10 Naruto villains with the most tragic backstories

Naruto has introduced some of the most impressive villains. One of the main reasons why villains in this series are impactful is because of their backstories. While it doesn’t justify their wrongdoing, it certainly gives the audience another perspective to look at.

While some villains resorted to violence out of sheer pleasure, some were forced to do so owing to their circumstances. Let’s look at some of the most tragic backstories of villains in the Naruto series.

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Some of the most tragic backstories of villains in Naruto

1) Obito

Obito has one of the saddest backstories in the Naruto series. He had great ambitions of becoming a fine shinobi and he was crushed by a boulder. He is also someone who cares more about his comrades than the missions assigned to him. He watched the person he loved get killed by one of his closest comrades. An event like that would traumatize a person for years, and unfortunately, Madara was able to manipulate him for his own needs.

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2) Nagato

Nagato was someone who saw the true potential of war and the scars it leaves on people who were fortunate enough to survive. Hanzou once lured Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan into an ambush that would change Nagato’s life forever. Hanzou forced him to make a decision and kill either Yahiko or Konan. Yahiko killed himself since he didn’t want Nagato to make a decision of this sort. Just before he died, he asked Nagato to survive and use his Rinnegan to achieve world peace.

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3) Haku

Haku lived in a village where people feared those who wielded any kekkei genkai owing to the trauma that was induced by wars. Haku’s mother loved her husband and her child. However, she hid the fact that she could wield kekkei genkai. One day Haku showed his mother that he could manipulate water. Upon hearing this, his father decided to kill his wife and son.

But Haku was able to create ice spikes that killed his father and the entire mob. He was orphaned and met Zabuza at one point and decided to spend his life training to become a useful tool for Zabuza to use.

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4) Itachi

Itachi is another character in the Naruto series who had a sad backstory. He was forced to kill his entire clan to protect his younger brother. He killed his own mother and father, who loved him dearly. Not only did he kill his clan, but he also had to hide the reason from his brother. Itachi forced Sasuke to hate him and have enough anger to become strong enough to kill him. Itachi was a fine shinobi who went through some of the most traumatic events in the series.

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5) Kimimaro

Kimimaro, in the Naruto series, was a descendant of the Kaguya clan and was exceptionally strong owing to his kekkei genkai. However, his own family members kept him locked up since they feared his abilities and the extent to which he could go.

One fateful day they all died except for Kimimaro, who went around searching for food and shelter. He came across Orochimaru and decided to become a test subject and was even willing to give his body to Orochimaru to meet his goals.

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6) Gaara

Gaara wasn’t the antagonist for most of the Naruto series. However, he ended up killing many shinobis during the Chunin exams. Just like Naruto, he was the jinchuriki of a Tailed Beast. He was hated by the villagers which made him extremely bitter towards everyone.

Gaara only looked out for himself and wouldn’t hesitate to kill anyone who got in his way. The people of the Sand Village constantly looked at him like a monster which scarred him for a very long time.

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7) Kabuto

Kabuto was just a child when he was taken to the orphanage and suffered from amnesia. Nono was an important person in his life who took care of him like he was her own son. He volunteered to join Danzo’s Root organization and Danzo sent false images to Nono, who couldn’t recognize Kabuto when they met after years and wounded her critically. He desperately tried healing her, but he failed to do so.

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8) Kaguya

In the Naruto series, Kaguya once fell in love with Emperor Tenji and grew fond of the people on the planet she was chosen to destroy. During a border dispute, Tenji put out an execution order on anyone who killed representatives of the bordering empire. Kaguya did so in an attempt to protect herself. This led to her loved one betraying her and in the end, she cultivated the God Tree and consumed its fruit as well, becoming the progenitor of chakra itself.

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9) Madara

Madara Uchiha watched hundreds of his clan members die and then have their dignity stripped away from them. Despite having a truce with the Senju clan and forming Konohagakure, he watched his clan members get excluded from most activities and other villagers looking down on them.

Members of the Uchiha clan were also forced to serve in the police force of the village. He was then forced to live with the same people that killed his younger brother. He was unable to restore the greatness of the Uchiha name by taking on Hashirama.

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10) Sasori

Sasori’s parents were killed during a war in the Naruto series. Sasori didn’t really have many friends and was quite lonely when he was living with Chiyo. Sasori developed hatred towards everyone and became obsessed with power and strength.

Sasori was so lonely and sad that it changed him and it separated him away from his humanity. He was so deranged that he started making dolls out of human flesh.

Note: The article reflects the writer's own views.