Boruto is avoiding using Karma around Kawaki, but it may not be for the reason fans think

Modified Jun 21, 2024 07:00 GMT

Boruto could have another reason to not use Karma (Image via Shueisha).

Boruto returned from the timeskip as a very powerful individual, which fans noticed. However, a major element that got people's attention was his reluctance to use Karma in any situation unless he was forced to. Most readers assumed that it was because of the possible Karma Resonance if he was near Kawaki, but there could also be another reason behind it.

A theory on social media is that Boruto doesn't want to use Karma because it means that Momoshiki could slowly be merging with him and taking over his mind. What adds and emphasizes a new layer of complexity to the protagonist is how he seems to gain some of Momoshiki's traits when he is fighting during his current mission.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda.

A Boruto theory explains that he could be merging with Momoshiki when using Karma

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A recent theory made on X and Reddit seems to suggest that the reason the protagonist is refusing to use Karma is because he could be merging with Momoshiki. His refusal to use Karma was shown during his encounter with Kawaki in chapter 9 of the Two Blue Vortex manga.

This would mean that the Otsutsuki is somewhat still alive within the protagonist's organism and slowly takes over when the latter uses Karma. A major element that suggests that Boruto loses a bit of his own sense of self when using Karma is shown by the way he changes his personality in that mode. When he is not using it, he doesn't want to fight unless is necessary and doesn't talk much. However, when he does use it, he becomes a lot more arrogant and boastful in combat, with Momoshiki's train kicking in.

This is probably something that Sasuke Uchiha also noticed during their training together. It was probably something that the protagonist focused on controlling during those three years in the timeskip. That would mean that he still has a degree of control over the Karma but prefers not to use it unless absolutely necessary. This could fit with the more mature characterization he has had in the series since Blue Vortex began.

What this could mean for the story moving forward

The protagonist and Kawaki are connected by Karma (Image via Shueisha).

The idea that the protagonist could be merging with Momoshiki, thus allowing him to become more and more Otsutsuki-like, is a major threat to most characters. It is especially so when considering the power he has gained in the timeskip. It could also serve as a tragic contrast to Kawaki.

During the vast majority of the series, Kawaki was dealing with the threat of being a potential vessel for the Otsutsuki and now it seems that could be the fate of Naruto's son. It would be a bit of an ironic tragedy in the sense that they already "switched" lives through Eida's Omnipotence and now could be switching fates as well.

Final thoughts

The idea that the protagonist is merging with Momoshiki makes a lot of sense when considering the evidence that is being taken into account. However, it is also worth pointing out that this is only mere speculation, although it would explain his reluctance to use Karma and would maintain that threat in the background.

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