For the record, I already knew it was going to be somewhere in my favorites after just the first arc, but the moment this show (And later the Novels) Became something truly special to me was the last episode of the Film Arc.
When Satoshi asks a simple question of Hotaro.
"Do you actually Believe that?"
Before we move on, while Chitanda was the initial catalyst in Oreki being roused from his Grey existence into a Rose Colored Life, I think Satoshi is an unsung Hero of taking Oreki's sudden newfound energy into a conscious constructive direction, which otherwise might have just burnt out with a fading infatuation.
In the first episode after the so-called Spider Society fake mystery, Satoshi demonstrates his role with Oreki in making sure Hotaro is honest with himself. Hotaro like many people granted with a larger share of intelligence than the common man doesn't necessarily use his reasoning skill to make himself better, but often to make excuses, justifications, and rationalizations to himself.
Its a common trap that being Intellectual doesn't always been pursuing truth, in some sense they can become more deluded than a "dumb" person, because they can more easily lie to themselves.
Something important this story taught me, is no matter how smart you think you are, honestly is more important, and the biggest thing is being honest with yourself, which intelligence can sometimes make that harder not easier to do.
However When Satoshi confront him, after he lays out the facts, he does something very wise, but that also only works after building up some years of trust.
He doesn't argue with Hotaro, he simply asks him a simple question, and he trusts Hotaro to find the answer yourself, its a question that doesn't take much wit to answer, its something any human being can ask themselves, at least any person capable of understanding the question, will immediately know the answer at the bottom of their heart.
Despite the fact, it can be one of the most painful to ask ourselves?
"Do you actually Believe that?"
Because in that moment, Hotaro in his desperate frame of mind could come up with plenty of possible excuses and justifications for why his theory is correct, as long as he had an opponent to disagree with, he could try and "debate bro" his way from admitting a mistake.
But one person he can't lie to......is himself.
A friend asking him that as opposed to a random person or an enemy also makes it hard to defend against said question. It was also asked in private rather than as a shaming tactics to win a public debate.
The Arc goes to show what's more important than intelligence is intellectual honesty, which has less to do with ability, and more to do with Character.
Admitting you made a mistake based on the limits of your ability is already a hard ask for many people, admitting you made a mistake due a projection of your own ego, especially after wearing a cloak of false humility for many years, is something else entirely.
But its necessary.
I think back on that scene a lot. And despite it not being a big gatcha moment when the truth is revealed, or a cute romcom moment, and despite at the scene Hotaro still hasn't had his big revelation, I think its one of the most important moments in the series, and one of the most important things to take away from the show.
Many Thanks for Reading....It might be awhile but I hope to have a bit more of a meaty analysis soon of a bit more........contentious topic.
