No one in Naruto or Boruto has a history as vast and tragic as Sasuke. Everything in the Uchiha’s history is centered on tragedy, from the acts his brother Itachi committed to the tour of vengeance he went on after that. It caused him to be an eternally angry character who lashed out at anyone who couldn’t help him achieve his goals.
Any character with this sort of history is bound to have it creep back up on them, and this happens with Sasuke numerous times. He can never hope to outrun his past, no matter how much he redeems himself.
10 His Uchiha Blood Made Him A Target Of Shin
It can hardly be considered Sasuke’s fault that he’s one of the two remaining Uchiha in the world, but that lineage is exactly what caused him to be a target of Shin. Shin wanted to wipe away the embarrassment of the clan, proving that he was superior in the process. It’s what led him to send his clone after him. Luckily for Sasuke, his power levels were far above Shin or any of his clones, firmly putting him among the strongest living ninja.
9 His Past Life Caused Sakura To Get Kidnapped By Shin
When Shin’s vendetta got underway, his target soon shifted from Sasuke to his family, realizing he couldn’t get to the Uchiha by conventional means. He wanted Sarada but settled for the girl’s mother, Sakura. He hoped she’d make amble bait to lure his targets to him. What he didn’t count on was Sakura no longer being a damsel in distress. She launched an assault on him and made good on Sasuke’s confidence in her, showing he had nothing to worry about.
8 The Nature Of His Deeds Made Him An Outcast, Fracturing His Relationship With His Daughter
The relationship Sasuke and Sarada have with each other isn’t always a steady one. While it isn’t as bad as Boruto and Naruto’s was early in the series, it wasn’t exactly happy or ideal. Sasuke’s time outside the village caused there to be a disconnect between the two of them.
Sarada saw him as some form of superhero, getting immensely disappointed when he was as normal as everyone else. It didn’t help that Sasuke didn’t know how to talk to her at all.
7 Sasuke’s Journey Of Redemption Leads To Him Getting Attacked By Kinshiki & Momoshiki
Much of the Blank Period and the first half of Boruto centers on Sasuke’s journey of redemption and his research into Kaguya’s origins. To atone for his past deeds, he watched over the village from afar, operating in a somewhat similar way as his brother. His suspicions about Kaguya end up correct as Momoshiki and Kinshiki appear, leading to a short and intense fight with Kinshiki before he departs.
6 Sasuke’s Past Actions Brought Him Shame During The Time-Slip Arc
The time-slip arc was a hit or miss type of filler, as was its primary villain Urashiki. It had some cool moments in it but was otherwise unremarkable. It did provide some interesting storytelling with Sasuke as he was confronted with the actions of his past self, lamenting to Boruto that he felt leaving was the only way he could gain his revenge on Itachi. While Sasuke always felt shame for what he did, it came to a head here.
5 Sasuke Sees First Hand How Much His Departure Affected Naruto
Sasuke’s past comes up numerous times during the Time Slip arc, always bringing shame to the Uchiha, but none more than when he’s forced to interact with a younger form of himself.
He sees firsthand how much his departure affected Naruto, understanding that Naruto always blamed himself for not being able to change the mind of his friend. While Sasuke does manage to renew Naruto’s vigor, it’s a stark reminder of his past.
4 His Possession Of The Mangekyo Sharingan & Its Power Made Sarada Interested In It
The demons of Sasuke’s past always linger within him, and it’s something he can’t ever change nor escape. What he can do is make sure his daughter doesn’t try to walk the same path. With the way his daughter idolizes him, it isn’t surprising that she’d want to try to emulate her father’s power. It first started with her wanting to learn the Chidori from him and morphed into her asking about the Mangekyo Sharingan, something that rightfully scared Sasuke.
3 His Lost Arm Was Consistently A Detriment In Battle
The final battle between Sasuke and Naruto has lasting ramifications on both of them, with their final clash taking away one arm from each of them. Naruto smartly decided to get another one, while Sasuke chose to live his life with only one. It worked as a form of repentance, always reminding Sasuke of what his former life was. It didn’t work so well in combat as Sasuke was always at a disadvantage with it, especially when it came to taijutsu-style fights that fill Boruto.
2 Garashi Tono Reminds Him Of His Anger In The Past
As Kara started to come into the forefront of the series, Garashi was the first outer they came in contact with. He was a devoted follower of Kara due to being an orphan of the still war-torn Amegakure. He blamed the rest of the world, only seeing things with anger in his eyes, much as Sasuke did when he was a genin. Despite Sasuke’s words trying to sway them, they fell on deaf ears, just as Naruto’s did all those years ago.
1 Sasuke Is Reminded Of Itachi After Interrogating Lily In Sasuke Shinden
The second Sasuke Shinden delves into an organization known as the Purple Moon Religion, a group of naturalists who oppose the growing spread of technology in the world. The book starts with a bombing on a train that Sasuke learns Lily’s father has a hand in and is willing to do anything he can to get answers, even using his Sharingan. Sarada has to stop him, telling him she’d never give up Sasuke, no matter what. It reminds Sasuke of Itachi who did the same, causing him to relent.