Naruto’s final villain twist is actually brilliant, and proves fans completely misunderstood the series in one big way

Most fans agree that Naruto is primarily an action-oriented, martial arts fantasy. After all, the story of ninjas with mystical powers fighting magical creatures embodies many of the key elements found in the popular Shounen genre. However, as the groundbreaking series finale makes clear, while fantasy and fighting were central to the narrative, Naruto Ultimately evolved into a science fiction tale.

The last of these Naruto Saga has many fans scratching their heads. Still meticulously building Madara like these Naruto Franchise’s ultimate villain And threat over several arcs, Masashi Kishimoto, the creator, surprisingly sidelines him in favor of Kaguya Otsutsuki. The sudden shift was jarring, especially considering the intricate subplots and side stories woven throughout the narrative, which explored personal, clan, and village-level struggles among shinobi.

Naruto’s science fiction roots have been present since his debut

Naruto blurred the line between science and magic and fans were all the wiser

Naturally, fans did not take kindly to what many saw as a creative “bait-and-decide.” Those invested in Madara as a character and in his role in the story were upset by what they felt was an incomplete resolution to his arc. More importantly, fans felt that Naruto’s Kaguya’s storyline is rushed, underdeveloped, and contradicts much of the story the series has carefully built over the years. A final villain whose motivations boiled down to a simple desire for power and control was, for many, unworthy as the final villain to a story with such complex themes.

The dissatisfaction between Naruto Fans with the series finale arise from the widespread misunderstanding that the story is a fantasy. But the fact is that it has always been a science fiction tale wrapped in a fantasy shell. The introduction of the Kaguya storyline is not a random narrative pivot, but rather Kishimoto’s creative way of bringing all the sci-fi aspects, long hidden in plain sight of the story, to the forefront. Indeed, Kishimoto then spun the tragic elements of his family into a magnificent sci-fi tale that its sequel, Borutois now taken to even greater heights.

Beyond basic fantasy elements, such as the incorporation of magic and mysticism, the story surprisingly abandons other typical fantasy tropes, including a pantheon of gods, spirits or demons. Instead, it incorporates many nods to science and technology. For example, after the legendary battle in the Valley of the End, Madara – believed dead by all – uses advanced biological grafting to transplant a piece of Hashirama’s skin onto his own, thereby activating his Rinnegan, a recessive trait inherited from Hagoromo. The Saga of the Six Paths.

Early on, it is Orochimaru’s quest for immortality through scientific exploration and biological experimentation. However, perhaps the best illustration of NarutoSci-fi-based fantasy is the Akatsuki’s Zetsu – the bi-colored humanoid with a Venus flytrap-like outer shell. Unlike his teammates, Zetsu can phase through solid objects, much like Marvel’s Vision. However, these abilities are not explained as stemming from ninjutsu or any other type of jutsu typically used by shinobi for their extraordinary skills.

It turns out that the creature is a fusion of two separate entities: Black Zetsu and White Zetsu. Black Zetsu embodies the will of Kaguya, and serves as its physical manifestation. In contrast, White Zetsu were once human, transformed and mutated into mindless, zombie-like servants by Kaguya’s dark manipulations. The Akatsuki’s Zetsu combines the cognitive abilities of Black Zetsu with the physical body of White Zetsu. Despite its supernatural origins, Akatsuki Zetsu’s formation and purpose—primarily to manipulate everyday events to Kaguya’s advantage—is remarkably sci-fi in nature.

Kaguya’s entrance helps – not hinders – Naruto’s conclusion and Boruto’s beginning

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While magic and mysticism play a role in NarutoThey are not core elements of the story. Any use of magic should be viewed through the lens of Kishimoto’s nod to science and technology. As the groundbreaking science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke famously said, “No sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” in NarutoMost cases of magic or mysticism can be explained by pseudo-scienceAnd the source of this science is not a supernatural entity. Instead, it originates from the arrival of the alien Kaguya and the Ōtsutsuki clan on Earth.

The many and diverse scientific elements of the story may have gone unnoticed, dismissed as mere nods to the genre. However, the introduction of the Kaguya storyline reveals a deep connection. Kaguya, an extraterrestrial being from another planet, “infected” humanity with more than just chakra – she imparted her alien DNA, giving humans the ability to access and transform chakra into extraordinary, superhuman abilities. Notably, most shinobi possess some strand of Kaguya’s alien DNA, establishing a genetic, rather than magical, link to this extraterrestrial origin.

Even the supposedly mystical ten-tailed beasts have a plausible science-based explanation. For example, they can be seen as an extreme manifestation of chakra energy. Like energy, there are various methods – ranging from quantum physics to bioelectricity – that can explain their formation, separation, transformation and recombination.

In one brilliant narrative decision, Kishimoto activates multiple “sleeper” plot threads, which, when viewed through the lens of Kaguya’s backstory, reveal their brilliance. If you blink, you may miss the connections, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there. finally, Naruto is a sci-fi tour de force. If there are any doubts, all you need to do is to look Boruto – Narutos sequel, which dives even deeper and more openly into its sci-fi roots.