If you’ve been a Naruto fan for a long time now, you must be in shock (and perhaps in denial) over the newest developments in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. Episode 218 hit us with a bolt of lightning, leaving us in tears after the death of Kurama, the beloved nine-tailed beast sealed for years inside Naruto.
So much happened in Boruto episode 218, and many fans find it hard to process all the events that took place.
Kurama’s Death
The latest episode in the anime introduced us to a huge twist in the anime that is a sequel to the extremely famous Naruto series. Boruto has introduced us to many new and powerful characters, and one of the strongest villains in this series is Isshiki Otsutsuki. While our group of heroes is in another dimension, fighting a hard battle, Naruto finds it extremely hard to keep his footing against the might of Isshiki.
With Sasuke severely weakened out and Naruto being pinned to the ground, Kurama tells Naruto of Baryon mode. The Baryon mode is a unique power that’s only available to a jinchuriki like Naruto. The Chakra from Naruto and Kurama are fused and create a new form of power. As a result of this mode, Naruto gains extreme strength. His speed, reflexes, and abilities are boosted tremendously, allowing him to surpass even Isshiki.
Kurama warned Naruto that using this power could almost certainly be detrimental to his life, to which Naruto replies that he was always aware of the risks that came with being a Hokage. However, Kurama hid a fact from Naruto. The major drawback of using the Baryon mode is that it would cause a greater risk to Kurama’s life. Unfortunately, this is precisely what happened. The Baryon mode generated and used up more of Kurama’s energy than he could regenerate. And as a result, the nine-tailed beast died.
What Does This Mean For Naruto?
Naruto’s immense power meant a sense of peacefulness all over the shinobi world. Kurama’s power gave Naruto a boost in abilities. With the beast gone, Naruto most likely won’t be able to defeat powerful opponents. However, we must remember that he still has other skills (that I will get into soon) and would still be as effective as any other Hokage in a battle.
Further, Kurama always provided Naruto with a giant chakra reserve, something that he doesn’t have anymore. Now Naruto’s sensory abilities have also weakened. He won’t be able to observe negative emotions as well as he did when he had Kurama.
Naruto, a reckless fighter, has suffered various injuries in battles, but he could rest assured thanks to Kurama’s extraordinary healing ability. With this gone, Naruto will have to be a lot more careful in battle. There were many instances where Kurama showed its intelligence by making sense of the battlefield and guiding Naruto to victory. Now, Naruto will have to learn to live without Kurama within him.
Is Naruto Still Strong Without Kurama?
Kurama’s death comes with substantial emotional baggage for Naruto. He has lost someone that stayed by him in every part of his life. However, while Kurama’s death has severely weakened Naruto, this doesn’t mean that he isn’t a powerhouse anymore.
Firstly, Naruto still holds the power he received from the Sage of Six Paths. Originally, the power made him much stronger than before and is expected to be of massive importance in the Boruto series as well. Secondly, Naruto is still connected to the other tailed beasts. During the Fourth Great Ninja War, each of the tailed beasts granted a bit of their powers to Naruto. For instance, by using the ability of Shukaku, the one-tailed beast, Naruto gains Magnet Release Kekkei Genkai and the ability to perform various sealing Jutsu’s. The Chakra from the four-tailed beast, Son Gokū, gives him access to Lava Release Kekkei Genkai. That of Kokuō, the five-tailed beast, lets him use Boil Release Kekkei Genkai. He can even harness the power of the Eight-tailed beast, Gyuki, and use Ink Creation.
Thirdly, without Kurama to assist him, Naruto will most likely be seen relying on his Six Paths ability. His mastery over this ability means that he has access to all nature types. We even got a glimpse of this in Boruto, when he used Earth Release during Boruto’s training.
That’s not all either. Because Naruto comes from the Uzumaki clan, he has a very powerful Chakra, but along with this, he is also the reincarnation of Asura Otsutsuki. As a result, similar to Hashirama (another reincarnate like Naruto), Naruto has much greater physical strength. Considering all of these abilities of Naruto, there’s still potential for growth in his power.
About Boruto: Naruto Next Generations
After the Fourth Shinobi World War, Konohagakure has seen lots of peace and prosperity under its Hokage, Naruto’s leadership. It now resembles a bustling metropolis, and the life of the Shinobi has changed pleasantly. Now, a new generation of Ninjas is ready to step out onto the world and learn all about the ninja way.
Boruto, the son of Naruto, though just as exuberant and spirited as his father, is considered a prodigy and receives lots of support from his friends and family. However, he has grown to become arrogant, and with a strained relationship with his busy father, Boruto can’t wait to surpass Naruto. As sinister forces from other dimensions begin to awaken, how will Boruto protect his beloved village? You can watch the show and find out on Viz, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, or Crunchyroll.