I still don't get why Tron didn't just run Clu through the back in the Legacy flashback when he had the chance. It was so contrived back then, and it still is 12 years later.

he had 2 disks in his hands and he decideds to run jump him instead, and then, he punches Clu, instead of I dunno using the 2 disk in his hands to decapitate Clu

I still think about this

and then there is the Uprising version, which is just as contrived. probably the least reliable, given its from Dyson's perspective and in Dyson's mind, he is more important in his version of things than he really is in reality. Was he really there? Or was that just a lie he tells others and wants to believe?

though i don't like Uprisings version, it is pretty interesting from a psychological perspective.

Clu's Betrayal, from 3 different viewpoints

Watch if you to want to be completely confused.

I vacillate between "physically unable to kill sysadmin for safety reasons," "doesn't know he's already half corrupted because Clu can sometimes plan ahead," and "four unreliable narrators with different unreliable memories"

(counting Betrayal and Evo, which are also different)

I sorta thought that by the time Uprising came into production they were like 'well ok, every sincgle one of these scenes is different, why no lean into the Rashamon effect.'

but agree completely. gdi Tron timeline is a mess. But so many unanswers things too.

as a potential explanation, i kinda read the same undertones in Betrayal that Tron understands that no sysadmin = bad for program reasons, and was extremely hesitant to call out Clu when he rightfully should have leading up and during Evolution. (and yeah even in the scene in the vid)

but its still super contrived, because we see multiple times Clu particpating in games where he looses, and yeah they are non- lethal at those points, but he can be taken down and injured with no seeming ill effect.

if they were so scared of the sysadmin being taken out, where does he participate, or anyone even allows him to participate?

I really want these answers dammit! And I know I won't ever get them.

so from those examples I can conclude:
A. Clu is too important and will affect the system too greatly if killed, and Tron was simply being too hesitant on killing him
B. Clu is not actually as important as believed, with no ill effect for his death, and Tron was simply being too hesitant on killing him aka personal reasons

C. Clu is not capable of being destroyed at all and it's all futile, so Tron doesn't bother.
D. The scene was badly written.

I somewhat contest the idea that Clu is too crucial to kill simply due to the system shown to being fine and running before he was made. It worked before.

so that would really only leave:
A. Personal reasons.
B. Bad writing
C. unfinished writing/plot (scenes/info we will never see)
D. Clu is a thermonuclear power plant and will gib the city if destroyed abruptly /shrug

anyways, I think i've spent way too long focused on this so I'll just leave it at that.

Great for headcanoning, terrible for continuity. XD