Sasuke would have turned out worse in Naruto if he remained in Konoha

It has been close to ten years since Naruto ended, but the series will always be full of unanswered questions. While some anime enthusiasts may call this a stain on Naruto, it is the other way around. The reason new questions are being raised about the series daily is due to how evergreen it is in the minds of fans. These fans can go about their day and create a hypothetical or some sort of theory.

The existence of the Boruto saga has allowed for some sort of quiet but steady resurgence of Naruto lore. This has fans come up with theories and hypotheticals that not only center on Shippuden but on the entire Narutoverse. Many of these hypotheticals are about the protagonist, some are about the antagonist, and some are about the side characters. One hypothetical that some fans on Reddit spoke about was if Sasuke remained in Konoha.

The Naruto fans on Reddit are trying to think up a world where Konoha’s remaining Uchiha didn’t have to spend his years with Orochimaru. If Sasuke never sought out Orochimaru, he would still lean to the dark side, as he would keep on seeking more and more power. This means he will do the most unethical to grow stronger, and that means joining hands with the worst forces. Keep reading to find out how this would have unfolded.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s views and may contain spoilers.

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How Sasuke would have turned out in Naruto if he remained in Konoha

Sasuke would have joined Konoha's Root and worked under Danzo (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Sasuke learning under Orochimaru did wonders. Orochimaru and Sasuke were a perfect pair, as this was the case of two prodigious people(geniuses) meeting each other. Sasuke was already Chunin level before leaving, and with the Cursed Seal, he had the ability of an average Jonin.

Orochimaru took on that raw gem and improved every facet of his ability. Sasuke after three years with Orochimaru was already close to Kage Level, and this was evident in his small showdown with ninjas from Konoha. If Sasuke willed it, he could have defeated Yamato, Sai, Naruto, and Sakura without breaking a sweat. This is a testament to how well the Sannin trained the Uchiha, but what if the Uchiha remained in Konoha?

Meeting Orochimaru is inescapable for Sasuke (Image via Studio Pierrot)

If Sasuke remained in Konoha, his rise to power wouldn't have been as rapid, but he would be leagues above any Shinobi, and that would be the problem. Konoha is a small place, and Sasuke’s aspirations are bigger than that. Sasuke wants to defeat one of the strongest characters in Naruto, Itachi, and no one in Konoha can grant him the power to do that. This is when the discontent will set in and Sasuke.

Sasuke would become another ticking time bomb, and he would become erratic in the search for more power. No one on the right side of things in Konoha can grant him power, but the malevolent Danzo can grant him that. Danzo’s various powerups were due to his proximity to Orochimaru, and he would have no qualms connecting Sasuke to Orochimaru.

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Final thoughts

No matter what happened, Sasuke would have fallen under Orochimaru’s grasp. The only thing that would have stopped him was if the truth of the Uchiha massacre had been revealed to him.

If that truth is revealed to Sasuke, then his next plan would be to attack Konoha, and for that, he will need power. There is only one man in the series, who can offer that power so easily, and that is still Orochimaru.

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