Introduction
The world of Naruto is filled with complex lore, especially when it comes to dojutsu (eye techniques) like the Rinnegan. One of the biggest mysteries for fans has been why Nagato was revived with the Rinnegan during the Fourth Great Ninja War, even though he did not naturally possess these legendary eyes. This article will delve deep into this topic, providing a detailed, SEO-friendly analysis that will help clear up the confusion for Naruto fans.
Understanding Edo Tensei and How It Affects Reanimated Shinobi
What Is Edo Tensei?
Edo Tensei, also known as the Reanimation Jutsu, is a forbidden technique developed by Tobirama Senju and later perfected by Orochimaru and Kabuto Yakushi. This jutsu allows the summoning of deceased individuals in a near-indestructible state, granting them an immortal body with limitless chakra regeneration.
How Does Edo Tensei Preserve Abilities?
When a person is revived using Edo Tensei, they generally return in their strongest form from when they were alive. This means that all modifications, enhancements, and power boosts they received in their lifetime can remain active upon their revival. In many cases, the reanimated shinobi can even retain additional enhancements depending on how their bodies were configured at the time of death.
This mechanism explains why Nagato was brought back with the Rinnegan. He died while wielding the Rinnegan, and since Edo Tensei restores a person’s peak form or their last known power level, he was reanimated with these legendary eyes.
Did Nagato Naturally Possess the Rinnegan?
Nagato’s Rinnegan Was Implanted by Madara
Nagato did not naturally awaken the Rinnegan. Instead, Madara Uchiha secretly implanted the Rinnegan into Nagato when he was a child from the Uzumaki Clan. The reason for this was that Nagato’s lineage gave him an exceptionally strong life force and chakra reserves, which were necessary to handle the immense power of the Rinnegan.
Madara intended for Nagato to act as a vessel for the eyes until the right moment, when he would reclaim them for himself. However, due to circumstances beyond his control, Nagato lived his life unaware of this manipulation, believing that he had awakened the Rinnegan naturally.
What Happened to Nagato’s Rinnegan After His Death?
After Nagato’s death, his body was taken by Tobi (Obito Uchiha), who then extracted the Rinnegan to use in his plan to control the Akatsuki. These eyes later played a crucial role in the Fourth Great Ninja War, as Tobi used one of them while the other was eventually retrieved by Madara Uchiha.
Why Was Nagato Reanimated With the Rinnegan?
There are three major reasons why Nagato was reanimated with the Rinnegan despite not originally possessing these eyes:
1. Edo Tensei Revives Individuals at Their Peak Power
Since Edo Tensei brings people back at their strongest, Nagato’s most powerful form was when he wielded the Rinnegan. As such, Kabuto ensured that he was revived in that state so that he could serve as an asset in battle.
2. Edo Tensei Can Preserve Modifications
Even though the original Rinnegan was removed from Nagato’s body after his death, the eyes he had while alive were an integral part of his power. Similar to how Madara was revived in his prime with Rinnegan, even though he had obtained them later in life, Nagato’s reanimation included them as well.
3. Artificial Modifications Can Be Applied to Edo Tensei Reanimations
Kabuto demonstrated that he could enhance Edo Tensei summons with modifications, as seen with Madara Uchiha. In Madara’s case, Kabuto combined his prime body performance with the Rinnegan, even though Madara had not awakened these eyes until later in life. Similarly, Kabuto ensured that Nagato was brought back with the Rinnegan so that he could maximize his battlefield potential.
The State of Nagato’s Body Upon Revival
When Nagato was revived, his body retained most of its original traits but also showed signs of his weakened condition before death. His hair remained white, a feature that was caused by the severe depletion of his chakra after using the Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique to revive the people of Konoha. Despite his frail appearance, his combat capabilities were still top-tier due to the power of the Rinnegan.
Comparison With Madara’s Edo Tensei Revival
Madara Uchiha serves as another excellent example of how Edo Tensei can work in unusual ways. Kabuto modified his reanimation, ensuring he had access to the Rinnegan even though he had only awakened them in old age. This same principle applies to Nagato, which is why he retained his Rinnegan despite not having them at birth.
Additionally, Madara was revived with Hashirama Senju’s cells implanted into him, which he had obtained only later in life. This further proves that Edo Tensei can incorporate modifications that were present in a person’s body before their death.
Conclusion: Why Nagato Was Reanimated With the Rinnegan
In summary, the reason Nagato was revived with the Rinnegan comes down to three main factors:
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Edo Tensei revives individuals in their peak form, and Nagato was at his strongest with the Rinnegan.
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Modifications that were present at the time of death can remain, meaning that even though the Rinnegan was removed from his body, it still persisted in his reanimated form.
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Kabuto had the ability to tweak Edo Tensei summons, ensuring that Nagato retained his strongest abilities for battle.
Even though the original Rinnegan had been taken by Tobi, the Edo Tensei version of Nagato still possessed them, albeit in a spiritual rather than a physical form. This is why, when Madara released Edo Tensei and revived himself, he lacked eyes—because his real ones had already been taken.
Understanding how Edo Tensei works clarifies many inconsistencies in Naruto, particularly with cases like Nagato’s revival. The jutsu is powerful and flexible, allowing reanimated shinobi to retain modifications that make them even more formidable on the battlefield.
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