[wingdarkness]

Originally Posted by division

That's hardly fair, IMO. While L is being less careful with his identity than Light (I haven't watch the most recent episode), assuming he's using a false name. Light needs to know "Xxxxx Xxxxx is 'L', and this is what he looks like" for his win scenario against L. L, on the other hand, needs to know that "Xxxxx Xxxxx is 'Kira'" to win.

I don't see why you think it's some trivial matter for Light to discover L's identity when L is in fact substantially more covert in his actions and behavior than Light is. Or at least to the degree where he can't hide behind the invisble hand of the Death Note, so he actually puts thought into covering his tracks.

Dude bring it back a little...I never said Light getting L's name was trivial by any stretch...I just said that all of L's evidence is rendered pretty unsubstantial if Light was to figure him out first (which he's probably as close as L right now since his father is working directly with him)...Again faced with death or ultimate humiliation worse case scenerio he gives up half his life and just needs to see him...L once again has to do more than just figure out who "Kira" is...

Also don't discount the fact that police or agents may be much less willing to work for L given the deaths of many agents already which puts him at the disadvantage in man-power (and the ability of the men he does have who may fear "Kira" thus not produce results)...He'll he had to come out of hiding to devise a new plan with a localized unit who's chief is "Kira's" dad...How can L not be at the clear disadvantage I ask??

Light doesn't strike me as deep-thinking enough to legitmately cover his tracks well enough to say "discovering his identity is near impossible" (supporting events: entire fbi "arc", and the end of ep 2).

Light has made mistakes because he's an arrogant academic teenager who seems to be playing a game (which means he wants to play this game)...If he wanted to he could stop this madness but is playing to continue it...He's immature and was intoxicated with power from the start which makes for a bad combination...Having his relative location found out propelled him to really start his game with L when he didn't even have to...Whatever the final results he has still shown ample critical thinking skills and deduction ability (as in eps 8 and 9), he is quite intelligent and cunning especially since his first mishap (Exposing his location), but no one is so smart that they'll make no mistakes and I never said finding his true identity is impossible by any means...Conversely L's mistakes cost people their lives as we've seen which doesn't quite equate to Light having the "WTF-face" paranoia when he makes a mistake...

Additionally, even if you want to say L only wins if he can send Light to jail... I don't recall them telling us that Light's been destroying or burning pages from the death note as he's been using it. Having a log book of all the people he's suspected of killing will be pretty incriminating, especially any unreported deaths or causes of deaths. Let alone the ability to see Ryuk at that point, who may even just explain what's going on.

I never said L only wins when he sends Light to jail...I said he wins when he WINS...To me that could mean he has a gun to Light's back with one hand, the DeathNote under his arm with the other hand, a digital cam somewhere with the undeniable proof on it, AND a mask on his face...Simply catching Light on some percieved flimsy evidence isn't enuff...As smart as L is he can't even come close to comprehending an invisible shinigami from soul world is helping a Japanese teenager become a God of sorts...Without the deathnote in hand how do you prove any of this?? Even with the DeathNote in hand the public or jury has to be convinced a notebook can kill people...What you gonna do right Light's name or arbitrarily kill some Joe Schmo? IMO L will stay at the overall disadvantage even if he wins a battle or 2, because the DeathNote doesn't exist for him...I doubt anyone could truley understand what Light is going thru right now (Not that I agree with it morally)....

Honestly though, L's mistakes cost lives, Light's mistakes cost Ryuk's his red-apples...