everything’s an adventure with you, Greed Island meta

[amoraobscura]

 I’ve always really liked Greed Island. It’s a fun arc and a fantastic piece of meta, regardless of whether Togashi intended it as one or not. It’s also a good arc to look at when examining Gon’s character.

The Greed Island arc functions as a dream episode of sorts for Gon: if Gon went to sleep and dreamt up his perfect day, what would it look like? Answer: probably a lot like Greed Island. And that’s because Greed Island is first and foremost an adventure. There’s a moment early on when Gon and Killua buy a map. They must decide between one that comes pre-filled or one that’s essentially an outline. Gon chooses the latter.

Gon: More fun to fill it in yourself.

Killua: Everything’s an adventure with you.

Gon’s an adventurous kid and Greed Island is his first proper adventure of the series. In his search for Ging, finding and playing the game is Gon’s first major step towards that since acquiring his Hunter’s license. This is an opportunity to learn about Ging, to play the game the way Ging wanted and for Gon--along with Killua--to have an adventure.  Together they get to play games, fight monsters and train and get stronger. Killua even gets his license. Gon gets to do what he likes with his best friend beside him. Gon even says: "I'm glad I could be here with you."

Gon also gets to play the game his way.

When invited to join an alliance with other players to stop the Bomber, Gon declines, even when joining them would be the best way to cure Killua of the card curse placed on him. At the end of training against Binolt, Gon makes the call to let him go free. With the dodgeball game, it’s Gon’s strategies—his way of playing—that ends the game. He disregards the adult’s advice and continues having Killua help with his serve; the idea for the three of them—Gon, Killua, and Hisoka—to combine to stop Razor’s attack is Gon’s. “I can’t do this without Killua” is an important line for many reasons, but it’s also very telling. Gon is admitting how happy—and maybe relieved—he is to have Killua there to depend on, but it’s in a situation where Gon is entirely in control and doesn’t need to compromise. Even in the final fight against Genthru, Gon does what he wants.

Gon (thinking): I can’t stand being on the losing end forever!! I’ll make him use his ability!! The plan can come later.

When told by Bisky to fight in a way that’ll make him appear weaker, so Genthru won’t resort to using Little Bomber and Gon can avoid serious injury, Gon disregards it. He doesn’t want to look weak; he wants to fight his way, showing that he can fight back using a strategy he came up with. Even though he nearly gets both arms blown off.

But Gon wins in the end.

In Greed Island, it’s worth recognizing that not only does Gon do everything he wants, he suffers no serious consequences and comes out victorious in the end. Sure, Gon would rather pursue his own goals than get Killua cured, but Killua isn’t in any serious danger. And it’s okay to let Binolt go, because he’s helped them and promises to reform, I’ll turn myself in when I leave the island. And despite Gon’s monstrous methods, Gon wins the dodgeball game, the fight against Genthru, and Greed Island. All Gon’s choices are rewarded by the narrative, any serious injuries can be simply healed with a magical card. It really is Gon’s perfect day dream adventure.

But why is that? In other shonen series it’s expected that the male protagonist will do what he wants, how he wants, and end the series as the King of Everything, but Hunter x Hunter doesn’t really do that, and especially not with Gon. So why is Greed Island the exception? Answer: because Greed Island isn’t real, it’s a videogame.

Yeah, Greed Island is located somewhere in the real world and players within the game can die, but it doesn’t operate under real world rules. Outside Greed Island, would the bullshit Gon pulls be consistently rewarded? If they weren’t playing a game, would a powerful Hunter like Bisky seek out two inexperienced kids as valued allies? Or would Gon—the weakest member of the main trio—really be the one to take on the strongest of the bad guys? You’d think as strong as he is Genthru would go after Bisky or Killua and leave Gon to one his sidekicks. But that’s not what happens in Greed Island.

And this isn’t the first time Hunter x Hunter has used this narrative device. Putting Gon and Killua and even other characters in these artificially created settings/rule systems was also done in Heaven’s Arena and the Hunter Exam, shown even with Hisoka’s last words to Gon after their fight: there will be no rules or points next time. It’ll be life or death, a contrast to arcs that take place in the real world like the Chimera Ant arc.