Episode Summaries

As Sasuke fights Orochimaru's true form with his Cursed Seal of Heaven's second stage, Orochimaru thinks back upon his past. At a young age, he found the shed skin of a white snake, and asked his sensei, the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, what it meant. Hiruzen had told him that the white snake's skin was rare and that it was renown as a sign of good luck and renewal, possibly meaning that his parents may be reborn someday. Years later, during a mission, he witnessed Tsunade's brother Nawaki dying and remarked that the lifespan and vulnerability of humans were weaknesses, and eventually began seeking out a reanimation technique.

Some time later, he had gained Anko as an apprentice, who had noticed the white snake skin Orochimaru had kept. He had told her that he was experimenting not only with reanimation but also with regeneration. During this time, he also witnessed Itachi Uchiha's prowess with the Sharingan and began to covet the power of the Uchiha clan's kekkei genkai. Soon after finding various scrolls in a tome, he had realised that there was no way one could learn and master all the forbidden techniques in a single lifespan and thus focused on mastering the Living Corpse Reincarnation technique in an attempt to gain immortality. However, he had later been caught doing experiments with the dead by the Third Hokage, and thus fled Konoha, although not before engaging in a battle with his old teammate Jiraiya.

After having escaped from Jiraiya, Orochimaru had joined the criminal organisation known as the Akatsuki and was pleasantly surprised to have learned that their new member and his partner was none other than Itachi himself. He had then attempted to use his transference technique in an attempt to steal Itachi's body, only for Itachi to effortlessly trap him in a genjutsu with his Sharingan. Trapped within the Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique, Itachi proceeded to cut off Orochimaru's left arm before he could try to dispel the genjutsu and had told the sannin that there was no techniques he could use that his Sharingan would not see through. After that, Orochimaru had deserted the Akatsuki and lay in wait as Sasuke came to him, believing that Sasuke would be his future host body.

In the present day, Sasuke manages to use his sword to slice through Orochimaru's snake form, wondering if the battle is over and stating that it was a disappointment. As his curse mark recedes, Orochimaru laughs as the toxic fumes emitted from his body paralyses Sasuke. With Sasuke weakened, Orochimaru initiates his immortality jutsu, intent on finally taking Sasuke's body for his own. Kabuto, who had been elsewhere preparing medicine, notices that Orochimaru's door is destroyed and peeks inside to see Sasuke's body standing up while the white snake is on the floor. He wonders whether the Sasuke in front of him is the real Sasuke or Orochimaru, only for Sasuke to use his Sharingan on Kabuto to show him what had happened.

While Orochimaru had transported himself and Sasuke to a mental plane in order to take over his body, Sasuke had used his Sharingan to reverse the effects of Orochimaru's technique, eroding the environment. He had repeated Itachi's words to Orochimaru on how his Sharingan was able to see through any of his techniques, and proceeded to absorb Orochimaru's remains. Kabuto is shocked to discover that Orochimaru is now effectively gone, while Sasuke triumphantly leaves the hideout with a smirk on his face.

In Konoha, Naruto, Tsunade and Jiraiya notice the blood red sunset and consider it a bad omen; while on a mission, Anko hears a rustling sound and throws a kunai in its direction, only to pin and kill a white snake. Remembering Orochimaru, she then clutches at her cursed seal. Concurrently, Itachi and Kisame are on a walk when Itachi notices the blood red sunset as well.