[Sabaku Kyu]

Originally Posted by Hunter

You know that's bull even as rationalization goes. Shika did have to seek them out, was under direct order to stay out of it and would have been slaughtered along with his friend if he hadn't gotten lucky when Tsunade and Kakashi caught them before they left the village.
The author simply deemed this revenge okay and so it was, that's all there is to it.

I don't think it's bull. I veto the bull vote.

You can't really categorize what Shikamaru did with what Sasuke's doing. Sasuke is obsessed revenge and would do anything to see that he gets it: Betray his village, hurt or kill loyal friends and innocents, ally himself with lowest scum around--anything to get back at the people that cause him to lose his clan. Shika wouldn't have sought revenge if it meant betraying his village or purposely hurting people he cared about. He did disobey a direct order to go after Akatsuki, but I don't think he was anywhere remotely close to the path Sasuke was taking, if he was, Kakashi would've given him the same speech he gave Sasuke about revenge instead of aiding him.

I'm not going to sugarcoat and say that what Shika, Ino and Chouji did wasn't revenge, but I've always seen it more about them taking personal responsibility. Asuma and Shika were part of a mission to eliminate two Akatsuki threats and Asuma died trying accomplish the mission. It always seemed that what was ultimately important to Shika and co. wasn't getting revenge on Hidan and Kakuzu, but as his pupils, finishing what Asuma started to honor him.

Originally Posted by El_Negro

The thing is Sasuke is vengeful because he didn't get the justice that was deserved.

People want justice and since justice wasn't fulfilled it's only natural to turn to revenge. The Elders should not get away with their atrocious deed of Uchiha Genocide because of the 9 tailed fox attack which the clan was wrongfully accused for and not given a fair trail to prove the misdeed, they were ostracized by the village for the act of one Uchiha outcast aside from that there is also the Senju against Uchiha vibe so they would not deal with them.

The Uchica weren't murdered because of the Kyuubi attack...this is the reason they were segregated. The clan was killed because they were planning a coup against Konoha. And there was really no need for a trial because there was no doubt about their conspiracy. Sandaime actually tried to negotiate with the Uchiha through diplomacy. When that failed, Danzou and the Elders took matters into their own hands--or rather put it into Itachi's hands.

And I don't see why people are praising Itachi as if he's done the most honorable deed in history that requires a humanitarian award. Hell, from looking at his past actions I would probably see him as the prime reason for making Sasuke turn out this way and for all the other dreadful shit that is currently going on in the Narutoverse.

I agree with that, though I'll admit Itachi was in a really desperate situation. From what it seems like, the Uchiha were pretty adamant about rebelling against Konoha. There's no telling what would've happened had the coup actually happened.

But at best, I would consider Itachi a victim.