Obito Uchiha was one of the main antagonists in Naruto's second act and a man responsible for a series of world-altering events. Alongside the infamous Madara, he waged war against the Allied Shinobi Forces and nearly prevailed in the series' final arc.
In spite of Obito's originality, there are a number of ways he could have been better written to be the most compelling antagonist in the anime. Through analyzing what opportunities were missed, we can better appreciate the villain's ubiquitous influence throughout the series and how he has altered it permanently.
10 His Redemption Needed To Be Longer
Obito was redeemed after his battle with Kakashi Hatake. Having been convinced that Naruto was much like himself in his youth, he joined the side of the heroes and turned his ire against Madara and Zetsu - the only two active remaining villains at the time.
Unfortunately, he would be promptly killed by Kaguya after she was released upon the world. This is a common Naruto trope where absolved former antagonists immediately die moments after their penance (seen through characters like Zabuza and Pain). If he lived longer, he would have had a more ample opportunity to atone for his sins.
9 He Should've Avoided Having His Rinnegan Stolen
Shortly after Obito was redeemed, Madara Uchiha came after his Rinnegan. Too weak to fight his former ally back, he instructed Sakura to destroy it so that his power wouldn't fall into the wrong hands.
Since she could not muster the nerve to do so in time, Madara was successful in retrieving his prize. Moreover, it was among the first instances where Obito's incompetence had a serious consequence - conveniently right after he aligned with the heroes. If he successfully thwarted Madara's efforts, he would have increased his credibility as a combatant.
8 His First Encounter With Team Seven Should Have Been More Meaningful
Tobi's first encounter with Team Seven was bizarrely amicable. Despite how they vastly outnumbered him (with seasoned ninja among their ranks, including Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura), they could not land a single scratch.
Instead of meaningfully capitalizing on their inability, Obito chose to mock them. If he actually fought back or attempted to capture Kurama for the Gedo Statue, he would have used his element of surprise more productively before Kakashi realized the nature of his jutsu.
7 He Needed To Be Mentioned More In The Original Series
Like Madara, Obito was seldom mentioned in the original series. This makes his reemergence years later less satisfying since he did not have the buildup of villains like Orochimaru or Kisame.
However, he was still sometimes briefly mentioned or alluded to. An example of the latter comes from Sasuke's conversation with Kakashi, where he threatens to kill everyone his sensei loved. Kakashi answers by jovially stating that they are already dead (most specifically referring to Rin and Obito, though also his father). If the original series had more moments like this, it would have better-established anticipation for the future arc.
6 He Needed To Contribute More Against Kaguya Than Sacrificing Himself
The battle against Kaguya was an arduous one that primarily involved Naruto and Sasuke. While Obito's Kamui was a useful resource in keeping up with her, he was primarily remembered for the sacrifice he made in the gravity dimension.
As touching as it might seem and poignant as his redemption was, he ultimately did not return any meaningful damage against the rogue Otsutsuki herself. If he had, it would have given the members of Team Seven a believable opportunity to capitalize on the progress he made against the villainess and finish her off.
5 He Needed To Do More As A Member Of The Akatsuki
Out of the Akatsuki's ranks, Obito's participation is seldom remembered. This is understandable - he scarcely contributed to the organization's objectives and would even turn his wrath on one of its founders immediately before its collapse.
If he actually assisted in the group's aims before Nagato was defeated, he would have had more of an opportunity from the beginning of Shippuden to establish himself as a legitimate threat. Instead, he acted as bizarre comic relief and the insufferable partner to Deidara after Sasori's demise.
4 He Needed To Have More Interaction With Minato In The Fourth War
Minato was Naruto's father and Obito's former mentor. As one of the Kage resurrected to assist in the battle against the Gedo Statue and its masters, he had a perfect opportunity for a prolonged and heart-wrenching dialogue with his student after glimpsing his fall from grace.
It would have paralleled Madara's own fixations with Hashirama. However, such an exchange never meaningfully happened, with much of Obito's dramatic past being filtered through Kakashi instead. Inexplicably, Minato himself was more focused on defeating the elder Uchiha than the shinobi he used to care for.
3 He Shouldn't Have Become The Ten-Tails Jinchuriki
Obito's evolution into the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki gave him the necessary power boost to contend with the combined wrath of the Allied Shinobi Forces and its strongest warriors, Naruto and Sasuke. However, there are a number of reasons he should not have achieved this state.
The most prominent is the fact that Madara would inherit it later in the arc. As a result, having two villains with the same augmentation is redundant and cheapens the value of the transformation itself.
2 He Needed To Establish More Tension With Kabuto
Kabuto was one of the Fourth Shinobi War's most villainous masterminds. The partnership he struck with Obito was tense since neither shared the same aims or had even a shred of trust for their ally.
However, their uneasiness would never manifest as a story element. If Kabuto resurrected Rin and held her soul as a hostage for Obito to do his bidding, it would have created a complex moral conundrum and forced the rogue Uchiha to contemplate his priorities, revealing more of his character in the process.
1 He Should Have Assisted In The Fight Against Danzo
Obito was present for Sasuke's victory over Danzo but did not tangibly contribute to the fight. The most measurable way his presence assisted the young Uchiha was that it made Danzo hold back the extent of his power since the Foundation Leader anticipated he would be fighting Obito next.
Considering that Danzo is a veteran who fought alongside Tobirama, mastered ten Sharingan, and was imbued with the ineffable power of Hashirama cells, Sasuke realistically should have needed aid in order to defeat him beyond simply overwhelming the assassin's bodyguards.