Naruto: 11 Villains Who Should've Embraced Their Dark Side

Highlights

Kishimoto has a tendency to turn his villains into good guys, which sometimes undermines their potential as formidable foes.

Characters such as Toneri, Sasuke, Orochimaru, Kabuto, Gaara, Haku, Nagato, Konan, Team Taka, Obito, and Itachi possessed the potential to become compelling villains if their paths of redemption had been avoided. The excessive incorporation of villain redemption in Naruto undermines the impact of genuinely malevolent antagonists and restricts the potential for storytelling involving characters like Jinchuriki.

Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto series has featured an array of exceptional villains throughout its serialization, and it is undeniable that Kishimoto's approach to these antagonists is distinctive, to say the least.

In Naruto, nearly every villain is a consequence of their circumstances, making for compelling storytelling. However, Kishimoto's tendency to redeem a significant number of these villains ultimately had mixed results. While this change of heart benefited certain characters, it had a negative impact on others.

Updated on October 9, 2923, by Rei Penber: The Naruto world is replete with a myriad of captivating adversaries for fans to revel in. Kishimoto has truly excelled at crafting exceptional antagonists throughout the years. Many of the Naruto villains are victims of their circumstances, born into an environment that shaped them. Others sought the same peace as the heroes but adopted misguided methods. While the abundance of villains with virtuous intentions is an intriguing concept, it is often excessively employed in Naruto. There are numerous villains who could have remained malevolent, and although this list already encompasses the majority of them, there are others deserving of individual acknowledgment. With that said, this list has now been updated.

11 Toneri Otsutsuki

Introduced to the fans in The Last: Naruto the Movie, Toneri was clearly depicted as a formidable villain. With his Otsutsuki bloodline and direct lineage to Hamura, he posed a significant danger to both Naruto and the entire shinobi world. Toneri successfully infiltrated Konoha and masterfully abducted Hanabi.

10 Sasuke Uchiha

To compound matters, Hinata was held captive by him for an extensive period with the intention of marrying her. As if that were not enough, his ultimate aim was to annihilate the entire Earth and initiate a fresh start for all living beings. Nevertheless, Naruto managed to find it in his heart to forgive him, and remarkably, he underwent a transformation and became a virtuous individual. This turn of events was utterly perplexing and should not have rested solely on Naruto's shoulders to decide. Toneri possessed immense potential as a malevolent force, and it would have been fitting for him to meet his demise as such.

It was widely anticipated in Naruto that Sasuke, one of the main characters, would eventually redeem himself. After serving as a formidable villain for the majority of the series, Sasuke committed unimaginable acts. With his ideology and destructive aspirations, he emerged as one of the most malevolent antagonists in the entire Naruto universe, inflicting immense suffering on numerous villages and even betraying his own friends.

Sasuke committed atrocious acts during the war, including his plan to execute all the Kage and imprison the Tailed Beasts. He even infiltrated the Kage Summit and assaulted the Raikage. Considering the magnitude of his actions, forgiveness towards Sasuke seems unjustifiable. He neither deserved redemption nor faced consequences for his misdeeds. Surprisingly, Kakashi advocated for his forgiveness, leading to a collective amnesia regarding Sasuke's transgressions. Realistically speaking, Sasuke should have never been pardoned and Naruto should have confronted him as a formidable antagonist.

9 Orochimaru

In the initial phase of the Naruto series, Orochimaru emerged as a terrifying antagonist. His actions not only compelled Sasuke to abandon the village, but he also launched an assault on Konohagakure and assassinated Hiruzen Sarutobi, the esteemed leader. Furthermore, he was responsible for the demise of Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage. Aside from his ill-fated plan to obliterate Konoha during the Konoha Crush arc, Orochimaru had made numerous attempts to achieve the same destructive goal.

8 Kabuto Yakushi

Orochimaru proved to be an extraordinary antagonist, with no room for the concept of redemption. Surprisingly, during the Fourth Great Ninja War, he underwent a transformation and ultimately abandoned his long-cherished ambition. Regrettably, Orochimaru's immense potential as a villain went entirely untapped.

Previously Orochimaru's right-hand man, Kabuto Yakushi embarked on a journey to enhance his skills after Sasuke eliminated his master. Through unwavering determination and relentless training, he succeeded in augmenting his power, eventually emerging as a prominent antagonist throughout the narrative.

Kabuto played a significant role in the Fourth Great Ninja War, resulting in the tragic loss of lives for countless shinobi. Surprisingly, Kishimoto took an unconventional approach to redeem Kabuto. Despite this, Kabuto ultimately saved Sasuke's life, although his transformation into a good character seemed somewhat questionable from the start.

7 Gaara

Gaara, a prominent character in Naruto and a Kage from the Hidden Sand, initially played the role of a villain. With his formidable power, he posed a strong challenge to Naruto. Remarkably, he possessed the capability to single-handedly annihilate Konoha, exemplifying his potential as a terrifying antagonist if solely left unaltered by Kishimoto. However, after a fierce battle, Naruto succeeded in forming a connection with Gaara, leading to his redemption.

This change wasn't necessarily negative in itself. Gaara is a prime example of Kishimoto successfully transforming a villain into a protagonist. However, the Naruto world lacks a sufficient number of evil Jinchuriki. These individuals face extreme ostracism and hatred, making it plausible for them to have joined the villain's side in Naruto's story. It would have been especially captivating for Gaara, the most well-known Jinchuriki after Naruto, to remain a villain even after the events of the Konoha Crush.

6 Haku

Haku, introduced to Naruto fans from the very beginning, was taken under Zabuza's wing when just a child. Devotedly obedient, Haku dutifully carried out his master's commands, prioritizing Zabuza above all else. Despite his formidable power, Haku's existence revolved around serving Zabuza. Tragically, he ultimately found himself pitted against Naruto and his companions, leading to the demise of both Haku and Zabuza.

However, Haku possessed a much more human nature compared to Zabuza. This aspect was undeniably captivating for the fans. However, it is worth mentioning that Haku had the potential to become an extraordinary villain if they had not tragically met their demise early on in the series, becoming more like a pawn. Considering the significant emphasis the story later places on the Uchiha and Senju conflict, it would have been beneficial to retain villains who deviate from their typical molds.

5 Nagato Uzumaki

Nagato Uzumaki, also known as Pain, stood out among the formidable adversaries in the Naruto series. Pain's emergence was a direct consequence of the long-standing inter-village conflicts that had plagued the world, causing immense devastation to Amegakure. It is undeniable that his character was exceptionally well-crafted, cementing his place as the paramount antagonist in the entire series.

However, Pain ultimately had a change of heart. After engaging in a heartfelt conversation with Naruto, Pain made the decision to place his unwavering trust in him and relinquished all his previous notions without hesitation. Despite the doubts that had plagued him throughout his journey, it felt unnatural for Pain to place his faith in Naruto, especially considering that Naruto was unable to provide a satisfactory answer to his question concerning the path towards establishing peace.

4 Konan

Konan, alongside Nagato Uzumaki, wreaked havoc upon Konohagakure as partners. Similar to Pain, her origins traced back to the destitution of Amegakure, yet she managed to ascend to remarkable prominence within the Akatsuki. Following the tragic demise of Yahiko, Konan became Nagato's unwavering pillar of strength, devotedly supporting him at every conceivable opportunity.

3 Team Taka

Unfortunately, similar to Nagato, she ultimately placed her faith in Naruto Uzumaki. If Nagato hadn't chosen the path of redemption, Konan wouldn't have either, and as a result, the two would have formed a truly formidable and menacing duo.

Following Orochimaru's demise, Sasuke Uchiha took charge of Team Taka. While Sasuke's path to redemption was pivotal for the storyline, the same cannot be said for Team Taka. Their potential as formidable adversaries would have been unleashed had they opted for an independent existence, honing their skills and pursuing their innate aptitude.

2 Obito Uchiha

However, their roles took a surprising turn as they unexpectedly became valuable assets, rendering their assistance to Orochimaru in his daily affairs, much like they did previously. Nevertheless, their narrative completed a full circle, perplexingly failing to contribute any meaningful growth to the characters involved.

Regarded as one of Naruto's most formidable adversaries, Obito Uchiha's transformation into villainy stemmed from witnessing Kakashi inadvertently causing the demise of Rin, a tragic incident that led him to embrace the concept of a utopian realm. With unwavering dedication, Obito played an instrumental role in assisting Madara in attaining his ultimate objective. He orchestrated a devastating assault on his own village, resulting in the untimely deaths of Minato and Kushina, while also endangering their newborn child, among countless other malevolent actions.

1 Itachi Uchiha

Obito's involvement in the Uchiha clan massacre and his contributions to the Blood Mist era of Kirigakure cannot be overlooked. Furthermore, he was responsible for initiating the Fourth Great Ninja War and causing the deaths of numerous individuals. Considering the extent of Obito's actions, it seems unlikely that redemption could ever be possible. However, Naruto chose to forgive him, leading to Obito eventually joining their side. This decision, though, raised understandable confusion and raised questions about its rationale.

Initially depicted as a ruthless villain who ruthlessly annihilated his own clan as a means to test his own prowess, Itachi become the central focus of Sasuke's quest and appeared to possess the potential to become one of the most formidable adversaries in the entire series. However, in a stunning plot twist, it was later disclosed that Itachi had, in fact, been virtuous all along.

Itachi's story was well-written, but many argue that he could have been a more compelling villain if he had remained true to his initial character. However, Kishimoto's tendency to rewrite villains as good characters resulted in Itachi being portrayed as a hero and even a savior during the Fourth Great Ninja War. This is quite perplexing considering the fact that he committed a brutal massacre, killing numerous innocent men, women, and even children in a single night.