Naruto Chapter 304: Tears

Summary: Naruto recalls his encounter with Itachi in the woods where Itachi asked what Naruto would do if he had to choose between Konoha and Sasuke. After Naruto responds that he would find a way to save both, Itachi gives Naruto part of his power. Sasuke understands now that he saw Itachi cried the night of the massacre and but refuses to take Itachi's eyes for himself, determined to revive the Uchiha clan his own way. (read 304 here)

Serenphoria Says:

[Naru and Ita]

I knew that the Naruto-Itachi encounter couldn't have been as simple as it appeared in chapter 366! Well, no, I was confused, but in retrospect, it makes sense that they'd have a revealing conversation that we can be privy to only after the Uchiha showdown.

I wonder what Itachi was feeling when Naruto said he's a better brother than Itachi ever was. Irony? A knife in the heart? Relief? Maybe little of everything.

Itachi's questions felt very much like a test to see if Naruto was the right person to pass the torch to, to be not just the one to protect Sasuke (possibly from himself) but to do what he couldn't do. While he chided Naruto about being naive (well deserved), I think he was also banking on Naruto's ability to find a way to break the mold.

Itachi's world-view was shaped by boundaries. Even though he was able to see beyond the clan and his upbringing, it wasn't enough for him to actually escape the bonds of his heritage and ninja-dom. Naruto, on the other hand, reminds me of Vash the Stampede - he wants to save the spider and the butterfly - and he didn't grow up with anyone telling him that was impossible. Naruto has proven time and again that he can find a way to be to defy expectation and to redefine the Truths of his world.

I am glad that Itachi called Naruto out on his naïveté though. That boy needs to hear it again. He may be lovable because of his stubborn hold of his ideals, but he's also living in a dream world and needs to grow up. The solution is not beat Sasuke into submission if he doesn't want to come quietly. When it comes to Sasuke (well, a lot of things really), Naruto is stuck in a toddler's solipsic mental state - he needs to get out of himself and recognize other people have their own point of view and not his. I mean, how many times do people have to tell him that Sasuke doesn't want to come back? He always has this confused look, like he can not fathom how a person not want what he wants and not value what he values and copes by ignoring it. I don't doubt Naruto can save both the spider and the butterfly, but he's got a ways to go before he gets there.

On a lighter note, did anyone else joygasm when Itachi bequeathed some of his power to Naruto. Itachi is part of Naruto. I don't know how much more you can solidfy his role as Sasuke's brother. And since Sasuke still has brother issues, it'll get interesting.

[Sasu and the Uchiha]

Speaking of which, Sasuke's psychosis regarding his brother is worse than I thought. He refused to follow his brother's plan when he loathed him at the Valley of the End. Now he refuses to follow his brother's plan when he doesn't loathe him. I won't go so far to say that Sasuke is now rediscovering his love for Itachi, but seriously, what does he want? What is he trying to prove? To whom? I'm going to revive the Uchiha my own way. As opposed to who's way? I don't think Itachi (or Madara) had (has) any intention of reviving the Uchiha; quite the contrary.

So there's noise in the fandom that says the convenient resurfaced memory is a plot-device by Kishi, or evidence that Madara is manipulating his memories. While I do think that Madara is being manipulative, I think it's through language (a la Wormtongue) and Sasuke's memory recovery is natural. When something we observe (tears) does not fit into existing mental schema (evil, emotionally detached brother), we tend to ignore it or interpret it in such a way that it does. Check out these two memories: Sasuke remembered his brother at that moment as dark and menacing when he's working with the brother-is-evil schema and remembered the same moment more accurately now that he has a brother-is-loving schema to bucket that memory into.

He refused to take Itachi's eyes. I hope no one else does either. (OMG, Naruto should take them - j/k j/k!)