Narutois arguably one of the most contentious anime series. The anime has many divisive characters that would forever make Otakus agree to disagree based on their personal preferences and ideology. With characters like Itachi, Obito, and Negato, among others, the series revolves around creating issues and controversies around some of its characters. This is one of the many elements that makeNarutointriguing and timeless.
Throughout the series, the titular character, Naruto, pursues Sasuke in an attempt to redeem him from his wrongdoings.Naruto’s ninja way and idealsshape him to never give up on his quest to return Sasuke to the Hidden Leaf. However, given Sasuke’s tragic past and his decision to leave the Hidden Leaf, was his decision justified, or was he just being a brat? And, most likely, Naruto’s insistence on bringing him back countless times paints Sasuke in a negative light as a boy with a stone heart. But who goes through the hell he did and comes out unscathed?
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The Uchiha Massacre and Sasuke’s Trauma
One of the most controversial issues in Naruto is the justification for the Uchiha massacre.All the Uchihaswere wiped out in one night by one man, Uchiha Itachi. He takes the giant step of putting out what he believes to be a larger fire for Konoha. And while he killed his parents, his younger brother, Sasuke, witnessed the deed. As if that wasn’t enough, Itachi compelled 7 years old Sasuke to experience the Tsukuyomi. It was like forcing him to relive the moment over a million times.
The massacre of Sasuke’s entire clan and his brother’s treacherous actions scarred him for life. He grew into a brooding child who spoke to no one and kept to himself. His brother’s betrayal taught him that no one can be trusted, and the fact that he was the last of his clan in the village cemented that belief. He excelled in written exams and physical training atNinja Academy School. All this effort and determination to prepare himself for the day he passes judgment on his brother. However, reality finally creeps in on him the day he has an encounter with his brother that he is never going to be as strong as Itachi. Because of the slow training pace in Konoha, becoming powerful and unlocking his abilities will take a long time, prompting his decision to leave the Hidden Leaf. Sasuke’s decision to leave was not based on his distrust of theHidden Leaf’s ability to strengthenhim; instead, time is of the essence for Sasuke.
Sasuke has only lived through the trauma of witnessing the last day of the Uchiha Clan because of his plan for ultimate vengeance. Forgiveness is the last thing on his mind as a young boy subjected to a great deal of pain at such a young age. In his case, karma is merely a ruse and a fairy tale. Sasuke’s only way to be at peace was to crucify a man who committed genocide, and if leaving his village is what it takes to become stronger, why not?
The Truth Is Powerful
After Sasuke left the village and Naruto’s many failed attempts to bring him back, Sasuke got stronger. He entered Orochimaru’s web, and his ingenuity and abilities saw him through. His desire for vengeance fuels his abilities, and he eventuallysurpasses his master, Orochimaru. But the truth of the event that transpired on the night of the Uchiha massacre changed Sasuke’s beliefs. He realized how the Hidden Leaf village made his brother a villain to wipe out his clan. And at the end, he discovers his brother’s love for him is more potent than even the lives of his clan.
The Hidden Leaf was entirely to blame for the Uchiha clan massacre, and Itachi became a villain and traitor to his brother and the Hidden Leaf. Itachi apparently had to choose between his love for his brother and his love for his entire clan, and he chose Sasuke.The Tsukuyomiinvoked on Sasuke by his brother was all part of his plan to make him stronger, and the foresight paid off as Sasuke rose to become one of the Hidden Leaf’s most powerful shinobi. Itachi already met his end at the hand of Sasuke before the truth was uncovered. Due to this, Sasuke turned his rage on the Hidden Leaf.
Afterbeing reincarnated with the Edo Tensei, Itachi told Sasuke that he should have told him the truth instead of planting the seed of hatred in his heart. The truth set Sasuke free, and despite his desire for vengeance against the Hidden Leaf, Sasuke couldn’t destroy the place his brother died protecting. These long-hidden secrets were revealed to Sasuke because he forged his own path and sought justice in his own way. And while he must have left a trail of problems on his path to vengeance, discovering the truth forced him to let go of the past, making him one of the liberators of the shinobi world during the Fourth Great Ninja War.
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