Why did Itachi kill his entire clan?

Are you wondering why Itachi killed your clan? Do you want to know why he only spared his little brother? The Naruto Saga took its time to reveal the truth about the events surrounding Itachi Uchiha's massacre of the Uchiha clan. Thus, fans' feelings towards Itachi have fluctuated as his character has evolved throughout the series.

In this article you will find:

• Who is Itachi Uchiha?
• Why did he decide to kill his entire clan?
• What are the consequences of the Uchiha clan?

Who is Itachi?

Before fans can understand the event that led to the massacre of the Uchiha clan, they must first wonder who Itachi is . The first child of the head of the Uchiha clan, Itachi was born as a ninja prodigy, and many hailed him as the best of his generation. 🐱‍👤 However, he witnessed many atrocities from a young age. The horrors of war led him to become a pacifist, and he set out to become the best ninja he could, hoping that in the future he could erase all fighting and conflict from the world. Itachi graduated from the Shinobi Academy and became an Anbu captain at the age of 11. Two years later, Itachi decided to massacre his entire clan, sparing only his younger brother.

The origin of the Uchiha clan

The Uchiha clan was one of the founding families of Konoha. They formed the world's first Shinobi village during the feudal period in the Naruto world, along with their rivals from the Senju clan. Other clans and fiefdoms have followed suit, pulling the world from the small-scale fighting of the "Warring States" period toward the global superpowers that exist at the start of Naruto.

Although they were able to put aside their differences to end the bloodshed and find Konoha, the lingering resentment between the two powerful families never fully evaporated. Ill will grew as the Uchiha clan was often sidelined when the time came to assign roles in village government.🏙 Members of the Senju family held power from the village's earliest days and appointments of their allies and clan members followed. The Uchiha did little to protect the village from a Kyubi attack, leading the other clans and villagers to become increasingly wary of them. The clan was gradually sidelined from Konoha's political affairs and retreated to its own corner of the village, where tempers flared and clan leaders stewed in their own indignation.

What events led Itachi to kill the Uchiha clan?

Since the founding of Konoha Village, many have been wary of the Uchiha clan. Madara Uchiha's revolt against Konoha Village continued to strike fear and distrust in the hearts of many. The attack of Kyubi , the Nine-Tailed Fox further increased people's fear of the Uchiha clan, and the village councilors became suspicious. 😨

With fears growing, the village chief decided to restrict the Uchiha clan to the outskirts of the village. This exclusion infuriated the Uchiha. Itachi's father, the clan leader, got his son involved in Anbu's black ops, where he began spying on the village and other clans to attempt a coup. But at this point, Itachi was already a spy for the village councilman, Danzo. With his status as a double agent, Itachi believed he was helping the cause of peace. Danzo believed that if left unchecked, the Uchiha would cause another war.

Itachi informed Danzo of his family's coup plans, and Danzo manipulated Itachi into believing that the coup could not be stopped without bloodshed. He stole Shisui's eye , leading Itachi to question who he could trust. Eventually, Danzo played on Itachi's trauma and naivety to manipulate him into killing the Uchiha clan.🔪 Itachi hoped to prevent another Shinobi War and the loss of many innocent lives.

Itachi protected his little brother

Itachi Uchiha agreed to carry out the clan massacre with some reservations. Danzo Shimura knew that Itachi was very protective of his younger brother Sasuke, and used this information to sweeten the deal. He said they would leave Sasuke alive if Itachi led the attack and took responsibility. He agreed, not knowing that his decision would send Sasuke on a quest for revenge, which resulted in Itachi's death. 💀

As proven by his actions, Itachi was deeply loyal to Konoha , and took his oath as a village shinobi very seriously. Along with the idea that his younger brother might die, Konoha agents told Itachi that another world war could break out if his family succeeded. Itachi wanted to avoid this at all costs and carried out this horrible plan.

After the massacre, his status as a murderer and traitor to his clan allowed Itachi, still secretly loyal, to join the Akatsuki criminal group. He continued to serve as Konoha's agent, providing his village with information on the terrorist cell's plots until his death at the hands of his younger brother.

The aftermath of the Uchiha clan massacre

Itachi led Sasuke, the brother he spared, on a path of hatred and revenge. He believed that only Sasuke could judge him for the massacre he committed, and wanted his brother Sasuke to become strong enough to kill him. Sasuke left the village and began his quest to become more powerful than Itachi in order to avenge the death of his clan. This led Naruto to go on his own quest to become more powerful and bring Sasuke back to the village.

The Uchiha massacre helped shape Sasuke, and in turn, Naruto. They became two of the most powerful ninja Konoha has ever seen. Sasuke attempted to kill Itachi numerous times, but failed. The day came when Sasuke challenged Itachi and was strong enough to kill his brother. Sasuke finally learned the truth about his brother's motives after killing him. He learned the truth about Danzo's manipulation and the Cold War being waged in Konoha. 🍃

After Itachi's death, Sasuke and Naruto defeated Madara and Obito after Sasuke gained all of Itachi's powers . By defeating Madara and Obito, Naruto and Sasuke saved the Shinobi world from the infinite Tsukuyomi, who could have enslaved the entire world in a dreamlike illusion. If Itachi had not spared his younger brother and massacred the Uchiha clan, his brother would never have gained his powers or been able to help Naruto defeat Madara and Obito.