Episode 16 pushes Team 7 to the brink on the great bridge. Haku stops holding back, Sasuke awakens his Sharingan to guard a fainting Naruto, and grief over an apparent loss unleashes the Nine-Tailed Fox's power inside Naruto for the first time.
Summary
Deciding he can no longer spare Naruto and Sasuke, Haku shifts from grazing their skin to striking at lethal points, and Naruto absorbs the worst of it. Unwilling to concede yet drained of chakra, Naruto collapses into unconsciousness. Sasuke stands his ground over his fallen teammate by activating his Sharingan, which lets him follow Haku's blistering speed. Startled that Sasuke also carries a kekkei genkai that surfaced mid-battle, Haku recognizes he cannot win a prolonged exchange against deflected attacks, so he sends a barrage of senbon at the defenseless Naruto, and Sasuke instinctively throws himself in the way.
Elsewhere on the bridge, Kakashi has just taken a cut from Zabuza's blade in a last-instant move to shield Sakura and Tazuna. Zabuza jeers that he nearly lost the bridge builder while Kakashi fretted over his students. Naruto stirs to find Sasuke standing before him, pierced and clinging to life, then catches his friend as he goes limp and still. Convinced Sasuke has died, Naruto's fury cracks the seal on the Nine-Tailed Fox and he begins drawing on its chakra without meaning to. Both Kakashi and Zabuza feel the shift, and Kakashi wonders whether the seal has given way. Haku can only watch in disbelief as the fox's power mends Naruto's injuries and reshapes his body.
Key Events
Haku aims to kill in earnest, and Naruto passes out from chakra exhaustion. Sasuke's Sharingan awakens as he defends Naruto, and he takes a fatal-seeming volley of senbon meant for his teammate. Believing Sasuke dead, Naruto taps the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra for the first time, breaking the seal enough to heal himself and alarm both Kakashi and Zabuza.
Notes
The episode belongs to the Prologue arc set in the Land of Waves and adapts chapters 26 and 27. It aired in Japan on January 23, 2003, and in English on December 17, 2005. Its opening theme is R★O★C★K★S and its ending theme is Wind. Although Cartoon Network trimmed the moment from the earlier episode, the flashback here restored the scene of Naruto accidentally kissing Sasuke when it aired.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Did Naruto ever break the seal on the Nine-Tailed Fox?
Yes, in The Broken Seal, Naruto's grief after believing Sasuke has died cracks the seal on the Nine-Tailed Fox, letting him draw on its chakra for the first time.
What episode is The Broken Seal in Naruto?
The Broken Seal is episode 16 of the original Naruto series, part of the Prologue arc set in the Land of Waves.
What happens if Naruto breaks the seal in this episode?
When Naruto believes Sasuke has died, breaking the seal lets the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra begin healing his injuries and reshaping his body, a shift powerful enough that both Kakashi and Zabuza sense it.
Why does Sasuke awaken his Sharingan in The Broken Seal?
Sasuke awakens his Sharingan to keep pace with Haku's speed while standing guard over an unconscious Naruto, and he uses it in an attempt to track Haku's senbon attacks.
What arc and manga chapters does The Broken Seal adapt?
The Broken Seal belongs to the Prologue arc set in the Land of Waves and adapts chapters 26 and 27 of the manga.
Sources & Information
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View on FandomThis content is original writing by Daddy Jim Headquarters based on the Naruto anime series, manga, and official materials. Episode and chapter references are cited where applicable.
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