Rock Lee is a fan-favorite Naruto character who only got a little time to shine after the series’s time skip, but many forget when the character who personifies hard work halved the most powerful shinobi in the series’ history. The bushy-browed taijutsu student provided some of Part 1 Naruto‘s best fights despite being unable to utilize chakra like other shinobi in the series. However, the one time he could use charka, he proved capable enough to get the better of Uchiha Madara.
The situation during the Fourth Great Shinobi War was consistently dire for the Allied Shinobi Alliance. Still, moments like when Madara and Obito took control of the Ten-Tails Jubi were one of the series’ darkest. Shinobi lost their lives throughout the battlefield, even Konoha’s prestigious Hyuga Neji. However, his death would be the catalyst for Rock Lee’s most significant moment in the franchise.
After a much-needed morale boost from Hinata, Naruto figured out how to imbue the Shinobi army with his own Nine-Tails chakra, giving each of them a significant boost in power. This included Rock Lee, who was not only shocked that the technique worked with him, but he was able to harness the power-up to such great effect that he cut Edo Madara in half with a kick in chapter #617, which also happened to sever the villain’s connection to the Ten-Tails.
Rock Lee is Naruto’s “Powerless” Boy Who Halved A God
Rock Lee was born without the ability to use his chakra in a way that would allow him to use ninjutsu and genjutsu. Still, he didn’t let that stop him from accomplishing his dream of becoming a great ninja. Lee became just that by focusing solely on martial arts and taijutsu skills. With a brutal training regimen, Lee and his teacher, Might Guy, accomplished terrific feats by utilizing the Eight Gates Technique, significantly boosting their strength and speed. However, after the Naruto Shippuden time skip, Lee and his prominence in the series seemed to fall behind.
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Lee’s potential did not go entirely unnoticed with specific filler episodes, movies, and even his own spin-off show, “Rock Lee & His Ninja Pals,” featuring epic battles for the young taijutsu specialist. Still, Rock Lee’s contribution to the main Naruto story arcs could have been better for fans of the character, especially because he was one of the series’ most relatable characters. Surrounded by people who could reshape landscapes and transform, Lee only had his determination and hard work that gave him his power. In an unfair world, Lee didn’t give up, and his contribution eventually helped save the world.
Naruto‘s cast represents aspects of the human race, and it doesn’t take much to see that Rock Lee is the personification of hard work. Unlike everyone around him, he wasn’t born with magic ninja abilities and was often bullied for his handicap. While Naruto’s character eventually grew to represent empathy, he also ended up being blessed with immense power-ups due to his bond with the Nine-Tails and divine ancestry. Rock Lee was not granted such a luxury. Still, when they combined their efforts, they accomplished the impossible.
Lee Used Naruto’s Power-Up More Effectively Than Anyone Imagined
Naruto’s gift of Nine Tails chakra made Lee stronger and faster than ever. However, what Lee did with the power boost makes him one of the best shinobi in the world. Despite not being able to train or practice with an enhancement that the Nine-Tails chakra provides, Rock Lee was able to control his new strength and speed enough to catch even the greatest shinobi in the franchise’s history off guard. If Madara were not a re-animated zombie, Rock Lee’s Nine-Tails-boosted kick would have killed him. Still, it was easily one of the series most cathartic moments.
Madara’s goal was to use his Rinnegan to create world peace by casting a worldwide genjutsu that’d place the population into a dreamlike coma, effectively removing conflict and the need for improving oneself. Rock Lee’s consistent dedication to bettering himself makes him a great foil to Madara’s goals. His training allowed him to control his strength effectively with deadly precision, which further helped his effectiveness when it mattered most in helping save the world from Madara’s scheme. While the villains did succeed in casting the Infinite Tsukuyomi, without Lee and his teacher Might Guy’s assistance, things would have turned out worse than they did.
While Rock Lee’s incredible power buff did not last very long, he’d managed to sever the Ten-Tails connection to Madara, who controlled the monstrous beast. After losing that connection, the villains became more desperate. They ultimately had to change their plans consistently due to their inability to snuff out the remaining United Shinobi Alliance. But if Lee had failed to ruin Madara’s connection with the beast, the battle would have been over long before Naruto and Sasuke could save the day.
Madara Experienced The Full Force Of The Springtime Of Youth
After unlocking the sacrificial Eighth Gate, Guy’s ultimate display of taijutsu skill was rightfully etched into many fans’ memories, which might be why Lee’s devastating attack against Madara is so overlooked. However, even that moment would have been ruined without Rock Lee. If he hadn’t thrown Minato’s kunai with perfect timing, Sage Madara’s Truthseeking orbs wouldn’t have been displaced, and his sensei’s epic Night Guy attack wouldn’t have landed. Once again, this proves how vital Rock Lee was during Naruto Shippuden‘s most desperate arc.
The Bushy Browed student had gone through a lot, and it’s disappointing that he did not play as big of a part in the story after the time skip. When Gaara crushed Lee’s limbs, he was told he may never be able to be a ninja again. It became incredibly satisfying to watch Rock Lee return and eventually kick through a villain so well built up, such as Madara, which made the event a significant highlight in the Naruto series that deserves to be ingrained in many fans’ minds.
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Naruto: Shippuden
Set two and a half years after the events of Masashi Kishimoto’s original anime, Naruto Shippuden continues the titular hero’s attempts to become the best ninja in the Hidden Leaf Village and bring his former friend Sasuke Uchiha back to the light. The 500-episode series features the return of allies such as Sakura Haruno and Naruto Uzumaki’s mentor Jiraiya, as well as the villainous organization Akatsuki.
