Naruto Shippuden Episode 173 Review!

Naruto Shippuden Episode 173: Origin of Pain, picks up right where episode 172 left off - After Yahiko, Nagato, & Konan find the 3 sannin and begin training with Jiraiya.

Survival is pretty tough during these times. Food is scarce and everyone seems ***affected*** by the war. If being an orphan of war isn't bad enough, try surviving when your home is still the battleground for war. This is when Yahiko was attacked by a ninja; as a result, Nagato's ocular ability, the rinnegan was activated. Nagato blanked out and killed the ninja. Nagato reveals that the hate caused him to go beserk and was eventually consumed with guilt. Killing people without breaking a sweat - where's the guilt in that?

Initially, Jiraiya was rather hesitant about spending time with these kids. Orochimaru wanted to kill Nagato, Konan, and Yahiko because as he's seen plenty of war oprhans and he felt they should be put out of their misery. Jiraiya, feeling responsible, told Tsunade and Orochimaru to continue without him as he would stay with the three young ninja and train them so that they could defend themselves.

Nagato shared with Jaraiya that he feels guilt, and feels wrong for what he did. Jiraiya says that he doesn't know if Nagato's actions were right or wrong, but he does tell Nagato that because of his choice, Yahiko didn't die and that's what matters. Nagato expresses that he will protect Yahiko and Konan no matter what kind of pain he has to endure.

After Jiraiya felt he trained them enough so that they could survive without him, he had a talk with Nagato about his rinnegan. Jiraiya told Nagato about the history of the Six Paths. He says that the Sage of the Six Paths was called the Savior. He tells him that the Sage of the Six Paths believed that the era would come when people truly understand each other and expresses that Nagato maybe a reincarnation of him, since he was the only other person who possessed the Rinnegan.

We fast forward to an older Nagato who has now established a notable organization that would build peace without the use of force.

When Hanzo found out about the organization, he arranged a meeting to use their power to secure an agreement of peace among the 3 great nations. They agreed to cooperate with his proposal. However, the next day they they met at a location to discover that Hanzo's subordinates and the Leaf's Anbu Black Ops were already there. Hanzo had Konan taken hostage and revealed that this was all a plan to end their organization. Hanzo revealed that their organization was a nuisance to him and allied with Danzo, who also had personal gain, to make sure their organization was ended. Hanzo told Yahiko and Nagato that Yahiko must die because he is the leader, or that Konan will die if he resists. If he couldn't be more cruel, Hanzo says that Nagato must be the one to kill Yahiko.

Yahiko, with no hesitation, offers his life to save his two friends. Nagato slowly picks up the kunai thrown to him by Hanzo and before Nagato can make a move, Yahiko runs into the kunai of which Nagato is holding, taking his own life. His last words were, "You and Konan must survive... no matter what it takes. You are the savior of this world. I know you can do it." Even after Yahiko's death, Hanzo orders his men to kill Nagato and Konan. Nagato uses his ocular abilities to protect himself and Konan. Nagato then charges for Hanzo who tries to attack using his Fire Style Jutsu. Seeming un **affected** by Hanzo's attack, Nagato summons the Gedo Statue and it rips the souls out of the ninjas.

Nagato continues to take out Hanzo's men, as well as the Anbu Black ops as they run for their lives. Before Hanzo retreats, he acknowledges Nagato as the user of the Rinnegan.

Well, that about wraps things up for Naruto Shippuden Episode 173. Now, what I want to know is where the hell is Danzo in all of this? It would have been nice to see more of him. Don't tell me he got scared and ran off.