Naruto Anime Analysis

Season 4: Episode 166

Source: Wikipedia

"When Time Stands Still"

"The episode begins with a flashback that reveals that Sagi, not Toki, died and that Toki took on her brother's identity to avenge his death. Toki assumes the identity of the Noroimusha and attempts to attack Mousou, but is subdued by Mousou's imitation of ninjutsu. Mousou's Watari ninjas and Naruto's group join the battle. While his companions fight the Watari ninja, Naruto pursues Mousou and is caught in a genjutsu."

Analysis

This episode also had an unfolding of events. It also revealed more details about the Watari Ninja, or, we could say, the Wondering Ninja.

Please take note that when I mention the name Sagi, it's because her disguise has not been revealed yet, and when I mention Toki, that's when she reveals her disguise.

This episode is a continuation of the previous episode, where Sagi was determined to seek vengeance on Mousou for killing his family members. With dialogue, tense music plays in the background.

Sagi: As long as the score isn't settled, my heart is as broken as this watch, and we are both stuck forever in the past.

Lord Koumei: Sagi no! Revenge is a poison blade that saves the most fatal cut for the man who wields it!

Sagi: Fine, so long as I take Mousou out of me, his darkness could devour my soul, and I would welcome it.

Sagi is like Sasuke through and through in the sense that Sasuke also seeks vengeance on the person responsible for killing his clan and parents, Itachi Uchiha. This is evident when a flashback technique is used when Naruto starts noticing Sasuke's need for vengeance. For instance, when Itachi and Kisame are planning to capture Naruto, Sasuke is oozing hatred for his brother as he says to Itachi, "It's just as you said, brother, all this time I fostered my hatred for you; I lived my life for one single purpose. It ends here! Enough! You're dead!". Afterwards, Sasuke activated his Sharingan and used his Chidori against Itachi, but it was ineffective. Secondly, Naruto remembered his encounter with Sasuke, where he had a curse mark on the right side of his face. Sasuke said to him, "My days of playing ninja with you kids of the leaf village are done. Now I'm going to where Orochimaru is." Sagi's situation is reminiscent of Sasuke's. Since Naruto is close to Sasuke and fails to save him, he is driven by emotion as he decides to convince Sagi that revenge is not the answer. This is why he starts yelling at Sagi in the following dialogue below:

Naruto yells I'll never allow you to throw your soul away! Revenge consumed a friend of mine until nothing was left, and the only way that's going to happen to you is over my dead body!

Sagi: I'll see this through to the end, and if you're not with me, then you're against me. You'll never understand.

Despite Naruto's ultimatum, Sagi refuses to listen because he is determined to punish Mousou no matter what. His need for revenge has consumed him to the extent that when he pulls a rope, he traps them in a cage, causing the royal residence to collapse. He even risked destroying Chishima's life, who lay in the hospital bed and woke up after realising that the building was disintegrating. Therefore, that is how Sagi is like Sasuke; he is willing to hurt others just to get his revenge.

During the fight between Nagare and Kakashi, there were more details concerning the Watari Ninja. When Kakashi freed himself from Nagare's sand coffin (an imitation of Gaara's technique) using his lightning blade, he used the lightning blade on Nagare. A conversation takes place between them where Nagare says, "We are roaming outcasts with no village, the drags of ninja society; that's why we travel from place to place, stealing what jutsu we find, sharpening our skills without benefiting school or clan, looking for a land to call our own. But then, no matter how hard we try, I guess this means there are limitations we can never hope to surpass." The Watari Ninjas are nomads who travel from place to place, stealing any jutsu they can find. It makes one wonder how Mousou is linked to them and what the agreement between the two of them is. As the analysis progresses, you'll find out why.