One of the biggest mysteries in the Naruto-verse is the existence of the Gedo Statue, which seems to seal the powers of the tailed beasts. The Akatsuki uses this statue to extract the chakra of the tailed beasts from inside a Jinchuriki, thereby killing the human host. The Gedo Statue, or as some call it, the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, has always been known to have that one purpose in the series, so much so that even members of the Akatsuki seem to think that way. However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
The statue in the form of a hollow shell is actually the body of the ten-tailed beast that Hagoromo and Hamura Otsutsuki sealed on the moon over a thousand years ago. However, after Madara Uchiha awakened his Rinnegan, he broke the seal and summoned the statue to Earth. The shell remains, but the power of the ten-tails was later divided into that of the nine-tailed beasts.
Why Does Madara Bring the Gedo Statue Back to Earth?
After its defeat, the ten-tailed beast was reduced to a mere husk, which Madara summoned after awakening his Rinnegan. Madara then used this husk to cultivate Hashirama’s cells to create a senseless clone of the latter housed within a gigantic flowering tree. By attaching himself to the tree as a life support, Madara was able to extend his lifespan, as he constantly received chakra from the Demonic Statue.
Unlike the common misconception, Madara didn’t purposely create an army of White Zetsu using the tree’s powers. He believed that the combination of the statue and Hashirama’s cells was the reason behind those artificial humans growing on the tree’s branches. However, in reality, Black Zetsu secretly removed the deceased people from inside the statue who had been stored there for centuries.
How Can Nagato Uzumaki Use the Gedo Statue?
Shortly before his death, Madara transplanted his Rinnegan into young Nagato without the child’s knowledge. Therefore, Nagato became the only person capable of summoning the Gedo Statues, despite being unaware of his terrifying powers. During the “Third Great Ninja War,” consumed by the rage of witnessing the injuries of his friends, Nagato subconsciously summoned the statue to defeat the attackers.
Later, filled with rage and grief due to the death of his friend Yahiko, Nagato again summoned the statue, causing devastating damage to his enemies. This time, however, the statue pierced his back with black receivers and drained his life force. This left Nagato permanently emaciated but also granted him immeasurable strength. During his time serving as the leader of the Akatsuki as Pain, Nagato only used the statue to seal the power of a tailed beast.
The Powers and Abilities of the Gedo Statue
No power other than the Rinnegan is able to summon this legendary statue. However, once the statue is summoned, shinobi with the powers of both Uchiha and Senju can control it. The Gedo Statue drains the life force of the summoner if not fueled by the Tailed Beast. This is exactly what happened in Nagato’s case; however, he was able to survive due to his Uzumaki bloodline. For some reason, Obito and Madara could summon the statue without sacrificing anything.
The Gedo Statue can instantly extract the chakra of anyone as long as the target touches the phantom dragon released from its mouth. It can also manifest chakra chains from its mouth that suppresses the powers of the tailed beasts. Furthermore, the statue can create shock waves powerful enough to shake the entire battlefield. It can even launch bolts of chakra from the protrusions on its back; an attack that results in Neji’s death in the Shippuden series.
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