

When I watched episode 25 of Death Note (AKA the one when L, Watari, and Rem
died), I noticed that Light was strangely kind to L. Is that because he was
nice to L before he died, or because he actually thought of L as a friend?
This is something I have been pondering over ever since L said that Light was
his only friend.


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death-note
Did Light Actually Like L (in a friendship way)?


No, he only saw him as an obstacle, but I assume he respected him. Otherwise
he would not have gone to such great lengths to kill him.


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This might be my personal opinion, but this does not look like the face that a
person would show his friend when that friend is dying. Light had been
pretending to be L's friend for a while, so by (over-)reacting he achieved two
things. The first would be keeping his image and the second would be giving
him a reason to go looking for the Death Note, that he knew would be laying
around somewhere.

![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/G8DUam.png)


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In the Chapter 32 (Vol. 4), Light was thinking if he should kill L or not, and
then Ryuk said he thought that Light's doubt was because L called him his
friend. Then Light answered that on the outside, Ryuuga/L is his friend, but
actually L is Kira's enemy. And in various other pages, you see Light thinking
about "killing L" - hardly a thing a friend would do. So, no, Light (at least
with the memories of being Kira) doesn't consider L truly a friend, it's just
part of his acting.

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/dV7tf.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/dV7tf.png)


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I do believe so yes. Light (that being the Light who didn't realize he was
Kira), did like L and considered him a friend. But Kira (that being, the Light
who has Kira's memories) considered L his enemy.

What is interesting and what I feel is not really considered by fans, is that
Light and Kira are the same person.

Light without his memories, is STILL Kira. Kira WITH his memories, is STILL
Light.

What I mean is, just like how Misa would still remember her feelings for Light
even while losing her memory, likewise, I do believe Light would still
remember considering L a friend during their investigation together (after
he'd lost his memories).

His Kira self is more dominant, but based on how Light was seeing L when he
looks at the empty chair, and laments on how things aren't interesting without
L, and even cut scenes to Light's blank looking face when he's on a date with
Misa right after his lamenting about L being gone, it gives off the idea that
Light, somewhere deep down, misses L.

He misses the challenge, he misses his "friend." Even though L was Kira's
enemy, Ryuuzaki was Light's friend. They had much in common, they were equals,
literally no one could match up to them the way they did to each other, so no
matter what, Light found something unique in his relationship with L. I do not
believe he never cared at all.

It's just that he cared about being God of the New World far more, and thus
was willing to throw away everything else for it.


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There are many animes I have come across that have characters with split
personalities. I think this is the case with Light. I believe Light is not
truly evil, but his other persona (Kira) is. I think this is also the case for
Light and L's relationship. Light does consider L as a friend whereas Kira
sees L as his enemy. Although many fans think Light acted a lot, I think there
were plenty of moments where Light and Kira were in conflict inside Light. As
I read elsewhere, If Light had never found the death-note and became Kira, he
would have become a detective alongside L and the two would be friends. I've
also come across many scenes where Light seems to miss L.


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When L confessed He thought of light as a friend I think on a conscious level
it was simply a ploy, but there actually was some kindling of empathy. Also
even though L admitted, ‘I think I wanted you to be Kira’ When he died he had
a wide eyed expression seeing Light smile as if he had just been betrayed. As
for Light, he never seemed to portray much kinship for L. Nevertheless I think
it would be wrong to assume he hated Light. In episode 36 near is wearing a
mask of L, and you can hear Light thinking of how it is dishonouring L, which
is really strange considering Light plotted his death. I don’t think L and
Light were really friends, but subconsciously I think they both knew that
under different circumstances they could’ve been, and I think that shone
through when Light first brought L in from the rain. Also in lights last
moments when he’s dying, he sees L. You’d expect him to see his dad as when
people pass, they tend to have visions of those they have loved who have
passed away. Instead he sees L, I think he really did care for him.


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No he did not think of L as a friend (beside when he lost his memories).Light
was trying to make L think he was not kira and also light tried killing L. i'm
pretty sure he would of killed L if he would not be seen as suspicious if he
did.


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2021-03-10T17:47:44.487
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I personally don't see them as “friends”; both are fundamentally against each
other when it comes to their perspectives.

But, that doesn't really mean they hated each other. There are hints that
Light and L would have been friends under any other circumstances.

But, that's beside the point, the way I see it… Light and L have respect for
each other. Light and L never really had a serious “game” with others before.
Light saw in L a chance to prove his worth: if he won, he would be right, and
if he lost, he would be wrong. This is evident in his slow decline into
insanity as soon as L was out of the picture. With L being the best the world
has to offer in opposition to him, he was to be a god, right?

So, ultimately what Light felt towards L was something you or I would feel
towards a boss in _Dark Souls_. Respect. Begrudgingly or not, Light saw his
equal in L (even though L is canonically smarter than Light…), and once he was
gone, he didn't feel as much excitement when going up against his successors,
ultimately leading to his defeat. He never really gave them as much effort as
he did to best L.

Again, this is my take on it.


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