Gaara's Tatoo ...

[dejakenth]

After Sasuke injured Gaara in the final matches for Chuunin exam, Gaara went wild when he saw his blood. Was something wrong in the subs? Coz in the version I saw/watched Temari and his brother were saying that it was the first time that Gaara got injured/hurt. But in a flashback of his Uncle's assasination attempt on him he tattooed the character love on his forehead (left side). I thought I saw some blood trickling down his temple.

Question is:
- was that blood or red ink? And where did he get the red ink.
- if it was blood how did it get past his sand armor? when he couldn't even injure himself with a knife when he tried to.
- How is his mother's death related to the sealing of Shukaku into Gaara during his birth?
- Is this a flaw in the story or in the subbing or is there a deeper explanation/meaning into this to be explored/narrated further in the story.

[Lwis]

I think he made the sand do that tattoo, because he was so full of hatred and despair in that moment that he was able to control it at least a bit.
I guess it was blood, but you can't really call it an injury, so I dont think that counts.

btw:
Temari, Gaara and the other guy are no siblings, I guess they were just told to feel like siblings so they would protect each other.

[complich8]

1: it's definitely not an error from the fansubber side ... because it's both part of the plot and part of the animation.
2: it's probably not a hole in the story, because of two things:
- while the barrier of sand is automatic and uncontrollable, it's limited to begin with, and was what engraved his tattoo on him, since it was turned against him it couldn't stop itself.
- the "armor of sand" is his skintight coat, but in the prelim fights, they said pretty clearly that the armor wasn't automatic, it took gaara's conscious effort to make it and keep it.


The tattoo is more of a scar, the sand ripped that mark in his forehead, on the night of his uncle's assasination attempt (pre-assasination shots like ep 76, 10:10 time index show him clearly lacking that mark.

Since the tattoo says "love" I think it's related to how his psyche started to break down to begin with -- that is, the betrayal by his uncle, after telling him that love could heal his wounds ripping love away from him. Whether that was entirely conscious (a cry for what he wanted) or unconscious (the essence of his mother's spirit in the sand telling him what to find) remains up in the air. I would like to think of his mother as willing not only to wish her revenge on the country of sand, but also to wish her son the love that she couldn't give him.

I'm not sure the exact details of the whole shukaku-possession thing, I think that's kind of intentionally left unclear. This would be about the same as naruto: we know that kyuubi was sealed into naruto with something a lot like the demon soul seal hokage uses ... but not exactly like it, 'cause of the persistence of the fourth's spirit to (almost) be summoned back in hokage vs orochimaru, and 'cause it seems like the mechanics of the technique seal both combatant's souls -- the ultimate pyrrhic victory technique so to speak.

[ryan92084]

it always seemed to me that a sacrifice was needed to perform the jutsu to bind the shukaku to a person .... and gaara's mother played that role ...unwillingly

[dejakenth]

@complich8
if
the "armor of sand" is his skintight coat, but in the prelim fights, they said pretty clearly that the armor wasn't automatic, it took gaara's conscious effort to make it and keep it.

how come Gaara couldn't wound himself with a knife when he tried. The scene where his Uncle talked to him about his mother and love. I saw the sand prevent the knife from wounding him. If it's not automatic and not his will doing it (since he wanted to feel pain but the sand prevented it) who is making the sand protect him? Or is it a subconscious effort on his part to protect himself or is it the will of shukaku? or his mother?

[lionheart1012000]

dejakenth: the armor of sand isnt automatic, however theres another form of protection. not sure what its called so ill just call it the sand barrier or whatever. well the sand barrier is the one that is automatic, and not the armor of sand. i really dont get why you didnt understand complich8's post.
um...just incase heres another little explination. armor of sand = sand literally placed on his body to coverhimself with. the other one is just sand around his body, not on it. not sure why its automatic so i cant answer that one.

[Assertn]

Originally posted by: Lwis
Temari, Gaara and the other guy are no siblings, I guess they were just told to feel like siblings so they would protect each other.

what? why do you say they arent? i'm pretty sure they are his siblings, especially since you see them with the kazekage in gaara's flashbacks

[Shuurai]

There are two forms of gaara's defense first the "shield of sand" which is automatic regardless of his will, The second is the "Armour of sand" which Gaara has to use chakra to upkeep.






Look at assertnfailure's sig that is the armour of sand

[complich8]

I think the shield of sand operates at several ranges and several different levels -- in combat it extends out a fair distance (an armslength or two) and blocks attacks. But if he were constantly enshrouded in a cloud of sand he'd have trouble eating/seeing/hiding, which would be bad. Very very bad for a ninja. Which is why I'd say in non-combat situations the shield would be closer range. Also remember that it was pretty goddamned fast -- lee had to work hard to outrun it even with the weights off.

I'd say the real reason the tattoo was allowed to happen is that sand, unlike its master, can have no duality of mind. It can protect, or it can hurt, but it can't do both at the same time... it'd be interesting to see the full effects of his powers turned on themselves though ... how long could the armor last against a pissed off shield?

[Mut]

some of these questions are questions that are suppose to be left unanswered and just understood as it is...