What the psychological autopsy of Light and L reveals about who the real villain is.
If we catch Kira, he is evil.
Bringing the issue to light
Its tempting to shine the ethical debate only on Light.
The question that even diehard fans often ignore hides ghostlike behind the first: who ismoreevilLight, or L?
There are some things even a god of death cant argue.
Premeditated murder never has a justification.
The vast majority of Kiras victims meet their demise via heart attack.
The perpetually barefoot sugar addict has never lost a case and swears he never will.
Most people would rather win than lose, he admits during a heated tennis match against Light.
Near is even worse.
Casualties dont concern him in the least.
His investigation teamarehis finger puppets, which he manipulates endlessly to get what he wants.
Near could care less about the new obituaries appearing in the paper every day.
So the end justifies the means regardless of collateral damage.
Its how sociopaths tend to think.
Sociopathy and Sabotage
Speaking of collateral damage, consider the deaths and near-deaths indirectly resulting from these two wunderkinds.
Light never intends for his utopian mission to turn into a morbid fame-seeking venture.
That deceptively evil look that overshadows his face is the misunderstood desire for justice.
Where do the Shinigami stand on all this?
Mythical pantheons often embody a duality of good and evil.
Thor is good, Loki is evil.
Zeus is good, Hades is evil.
Bielbog is good, Czernobog is evil.
Shinigami fall in an area as indeterminately gray as their dusty empire in the beyond.
Some have dust for brains.
Some have a conscience.
Rem sacrifices herself to save Lights girlfriend-slash-accomplice Misa.
is to use humans as his own personal entertainment channel because the Shinigami realm bores him to tears.
Are there irredeemable acts on both sides?
Beyond the shadow of a reasonable doubt.
