Boruto: Naruto Next Generations‘ latest episode is a pivotal one in the larger Naruto saga. Boruto and his new Team 7 squad (Kawaki, Sarada, and Mitsuki) were battling Boro, the most powerful (and sadistic) “Inner” from the Kara Organization, yet. Even though Team 7 broke their respective limits to take Boro apart (literally), the Kara enforcer went full Akira and transformed into a hulking monster that nearly crushed Boruto. Instead, Boruto manifested a strange new power and persona; in “Momoshiki’s Manifestation” we finally learn what the mysterious Karma marks on Boruto and Kawaki are really all about – and it’s a game-changer!
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Warning: Boruto Episode 208 SPOILERS Follow!
The being that manifests inside of Boruto turns out to be (as the episode title implies) Momoshiki Otsutsuki. For whatever reason, Boruto’s near-death caused Momoshiki’s persona to emerge and take control of the situation – which the Otsutsuki villain quickly does. After stealing some Chakra from Naruto using Karma and beating down Boro, Momoshiki turns that stolen power into a massive Rasengan that disintegrates Boro. As soon as the job is done, Momoshikis’ consciousness disappears, leaving Boruto with no memory of the possession.
After Team 7 rescues Naruto and returns to Hidden Leaf, they compare notes about the recent developments with Kara. Mitsuki and Sarada don’t make a formal report about what happened with Boruto – instead they go straight to Sasuke with what they saw during the battle with Boro. Based on Team 7’s report, Sasuke’s discoveries at the Kara base in another dimension, and Sasuke and Naruto’s battle with Jigen, Sasuke reaches of horrible conclusion:
Karma marks the chosen individual to be a “vessel” body to house an Otsutsuki’s consciousness or essence. The specifics are still unclear (if not confusing) but the end goal is clear: both boys now know they are far from being normal humans, and that their fates seem to end with being slaves to the Otsutsuki. Based on the different experiences of Kawaki and Boruto’s respective Karmas, there are still a lot of questions to answer.
Boruto and Kawaki got their Karmas in two very different ways: Borutohad to kill an Otsutsuki but Kawakiws selected by Jigen and marked, even though Jigen is not dead. Speaking of Jigen: it’s unclear what the Kara leader’s true status is, now. Jigen seems to be a vessel himself, raising questions about who or what he is a vessel for, and what the Otsutsuki Karma process does to the host.
