Why Did Kawaki Turn Evil? Boruto Finally Explains

Boruto is finally getting to the series’ main mystery and plot point, and fans are really excited. Boruto: Naruto Next Generation manga series released its 77th manga chapter a few days ago, and it answered many readers’ questions. The scene of the dark future that features older Boruto and Kawaki on the ruins of Konohagakure is getting closer and closer. The newest chapter of the manga provides information on Kawaki’s motivation and why he turned evil. 

The newest manga chapter reveals that Kawaki becomes evil in the series because he wants to destroy all Ōtsutsuki clan members. In the 77th manga chapter, Kawaki confesses that he loves Naruto, is immensely grateful for his efforts to help him, and will do anything to protect Seventh Hokage. He adds that good people die first, especially if they fight against the Ōtsutsuki, and he will use their powers to destroy them all. Of course, Boruto is the vessel of Momoshiki, and Kawaki says to Naruto and Hinata that he will kill their son, Boruto. 

We will explain other happenings in the newest chapter of Boruto, Kawaki’s motivations in more detail and conclude our article with our thoughts. If you are interested in this Boruto topic, stay with us until the end!

The build-up to Kawaki’s revelation in Boruto

Boruto: Naruto Next Generation series is in the middle of the Code arc, and boy, is it exciting. The previous ten chapters served us with the most exciting part of the series, where Boruto was possessed by Momoshiki and fought Kawaki, Naruto, and Shikamaru. Despite the assurances by Amado that the special medicine would suppress Momoshiki inside of Boruto, that didn’t happen at all.

After following his brother, in the last second, Boruto saved Kawaki from Code, who was willing to kidnap the boy. During the fight with Code, Boruto collapses in pain after using Kāma, and Momoshiki’s soul takes over his body. The fight with Kawaki ensues, where the older boy stabs Boruto and kills him. Naruto is devastated; however, Boruto awakens to everyone’s shock.

In the vision, Momoshiki explains to Boruto that he can’t afford for the Uzumaki boy to die, so he overwrote the rest of his body with Ōtsutsuki data, making him fully Ōtsutsuki and resurrecting him. But there’s a catch. When that happens, usually, the vessel serves as the resurrection tool for Ōtsutsuki, but Momoshiki resurrected Boruto instead.

Boruto is now a hundred percent an Ōtsutsuki, and Code will use him for sacrifice to Ten-Tails. Chapter 65 is where we truly see Kawaki’s desperation to protect Naruto – he didn’t want him to join the fight so Momoshiki and Code wouldn’t kill him. The aftermath of the battle is truly interesting since Boruto is put under intense surveillance and a mission that includes Kawaki and Boruto living with former Inners and siblings, Ada and Daemon, cyborgs that Amado created to kill Isshiki.

Ada can seduce and make the victims do whatever she wants and is put under surveillance in Amado’s lab. However, the lab is breached, and Code enters the lab and tortures the scientist – Code wants to make Amado remove his limiters to become even more stronger.

After Code escapes with Ada and Amado to the hideout, Kawaki is furious because he missed his chance to question Amado about his new Kāma, which the scientist applied to his hand unbeknownst to him – the artificial arm has Isshiki’s DNA.

Although Kawaki killed Boruto, the duo reconciled in Hokage’s office and were ordered to live in the same house as Ada and Daemon. Boruto will mediate between Kawaki and the siblings because Ada is genuinely interested in Kawaki and is not using her powers to manipulate him.

The mission has started, and both siblings are trying to find common ground. Ada finds it with Sarada and Sumire, while Boruto is bonding with Daemon. However, unbeknownst to others, Boruto still can communicate with Momoshiki in his mind. The Ōtsutsuki is constantly bashing and rattling Boruto; eventually, Kawaki realizes that the young Uzumaki is hiding something.

When he realizes that Boruto is communicating with Momoshiki, Kawaki instantly attacks Boruto and demands the Ōtsutsuki come out. Shikamaru intervenes, but Kawaki escapes and cloaks his chakra so no one can follow him. Boruto still senses him but cannot find out where he went.

Now we get to the main point of the newest chapter and the moment that shocked the fans.

Why did Kawaki turn evil in Boruto?

After Kawaki left, Boruto accompanied Sarada, Sumire, and Ada to shopping under the orders of Shikamaru. The boy feels out of place; however, Daemon spots Himawari and is shocked by the young girl’s intensity, which confirms that the youngest Uzumaki actually has some powers.

This moment was a callback to Naruto’s inauguration when he was knocked out by angered Himawari, who at a young age showed, in Boruto’s words, “scary behavior.”

While the children are shopping, the manga panel takes us to Uzumaki’s residence, where Hinata and her husband are preparing dinner. The pair discuss how Naruto is finally home for dinner for real this time and mention how Boruto and Kawaki are always on edge when they are together.

Suddenly, Kawaki appears, dismisses offers for dinner, and sits Naruto down for a serious talk. Kawaki tells Naruto how grateful he is for him and how much he loves and respects him. He says that before he met Naruto, Kawaki was only a shell of himself, an incubator for Ōtsutsuki and destined for nothing. Naruto and Hinata are concerned because Kawaki is emitting a cold and determined aura, which leads to the moment fans have been waiting for.

Kawaki says he would die for Naruto and that his “kindness in every pore of his body” is problematic since good people always die first. He continues that the shinobi factor doesn’t help Seventh Hokage’s choice, and if he fights Ōtsutsuki, Naruto will never survive.

The shocking confession ends with a concerning note. Kawaki vows to Naruto that he will kill every single Ōtsutsuki with the powers that he gained from the new Isshiki’s Kāma. He emphasizes the word “every,” which Naruto and Hinata immediately recognize as Boruto will also be a victim of Kawaki’s hand. Kawaki adds one more shocking reveal – he says to Naruto and Hinata that he was disappointed when Boruto survived and felt like he failed when he didn’t take the young Uzumaki’s life.

Hinata is enraged and slaps Kawaki, who continues in his tirade, and ensures the couple that he might be a crazy person for wanting to kill his brother, but he doesn’t care. He is sure that no one will stop him, even if it means that they hate him for the rest of their days.

After Naruto ensures Kawaki that he will need to kill him to get to Boruto, Kawaki uses his Kāma’s Space Time jutsu ability to transport Naruto and Hinata to another dimension. Of course, not without parting words:

“Once it’s all done, you’re welcome to kill me. So you just wait until then, Lord Seventh…”

Chapter 77, “Time Drawing Near,” is preparing us for an inevitable scene we saw in the first chapter of the series. Kawaki and Boruto will fight on the ruins of Konohagakure and decide the fate of the Shinobi World. What’s also interesting is the fact that we now know that Naruto isn’t dead in a flash forward and that Kawaki would go ballistic if anyone hurts Seventh Hokage.

Because he wants to protect Naruto, Kawaki simply removes him from his way without hurting him, which is beautiful but tragic at the same time.

Kawaki’s strange fascination or even obsession with Naruto drives Kawaki to kill Boruto, whom he sees as his brother, which makes him the villain of the series, and, frankly, one of the best ones we have seen in a very long time in Naruto Universe. Kawaki is a fascinating character, and the flashforward scene cannot come soon enough.