At a young age, Sasuke Uchiha's life changed forever. After a day of training, he came home to discover that his entire clan had been slaughtered and saw his parents' lifeless bodies with his own eyes. The only survivor was the older brother he adored, but when Itachi confessed to having killed everyone, Sasuke could only react in shock and horror.
In time, Itachi's true motives would be revealed—he was acting on orders from the village, and he was only allowed to spare Sasuke. After everything he'd done, Itachi wasn't allowed to remain in the village. However, if he had been allowed to stay, his little brother's life would have been completely different in Naruto.
10 Sasuke Would Have Still Had A Family
After Itachi wiped out the entire Uchiha Clan and left the village to join the Akatsuki, Sasuke was left completely alone. Sasuke didn't seem to have any close friends at school, as the loss of his entire family made him hesitant to form relationships with people. If Itachi had stayed in the village, Sasuke would have still had someone to look out for him.
9 Sasuke Wouldn't Have Needed To Be Jealous Of Naruto
Sasuke's opinion of his teammate, Naruto, would completely change with time. He originally thought that Naruto was a worthless loser, but as Naruto's skills quickly improved, Sasuke began to see that Naruto was surpassing him.
He began to grow jealous of Naruto's skills. He was also jealous of the way Naruto could relate to people. Naruto began to form bonds, while Sasuke continued to feel ostracized. If Itachi was around, Sasuke would have had less reason to be jealous of Naruto.
8 Sasuke Might Have Focused More On Romance
Sakura developed a crush on Sasuke at a very young age. Initial encounters seem to suggest that Sasuke was interested in her as well. But after the massacre of his clan, Sasuke decided he didn't have time for relationships with his peers.
He only ever focused on his own goals. If Itachi had been there, Sasuke might have been willing to form better relationships with those around him. He might have even been willing to focus on a romantic relationship with his future wife.
7 Itachi Could Have Calmed Sasuke's Anger
Sasuke spent a lot of time being incredibly angry at his brother. This anger fueled him. One of the reasons he becomes so skilled as a ninja is because he has his anger and revenge to drive him forward. His anger is once again sparked when Itachi briefly returns to the village.
Sasuke was easily defeated by his older brother, and he becomes aware of how weak he is compared to Itachi. Though he is encouraged to let go of his anger, he ultimately decides to leave the village instead. Itachi staying would have eliminated all that turmoil because he would have known the right words to calm Sasuke's anger.
6 Sasuke Would Have Completely Bonded With Team 7
Before Sasuke left the village, he had been a part of Team 7. While on the team, he began to feel like he was part of a family again. Naruto would compare Sasuke to a brother, Sakura was willing to love him no matter what he did, and Kakashi was a guiding force.
The team could have changed Sasuke for the better, but he didn't allow himself to completely abandon his hatred for his brother. Itachi's presence would have meant that he could better relate to his team. He could have placed better trust in the bonds he was forming with Team 7.
5 Itachi Could Have Personally Told Sasuke The Truth About The Uchiha
After Sasuke managed to defeat his older brother, he was found by Tobi. It was Tobi who told Sasuke the truth about Itachi and the Uchiha Massacre. Sasuke's worldview was shattered after the truth was explained to him.
If Itachi had stayed in the village, he would have needed to explain the truth to Sasuke. He could have made Sasuke understand the importance of peace and the consequences that come with it. Sasuke could have been raised knowing why Itachi made the decision to turn on their own clan.
4 Sasuke Would Have Never Left The Village
When Sasuke left the village, he was simply following in his older brother's footsteps. Itachi had become stronger by leaving. Sasuke would have to do the same. If Itachi had been there, Sasuke wouldn't have been motivated to leave the village in the first place.
Sasuke's life would have been incredibly different if he had ended up remaining in Konoha. He wouldn't have been forced to cut himself off from the people who were reminding him about the importance of love and acceptance.
3 Orochimaru Wouldn't Have Been A Strong Influence In Sasuke's Life
Orochimaru was interested in gaining the power of the Uchiha Clan. He had originally gone after Itachi but quickly realized he wasn't a match for the older Uchiha brother. So Orochimaru decided to go after Sasuke instead.
Orochimaru had assumed the weaker brother would be an easier target. The enemy ninja seemed to know exactly how to persuade Sasuke to forsake the village, but Sasuke wouldn't have been so vulnerable to Orochimaru if Itachi had been there.
2 Itachi Could Have Helped His Brother Become A Better Ninja
Itachi had shown incredible promise and skill from a young age. As a child, Sasuke would beg his brother to train with him. If Itachi had remained in the village, he would have likely prioritized raising his younger brother.
Itachi would have been there when Sasuke wanted to improve his skill. He could have helped his younger brother learn about the Sharingan and what it truly meant to be a ninja. Sasuke certainly could have become a stronger shinobi under Itachi's guidance.
1 Sasuke Would Have Remained With Sakura & Sarada
In Boruto, Sasuke is revealed to have abandoned his family to pursue duty. It had been so long since he'd seen his daughter that he didn't recognize her after a chance encounter. Years had passed since he's seen or spoken to his wife.
He had assumed Itachi's role of protecting the village from a distance. He knew the village had many enemies, and he was willing to give up time with his family to ensure their safety. If Itachi had remained in the village, Sasuke might not have spent such long stretches of time away from Konoha.