Lee takes a fighting stance but Gaara observes blood dripping from his arm and recalls their chuunin exam fight. He then says he’ll fight but Lee protests that Gaara is his backup. Lee runs toward Kimimaro but Gaara’s sand grabs his leg and Lee falls flat. Gaara advances toward Kimimaro instead and Lee tells Gaara about Kimimaro’s bone attacks. Kimimaro observes that Gaara uses sand attacks and barriers and is not a close range fighter. He shoots out his finger bones again as Gaara’s sand blocks and attacks at the same time. Kimimaro thinks that Gaara can only control the amount of sand that’s in the gourd and proceeds to taunt him, “Gaara of the Desert what a ridiculous name, you can’t do anything without sand” and the proof is that he has to carry that heavy sand. Gaara announces Suna Shigure (sand shower) and cloud of sand hovers above while sand from below holds onto Kimimaro’s legs. Gaara says as long as he has sand he can do anything and he can produce sand from the ground. Lee realizes that Gaara can use his own sand to destroy the rocks and minerals in the ground to create new sand and is duly impressed. Gaara has encased Kimimaro in sand and reaches his hand out to enact Sabaku Sousou (desert graveyard) and crushes Kimimaro. Gaara says Kimimaro reminds him of Uchiha Sasuke, they have the same eyes and want to confirm the value of their existence.

Naruto follows Sasuke to a cave. When Naruto enters the cave he is confronted with his own childhood memories where he was ignored and alone. Then he sees Sasuke running again.

Kimimaro has flashbacks to his childhood spent in prison, raised in darkness. His only companion is a figure he has carved into the rock. Someone comes to let him out saying “the time has come to use you. You will fight for us, the Kaguya clan.”

Kimimaro goes to stage 1 of the cursed seal. He breaks out of Gaara’s sand with apparent holes (missing skin) in his body. He had created a film of bone right under the skin. Gaara quickly performs a seal for Ryuusa Bakuryuu (Quicksand cataract) and a huge wall of sand rises in front of him and advances toward Kimimaro. The flood of sand destroys trees and washes Kimimaro away. Lee notes that it’s changing the terrain. But Gaara is not done yet and uses Sabaku Taisou (Desert Imperial Mourning) and the ground starts to shake. Lee thinks he’s become much stronger than when they fought. Kimimaro is still alive and has another flashback.

The Kaguya announce a night attack against the Hidden Village of the Mist since they are preparing to flee from another incident. Kimimaro is told to go down to the Village of the Mist and kill every single person he encounters. On the way Kimimaro runs into Zabuza and Haku and asks if they’re from the Hidden Village of the Mist. Zabuza says no and is about to draw his super-size sword but Kimi then apologizes and races pass them. Haku thinks that Kimi has the same eyes as he did before he met Zabuza. Kimimaro sees someone ahead and attacks with his little bone dagger but misses and is easily hit back. It’s Orochimaru! He says he’s not from this village then his eyes meet Kimi and appears to hypnotize him. He tells him that his target is nearby. Kimi jumps into the ravine behind him. Orochimaru thinks “Looks like it has begun.” The remaining Kaguya that have survived have been surrounded. They realize their fate but they will take as many along as possible. Kimi fight because he is being needed. Someone hits his back with a large sword but bones protrude out of his body to protect him. Dawn comes and Kimi is in a tree looking down at a heap of Kaguya bodies. He is the only one who survived. He wanders around alone, stops by a lake and then sees a flower. He talks to it then gets mad that it doesn’t answer. He’s about to stab the flower with his dagger when Orochimaru shows up saying “there is probably no point in living but by continuing to live you may be able to find some interesting things. Just like how you found that flower, just like how I found you.” He reaches out and caresses Kimi’s cheek.

Kimi thinks how people are born into the world with some kind of purpose and they must have some kind of important mission. His mission is to protect Orochimaru and his ambitions. Kimmaro goes to stage 2 of the cursed seal and a tentacle rises form the sand.

Meanwhile Naruto still calls out to Sasuke whose only answer is to chuckle. He can’t see anything then he recalls Neji’s words that he has better eyes and Neji appears to him. Encouraged, he runs ahead into the darkness.

Gaara sends more sand around Kimi and announces Sabaku Kyuu, but Kimi is now unaffected and runs toward them. The tentacle is actually his tail!

Review:

Gaara’s awesome! Nice the way Haku and Zabuza are integrated into Kimi’s timeline.

Notes

Haku and Kimimaro are the same age 15. (It’s a small world after all.) They look to be about 8 in the flashback.

Kimimaro’s prison cell is sealed with seals (fuda notes with spell).

Kimimaro’s is only clan member with white hair

Thoughts

Kaguya clan all look really crazy.

Talking to plants is one thing expecting an answer is nuts.

Are those the same voice actors for Zabuza and Haku as from the early episodes?

Orochimaru was very busy recruiting around 6-7 years ago. Zaku was also recruited around this time.

When Oro says “The Kaguya clan, only in battle are they able to pick out their path to live by. What a foolish bunch. The time when simple minded clans who only like to slaughter were actually in power was very long ago. When you plan to use only force against an organization you have your eye on, you’ll just become idiots who are in a hurry to die,” is he thinking of the Akatsuki as the organization he has his eye on?