Even before the great revelation about his motives,
Itachi Uchiha has gained a legion of fans and can be considered one of the most beloved characters in Naruto. One of the most influential Uchiha clan members, something considerable in a family with so many extraordinary characters,
Itachi grew up as a prodigy and is considered one of the greatest ninjas of all time.
Marked by his clan's tragic path and the weight of his own actions in the Uchiha's destruction,
Itachi did not have an easy life. Still, he faced the challenges he encountered with intelligence and determination, doing everything so that others would not have to go through what he went through.
With such a complex history, there is no shortage of memorable moments for the character - and in this list, you can look back on
10 of Itachi Uchiha's best moments!
Uchiha Clan Massacre
One of the events that mark
Itachi throughout the series is the massacre of the Uchiha clan. At this moment, we first meet the character, being led to believe that he was just a villain and cruel enough not to hesitate to traumatize his brother, just a child, right after killing his entire family.
Later, it becomes clear that as bad as
Itachi's actions were, and as many mistakes as the character made, the Uchiha clan's end was not the result of an act of pure evil or someone seeking power.
In the end, the initial grim introduction that
Itachi has is of great importance to the twist that comes later. The massacre is undoubtedly a remarkable scene when seen in
Sasuke's flashbacks. It becomes an even better Itachi moment when we discover that he acted to protect the Village and sacrificed himself so that his brother would not have to suffer as well.
Itachi and Shisui
Itachi and
Shisui's relationship certainly stands out throughout the series, although we see the two together only briefly and in glimpses of the past. The moment that draws the most attention, however, is undoubtedly
Shisui's death.
Initially, we see only part of the story, as we learn of what happened through
Sasuke and the other Uchiha's questioning of
Itachi, which suggests that the latter would have killed his best friend. Itachi's reaction is immediate and aggressive, in one of the few moments where we see
Itachi lose his temper. Still, the scene does not clarify whether this is due to the accusations' accuracy or the falsehood and absurdity they suggest.
Later, in
Itachi's own memories, we see a dialogue with
Shisui, which illustrates that the latter also tried everything to stop the
Uchiha from carrying out the coup idea that ultimately destroyed the clan.
Shisui asks
Itachi to protect the Village and the name of the Uchiha before taking his own life. It becomes clear how much this affects
Itachi, both personally and concerning his choices, defining the rest of his life.
Itachi vs. Kakashi
The first notable battle that we see
Itachi involved in takes place still in the first part of Naruto, when the Uchiha returns to the Leaf Village as a member of the Akatsuki, attempting to capture the Nine-Tails.
The Leaf ninjas do not allow this to happen, and
Itachi faces
Kakashi in an incredible battle, not because he uses flashy and destructive powers, but because of the tension and atmosphere, as well as for the strategy required to face an enemy so skilled with genjutsu.
This is also the battle where we see
Tsukuyomi being used for the first time, something that, at the time, served to make
Itachi even more threatening since even
Kakashi's Sharingan was not enough to face him.
You are Weak
Seeing
Sasuke and
Itachi meet after so long, having followed
Sasuke's growth as a ninja alongside Team 7, and knowing (or believing to know) everything
Itachi has done, has undoubtedly resulted in one of the most anticipated and most defining moments in both of their stories.
Things don't go as well as
Sasuke hopes, and indeed, the meeting serves as the kickoff to the dark path the boy chooses to follow. Still, seeing the Uchiha brothers on the scene is memorable, and the carefree manner in which
Itachi acts makes it all even tenser.
We couldn't leave out the famous scene where
Itachi says
Sasuke is weak because he lacks hatred, could we?
Genjutsu with Only One Finger
The next moment we see
Itachi, the one who confronts him, is not
Sasuke but Team 7 instead (alongside Lady Chiyo). The battle alone may not be Naruto's most memorable, especially considering that, in reality, the one facing the group isn't even the real
Itachi. Still, it reinforces just how powerful the character is -- and establishes that to defeat him, it takes a lot more than not looking him in the eye.
Once the group confronts Itachi, their primary concern is to find a way to face him without being caught by his genjutsu. Therefore, they worry about not looking him in the eye since the Sharingan would not affect them in this way.
Itachi, however, does not need his Sharingan to be a master of genjutsu. All it takes is a flick of his finger, and he can trap
Naruto in an illusion, and it takes the boy some time to understand what has happened.
It may not be a battle of Susanoos, but it's a defining moment that shows how unique the character is, even without special powers.
Fated Battle Between Brothers
An
Itachi moment that is perhaps second behind the Fourth War's events is the inevitable and much-anticipated battle between
Sasuke and his older brother, one of the best moments of the entire series.
The fight between the two is fantastic, and watching them use absurd powers is certainly very interesting.
Itachi even introduces the audience to another Uchiha technique that we would later see several other times: the Susanoo, which protects him from
Sasuke's Kirin.
The emotional content of the encounter also has great weight in how striking the scene is. This is the moment of revenge that
Sasuke has dedicated himself to since losing his family, while for
Itachi, it is the end of his life and the conflict with the brother he loved.
The Sword of Totsuka vs. Orochimaru
During the two Uchiha's dramatic conflict,
Itachi still finds the time and strength to rid
Sasuke of
Orochimaru's influence on a more permanent basis, which leads to another notable moment.
Having waited until
Sasuke was exhausted and could no longer suppress the power of the Snake Sannin,
Itachi defeats all the snakes, ending with
Orochimaru himself, which he seals using the power of the Sword of Totsuka.
Orochimaru has always been a pretty menacing character. It's great to see
Itachi end his attempt to return to life, even after fighting
Sasuke for some time and not being in perfect conditions.
It's also striking that he thought to rid
Sasuke of something he possibly wouldn't have the strength to overcome on his own.
Breaking Edo Tensei
Itachi stays dead for some time after his fight with
Sasuke, but he does not stay that way permanently. When the Fourth Ninja War begins, and
Kabuto uses Edo Tensei to bring back several notable ninjas,
Itachi is not left out and is one of those who come under the control of the Jutsu.
But that doesn't last long. Being one of the most intelligent characters in the series,
Itachi soon finds a way to break free, adapting elements of a plan he had made before to ensure that
Sasuke would return to protect the Leaf Village.
Before facing his brother,
Itachi already knew he would meet his death. So, he left a raven with
Shisui's eye inside
Naruto, preparing the latter to face
Sasuke and to make him turn back to protecting the Leaf Village.
Shisui's Sharingan possessed the power of Kotoamatsukami, an ability that allowed him to manipulate the target's mind in a subtle way.
Instead of following his original plan,
Itachi uses the power contained in the raven within
Naruto, breaking
Kabuto's control and leaving
Itachi free.
Itachi and Sasuke vs. Kabuto
Not satisfied with breaking free,
Itachi set out to end
Kabuto's advantage in the war. To do this, the Uchiha decided the way would be to undo Edo Tensei. He went off in the villain's direction, meeting
Sasuke on the way by pure chance.
This reunion is just as striking as the first time we see the two together after the Uchiha massacre, albeit for entirely different reasons. Also, it is incredible to see the brothers fight side by side at least once, using their fighting skills together instead of against each other.
Itachi's influence over
Sasuke throughout the fight also draws attention, as the elder prevents his brother from giving in to impulses and just killing
Kabuto.
Still,
Itachi steals the scene with another brilliant strategy and another fantastic technique, using the conflict to set up
Izanami and trap
Kabuto in the Uchiha clan's most powerful genjutsu.
The End
After following the character's whole trajectory, discovering his real intentions, and all the reasons that led him to the path he took, it's hard not to get attached to
Itachi. This becomes even more true when we meet him again, brought back by Edo Tensei, which only increases the pain of his loss when he meets his end.
The character's farewell is quite emotional. Right after defeating
Kabuto and undoing Edo Tensei, in a crucial action to prevent the villain from destroying the ninja world,
Itachi finally talks to his brother, revealing his side of the story.
Seeing the end of
Shisui and
Itachi's suffering in killing his own family to protect the Leaf Village is exciting enough on its own. Still, it is his farewell to
Sasuke that is genuinely remarkable.
Itachi acknowledges his brother as an equal as he places their foreheads together and makes a statement that is sure to cause some tears, saying:
“You don't ever have to forgive me and whatever you do from here on out, know this, no matter what, I will love you always.”
With a remarkable life, it is not surprising that when it comes to last words,
Itachi's were to generate one of the most emotional moments in the series.
