i think it's the beginning of the end as well.

once they come to grips with the 'Naruto is a monster yet wins the recognition of everyone he meets' theme, actualized by him becoming Hokage, it's the final curtain. and, i think the only things really standing in the way of him becoming a young Hokage is Tsunade, Kakashi, renegade Sasuke, and Akatsuki trying to kill him.

Kishi's killing off Akatsuki, and now even the very core behind them is being threatened by Jiraiya. Once Pein dies, that's it for the group. And I do think Tsunade dies finishing up the Kabuto/Orochimaru and/or Roots storyline. Kakashi might not even want to become Hokage.

The only question lies with the Uchihas. With Itachi wanting to reveal something more to Sasuke, and the revelation that Tobi is Madarame Uchiha, you'd think something is set to finish up with them, especially since Hebi can probably take down Itachi. The question after that is if Sasuke comes back to Konoha, which he obviously will, otherwise Naruto won't actualize the full potential of his 'hero role' that is much coveted by all main characters of shounen series.

So, yeah, I think all that's really left is for us to pick how we think these various storylines are going to end, then watch how they do. That's it, it's ending.

I do think it's fishy that they hardly ever mentioned the Rain Village before this point. You'd think some separate village, with their own group of ninja, embroiled in a civil war, sitting smack in between the four other major countries, would have been brought up majorly before now! You know the US and USSR would be totally Cold Warring that shit up... but Konoha has just sat there while Pein's started raising the best combine group of elite criminal ninja right under their noses?

I still think that 'the former Whirlpool Village' that Naruto's (or whoever 's you think they were talking about) mom is from is now the Rain Village.