Chapter #21 of theBoruto: Two Blue Vortexmanga was far more enlightening than anyone could have suspected. This latest entry greatly advanced the battle between the Shinobi forces and the Divine Trees, with the introduction ofSarada’s new overpowered Mangekyo Sharingan, Boruto’s disobedience of Koji’s orders, and Jura’s imminent arrival making it one of the most exciting chapters in many months.
Yet, the story of this entry also confirmed that fans were wrong about one major theory revolving around a beloved character: Konohamaru.Many readers expected that he would die at the hands of Matsuri, seeing that he had no means to defeat her. By having Boruto save him, the cherished hero was spared from imminent death, but the manga once again proves it is still not ready to take what many consider necessary risks.
Is Konohamaru’s Fate Good for the Series?
Should He Have Been Killed by Matsuri?
InBoruto: Two Blue Vortexchapter #21, the titular protagonist learns from his mentor, Kashin Koji, that Konohamaru’s death was supposedly necessary for the android’s plans to work. While not verbally confirmed by the man, his previous statement about knowing Yodo was going to be killed by Ryu implies that he also knewNaruto’s favorite studentwas not going to survive the battle. Feeling betrayed, Boruto decided to teleport himself to the battlefield, using the Flying Thunder God Jutsu, a technique he learned during the timeskip, and save his teacher. This moment signified two major developments for the hero.
First,he is still not willing to betray his moral code and sense of justicebecause of the whims of Koji. This is the first time since the duo began working together that Boruto has actively disobeyed his mentor, meaning the boy has found the limit of how much he is willing to overlook in the name of the greater good. Secondly, Boruto has just discovered thatKoji is not as trustworthy as he once believed.The android is ready to sacrifice anyone in the world to defeat Jura, something that does not sit right with the hero.
Still, while this scene is a reminder of how righteous and admirable Boruto has come to be, it also prevented the series from killing a major character from the prequel. This seems to be a recurring theme in the manga, with none of the most popular or beloved heroes from the original series ever being truly gone. Although it makes sense that Boruto would not allow his teacher to die,it also confirms that the original cast are not in any real danger of dying.
Konohamaru Is Only the Most Recent Example of the Trend
None of the Original Heroes Seems To Stay Dead
Although Konohamaru surviving his almost-guaranteed death might not seem important to some fans, this confirms the series is following a heavily criticized trend. Ever since the sequel series commenced, readers noticed thatnone of the original cast members seemed to be in any kind of danger. Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata might be out of commission for the moment, but they have all been confirmed to still be alive. Many of Konoha’s strongest and most famous ninjas, like Shikamaru or Sakura, have also conveniently stayed safe during most of the manga.
Nonetheless, the most infuriating proof of this trend is none other thanKurama, who sacrificed his life to protect Naruto during the battle against Isshiki. The Nine-Tails did not stay gone for too long, ashe was swiftly revived as Himawari’s new tenant, something that readers were not expecting. The series seems to be afraid of injuring or outright killing any of the most iconic characters in the series, which takes away tension from any scene in which they are involved.
Can Boruto Change This Issue?
The Story of the Sequel Is Still Far From Over
Thelack of dangerNarutocharacters face in the sequelhas been a point of division among fans for many years. Nevertheless, the second part of theBorutomanga is still in its early stages. Saving his teacher from one of the franchise’s strongest villains might seem like an odd decision, but it does help advance Boruto’s character and motivations as he realizes he can only place so much trust in Koji. Even beyond that, theNarutofranchise as a whole is known for the minimal number of deaths among its main cast, making this latest example easier to accept.
