Madara Uchiha is one of the main antagonists in the Naruto series. As the leader of the Uchiha clan and one of the founders of Konohagakure, he is an incredibly powerful ninja. However, some fans feel that Madara is weaker than he should be, especially towards the end of the series. In this article, we’ll examine some possible reasons why Madara seems underpowered compared to expectations.
He lost to Hashirama Senju
One of the biggest reasons why fans feel Madara is weak is because of his repeated losses to Hashirama Senju. Despite wielding incredible power as one of the most gifted Uchihas ever, Madara was never able to defeat Hashirama in battle.
Their most famous fight resulted in Madara’s first death at the Valley of the End. Hashirama was simply too much for Madara to handle. This established Hashirama as stronger than Madara, which already put a limit on Madara’s perceived power level.
He relied too much on the Nine-Tails
Another reason why Madara seems weak is his over-reliance on the Nine-Tailed Fox demon. He used his Sharingan to control the Nine-Tails and weaponize its power. However, this shows that Madara had to depend on an external source to amplify his abilities.
Without the Nine-Tails under his control, Madara would have struggled against Hashirama at the Valley of the End. Needing the Nine-Tails implied that Madara’s own skills were not enough against elite opponents.
He failed to accomplish his goals in life
For all his vaunted talent and legendary battle prowess, Madara failed to accomplish most of his grand ambitions when he was alive. He wanted to become Hokage of Konoha, but the position went to Hashirama instead. He tried to rally the Uchiha clan against the Senju and failed.
Madara’s only major success was co-founding Konoha with Hashirama. However, he later abandoned the village too. Failing to achieve his vision despite his powers portrayed Madara as weaker than expected.
He lost his fight against the Five Kage
When Kabuto Yakushi reanimated Madara to fight for Akatsuki during the Fourth Shinobi World War, many fans expected Madara to easily dominate the Five Kage. However, the Kage put up an impressive fight and were close to sealing Madara before he activated his Rinnegan.
The Five Kage were expected to be fodder against Madara. The fact that they could push him so far was another sign that he was not as invincible as fans predicted.
He never managed to cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi
Casting the Infinite Tsukuyomi to trap the world in an illusion was Madara’s grand plan after defecting from Konoha. However, despite living for decades after leaving Konoha, he failed to unleash the Infinite Tsukuyomi on the world.
In comparison, Kaguya managed to cast it while having much less experience than Madara. This made Madara seem inept compared to someone like Kaguya who could swiftly enact the plan that he failed at for so many years.
He lost his final battle against the Shinobi Alliance
After being revived, gaining the Rinnegan, becoming the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki and casting the Infinite Tsukuyomi, fans expected Madara to be unstoppable against the Shinobi Alliance. Despite wielding the power of a god, he was overwhelmed and defeated by the Alliance through teamwork.
This final loss cemented the idea that Madara was not as invincible as he or the fans imagined. For all his boasts, he failed in his ultimate bid for power too.
He was betrayed by Black Zetsu
Madara’s plans were ultimately undone by Black Zetsu, a creation he believed would faithfully serve him. By betraying him at the height of his power, Black Zetsu ruined Madara’s dreams of eternal illusion and exposed him as vulnerable.
Rather than losing to the Alliance in direct combat, Madara was reduced to a pawn in Kaguya’s revival. Being outmaneuvered by Zetsu portrayed Madara as lacking the cunning expected of a legendary Uchiha.
He relied on unnatural enhancements
Beyond a certain point, Madara had to rely on external enhancements to boost his power instead of his natural skills. He acquired Hashirama’s DNA to gain the Rinnegan, absorbed the Ten-Tails to become its Jinchuriki, and absorbed the Divine Tree for godlike power.
This excessive reliance on artificial boosts made it seem like Madara could no longer compete on his own mettle as an Uchiha. He had to keep absorbing extra abilities rather than honing his innate talents.
He failed to surpass Hashirama
Madara’s obsession with rivaling Hashirama was a core driving force for him. However, he never truly managed to surpass Hashirama, even after acquiring so much extra power.
Hashirama matched him as the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki and still managed to wound him fatally. For all his evolution, Madara failed to become stronger than his eternal rival.
He lacked Naruto and Sasuke’s special powers
As the reincarnations of Indra and Asura, Naruto and Sasuke possessed divine abilities that let them counter even Madara’s strongest techniques. Madara lacked the Sage of Six Path’s direct blessing or any remotely equivalent power.
Lacking the special advantages of Naruto and Sasuke that made them predestined heroes, Madara could not measure up to them despite technically being stronger based on raw power.
He alienated potential allies
Madara’s arrogant personality made him spurn potential allies and assets that could have aided his plans. If he cooperated with Hashirama instead of fighting him, used diplomacy to ally with the tailed beasts and clans, or mentored Obito more carefully, he could have been far more successful.
By needlessly making enemies, Madara undermined his own position. His personality flaws came back to bite him. In comparison, Hashirama was far more charismatic and skilled at diplomacy with allies.
Conclusion
Madara Uchiha did not live up to his full potential despite his legendary talents and fearsome abilities. He was crippled by losses to Hashirama, failed to accomplish his goals in life, relied too much on the Nine-Tails instead of his own skills, never managed to cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi, and was betrayed by his own creation Black Zetsu.
Despite wielding near godlike power by the end, he was still outmaneuvered and defeated through teamwork. For all his arrogance, Madara made too many strategic mistakes that ultimately made him weaker than the unstoppable force he could have become. His match against Hashirama highlighted the gap between Madara’s myth and his much more limited reality.
Madara’s Major Battles and Losses
| Battle | Result |
|---|---|
| Vs. Hashirama at the Valley of the End | Loss – Nearly killed |
| Vs. Hashirama at the site of the future Konoha village | Loss |
| Vs. Tobirama Senju | Won – Tobirama killed |
| Vs. Hashirama at the Valley of the End as Edo Tensei | Loss |
| Vs. 5 Kage | Nearly sealed before activating Rinnegan |
| Vs. Shinobi Alliance | Defeated and sealed |
| Vs. Hashirama as Ten-Tails Jinchuriki | Fatally wounded |
This table summarizes Madara’s key battles and defeats that contributed to the perception of him being weaker than expected of such a legendary Uchiha. His losses to Hashirama bookended his career as a shinobi,establishing that he failed to surpass his rival despite everything.
Madara’s Failed Goals
| Goal | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Become Hokage | Hashirama became First Hokage instead |
| Rally Uchiha against Senju | Most Uchihas supported peace with Senju |
| Destroy Konoha | Failed during his lifetime |
| Cast Infinite Tsukuyomi | Failed despite decades of plotting |
| Complete Eye of the Moon Plan | Revived as Edo Tensei before succeeding |
| Become Ten-Tails Jinchuriki | Became Jinchuriki but defeated |
This summarizes many of the key goals Madara failed to accomplish despite his fearsome abilities and cunning. He could not rally enough supporters, defeat Hashirama conclusively, destroy Konoha, cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi, complete his Eye of the Moon Plan, or succeed as the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki. His constant failures contributed to the perception of weakness.
Madara’s Dependence on External Power Boosts
| Power Boost | Effect |
|---|---|
| Nine-Tails | Amplified his abilities against Hashirama |
| Hashirama’s DNA | Awakened the Rinnegan |
| Rinnegan | Gained new abilities and powers |
| Ten-Tails | Became its Jinchuriki |
| Divine Tree | Absorbed for more power as Ten-Tails Jinchuriki |
Rather than overly relying on his natural Uchiha skills and Sharingan, Madara depended on numerous external power boosts. This suggested that his own abilities were insufficient, necessitating absorbing abilities from Hashirama, the Ten-Tails, and Divine Tree instead of honing his innate talents.
Key Mistakes Made By Madara
| Mistake | Consequence |
|---|---|
| Refused to make peace with Hashirama | Forced to abandon Konoha |
| Rejected Hashirama’s offer of Hokage title | Denied leadership of Konoha |
| Attacked Konoha with Nine-Tails instead of diplomacy | Pushed Uchiha clan into marginalized status |
| Failed to build stronger bonds with clans and tailed beasts | Lacked support network |
| Did not account for Black Zetsu’s betrayal | Revived Kaguya instead of enacting his Eye of the Moon Plan |
Madara made several key strategic mistakes due to arrogance, paranoia, and impatience. If not for these errors in judgment, he could have been the undisputed leader of the shinobi world. His mistakes portrayed him as lacking wisdom.
Conclusion
Madara Uchiha did not lack raw power but consistently failed to accomplish his objectives. He was defeated by Hashirama multiple times, failed to become Hokage or destroy Konoha, never managed to cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi despite decades of preparation, and was reduced to desperately chasing external power boosts.
For all his swagger, Madara was outmaneuvered in the end due to strategic errors caused by arrogance and impatience. He talked a big game but could not deliver on the most important goals despite countless advantages due to a mix of bad luck and personal flaws. Madara failed to live up to the mystic as the greatest Uchiha and villain.