You know what's great about Orochimaru? He doesn't have to punch and kick all his problems away. He has a brain. Only top tier ninja to actually earn his shit. Figured everything out with study and dedication, all while running around from hideout to hideout evading every nation out to get him. Gave a big "fuck you" to Akatsuki and kept one of their rings, they never managed to catch up to him.
Killed and impersonated the goddamn Kazekage without anyone even noticing. Further proceeded to kill the Hokage. Founded an entire new nation without anyone realizing he was the one behind it. All without the benefit of eyehax or tailed beasts. Just raw genius.
Orochimaru was a Kage level. Sasuke is nowhere near as strong, he only beat Orochimaru because he was sick and dying. Also he had to use the eyehax he was born with in combination with the cursed seal OROCHIMARU GAVE HIM to do even that. Sasuke uses the eyes he was born with, the upgraded eyes Itachi gave him, the powerful minions that Orochimaru collected and he stole, the cursed seal Orochimaru invented and gave him, the chidori Kakashi invented and gave him. Just how far can Sasuke advance if it wasn't for Orochimaru's help?
Orochimaru was also much much better than Jiraya. If Orochimaru was fighting Pein instead of Jiraiya, he might have won. Orochimaru can raise the first through fourth hokages from the dead, and I'm pretty sure 5 kage level ninjas are better than 5 of pein's fodder bodies any day. Of course Jiraiya was stronger than Orochimaru, though they were all Sannin but Orochimaru was the genius of the group.
Orochimaru replaced the Kazekage without raising suspicion, and infiltrated the chunnin exams being held in his home town disguised both as a student and as a judge and no one caught on. Jiraya tried to sneak into the rain village and blew his cover in like 5 seconds.
Also make note of how armless Orochimaru kicked Jiraya's ass when they fought. Here's a fact that even you faggot Jiraiya fanboys can't ignore: Jiraiya was almost killed by naruto's four tails.
Orochimaru owned the four tails with no arm for jutsus and while he was sick.
The only other decent character is Kakashi, he learned how to use the eye hax even if he doesn't have that much stamina and also he had a rough childhood and is not an emo like half of the main cast in Naruto.
