Arc Length: Chapters 593-656
Short Summary
Sasuke revives Orochimaru using Anko's Curse Mark, and the duo head off (with Suigetsu and Jugo).Naruto, Killer Bee, Kakashi, and Might Guy continue to fight Tobi, managing to destroy his mask. Tobi is revealed to be Kakashi's childhood friend Obito Uchiha, who was thought to be dead. Madara Uchiha arrives, having defeated the Kages. Obito flashes back to how Madara saved him from his "death", and how Rin's death convinced him that the world was worthless. The Ten Tails awakens, and the Shinobi Alliance arrives to aid the heroes in the final battle. Neji dies in the ensuing fight.
Elsewhere, Orochimaru frees the Hokages from the Shinigami and revives them with Edo Tensei. Hashirama tells Sasuke about the founding of Konoha, which convinces him to help the village. Sasuke and the Hokages aid the Shinobi Alliance in the final battle against the Ten Tails.
Kakashi mortally wounds Obito. Madara forces Obito to use Rinne Tensei to revive him by controlling his Zetsu implants. However, Obito was somehow tricking him, and uses sealing jutsu to become the Ten Tail jinchuriki. He overpowers Ten Tails when he focuses on Rin and his team, assuming direct control. Naruto and friends attack him without effect, until Naruto and Tobirama realize that Sage mode can hurt the Ten Tails.
Full Summary
This arc contains examples of:
- Back from the Dead: Madara is still not in the ground yet, and also revived are the four previous Hokages.
- Big Bad Duumvirate: Madara and Tobi are both on fairly equal ground. As of Chapter 637, the winner seems to be the latter, who has become the Ten Tails Jinchuriki. However, Madara apparently has a trump card.
- And as of 656, Madara has taken the reigns again, using Black Zetsu to possess Obito and force him to use Rinne Tensei to revive himself, killing Obito in the process
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Captain Obvious Reveal: Towards the end of the previous arc, and at the beginning of this arc, it was ridiculously obvious that Tobi was Obito Uchiha. - Dramatic Unmask: Naruto smashes Tobi's mask, revealing his true identity.
- Evil Counterpart: Naruto has a lot. But, Obito's the strongest. One subtle, but very strong instance is their attitude towards names: Naruto's name is his pride and joy, having been handed down by his beloved sensei Jiriaya. Obito views himself as 'Nobody' and doesn't care about his former identity.
- The Lost Lenore: Tobi's entire reason for being evil? It was because Rin died. That's it. But, when confronted by Kakashi, he states that, while her death was his emotional breakdown and Face–Heel Turn, it's the cruel plot behind her death that made him lose faith in reality. His goal is to erase a world he believes is hopeless and where only suffering can occur. A Shinobi world that thinks it's OK to turn a little girl into a timed suicide bomb can't possibly be good.
- One-Winged Angel: As of Chapter 638, Obito has a brand new form due to becoming the Jinchuriki of Ten Tails.
- Took a Level in Badass: Sakura has finished gathering chakra for the White Strength Seal, the same seal has Tsunade. And because she doesn't have to focus on her appearance, her version boosts her strength even more than Tsunade's.
