Warning: SPOILERS for chapter #77 of Boruto.
Chapter #77 of Boruto hints that the series is entering its endgame, and the finale of the manga could be very close. After Kawaki's unexpected betrayal, all the plot threads of Naruto's controversial sequel are coming together, suggesting that the conclusion of the series should not be too far ahead.
The most recent chapters of Boruto brought the series in an unexpected direction. The introduction of Eida and her overpowered "love" ability turned the series into a romantic comedy, with the action slowing down significantly as a consequence. This happened shortly after the defeat of Isshiki Otsutsuki, the leader of Kara, who was the series' main villain until now. Code stepping up to continue Isshiki's mission of harvesting the Chakra Fruit seemed to be just a rehearsal of the previous storyline, with the series struggling to find a clear direction. However, this all changed with one shocking chapter full of developments.
In chapter #77 of Boruto, fans finally got to see the Kawaki betrayal that they were expecting since the ominous flash-forward shown in the very first chapter. After realizing that the Otsutsuki pose an inescapable threat to the life of his savior, Naruto, Kawaki decides that the only way to protect his adoptive father is to eradicate all of that clan, including Boruto, who is now hosting the spirit of Momoshiki. To stop Naruto and Hinata from interfering, Kawaki traps them in the Daikokuten dimension using a Kama Rift. Meanwhile, Code is preparing to launch a full assault on Konoha, using his army of monsters created from the Ten-Tails, which is already one thousand strong.
Boruto and Kawaki's Confrontation Means That The Series Is About To End
This sudden acceleration in the events, after many chapters of total lack of action, proves that Boruto is stepping on the pedal to rush toward its conclusion. The fight between Boruto and Kawaki, shown in the initial flash-forward, has always been teased as the climax of the series. At the same time, Code's attack on Konoha will finally end the long Kara storyline one way or the other. After these two main plot threads come to their conclusion, there will be nowhere else for Boruto to go, unless the series decides to turn the page completely and start a whole new plot, perhaps after a significant time skip.
This solution, however, seems unlikely. Boruto has never been as popular as Naruto, and there have been recurring rumors of a full reboot of the franchise. The flash-forward of Naruto and Kawaki's battle shows a very dark future where Konoha is destroyed. Only time will tell if that will lead to the end of the Naruto franchise or to its reboot, but the only thing for sure now is that chapter #77 of Boruto proves that the series has finally entered its endgame.
The latest chapter of Boruto is available from Viz Media.
