#naruto 626

Did Sasuke just...

I have a terrible feeling we're being set up for this.

"HASHIRAMA AND MADARA 2"

OH NOOOOOES!!!!!!!! WHAT'S THAT POKEY THING DOING IN MADARAAAAA'S CHEST.....?!?!?

                    SASUKE - WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF ALL THIS???

Oh, STFU Sausekay.

Is that what you think of this flashback??

So this chapter picks right back up where last week's left off as we rejoin Hashirama absorbing the news that Madara both intends to leave the village and continue to battle his rival, regardless of the truce drawn between their clans which is fruitioning into a peaceful village. Trying to be a supportive friend and ally, Hashirama earnestly offer his help to Madara to achieve his mysterious dream, in the way he feels Madara did so for "their" dream of Konoha, but the Uchiha scoffs, claiming Hashirama's help would be ineffective because he cannot see "the FOREST for the TREES." HA. GET IT. Forest... Trees.... MOKUTON.... yeah.

Madara claims that he is thinking about the "BIG PICTURE," the Shinobi world as a whole, while Hashirama is focusing only on one particular place and group of people - those in the village - and calling it "true peace." It's clear from his vague references that Madara is thinking about the Moon's Eye Plan, his means of insuring global peace through genjutsu, and since this plan involves combining the power of both Senju and Uchiha to attain the ultimate power of the Sage of Six Paths, it makes since why he wants it to be a solo mission.

The scene shift away to Hashirama sitting atop his sculpted head on what is now officially Mount Hokagemore, thus suggesting the amount of time that has passed since his flame-lit encounter with Madara. As he's solemnly taking in the sight of the thriving village below, Narrator!Hashirama explains how other clans began to look at the success of Konoha and form their own villages in its image, thus resulting in a dramatic decrease in strife and violence for all, and in particular for children as we see Uchiha and Senju children laughing, playing and learning from alongside one another. 

The scene then transitions to the memories that first began this flashback, of Hashirama and Madara’s epic duel at the Battle of the End. It literally picks up right where we were left as Hashirama in MOKUTON Sage Mode  responds to Madara’s charge atop a Susanoo shielded Kurama. As a series of BIJUU BOMBS, which appear to have Susanoo swords thrust through them as before, collide midair with the Thousand Hand Buddha of Hashirama’s summoning, a mighty explosion results, sending debris flying far and wide. As the dust settles, we see that the Buddha’s one thousand hands have been completely obliterated while the Susanoo has been sundered from Kurama leaving him and Madara exposed. Detaching the Buddha from its now useless plague of arms, Hashirama leads the next charge towards his former ally and comrade.

As the Buddha’s hand reaches towards Kurama it easily snatches him up, once again putting into perspective how impressively massive the statue is in comparison to this mighty tailed beast. Recognizing that this moment is his chance to wrench control of Kurama away from Madara, Hashirama grasps his hand and performs the Obedient Palm technique, which we have seen Yamato use on Naruto when Kurama was beginning to take too much control over his charge’s body. As the massive hand of the Buddha mimics its summoner, Madara is forced to leap aside from his position on Kurama’s head as the hand comes to rest in the same spot, instantly placing Kurama into a deep stupor. 

As Kurama’s eyes close, perhaps in part due to relief, Hashirama leaps off the Buddha to face Madara on the ground and we are shown an intense close up of Madara’s Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, similarly to how it was feature in the Ninja Storm Generations cut scene of this very battle, though it does not appear to be spinning. However, unlike that animation sequence and other pictures featuring this scene, Madara is NOT wearing red armor, but rather traditional Uchiha garb. Is this a big deal, probably not, but the emphasis on his sharingan definitely might. It could be at this point that Hashirama is placed under a genjutsu, though after years of battling Uchiha, and Madara in particular, you would expect him to know better. Or perhaps the panel of the sharingan as it is followed immediately by a panel of the full moon is meant to be read as a reference to the Moon’s Eye Plan. Regardless, whenever anything epic is occurring in the plot, such as the attack on Konoha with Kurama and the 4th Ninja War, there is alway an ominous full moon in the sky, silently observing the pain and destruction being wrought in the world through its bright, placid eye. 

At bare minimum, this panel of the moon successfully functions as a transition in time, as we now find Hashirama and Madara battle-weary but standing, facing one another from across the very recognizable cavern their struggle has carved into the earth. It should be noted each man is standing on the side of the gully that his statues commemorating this almighty battle currently resides; Madara to the left and Hashirama to the right. From the look of his singed arm and stooped posture, it appears Hashirama is closer to reaching his limit than Madara who’s breath is equally labored but who appears to be standing taller.

The river that is slowly beginning to fill the cavern reminds us of the creek on who’s sunny bank these two rivals became close friend and confidants, but now, under the chill of night and rain, the flowing water serves to divide. This sentiment is expressed by Madara as he smugly declares that this time Hashirama will not be “reaching the other side,” a direct reference of course to their competition skipping stones as children, which has been reference multiple times throughout this flashback, so it is only fitting that, at the “end,” it should be mentioned once more.

Charging at each other once more, we see the two men’s weapons dance a deadly arc across one another and at first we are unsure who might be hit and who is not, but as Hashirama eats the dirt, it becomes clear Madara is the last man standing. Tasting victory close at hand, Madara begins to relax as Hashirama struggles into a crouching position, in doing so stating that now that he and Madara’s dream of a creating a village for establish peace has become reality, he will not let anything stand in his way. In an effort to solidify his resolve, Hashirama has a flashback to earlier moments in the flashback of he and Madara as children daydreaming of their village for peace, (if you will, a flashback of the flashback that is currently flashbacking, yes). In doing so, he admits regret for not doing more to win Madara over or perhaps that he did not recognize sooner that Madara was never truly dedicated to what Hashirama though was their dream equally. Regardless, it is with a darkened face, fueled by determination that we see Hashirama deliver the surprise but final blow of the battle.

SAD FACE.

The fact that Madara looses this battle is not at all surprising for us, but seeing the intimate violence of the scene is quite shocking and rudimentary as it is a simple sword that fells Madara, not a massive summoning or power attack. Ending a man with a sword is a very personal act that I find fitting for these two characters as it reflects their close yet sorted relationship. 

As Madara realizes the Hashirama in front of him is actually a wood clone, which we have learned through Edo Tensei Madara’s use of them that they are very difficult to distinguish, Hashirama explains that he is committed to protect the village at all costs, even if that cost is the life of a family member or friend. In this way, whether he intended it or not, Madara succeeds in forcing a bit of his own brand of darkness into his former friend’s heart, and we can sense the soul ache this hardline draws in Hashirama as he takes in Madara’s “last” moments with a bone-weary expression. 

I find it interesting that Madara’s eyes are completely blank as he utters his “last” words, which sum up his belief that one simple village will not cure the world of its hate, war or pain. I wonder if his eyes are depicted this way because he is “dying” or because they have simply rolled into his head, or perhaps it suggests something else entirely for Madara is the master of tricks.

As Madara’s body falls forward onto the wet earth, we see that something causes Hashirama’s attention to snap upwards, but as there is nothing above that I see the motion is rather ambiguous. Perhaps he is overcome with the sudden inspiration to carve Madara’s likeness into the rock face in front of him, or the reality of the situation has finally caught up, or if he has been under a genjutsu he is finally snapping out of it... (?) Either way, Hashirama falls to his knees and quietly observes Madara’s “fallen” form for an unknown length of moments.

It’s at this point that the flashback comes to an end (YAY!!! boo?) and we rejoin Edo Tensei Hashirama who states he doesn’t know to what purpose someone would want to resurrect Madara, but what he does know is he had to sacrifice a dear friend that fateful day in order to preserve his dream. As the panels switch between the other three Hokage present, Hashirama boils down his answer to Sasuke’s question of what the purpose of a ninja village is, or was during his time, that being a place which brought warring clans together, established peace out of chaos and prevented (young) children from having to die in battle. But as Hashirama admits next, it was an imperfect model as the Uchiha Clan Massacre demonstrates, and it is interesting Hashirama speaks of his model in past tense, as if he realizes there is room for a new, even more efficiently form of village... or whatever may be produced after this war is said and done. 

The chapter wraps up wish Hashirama declaring that Madara was a prophet of sorts for being able to see the Uchiha’s rocky fate in the village and whole heartily admits that the ideals that lead to the Massacre, to sacrifice those who endanger the peace of the village, were entirely his. But he concludes, in answer to Sasuke’s other question, that shinobi are individuals who must pursue their dreams and protect them at all costs, and that by chasing a dream a person is changed in the process, as he and Madara illustrate perfectly. And in this way, I think he forgives or at least understand Madara for the choices and actions he made in pursuit of his own dream. 

Overall, this chapter was all about wrapping, both in terms of Hashirama’s AWESOME flashback and answering Sasuke’s questions. Now that both have been accomplished, I believe Sasuke will get more screen time next chapter as he begins to make his choice whether or not to attack Konoha. What his choice will be is still very much in the air for me, maybe he will just go join Madara or something and be with his fellow Emo Uchiha. 

Now that we have seen Madara’s “death”, we can’t help but wonder HOW THE HELL he got out of there alive with Hashi kneeling over him, for we know he did manage it. Why didn’t Hashirama take the body of his fallen rival and bury it properly? Did he just leave Madara to be buried by the river slowly filling the cavern? That doesn’t seem very respectful. I’ve heard a lot of people throwing around the idea that Madara used Izanagi or genjutsu’d Hashirama into believing he struck him down, but the fact still remains that Madara demonstrated a wound on his chest to Obito. At which point did Madara garner some of Hashirama’s DNA during the battle?

I think that’s something I really enjoy about this flashback, aside from getting to know Hashirama’s character, is that while getting a lot of answers and revelations we are still left with many questions to sort through, in true Naruto fashion, which is why I think eventually we will be treated to a Madara flashback!

I give this chapter a RATING of:

We didn’t learn anything new, per say, but it was still exciting to see the rest of the Battle of the End, though I would have enjoy seeing MUCH MORE of it! But I understand Kishi needed to tie this flashback up to move on with the present, which holds a lot of exciting promise!

As always, what did you guys think of this chapter? Did it read fast for you? Did you also want to see more battle scene from the Valley of the End? What do you think Sasuke is going to decide to do?

PREDICTIONS:

Next chapter is going to be dialogue heavy as everyone absorbs Hashirama’s tale. Who knows, maybe each Kage will have a chance to answer Sasuke’s question as well, though I doubt he’ll listen to anything that comes out of Tobirama’s mouth.

Sasuke will decide being a Waffle House cook is the dream for him.

Somehow, Sasuke’s choice - whatever it is - will lead everyone to join the battlefield, and that’s when things will really get interesting.

Till next week!!

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