Naruto: Obito fans must realize only a Deus Ex Machina saved the Uchiha from Konan

The Obito Uchiha vs Konan fight in Naruto was quite popular among the fandom and very well appreciated. It wasn't completely a curveball, but it definitely was one of those bouts that wouldn't strike viewers as the first option to see. The fight happens when Obito, or rather Tobi, goes to acquire Nagato's corpse but is stopped by Konan and ends up battling her.

From the looks of it, Konan gained the upper hand and had Obito against the ropes. He was considerably injured whilst trying to defend against her attacks and was only able to clinch victory thanks to a Deus Ex Machina - the Izanagi. That was the saving grace available to the Uchiha, who did not really look like they would make it out of the battle alive or gravely injured.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the writer's opinion.

---

Naruto: A Deus Ex Machina was the reason Obito defeated Konan

As a brief refresher, Obito Uchiha was posing as Tobi and pulling the strings of the Akatsuki from the shadows. Through Yahiko or Pain, he was furthering his cause, that is, until Pain was defeated and Obito/Tobi infiltrated Amagakure to acquire Nagato's corpse. But in his way stood Konan, a loyal friend of the orange-haired shinobi who demanded to know what was happening.

An unsuccessful attempt at regaining her cooperation led to a battle between the two. Konan tried to end the bout swiftly by engulfing both of them in her paper jutsu, laced with explosive tags and sacrificing herself to beat him. But the dark-haired man realized her intentions and warped away the explosions, saving them both. Konan then tried another technique, using Six Hundred Billion paper bombs.

These explosions continued for about 10 minutes, exceeding Obito's Kamui ability to keep him intangible. With no options left, he used Izanagi, the Deus Ex Machina key to his victory. He survived Konan's explosive onslaught and managed to teleport behind her, thus stabbing her through the back as she had lowered her guard, mistaking the fight to be over.

Obito defeats Konan in Naruto (Image via Viz Media)

Now, to arrive at the crux of this feature, it was Izanagi who saved the Uchiha from certain death. To put matters into perspective, Obito's Kamui (the ability he used to make himself intangible and immune to damage) could only last for about 5 minutes. Beyond that, he would revert to normal. Here, Konan's explosions continued for 10 minutes straight, exceeding this original timeframe.

So while he survived the initial half of the attack, he couldn't remain trapped in it for a second longer. Again, as the series has often established the Uchiha Clan's abilities as extraordinary, so was the Izanagi. Put simply, Sharingan users could use this technique to rewrite reality, turning injuries or even death into an illusion. However, the trade-off was total blindness in the casting eye.

Thus, against Konan, Obito lost one of his eyes in Naruto, but this technique enabled him to rewrite that moment in the fight and position himself behind her. Needless to say, this gave him a massive upper hand, which was crucial to his victory. Had it not been for a Deus Ex Machina like this, Obito's chances of retaliating or even survival seemed slim, given the six billion paper explosions Konan set off.

---

In conclusion

Konan (Image via Studio Pierrot)

The Obito Uchiha vs Konan face-off is an iconic battle from Naruto, combining intensity with an unforeseen altercation. Konan's loyalty to Nagato led to her confronting Obito and unleashing brilliant yet deadly techniques. In particular, the six billion paper bomb detonation was an assault well poised to overcome Obito's Kamui limit.

As expected, the dark-haired shinobi was cornered and out of options. The battle was suddenly flipped on its head only due to Izanagi, a forbidden Uchiha Clan secret that allowed the user to rewrite reality itself. Thus, at the cost of one of his eyes, Obito clinched victory. Izanagi served as a clear Deus Ex Machina, underscoring the narrative convenience and staggering edge it gave him.

Its absence could very well have meant Obito's demise. The fight was an instance of Konan's actual strength and her capability as a shinobi. But it simultaneously reminded us of the Uchiha's power to alter the physics of combat itself.

---