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Truth

EpisodeEp. 141

The masked man calling himself Madara lays out the hidden burden Itachi carried, and the revelation that his brother slaughtered their clan to shield Konoha shatters Sasuke, driving him to rename his team and vow to destroy the village.

Kanji: 真実
Ending Song: It Was You
Opening Song: Sign
English Airdate: 2012-10-09
Japanese Airdate: 2009-12-24
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Summary

The stranger posing as Madara Uchiha keeps unspooling the story behind Itachi's massacre. A witness to countless wartime deaths by the age of four, Itachi grew into a devoted pacifist. Their father, Fugaku, secretly steered a plot for the Uchiha to seize control from the ruling Senju, and he slid Itachi into the Anbu to feed the clan intelligence. Itachi's true allegiance, however, lay with the village rather than his kin, a loyalty the Konoha Council and Danzo turned against the Uchiha by making him their informant instead. Once the Third Hokage's efforts at a peaceful settlement collapsed, the elders resolved to wipe the clan out. Itachi was left with an agonising choice: let the coup proceed and risk civil ruin, mass death, and an invasion that could ignite another world war, or destroy his own family to spare everyone that fate.

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Key Events

Madara recounts slipping into Konoha to avenge himself on the village and on the clan that had cast him aside, and how Itachi, the lone person aware he still lived, tracked him down and struck a bargain: aid in erasing the Uchiha in return for the village's safety. Itachi cut down his father, his mother, and his lover, yet could not bring himself to kill his little brother. Afterward the two parted, and Itachi reported his success before leaving Konoha, extracting from the Third a promise to keep Sasuke safe under threat of leaking village secrets. Sasuke rejects all of it, insisting his brother killed merely to test his own limits. Madara counters that Itachi's aims went further, from implanting Amaterasu within Sasuke to sealing away Orochimaru and the Cursed Seal of Heaven, and that his return to Konoha was meant to guard Sasuke from Danzo while he spied on the Akatsuki for the village.

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Notes

Standing on a cliff as a hawk wheels overhead, Sasuke weeps over the brother he once adored and, transformed by the truth, rechristens his team from Hebi to Taka, declaring their new purpose the annihilation of Konohagakure and awakening his own Mangekyo Sharingan in the moment. Episode 141 of Naruto: Shippuden is part of the Fated Battle Between Brothers arc, adapting chapters 400 to 402, and aired 24 December 2009 in Japan and 9 October 2012 in English. The narrator claiming to be Madara is in fact Obito. The opening is Sign and the ending is It Was You.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Naruto Shippuden episode 141, Truth, about?

Episode 141 reveals that Itachi Uchiha slaughtered the Uchiha clan to prevent a coup and protect Konoha, a revelation delivered by a masked man posing as Madara that devastates Sasuke Uchiha.

Why did Itachi Uchiha kill his clan according to the Truth episode?

The masked man explains that Itachi killed the Uchiha clan to stop a coup being planned by his father Fugaku, one that risked civil war and possible mass death, choosing to sacrifice his family to protect Konoha.

What does Sasuke do after learning the truth about Itachi?

Devastated by the revelation, Sasuke weeps atop a cliff, renames his team from Hebi to Taka, vows to destroy Konohagakure, and awakens his Mangekyo Sharingan.

Who is the masked man that tells Sasuke about Itachi in this episode?

The man posing as Madara Uchiha while recounting Itachi's story is actually Obito Uchiha.

What arc and manga chapters does Naruto Shippuden episode 141 adapt?

Episode 141 belongs to the Fated Battle Between Brothers arc and adapts manga chapters 400 through 402, airing December 24, 2009 in Japan.

Sources & Information

Looking for more on Truth? The Naruto Wiki on Fandom has a dedicated page with community notes.

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This 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.

Character and scene imagery on this site is original artwork by Daddy Jim Headquarters, not screenshots or licensed imagery. Official cover art is used on three types of pages for editorial commentary:

  • Movie pages: theatrical posters and key visuals, credited to Studio Pierrot and Toho.
  • Game pages: official box art for the Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm games, credited to Bandai Namco.
  • Manga chapter pages: Jump Comics volume covers, credited to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto.

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