Episode 51 - A Shadow in Darkness: Danger Approaches Sasuke

Choji vs. Dosu! The rest of Squad Ten call down encouragement, sort of. Shikamaru says "Do your best!" and Ino yells down "Fatso!" Oh, dear. Much like playing "Pop Goes the Weasel" for Curly Howard, this winds Choji up, and Dosu calling him "Mr. Fatso" makes things even worse. Our big-boned hero immediately busts out Expansion Jutsu, thinking that he's got Dosu covered from their earlier fight in the Forest of Death. Human Boulder Jutsu! Hurray for big-boned! Katamari-Choji rolls after the Sound Ninja, Shikamaru noting that with Choji's ears covered, Dosu's sonic attacks won't be effective. He dodges Choji's attacks until Choji crashes into the wall, getting stuck. Dosu plants his sonic gauntlet into Choji's fla-- er, big-bonedness, and we receive an interesting lesson in how water - such as that that makes up the human body - is able to transmit sound waves. Choji's out in the quickest knock-out during the prelims. As he walks off, Dosu vows to prove to Orochimaru (not even "Lord Orochimaru") that he's no chump. The Paramedic Ninjas ask if Choji's okay, and he replies wants to eat meat, so this is a yes. Asuma decides the least they can do is take him out for BBQ, even if he didn't win.

Hayate announces the prelims over, and the Hokage is pleased to be able to get to finally start the Third Exam. Brief cutaway to Ninja Preschool, where Iruka is wondering how Naruto is doing. Back to the action, Hayate congratulates everyone for making it this far. One winner's missing - Sasuke, and Sakura's worried about him. Kakashi tells her not to worry, because it's Sasuke. Then he has Sakura stick around to find out the details of the Third Exam and 'ports away.

Kabuto's reporting to Orochimaru about how things are proceeding according to plan. He then asks if they could take Leaf Village now if they wanted to. Orochimaru figures they could, but there wouldn't be much challenge in knocking off the old Hokage. What's this? A little lip from Kabuto? Orochimaru doesn't take the mild implication it wouldn't be as easy as the Boss Snake thinks. Orochimaru wants to use Sasuke to bring all the Hidden Villages to each other's throats, and I wonder what makes Sasuke different, from, say, Gaara who also looks like a decent candidate to bring about widespread destruction. Then Kabuto goes on to talk about how he was suprised by Dosu's crew entering the fray, which is why he let himself get smacked around by the Sound Ninjas. He says Orochimaru doesn't trust him, and duh. Kabuto's a traitor, for one thing, and it's not like Orochimaru comes off as open and free with his feelings. On the contrary, says Orochimaru, he trusts Kabuto so much he wants Kabuto to pull a snatch and grab on Sasuke before Kakashi's Sealing of the Curse Mark takes complete effect. Kabuto incisively asks if he's worried about unknown variables, like loud-mouth knuckleheaded ninjas. Orochimaru just comments how on sharp Kabuto is. Careful you don't cut through that thin ice you're on, pal. Orochimaru wants Sasuke concentrating on his vengeance, and Naruto could potentially turn him from that, and might've already started. Then he lets Kabuto know he's walking a tightrope by saying it's only with Sasuke's help could Kabuto kill Orochimaru. Kabuto looks like he's about to wet himself. Then it turns out to be just a joke by the wacky funster Orochimaru! He loves to laugh, long and loud and clear!

As we rejoin Hokage's instruction on the Third Exam, the first part is that it's going to take place in a month, so everybody may be properly ready. This is each Village wanting to put their best foot forward, after all, to say nothing of the time it'll take for all the leaders of the Five Great Countries to reach the Hidden Leaf Village. This part of exam is rigged to take away the advantage of having everybody watch everybody else fight, so the participants have time to gain new tricks. I'm sure there's some fascinating flesh-eating bugs Shino could train. Naruto vows to train as hard as he can.

A pile of motionless Anbu lie on the floor of the Ninja Hospital, Kabuto sauntering in as easy as you please to loom over Sasuke's bed. He ruminates talent is a bitch, because if you're too good then monsters like Orochimaru take an Interest in you. The Snake himself wonders if Kabuto'll actually whack the kid. The traitor Leaf Ninja holds a scalpel to Sasuke's face - and it flashes away in a gleam of light to Kakashi's hand. Yeah! Kakashi compliments Kabuto on being more than he appears, and asks what he wants with Sasuke. Kabuto briefly makes like he might want to fight Kakashi, which I am all for, but Kabuto demures. Kakashi recognizes him as the son of the Leaf medical corp chief. Interesting. Kakashi asks if he's with Orochimaru. Kabuto doesn't out-right say it, but he says Kakashi might never prove it if he takes Kabuto in now, and would it maybe be okay if Kabuto walked out just this once. The Copy Ninja quickly gets tired of Kabuto being all smirky and evasive, and tells him to put up or shut up. Kabuto puts his blade to Sasuke's throat and asks if that really seems like a smart idea. Kabuto moves to cut the kid, and Kakashi's on him in a flash, knocking the knife away. PSYCHE! One of the Anbu was really Kabuto, and he makes for the door but Kakashi's already got that covered with a Shadow Clone. They've cornered Kabuto, but yet another Anbu hurls himself out the window, revealing himself to be Kabuto. Kakashi identifies it as Dead Soul Jutsu, which is sort of like Shadow Clone Jutsu, only with corpses. Gross. Orochimaru's even more of a problem if he's got people like this working for him, Kakashi realizes.

In the arena, the Hokage has Anko have everyone a slip of paper out of the box, and on it's a single number which are everybody's place in the tournament. The opening round has Naruto/Neji, Gaara/Sasuke, Kankuro/Shino, Temari has a bye and Dosu/Shikamaru. I think. Dosu's irritated because Sasuke's all the way across the tournament from him. Shikamaru's upset he didn't get the bye. Kankuro's glad he didn't get Gaara. Gaara's glad he [i]did[/i] get Sasuke. Neji thinks Naruto's going to be easy, and Naruto is dying to throw Neji some payback for beating up on poor Hinata. Shikamaru asks if this means that only one of them will get to be a Chunin, but the Hokage says instead it's up to a group of judges to decide who will advance to the next level. All of them may make it, or none of 'em may make it. The tournament is just another chance to strut your stuff for the judges, and I believe the unspoken implication is to also show off how awesome each country's ninja are. Naruto's not sure who he'd rather fight, Gaara or Sasuke.

At the Ninja hospital, Naruto's trying to track down Kakashi so his sensei can train him for the next month. Kakashi says no, but he's found somebody, and immediately Naruto thinks Kakashi's going to train Sasuke instead. Kakashi doesn't say that's true (or untrue, to be fair), but deflects Naruto by introducing his new mentor: The Closet Perv, Four-Eyes Ebisu! HAH!

Next Episode: Naruto wants Ebisu to prove himself. Just remember kid, you asked for it.