At least we didn't need to wait two weeks to get past this. But yeah, Naruto was an unbelievable idiot back then.

I wonder if they already animated this ages ago but didn't air it for one reason or another. The connection to the Fourth seems kind of too flimsy to think they would have animated such a nonsensical flashback suddenly at this point. But then again, it is the Naruto production committee so no deed is too silly for them.