Summary

Fugaku Uchiha, the last Uchiha leader, played a key role in the narrative and left a legacy.
Fugaku's strength rivaled the Sannin and he was considered for 4th Hokage.
Fugaku influenced Itachi and Sasuke's characters, shaping them profoundly.

The Naruto series features a number of all-powerful clans and factions throughout its long run, though its prime focus remained mostly on one specific clan — the Uchiha. Despite the series’ constant focus on the Uchiha and its feats, one particular Uchiha was constantly overlooked. The last leader of the Uchiha clan, Fugaku Uchiha, was rarely ever mentioned in the Naruto series, with most of his appearances tied to Itachi and Sasuke's backstory.

However, Fugaku Uchiha was an extremely powerful character, and even left a legacy behind as Wicked Eye Fugaku. While Fugaku Uchiha played a pivotal role in Naruto's narrative, his name often flies under the radar. However, his true legacy and role in Naruto can be pieced together through multiple instances and flashbacks throughout the series.

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By Ritwik Mitra

Who Was Fugaku Uchiha?

The Last Leader Of the Uchiha

Fugaku Confronting Itachi In The Uchiha Compound Naruto

First Appearance	Naruto, Episode 84 "Roar, Chidori! Brother vs. Brother!"
Air Date	May 19, 2004

As the last leader of the Uchiha clan, Fugaku Uchiha played a pivotal role in delaying the Uchiha Rebellion, along with maintaining peace between the Hidden Leaf and the Uchiha clan for as long as he could. As one of the few users of the Mangegyo Sharingan, Fugaku was on par with several other powerful shinobi, a feat that even landed him as a candidate for becoming the fourth Hokage. Fugaku was one of the few Uchiha that had inherited the Will of Fire, evident from the fact that he was willing to relocate the entire Uchiha clan to the outskirts of the Hidden Leaf in order to quell any suspicions of their involvement in the Nine Tail Fox's rampage.

Moreover, he was never keen on seizing power for himself, as he instead wished to maintain peace between the Hidden Leaf and the Uchiha clan. He was also the last remaining line of defense against the Uchiha Rebellion, as he kept on convincing his clan members to find an alternative solution. While he wasn't successful in quelling it altogether, he was able to delay it for as long as he could, which gave enough time for Itachi to annihilate his clan altogether. Fugaku's Will of Fire is further evident from the fact that he did not attempt to stop Itachi in his tracks, even though he had the power to easily defeat Itachi and end the massacre. Instead, he honored his son’s wish to side with the Hidden Leaf, and his last request to Itachi was to look after Sasuke.

The Legacy Of Wicked Eye Fugaku

Fugaku Left a Significant Impact on Naruto’s Narrative

Fugaku may have rarely received any screen time in the Naruto series, yet his feats of war have echoed throughout the Shinobi world's history. Fugaku participated in the Third Great Ninja War, where he earned the moniker of Wicked Eye Fugaku, whether it was due to his mastery over the Sharingan or his skilled ninjutsu techniques. Fugaku was a menace on the battlefield, and Shinobi from other nations trembled at only the mere mention of his name. This reputation led to Fugaku becoming the leader of the Uchiha clan, along with leading the Konoha Military Police.

I can control the Nine Tails with my Mangekyo Sharingan. If the clan learns about this, they would desire even more.

It was during the Third Great Ninja War that Fugaku also awakened his Mangekyou Sharingan. It is said that Fugaku lost one of his closest friends on the battlefield, and the sight of his dying friend led to him awakening the Mangekyou Sharingan. However, Fugaku kept his Mangekyou a secret from both his clan and the Hidden Leaf Village. His reasoning behind keeping the Mangekyo a secret was to avoid any suspicion of controlling the Nine-Tails, along with ensuring his clan members wouldn’t resort to misusing this power. However, Fugaku's Mangekyou was never witnessed in action, meaning there is also no knowledge of his signature Mangekyou ability.

How Fugaku Influenced Itachi and Sasuke

Fugaku Played a Role in Shaping Itachi and Sasuke

Fugaku may have been killed in the Uchiha Massacre, but he left his legacy behind in the form of his two sons, Itachi and Sasuke Uchiha. Both Uchiha have remained integral to the narrative, and Fugaku shaped much of their characters in their early lives. As a firstborn, Itachi was Fugaku's favorite son, as he personally trained him after realizing his prodigal genius. During the Third Great Ninja War, Fugaku took Itachi to the remains of the battlefield, showing him a sea of corpses. This ingrained in Itachi the notion of death, and the fact that, in Shinobi Warfare, there is no guarantee of coming back.

It's possible that this incident might have led to Itachi understanding the value of human life, since he had always resolved to minimize conflict and save as many lives as possible. While Itachi was favored by Fugaku, Sasuke remained neglected throughout his early years. Fugaku would refuse to train with Sasuke or give him attention, leaving the young boy to often train with Itachi. However, this cold treatment changed after Itachi refused to be a spy within the Anbu for the Uchiha, leading to Fugaku shifting all of his attention towards Sasuke.

From training with Sasuke to teaching him new techniques, Sasuke enjoyed much of his father's attention. However, this was taken away from him during the Uchiha massacre, after Itachi senselessly slaughtered the entire clan. These incidents, while only shown in the Naruto series' flashbacks, played a pivotal role in both brothers and their characterizations. It's safe to say that Fugaku played the ultimate role in shaping these two integral characters of the Naruto series.

How Strong Was Fugaku Uchiha?

Fugaku’s Strength Paralleled the Sannin

Since Fugaku Uchiha has limited screen time and most of his feats were showcased in a handful of filler episodes, the true extent of his strength and powers was never exactly revealed. However, a few instances do hint at Fugaku's true power levels, with some even stating that his strength was comparable to Minato Namikaze and the legendary Sanin. Considering the strength that Minato and the Sanin held, it's safe to say that Fugaku Uchiha was certainly at Kage level in terms of power. Moreover, he was also considered to be a candidate for the seat of the 4th Hokage.

While his abilities are rather unknown, it is clear that Fugaku held mastery over the Uchiha clan's signature Fireball Jutsu, along with the Shuriken technique. However, Fugaku's true strength lies in the Sharingan, which he was able to use to predict enemy movements and place them under elaborate Genjutsu at merely a glance. Moreover, Fugaku had access to the Sharingan's evolution in the form of the Mangekyou Sharingan, which he awakened during the Third Great Ninja War after witnessing the death of his close friend. However, he kept the Mangekyou a secret, knowing that public knowledge of such a dojutsu would lead to the Uchiha being even more criticized.

Since Fugaku's Mangekyou remains unknown, it is unclear how strong his dojutsu truly was. However, Fugaku confidently stated that he could use the Mangekyou to control the Nine-Tailed Fox, a feat that not even other Mangekyou users, such as Sasuke and Itachi, had ever been able to do. Fugaku also has a few other testimonies that back his true strength, as he was believed to be the strongest Uchiha of his time, second only to Shisui after the young Uchiha awakened in Mangekyou Sharingan.

Naruto is available to stream on Prime Video.

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