As a story, Naruto always had a lighthearted theme, and the main character of the series, Naruto Uzumaki, also has a very bright personality. However, the series is filled with endless hatred and killings, including children, which is often overlooked.
One such death that broke the audience and took the story to a whole new level was that of Rin. However, despite her imminent death, there were possible ways in which her passing could have been better than what we got
Rin was used as a time bomb by Kirigakure that would explode once she reached Konoha, and the tailed beast inside her would ravage the hidden leaf to shreds. However, to save everyone, Rin purposely got in front of Kakashi’s Chidori, which pierced her heart. Obito witnessing the love of his life dying was the turning point in the story.
Was Rin’s death a crucial step in Naruto’s plot?
The passing of Rin Nohara started a chain reaction that killed many Shinobi, brought back the previous Hokage to life, and ended up destroying Naruto’s childhood. The moment Kakashi’s Chidori made a hole in Rin changed the whole story.
If Rin had stayed alive, we would not have been able to see Naruto become the man he is today. The difficulties Naruto faced as a child due to having a Jinchuriki inside him are why he turned out to be kind-hearted.
Rin being alive means Obito would not have joined Madara in his pursuits and become a villain, which means Minato and Kushina would have stayed alive, and the fourth ninja war could have been avoided.
Everything has a price, and for the success of Naruto, it was Rin’s death that served as the foundation. However, there could have been better ways to send her off in the story written by Masashi Kishimoto.
Rin’s story could have had a bigger impact on Masashi Kishimoto’s manga
Although it was not evident at the beginning, it was clear that Rin, as a character, was only made to be sacrificed. Her character stayed the same whenever she appeared in the story, and no significant changes were seen.
Rin was used as a plot crutch to advance the story and lay the foundation for Uzumaki Naruto’s story. But it would have been better for the story if she had some character development.
Every other story has characters that are often used as crutches for the advancement of the plot, but there are some types of advancement in them throughout the story.
Rin was the same as she was when they first introduced her. She purposely sacrificed herself to protect her loved ones from the tailed beast inside her.
Source: CBR
