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The Fourth Ninja War is probably the most important event within the entire Naruto series. A masked Sharingan user known as Tobi declares war on the Five Great Countries, leading to the establishment of the Shinobi Alliance. Meanwhile, Kabuto Yakushi revives some of the most dangerous dead ninjas, including the legendary Madara Uchiha.
As Tobi and Kabuto form a partnership, their forces begin to clash with the Shinobi Alliance, whose ranks comprise Naruto Uzumaki, Kakashi Hatake, Might Guy, Killer B, and the Five Kage. At the same time, Sasuke Uchiha also makes his move. Unbeknownst to anyone, however, the entire conflict is part of Black Zetsu’s plan to foster the revival of the evil goddess Kaguya Otsutsuki.
In a succession of emotional moments and breathtaking struggles, the war reaches its climax with the final showdown between Team 7 and Kaguya. Follow this thread to explore the Naruto Fourth Ninja War timeline, a string of events that revealed the ninja world’s true roots and changed the fate of mankind itself.
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A complete recap of Naruto's War Arc (spoilers ahead)
The early stage of the conflict
Posing as Madara Uchiha, Tobi asked the Five Kage to give him the Eight Tails and Nine Tails, which he needed to complete the “Eye of the Moon Plan.” As the Kage unanimously refused, Tobi waged war on the entire ninja world.
The Kage combined all their resources against Tobi and his Akatsuki organization, creating the Shinobi Alliance. Meanwhile, Tobi joined forces with Kabuto Yakushi, the former right-hand man of Orochimaru.
Kabuto had access to a fearsome army, as he had used the Impure World Reincarnation to summon dozens of powerful deceased ninjas at his service. The list includes former Akatsuki members, former Kage, and other famous shinobi.
To Kabuto’s undead army, Tobi added 100,000 White Zetsu clones. Aiming to protect Naruto Uzumaki and Killer B, the jinchuriki of the Nine and, respectively, Eight Tails, the Kage sent them to hide in the Land of Lightning’s Turtle Island. In this place, Naruto finally managed to gain some control over the Nine Tails chakra.
Kisame Hoshigaki attacked the island, but Might Guy stopped his attempt. As the two began to fight, Guy overwhelmingly defeated Kisame. Backed into a corner, the Akatsuki member divulged the location of the Turtle Island and committed suicide.
Exploiting the information sent by Kisame, Kabuto arrived at the place and captured Yamato, whose DNA was used to strengthen the White Zetsu clones. Meanwhile, the Allied Shinobi Forces completed preparations, amassing a line-up of 80,000 shinobi and samurai divided into five main divisions.
The confrontation begins
As the fight raged over various battlefields, Naruto and Killer B escaped confinement and headed to the war zone. So did Sasuke, who, after awakening his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, had left the Akatsuki hideout.
The Allied Shinobi Forces managed to overcome many of Kabuto’s zombies. While Deidara was trapped, Sasori and Shin’s souls were released from the Impure World Reincarnation. Haku, Zabuza, and the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were defeated and sealed.
Using their shapeshifting powers, the White Zetsu clones infiltrated the Shinobi Alliance, forcing it to tactical withdrawal as there were no effective countermeasures to detect the disguised Zetsu. However, Naruto exposed the impostors using his newfound ability to sense hatred and killing intent.
The future Seventh Hokage sent his Shadow Clones to the entire battlefield, pivotal in thwarting Zetsu’s ruse. The clones also helped Gaara and Onoki to gain the upper hand against the revived Gengetsu and Mu, i.e., the Second Mizukage and Second Tsuchikage.
Gaara engaged and sealed Fourth Kazekage Rasa, his father, while one of Naruto’s clones outmaneuvered the Third Raikage. Kinkaku and Ginkaku attacked the First and Second Divisions with the Treasured Tools of the Sage of Six Paths.
After a complicated struggle, Darui tricked the two brothers by turning their tools against them. Furthermore, the reanimated Asuma Sarutobi, Kakuzu, Hiashi Hyuga, and Dan Kato were sealed or trapped.
Kabuto sent his second and third strongest zombies, Nagato and Itachi, after the Nine Tails and the Eight Tails. During the ensuing battle, the Kotoamatsukami that Itachi planted on Naruto sometime before his death was activated. As such, Itachi was freed from Kabuto’s control.
Working together, Naruto, Killer B, and Itachi got the better of Nagato, who Itachi’s Susanoo ultimately sealed. Kabuto threw everyone into terror shortly after as he summoned an undead Madara Uchiha on the battlefield. Of course, this also indirectly revealed that Tobi was a pretender.
The current Five Kage, i.e., Onoki, A, Gaara, Tsunade, and Mei Terumi, came together to fight the legendary members of the Uchiha clan. However, not even their combined might was enough, as Madara easily annihilated them.
Faced with Tobi and his six dojutsu-enhanced Tailed Beast jinchuriki, Naruto and B were on the verge of defeat but were saved by Kakashi Hatake and Might Guy’s timely arrival. Shortly after, Naruto managed to link with the Nine Tails for the first time, finally obtaining the Tailed Beast’s complete powers.
Determined to stop the Impure World Reincarnation once and for all, Itachi went looking for Kabuto. Along the way, Itachi ran across his younger brother, Sasuke. The two teamed up to fight Kabuto using the White Snake Sage Mode.
During the confrontation, Itachi eventually captured Kabuto using a peculiar technique named Izanami, which forced him to release the Impure World Reincarnation. Before vanishing forever alongside the other revived, Itachi reconciled with Sasuke.
Obito and Madara
Tobi summoned the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path to fend off his opponents and initiate the Ten Tails revival. Naruto and the others could not stop Tobi as the latter was using a certain technique to avoid all of their attacks.
With a brilliant intuition, Kakashi understood the functionality of Tobi’s technique. The mysterious ability was, in fact, very similar to the powers of Kakashi’s very Mangekyo Sharingan. Kakashi used his own space-time technique to counter Tobi’s jutsu, allowing Naruto to land a hit on the villain finally.
With his mask destroyed by the strike, Tobi was revealed to be Obito Uchiha, the person who gifted Kakashi with his Sharingan several years before. Believed to have died, Obito revealed how he survived, as well as the reasons that led him to uphold his current beliefs. Moments after, Obito was joined by Madara.
Kakashi tried to redeem his former friend, but his words were unsuccessful. Having completed the preparations for the revival of the Ten Tails, Obito and Madara linked to the beast and used it to spread death and despair within the ranks of the Shinobi Alliance.
This resulted in many casualties, including Neji Hyuga, Shikaku Nara, and Inoichi Yamanaka. As the Ten Tails began to transform, Naruto used his chakra to shield the entire Shinobi Alliance. Kakashi and Obito warped into the Kamui dimension, where they began a fast-paced battle.
Meanwhile, Sasuke revived Orochimaru and asked him to resurrect the first four Hokage, aiming to learn the Hidden Leaf’s true history from those who directly made it. Upon discovering the truth, including Madara and Hashirama’s past, Sasuke finally decides which path to follow.
Along with the Hokage, Orochimaru, and the rest of Team Taka, Sasuke arrived on the battlefield and joined forces with the Shinobi Alliance. In the Kamui dimension, Kakashi inflicted a mortal wound on Obito, leaving the latter on the brink of death.
However, Obito gathered the last strength to return to the real world, where he sealed the Ten Tails within him. With his newfound powers as the jinchuriki of the Ten Tails, Obito took on the entire Shinobi Alliance.
Exploiting everyone’s help, as well as Obito’s own vacillations and insecurities, Naruto and Sasuke somehow managed to overpower the latter. Regretting his actions, Obito decided to use his Rinnegan to resurrect his victims, even though that would cost him his own life.
Suddenly, Black Zetsu took over Obito’s weakened body, forcing him to resurrect Madara instead. No more an undead, but now his fully alive self, Madara easily crushed Hashirama and Tobirama. He also absorbed Hashirama’s Sage Mode.
Madara wrecked Naruto and Sasuke, leaving them on the verge of death, and became the new jinchuriki of the Ten Tails. Kakashi and Obito teamed up to allow the latter to give his chakra to Naruto, while Kabuto appeared on the battlefield to heal Sasuke unexpectedly.
Might Guy unleash his true strength with the Eighth Gate to stop the formidable Madara. While Guy fights Madara, Naruto, and Sasuke, gain new powers directly from Hagoromo Otsutsuki, i.e., the Sage of the Six Paths.
Guy struck Madara with a ravaging move that destroyed half of the latter’s body. However, Madara regenerated himself. Naruto and Sasuke used their newfound abilities to fight Madara. Still, the latter stole an exhausted Kakashi’s Sharingan and used it to teleport into the Kamui dimension, where he took the other Rinnegan he needed to perform the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Madara finally cast the technique, trapping the entire world in his illusion. Just as the legendary Uchiha was ready to proclaim his triumph, Black Zetsu suddenly took control of his body and used it to revive Kaguya Otsutsuki.
Kaguya’s comeback
An ancient alien goddess, Kaguya was the mother of Hagoromo and the true form of the Ten Tails. Using her reality-warping powers, Kaguya exchanged the world with a far dimension of her own. Naruto and Sasuke tried to stand up against her, but their efforts were in vain, as she easily bested them.
Kaguya was about to kill the Team 7 members, but Obito sacrificed his life to protect them. However, as his soul reunited with Rin in the afterlife, Obito passed all his Six Paths chakra and Mangekyo Sharingan powers to Kakashi, entrusting his former comrade to use them to save the world.
This event completely turned the tide of the battle, as Kakashi stood in front of his students, decisively helping them. Using his enhanced space-time techniques, Kakashi neutralized Kaguya’s giant transformation. He then injured the evil goddess and disabled her attempt to counterattack.
Kakashi’s actions enabled Naruto and Sasuke to finally touch Kaguya with the special seals they received from Hagoromo. This resulted in a peculiar jutsu that trapped Kaguya once and for all. As everyone returned to the real world, Hagoromo congratulated Team 7 on their victory.
Obito’s chakra faded away from Kakashi’s body, and the two friends greeted one another for the last time. Madara and Hashirama also talked it out before disappearing forever, as the former was dying, and the latter was about to vanish. Minato wished Naruto a happy birthday, and a few moments later, Hagoromo released all the resurrected Hokage’s souls back to the Pure Land.
As the Kakashi’s amped powers expired and the Hokage vanished, Sasuke abruptly revealed his true intentions. Sasuke used his Rinnegan to subdue all the Tailed Beasts and declared that he would end the current system and become the world’s sole authority in order to prevent other wars. Naruto tried to dissuade him, and the two started fighting.
In conclusion
Once again, the Valley of the End became the battlefield for Naruto and Sasuke’s clash of beliefs. Sasuke’s goal was to destroy the ninja world and rebuild it anew, while the future Seventh Hokage wanted to redeem his old comrade, freeing him from his demons. The two defied each other in a ravaging confrontation until a final struggle left both unconscious.
When they woke up, Sasuke admitted defeat to Naruto’s ideals, finally acknowledging the value of his tenets. Together, the two put an end to the Infinite Tsukuyomi. With everyone freed from the dreadful illusion and all threats eradicated, peace finally returned to the world, marking the end of the dramatic conflict.
Related Links
- Complete list of every anime filler in the War Arc
- 10 moments that changed the Naruto story forever
- 5 best quotes from Madara (& 5 from Hashirama)
- 10 best quotes from Kakashi Hatake
- 4 Naruto characters who fulfilled their genius potential (& 4 who failed to do so)
