JAIF

Itachi was in way too good a shape to have fought Madara before the massacre concluded. Unless Madara was just a random weak fagtard then without most of his powers, and Itachi cockslammed him easily but Madara told Itachi that his Mangekyou Sharingan would turn blind unless he did something about it and forced him to join his cause, because otherwise he would turn blind. Then Itachi joined with Madara but only to find an effective way to end his threat once and for all, but Madara knew all along. Then Itachi fought Sasuke to the bitter end so that he would lose his eyesight which would probably be a requirement to enable the doujutsu transplant, since Sasuke's eyes had greater potential than Itachi's, and he could be the one to defeat Madara. Itachi was lying to Sasuke all along so that he would become strong and hateful enough to face Madara eventually.

That's the most solid theory I can think of to explain this mess, and honestly, it's epic fail.

EDIT:

As for how Itachi got the MS, I can see Madara having transformed into some ANBU member, then pushed Itachi to kill Shisui and get the MS, but then Itachi didn't really like what Madara was suggesting (ie the genocide of the clan), so Madara made him think he was going after Sasuke so that Itachi would be too late to save the rest of the Uchiha, and when he went to the clan all the above happened.

Damn, it's actually making some sense. Too bad it sucks.

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Dark Skywalker

I still wonder why itachi said all of the "I've lost all hope for this pathetic clan" speech

Masked_Felix

Perhaps the history behind the Uchiha has some horrid, faggotry filled truth that helped to push Itachi towards genocide, saving only his little brother to help amend that truth.

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Kumikana

This is bit far-fetched and came to my mind just a moment ago. Jiraiya knew a lot about Akatsuki. Throughout the series I've wondered that what is Jiraiya's source or will Kishimoto ever reveal it. Now we know that Itachi is actually a good guy, so I thought that what if Itachi were Jiraiya's rat.

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Mystic_Gohan

"Accomplice", "Helped him"... what other meaning to those words am I missing here?

Prior to the massacre, Sasuke had a deep and enduring faithfulness towards his brother. The first questions that came out of Sasuke's mouth after entering this awkward family moment was, who did this? He didn't even have a thought in his mind that his own brother was actually the culprit, even if looking at the situation first-hand makes it look so bloody obvious. If Itachi wanted to explain, he could've did it then and there... Sasuke would've believed him. But instead, he responds with a shuriken grazing Sasuke's shoulder... yup, he sure is a good guy.

Nikushimi

And you just treat it like Itachi was telling the truth.

It was obvious he just wanted Sasuke to make the connection that Madara had been there. Especially in the brief panel where Itachi smiles after Sasuke says he couldn't have done it alone. Itachi wanted him to figure it out, at least partially.

Sasuke was an 8-year-old.

How about the Hokage, ANBU, and the rest of the Konoha authorities?

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Dark Skywalker

You would think that other people would hear an entire clan being killed like lambs?

Nikushimi

New spoiler is interesting, though probably (and hopefully) not true.

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Dark Skywalker

Konoha team vs Pein that would be an awesome fight to see hopefully it happens

Mystic_Gohan

Madara himself stated Itachi helped him. So now he's lying?

None outside the Uchiha clan witnessed anything, or even knew what was going on when it actually happened. Besides at the time, Itachi was a well-respected and reputed member of the village, not to mention, he's a master at deceit and lies.

G.O.A.T.

I wouldn't mind seeing the second spoiler happen. Konoha team vs The Pains and Konan would be cool especially if Jiraiya had become a Pain.

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Masked_Felix

In other news, Itachi will probably pop up to spear Pein in the back and fulfill his part to make the manga better.

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Kumikana

Did you mean could be cool? D:

Ever since part1, I thought that Itachi vs. Sasuke will be one one of the best fights in Naruto, (if not best) but it was... what it was. But yeah, it would be at least interesting. (At least at first)

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Nikushimi

Lol, Felix saw it too.

'K, gai, I don't care HOW respected he was. They'd know he was there at the scene of the crime, either from his admission or from whatever mediocre forensic capabilities they might have. If he blamed it on a village founder who's really an eye-snatching good boy, they'd throw him in the Looney Bin and eat the key.

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JAIF

Nikushimi, did you read the last spoiler? =/

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