The stars align as Boruto finally realizes his greater purpose.
“The comet has entered the constellation. The destiny of the stars, the time for harvest is near. And just as I thought the key to it all… is him.”
This week’s episode of Boruto opens with these ominous words, but perhaps more ominous is the character who speaks them: Toneri Otsutsuki, the main antagonist of the Naruto movie “The Last”. His sudden appearance raises several questions for this episode, as well as the series. Is Toneri the perpetrator of the possessions? Or a bystander hoping to intervene for the greater good? The show isn’t ready to answer that question just yet, but it does seem to finally be laying the groundwork for Boruto to learn about his mysterious powers, and whatever evil they are trying to reveal to him.
“A pearl-colored nightmare foretold my destiny” states Boruto, striking a cool pose hoping to impress his bewildered sister Himawari. Boruto has just awoken from a dream where a mysterious figure (who the viewer can identify as Toneri) has told him he is the only hope against coming destruction. Having spent the previous night contemplating his next move, this dream has given him the confidence to confront his parents about his mysterious eye power.
My first reaction to this series of events was a sigh of relief. It seems like we might finally figure out what is going on with Boruto’s eye, and Toneri’s intervention may provide some clues about what is happening. Boruto is convinced he has awakened to his Byakugan (possible, considering his mother Hinata is a princess from the Hyuga Clan), but his eye bears a greater resemblance to Toneri’s Tenseigan. Regardless of the answer I’m just happy to know we will soon find out, and I applaud the writer’s decision to throw all of us for a loop by bringing in a character outside of the traditional Naruto canon.
Adding some humor to the episode is a running meta-commentary on the idea of a hero. The episode opens with Naruto and his friends watching a movie about a heroic ninja by the name of “Evil Jammer Kagemasa” who saves a group of children, teaching them the lesson that actions are louder than words. Once the movie is over Boruto interrupts his friends beaming admiration to state the movie is unrealistic, and heroic ninjas (like his father Naruto) are secretly uncool.
However, once Temari tells him he is “the star of hope” Boruto is quick to don a superhero visor of his own and start dancing around his house, musing loudly about his importance. We share his family’s perplexed expression as we watch him make a fool of himself, seeing that Kagemasa’s advice has completely gone over his head. This commentary on heroes goes quite nicely with the show’s “death of shinobi” theme, showing us that young ninjas must look up to fictional heroes because they don’t believe in the ones right in front of their eyes.
Much like the premiere, “The Dream’s Revelation” raises a bunch of questions, but runs out of time before it can address them. As a result, it isn’t a particularly great episode, but it does set the stage for some major events. The episode’s greatest success is its appeal to the fans, showing us their commitment to bringing back the traditional Naruto characters. The show’s writers prove once again they know how to please their viewers, canonizing Toneri and teasing new dojutsu. I just hope this new plotline leads us to some answers, and not just another dead end.
The Verdict
Boruto finally seeks answers about his mysterious dojutsu, thanks to intervention from one of his father’s past rivals, Toneri Otsutsuki. Convinced by Toneri that he is destined to become a great hero, Boruto claims he has mastered the Byakugan, drawing doubts from everyone around him. The resulting episode is a bit uneventful, but more than makes up for the slow build with some cameos that will put a smile on any fan’s face.
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