Death Note Episode 25 Discussion

yousandro said:
Am i the only one who think that they (Madhouse) should have finished the anime in this episode, which L die?
The fact is that from which arise Mello and Near the anime just got worse :/

Jessiegg said:
[...] I will forever be bothered that [L] never truly got the closure that all of his suppositions about Light we completely correct. [...]

Ash_DuQuennes said:
Hey all, new user, just joining a 9 year old discussion.

I'm watching Death Note on NetFlix, and really digging it (actually, I'm rewatching it after doing a binge/marathon run-through the first time, to catch all the stuff I may have missed on my first go around).

I only like certain types of anime, I guess I'd best describe it as liking the "deeper" stuff, or perhaps anime with crossover themes that resonate more easily with Western cultures. ForEx: Akira, Cowboy Bebop, and Ghost in the Machine. I also liked Patlabor and Wings of Honneamise.

And now, I like Death Note, and Ep. 25 is a powerful example of why.

My interpretation: L may not intellectually/rationally realize that Light/Kira has defeated him (and that his death is imminent), but recognizes it (perhaps unconsciously) on an emotional/intuitive level. Hence the somber tone, and the premonitions of death for both L and Light, can be seen to be foreshadowed by L's question, "Do you hear the bells?" As in, "For Whom The Bell Tolls," the poem by John Donne:


No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thine own
Or of thine friend's were.
Each man's death diminishes me,

For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.


The opening imagery, meant to be taken as a some kind of flashback to L's early years, is actually a flashforward to the moment of L's death, when, in his final moments, the critically formative moments of his life "flash before his eyes." (Serious question: do Eastern cultures have the "Life Flashes Before You At The Moment Of Death" meme?)

L had stated previously (perhaps untruthfully, but I believe him) that Light was his only friend. And I think that it is quite evident that Light/Kira was also his ultimate adversary. Therefore, there is both an intellectual and emotional connection between the two that deepens dramatically after the conclusion of Ep. 24, wrapping up the Yotsuba arc.


Thus the foot washing scene works on several levels, each valid: the Christ foot washing and Yaoi interpretations (while actually quite innocent and emotionally tender) are, IMO, equally valid. Another element that I took from the foot washing scene was L's acknowledgement of his defeat by Light/Kira, his submission to Kira, and perhaps an act of penance for offending the new "god" Kira.


Just my opinion, but I do not think that L died "at peace." He may have, if it hadn't been for that evil smirk of Light's in L's very last moment. L died in pain, not just physical but also deep emotional pain, at not only his failure to stop Kira, but also in deep betrayal by his one and only friend, who is holding him in his arms and gloating over his death. It was gut-wrenchingly painful for me to watch, and that's saying something powerful about this show's creators

Again, just my opinion, but this series, and this episode in particular, is a near-perfect example of the type of anime that speaks most directly to me: an artful blending of Eastern and Western themes, interwoven in a complex tapestry that diminishes neither while subtly reinforcing each in turn as the narrative progresses.

Roketsu said:
I'm thinking it relates to the whole 'god' complex Light has. Think of the story of Jesus washing the disciples feet for them.

Meatguy said:


The foot massaging scene is a reference to the bible. Jesus washes his disciples' feet right before Judas betrays him.