Strongest confrontation! Gaara vs Kimimaro!!

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Strongest confrontation! Gaara vs Kimimaro!!
Premiere date:	19 March 2005
Episode Length:	24.5 minutes
Episode Code:	126
Episode Airdate:	19 March 2005
Manga Arc:	Sasuke Retrieval

Strongest confrontation! Gaara vs Kimimaro!! (Japanese: 最強対決！我愛羅VS君麻呂！！, - Saikyō taiketsu! Gaara tai Kimimaro!!) is episode 126 of the anime series Naruto. The episode's storyline is from the Sasuke Retrieval manga arc.

[edit] Summary

Gaara and Rock Lee continue to fight Kimimaro, who survives both Gaara's Sand Coffin and Sand Burial and releases his curse-seal to Level Two. In this episode we also get a look into Kimimaro's tragic history, which includes meeting Zabuza Momochi and Haku. Meanwhile, Naruto continues to pursue Sasuke.

[edit] Plot

Gaara remembers when he had basically destroyed Lee's left arm and leg with his Desert Funeral and tells him that he will fight him. Lee rushes at Kimimaro but Gaara trips him with his sand and tells him that he can't do anything in his condition. Lee tells Gaara what Kimimaro can do but Gaara seems cool and collected. Kimimaro rapid-fires his finger-bones at Gaara, who blocks them with his sand. At the same time, Gaara counterattacks with his sand, which impresses Kimimaro. Trying to catch Gaara off-balance, Kimimaro taunts him, while thinking that Gaara can only use as much sand as he can carry in his gourd. Gaara uses Rain of Sand, and holds Kimimaro in place with more sand. Gaara explains that as long as there’s dirt, he can create as much sand as he wants. He completely envelopes Kimimaro with sand, then uses Desert Funeral. Gaara comments that Kimimaro has the same kind of eyes as Sasuke that wants to confirm his existence.

Meanwhile, Naruto continues to pursue Sasuke, but temporarily loses him in a cave. Naruto can't see anything inside the cave as he goes more forward it becomes darker. He hears Sasuke laugh and a golden light before him that shows a meadow and when he was young and shunned. It seems as if Sasuke has used a genjutsu on him.

Kimimaro flashes back to his childhood, most of which was spent locked in a cell. Although he was well-fed and apparently not otherwise mistreated, he was not allowed out of the cell. Young Kimimaro keeps on stabbing the wall with a bone made dagger and what appears to be engraved into the wall is a skull. Kimimaro says "Is there really a god? If there is one, why would he keep me confined here?!" He does not understand why he is there. Just then someone opens the door as he is about to stab the skull shaped figure and tells him to get out. Kimimaro is released, and told that he must fight on behalf of the Kaguya Clan.

In the present, Kimimaro releases his curse-seal to Level One and escapes Gaara's Sand Coffin with saw like blades out of his body. Kimimaro says that if he didn't create a lining of bone around his body, he would have been squashed. Kimimaro says that he will no longer be caught by the sand but Gaara uses Quicksand in the Style of a Waterfall, which creates a giant forty foot tall sand wave, literally sweeping Kimimaro off his feet and submerging him in sand. The jutsu is so powerful that Gaara is even changing the terrain on which they are fighting on. Gaara completes the jutsu with Desert Imperial Funeral, which pressures the sand incredibly, burying Kimimaro even deeper. Kimimaro begins releasing his curse-seal to Level Two and goes into another flashback.

The Kaguya clan has decided to attack the Village Hidden in the Mist, seemingly for no reason other than the desire to kill people and showing off their powers. While on his way to the battle, Kimimaro meets young Zabuza and Haku, who are leaving the area. He challenges Zabuza, who denies being from the Hidden Mist. Kimimaro takes him at his word and keeps going. Haku looks back as if worried for him and when Zabuza asks what's wrong Haku turns around and follows Zabuza to some location. Haku thinks about how Kimimaro has the same eyes as he did before he met Zabuza.

The next person he meets, ironically, is Orochimaru, who easily fends off Kimimaro’s attacks. Orochimaru also (correctly) denies being from the Hidden Mist, and shows Kimimaro the way to the village. We see a burning village and calls them people in a hurry to die because they are idiots. Kimimaro fights because he is needed to fight and so. Orochimaru watches the ensuing carnage with glee.

The Kaguya clan does considerable damage, but in the end they are all killed. When he sees that he is the only one of his clan left, Kimimaro decides to pull out of the fight. He goes around and wanders aimlessly and sees Oa flower and observes it asking it what is it doing here. When the flower doesn't respond, Kimimaro thinks the flower is ignoring him too and is about to stab the flower but Orochimaru stops him. He reunites with Orochimaru, who takes him on as a student. This is when he believes that everyone has a purpose and believes that his purpose is to protect Orochimaru and his ambitions

Kimimaro finishes releasing his curse-seal to Level Two, focusing on his mission to protect Orochimaru and his plans.

Naruto struggles to find his way out of the darkness and pick up Sasuke’s trail. He keeps on seeing ghostly Sasuke's running past him and nothing but darkness. A vision of Neji comes to him, urging him onward, telling him "You have better eyes than I do. Sasuke is in the darkness right now. If you stop here, you won't be able to catch up with Sasuke." before disappearing. Naruto rushes forward and emerges into the light screaming Sasuke's name.

Kimimaro emerges from the sand, and Gaara uses Sand Coffin again. However, Kimimaro easily breaks free and charges at the Sand shinobi. The episode ends.

[edit] Trivia

• This episode shows Gaara with a calmer attitude than during the Chuunin Exams, and perhaps a little more growth. Despite having grown some both physically and skillfully, he still relies on his sand to be his main defense and offense.

• It's again worthy to note Kimimaro's honor, in that he once again announces himself and his intentions before attacking, up until he changes into his level 2 cursed seal form.

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