Boruto’s story arcs have paid homage to past villains and characters within the Naruto franchise. But one of the most significant and shocking developments was the question mark the story put on the Uchiha family. To reiterate, the nuclear Uchiha family consists of Sasuke, Sakura, and Sarada.
This all started when Sarada started doubting her father’s love for Sakura. It is understandable why doubts would sprout in a child of Sarada’s age. The arc was adapted in episodes 19 to 23 of the Boruto anime, and we will deconstruct the events of the arc to answer – “Is Sakura Sarada’s Biological Mother?”
1. Quick Answer
Yes, Sakura is the biological mother of Sarada. Karin was merely the midwife who helped deliver Sarada and owned the umbilical cord that was attached to Sarada from Sakura’s womb.
2. Confirmation of Sarada’s Parentage
After Sakura is freed from captivity, she explicitly confirms her motherhood to Sarada. Sasuke, further adds that Sarada’s existence itself is proof of the connection between him and Sakura.
This is followed by a tender moment between Sasuke and Sakura, where Sasuke pokes her forehead while leaving. This act of poking her forehead signifies the affection Sasuke has for her. As it is reminiscent of the very same act his brother Itachi would do with him.
Although it is verbally confirmed that Sasuke and Sakura are her parents – which is enough for Sarada. It comes at odds with the DNA test conducted by Suigetsu.
Sasuke & Sakura vs Shin
The DNA test matches Karin’s umbilical cord with Sarada’s DNA, but towards the end of the arc, this too is clarified. At Orochimaru’s Hideout, Karin explains that the umbilical cord is indeed Sakura’s and not hers.
She contextualizes this by adding that she and Sakura were travelling together chasing after Sasuke when Sakura gives birth midway. Karin was merely the midwife who delivered Sarada.
Karin keeping the umbilical cord is not unusual since, in Japanese culture, often, a portion of the umbilical cord is preserved as a symbolism of a child’s fate.
3. What was the catalyst for this? – Plot of the arc
Sarada comes across a picture of Taka, a team created by Sasuke during his hunt for Itachi Uchiha. Given the absence of her father in her life, doubt creeps within Sarada when she finds Karin – one of Taka’s members – wearing glasses precisely like hers.
As a child who has an absentee father, Sarada is unable to fathom the love between her parents and her father’s love for her. This is cemented with Sakura’s vague answers regarding what Sasuke’s doing and his whereabouts.
To confirm her heritage, she follows Naruto, which leads her to her father, Sasuke. When confronted by his daughter regarding her ‘real’ mother, Sasuke says that it has nothing to do with her. This obviously does not settle well with Sarada.
After Sakura gets kidnapped by Shin, Naruto and Sasuke are compelled to seek Orochimaru’s help for information. In his hideout, Sarada comes across another former Taka member named Suigetsu. She persuades him to conduct a DNA test with the umbilical cord he thought was Karin’s. The results come out positive, which brings Sarada’s fears to fruition.
4. Why does Sarada have Karin’s glasses?
It is confirmed in the Gaiden that Sarada had suffered from extremely high fever when she was young. Although the fever was curbed with Sakura’s medical expertise – it came at the cost of her eyes, which were damaged.
Therefore, she required the aid of glasses to see. Her glasses were a gift from Karin, the former Taka member who holds a token of affection for the Uchiha family.
5. Who is Karin? What is her relationship with Sasuke?
Karin Uzumaki is a kunoichi who helped Orochimaru with his experiments until she was recruited by Sasuke for his team Hebi(now Taka). It was hinted during the series that Karin had feelings for Sasuke.
Yet, it was clear from Sasuke’s actions that he merely used her as a tool because of her healing abilities. Although after his reformation, Karin was one of the people Sasuke apologized to. Therefore, their relationship flourished into that of mutual respect.
When asked by Suigetsu whether she’s finally over Sasuke, Karin claims that connections exist in all forms and that she wants Sasuke to be happy. Karin even forms a friendly relationship with Sakura and has great respect for the two parents.
6. Source of Arc – Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring
This arc was introduced in a spin-off manga called Naruto Gaiden: The Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring. It was written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto, unlike the Boruto manga, which he only supervises. The events of the arc were further adapted into the Boruto: Naruto Next Generation anime from episodes 19 to 23.
7. Boruto: Naruto Next Generation
Boruto: Naruto Next Generation follows the adventures and challenges of Naruto’s son Boruto Uzumaki along with his teammates Sarada Uchiha and the enigmatic Mitsuki as the peace within the shinobi world is disturbed once again.
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