#i really appreciated Strikers delving more into the grey narrative

[smolstarthief]

Ok so my overly analytical mind is going and now I wonder if this line...

...Was sort of foreshadowing this moment:

Like part of a convo between me and a Twitter mutual was, to summarize, on how the group slowly became less naive about the world as the game progresses and then I realized this: This naivete was used against them in this scene.

I still absolutely hated how the Thieves got captured in Kyoto. It just felt too contrived and dumb to me. Especially when they turn down a potentially good idea in favor of just charging in all at once for the flimsiest (very naive) reasons... BUT what if this was the moment their naivete screwed them over and came crashing down which caused them to start to really see Zenkichi's (and even Akechi's) points about them?

Like the whole moment where they were talking about what to do, in retrospect, can be an example of how their attempt at heroics are well-intentioned (true, Makoto shouldn't go out alone in fairness but putting out the whole team was very reckless) but ultimately didn't work out as they had hoped. Akane's case is a bit more different as she was being used there by the people they were chasing after but at the same time. They still got their own heroic/idealistic viewpoints used against them.

They even said something along the lines of, "If we don't help those in need, we're not really Phantom Thieves" throughout which was used as a primary reason for coming in all at once. That could be another look at the later deconstruction of their idealism/views as heroes of the story. I feel like after Kyoto, they eventually found a balance between their own and Zenkichi's (and, again, even Akechi's to an extent) views.

They will still fight against an unjust system but also be more careful of how they handle their attempts at heroics and that not everyone who is considered a "victim" is perfect or pure. They will get used if they're not careful. That and while people have had hard lots in life, their shitty actions and behavior in present day aren't exactly justified either. Akane was brainwashed more or less to be fair but still. Her behavior wasn't 100 percent justified either even if it's understandable.

I still hated that scene but with that in mind, it should've been better executed and less reliant on dumb luck if anything in hindsight. Like yes, use Friendship by going in together... And it fails. Unsurprisingly. What are you gonna do though? *Shrugs*