How Did Orochimaru Come Back in Boruto?
Orochimaru is a veteran shinobi from Konohagakure, a member of Team Hiruzen, and one of the legendary Sannin, along with his companions Jiraiya and Tsunade. He was a member of the Root organization under the leadership of Danzō and later defected from the village after being discovered doing experiments on the villagers, as well as being a former member of Akatsuki. He was one of the main antagonists of the series until his death at the hands of Sasuke Uchiha. But, in Boruto, Orochimaru came back and in this article, we are going to tell you how one of the major Naruto characters and villains actually came back to the franchise.
After being revived by Sasuke during the Fourth Shinobi World War, Orochimaru reestablished Otogakure and continued conducting further experiments, creating artificial humans such as Log and Mitsuki. Fifteen years after the war, he ultimately revealed himself to Naruto and Sasuke, who commented on how he did not age over the years.
As you might have deduced, this article is going to be focused on Orochimaru and his story in Boruto. You’re going to find out what exactly happened to the former antagonist and how he actually returned in Boruto, as well as what happened to him in the sequel to Naruto. You’re also going to find out how Orochimaru’s return influenced the plot in general.
How and when did Orochimaru come back in Boruto?
The interesting thing about Orochimaru is that he died in Naruto, during the Fourth Shinobi World War, but he came back. We’re just going to quickly recap that story before continuing with Boruto since it is an important part of understanding how Orochimaru came back to the series in the first place. After Sasuke’s defeat of Kabuto, Sasuke revives Orochimaru by using material from Kabuto’s body and Juugo’s Sennin chakra from Anko’s Bane Mark to grow a snake that spat out Orochimaru. Unlike those revived with Edo Tensei, Orochimaru was not actually dead.
His rebirth was possible because he had channeled his own Senjutsu chakra into the cursed marks. By his own admission, Orochimaru has seen everything that Anko has seen and thus knows about the war and Sasuke’s motives. He also drains Kabuto of his own chakra to regain some of his strength. Along with Juugo and Suigetsu, Orochimaru and Sasuke go to Konoha, where they visit the remains of the Uchiha’s Naka Shrine to invoke the god of death. Orochimaru uses secret art to trick the god of death into releasing the souls of those once sealed within him. In return, he demands the user as a victim.
However, with his rebirth jutsu, Orochimaru manages to survive this process and take over the body of a white Zetsu clone. Furthermore, through the ritual, he has regained the full power of his once-sealed arms and is now able to wield Edo Tensei himself. Finally, he summons the previous four Hokage and forces them to answer Sasuke’s questions. At this point, Tobirama Senju realizes that Orochimaru’s body consists almost entirely of the cells of his brother, Hashirama Senju, which is probably due to Zetsu’s body.
After Hashirama has finished telling his story about the founding of Konoha and his relationship with Madara, Orochimaru asks Sasuke what he will do now. Sasuke replies that he won’t just let the village and Itachi’s legacy perish and he wants to go to the battlefield. Since they are still bound by Edo Tensei, Hashirama asks Orochimaru what he intends to do now, and Sarutobi points out that he wanted to support Sasuke regardless of his answer. Orochimaru agrees to follow Sasuke’s decision.
Once outside, Sarutobi asks Orochimaru why he wanted to help Sasuke, to which Orochimaru replies that Kabuto’s way of copying him was wrong. He is now curious about Sasuke’s fate, who has embarked on his own path. However, instead of following Sasuke and Juugo to the scene of the battle against the Ten-Tails, he goes to the place where the five Kage of Madara were defeated along with Karin and Suigetsu. There he causes his two subordinates to heal Tsunade, who then allows the other Kage to recover.
Speaking to him, Orochimaru reveals that he has changed and now no longer wants to “be the wind that turns all windmills”, but instead wants to enjoy the unexpected wind that others (especially Sasuke) create. After that, he goes to the battlefield together with Karin and Suigetsu with Katsuyu’s help. Although he said he was not interested in the war, he realizes that the fulfillment of Obito’s “dream” means the end of his experiments and that he cannot allow it. Along with Sarutobi he fights the Shinju and remembers the time when he was still a student and Hiruzen of the Sensei.
A little later, he takes part in the fight against the Guruguru, together with Team Taka, which he paralyzes briefly by giving him a cursed mark with a bite. The effect wears off very quickly, but he buys himself and his fellow combatants enough time to get past the opponent to Sasuke. Orochimaru seems genuinely concerned for his former student, but Juugo suspects he now wants to steal his body. When Sasuke arrives, he meets Kabuto, whom he recognizes as remnants of his own chakra. Orochimaru then explains the effects of Izanami and how Kabuto managed to break free from it.
Orochimaru and his comrades eventually fall victim to the Mugen Tsukuyomi as well. After the war ended, Orochimaru continued his genetic experiments. Despite his apparent passivity, Konoha still doesn’t trust him and has Yamato guard his lair against the outside. At a certain point, Orochimaru creates a synthetic human named Mitsuki based on his DNA. This boy is basically a part clone/son of Orochimaru. Ultimately, the boy decided to rebel against his “father” and choose his own destiny, immigrating to Konohagakure and entering the academy.
Years later, the Sannin, with a new appearance, appears before the Seventh Hokage, Naruto, and Sasuke when they went to his hideout to talk to him. He then declares that the last person he expected to see was Sasuke and before Naruto expresses his doubts about his identity, Orochimaru comments that he certainly was aware of his identity and that that was what he liked about him, as some things never changed. In addition, he notices the presence of two girls: Sarada Uchiha and Chōchō Akimichi.
Sasuke informs him of the appearance of Shin Uchiha, who appeared as if he were one of his subordinates, as well as that he intended to murder the girls and kidnap his wife, stating that if he had something to say, he had better say it. The Sannin clarifies that he had not done anything to make him go with those accusations, asking the reason for the guard’s stay at the entrance. Sasuke continues to insist and asks who the man with the Sharingan implanted all over his body.
At this, the Sannin takes them to another room, showing a Clone of Shin and tells them of Shin’s genetic ability and that each of his clones was an original, that he was obsessed with Itachi and that, literally, he became the arm Danzo’s right. Orochimaru explains the process of the clones to Naruto, who, not understanding it, receives the statement that he had to kill them to make them disappear. Sannin comments that humans were slaves to their genes since each and every person that is related could be ascertained. Sarada asks what was wrong with simpler things like father and son, to which Orochimaru asks if he wanted to judge for herself.
However, Sasuke says that they didn’t have time for that and tells Sannin that if he had any idea where Shin was, he should tell them. He affirms it and sets them in motion. Once this is done, they leave the lair and after Naruto and Sarada leave, the Sannin says that perhaps Sakura has already been killed, to which Sasuke tells him that his wife is not that weak and that, probably, while they were there, she had already taken care of everything. He then activates the Susanoo, taking the group with him. After the events that occurred during the Chūnin Exams held in Konohagakure and where Mitsuki participated, Orochimaru visited Konoha, standing in a house, watching Boruto Uzumaki, Sarada, and their son talk after defeating an escaped bear.
