Kakashi's "morality" and the hypocrisy of the adults in Konoha is something many people stubbornly refuse to think about.
A former ANBU captain, a man with blood up to his elbows, ties a broken teenager to a tree on a hospital roof and gives him a condescending lecture: "Revenge is bad, let it go." Kakashi says this to a kid who was just mentally destroyed by Tsukuyomi again. Kakashi was there himself. He was literally in a coma because of Itachi! And instead of saying, "I understand, this is hell, we will protect you and help destroy this threat," Kakashi suggests he just... forget it.
Forget that your brother slaughtered your clan. Forget that he is roaming free and can come back at any moment. Just be a good, convenient soldier for the village. The adults demand that a traumatized child accept the genocide of his family because they need an obedient asset with a Sharingan.
And the funniest part of these double standards: Itachi is an S-rank rogue ninja. By all Konoha's rules, Sasuke had the absolute, 100% legal and moral right to kill him. But the adults hold him back, pressure him, and shame him because his rage and pain are inconvenient for the system.
Recently I rewatched the entirety of Naruto (and read some of my favourite arcs), and I noticed something that I JUST have to talk about. This is a rather lengthy analysis of Naruto and Sasuke’s relationship and mindset, so please bear with me 😭
During my first watch, I was guilty of thinking that Sasuke changed his mind rather abruptly during VOTE 2. I didn’t understand how he abandoned his revolution after one single fight. But on rewatch… damn. Kishi might be a terrorist, but he knew what he was doing with Naruto and Sasuke. (Panels attached for proof?)
Rather lengthy analysis of Naruto, Sasuke, and the foreshadowing for Sasuke's eventual redemption:
It all begins during the ‘Five Kage’ arc (suicide pact my beloved). Naruto’s grand answer to the entire dilemma Nagato and Jiraiya posed to him — how will you find peace? — was just “I'll bear the world's hatred. Then lets both fight and die together?” (Insane behaviour. Someone please give my frog boy a hug).
But then, it goes a little deeper. Then slowly, it all starts to make sense? For Naruto, this was never about protecting Konoha. Not truly (I don't recognize any other patriotic canon gbless). We see him struggling throughout the Five Kage arc, grappling with the questions posed by Pein, and the weight of everything he's learnt about Sasuke. Everything his beloved village has done to the boy he loves.
Because now... Naruto finally understands. He's felt the righteousness of vengeance. He's looked at a man and felt nothing but burning hatred. How could he not? Pein killed his master-Jiraiya.
That's when he understands Sasuke.
Pein's question about how Naruto intends to find peace is far far deeper than just shinobi politics. For Naruto, the question is quite simple. How does he intend to save Sasuke, if he himself is falling into the same pitfalls of revenge. If he 'pulls the trigger', then with what face is he supposed to then ask Sasuke to abandon his revenge. (Man I fucking love the pein arc).
(I would like to point out how Konoha has always treated revenge differently when it comes to other shinobi vs an Uchiha. Shikamaru was not only encouraged, but given state support to avenge his sensei. But Sasuke must abandon the notion of avenging his whole family?)
That is when Naruto finally understands. And it almost destroys him. The Naruto we see in the Five Kage arc - taking beatings for Sasuke, begging the Raikage to spare Sasuke on his knees, having panic attacks and nightmares. Perhaps on some level, Naruto is punishing himself for feeling the same anger and hatred that's come to consume Sasuke. Because he understands, and he has no idea how to get past it.
And that pain of not know how to save Sasuke... it's brutal for him.
In that moment, all hope seems lost. Sasuke descends deeper and deeper into his madness. Naruto is a shell of himself just after his most triumphant moment (Saving Konoha).
And then, we get this:
Naruto's answer to the whole dilemma about peace is self-sacrifice?????????? (Bc ofc it is with this boy. He'd rather die before perpetuating the same cycles).
Naruto has begged and pleaded and taken beatings to protect Sasuke. To somehow try and stop the cycle of hatred by sheer willpower. The lesson? The world... simply doesn't care.
Pein said that 'humans can never understand each other', and perhaps Naruto believes that is because of all the burden, anger, trauma, and hatred they carry. Naruto and Sasuke were victims of that hatred. This world shaped them into who they are, irrevocably.
The answer? Humans can understand each other. Naruto and Sasuke can understand each other. But only free of the constraints that hold them back.
Only in death when Naruto is no longer a Jinchuriki, and Sasuke is no longer the last Uchiha, can they let go of all their suffering and resentment, and truly... truly accept each other. Because Sasuke's pain is too deep. His anger and hatred is... understandable. Naruto gets it now. He gets that he can no longer just ask Sasuke to drop everything and return.
He also... can't not defend Konoha. So the solution he lands on - suicide pact - seems inevitable to Naruto. He almost welcomes the prospect of the two no longer having to shoulder their burdens. A world where Naruto and Sasuke are free to love each other without their pasts haunting them.
Flash-forward to VOTE 2:
After their fated clash. It's exactly as Naruto prophesized. They're both beaten, bloody, and on the brink of dying. The anime goes further, and shows that Sasuke believes they're both dead. And for the first time... The first time since VOTE 1... we see him show explicit care towards Naruto? Because now that they're dead, he can finally breathe. He never hated Naruto. He just couldn't... let him in. Because of his anger. Because of his trauma when it came to Konoha and his clan.
They're no longer an Uchiha and a Jinchuriki. They're Naruto and Sasuke. Orphans. Their closest bonds. Finally, Sasuke is allowed to feel Naruto's pain, and care for him.
Finally, he doesn't need to be strong. Only in death is he free to be Sasuke.
Kishi himself even calls back to the suicide pact moment, tying it all back beautifully.
Again, Naruto thinks they're both dead:
And that's when Sasuke laughs. Now that - believing he was dead - he'd allowed himself to feel all the care and love and affection he had for Naruto. He just cannot go back to the place of isolation he'd been trapped in before.
Perhaps that's why Sasuke was so stubborn about cutting off Naruto. Because he knew that he loved Naruto so deeply that if he let himself feel it, he'd drop everything in an instant for that bond. Now that he's let himself feel it, he can never go back. So he finally lets it all go:
Naruto was always right. In a different way. To finally understand each other and accept each other, they had to let go of all their past and trauma. Perhaps death was the answer. Not literally, but metaphorically.
To all those who claim Sasuke never loved Naruto, or was 'toxic' to him. Sasuke loved Naruto: deeply, unconditionally. He loved him so much that he knew he'd drop all of his revenge in a heart beat for him. But his past... simply wouldn't let him.
In hindsight, the moment Sasuke let Naruto in, he was always going to change his mind. That is what Naruto knew all the way back during Five Kage arc. It's why he stopped chasing after Sasuke, and waited for him to come to him first.
In a twisted way, Sasuke's strong love was exactly the reason why he was so intent on cutting Naruto out. But in the end, I'm just glad my boys worked it out lol.
Anyways, if you read this far, thanks for coming to my ted talk lmao.
(Yes, I was sobbing as I typed this out. I just love them both so much).
It frustrates me so so much to see how Sasuke is never acknowledged as a person with capacity to believe and to think with personal motivations and ideals.
No one’s ever listened to him or sought to really understand his perspective, except perhaps Orochimaru, who of course had no positive intention.
Itachi always saw him as something to groom, to guide toward his fascist ideas. Naruto decided that Sasuke would be happier by his side, uncaring of wha Sasuke said. Sasuke didn’t care about his happiness, he wanted justice. But Naruto never cared for what Sasuke wanted to accomplish. It’s like he doesn’t even see him as a human just a mirror projection of his desires and loneliness. And Kakashi, ultimately, has been so deeply propagandized by the Leaf he cannot interpret anything against it.
No one cared that his perspective growing up in an insulated clan would make more loyal to its defense. No one heard him when he said the concept of the Hidden villages needs to be destroyed. No one acknowledged what his ideals were, forget supporting them.
It sounds so so incredible isolating and lonely :( not that Sasuke ever cares but… it makes ME so angry to even think about. It’s like an extrapolation of the misogyny we always see, in women being denied their personhood and capacity to think, into fascism, and it’s such an incredibly heartbreaking experience to think about.
“Sasuke had many chances not to go down the path he chose”
Ok. What path?
Justice for his clan who were the victims of genocide? Justice and retribution for the people who did it? Justice for his brother who did it under the orders of a military dictatorship?
I don’t understand why this should be a dealbreaker.
It’s also important to remember that besides Sasuke no one was going to bring Itachi to justice.
There were no Konoha ninja to track him down or make him answer for his crimes.
And Sasuke was letting go of revenge, trusting his teammates and caring for them. This is the same boy who jumped in front of Naruto knowing he was going to die and not accomplishing his goal, same kid who risked his ninja career to share his lunch with Naruto.
And what happened later? Itachi returned.
He went after Naruto. A person Sasuke started to care about then retraumatised him with tsukuyomi. (A torture that Itachi had no idea if his brother would wake up from and maybe Sasuke wouldn’t have if not for Tsunade.)
Itachi told him to kill his best friend for power. In Sasuke’s eyes this is the same loving brother who killed their clan for power, played the role of a loving brother and son.
Sasuke is betrayed by the person he loves the most. He is betrayed and abandoned, left on his own to deal with survivors guilt knowing it was his brother who took everything from him.
And now Itachi is going to kill one of the people he cares about again. This all happens because as Itachi says again that Sasuke isn’t strong enough, doesn’t have enough hate.
Sasuke is also humiliated by Itachi. His arm is broken, his new jutsu doesn’t even graze Itachi, Itachi also doesn’t take him seriously but goes after Naruto, Why? To punish Sasuke? Or is it because Sasuke isn’t even worth killing.
Sasuke is 12-13 during this confrontation and he’s brutally reminded that he’s the same boy who begged Itachi not to kill him when he was 7.
Also Orochimaru like a good predator took advantage of Sasuke’s loneliness, his lack of community and his insecurities.
And Itachi constantly pushes Sasuke into the path of vengeance (the same path many people hate to see) besides he already told Sasuke how to acquire the power to do so.
“Kill his best friend”
And in part 1 valley of the end fight, Sasuke does have chances to kill Naruto but he doesn’t do it.
In fact even with Orochimaru, he refuses to kill anyone. Frees the prisoners because he can. After forming his new team, Sasuke makes it clear that they won’t kill anyone besides Itachi.
“But Sasuke killed Deidara!”
Well yeah, did you see how much Deidara wanted to kill Sasuke simply because he’s Itachi’s brother?
When Saauke talks about his clan being done wrong by Itachi and seeking justice for them, it’s an incomplete justice.
Itachi didn’t just betray Sasuke, he didn’t just kill their parents. It’s not an eye for an eye.
Itachi killed every men, women and child who bears the name Uchiha; Itachi robbed Sasuke of a community.
There’s not a single person who shares his name or blood that Sasuke can turn to.
It’s incomplete justice because Itachi a cog in the system and killing him doesn’t exactly “make things right” for the Uchiha.
(Destroying the shinobi system and killing Konoha elders? Make it public knowledge what Konoha did to Uchiha? Well, yes)
Should Sasuke have let it go?
Because the Uchiha are dead and dead people don’t deserve justice? Is that it?
If so why does Shikamaru is allowed to grieve and avenge his teacher?
“Sasuke cut off everyone that cared about him”
Yes. Because he’s been conditioned that way.
1. Itachi told him to kill his best friend.
2. The more people he cares about more open and vulnerable he is and that can be exploited.
3. Sasuke lives for vengeance. For justice. He will give up his body, his mental and physical well being and his life for it. He’s singularly focused on this goal.
If this doesn’t vibe with you fine but he’s not this heartless monster or an asshole that cuts people off because he’s enjoying it.
If anything this proves how Sasuke is a tragic character who isolates himself and partly it’s his own doing. And partly it’s other people’s inability to understand or connect with him. They might care about him but they don’t understand him, part 1 Naruto sympathies with Sasuke and can empathise with Sasuke’s loneliness but doesn’t fully understand him nor does he-through out the series-comprehend the horrors Sasuke went through.
“There are characters more traumatised than he is.
Are we gonna play the oppression games? Seriously?!
If so, Sasuke’s trauma isn’t like anyone’s. It’s why every reader/watcher has trouble connecting with Sasuke.
Here’s a more detailed and well written explanation for this by @lapislazuli-13
I urge everyone to read it especially the part about psychic numbing. It’s important regardless of what you think about Sasuke.
Sasuke is Naruto’s greatest victim. Sasuke was almost always right and justified in feelings and actions. Sasuke is Naruto’s best character. Here’s why.
In many other stories, Sasuke's tale of revenge for the sake of his family would be considered correct and commendable.
This is not a petty vendetta. This is the correction of a terrible wrong done to him, his kinsman, and his ancestors. It starts off simply, as his understanding of the crime is simple, but as the threads of history unweave themselves before his horrified gaze, Sasuke's heart becomes consumed by hatred.
But his initial quest; the revenge he sought in an earnest pursuit of justice - that was righteous based on the knowledge he had at the time.
It's ridiculous and disgusting to say he is not justified even in his turning on the village who sacrificed his family for their own sakes.
He literally CANNOT live peacefully while the heinous murderer of his family walks freely. He is obligated by the ghosts of countless ancestors to execute the man who destroyed their lineage.
Not only that... But on a personal level, he could not live with himself being someone who shirks responsibility and runs away from danger. He won't be that helpless little kid ever again, and he is hell bent on proving this to himself and the world.
When he gets his ass handed to him just before leaving Konoha, it shows him just how little his efforts have paid off. How much distance does he have to cross before he can catch up to this man who holds his life in the palm of his hands? He desperately needs to catch up. And this thing he's got going on with team seven just isn't working out...
Worst of all, even these friends of his don't understand and don't care to. They are all quick to dismiss his revenge as something entirely wrong and even ridiculous. How can he now be vulnerable with those who have rejected his very deepest values? Those who claimed to understand yet deny the righteousness of his cause?
I say, Sasuke had no choice but to leave Konoha, if he was going to retain his soul. It's shit that no one trusts him to make his own choices, even if he is acting wild at the time and is only thirteen... But... Considering their way of life, risking their lives daily, and considering his past trauma and the helplessness that surrounded him all his early life... Isn't it the best thing for him to seek out his independence?
because the story is told through naruto's pov we are led to believe that he is naturally gifted with his power, but if you crack open the smallest bit of shell you can see that that is not true in the slightest- Sasuke grinded for his power every day of his life. his ambition to be the strongest he could was always rooted in the desire to protect, to make sure no one else was ever harmed in the way that he was. he strived for and succeeded in killing all three of his top abusers (itachi, Orochimaru, danzo), whom he felt a duty to eradicate to ensure they did not harm anyone else again. at the end of shippuden, his hard work grinding for this power shows that he canonically tied with Naruto being the strongest Shinobi alive- his desire to be strong enough to protect the world from corruption led him to the top of the pyramid. he did not do so passively; he fought in the shadows for what was right and did not give any second thought to tarnishing his reputation for the greater good. his cold hard exterior that so many (both canonically and the story's audience) fail to look past protects his true empathetic and gentle heart; we can see parts of his true colors in the way he treats innocent beings like animals. he pets his hawk summon in the middle of battle and gives stray cats portions of his food. sasuke's character has always been thematically about revolution and his bleeding core is at the very center of that
and he does all of this while also being incredibly hot
I feel like we need to talk about how we villainize characters like Sasuke and (to a lesser extent) Fugaku, while we prop up characters like Gaara and Minato. Sasuke's constantly thought of as a war criminal despite never committing any war crimes and actually being a victim of state-sponsored genocide. Fugaku is another genocide victim who has been oppressed his entire life, yet he's thought of as an abusive and horrible father. Yes, I'll admit he wasn't the best father and his actions did negatively affect Sasuke (and Itachi), but he was not physically or emotionally abusive. He didn't actively try to hurt his children.
Meanwhile, Gaara and Minato are characters who have canonically killed more people than you'll probably ever meet in your life. Despite this, the fandom rarely ever criticizes them. Gaara killed many villagers (though I'll admit it wasn't completely his fault), yet the blood on his hands is used to give him angst to make him seem like an "uwu sadboy." He became Kazekage despite his previous actions (all because of nepotism, might I add), and the fandom hypes him up for it despite making fun of Sasuke saying he wanted to become Hokage. We didn't get to really see Minato as a father, but what we did see is that he put a demon inside of his newborn son and then died, which caused Naruto's life to be much worse.
In my opinion, the stark contrast between the fandom perceptions of the characters stated above comes from Kishimoto's framing of Konoha as the "good guys" and the Uchiha (and other people who oppose the Hidden Villages) as the "bad guys." The characters that fandom loves to hype up as "good people" are pro-Konoha ninja. They actively work for a fascist state, or they support it. On the other hand, the characters that the fandom tends to villainize are the Uchiha that actively oppose the village. For example, Sasuke is hated for going against Konoha.
If you think about it, what Sasuke is doing is actively fighting against a fascist state and a corrupt system that not only ruined his life but the lives of countless others. However, because of the framing of the story, Sasuke is seen not as a teenage victim of oppression and genocide but as a criminal who actively opposed the "peace" of the Hidden Leaf Village.
Of course, the fandom perceptions aren't completely reliant on Kishimoto's framing, but I think it's one of the reasons why the fandom dislikes characters like Sasuke but love characters like Gaara.
