Warning: SPOILERS for Jujutsu Kaisen’s endingWith Sukuna and Kenjaku’s defeat, theJujutsu Kaisenuniverse can now breathe a massive sigh of relief. Sukuna posed a centuries-long existential threat to individual Jujutsu sorcerers at large, while Kenjaku threatened the continued existence of humanity as we know it. But their deaths at the end ofJujutsu Kaisen- despite the tremendous toll they inflicted on the Jujutsu sorcery community - means that sorcerers can now return to their primary duty: protecting humanity from the evilness of curses.
The controversy that ignited theJujutsu Kaisenworld was rooted in a concept that many fans will find familiar. Kenjaku’s grievances with the existing sorcerer “higher ups” led him to take drastic action and attempt to forcibly oust the leadership and seize control. A staunch proponent of the “if you want something done, do it yourself” philosophy, Kenjaku believed that Jujutsu sorcery leadership had overstepped its bounds. Specifically, he felt that regulations were stifling the freedom of sorcerers to pursue innovative endeavors, such as his efforts to accelerate human evolution.
Even more intriguing is thatSatoru Gojo agreed with Kenjaku’s analysis of Jujutsu governance. Gojo’s unwavering mission had always been to train and mentor the next generation of sorcerers. He firmly believed that if they were given the opportunity, skills, and freedom to reach their full potential, they could bring about a bloodless revolution inJujutsu Kaisensociety, freeing it from the rigid and corrupt system that currently prevails.
Sukuna’s Death Should Have Marked A Changing Of The Guard In Jujutsu Kaisen
Everyone Knew The Old Guard Was Inept And Corrupt
How Sukuna and Kenjaku were defeated offered significant support toGojo’s theory of development for the Jujutsu sorcerycommunity. As Gojo believed,it was the next generation, acting largely independently and beyond the purview of the official power structure, who ultimately eradicated the two most formidable threats to the community. The conflict also validated Kenjaku’s assertion that sorcerers, when liberated from the constraints of the clans and schools, can achieve extraordinary accomplishments.
For all the promise of a new era of sorcery brought by the deaths of Sukuna, Kenjaku, and even Gojo, Chapter #268 reveals exactly why Kenjaku was willing to wage war against the powers that be, and whyGojo launched his own resistanceagainst the Jujutsu community’s authority. Instead of celebrating and reflecting on the young sorcerers’ incredible achievements — the elimination of the two greatest curse users in history — there is only talk of re-establishing the status quo andensuring the ‘kids’ know their place.
Despite its near extermination, and even though its youngest ranks saved the day,the dark truth about Jujutsu society is that nothing has changed.After burying their heads in the sand and hoping for the best, the old guard is now reemerging. Amid all the talk of who survived, who is to blame, and the brilliance of the strategy that ultimately took down Sukuna, the overwhelming vibe of Chapter #269 is that now that the threats are gone, it’s time for the “adults” to regain control. They are filling the power vacuum left in the aftermath of the battle to reassert their authority and reinstate the structures that both Kenjaku and Gojo fought so hard against.
With Its Major Critics Now Silenced, Traditional Jujutsu Sorcery Leadership Is Back
Jujutsu Kaisen’s Ending Can Be Seen in Different Ways
Even with the significant culling of sorcerers that Kenjaku and Sukuna achieved in their fight for a new reality, many of the key stakeholders in the current system remain. This includes the Kamo clan, the remnants of the Zenin clan, the surviving leadership of the Tokyo and Kyoto Jujutsu High Schools, and the remaining members of the Jujutsu Headquarters. These figures are more likely to maintain the status quo rather than push for the hard and necessary reforms.
On the other hand, with the battle having eliminated nearly every influential supporter of Jujutsu reform — from Gojo to Yuki Tsukumo, and even, in a sense, Kenjaku — the Old Guard is perfectly positioned to ignore their ‘near-death’ experience and tighten their outdated control over Jujutsu society. Gakuganji’s words in chapter #270, “Do not rush, you are still young,” can be interpreted in two ways. He could be reassuring and encouraging the young generation, but he could also be threatening them to not overstep, as it’s not their time yet.
While fans ofJujutsu Kaisenwere denied a look at the future, as Gege Akutami did not use a time skip as it’s customary for shonen series' endings, Yuji’s final words in chapter #271 seem to be encouraging about the future. However, it’s also hard to deny that there was no real reform of Jujutsu society, and with Gojo, Sukuna, and Kenjaku gone, there is no one stopping the higher-ups from following their old ways, meaning that a change withinJujutsu Kaisen’s society appears unlikely.
Jujutsu Kaisen
Jujutsu Kaisenis a Japanese anime and manga series created by Gege Akutami. The story is set in a world where Cursed Spirits, born from negative human emotions, prey on humanity. It follows high school student Yuji Itadori as he becomes entangled in the world of Jujutsu Sorcery after swallowing a cursed talisman—Ryomen Sukuna’s finger—and becomes the host for one of the most powerful curses. Yuji joins the Tokyo Metropolitan Magic Technical College to learn how to combat curses while searching for the remaining fingers of Sukuna to exorcise him permanently.
