Summary
The Uchiha Clan’s Curse Of Hatred was a central theme in theNarutoseries, andBoruto: Naruto Next Generationshas expanded on this very concept with the last surviving Uchiha after Sasuke. However, the series hassubverted expectations by takinga slightly different route with Sarada’s progression as an Uchiha.
The original series cemented the Curse of Hatred as an inescapable fate for any Uchiha, as this was thought to be the secret behind their ever-expanding power. Sarada, on the other hand, has defied this very curse by fueling her power with an entirely different set of emotions. From her Sharingan’s awakening to her Mangekyo’s revelation inBoruto, Sarada has defied all expectations by going against the very essence of the Uchiha’s source of power.
What Is the Uchiha’s Curse of Hatred?
The Source of the Uchiha’s Power
TheUchiha Clan’s Curse of Hatredis a defining aspect of the clan itself, and it stands as a counterpart to the Senju’s Will of Fire. While the Senju’s philosophy stood for selflessness and self-sacrifice, the Uchiha’s Curse of Hatred dictates a more selfish ideology, one led by hatred and intense emotions. The curse stems from the Uchiha members’ tendency to feel emotions more greatly than others, but losing their loved ones can turn the very same intense emotions into immense hatred.
When an Uchiha who has known love then loses that deep love, it is replaced by an even stronger hate that changes them.
The Sharingan’s powers are also linked to these very sentiments, with traumatic incidents serving as a trigger point for their optic nerves to transmit a certain chakra that forcefully manifests the dojutsu. Every time the user undergoes extreme stress, the Sharingan evolves and gains another tomoe. Similarly,the Mangekyo Sharinganis awakened under similar circumstances, with an extremely traumatic event being the trigger. Tobirama confirms that the Uchiha Clan’s genetics work rather differently, with heightened sensitivity to emotions being a key difference, in turn aiding the evolution of the Sharingan.
How Sarada Breaks the Curse of Hatred
Sarada’s Sharingan Awakening Defies Preset Notions
Before the release of theBorutoseries, every single Uchiha member had gained the Sharingan and its Mangekyo evolution after losing a loved one or experiencing grief from some kind of extreme loss. However, Sarada has defied this preset notion by being the first Uchiha to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan without the loss of a loved one. Instead, it’s her desire to protect Boruto, the person closest to her, that triggers the awakening.
Please… save Boruto! I’m begging you!
Sarada gained her Mangekyo after witnessing the entire village deem Boruto a traitor, with the final straw being Sasuke, Boruto’s own mentor, aiming to hunt him down. The intensity of her emotions and the willingness to keep Boruto safe is what triggers the Mangekyo’s awakening. While some may dismiss her Mangekyo as a forced power-up due to the lack of intense trauma, her awakening perfectly aligns with theprinciples of the Sharingan’s evolution.
This subversion extends to Sarada’s base Sharingan as well, since shemanifested the Kekkei Genkairight before meeting her father for the first time. The welled up emotions of love and belonging triggered her Sharingan in the first place, something that was initially unheard of beforeBoruto. Sarada’s Mangekyo awakening is in line with this very theme, as her dojutsu has consistently evolved through intense sentiments of love and belonging, rather than grief and sorrow from loss.
An Embodiment of the Will of Fire
Sarada Chooses to Follow the Senju Will of Fire
The Will of Fireis the Senju ideology of self-sacrifice for the greater good, a principle that stems from unconditional love for the village and its people. Sarada embodies the Will of Fire through and through, evident from her goal to become Hokage just like Naruto, coupled with a fondness for the Hidden Leaf and its people. Instead of pursuing power for selfish intent, Sarada wishes to grow stronger solely to keep the village and her loved ones safe, a sentiment that clearly showcases the burgeoning Will of Fire inside her.
It’s worth noting that Sarada isn’t the only Uchiha to embody the Will of Fire, with Itachi, Shisui, and Fugaku being a few other members of the clan that defied the Curse of Hatred. However, their powers were only able to evolve after experiencing grief, either in the form of witnessing bloodshed or the loss of someone close to them. Sarada, on the other hand, manifested her dojutsu solely through the intense emotions of love deeply etched inside her heart.
In a way, Sarada’s case is truly a first in the clan’s history, as she not only embodies the Will of Fire but also subverts the Curse of Hatred by deeming love the true source of her power. Moreover, the pattern ofSarada’s Mangekyo Sharinganrepresents the sun, which is possibly the counterpart to Boruto’s eyes that reflect the moon. From the times of the Sage of Six Paths, the sun has been associated with Asura and his Senju descendants. With Sarada taking on the same symbolism, it’s clear that theBorutoseries has managed to flip the narrative once more by suberting this running theme.
Borutois available to read via Viz Media.
Boruto
Boruto is an action anime series that continues years after the events of Naruto, now in the shoes of the next generation - many of which are the children of the protagonists from the original series. Boruto follows the titular character, the son of Naruto, who seeks to impress his father. Together with the other ninjas-in-training, Boruto will battle to overcome trials and threats even more significant than his father ever faced.
