The Fourth Hokage (episode)

is episode 168 of the Naruto: Shippūden anime.

Synopsis
Minato appears within Naruto's psyche and seems to somehow know his name. He reveals that he is his father, Minato Namikaze, which angers a confused Naruto to tears. When calm again, his dad reveals that a masked man who he believes to be Madara Uchiha was the one behind the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox's attack on the village sixteen years ago, theorising that he's just using Pain to achieve his own goals. He also reveals that he is aware of the death of Jiraiya and the people dead in the village and also the question about achieving peace asked by Pain. Naruto break's down in all self-esteem once again, curses and degrades himself, until Minato puts his hand on his head and telling him he believes in his son to find the answer to the question even he or anyone else cannot answer about how to achieve peace. He restores Naruto's seal to suppress the fox's chakra again, and leaves, placing his faith in his son. Naruto, in Sage Mode once again, confronts Deva Path for the final battle to save Konoha, Pain, aware of the limits of Sage Mode, bargains to beat Naruto half-to-death and haul his body out of there. Meanwhile, Team Guy return to Konoha and see Hinata -who is still alive- unconscious. Naruto and Deva Path engage in taijutsu, and Naruto manages to find Nagato's whereabouts through his Sage Mode. Naruto fires a Wind Release: Rasenshuriken but it is repelled, beginning the crucial five-seconds to stop Pain. After Pain evades the next one, Sage Mode runs out and Pain declares his victory. Debris around the battlefield are revealed to be clones in disguise and they attack Pain. With no time left, Naruto misses by a split second and is hit with a powerful Shinra Tensei, but with several clones offering support, Naruto withstands it. Tired and worn out, he recalls his master, sensei and father each saying they had faith in him. He then puts his remaining power into one final Rasengan. Pain once again has declared victory for himself in his head, and yells at Naruto should just give up. Naruto responds to this by shouting that he should give up on making him give up, quoting the Naruto in the The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi. Naruto's Rasengan hits Pain.

Trivia

 * In this episode, Naruto erroneously forms the Wind Release: Rasenshuriken without his shadow clones.


 * In the game Naruto Shippūden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations this episode was somewhat used to narrate the life and journey of Minato Namikaze in story mode.