History Recap / NarutoLandOfWavesArc

* DarkerAndEdgier: This arc starts off gruesome with amounts of gore and violence especially Kakashi stabbing Haku with Raikiri through his hand and Zabuza cutting off Gato's head. Especially with what it means to be a Shinobi and the Bloody Mist is what really makes this arc the darkest entry continuing so forth.
* DarkAndTroubledPast: Again Inari and Haku.

* FranchiseOriginalSin: Sakura does very little in the arc, save one time when she tries to defend Tazuma from a would-be assassin (Kakashi steps in before she has to do anything) and another when she tries to help Sasuke against Haku (Nauto jumps in and Sakura doesn't try again). Otherwise, she just stands there on the sidelines while the boys do all the actual fighting. Sadly, this would be indicative of her role in much of the series later on.

* BigBadDuumvirate: Zabuza and Haku though their acting more as TheDragon
** NonActionBigBad: Gato

* BrokenBird: Inari and Haku
* DarkAndTroubledPast: Again Inari and Haku

* SnowMeansDeath

After completing a number of menial, E-rank "missions", Naruto complains that he wants something more challenging. So his team is given a C-Rank mission. Their job: escort a builder to the Land of Waves. However it turns out the builder wasn't entirely truthful about the details of his bodyguard needs, as he's being targeted for assassination. Team 7 soon find themselves contending with a dangerous rogue ninja, and they become embroiled in the land's struggle for freedom against a tyrannical mob boss who wants to stop the builder from completing a bridge that could threaten his operations.

We cut to Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura and Kakashi on a mission, as they seem to trying to catch a monster. Said monster turns out to just be a cat, owned by the Daimyo's wife. Apparently, these types of missions are the norm for brand-new Genin like Team 7. Naruto, however, is annoyed by the missions, complaining that they are just chores. The Third Hokage proceeds to provide an ExpositionDump and tells Team 7 (and the audience) that missions are given to the village and divided into 6 ranks: E, D, C, B, A and S. Missions are assigned based on the rank and capabilities of the ninja in question. As Team 7 are fresh out of school, they are given the lowest ranked missions so they can train in relative safety. Naruto refuses to take on any more of these missions, and is persistent enough that the Third gives in and assigns them a C rank mission, asking for Tazuna to come in. The Third tells that their mission was to bring Tazuna back to his home in the Land of Waves and protect him as he builds a bridge. When they start the mission, Sakura asks if there are Ninja in the Land of Waves. Kakashi stated while there are many different ninja villages, the Land of Waves doesn't have any. Then from a puddle, two ninja attack and kill Kakashi. They then attack Naruto and Tazuna. Sasuke is able to stop the two, but they shrug it off and continue to their attack on Tazuna and Naruto. When it looks like Sakura, Sasuke and Tazuna are doomed, Kakashi revealed he only pretended to be dead and easily defeated the enemies. Kakashi then asks Tazuna why ninja were after his life. As such danger would make this mission at least a B-Ranked mission and that they are have the right to return to their village for such tricky. Tazuna reveals Gato, the owner of a large corporation has effectively taken control of his land, and is pretty much a gang boss. He has drained the Land of Wave's economy so Tazuna didn't have the money for a B-ranked mission, and the only thing that can break his hold on the country is the bridge Tazuna is building.

After completing a number of menial, D-rank "missions", Naruto complains that he wants something more challenging. So his team is given a C-Rank mission. Their job: escort a builder to the Land of Waves. However it turns out the builder wasn't entirely truthful about the details of his bodyguard needs, as he's being targeted for assassination. Team 7 soon find themselves contending with a dangerous rogue ninja, and they become embroiled in the land's struggle for freedom against a tyrannical mob boss who wants to stop the builder from completing a bridge that could threaten his operations.

After doing a few odd jobs. Naruto complains that he wishes for something more challenging. So his team is given a C-Rank mission which is simply to escort a builder to the Land of Waves. However it turns out the builder wasn't entirely truthful about the details as he's being targeted for assassination. Team 7 soon find themselves contending against a dangerous rouge ninja and become embroiled in the land's struggle for freedom against tyrannical mob boss who wants to stop the builder from completing a bridge that could threaten his operations.

We cut to Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura and Kakashi on a mission, they seem to trying to catch a monster. Then we find out, it was just a cat of the Daimyo's wife. Naruto is annoyed by the missions, complaining they are just chores. The Third Hokage tells that missions are given to the village and judged into 6 ranks, E, D, C, B, A and S. And the rank of the ninja determines what missions they are given. As Team 7 are fresh out of school, they are given the lowest rank E so they can train and are safe. Naruto refuses, so the Third gives them a C rank and he asks for Tazuna to come in. The third tells that their mission was to bring Tazuna back to his home the Land of Waves and protect him as he builds a bridge. When they start the mission, Sakura asks if there are Ninja in the Land of Waves. Kakashi stated while there are many different ninja village, the Land of Waves doesn't have any. Then from a puddle, two ninja attack and kill Kakashi. They then attack Naruto and Tazuna. Sasuke is able to stop the two, but they shrug it off and continue to their attack on Tazuna and Naruto. When it looks like Sakura, Sasuke and Tazuna are doomed, Kakashi revealed he only pretended to be dead and easily defeated the enemies. Kakashi then asks Tazuna why ninja were after his life. As such danger would make this mission at least a B-Ranked mission and that they are have the right to return to their village for such tricky. Tazuna reveals Gato, the owner of a large corporation has effectively taken control of his land, and is pretty much a gang boss. He has drained the Land of Wave's economy so Tazuna didn't have the money for a B-ranked mission, and the only thing that can break his hold on the country is the bridge Tazuna is building.