"The Demon in the Snow" (ザブザ雪に散る…, Zabuza Yuki ni Chiru…) is episode 19 of the original Naruto anime.
Synopsis[]
Gatō tells Zabuza that he planned to betray him from the beginning since his services were too costly, and orders newly hired thugs to kill him. Zabuza tells Kakashi their fight is over now he's no longer employed. Gatō kicks Haku's dead body, which infuriates Naruto, but Zabuza is unfazed, saying he merely used Haku as weapon just as Gatō used him. Naruto can’t accept this and begins crying, telling Zabuza he was so precious to Haku, who gave everything so that Zabuza could accomplish his goals. Not being able to live his own life the way he wanted to, because he was so devoted. Moved by Naruto's tears and words, Zabuza reveals that he is crying as well, finally acknowledging Haku's sacrifice.
Without the use of his arms that have been immobilised by Kakashi, Zabuza borrows Naruto's kunai, taking it in his teeth, and charging at Gatō. Zabuza is stabbed multiple times by Gatō's thugs but still manages to kill the mob boss despite severe injuries. Meanwhile, the rest of Team 7 are relieved to discover that Sasuke is still alive, having been purposely spared any lethal injuries by Haku. Gatō's men are soon scared away by the villagers of the Land of Waves who arrive to defend Tazuna and their village.
Afterwards, a wounded Zabuza requests that Kakashi place him beside Haku. Before dying, Zabuza wishes he was able to go to the same place as him in the afterlife. Kakashi says that he believes they'll be together, seeing Zabuza's change of heart in the end. Team 7 bury the two ninja in a peaceful place, leaving Zabuza's sword, Kubikiribōchō, as a marker for his grave. Naruto is unsatisfied with the prevailing notion that ninjas should strive to become merely tools, and declares he will find his own ninja way. He says goodbye to Inari, and the team returns to Konohagakure. After their succeeded mission, Tazuna decides to name their finished bridge; the Great Naruto Bridge.
Trivia[]
- In the manga, when attacking Gatō, Zabuza beheads him, rather than slashing him up and pushing him into the sea.
Credits[]
| Role | Seiyū | English Voice Actor | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | Japanese | Rōmaji | ||
| Naruto Uzumaki | Junko Takeuchi | 竹内 順子 | Takeuchi Junko | Maile Flanagan |
| Sasuke Uchiha | Noriaki Sugiyama | 杉山 紀彰 | Sugiyama Noriaki | Yuri Lowenthal |
| Sakura Haruno | Chie Nakamura | 中村 千絵 | Nakamura Chie | Kate Higgins |
| Kakashi Hatake | Kazuhiko Inoue | 井上 和彦 | Inoue Kazuhiko | Dave Wittenberg |
| Tazuna | Takeshi Aono | 青野 武 | Aono Takeshi | Kirk Thornton |
| Tsunami | Misa Watanabe | 渡辺 美佐 | Watanabe Misa | Cindy Robinson |
| Inari | Shizuka Ishikawa | 石川 静 | Ishikawa Shizuka | Mona Marshall |
| Giichi | Ryuji Mizuno | 水野 龍司 | Mizuno Ryūji | Wally Wingert |
| Gatō | Naoki Bando | 坂東 尚樹 | Bandō Naoki | Fred Tatasciore |
| Gatō's subordinates | Kissei Kumamoto Toshitaka Shimizu Mizuki Saito | 隈本 吉成 清水 敏孝 斉藤 瑞樹 | Kumamoto Kissei Shimizu Toshitaka Saitō Mizuki | Wally Wingert Steve Blum Yuri Lowenthal Robbie Rist Tom Gibis |
| Zabuza Momochi | Unsho Ishizuka | 石塚 運昇 | Ishizuka Unshō | Steve Blum |
| Haku | Mayumi Asano | 浅野 まゆみ | Asano Mayumi | Susan Dalian |
