Third Hokage, Forever...

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Third Hokage, Forever...
Premiere date:	21 April 2004
Episode Length:	24.5 minutes
Episode Code:	080
Episode Airdate:	21 April 2004 March 24, 2007
Manga Arc:	Invasion of Konoha

The Third Hokage, Forever... (Japanese: 三代目よ、永久に……！！, - Sandaime yo, towa ni......!!) is episode 80 of the anime series Naruto. The episode's storyline is from the Invasion of Konoha manga arc.

[edit] Plot

Naruto's battle with Gaara draws to a close, while the whole village mourns the Hokage's death. Meanwhile, two mysterious outsiders show up in the Leaf village.

Enma pulls the Kusanagi out of the Hokage's body, then de-summons himself, apparently taking the Kusanagi with him.

Enma: "A fitting end for one who mastered the way of the shinobi."

With both arms useless, Orochimaru has no choice but to stop the attack on Konoha. Kabuto sees what happened, and retreats as well.

The sand crushing Sakura dissolves, and Sasuke catches her, leaving her to Pakkun. Gaara, looking at Naruto crawling to him, wonders why he is really strong. While this is happining Naruto continues coming toward Gaara, scaring Gaara. He also says that his existence will never disappear.

Meanwhile, they both experience a flashback in which they were younger, and how they felt isolated from their village and hated by their people. Naruto, who continues to crawl toward Gaara, remembers what Gaara and Haku said about the pain of not being wanted in this world. Even he admits to Gaara that he knows the same pain of loneliness. As Naruto says to Gaara that he has important friends and he will protect them for his life, this made Gaara realize that love is what makes Naruto strong.

Sasuke then goes to Naruto, telling him that Sakura is safe, so he no longer has any need to fight. With victory, Naruto passes out. Kankuro is found by Temari, and the two of them arrive at Gaara's side, ready to battle Sasuke. However, Gaara tells them not to fight, and says he wants to leave. Partly out of habit for listening to Gaara, and partly out of surprise at seeing Gaara at such a weak state, Temari and Kankuro obey, taking Gaara back to Sunagakure. On the way there, Gaara remembers what Naruto said about love, hoping he would be like Naruto. Gaara apologizes to his siblings, which stuns them.

Gaara has been defeated, as well as all of the invading Sound and most of the Sand ninjas. The Konoha ninjas are victorious, but also in sorrow at the death of the Third Hokage.

The next day, a funeral is held for the Third Hokage, as well as the others who have died from the invasion. As each ninja places a flower before the picture of the Third, they remember the good experiences they each had with him. The Rookie Nine, the Chunin examiners, and the Jonin alike all attend, dressed entirely in black. It begins to rain and Asuma comments that even the heavens weep.

Kakashi and Yugao Uzuki are both late to the funeral, visiting Konoha's memorial for fallen ninja to pay their respects to Obito Uchiha and Hayate Gekko. Yugao suggests that Kakashi should visit the memorial earlier to avoid his chronic tardiness, but he reveals that he arrived at dawn and has been at the memorial all day. Kakashi says that he stays not only to grieve for his lost friend, but also to atone for his own behavior prior to Obito's death.

The funeral lasts until the afternoon, as each person remembers that though the Third is gone, the good that he left behind is the most important of all. Iruka thinks back to how the Third Hokage comforted him after his parents died, and told him about the Will of Fire.

Third Hokage [in flashback]: "All of the ninja in the Hidden Village of Konoha have a Will of Fire."
Young Iruka: "A will of fire?"
Third Hokage: "The strong will to protect Konoha. As long as they have that Will of Fire, everyone in this village is family."

In the present, Iruka watches Naruto rejoin Kakashi, Sasuke and Sakura, and smiles to himself.

Iruka: "It seems like the small leaves in the Hidden Village of Konoha have inherited that Will of Fire you spoke of, Third. The fire on the leaves will eventually burn greater and stronger. It will flash its light and protect this village. After becoming the new Hokage, one day..."

As the episode closes, two men in black cloaks with red clouds on them appear outside the village, their faces covered by hats. One of the men speaks of how the village barely survived destruction. The other comments on how pitiful the once most prosperous village of Konoha was. The other says that this is out of character and he still has attachments to the village, in response, the other says 'no, I have no feelings at all'. He then raises his head and reveals his eyes as Sharingan.

[edit] Trivia

• This episode is full of foreshadowing:
  • Obito is first introduced, when Yugao Uzuki asked if Kakashi was at the monument for KIA ninjas for Obito.
  • The scene where the leaf was covered in sand shows that Konoha is reunited with the Sand Village.
  • Kakashi also states that he was ashamed of his old-foolish self, implying that Obito taught him that, "Those who don't care about their comrades are worse than trash."
  • The Third's headstone in the Hokage monument has a crack in it, meaning the Third Hokage is forever lost.
  • Itachi Uchiha makes his first non-cameo appearance at the end of the episode.
  • When Kabuto mentions how Kakashi hasn't perfected the Sharingan, unlike the Uchiha clan, it is foreshadowing the Mangekyo Sharingan.
• During the episode's first airing on Cartoon Network, March 24, 2007, technical difficulties caused the episode to cut off while Kakashi was at the KIA monument just as he says "I've been here since-(dawn)". A full 5 minutes of the episode were not aired. Because of this, the part of the episode showing Itachi wasn't seen, nor was Jiraiya's short flashback of a young Tsunade. The episode was reaired two weeks later during a marathon.

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