The End of Tears

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Episode info
Original Airdate: May 11, 2005 English Airdate: January 26, 2008 Arc: Sasuke Retrieval arc Manga chapters: 231-235

|} The End of Tears (涙雨の結末, Namida ame no ketsumatsu) is episode 134 of the original Naruto anime.

Synopsis

Sasuke activated his Cursed Seal of Heaven level 2, and was shown laughing. Naruto told Sasuke that having a Cursed Seal was not what being special meant. Sasuke laughed again, and said that he had a feeling he would not lose. Naruto charged at Sasuke, and dragged his hand along the ground. The ground cracked, and Naruto hit Sasuke with a devastating punch, causing him to go into the rock wall like a missile and land on the statue's foot.

The smoke cleared from where Sasuke had landed, and showed a giant wing coming out of Sasuke's back, which had deflected the attack. The wing on Sasuke's back opened. Naruto noticed the wing and braced himself, but the wing sent Naruto shooting into the other statue's foot. Naruto looked over from his new position, shocked and dumbstruck at this new growth. Sasuke grew another wing, and it was seen tearing through his shirt.

As the wings came fully out, Sasuke started to groan in pain. A flashback was shown where Sakon warned Sasuke about the dangers of using the fully released Cursed Seal for too long, and that his body would erode if it was used excessively. He remarked to himself that he hadn't any time to waste. Naruto got up, his left hand immobile, orange bubbles forming in that area. Naruto said that he couldn't feel the hand. Sasuke observed that Naruto's Nine-Tailed Fox form was damaging to his body as well, and, despite his own shortcomings, decided to rub it in Naruto's face anyway, to which Naruto grudgingly agreed, although he said nothing aloud.

Sasuke informed Naruto that the place was called the Valley of the End, and said that it was the perfect stage for them to battle - particularly for his victory. This showed a certain arrogance about Sasuke, which was originally seen in the beginning of the series, but had since disappeared. Sasuke said that the time for talking was over, and that they must continue the battle. A flashback was shown, showing Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, along with a handful of other newly graduated Genin. Iruka was choosing the teams, to which Naruto's name was called first for Team 7. Iruka then called out Sakura's name, to which Naruto immediately yelled out in triumph, and Sakura sagged her head with the disappointment of having to be on the same team as Naruto. Sasuke's name was called next, completing Team 7, and Naruto and Sakura were seen switching places, Naruto being gravely disappointed and Sakura rising in triumph. Sasuke was then seen telling Naruto not to be a burden, and calling him dead-last, to which Naruto was infuriated.

Another flashback was shown, showing Team 7 responding to Kakashi's arrival, having broken the rules. Naruto shouted at Kakashi, and Sasuke seemed to catch on, as well as Sakura, telling Kakashi that they were together, and would go back to the academy together.

A third flashback showed Naruto and Sasuke walking, Sasuke asking Naruto if he was OK, and calling him a scaredy-cat.

Another flashback was shown where Naruto was seen wounded and breathless, holding back Orochimaru, and, as he lifted his head he said the same thing to a shocked Sasuke.

After that, another flashback was shown, and Sasuke said that he wanted to fight Naruto, Naruto responding with surprise.

Then, a flashback was shown where Naruto said that he also wanted to fight Sasuke.

In another flashback, it showed Sasuke saying he would protect Naruto and Sakura from the Sand Ninjas, no matter what.

Another flashback was shown where Naruto broke out of the sand coffin, summoning Gamabunta, and he said he would protect Sakura no matter what.

Then another flashback was shown where Naruto and Sasuke were standing on top of the roof of a hospital getting ready to battle. Naruto told Sasuke to put his headband on, but Sasuke said he didn't need it. Naruto responded by telling Sasuke to put it on anyway. Sasuke chuckled, then looked at Naruto with a defiant glare, telling him that he would not be able to put a single scratch on his forehead. Naruto told Sasuke that the headband was proof that they both fought as equal Konoha shinobi. Naruto and Sasuke charged at each other with the Chidori and the Rasengan, and Sakura was shown running to stop them.

A final flashback showed Itachi's distorted Sharingan eye, and, back in the present, Sasuke's own Sharingan stood in stark contrast.

It then showed Sasuke performing some hand signs and a Chidori forming out of his left hand. Naruto straightened up, his red chakra swinging around. With the assistance of the Demon Fox's Chakra, he was able to make a perfect Rasengan using only one hand, something he could not do before due to his poor chakra control. Sasuke's Chidori became a Flapping Chidori as he used the Cursed Seal chakra, and, after warping his new Chidori into a blade capable of severing bonds, the Chidori's color turned from whitish to grayish-black, and the sound of Chirping Birds became the sound of birds taking flight. Naruto's Rasengan appeared as a large purplish sphere on his hand, and both of the ninja charged each other with their ultimate jutsus crackling. These two powerful jutsu collided, with red chakra coming from Naruto and blue chakra coming from Sasuke. They both said their jutsu names, and the Rasengan and Chidori collided again.

Then a white light appeared, and Sasuke punched Naruto in the chest, purposefully missing, and Naruto scratched Sasuke's headband, disproving Sasuke's earlier statement. A huge dark sphere formed and expanded, covering the waterfall, water pouring out from above and beneath. Kakashi sensed the massive chakra and told Pakkun that they must hurry. It then showed Naruto and Sasuke hovering in the sphere, gazing emptily at each other.

Then a flashback was shown with a young Sasuke and a young Naruto crossing their fingers, and, as Naruto smiled, Sasuke did as well. The bright light slowly dissipated, revealing an unconscious Naruto and Sasuke standing above. The Demon Fox Rasengan itself could have easily overpowered the Flapping Chidori, but, although Sasuke was aiming to kill with his Chidori, and therefore Naruto took the full blow of the jutsu, Naruto did not want to kill his friend, and instead scratched his forehead protector to prove a point. Sasuke took advantage of this compassion, and almost killed Naruto.

The sun shone through the clouds, and a spotlight glowed around Sasuke and Naruto. The light slowly became smaller and smaller, eventually disappearing on Naruto's face.

Sasuke stared down at Naruto, and his headband loosened, falling down beside Naruto. Rain began to pour down, and Sasuke felt a sharp pain in his arm, grabbing it. Sasuke fell, and looked Naruto straight in the face, with water pouring down from Sasuke's face onto Naruto's. A while later, Kakashi arrived at the Valley of the End, but Sasuke was nowhere to be found.

Kakashi walked over to Naruto and looked at him before putting him on his back. He said that he was sorry he didn't make it in time. Kakashi also stated that Naruto went all out. Sasuke was shown walking through the forest, and remembering what his father had said to him when he mastered a jutsu in only a week.

Then he remembered what his mother said about his father, how he was always talking about Sasuke. He remembered when his father and his brother stopped talking to one another, to which his mother said that nothing was wrong. It then showed Sasuke going into his brother's room, and asking him to train with him. Itachi simply flicked Sasuke's forehead, and told him some other day. Sasuke, lonely, decided to train with his father. Sasuke attempted to show his father the Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique, but he was unable to perform the jutsu correctly. His father walked away, saying that he couldn't expect Sasuke to rise to the same heights as Itachi, and told him to stop competing with Itachi.

Sasuke, sad that he had let his father down, started training. His Fireball became larger and larger, and, eventually, when he saw that he had mastered it, he called his father, and, as he witnessed the jutsu, he walked away, saying nothing, leaving Sasuke sitting by the bay, feeling unworthy. Then, just as he was about to leave, Sasuke's father said that Sasuke was a true Uchiha. Sasuke was proud, and rushed home. The next day, Sasuke was seen heading for the Academy, when his grandmother beckoned him over, and told him to always remember that he was a great Uchiha, regardless of how good he was compared to Itachi. He trained endlessly, until he was worn out. When he returned home after a tiring day, however, he noticed a bloody corpse on his way home, and was frightened. He then was surprised to find that the Uchiha district was empty. He saw a few more corpses, and was afraid that his parents had suffered the same fate. When he finally gathered up the courage to open his door, he was horrified at what he saw. His parents were lying there, dead, and he saw the shadow of the killer. He realized that the killer was his own brother, and charged at him. Itachi easily deflected the attack, and Sasuke was seen on the ground, tears running from his eyes. He asked his brother why he would do such a thing, and Itachi simply said it was a test of his power. Sasuke yelled, and charged again, only to be smacked to the floor. Sasuke ran off, and after a while he saw Itachi above him. Itachi told Sasuke that he was the obstacle he must overcome, and he told Sasuke about a special bloodline skill, that allowed near limitless power, but, in return, Sasuke must kill his closest friend.

In the present, Pakkun said that it was ironic for Naruto and Sasuke to fight at the Valley of the End. Kakashi agreed, and said that, if you observed the river, it seemed like it went on forever, stopping only to make a battle. Kakashi also stated that Naruto and Sasuke were like Madara Uchiha and the First Hokage, except that Sasuke had won. Naruto opened his eyes, and Kakashi was startled.

Sasuke said that he would not do what his brother wanted him to do. He also stated that he would obtain power in his own way; that he would surpass his brother in his own way. Sasuke then walked into darkness. Naruto was still on Kakashi's back, and Kakashi commented that the rain had stopped.

Pakkun said that he couldn't track Sasuke because of the rain. As Kakashi and Pakun headed home, a Venus fly-trap-like body appeared from under the earth. The man inside the trap said that things had become interesting. The man's body was one half light and one half dark, and he was wearing an Akatsuki robe.