The Character Discussion Thread of SOS団 Member: Haruhi Suzumiya

[GDB]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

And Haruhi isn't?

I mean, you have to be at least a touch crazy simply in order to stand up in class, and loudly proclaim that you're not interested in normal humans, but that you would love to hear from any aliens, espers, time travelers, or sliders.

I presume that to be more complete apathy towards things she doesn't care about than insanity.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by GMT

The thing is, unstoppable ascent to godhood would be one of the sane things to do in this circumstance (the other being to completely and utterly de-power herself in such a way where it is convincingly shown that she is no longer a threat to the future or the fabric of spacetime itself.)

Haruhi holds power that most gods would be envious of. If she were to become aware of her power, she immediately becomes the most dangerous entity in the whole universe (regardless of whether or not she actually intends to do anything dangerous.) A universe where the next step up is "nigh-on-omnipotent data entities who are more than capable of crushing everything she knows and loves like so many ants" or "representatives of her species' own future who, while considered by data entities to be primitive, are still likely to be dangerous and powerful beyond modern comprehension." So, once she becomes aware of her powers, her only two choices are to either give up that power completely, or embrace it completely.

Well... I think she'd have a third option of simply wiping her awareness of her powers clean with out removing the powers themselves. That's something I could definitely see Haruhi do.

"Knowingly being able to literally do whatever I want whenever I want can actually get pretty boring after all... on the other hand, to go back to an entirely powerless normal human existence would seem hopelessly dull at this point... I know! I'll remove my awareness of being this powerful, but I'll keep the powers themselves. That's the ticket! This could be really fun and interesting!"

[Kaisos Erranon]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

"Knowingly being able to literally do whatever I want whenever I want can actually get pretty boring after all... on the other hand, to go back to an entirely powerless normal human existence would seem hopelessly dull at this point... I know! I'll remove my awareness of being this powerful, but I'll keep the powers themselves. That's the ticket! This could be really fun and interesting!"

Like I said earlier, she may have already done this.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by Kaisos Erranon

Like I said earlier, she may have already done this.

I agree. For me, this is one the leading theories behind the time quake.

[GMT]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

Well... I think she'd have a third option of simply wiping her awareness of her powers clean with out removing the powers themselves. That's something I could definitely see Haruhi do.

"Knowingly being able to literally do whatever I want whenever I want can actually get pretty boring after all... on the other hand, to go back to an entirely powerless normal human existence would seem hopelessly dull at this point... I know! I'll remove my awareness of being this powerful, but I'll keep the powers themselves. That's the ticket! This could be really fun and interesting!"

Status quo ante bellum. In order to do so, she'd first have to do the whole unstoppable ascent to godhood thing anyway, so she could rewrite the universe and restore the previous status quo without having to worry about the whole having revenge taken against her by eldritch abominations from beyond the stars thing . . . since none of them would remember Haruhi ascending to godhood, wiping out the universe and then restoring it from backup just so she could safely go back to having the powers and being locked out of the loop.

Maybe that's what Endless Eight was practice for.

[GDB]

Originally Posted by GMT

Maybe that's what Endless Eight was practice for.

Then she failed, since the IDE was unaffected.

[CrowKenobi]

To quote Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:

There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.

There is another theory which states that this has already happened.

So, Haruhi found out?

[OkamiNoKaze]

Hmm, I would like to see a Hitchhiker's parody sometime, even it were just pictures.

[Kogetsu Shirogane]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

I... think some people may be over-estimating how Haruhi would react to learning about her powers. Haruhi's by no means the first "mortal mind" in fiction that would come to knowingly hold such incredible power. I don't recall any of them going insane through sheer knowledge of their powers... I don't see why Haruhi would either.

Anybody here familiar with Marvel Comics' early 90s Infinity Gauntlet story? Or DC comics' Emperor Joker story? I mean... good grief, if the Joker can handle this, I should hope that Haruhi can.

House of M.

[GDB]

Originally Posted by Kogetsu Shirogane

House of M.

Bad example. Wanda did that because she went freaking bonkers bananas. He was trying to cite examples where absolute power did not absolutely corrupt.

[Kogetsu Shirogane]

How is Emperor Joker any better of an example? At least in Wanda's case, she already had the reality altering powers when she went insane.

[Ithekro]

If one assumes that Three Years Ago is the save point for a massive thousand plus years time loop going beyond Mikuru BIG's time and the aliens are still outside time...then how many loops have they lived through to get their answer? Or is the theory that the aliens are not really aliens, but fragments of Haruhi's personality broken up trying to find and answer to some question she lost before transending...or perhaps she didn't fully transend, and wants to know why.

Would that make Yuki and Ryoko different aspects of Haruhi? Yuki her intelligence. or maybe her curiosity. Ryoko her happiness? Or maybe her yandere-like rage at Kyon for doing something stupid. Other aliens would be even more aspects of Haruhi, God Empress of the Universe...Looper of All Time.

[quigonkenny]

Originally Posted by Jonbob0008

Okay, here's a question or you guys. There's no wrong answer, but your answer will likely show your opinion about Haruhi's character. Here it is:

What do you think would be the first thing Haruhi would do if she found out about her powers?

That's a problematic question, because how exactly does one show her that she has powers? As Kogetsu suggested, if you just flat out told her, she'd call you a liar (and go on to make a student film loosely based on the premise), and if Itsuki were somehow able to "go balling" in her presence, or Yuki turned a desk into a spear in front of her, she'd be absolutely delighted at this unexpected development, but would be totally dismissive of it having anything to do with herself.

Spoiler for Disappearance:

Even if Kyon were to tell her he was John Smith (which, as shown in Disappearance, she would believe almost immediately), that would only be a variation on showing her a power (time travel, specifically) and, while excited, she would still be skeptical about herself being anything special. Kyon telling her he was specifically sent back to help her would be immediately rationalized and only elicit a tsundere blush and a dismissive remark about Kyon being a stalker and a lolicon.

Any mention of her own foray into closed space would be similarly dismissed, but we might retroactively get a new faction (dream travelers) out of it.

No, the only way Haruhi's going to find out about her own abilities is by figuring it out herself, and due to Kyon's obliviousness and the manner of storytelling in the series, we'll probably get no more than the vaguest of hints that it's happening until she tells Kyon outright. What will she do first? Assuming her subconscious even lets her, probably something simple to prove it to herself (like giving herself the ability to fly, or speak Dog, etc.), but the first major thing she'd do would be to get back to some sort of status quo. Kyon's monologue at the beginning of Melancholy was just as descriptive of her as it was of himself. Remember the goal of the SOS-dan isn't to meet aliens, time travelers, and espers and gain their powers, it's to play with them.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by quigonkenny

That's a problematic question, because how exactly does one show her that she has powers? As Kogetsu suggested, if you just flat out told her, she'd call you a liar (and go on to make a student film loosely based on the premise), and if Itsuki were somehow able to "go balling" in her presence, or Yuki turned a desk into a spear in front of her, she'd be absolutely delighted at this unexpected development, but would be totally dismissive of it having anything to do with herself.

Spoiler for Disappearance:

Even if Kyon were to tell her he was John Smith (which, as shown in Disappearance, she would believe almost immediately), that would only be a variation on showing her a power (time travel, specifically) and, while excited, she would still be skeptical about herself being anything special. Kyon telling her he was specifically sent back to help her would be immediately rationalized and only elicit a tsundere blush and a dismissive remark about Kyon being a stalker and a lolicon.

Any mention of her own foray into closed space would be similarly dismissed, but we might retroactively get a new faction (dream travelers) out of it.

No, the only way Haruhi's going to find out about her own abilities is by figuring it out herself, and due to Kyon's obliviousness and the manner of storytelling in the series, we'll probably get no more than the vaguest of hints that it's happening until she tells Kyon outright. What will she do first? Assuming her subconscious even lets her, probably something simple to prove it to herself (like giving herself the ability to fly, or speak Dog, etc.), but the first major thing she'd do would be to get back to some sort of status quo. Kyon's monologue at the beginning of Melancholy was just as descriptive of her as it was of himself. Remember the goal of the SOS-dan isn't to meet aliens, time travelers, and espers and gain their powers, it's to play with them.

I have a hard time imagining Haruhi learning of her powers on her own. Her thinking is too grounded in reality. Remember how, in Sighs, her first thought at seeing Itsuki's "broken" cue card (not broken, but actually sliced into two pieces by Mikuru's Beam) was how it must simply be of low structural quality?

She also didn't appear to see anything odd about how Yuki then proceeded to rush over to Mikuru and start biting into her.

There's all sorts of little oddities in that scene, and Haruhi didn't pick up on any of them at all.

The only way I can see Haruhi learning of her powers is something like the following dialogue. Of course, this isn't how Kyon would ever talk to Haruhi, but if he was willing/able to talk to her like this, I could see it working...


Kyon: Haruhi... it's time that the truth was told to you.

Haruhi: The truth?

Kyon: Yes, you've been deceived by many of your best friends for quite some time now. But I - I am a faithful friend that can't bring myself to lie to you any more. You actually have immense reality-altering powers.

Haruhi: ... Kyon, what kind of silly game are you playing?

Kyon: I'm not playing a game at all. If you don't believe me, perhaps these words will resonate with you... I am John Smith.

Haruhi: ... ... You're serious then, aren't you?

Kyon: Of course. Now then, if you want visual confirmation of what I'm saying.... see that mountain over there?

Haruhi: Yes, what about it?

Kyon: Make it disappear.

Haruhi: W-what?!

Kyon: You can do it. Just close your eyes and imagine that it's gone - really believe that it doesn't exist any more.

Haruhi: That's crazy talk!

Kyon: Aaahhh... I'm so disappointed. I never thought that the great Haruhi Suzumiya would be so scared of a little challenge.

Haruhi: S-scared! I'm not scared of anything!

Kyon: Good! Neither am I. Then try the challenge! I double dare you!

Haruhi: It's not about being scared! It's that it's a stupid challenge.

Kyon: Ah, so you're scared of stupid things. What a laughable phobia... ha ha ha ha!

Haruhi: Grrr.... fine, Kyon, I'll show you, and I'll make that mountain disappear!

*Haruhi successfully does so, eventually shocking herself!*

Haruhi (proudly): A ha! See - it's gone!


This is perhaps the only way I could see for Haruhi learning of her powers. Reveal them to her, while also playing on her strong sense of pride as well as impulsive nature to get her to at least seriously test out the idea that she has them. Then, one (passed) test leads to another leads to another... until Haruhi accepts that she has these powers.

[OkamiNoKaze]

You think that's all it would take is for Kyon to say he was John Smith? Wouldn't she be doubtful of that as well at first too?

[GMT]

Originally Posted by OkamiNoKaze

You think that's all it would take is for Kyon to say he was John Smith? Wouldn't she be doubtful of that as well at first too?

As far as the whole world knows, the only person who carried out the vandalism of East Junior High was loli-Haruhi. She never told anybody about John Smith at all. So if Kyon announces that he's John Smith, he's going to have Haruhi's absolute, undivided attention.

It'd only take Kyon roughly the amount of time required for them to finish an iced coffee at the cafe to convince her that he's John Smith. Especially after telling his tale of how he carried a sleeping Mikuru to East Junior High and given detailed instructions by loli-Haruhi for vandalizing school grounds. And when he tells her what the giant pictograph means, it's going to blow her mind.

[Jonbob0008]

Originally Posted by quigonkenny

That's a problematic question, because how exactly does one show her that she has powers? As Kogetsu suggested, if you just flat out told her, she'd call you a liar (and go on to make a student film loosely based on the premise), and if Itsuki were somehow able to "go balling" in her presence, or Yuki turned a desk into a spear in front of her, she'd be absolutely delighted at this unexpected development, but would be totally dismissive of it having anything to do with herself.

Spoiler for Disappearance:

Even if Kyon were to tell her he was John Smith (which, as shown in Disappearance, she would believe almost immediately), that would only be a variation on showing her a power (time travel, specifically) and, while excited, she would still be skeptical about herself being anything special. Kyon telling her he was specifically sent back to help her would be immediately rationalized and only elicit a tsundere blush and a dismissive remark about Kyon being a stalker and a lolicon.

Any mention of her own foray into closed space would be similarly dismissed, but we might retroactively get a new faction (dream travelers) out of it.

No, the only way Haruhi's going to find out about her own abilities is by figuring it out herself, and due to Kyon's obliviousness and the manner of storytelling in the series, we'll probably get no more than the vaguest of hints that it's happening until she tells Kyon outright. What will she do first? Assuming her subconscious even lets her, probably something simple to prove it to herself (like giving herself the ability to fly, or speak Dog, etc.), but the first major thing she'd do would be to get back to some sort of status quo. Kyon's monologue at the beginning of Melancholy was just as descriptive of her as it was of himself. Remember the goal of the SOS-dan isn't to meet aliens, time travelers, and espers and gain their powers, it's to play with them.

A lot of you guys are overthinking this.

It's a hypothetical question. Who gives a crap how she figures out her powers? I didn't ask that. All I asked was what the first thing she would do if she discovered them.

That being said, I do like the fact that the question has lead to so much discussion.

I have a different question to ask. If Haruhi likes Kyon so much (and it's obvious that she does), how come she hasn't subconsciously made it so that Kyon only has eyes for her?

Just wondering your thoughts...

[Kaisos Erranon]

Originally Posted by Jonbob0008

I have a different question to ask. If Haruhi likes Kyon so much (and it's obvious that she does), how come she hasn't subconsciously made it so that Kyon only has eyes for her?

Because that would be too easy. Haruhi doesn't just want to be handed things; she wants to have to work for them as well.

[SgtHydra]

Spoiler for I have no idea what is or is not a spoiler:

Actually, I'd say that Haruhi might not be THAT easy to convince at the moment because she knows Kyon well enough to think of him as very, very, very normal. Kyon to her (concious mind) is the anti-John Smith. John Smith is having all sorts of adventures and loving every minute of it, while Kyon is an apathetic twit.

Regardless of WHAT convinces Haruhi, it won't be a simple "two words: John Smith" sort of scenario. Haruhi could easily rationalize his knowing of the name and the retelling of events in some conviluted way, which she will if it ever does come to Kyon revealing all. They might actually argue about it for a little bit as Haruhi tries to mentally imagine the most boring person she knows has been moonlighting as her "five second mentor" and role model. She'll eventually believe him, but it might take a bit.

The big difference between the alt. Haruhi and "our" Haruhi is that the former did not know Kyon at all. To her, it wasn't Kyon that popped up out of no where, but John Smith popping out of nowhere. To the latter Haruhi, Kyon has some explaining to do before she can really believe him.

But yeah, he'll grab her ear alright.

(And I bet that Haruhi already knows what the pictograph means. I'll also bet that the language apart of her personal code for the universe or something. Sorta like the SOS dan logo, only far more important. Key to autoevolution, perhaps? First step is... existance... then one can change the environment... then one can begin to change oneself... autoevolution, I guess.)

[OkamiNoKaze]

I was thinking she knows what the pictographs means too, even if it's on a subconscious level, I still think it's funny, she doesn't know she has powers, but on a couple of occasions she's called herself "Divine"