU SUPPORT ME.
– I will be at numerous conventions in 2016! Check the full list of events on my Tour Dates / Appearances page.
– My Master Schedule is updated for the near and distant future for most projects, so please check it often. My next Double Features for Mark Watches will be Death Note and Neon Genesis Evangelion. On Mark Reads, Diane Duane’s Young Wizards series will replace the Emelan books.
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About Mark Oshiro

Perpetually unprepared since '09.
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