The Epic Downfall of Akatsuki: Unveiling Naruto's Ultimate Triumph

Highlights

The Akatsuki, originally founded to protect Amegakure and bring about an end to war, became a twisted version of itself due to tragic events.

Nagato's sorrow and skepticism gave birth to the second form of the Akatsuki, committed to seizing tailed beasts in order to forge a formidable weapon that propagated peace through intimidation.

Obito's hopelessness and yearning to enact the Infinite Tsukuyomi sparked the Fourth Shinobi World War; however, Team 7 managed to vanquish Kaguya and ultimately establish the peace they sought.

How often does an organization or collective, driven by powerful ideals, transform into a distorted version of itself due to the harsh reality it faces? The Akatsuki, known for its various approaches to peace that evolved from moderate to extreme, played a crucial role in initiating the Fourth Shinobi World War in Naruto.

This marked a significant deviation from its initial purpose of safeguarding the village of Amegakure from becoming a battleground for the Five Great Shinobi Countries in Naruto, with the ultimate objective of ending all wars. The stark contrast between its original intent and eventual mission is the outcome of a tragic series of events, which ultimately led to the organization becoming a disturbingly perverse reflection of its original values, ultimately contributing to the perpetuation of violence it sought to eradicate.

Yahiko's Dream

Formed by three orphans trained by Jiraiya in Amegakure, the original version of the Akatsuki sought to resolve conflicts through negotiation. This incarnation, led by Yahiko with Nagato and Konan as his trusted subordinates, envisioned bringing peace to their war-torn homeland that had witnessed countless battles in previous Shinobi wars. United by their shared experiences of losing their families during the Second Shinobi World War, the group gained a formidable reputation, largely thanks to Yahiko's magnetic personality and effective leadership. However, Yahiko saw himself as a facilitator for Nagato, believing that Nagato's Rinnegan held the key to achieving lasting peace. As the Akatsuki's influence expanded, it caught the attention of Hanzo of the Salamander, the ruler of Amegakure, who became consumed by egoism and a fear of losing his own power in his later years.

Result: Consequently, Hanzo perceived them as a threat, influenced by Konoha's Shinobi of Darkness, Danzo Shimura, in the anime. Hanzo then deceitfully orchestrated a meeting with the Akatsuki, feigning interest in their assistance to establish peace among Iwagakure, Sunagakure, and Konohagakure. Regrettably, this was a ploy to ambush the group together with Danzo's Root division, with the objective of capturing Konan and using her as leverage against Yahiko.

Subsequently, Hanzo demanded that Nagato sacrifice Yahiko's life in return for Konan's safety. In a courageous act to protect his beloved, Nagato impaled himself on his own kunai. This event triggered Nagato to lose control and unleash his wrath, summoning the formidable Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and sacrificing his own life force to annihilate Hanzo's soldiers and the members of Root. As a consequence of Hanzo's attacks, Nagato lost the use of his legs.

The Death Of Nagato's Hope

Witnessing the death of his closest companion in his arms left Nagato scarred, driving him to abandon the original ideals of the Akatsuki. Consumed by grief, disillusionment, and cynicism, he formed a new incarnation of the Akatsuki with a sole focus on amassing power and wealth by capturing the tailed beasts. Over time, this transformed the group into a formidable band of highly skilled renegade ninjas from all corners of the world.

Nagato's ultimate objective in capturing the tailed beasts was to develop a forbidden technique capable of obliterating entire nations, serving as a potent deterrent against future conflicts. By showcasing the catastrophic capabilities of this weapon, he aimed to inflict such immense destruction and loss of life that the shinobi realm would forever renounce the idea of warfare. His quest for peace centered on instilling fear rather than seeking diplomatic solutions, purposefully ending the vicious cycle of animosity between nations through overwhelming dominance.

Taking on the guise of "Pain," Nagato utilized black receivers to form the Six Paths of Pain. By using Yahiko's body as the Deva Path, Nagato symbolically maintained his position as the face of the organization. Additionally, he enlisted the help of Obito Uchiha, who posed as Madara after Yahiko previously declined his assistance. Obito, operating behind the scenes, subtly influenced Nagato. Although this version of Akatsuki achieved some success in recruiting skilled ninja and capturing the tailed beasts, their increasing notoriety attracted the attention of the hidden villages.

As a result, the organization started to crumble as its members were either defeated or voluntarily left. The final blow occurred when Obito pressured Nagato, now known as Pain, to take a more active role. Pain, in turn, decided to invade Konohagakure in order to capture the Nine-Tails. During the ensuing battle, Pain razed the entire village, only to be ultimately defeated by Naruto Uzumaki. Naruto's actions made Pain realize the error of his ways, leading him to sacrifice his own life to resurrect the villagers he had killed. Thus, Nagato entrusted his mission to Naruto.

An Embodiment Of Obito's Despair

After Nagato departed from the Akatsuki, Konan found herself without a strong purpose to continue her involvement in the organization. Feeling compelled to defect, she engaged in a difficult battle with Obito in an attempt to protect Nagato's Rinnegan. Unfortunately, Konan was ultimately defeated, marking the end of the Akatsuki's founders. As the sole leader of the Akatsuki, Obito now embarked on the Eye of the Moon Plan bestowed upon him by the late Madara, who had passed away years ago.

Facing immense grief, Sasuke, who had recently discovered the truth behind Itachi's sacrifice, was recruited by Obito. Driven by a thirst for revenge against the shinobi world, Sasuke joined forces with Obito. Due to the dwindling numbers of the original Akatsuki members, Obito was forced to resort to more extreme measures to capture the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails. This resulted in the assault on the Five Kage Summit and the declaration of the Fourth Shinobi World War. Obito's actions stemmed from his personal desire to bring an end to all wars by enacting the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Trapped in his sorrow over the loss of his childhood love, Rin Nohara, Obito succumbed to despair.

Kabuto Yakushi formed an alliance with Obito, leading to a conflict that resulted in the revival of numerous shinobi through the Edo Tensei, including Madara Uchiha. This led to the awakening of the Ten-Tails, the initiation of the Infinite Tsukuyomi, and the return of Kaguya Otsutsuki. Fortunately, Team 7, led by Naruto and Sasuke, managed to defeat Kaguya, seal her away, redeem Obito, and undo the effects of the Infinite Tsukuyomi. This ultimately brought about the long-desired peace that Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan had worked towards. The streaming service Crunchyroll offers Naruto for viewers to watch.