So What Was the Trigger? (Spoilers)

[HAL9000]

So it's not secret I like to analyze the action and characterizations of the Haruhi's franchise main players, particularly Yuki. But one of my major stumbling blocks is the main trigger for Yuki's actions in this volume. Why does she specifically act on the night of the 17th (or was it early on the 18th) and not a week earlier or a month after or something?

If you look at the series timeline, it's easy to see Yuki's general progression towards the right state of mind; Kyon notes that she's becoming more expressive to his eyes, and several times catches her radiating an aura of loneliness, and even extreme boredom in "Endless Eight". It's a very plain build-up.

But what makes Yuki act specifically when she does? It's a rather significant betrayal, of both her masters and her "friends", but I didn't spot any clues in the text of what would cause such a blowup. I have a few ideas, but they're completely without foundation, pushing the boundries of fanon.

So, anyone else have any ideas?

[magus]

I'm guessing she's trying to prevent.... something. Or it could be that Nagaru just want to use all the what ifs that he thought up and Yuki is the perfect plot device...... but if you go by the Yuki being more normal route then it's not that strange for her wanting a normal life, the SOS Brigade will still be there in the altered world anyway. It seem's to me that she just want to fit in.... or maybe she's just doing it for everyone else.

[Setherzam]

or it could be that she was trying give what she though was Kyon's perfect world, where there was no strange stuff happening and Haruhi was no longer dragging him around everywhere

[Dan]

I always thought it as the "errors" Yuki said were piling up were her feelings toward Kyon. Eventually she felt he might be happier in the world she created. Well, it won't happen again not only because she's been locked down in a way, but also because Kyon came back to her instead of being easily set up with the new Yuki.

*Cries at the beauty of the subtle romance between the two.

[Florin]

Why does she specifically act on the night of the 17th (or was it early on the 18th) and not a week earlier or a month after or something?

Must be Haruhi's Christmas preparations. Yuki is a quiet person and probably doesn't like parties. Or maybe she had her own plans for Christmas which Haruhi ruined

[HAL9000]

Sorry to abandon this topic for a week, but I had to put in some overtime at work.

Why does she specifically act on the night of the 17th (or was it early on the 18th) and not a week earlier or a month after or something?

Must be Haruhi's Christmas preparations. Yuki is a quiet person and probably doesn't like parties. Or maybe she had her own plans for Christmas which Haruhi ruined

Ha. I know you're joking, but this is the kind of speculation I'm looking for. Sure, it's possible that Yuki just woke up that morning (or whatever he equivalent is) and decided to go for it, but I'd love to come up with a reason for the specific timing. Besides my own, baseless, ideas.

Well, it won't happen again not only because she's been locked down in a way, but also because Kyon came back to her instead of being easily set up with the new Yuki.

*Cries at the beauty of the subtle romance between the two.

I... never thought of it that way. I viewed things as Kyon rejecting Yuki's gift to him, not him choosing the real her over the fake her. That's... great!

[typhonsentra]

It's kind of sad that they haven't explored this aspect of her personality in so long. I liked that she had those sorts of thoughts and interests, as it was so hard to read her before that book. Before I read it it didn't even occur to me that she thought that way.

[Smidge204]

Why does she specifically act on the night of the 17th (or was it early on the 18th) and not a week earlier or a month after or something?

Allow me to pose an off-beat question...

Let's assume she had acted, say, a week before on Dec 10th. Would you still be asking this question?

I guess what I'm asking is, is there anything significant about Dec 17th in te story that I forgot about that makes this date more suspicious than any other? It could be simply that it was time for it to happen, without any specific triggering event.
=Smidge=

[HAL9000]

Yes, if she had acted on May 22nd or July 13th or October 6th, I'd still be asking the question. I guess my wording left something to be desired. As far as I know, the only import the story places on the date is its proximity to Christmas. (That may have its own thematic relevance, but that's a different issue.) Whatever the date, I'd love to have a possible reason for Yuki taking action then. Even if it's something as innocuous as Yuki only just figuring out by then how to steal Haruhi's power.

I've looked at the prologue, and listed the events as follows:

* Haruhi announces the Christmas Eve Party
* Club room is decorated for Christmas (note: Yuki gets a hat)
* Haruhi forces Mikuru into the Santa costume
* Kyon & Itsugi discuss everyone's character progress (note: Yuki is not present)
* Kyon beholds Mikuru in said costume (note: Yuki is observed to still be reading, still wearing the hat. Kyon senses no reaction on her part.)
* Haruhi settles on a Hot Pot for the party

The party is the obvious point of interest, but I can't imagine why that inspire Yuki to action. I would say that the only thing truly significant is Kyon and Itsugi's conversation, but Yuki would have to have heard them through the wall and over Mikuru's screaming. (Not impossible, given her nature, but we have no indication her senses go this far.) Unless I'm missing something about the hat...

[Florin]

Ha. I know you're joking, but this is the kind of speculation I'm looking for.

Joking? Maybe, maybe not. Judging from Kyon's words:

This girl was only feeling tired. Having to spend all day being turned around in circles by Haruhi <...> You probably felt like screaming, or going ballistic, or just yelling out loud, You stupid girl! I've had enough of you!

It's just that you can tell from her behavior, Yuki HATES noisy activities - she's that kind of person. So, when Haruhi goes all out about their upcoming party, this is becoming really depressing for her, just enough to become "the last straw".

[HAL9000]

(Shrug) I can't argue against it.

[quigonkenny]

From the Prologue:

The door opened inwards, and naturally I, putting my weight against the door, fell clumsily on my back with a loud thud.

"Hiehh!?"

The voice was neither mine nor Haruhi's, but Asahina-san's, and the voice came from above. In other words, lying on my back looking towards the ceiling, I saw not the ceiling but something else.

"Hey, Kyon! Don't peep!" That'd be Haruhi.

"Hwa, ahh..." And that'd be Asahina-san, who was completely off guard as she cried and jumped backwards. I swear to the myriad of deities, I only saw her legs!

That's the only odd thing prior to the birth of dere-Yuki that jumps out to me. But while I think it would be the height of irony that Yuki was set off by the same thing that set off Haruhi at the end of Melancholy (jealousy over Mikuru), I think the only reason she flipped on December 18th is that the book started on the 17th. Her gradually changing emotional capacity was built up fairly subtly over the previous books, and this is just when those "internal errors" accumulated to the point where they affected her actions. To risk sounding too Freudian, sometimes a randomly occurring plot device is just a randomly occurring plot device (even if it is conveniently timed).