Momoshiki’s Redemption: How Boruto Could Unite with His Greatest Foe Against the Otsutsuki Clan

Boruto and Momoshiki could unite against the Otsutsuki Clan once the story enters the Universal Saga. The silence of the demigod is intriguing not only to the main duo but also to the readers, who are unable to find any hint about Momoshiki’s mischievous disappearance. The most common assumptions include some evil plan brewing, which could eventually turn around the whole plot of the story. The Otsutsuki could make a comeback with an aura ten times stronger than Jura, explaining why everyone is afraid of his inactivity.

In a previous blog, we broke down Momoshiki’s mindful tactics and how his silence hints at a huge plot twist. He may be worried about Boruto learning of his plans, so perhaps he’s cooking up his next big move in silence. That theory is also intriguing, and I recommend you read that one if you haven’t already.

For this article, though, I decided to take a deep dive into the tales of Momotaro. This folklore inspired the character of Momoshiki and the hints I found while studying this story line up well with how the Otsutsuki are acting now. We analyze the redemption of Momoshiki and his forthcoming war with the Otsutsuki Clan. Kishimoto was clearly inspired by Japanese folklore when he introduced the Otsutsuki clan. The alien trio that came after Kaguya—Momoshiki, Urashiki, and Kinshiki—were based on Momotaro, Urashimataro, and Kintaro, respectively.

All the Otsutsuki share similarities with these folklore characters. Characters like Urashiki are a dark reimagining of Urashimataro, incorporating elements from the original story into a villainous character. Both characters are associated with fishing rods: Urashimataro uses his rod to catch a magical turtle, while Urashiki wields it as a weapon. The anime even showed Urashiki traveling through time, an element also seen in the tale of Urashimataro with the time-traveling turtle and the Dragon Palace seal.

Kinshiki may have been inspired by Kintaro, a Japanese folk hero known for his immense strength and heroism. He fought with an axe, which is similar to Kinshiki’s weapon. When it comes to Momoshiki, however, there’s much more than surface-level similarities. He was based on Momotaro, the Peach Boy, a story that begins with a childless old couple discovering a large peach in the river that, to their surprise, contains a baby boy. The old couple sees him as a gift from the gods, and Momotaro grows up to become a strong warrior. Eventually, he learns about Demon Island and sets out to destroy its demons, making three friends along the way—a dog, a monkey, and a pheasant.

Connecting this to Momoshiki, we see his elemental creatures: a giant lava monkey, a phoenix, and cannon-like creatures he summons through his abilities, which may translate to “dog-raising robust lord.” Some even argue that his appearance resembles a peach. Yet this is only the beginning of the foreshadowing that Momotaro’s folklore sets up for Momoshiki.

With recent plot developments, where the Otsutsuki have seemingly ceased to exist, something monumental seems on its way to the story. This twist might not make Momoshiki the big bad guy, but it offers something far more intriguing. Returning to the folklore of Momotaro, he is viewed as a gift from the gods, a possible reference to Shibai Otsutsuki planning, the union between Boruto and Momoshiki. Momoshiki once mentioned that all Otsutsuki are immune to omnipotence, but seeing how Shibai divinely intervened in Boruto’s life to save him from death, he likely pulled the strings from behind. He might have deliberately worsened Boruto’s life by introducing Momoshiki.

Another key moment in Momotaro‘s story involves his decision to confront the demon island upon learning of their evil deeds. In the  Boruto storyline, Otsutsuki demons with horns could represent these folklore demons, reinforcing the parallel. After spending years in Boruto’s consciousness, Momoshiki might have become part of Boruto’s fate. Their shared consciousness may have merged their minds, helping Momoshiki better understand his vessel’s ideals.

Initially, when Boruto was dealing with the Karma curse, Momoshiki held dominance and could influence his thoughts. But after their merge—thanks to Kawaki’s fatal blow—it seems the tables have turned, with Boruto influencing Momoshiki instead. This prolonged silence might indicate Momoshiki’s transformation, which was influenced by Boruto‘s personality. Such a shift suggests that Momoshiki’s mission could change: to enter the Otsutsuki realm and help Boruto  destroy his clan, one by one.

What makes this redemption plausible is that while we’ve not yet seen a true redemption path for Otsutsuki beings, characters like Toneri and Kaguya were humanized to some extent. This merger with Boruto may has made Momoshiki feel human, deepening his bond with Boruto.

Such a humanization could take the story into an intergalactic journey, setting up a new direction. It also helps explain the flash-forward sequence, where Kawaki has softened his stance toward Boruto. Although Kawaki appears in control, his change of heart seems sudden, especially since he once viewed Momoshiki as a threat.

The best possible scenario might be that Momoshiki is no longer a threat, which could explain why Kawaki now wants to save Boruto. The way Karma is being used fairly freely by Boruto in the future also hints at Momoshiki turning over a new leaf. Another big reason for Momoshiki to team up with Boruto against the Otsutsuki Clan could be revealed in his potential backstory. There must be a concrete reason behind the ideology of the Otsutsuki and why they are the way they are. A system of brutal destruction runs through every member of the clan, each craving power for the ultimate goal of attaining godhood.

A concept I mentioned in my last article discussed a cycle of destruction that every Otsutsuki member follows. So, Momoshiki breaking this cycle after staying fused with a human for over three years is a major possibility. I’ve seen people on Reddit arguing against the odds of Momoshiki having a Kurama-style development, where his vessel’s goodness redeems him. Those people are actually right; Momoshiki, indeed, cannot develop in the same way as Kurama since he belongs to a clan of ruthless aliens who seek only power. It’s only under rare circumstances that these beings feel sympathy toward humans.

Under normal circumstances, Momoshiki had no reason to sympathize with Boruto, but after becoming one with his heart and soul, he may be secretly turning over a new leaf. Going back to the fundamental basis of the union between Momoshiki and Boruto—it’s the doing of Shibai Otsutsuki, something we shouldn’t overlook. But instead of delving into the divine entanglement that this entity has brought into Boruto’s life, let’s focus on Momoshiki and why his horn resembles that of a deity in Boruto’s demigod form.

Last year, I discussed theories suggesting Momoshiki might actually be Shibai Otsutsuki. With recent developments, that theory still holds some weight, though that’s not the focus of this discussion. Instead, it could be that Momoshiki was mutated with Shibai’s cells, awakening some divine essence within him. The basis of this theory stems from the time Mitsuki used Boruto’s blood to create antibodies and injected them back into Boruto. Since Boruto was modified with Shibai’s cells, it’s not far-fetched that he could inherit divine DNA through this transplantation.

Considering how Boruto is now fused with Momoshiki, there’s a good chance that Shibai’s cells mutated with the Otsutsuki as well. Since these cells can be used to unlock Shinju in cyborgs, what might happen if they come into contact with an Otsutsuki? I think we already know the answer. The benevolence of Shibai Otsutsuki may have manifested in Momoshiki after he came into contact with these divine cells.

You may have noticed the Otsutsuki being single-minded in their goals to devour planets, but none considered capturing the remains of Shibai Otsutsuki to unlock his Shinju. These godly remains could have made them immensely powerful, yet none of them seized that opportunity. So, why didn’t Jigen use Shibai’s remains to upgrade himself? Why didn’t the others—like Momoshiki or Urashiki—seek this divine corpse when it was a once-in-a-lifetime bounty?

If the redemption of the Momoshiki theory comes true, it’s possible that absorbing an Otsutsuki God’s remains could free these celestial beings from their cycle of destruction. Just think about it—why did Shibai discard his mortal body after becoming a god? He could have continued living, wandering from one galaxy to another. But perhaps he had no purpose to do so, possibly because he was beyond mortal struggles. He might have understood the fundamentals of existence, which could have given him a saint-like, spiritual stature—a state where he’d feel the duty to act benevolently.

The first act of Shibai upon attaining godhood may have been to do something beneficial for the universe. This seems evident from the fact that he’s helping Boruto. So, divine cells unlocking the essence of the Otsutsuki God among his clan members is, in my eyes, a decent possibility. This would explain Momoshiki’s redemption a lot better.

You can find out more about the domain of gods and Boruto Two Blue Vortex mission to godhood from here.