Boruto chapter 78 turns the protagonist into his worst version ever 

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations is heading in an exciting direction, and there is a sense of anticipation as the Timeskip arc seems to be just around the corner. That being said, our protagonist isn’t in the best situation. Eida is now in Konoha, and the rest of the shinobis are on an extremely sensitive mission.

However, as things stand now, it’s hard to judge whether Boruto is the series’ protagonist. He seems to pose a serious threat, and the way Kawaki is dealing with the situation makes the fanbase question who the good guy is. Let’s look at the recent chapters and understand the gravity of the situation.

Disclaimer: This article contains massive spoilers from the Boruto: Naruto Next Generations manga.

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Analyzing the recent set of chapters and understanding Boruto’s role in the series

Momoshiki makes an appearance (Image via Masashi Kishimoto/Shueisha)

So far, there was no doubt that Boruto was the protagonist of the series. His intentions were always good, and he never meant to harm anyone within the Konoha village. Like his father, he strived to become a stronger ninja and succeeded to a certain degree. However, the recent chapters revealed information that could link the current arc to the Timeskip arc.

Boruto, Kawaki, Sarada, and Sumire were on a sensitive mission that involved living with Eida and Daemon. Ever since they entered Konoha, things have become quite tense, and everyone has been on edge. Things escalated when Kawaki decided to erase his chakra and fled the premises to talk to Naruto.

Kawaki praised the Seventh Hokage for changing his life and said he’d do anything to protect Naruto. Kawaki emphasized that he’d carry out his duties even if Naruto detested him for the rest of his life. Hinata heard the entire conversation, and she was visibly concerned.

At this point, Kawaki stated that he would single-handedly destroy every Otsutsuki, including Momoshiki. This meant that Kawaki was ready to kill Boruto once again. Hinata slapped Kawaki and called him a madman for what he said. Before Naruto could react, Kawaki sent them to a realm where time was frozen, and they wouldn’t die of hunger.

Sasuke makes an appearance and intervenes (Image via Masashi Kishimoto/Shueisha)

The young Uzumaki’s existence could be a potential threat to the village. Kawaki encountered Boruto and started battling to kill him. Sasuke and Shikamaru were forced to intervene. However, there was another internal dialogue with Momoshiki Otsutsuki, who repeated his line from the past -

“The end has already begun.”

These events imply that the series' protagonist may become Konoha’s downfall, forcing Kawkai to save the village. Momoshiki constantly repeated his views on his host and how he would be responsible for Konoha’s downfall.

Momoshiki warns his vessel (Image via Masashi Kishimoto/Shueisha)

If that were to be true, then Naruto’s son would undoubtedly be the villain of the series and bring downfall upon the era of shinobis.

It would be surprising to see a shonen anime and manga series take this route since it’s uncommon to see the protagonist turn into the main villain. However, fans are awaiting the next chapter that could provide information and clarity regarding this topic.

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Stay tuned for more anime and manga updates as 2023 progresses.