Summary
Quick Links
The Hokage are some of the most powerful peoplein the world ofNaruto, and at the same time, they are special because they hold the Will of Fire. With immense strength at their disposal and the leadership skills required to raise a family of thousands, it is no surprise that not everyone can climb to the position of Hokage.
Over the years, the world ofNarutohas seen the rise of many powerful Hokage and some who stand out as the most iconic ones. The Fourth Hokage of Konoha, Minato Namikaze is certainly one of them. Curiously enough, even though Minato was made the Fourth Hokage, there were others who could’ve been made the Fourth Hokage in his stead, and the choices that were put forward were definitely interesting.
How Minato Namikaze Was Made The Fourth Hokage
When it comes to ninja arts, few in the Naruto world were known to be as skilled as the Fourth Hokage. He was famed as a genius from the very beginning of his story and his talent bloomed even further as he grew up. By the time he became a Jonin,Minato was the strongest ninja in Konoha, with few capable of fighting and rivaling him in combat. Of course, then the Third Great Ninja War began and Minato showed what he was truly capable of. As was stated in the story, Minato singlehandedly led Konoha to victory in this war towards its end. The enemy village feared him so much that Onoki passed a “run at sight” order, knowing the threat that Minato Namikaze posed to the ninjas of his own village.
I’m sorry, but I have my responsibilities too. I won’t fail! — Minato Namikaze
What set Minato apart wasn’t just his tremendous strength. Minato was also one of the most intelligent characters in the world of Naruto. In many ways, he is described to be a genius rivaled only by the likes of Itachi Uchiha. Minato was also extremely good at being a ninja. His balance was impeccable, and he could master just about anything he put his mind to. When Minato died, he was just 24 and far from his prime, which just goes to show that he could’ve gotten even stronger had he lived longer.
The Contenders For The Position Of The Fourth Hokage
Orochimaru And Fugaku Uchiha Were Considered For The Position
If there’s one Hokage candidate that everyone expected to stand out after the retirement of the Third Hokage, itwas his favorite pupil, Orochimaru. He certainly had the strength and the talent required for this position. However, what Orochimaru lacked was compassion and the Will of Fire — both of which were absolutely necessary for anyone to hold this position officially.
Orochimaru took this as a sleight and eventually went on to defect from the village, starting his own in the Land of Sound.
The next generation is the King. — Hiruzen Sarutobi
Apart from Orochimaru, there was also Fugaku Uchiha who was considered for the position of Hokage. Many considered him to be talented enoughto be compared to Minato, and he also possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan. Making Fugaku the Hokage would’ve actually benefited the village in many ways and the Uchiha would not have been ostracized either. Unfortunately, this didn’t come to pass since the image of the Uchiha pushed the possibility away.
Jiraiya Could’ve Been An Option As Well
Of course, one can always assumethat Jiraiya was also a candidate, since he was on the same level as Orochimaru, but at the end of the day, all he cared about was tracking down his friend over everything.
Despite everything, even if these candidates were given a fair chance, at the end of the day, they were no match for the Yellow Flash who was feared worldwide. Minato was far stronger than all of them and was fully deserving of his position.
Naruto is available to read on theMangaPlusand the Shonen Jump app. Fans can read the official release and support the author by doing so.
