The Senji and Uchiha clans played vital roles in Naruto. But how could the series create an entire storyline based on the Uchiha clan, only to dismiss the other as no longer active? No explanations, no in-depth reason, just a fact that the clan may or may not have ceased to exist.
Well, what if the indication that the Senju clan members no longer exist is just a hint at something more intricate? Masashi Kishimoto loves going into detailed arcs and character developments, so why did the Senju clan, one of the most important ones, suddenly become non-viable?
Is the Senju clan really extinct in Naruto?
The Senju and Uchiha clans unified under Hashirama and Madara. They created Konohagakure and opened it for other clans to settle in and reside in peace. Following this, Hashirama was selected as the First Hokage. Even the second and fifth Hokage belong to the Senju clan.
But suddenly, in just a few generations, the clan seems to have no living members left. The Konoha villagers no longer bear the name, and even Kiba Inuzuka recognizes the clan only from history classes. But how could one of the founding clans simply cease to exist?
It is possible that the Senju Clan didn’t vanish, rather, they sought power by hiding themselves. The Uchiha Clan sought open power, which led to their eventual erasure. The Senju Clan might have already anticipated this outcome and rather chose to operate from the shadows.
The Senju clan chose secrecy over direct rule
The Senju clan did not go extinct, rather, they integrated themselves into the Anbu, who are covert operatives. The Anbu was created by Tobirama, the Second Hokage, at a time when he was already wary of the Uchihas’ loss of autonomy. He might have gathered the strongest and most powerful Senju clan members to form the secret organization that could rule from the shadows.
The Senju chose secrecy over over-the-top displays of power. Their sudden disappearance seems a bit too convenient, especially when Konohagakure operates under the ideals of Tobirama. Even clans like the Uzumaki and the Uchihas received well-crafted reasons for their extinction, but not the Senju.
Had the clan actually been famished of members, Naruto would have described how that happened, and not just left it to uncertainty. A better theory is that they created the Anbu and sacrificed their identities for control. This could be the reason why the elite forces remain anonymous.
The Senju, who are the architects of Konoha, never relinquished their powers. They just became the hidden masters of the village. Otherwise, Konohagakure would not have allowed one of the dominant clans to have gone extinct with no traces.
The Naruto manga is available to read on Viz Media and the anime is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
