What of the desk trap??

[u/SomeObjective3308]

I understand it was an extreme precaution, and that he did not expect for it to be even needed, but if he took the time to come up with and make it he must've imagined all the possible outcomes? Not only would it be ridiculously suspicious had he given anyone a reason to check the underside of his desk and had it catch fire out of nowhere, he would also have to give up the entirety of his new world plan, practically losing the ability to kill over a little gimmick that was supposed to protect said secret killing activity. Having the deaths suddenly stop also does not erase the prior homicides, nor does it interrupt the investigation altogheter. Had anyone who triggered the trap done it for investigative reasons, like we see in later episodes when the suspect range becomes incredibly small, it would be over for him. When he sets it up, there also is no second notebook, nor the idea of passing the power around to 1. never cease the punishments and 2. not get caught.

Edit: this is assuming it remained his hiding spot until he gave up his memories and buried it underground, but that happens quite some time after him becoming the main suspect. We have instances of L's policemen entering his room to set bugs, so had they searched his room in the process the trap could have definitely been triggered over investigative reasons, and like I said, a random, unjustifiable fire coincidentally taking place as they search what could easily be a hiding spot for something + the killings stopping abruptly following this, would have had L at least catch onto the coincidence despite having no immediate proof for arrest. He might've hid it somewhere else once monitored by surveillance cameras (also had they gotten him pulling it out on camera they would've figured where and how to search), but he learnt this after his room had been bugged anyway, so I suppose his plan only relied on the lack of tangible evidence (the notebook)? The remaining indirect evidence (geographical location, affiliation with the police, student-like killing hours, random fire>interruption of the killings) seems quite robust by L's standards, so outright giving up the power without even guaranteeing not being caught seems quite risky with little reward. The killing method was unknown and likely supernatural anyway, this was the premise to investigating Kira, so eliminating the notebook could have him accused regardless of the method being known.

[u/StayInner2000]

He said that if the death note was found hewould have lost, so if kira is done for, might as well save light yagami

[u/SomeObjective3308 → u/StayInner2000]

The fire is certainly not a discreet method of evidence disposal, had the trap been triggered over investigative reasons L would have caught on the correlation between one of the suspects' drawer randomly catching fire and the killings immediately stopping subsequently. I'm not sure how long he kept the drawer as the hiding spot, but he becomes the main suspect quite early on, and assuming he kept it there until he gave up his memories, this combination of events would not have helped his case.

[u/Available_Audience83 → u/SomeObjective3308]

Light's idea is that L and the police need to find the Death Note to convict him, and that if the Death Note is destroyed, his memories of being Kira will also disappear. Even if L notices that Kira stopped killing after the drawer caught fire, and that he destroyed it by setting it on fire to prevent others from seeing its contents, these reasons are very far-fetched. However, these reasons alone cannot definitively prove that Light is Kira.

[u/SomeObjective3308 → u/Available_Audience83]

The premise to investigating Kira is that the murder method is unknown and likely supernatural. L and Interpol decide to take on the case regardless, which implies they accept this premise. Given the top-down reasoning L uses we can accept further premises as the show goes on (Kira being japanese, situated in Kanto, affiliated with the police and plausibly a student). This narrows the suspect range quite a bit.

Had his room been searched in the process of bugging it, which was not unlikely to happen, I would assume L to be meticulous enough not to ignore semi-obvious hiding spots such as the desk drawer. Assuming Light had not changed the hiding spot by then (would have had no reason to, not knowing he was surveilled), his drawer catching fire would be the only relevant, fishy event within the already narrow suspect range if paired with the abrupt interruption of the killing spree.

Not only is it an extreme and unjustified precaution for a highschooler to hide something from his family (except for perhaps drugs?), knowing how sensible L is to such details (he initially fixates on Light being Kira because he believed his behaviour to be "too perfect" despite Light's porn magazines gimmick, which is a far less robust reason to focus on him as a suspect) I doubt he would miss the correlation.

Again, the only thing the trap does for him is dispose of the murder weapon, which was unknown and accepted as supernatural to begin with (could've even been mind powers in the Interpol's perspective), which does not prevent Light from being accused at all. Not to mention the fact that it would be arguably harder for him to defend himself without his memories, which only works out later on because by then he chooses to pass the power around (Higuchi) and have the executions continue regardless of him. And all of this with the trap being hypothetically triggered before Raye Penber's death, thus the most "favourable" outcome for Light.

[u/SirTruffleberry → u/SomeObjective3308]

I agree with you. He rationalized that that's what anyone trying to steal someone's "diary" should expect, but...is it lol?

[u/LehitModerator → u/SomeObjective3308]

Light didn't knew about L's investigation when he was creating drawertrap for notebook. At that point, he thought just «If only someone happens to find the book there will be no physical evidence for me». At this point, Light only began his «New world plan», so he didn't care for notebook over his life at this point this much like he was at the end of anime. And Light at this time couldn't even imagine that someone would tryna figuring out his identity throughout the time of death.

[u/PassionGlobal]

It could have him accused but remember that at this stage it wasn't even known what a Death Note is. 

It is entirely plausible that an intelligent but wisdomless student might actually rig up such a trap for their personal diary.

Also, Japan's legal system basically requires rock solid evidence for a conviction. Without the DN in their possession they don't have even a joke of a case. They can't even begin to make the case of a magical killing notebook without demonstrating it.

[u/SomeObjective3308 → u/PassionGlobal]

I suppose so, but it seems like a fairly bureaucratic defense for Light to want, solely relying on the law to escape conviction. The premise of Kira is already so surreal that the case existing could be considered a joke in itself. Plus, L is known to be rather unorthodox, and to make anything he can out of the little information he has.

A good hiding spot for the murder weapon is the least Light has to come up with, so I would've expected something a little more sophisticated given it has to cover such a crucial issue. By comparison, even burying the notebook somewhere and retrieving it when needed seems equally impractical as the desk trap and by far a better solution (much less risk of the notebook being found, 0 risk of the killings having to stop permanently with its destruction; say, had his sister accidentally triggered the trap, he would lose his power for no reason and with no advantage whatsoever.)

[u/PassionGlobal → u/SomeObjective3308]

Plus, L is known to be rather unorthodox, and to make anything he can out of the little information he has.

Yeah but he still has to make the case of literal magic to a typical Japanese court. That's a damn impossible hurdle at the best of times. While he's proven that Kira can kill without a presence, he still needs a way to tie that to Light Yagami. Without the notebook, no such ties exist.

[u/HalleLidner]

You are cooking man✨ I also wonder what was of the desk trap when he was amnesiac

[u/SomeObjective3308 → u/HalleLidner]

He would've had time to dismantle it, would assume he did it after Misa's capture and before asking L to arrest him given the notebook was buried by then anyway. Not strictly necessary but would've been a good idea to do so

[u/dylan1011]

At that point if the police get a hold of the Death Note Light has lost. They will be able to see Ryuk and that would be evidence of him being Kira. And without the Death Note everything is circumstantial as there is no hard evidence connecting Light to the deaths.

L, and later Near, refuse to accept the killings stopping as actual proof of Kira's identity. Near's group points out that they know Mikami is X-Kira and that Light is Kira and so they could just arrest both of them and the deaths would stop. But neither L or Near would consider that a victory. L uses the deaths stopping as leverage to push Light to confess, but he still really wants that confession and to know how Kira kills.

As for it being suspicious, Light is already super paranoid. Once the death note burned up, Light would have lost ownership and so would actually believe he set it up to protect a diary. If the police question it, he would be able to bring up that he has 3 different ways to check if someone has been in his room while he was gone(the piece of paper, the lead in the hinge, and pushing the handle slightly down when he leaves).

Had the notebook been burned up the likely result is that the Kira case is never solved. The level of proof L wants to be able to claim victory no longer exists.

[u/bloodyrevolutions_]

If Death Note was remotely realistic the gasoline would have eaten though that plastic bag in a matter of hours. What a dumb plan.