It's no secret that the Naruto franchise has a recurring theme of redeeming its villains and showcasing the moral ambiguity that lies behind their motives, yet one case has stirred controversy among the masses – and rightfully so. Being one of the end-game villains in the Naruto series, Obito Uchiha's fate initially seemed to be sealed, as his vicious atrocities left no room for redemption. However, the show left many confused as the character once hell-bent on reshaping the entire world through all means possible suddenly turned a new leaf.
Even Sasuke and Orochimaru's redemptions were somewhat acceptable considering the circumstances they were redeemed under, yet Obito's change of heart doesn't sit quite right, especially after his previous actions in the Great War. Nevertheless, analyzing some of Obito's final actions can shed some light on the matter, discerning whether the rogue Uchiha actually deserved redemption.
Obito's Despicable Crimes
Compiling a list of Obito's crimes would be an impossible feat, yet some of his most heinous actions stand out, setting a clear precedent of his merciless acts. Since Obito's strategy generally relied on brainwashing and manipulation, his primary crimes include manipulating Nagato and turning the Akatsuki into a merciless organization, brainwashing the Fourth Mizukage and using him as a pawn to rule the Hidden Mist Village, and manipulating Sasuke after Itachi's death. Through his manipulation, Obito was able to use others to do his bidding, all the while staying on the sidelines and observing the events that slowly unfolded.
While direct violence was never Obito's primary offense, he is still responsible for mass murder and genocide. His role in the Uchiha massacre serves as a testament to his indifferent disposition, as he felt no remorse while annihilating his very own clan. He also boasts a long streak of murders, killing all those that stood in his way, even getting rid of his former comrades such as Konan. He even let Nine-Tails rampage through the Hidden Leaf, killing Minato and Kushina in the process.
Lastly, his actions throughout the Fourth Great Ninja War triumph over all other misdeeds, as the events that transpired led to accounts of mass murder, enslaving tailed-beasts, and an attempt at rewriting reality. The deaths of thousands of shinobi during the war are a direct result of Obito's actions, and the destruction caused by Ten-Tails can also be attributed to his actions. These may just be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Obito's atrocities, yet the scale of just these few crimes is enough to showcase his villainous potential.
Obito's Attempt at Redemption
For the Naruto series, a character that initially seems to be unrescuable from the pits of darkness finally seeking the goodness in his heart may not be a new concept, yet it still seems quite absurd in Obito’s case. Nevertheless, it's still worthwhile to consider his final actions before his inevitable demise. Once Naruto convinced Obito to join their side, his first attempt at atonement was quite reminiscent of Nagato’s final act of goodness – using the Gedo Art of Rinne Rebirth to revive all fallen allies. However, his efforts were soon foiled by Black Zetsu as he used his body to revive Madara instead.
Despite his efforts being in vain initially, Obito did not give up as he earnestly fought against Madara to help the Allied Shinobi Forces. He even saved Naruto’s life by extracting chakra of the tailed-beasts from within Madara’s body. It won’t be wrong to state that it was Obito’s direct actions that saved Naruto and the entire shinobi world from annihilation. He even tried to destroy his Rinnegan, requesting Sakura to cut through it with a Kunai. However, the Kunoichi hesitated, giving Madara just enough time to swap into Obito’s dimension and snatch his Rinnegan. While his plan may have failed, the sincerity behind his efforts clearly shined through in his last moments.
Final Verdict
There is no denying that Obito’s actions were some of the most atrocious crimes in the entire series, yet it's still worth considering the good inside him, which eventually revealed itself in his final moments. His actions may have single-handedly saved the entire shinobi world, a feat that cannot be ignored no matter how gruesome his past misdeeds may be. Moreover, Obito can still be given some leeway considering the traumatizing events he underwent, as witnessing the loss of the only thing one cares about can leave anyone mentally debilitated.
Another factor to consider is the cursed tag that Madara had implanted within Obito, forcing him to act on his orders. If he had disobeyed Madara, the cursed tag would have activated, rendering him incapacitated. With this fact in mind, there seems to be some room for redemption for Obito, as it's clear that while he did act out of free will, he was still perpetually bound to Madara’s will, making his final actions somewhat worthy of redemption.