Sasuke & Sakura: An Analysis

A common complaint against SasuSaku is that Sakura is too subservient to Sasuke and becomes a doormat for him to walk all over. Many fans claim Sakura loses her vibrancy, spirit, and assertiveness around Sasuke, becoming compliant and subdued around him. I strongly disagree.

I don't think Sakura becomes compliant or subservient around Sasuke at all (apart from her recurring self-confidence and low-esteem issues that crop up around everyone, not just Sasuke), nor does Sasuke reduce her character to a soulless doormat that he can walk all over. In fact I see the opposite. Sakura is usually at her best because of Sasuke, not in spite of him. Sasuke challenges Sakura to grow as a person, and her feelings for Sasuke bring out the best in her. Sasuke's influence on doesn't diminish Sakura; rather he enhances Sakura. Sasuke's influence, more than anyone else's, repeatedly inspired and pushed Sakura to become stronger and braver and taught her the importance of comradeship. Her love for him taught her compassion and empathy and he was the driving force that motivated her to become someone helpful to others.

It was Sasuke's leadership and confidence that instilled the first seeds of teamwork and camaraderie in Sakura, as we saw in the bell test. Sasuke was the one who showed comradeship when he offered his lunch to Naruto. Before Sasuke's bold action, Sakura had been too afraid to break the mold and go against the rules. Even after Sasuke broke the rules by offering Naruto his lunch, Sakura still was afraid of going against established order.

But Sakura's trust in Sasuke overrode her fear, and she chose to place her faith in Sasuke by following his lead and helping their third teammate. Left to her own devices, Sakura would never have passed the bell test because she would have never found the courage to break the rules on her own. It was Sasuke who pushed her to overcome her fear and share her lunch with Naruto. When they are busted by Kakashi, Sakura initially responds in terror:

However, seeing Sasuke's resolve to stick by his decision to share his lunch with Naruto even in the face of their sensei's wrath inspired Sakura to boldness and courage, so much so that she joined Sasuke in standing up for their team: "The three of us are one!" Sakura was so powered up by Sasuke's boldness that she bravely declared Team 7 is a team that sticks together – a great show of team unity that had been nonexistent in Sakura earlier.