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The following article contains spoilers for Naruto and Boruto.
InNaruto, the Otsutsuki clan is deeply related to the emergence of chakra on Earth. Essentially, ninjas would never have existed had Kaguya and Isshiki Otsutsuki not been assigned to a mission on this planet. Indra and Asura Otsutsuki, grandsons of Kaguya, are also related to the creation of ninjutsu.
In fact, Indra is credited with creating ninjutsu, which sparked the enduring conflict between him and Asura, which is pivotal inNaruto. For centuries, Indra and Asura have reincarnated, and their descendants have carried on their strife, sometimes without even knowing.
The Otsutsuki Clan and the Origin of Chakra
Chakra didn’t exist on Earth the way we know it in theNarutouniverse before the Otsutsuki clan came to cultivate the Divine Tree. While chakra is a substance native to lifeforms on Earth, people weren’t able to manipulate it back then. Kaguya Otsutsuki and Isshiki Otsutsuki were sent to Earth to cultivate theDivine Tree until it produced a Chakra Fruit, which contains genetic material of all beings. The Chakra Fruit grants massive powers to anyone who eats it.
While it is unclear what exactly they were supposed to do after the Chakra Fruit blossomed, Kaguya clearly changed her mind and betrayed Isshiki, attempting to kill him. Then, she consumed the Chakra Fruit herself, becoming incredibly powerful. InBoruto: Naruto Next Generations, Momoshiki revealed that Kaguya was actually a low-ranking Otsutsuki who was supposed to be sacrificed to the Ten Tails. Sometime after eating the Chakra Fruit, she gave birth to two children, Hagoromo and Hamura Otsutsuki. They inherited part of her chakra.
Who were Indra and Asura Otsutsuki?
After consuming the fruit, Kaguya ruled over the Earth for years, as she apparently became attached to it. However, at some point, she fell for her desires, and started to believe she was entitled to all the chakra once again. She devised a plan to murder her sons, but they were able to defeat and seal her before she could do so. ThenHamura went to the Moonwhile Hagoromo remained on Earth.
Hagoromo believed chakra should be spread across the world through peaceful and spiritual learning. Therefore, he created a religion called ninshu to guide people toward a peaceful world by distributing chakra to connect with one another. Like his mother,he also had two children, Indra and Asura Otsutsuki, withIndra being the older one. However, after being manipulated by Black Zetsu, Indra weaponized chakra and created ninjutsu.
I am the one who will establish peace and order.
— Hagoromo Otsutsuki
Indra believed he was entitled to be his father’s successor, believing peace could only be achieved through war. However, Hagoromo disagreed with his views and, on his deathbed, appointed Asura, who believed peace should be achieved through love, as his successor. This led Indra to wage war against Asura to reclaim his “rightful” place. The brothers parted ways, andIndra’s lineage gave rise to the Uchiha clan, while Asura’s lineage gave birth to both the Senju and Uzumaki clans. It is said that this conflict between Indra and Asura is the root of the rivalry between the Uchiha and the Senju clans.
Have Indra and Asura Reincarnated?
InNaruto, after a person dies, their chakra and soul can reincarnate into another vessel; this is especially true for Otsutsuki members, who do this through Karma. This has happened to Indra and Asura over centuries, who were continuously under a descendant, usually an Uchiha and a Senju, respectively. For instance, Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju were previous reincarnations of Indra and Asura.
After Madara died, they were reincarnated into Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki. The Uzumaki clan is a ramification of the Senju clan, and members of these two clans regularly marry each other, including for political reasons. Therefore, even though he is not a Senju, Naruto descends from Asura’s lineage as an Uzumaki, and he likely also has closer Senju relatives in his bloodline. Kaguya Otsutsuki recognized them as her grandsons, meaning that they indeed are reincarnations of Indra and Asura. Naruto and Sasuke also seemingly broke the cycle of hatred between Asura and Indra, so maybe these two can finally rest in peace once their latest vessels are gone.
Are All Otsutsuki Clan Members Evil?
TheOtsutsuki clan is depicted inBorutoas the greatest enemy of humanity. The sequel to Naruto has expanded the lore about them, showing them as parasitic aliens who exploit planets without even caring about the destruction they cause, only pursuing to become more and more powerful with Chakra Fruits. A great example of that is Shibai Otsutsuki, who is said to have ascended into godhood after becoming insanely powerful.
However, not necessarily all Otsutsuki are bad. We have seen with Hamura and Hagoromo examples of Otsutsuki members who can be good and peace-seeking. There is a chance that we will still meet other Otsutsuki members who disagree with the clan’s ethics of invading and exploiting planets in an endless pursuit of power.
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