WARNING: Spoilers for Boruto: Two Blue Vortex chapter #7
Summary
- Shikamaru redeems himself in Boruto: Two Blue Vortex by figuring out Eida's memory manipulation multiple times.
- Boruto reveals that Eida's powers are more complicated than originally thought and work consistently, nullifying Shikamaru's efforts.
- Shikamaru's intellect and cunning make him an essential ally in returning things to normal.
Nara Shikamaru seemed to have fallen far from being the Naruto series' smartest ninja, but thankfully, Shikamaru took on the mantle of Hokage. While long-time fans of the franchise might assume Shikamaru would be the one to figure out something was not right, the manga has given a clever explanation for why it took so long for him to discover something was amiss.
Code might be the worst villain in the franchise, but he did successfully kickstart the events of Boruto: Two Blue Vortex by attacking Konoha to lure out Boruto. With Boruto saving the day, some Konoha residents began questioning their memories that were altered by Eida. However, chapter #7 revealed that not only is Shikamaru willing to help Boruto, but he's figured out Eida's memory manipulation multiple times.
Eida's incredible and broken Omnipotence power has allowed her to alter the memories of most of the world's population, which forced Boruto into exile after being blackmailed for Naruto's apparent death. Still, in the chapter's scene of Boruto and Shikamaru conversing, Boruto explains that her powers are much trickier than initially believed.
Eida's Omnipotence Power Continuously Wipes The Affected's Memories
Boruto: Two Blue Vortex by Masashi Kishimoto and Mikio Ikemoto
While the cybernetically enhanced Eida has yet to prove herself as a fighter, her wide range of abilities easily makes her one of the most dangerous people in the Naruto franchise. Of her many powers, Omnipotence is the most unfair. While a special select few, like Boruto, Sarada, and Sumire, are somehow immune to Eida's powers, the rest of the world is physically incapable of understanding the memory alterations and even forget them if they have it explained to them. This explains why Shikamaru, arguably the most intelligent character in the series, hasn't been as helpful as fans hoped.
"In fact, this is far from the first time you're hearing about it. The very concept of omnipotence won't stick in your memory. Ever. It fades away over time. That's part of it's power." - Boruto to Shikamaru in Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter #7
Throughout the Naruto storyline, Shikamaru has consistently surprised foes and fans alike with his calculated fighting style and genius strategies. He's previously avenged his master against the deadly immortal Akatsuki member, Hidan, and proved to be a vital asset during the Fourth Great Shinobi War. While the Boruto series has done a lot to try to give the first series cast less time to shine to make room for the next generation, Shikamaru's intellect and cunning have yet to provide Boruto or his allies the assistance long-term fans know he is capable of delivering.
Shikamaru Hasn't Been Helpful In Boruto, But That's About To Change
Eida's abilities have turned the shinobi world upside down and seem almost impossible to counter. Thanks to Boruto's explanation, Shikamaru can be an incredibly helpful ally in returning things to normal. However, unless the temporary Eighth Hokage figures out a trick to counter the effects, his understanding of the situation will once again fade.
With the ever-increasing amount of powerful threats and building tension, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex's heroes, including Shikamaru, will likely find a way to permanently counter the frightening abilities that are further leading their world into chaos.
Read Boruto: Two Blue Vortex on Manga Plus and Viz Media
