User blog:Martialmaniac/Let's be unoriginal. Shalnark. A Kurta?

Probably no. But let's see what we have anyway. Let's analyze all pros and cons.

First, contextualisation: the Kurta massacre took place 5 years before the York Shin arc. Kurapika was roughly 12 and Shalnark 19. Fun fact, in the Hunter x Hunter special, it was revealed the Troupe left a note saying "We reject no one. So take nothing from us", which is the phrase used by the inhabitants of Meteor City when they avenge who killed one of them. Why would they do that?

Back to the point, the theory of Shalnark being a Kurta obviously originated due to how similar he and Kurapika look.

As for the cons. Now, this picture. Since it was made for the movie, its canonicity is up for debate. It's pretty clear though that Shalnark (who doesn't look 19 in the least, but then again, he doesn't look 25 now) is wearing Kurta-style clothes. The dagger in the map and the context of the picture suggest the Troupe is heading out to exterminate the Kurta clan, and Shalnark is clearly agitated. I think if this pic were official, it would definitely prove Shalnark is a Kurta.
 * 1) They are both blond and have feminine facial features. However, one could - rightly - argue that just these two characteristics are not enough to make such an assumption (Shalnark is a Kurta) because this is not the case in real life. A way to avoid the problem would be that, since the Kurta clan has long lived hidden, the gene pool is not particularly rich. However, in the two chapters on Kurapika we have seen that is not the case, and in the main story, Pairo is not really similar to Kurapika (lack of detail aside). However (the third in a row), the author does use "patterns" to create meanings: a famous example would be that all the heirs of teh Zoldyck family we have seen so far have white hair. This means nothing in itself, it is just an observation that could be proved wrong at any moment, but we can see a precise will on the author's part behind this choice. The similarity between Kurapika and Shalnark may be like this.
 * 2) They are both very smart. It's obvious what's the problem of this statement. It's a paralogism, it makes sense only if you start by assuming that both Kurapika and Shalnark are members of the Kurta clan, otherwise all smart characters in the manga would be, too. Let's take Pariston. No, let's not.
 * 3) Their clothes are quite similar. This is the only point on which I agree. The Kurta clan has lived in isolation, and its members are punished if they come in contact with outsiders. Outsiders may join the clan, but afterwards seem to be subjected to its rules, which means they too cannot leave the forest. So how come Shalnark's shirt and shoes resemble Kurapika's?
 * 1) Shalnark joined the Phantom Troupe: that's right, but we don't know his motives. As someone pointed out in an old blog of Jay's, just like the Game Master with Shinobu, he might have been charmed by Chrollo, or simply hate the clan for some reason. Besides, come on, it's the Phantom Troupe. Another possibility would be that he has joined the Troupe DURING the massacre, deciding to avenge his brethren later on. It's ridiculous, but anyway, Kurapika would have killed Shalnark if the PT had pursued the chain bastard. I don't see it happening if Shalnark was the Gin Ichimaru of the situation.
 * 2) The clan counted 128 members when it was exterminated, and the news reported 128 deaths, so Shalnark couldn't have left the village to join the Phantom Troupe. That's fake, and the reason is that Kurapika was one of the 128 members, but he did not die. The same mistake could have been made for Shalnark. Besides, Shalnark was 19 at the time. Kurta clan members are allowed to leave only when they reach the age of majority. We don't know what that age is, but 19 seems pretty mature already. Anyway, he could have just run away without consent.
 * 3) He does not have Scarlet Eyes: actually, we don't know. Scarlet Eyes become that color when a Kurta becomes agitated. Shalnark has never lost his cool, not even once. Furthermore, there are mixed-breed Kurta descending from outsiders whose eyes do not change color. Shalnark could be one of them.
 * 4) The Troupe did not kill him: well, assuming they know (it's too absurd/cliché to think otherwise), the rules of the PT might have protected him. But this is just a technicality. From what we know, the PT harboured no grudge against the Kurta, they just killed them for their eyes. It wouldn't be weird if they decided to spare one of their comrades.
 * 5) Shalnark comes from Meteor City: are we really sure about that? I don't remember if his corpse was one of those fabricated by Kortopi, but anyway, it is very feasible that people from the Kurta clan are not registered in any database just like those from Meteor City. Anyway, as we know, Meteor City rejects no one. After leaving the clan and becoming a Hunter, Shalnark may very well have moved to Meteor City.
 * 6) In his prophecy, Shalnark should have been killed by Kurapika: I think Kurapika wouldn't have been too kind to someone who sold his own brethren. Besides, if Shalnark was a Kurta, he probably rejected his heritage when he joined the Troupe.
 * 7) Shalnark is one of the founding members of the Phantom Troupe: no, he is not. The original members were Chrollo, Machi, Pakunoda, Phinks, Feitan, Uvo e Nobunaga.
 * 8) The Troupe wouldn't have admitted someone not from Meteor City: false. Hisoka may not be from Meteor City; even at its beginnings, Bonolenov is a Bap (though they could have been forced to move in Meteor City when chased out of their lands); Gon and Killua were asked to join; Kalluto is a member and not from Meteor City.

I think I have said all there was to say. In the end, everyone is free to believe what they want. What would you think if Shalnark really turned out to be a member of the Kurta clan? Of course, all of this is just food for thought, we have no proof whatsoever.

Do you think Shalnark a member of the Kurta clan? Yes No