'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Since the start of the Boruto: Two Blue Vortex manga, the series has made it very evident that protagonist Boruto has become far stronger than deuteragonist Kawaki. However, this difference in strength does not just result from the protagonist's training sessions during the time skip, but something much more consequential.
From the moment Kawaki appeared in the first manga, it seemed like he was far stronger than his adoptive brother due to his karma. However, after some time, the protagonist learns to use karma much more effectively and becomes a strong competitor to the strength displayed by Isshiki's vessel.
Considering how Kawaki was stronger than his adoptive brother at the beginning, why can he no longer compete with him and why is Boruto now far stronger than Kawaki? Fans are busy online sharing explanations for the same.
Disclaimer: This article may contain spoilers from the Boruto manga.
Kawaki's new karma sets him up for failure against Boruto
As one can observe from the events in the new manga series, Boruto is far superior in strength to Kawaki. While one might conclude that this is a result of the protagonist's training during the time skip, there seems to be a much more important reason behind the same.
Earlier, he was capable of using abilities and strength far past the level of an Otsutsuki. However, that isn't the case anymore. Kawaki can currently only use his abilities and strength at level par with Borushiki. This strength level should not be stronger than that of Isshiki or Jigen. So, what happened to Kawaki?
One Boruto fan on Reddit u/Lukas-Reggi theorized that the difference in Kawaki's strength has to be a result of the change in his karma. At the beginning, Kawaki received his karma from Jigen, i.e., from Isshiki Otsutsuki himself. This allowed Kawaki to effectively use the abilities and strength granted by the Otsutsuki.
However, he later lost karma after Isshiki Otsutsuki mistakenly used a shadow-clone Kawaki to resurrect himself.
Following that, Kawaki was granted new karma by Amado. While Kawaki wanted to get rid of his karma, Amado wanted to use Kawaki's compatibility with karma to help him resurrect his daughter Akebi Sanzu. Hence, he implanted Kawaki with new karma during one of his examinations.
Even since Kawaki got his new karma, he has been unimpressive, to say the least, while using the karma. This plot development suggests that the reason behind Kawaki's poor performance while fighting with karma is the fact that it is not his original karma.
The new synthetic karma placed by Amado can seemingly grant the user the same abilities as granted by the original karma. However, it seems Kawaki's new karma does not provide him with the same strength as granted by the original karma.
While the manga has yet to confirm this, there remains a small chance that the physical strength provided by karma is based on the person applying said karma. This would explain why the karma placed by Jigen or Isshiki yielded strong physical strength, while the one placed by Amado was weaker in strength.
That said, this is just mere speculation, and the theory has yet to be confirmed by the manga series.
Related Links:
Boruto: Two Blue Vortex - Kawaki will get an upgrade with Jura's cells
The name for Kawaki's dojutsu was confirmed in Two Blue Vortex
Kawaki will become like an Otsutsuki to achieve his victory
