Summary
Narutois one of the most iconic anime of all time and, over the course of the story, it has had some of the most memorable story arcs that the industry has ever seen. These arcs are incredibly important to the overall story, as events that take place in them have lasting effects that are still important to the narrative years later, cementing the great storytelling that Kishimoto embodies.
One such example of this is the beloved Fated Battle Between Brothers. Not only was the build-up to this arc incredible, having taken place over many years, but it served as an integral piece of Sasuke’s character development while also providing a perfect conclusion to one of the series’most beloved characters in Itachi. So, let’s go over why this arc is such a high point in theNarutofranchise.
Prelude To The Arc
This arc was the culmination of much of Sasuke’s character as it tied back to his backstory, which had been shown many episodes/chapters prior. Sasuke, much like Naruto, was also an outcast due to the events of his childhood. When he was young, his entire family and clan were killed, which meant that he grew up alone.
However, it would eventually be shown that Sasuke’s very own elder brother,the renowned Itachi Uchiha, was the reason for the clan’s demise. This would be something that became integral to Sasuke’s character arc, as he would be defined by his desire to seek revenge on Itachi for what he did, though he could never truly bring himself to hate his brother.
Itachi was a prodigy in every sense of the word. He was regarded by everyone to be a special Shinobi, none more so than his younger brother, who loved him unconditionally and would strive to be just like him. This powerful dichotomy of beliefs was the core theme in this arc; of how Sasuke had been on a hunt to kill his brother whom he still loved deep down.
Debut Date
June 24, 2025
The previous arc saw Sasuke hot in the pursuit of his older brother, whom he would eventually confront at the Uchiha hideout. After a long fight, the two would have a conversation about the Akatsuki and the Mangekyo Sharingan, which Itachi revealed to be the reason why he kept Sasuke alive during the Uchiha massacre. Sincethe Mangekyo Sharinganthat one achieves themselves progressively leads to blindness, Itachi said that he wanted Sasuke to achieve it to steal it from him later. By taking it from someone else, the Mangekyo Sharingan retains its benefits without the threat of blindness.
Eventually, the start of this fight is revealed to only have taken place within Itachi’s Tsukuyomi, which he had used as an illusion, one which Sasuke broke out of. Eventually, Sasuke’s mastery of the Great Fireball Technique would get overpowered by Itachi’s Amaterasu, though this too was a bluff from Sasuke, who continued with the fight, all while Zetsu carefully watched the chaos ensue from a safe distance.
I want to impart this truth to you; you don’t ever have to forgive me. And no matter what you do from here on out, know this… I will love you always.
As the fight reaches its conclusion, new revelations are made as Itachi unveils the Susanoo, a powerful technique birthed from the Mangekyo Sharingan, while Sasuke is on his last legs. Here, Orochimaru is revealed to still be in Sasuke’s body from the time he tried to take it over, but is promptly dispatched after being stabbed by theSword of Totsuka used by Itachi’s Susanoo.
At this stage, Sasuke is exhausted and completely out of the fight when Itachi approaches him, seeking to deal the finishing blow. However, a shocking revelation is made here that, despite seeming invincible in their fight, Itachi was suffering from prior grievous wounds and never wanted to kill Sasuke in the first place. After learning that his brother did not plan to kill him, Sasuke too passes out asZetsu reveals that Itachi never planned on killing himand must’ve had a prior injury in the fight.
Aftermath of the Battle
After passing out on the battlefield, Sasuke wakes up in a large room where Tobi is. Here, Tobi removes his mask and reveals himself as Madara Uchiha with his Mangekyo Sharingan, and here, he reveals the truth about the Uchiha massacre. Itachi was sent to kill the Uchiha clan after getting orders from the Elders of Konoha due to the clan planning to destroy the village.
After seeing the events of the Third Great Shinobi War when he was a child, Itachi knew that he had to do whatever it took to prevent a large-scale war, eventually being the catalyst to the infamous massacre. Also, Tobi reveals to Sasuke that in his dying moments,Itachi gifted his own Mangekyo Sharinganand abilities to him in an attempt to defend himself against “Madara”, who Itachi did not trust. Manipulating the situation, Tobi reveals that it was just a simple misunderstanding.
From here, Sasuke awakens his Mangekyo Sharingan, eventually regrouping with Hebi. Calling this new group ‘Taka’, Sasuke informs them that the main driving force behind their organization was the complete and utter destruction of Konoha.
Narutocan be streamed onCrunchyrollandAmazon Prime.
Naruto
A popular shonen anime based on Masashi Kishimoto’s manga, Naruto follows its eponymous shinobi’s journey as he goes from his town’s outsider to its hero.
