Naruto series is versatile, to say the least, with its variety of characters, clans of shinobi, plots twists, backstories, and so on. One such clan that stood at the pinnacle once was the legendary Uchiha clan.
After the third great shinobi war, several clans were destroyed, making Uchihas the strongest clan among all the five great nations.
They were the direct descendants of Indra Otsutsuki, the son of the Sage of the Six Paths. It’s not a secret among Naruto fans how the entire Uchiha clan was annihilated overnight. They were executed for having plans of starting a civil war in Konoha and overthrowing the Hokage.
Lots of schemes and mistakes took place from several generations during that time which makes us question the decisions of those involved. Here, we will discuss whether the tragedy of the Uchiha Clan has been avoided or not.
Why did the Uchihas Want to Rebel?
It started when the Second Hokage was in charge of Konoha. Soon after the death of the first Hokage, the status of Uchihas went down when Tobirama Senju gave the Uchihas roles in the Konoha police force. The post came at the cost of having the entire clan shift on the outskirts of the village, completely isolated from the others.
Being the proud clan, the Uchihas believed it to be a disgrace that they were ostracized like that. They believed that Tobirama was threatened by their power and that is why he dealt with the entire clan at one move.
The misunderstanding continued for decades and the seed of hatred slowly sprouted in the Uchihas. This led them to plan a rebellion and control the entire village, which they believed to be their birthright.
The word of the rebellion reached the ears of the Hokage and the village elders. Itachi, being a loyal member of the Anbu Black Ops at that time, took the side of the higher-ups despite being the eldest son of the clan head. He was secretly ordered and also threatened by Danzo to kill the entire clan and leave the village.
Although Itachi didn’t want to, he accepted the mission for the sake of saving the life of his younger brother, Sasuke. Soon after the tragedy took place, Itachi joined the Akatsuki and acted as the spy for the village.
Was the Third Hokage to be Blamed for the Tragedy?
This has been a popular topic of debate among Naruto fans for several years. To be honest, the truth remains that Third Hokage wasn’t solely responsible for the tragedy.
During one meeting, he even tried to convince the elders by having Itachi take up the responsibility to change the minds of his clan. However, Hiruzen’s opinions on the matter amount to nothing since Danzo went ahead and did what he wanted either way.
That said, we cannot avoid the fact that the mismanagement among the higher-ups resulted from Hiruzen’s lack of leadership. As a Hokage, he refused to get his hands dirty or make difficult choices, so he ended up giving that authority to a stubborn man like Danzo.
This was arguably the main reason behind the death of the Uchiha clan. Although not directly, one way or another, Hiruzen’s bad choices resulted in that nightmare.
Hiruzen was a kind and affectionate person. He cared for his students and regretted how Orochimaru turned out to be even at his dying moments. He always cared for the villagers and was loved by the entire Konoha.
This was why, after the death of the Fourth Hokage, instead of appointing a Fifth Hokage, the village decided to reappoint the already retired Hokage back to his post. Still, he was a human who could make mistakes. Throughout his life, Hirzuen made many wrong decisions, which he owned up to.
Here are some possible scenarios where the tragedy of Uchiha Clan could have been avoided.
1. Proper Communication with the Second Hokage
Had Tobirama explained his decision of isolating the Uchiha Clan, maybe they wouldn’t have been resentful. Tobirama was an exceptionally intelligent Shinobi with great leadership qualities and strategic skills.
He believed the abilities of the Uchihas were most suitable for the police for so he assigned them there, without any ill will. However, he always gave the impression that he resented the Uchiha clan. That is why, when Tobirama assigned them the post they were most capable of, he was easily misunderstood.
2. If the Fourth Hokage was Alive
Minato’s death was the biggest tragedy and loss of Konoha before the annihilation of the Uchiahs. He was an exemplary leader. After Orochimaru revived all the previous Hokage, Minato learned about the situation with the Uchihas. He told Hiruzen that if he had been in the latter’s place, the Uchihas wouldn’t have had to die. It’s something we all believe would have been possible.
3. If Hiruzen had Taken a Firm Stand on the Situation
The plans of rebellion were going around for several years. As a result, the higher-ups knew of this for a long time. This is why during the meeting when Hiruzen tried to take a stand for the Uchihas, the elders completely disregarded his opinion. As the person standing at the top, Hiruzen chose to play the role of a bystander instead of finding a solution for the problem.
