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Time of India

Naruto: Why the legendary Jiraiya refused to become hokage

For those unfamiliar with the universe of Naruto, the Hokage is the leader of the Hidden Leaf Village. Traditionally, the strongest and most respected ninja in the land. Yet paradoxically, one of the village's strongest shinobi, Jiraiya , refused the opportunity to serve as the Hokage — multiple times. What would cause such a mighty and learned warrior to turn away from the greatest in his clan? Let's delve into the emotional and personal reasons behind Jiraiya's choice and how his irrational decision, in all of its glory, changed the Naruto story forever. Jiraiya's strength: More than just power In the Naruto franchise, Jiraiya is one of the three Legendary Sannin—super elite warriors who were trained by the Third Hokage. Together with Tsunade and Orochimaru , Jiraiya became known as one of the Legendary Three for their prowess, battle experience, and an extensive knowledge of ninjutsu. Even Itachi Uchiha, one of the most powerful and terrifying characters in the series, acknowledged that a battle against Jiraiya would probably result in a stalemate—even with assistance. You feel about his ostentatious perversion, despite all of Jiraiya's staggering talent, he ultimately did not succeed in his dream of becoming Hokage. Indeed, he declined the appointment not once but twice. This decision had fans scratching their heads for many years. He was offered the Hokage title—And refused The first time Jiraiya was offered the position of Hokage was by the Third Hokage (Hiruzen Sarutobi) upon his own commencement of retirement planning. Despite originally wanting Orochimaru to be his successor, when Orochimaru turned rogue, Hiruzen viewed Jiraiya as the next best choice. Jiraiya rejected the offer and instead suggested his own student, Minato Namikaze, who indeed later became the Fourth Hokage and Naruto's father. The second offer only came after Orochimaru attacked the village and killed the Third Hokage. This time, the Konoha elder council and the Daimyo of the Land of Fire specifically needed Jiraiya to agree to be the Fifth Hokage. Jiraiya once again turned her down, instead suggesting Tsunade, convinced she possessed the heart and fortitude needed to rule. His guilt over Orochimaru's fall One of the more notable reasons that Jiraiya rejected the role was personal guilt. He held himself responsible for not being able to prevent Orochimaru's turn to evil. The two were more than just teammates—they were like brothers. Jiraiya knew that if he was not able to save his closest friend then he had no right to act as the leader of a whole village. Similar to Naruto's relationship with Sasuke, Jiraiya and Orochimaru had a deep but messy connection. That betrayal weighed heavily on Jiraiya for many years afterward, and he always doubted his worthiness of becoming the village's protector following the incident. Jiraiya was a wanderer by choice A second reason Jiraiya turned down the Hokage position was his hedonistic ways. For the next twenty years of his life, he traveled all over the world, collecting information and writing books. This near tireless patrol gave him the ability to fight against criminal organizations such as Akatsuki and hunt down Orochimaru's movements. Jiraiya didn't simply like the open road. He believed being out there was his responsibility. Being Hokage would have obligated him to remain in one location, and that he clearly was not ready to do. He, as agent, author, and fighter, thought his mission would be most effective if he remained on the move. He battled with an inferiority complex Despite the fact that most people would view Jiraiya as a hero, he viewed himself as a failure. He never captured Tsunade's heart, couldn't redeem Orochimaru, and was unable to reach his student Nagato, who would go on to become the deadly Pain . This sense of inadequacy caused him to feel that he was unworthy to bear the mantle of Hokage. Even in his last moments, Jiraiya was more concerned with amending his failures than he was jubilating over his victories. He lost everything to find the truth behind Pain and save Naruto's life. His death didn't merely serve as a sacrifice—it was the ultimate act of redemption. Jiraiya valued character over power Though Jiraiya was indeed recognizable as the strongest ninja before his time, he mostly deferred working in the shadows and dedicated his life to his students. Jiraiya was certainly incredibly strong, he didn't think that being Hokage was just about power. It required correlative emotional equilibrium, prudence, and daring. Despite all the successes he achieved and the correlative growth, he felt that with all his regrets and flaws he could never be the type of leader the village required or deserved. Ultimately, deep down, Jiraiya knew who he was. He decided to battle in the background, train the future's finest, and teach Naruto how to be the type of Hokage he never was. Jiraiya's legacy lives on The journey of the hero Jiraiya is complete as Jiraiya's choice to not accept Hokage wasn't weakness—it was a choice forged by humility, pain, and wisdom. By taking the road less travelled, he single-handedly ensured the betterment of Konoha's future. His teachings, courage, and sacrifices contributed to Naruto becoming the hero he was destined to be. While he may have never donned the Hokage cap, Jiraiya was a true leader in every sense of the word. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . 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