#Sukuna analysis

[baldheadsnake]

Just noticed that when sukuna met uraume for the first time uraume was surrounded by his own CT and element(snow and ice) and is feeling guilty for it even though he caused it accidentally .

But after reincarnation uraume is the first to meet sukuna and this time sukuna is surrounded by his own Carnage which he caused knowingly and is not regretting or feeling guilty for it.

[xxnghtclls]

Ever since the final chapter of Jujutsu Kaisen came out, I‘ve been wondering who this woman is, that we see in Sukuna‘s final panels. So I decided to read a bit. (Maybe I‘m hella late and y‘all already know this stuff or it‘s already fully settled who this is idk I wasn‘t active until last week lol)

The woman appears to be a Miko, a type of priestess that works at shinto shrines. This source describes their duty as the following:

In general, Mikos remained virginal and unmarried for their entire lives. Until the late Heian period, mikos could be married to Yamabushi who belonged to the Shugendō religion. However, these were purely ritual-formal marriages that remained childless. (Wikipedia / Joseph Cali, John Dougill: Shintō Shrines)

Back to the Manga: some people assumed this woman must be Yorozu, since it‘s one of the persons who offered love to Sukuna. However, for me, there is no indication at all that Yorozu of all people, is a virgin, let alone a devoted priestess.

My personal first thought was, that this woman is Sukuna‘s mother. The only parent Sukuna ever mentioned is his mother. He also hinted at his childhood as well.

If we assume Sukuna‘s mother was a Miko, Sukuna‘s fate of being unwanted and at the brink of starvation would make sense, since Miko were expected to be childless.

So how could this have happened? As I mentioned above, until the Heian Period they were allowed to have ritual formal marriages with Yamabushi. They also were supposed to remain childless.

But who are the Yamabushi anyway? The followers of Shugendō performed magical-religious rituals and ascetic practices in the mountains with the aim of “becoming Buddha in this life” (sokushin-jōbutsu <<< Hah ring a bell?) and gaining supernatural abilities. These abilities are used for the benefit of the population, for example in the form of fortune-telling or to cure illnesses. (Wikipedia)

This sounds very Sukuna esque for me lol

Doesn‘t prove anything but I think it‘s interesting to mention.

ANYWAY

What if Suku‘s momma was married to one of the Yamabushi? What if they were just… human and did fell in love, putting their duty aside? Getting Suku‘s momma pregnant, and probably punishing her for it. Sukuna was unwanted after all, not only bcs of his appearance but bcs of the circumstances as well.

What‘s super interesting is, what is mentioned earlier, that up until the late Heian Period, Miko were primarily young girls from noble families. So Sukuna being the abomination that he is being born into the forbidden circumstances AND disgracing his mother and her family. Yea… unwanted little wretch.

However.

Maybe none of this is true and the Miko woman is just a symbol for the religious path he could have followed.

Who knows?

Not me. Apparently.

Any further information is very welcome!

[nacrelysis]

changed my mind sukuna and uraume are my favorite dynamic ever. oh my god. sukuna who insists that power is worth the isolation because it was his power that isolated him - who took in uraume, someone whose power isolated them. and yet,

"why is it that, when sukuna-sama is near me, he doesn't get cold?"

"that goes for you as well, uraume - why you did not get cold being by my side."

uraume meant it literally, sukuna meant it figuratively - but both are asking the same question:

why are you not scared of me? why do you stay by my side.

and maybe the answer is as simple as that sukuna saw himself in uraume, taking them in in an act against his own ideology. because despite being alone for so long, you can still crave that connection that was repeatedly denied you. sukuna was human, is human, and therefore can never truly relinquish the humanity he claims to have abandoned.

or maybe sukuna and uraume are content to leave that question unanswered, as they walk into the gentle night - because after centuries of living, it doesn't really matter why someone stays by your side, does it?

it just matters that they stayed. it is devotion, plain devotion - your attachment to one another that makes you human. it is attachment that keeps sukuna's soul human, even after centuries of metamorphosis, that allows him to finally concede to yuji's ideals, that allows him to move forward while mahito cannot.

and uraume walks with him, as they always have, because -

despite everything, it's still you.

lies down and cries. goodbye you all this was really our sukuna kaisen

[hermitw]

Idk if there is anything to this or if I'm overthinking,,,

But Hakari's face here feels a lot like Sukuna. It's more than the slit eyebrow, it's the same kind of expression, angle, and edgy unserious thing to say.

Hakari looking like a flame and crushing metal to look similar to malevolent shrine.

This all might be a reach BUT I'm wondering if this is meant to show us things about Sukuna's character -

Like the way that Kashimo gives us insight into feral Gojo logic (it isn't about Gojo surviving, it's about Gojo having the opportunity to fight Sukuna all by himself, for example - no one else understood this).

Or the way Uro's bit of backstory can give us an idea of what happened to Sukuna - on that note, Jujutsu Kaisen seems to be about how the strongest are always put on a leash, or put to death.

Back to Hakari - he just wanted to be left alone, and do his own thing - with Kirara by his side, with her technique that keeps anyone from jujutsu society away.

This is interesting bc Sukuna, who just wants to chill in gardens with poetry, has Uraume - who tries to distance sorcerers from bothering Sukuna, and at least stand between Sukuna and Kenjaku.

We know now that Uraume's deal with Kenjaku included being reincarnated as a woman. I think Uraume found that they'd still be nonbinary, regardless of circumstances, but Still we have Uraume and Kirara who are trans and protective of Hakari and Sukuna.

There's also the way that Sukuna and Hakari's RCT are on a different level from anyone else. Both of them have been seriously injured, like Hakari choosing to lose a foot bc he can just grow it back (gotta find the shoe though) and Sukuna, ripping out their own heart bc they can live without one.

RCT also comes naturally to them - Sukuna healing Yuuji's hand by accident, Hakari's RCT occurring without effort due to his domain.

Back to this page - Kashimo looks like Gojo, and is somewhat of a mirror to Gojo... So it looks like Gojo vs Sukuna to some extent, right? Am I just brainrotted idk

And the way Kashimo matches Hakari's freak, despite the way Panda looks.... It's them I swear

..... And Sukuna calling Gojo a fish with no name... While Kashimo is the name of the Vessel and we don't know what they were called hundreds of years ago (I think Kashimo and Uraume reincarnated similarly, but the point is Kashimo reflecting Gojo)

[milkshakestogo]

Yuji stans who spent the last year listening to people say he sucks as an MC are probably feasting right now. Our boy is back! And his number one hater, Sukuna, is big mad.

248 confirms what I've always thought about Sukuna: he's an empty being. He has always been characterized as a hedonist but imo he's much more of a shitty deluded nihilist. There's an innate emptiness inside of him that he has rationalized to be a general meaningless to life, and for as much as he derides others for living for their "ideals," he spends his existence constantly reaffirming his own beliefs. The unshakeable sense of self he is always boasting about is nothing more than a defense mechanism to cope with the fact that he's extremely hollow.

Being trapped inside Yuji's head is the first time he's unable to ignore his own emptiness. He can't brush off Yuji like the meaningless enemies of his past because he's seen Yuji's reason for living. He's witnessed what it's like for life to actually mean something. And that irritates him because it goes against the pitiful belief he's clung to for a thousand years. If there's actually meaning in joy, pain, love, sorrow, friendship...then what the fuck has he been doing all this time?

The odds are extremely low, but I can picture a Hell's Paradise-type ending where Sukuna quite literally gives up. At this point, it's hard to see any way the main cast could actually overpower him, even with the power of teamwork and whatnot. Sukuna's just too OP. He's dropping sorcerers left and right. But I do see him growing bored of the fight and the possible future. And the realization that he has been pathetically clinging to his own ideals could be a character-breaking moment. Because otherwise, he activates the merger, plays around with the super being made from the merger...then what? He'd once again be bored and pass the time until death. And without Kenjaku around, there's no promise for future excitement. A future where Sukuna can't constantly reaffirm his own ideals is probably his own version of hell. Because Sukuna is Yuji's biggest hater, he might just activate the merger as a last fuck you and the final threat to the cast would be whatever eldritch abomination is created from Tengen.

I'm just rambling and I think the chances of this happening are low, but I think I would be satisfied if the story ended this way. Otherwise, Gege would have to pull off a huge big-brain moment for me to believe our cast stands a chance.

[lxmelle]

Sukuna’s Choice.

I was truly struck by his stubborn resolve. He really stuck to his guns.

He was adamant he did not and could not live another way - as if anything different than what he had achieved would make him “weak”… maybe he did not know how to, or he had just decided so.

We see that he hated the idea that he was given compassion by Yuji - seeing it as pity from him.

Yuji saw him for what he was - as someone who had opportunity after opportunity to find deeper meaning but cast it away; as someone, who was desperate enough to turn himself into objects - for no other purpose than to prolong a hedonistic existence that sought momentary self-satisfaction for himself, alone.

He saw him as a curse to be given a chance… that maybe nobody ever had before - a chance without any conditions aside from being willing to accept his offer.

And it was pity in the end for Sukuna for rejecting salvation and anything to do with humanity. Even when he was shown so much. Given chances to experience it through the eyes of both Megumi and Yuji.

At the point of death, when given the choice to live with Yuji after his defeat, he preferred to die.

This was aligned with his unchanged view that: loss was no different to death. This was in his conversation with Yorozu.

His resilience only went as far as jujutsu. If he wasn’t the strongest, there was no reason for his life or existence. He boxed himself in. As if fearing what he might discover about his worth & identity beyond the Title.

Some people on X expressed their desire to understand him, asking aloud, was he afraid of death?

I honestly don’t know. My instincts doubt it was fear, but maybe there was a subconscious fear of vulnerability that comes with connection, so I think he didn’t see the value in loving or being loved. As if he accepted that he was just alone in this dog-eat-dog world. Disregarded value in connecting with anyone in any other way aside from jujutsu.

Like those who accepted the “monster” in them, none of them thought anyone will care about their bodies after death (think: Geto who didn’t think his family could care “run away if the mission fails”, Gojo who said who cares about one’s corpse, yet said “I want to mourn Suguru’s body”, Toji who wilfully forgets his children but tells Gojo about Megumi in his dying breath: “do what you want” and kill’s himself when his body information is resurrected, and Yuta who didn’t want Gojo to alone be the monster and volunteers himself: “I’ll do it!” singularly ignoring his friends’ concern for him) — Sukuna didn’t think anyone would mourn him. He left no afterthought for Uraume. Who killed themselves after he died. He didn’t want to care. He was prepared to let Yorozu have all of him if he lost which he equated to death.

Because if you consider (and accept) yourself as important to others, you realise your worth and value too. You may want to live again. Recreate purpose. Find new meaning. New beginnings. Like Megumi did...

Sukuna did not (could not?) even want to entertain the idea of living another way. He’d rather die than open his heart to humanity or compassion.

Funnily enough he was strangely “kind” in his own way. He was so objective in his monstrosity that he saw no nuance. He praised others based on jujutsu alone and how they entertained him. He had the capacity to be “human” but complete rejected it. Rejected any outer purpose...

He did not want to have any reason to live if it wasn’t to prove his strength. He did not want to compromise his own version of personal integrity. Instead of enjoying the taste and texture of human life through emotions and relationships - he ate people and enjoyed that! The absolute monster he chose to become in wielding his strength.

We saw Gege write about so many others, not only limited to the main characters… others like Kamo, Maki, Kusakabe, Higuruma, Choso, Yuta, etc. about meaning, purpose, humanity, sacrifice, & love. How they all tie together. How we change as we let others touch our hearts. How being vulnerable truly connects us.

I’ve written before about how it wasn’t for Gojo to teach Sukuna about love, although he played a big part in what was overall conveyed to him… Love that existed between everyone who identified as human, who fought for their own and collective reasons, against Sukuna. We got to bear witness - see and experience - the myriad of thoughts, emotions and reasons behind so many of their unique stories... it sang about meaning and purpose in sacrifice as well as determination.

What an ode to humanity in the face of a desperate situation.

Because if we think about it, the opposite of antidote of Monstrosity is Humanity. Being willing to love another besides yourself = accepting/wanting belonging, embracing the responsibility of being accountable to someone out of/for their love… all these include a willingness to be vulnerable.

Something Sukuna would never accept.

Sukuna was afraid to be vulnerable. If it wasn’t fear, then he actively rejected it. I suspect it was because he saw it as being weak.

Maybe he never knew love; but through what he lived & learned back in the Heian times up until now, saw its power to transform even a monster who aspired to be like him, so he deemed it worthless. Him and Uraume talked about humanity being the thing that prevented them from reaching their potential, after all.

Why should he change if he was already so strong? What was the purpose of connecting to any other being when he was at the top of the food chain? There was no need to give himself a “weakness” through caring for another.

His survival was the singular proof of his perceived worth.

And that seems like what he clung onto. Instead, he ate the actual humans as if they were flavours, because that was the ultimate rejection of humanity - to consume people as if they were food. To toy with them as if they were passing dishes until the next meal came along.

That’s just my interpretation... My understanding is that he chose death rather than accept the vulnerability that comes with love. Not for Uraume or from Yuji. His heart was solidly, fearfully, shut.

He only recognised skill & praised others for it. His chosen singular flavour.

Many of us thought there could be redemption for Sukuna. I guess it remains to be seen if Sukuna did actually choose to evaporate & die, but assuming he did opt to die, he really didn’t want to face another alternative. Choosing to remain on his path and die as the “Strongest”. I had thought that he’d see humanity from living within Yuji & Megumi - and he did, especially within Yuji’s domain expansion. He saw it and rejected it completely. What he disliked about Yuji & said to him at the end reminds me of what Jung said: we can learn about ourselves through what irritates us.

He praised Yuji for being a fool... but maybe Sukuna was the fool himself.

He played a role all the way through too.

He was the unwavering curse in the face of love / acceptance.

Jujutsu Kaisen is truly story about curses and love. Like two halves of one thing. The many ways a person can live their lives, and how it can make sense/is justifiable to them.

Who was he if he wasn’t revered or feared as the Strongest?

So… He stayed true to himself. He likened himself to a curse in the end. Love, once again, prevails.

Ah, I look forward to having a few reads of the whole series again when it is finished...

…but I’ll honestly be so very sad when it ends.

[tangsakura]

(Response to this twitter thread)

Idk if you noticed, but Sukuna is all about 'exploitation' and 'improvement'.

He exploits the loopholes and flaws of systems, including binding vows, and situations to improve his circumstances. For instance, when Yuji and co. were jumping on him in the Shinjuku showdown, he imposed a binding vow on his extension CT, 'Divine Flames, Open', allowing him to blow up flames like a nuclear explosion on multiple targets in his DE in exchange for not being able to use it on multiple targets outside of it - a case of exploiting the system and situation to improve his circumstances.

He exploits the flaws and loopholes of people, and their skills to learn and improve his skills. For example, he exploits the power of Megumi (10S), his knowledge from Yuji and Megumi, to learn the flaws and loophole of Gojo and his infinity and make things work in his favour, which led to him improving his CT further.

Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised that, as a taboo or unwanted child, he learned to exploit the system and people around him to better his situation and have a better life and treatment (not that it will be like ours).

[would-they-be-good-at-asmr]

Propaganda:

Absolutely has the voice and (usually) the laid-back demeanor for some quality ASMR. He's probably more well suited for cannibalist mukbang tho 💀

[exstasyplague]

My analysis/view on SatoSugu ☆

Some disclaimers: I am a fanfic author and I do personally ship the two yet I will try to keep my thoughts as objective as possible for the sake of this post. I will include my perosnal points of view as well but 'll keep them separated from the "canon facts." Contains manga spoilers.

Are they gay?

This is a funny question yet it's the best way to start in my opinion. Short answer: they don't fit inside a label. I think the best word to describe their bond is intimate. Emotionally, it's at a place in the middle of love and appreciation and I don't think this balance is constant, sometimes it might have leaned more to one side, sometimes more to another. From an emotional point of view, they could very well be in a platonic situation.

The physical aspect is not a detrimental side for either of them in regards to one another. What makes their connection so special is the fact that it happened before Gojo Satoru became officially the strongest, before he was burdened with so many things. However, he was never free. The beginning of his very existence caused a deep disturbance within the Jujutsu world. For Satoru there was never a childhood, there was never a normal life, only a path of emptiness.

Gege is good at making his characters. Especially the villains/ good guys parallels. Just how Yuji came to the realization that he is Mahito and Mahito is him, the same parallel is drawn between Gojo and Sukuna, only Sukuna is what Gojo would've been without Geto. Both the strongest sorcerers, the difference is that Satoru got surrounded by love and his mentality evolved from "the weak ones are pathetic, I don't want to look after them" to "I will push everybody up along with me through teaching and have pupils even stronger than me, allies."

Back in highschool, Gojo was young and somewhat arrogant. His power was like a blanket for him; despite not understanding Geto's philosophical things and not agreeing with them, Gojo also, unintentionally, gave a meaning to the things happening to him "I am the strongest."

Even in the current ongoing fight (Sukuna vs Goatjo), the panels sometimes speak about love, but not in the way we would normally think; it's about the feelings of the strongest, different from the perception of average folks like us. Nurture vs Destruction.

Gojo had the power of being evil without any repercussions. Being the strongest, nothing could hurt him. He always showed his compassion towards Riko through small gestures, such as staying more at the beach, teasing her etc. Him wanting to go on a killing rampage under the pretext of 'not feeling anything' was Gojo's way of showing his disgust at the fact that hundreds of people were celebrating the death of an innocent girl. Being the strongest didn't matter. She was dead.His conviction shattered. However, he had so much trust in Geto's morality and mentality that he followed his advice. That is the kind of person he was for him. Even in Jjk 0, Suguru said that he didn't think Satoru would have any trust left for him— he did.

The only one who could understand him, speak with him, treat him like a human. His one and only. Gojo liked the fact that they were the strongest together because he also had someone to lean on.

In the manga, Naoya, the head of a powerful branch of the Zen'in clan talks about Toji. He said that as a child, he expected him to be a miserable man since he had 0 cursed energy yet when he saw how powerful and proud he was he got scared of him. He mentions that the only one being able to understand Toji was Gojo.

Only... Gojo is stronger. Toji couldn't understand him, he called him a monster. He got drowned in petty feelings characteristic to what Sukuna would call weakness and got himself killed.

Gege also mentioned in an interview that he wanted to give his characters abilities similar to Bankai (Gege legit started making manga because of Bleach, what a God) Bankai is a reflection of the soul in Bleach projected onto the swords of the Shinigami. Same with Domain Expansions in JJK. Gojo's literally repels everybody around him, it's called Infinite Void and it shows the way in which he looks at the world and views himself. Untouchable. Out of reach. An overflow of information.

Even if Bleach is a pretty stereotypical Shonen creation (don't get me wrong, I love it but the plot is pretty basic) when the protag. Ichigo was fighting against the main big powerful villain, Aizen, he said that he could feel Aizen's sword wavering with loneliness. This very concept applies to the powerful peaks of Jujutsu Kaisen. The path of power is lonely. Kenjaku himself said that Gojo is truly in his element when he is fighting on his own, the ones around him can become a liability really quickly. This of course, when it's about fights where he has to put in some efforts. That's why nobody is interfering with his Sukuna duel.

Satoru started being truly alone after Suguru left.

Another waver of his conviction. But this time, not only about not being strong enough. He didn't do enough. Ever since Gojo unlocked his techniques and became powerful, he wasn't allowed to be human anymore. He had to do mission after mission, take over the missions unfinished by others, he was expected to do everything and be the saviour of the Jujutsu World. With Suguru, he was human. Yet, just as Suguru said 'it was a busy summer'. No more space for one another.

Geto was also strong. A special grade. He too became lonely.

For Sugru, having a meaning was fundamental. His cursed technique was a constant reminder of how awful non-sorceres are. He would eat their malice, who tasted like a cloth wiped in puke and shit and whereas he understood Satoru, nobody understood him. He himself said that nobody has any idea just how bad curses taste.

When Itadori was eating Sukuna's fingers in the beginning, he would choke, cough complain a lot. Geto had over 2000 curses. He had exorcised and ingested again and again and again. The only humanity around him was Satoru, his best friend. And that got taken away by the Jujutsu world and he remained alone with his own despair. He went on his own path, feeling useless and misunderstood, still viewing Satoru as a friend but also as a term of comparison. He got left without meaning and so he forged himself a new one. He became really similar to Sukuna, with no regard for the ones beneath him, the monkeys. But also, ironically enough, Suguru stopped being the strongest. He viewed himself as weak. He doomed himself. He wanted to feel necessary— he was desperate. He thought he was saving the Jujutsu world.

They were probably meant for tragedy. And that's the sad part. Satoru would've outgrown him regardless but maybe Suguru wouldn't have chosen such a radical path. Toji's existence, an anomaly, broke the flow of their fate. (approx quote from manga) That's why he is more relevant to the story than people believe. Sure, he is sexy as fuck but Toji is literally the beginning and the end of an era, he is everything.

Gojo's second waver pushed him to become a teacher. He had grown and chose a smart path, preserving the youths, the future; no more mass murder. Suguru remained stagnant with his hatred and eventually died. For him, I'd say his life stoped the moment Riko died. His potential as a sorcerer came to a plateau. Everything came to an end so it was only a matter of time before his body died as well.

Back on Gojo's humanity. The funny thing is that this point was proven by the readers of the manga themselves, lol. When Satoru got sealed, he got shat on hardcore. Like, you can't imagine. Reddit and Discord servers were eating his ass up worse than they do now with Sukuna for using Mahoraga. Gojo got blamed for Nanami and Kugisaki (rip my angels, still praying for Nobara), he got blamed for Sukuna taking over Megumi and probably he blames himself too— what "mistake" did he make? Showing humanity when being met with the corpse of his best friend, his only catalyst, his only balance, the only one to ever make him feel normal and give him his Blue Spring, the most beautiful moments of his life. And Kenjaku knew that Suguru's corpse was the only thing to make Satoru waver. In the manga it's clearly stated that despite more than one minute having passed in his mind, physically he stood still for 6 seconds. Even his most regretfull, sorrowful crisis lasted him an inhumane amount of time.

And Gojo too, was the only thing that caused the remaints of Suguru's soul to attempt strangling Kenjaku. (which he admits has never happened before. and suguru is dead— gojo literally triggered the residues of his soul). That's what I mean by intimate.

Even if the concept of soul is often spoken about, their souls are connected. That's how much they mean for eachother.

Perosnally I find this relationship to be perfectly beautiful as it is, without any flaunt of erotica needed, kudos to Gege. I still enjoy writing angst and smut based on their dynamic tho XD. And I don't agree with the ones calling them straight and being so eager to deny them or resume this deep connection to just friends. Like sure, they are not gay-gay but they are... linked. More than friends, more than family. Gege themself said so when speaking about them. I think it's a very clear statement.

If you like the way I think and view characters, check my fics, lol. Much love <33 exstasyplague on A03.

[baldheadsnake]

Random hc (MDNI!) :

I actually think sukuna is very silent or "less word more action" type in bed (if he somehow he fell in love or got laid). He is more of a grunting, panting and Whimpering type. Seriously I think this man is capable of long term relationship (if you prove yourself useful and have an interesting CT like uraume) and also if you also truly get his heart I don't think he would call you so degrading like "whore","brat" ,"idiot" or "human" (yes human is a slur in his dictionary), but also he won't call you sweet like Sunshine,sweetheart. I feel like he would call you normally by name or woman,wife. I actually thought of this after how he treats uraume in epilogue, he was a child at that time but he didn't call him sweetly nor straight up called him brat like he did for Yuji.

[xxnghtclls]

Sukuna‘s appearance

There are moments that always stuck with me since we know that Sukuna said he was a „cursed and unwanted little wretch“. I think we can definitely assume what he was born with a deformed face and the four arms, causing him to be treated like shit in his youth.

Him going at Haruta „what‘re you lookin at?“ or saying „don‘t look at me without permission“ strikes to me as if it‘s a natural reaction to how ppl must have perceived and reacted to him.

Adding to those moments are the ones where he’s constantly fixing his hair or mocking Yuji’s appearance or preferring Megumi’s face. I think it’s safe to assume that Sukuna‘s OG appearance definitely was something he had to deal with back in the day.

[zuzu-draws]

Yuuji's ''I'm going to die with him'' from the start of the series to ''Sukuna, Come back and live with me '' at the end is, honestly, very beautiful.

"Let's try again one more time Sukuna, but this time, without cursing anyone. Even if no one else accepts you, I'll live with you" do you understand what's going on here? This is Yuuji attempting to connect with Sukuna, to show a certain compassion that is entirely alien to Sukuna. To the way he delicately lifts Sukuna's remains, with such carefulness, as if holding the remains of a precious loved one, Yuuji tries to show Sukuna "love". The same "love" that has been teased to us this entire series, that who is it that will show it to Sukuna, teach him of it.

This is the same Yuuji, who, at the beginning of the series held absolute disdain towards Sukuna, and always looked at him with much accusatory contempt and mistrust. At that point, He truly did think of Sukuna as nothing more than a "curse". The same "curse" Sukuna calls himself one last time as the last embers of his soul fade in Yuuji's hands.

But this time, Yuuji has a troubled look in his eyes.

As if he disagreed with him.

This is the look of someone, who is looking at the Humanity Sukuna does not believe exists within himself.

Humanity that Sukuna denies himself.

That Sukuna is not a curse, but a human that has been cursed.

[tangsakura]

He's very much a teacher with a learning mindset. He's also adaptive.

No one notices that he's a teacher unless you squint. He never brags, but he does encourage people, albeit in twisted ways and point out mistakes. That includes encouraging Higuruma to learn to do RCT and indirecctly pointing out how Yuta is doing Hollow Purple wrong.

But it should be the most evident is that he's a learner. Especially after fighting Gojo.

The amount of times he copied Gojo during the Shinjuku showdown, or did something inspired from him. Because what Gojo did must've been those that no one dared to risk in doing or ever thought about, even in the Heian era.

The fact that he discovered that he can have his dismantle and cleave cut space after witnessing Mahoraga cut Gojo's arm, and does it on the spot; and then, uses it on a form of a net on his fight with Kashimo. So creative of him.

It's as if he sees something that peaks his curiosity, he wants to witness it and try it out, thus sparking his creativity and inspiration.

I'm also guessing that he had been taught to be humble in his early days, evident with the shinto-buddhism motifs around him (shrine, malevolent shrine DE, cow skulls, etc.). Like this man never bragged, and bragging isn't something you do as someone who follows shinto and/or buddhism.

I do wonder if that miko lady was someone who encouraged him to learn...... after all, one of the jp fandom's theories are that she's his mentor or teacher. Somebody had to have encouraged him to learn and he was motivated to be acknowledged.

(Also the fact that he learned poetry...... the nobility in heian era were obsessed with poetry that even a noble guy who wanted to court a noble lady had to have impressive poem given to her or else he gets rejected lmao...... makes me wonder why did he also have to learn poetry.........)

Do you think it's possible that Sukuna learned all these skills and knowledge including the arts because he was initially trying his best to be accepted or prove that he was more than the thing they saw him as? I mean he is sort of a jack of all trades which is impressive considering the conditions he was born under, like, he is almost perfect by any ancient society's definition

absolutely!! I like to think that in a way he just wanted to prove himself, to show that a cursed thing like him is better and stronger than anyone who ever resented him and ostracised him. even his theme song (s)AINT by Marilyn Manson heavily hints at this

You wanted perfect  You got your perfect  But now I'm too perfect for someone like you  I was a dandy in your ghetto with  A snow white smile and you'll  Never be as perfect whatever you do  What's my name, what's my name?  Hold the S because I am an ain't  What's my name, what's my name?  Hold the S because I am an ain't 

I love how sukuna was often defined by his disinterest in other people but then he (but also yuta) were the only ones who were willing to indulge their opponents and talk with them about life and all. AND yuta is a character who is not interested in himself at all so it's funny how him and sukuna share that one trait knowing that sukuna reflects yuta's exact opposite. he's all ego and only cares about himself... but then he barely ever talks about himself lol. it's like he has all those talents, knowledge and skills but we only know this by observing sukuna, not because he told us. so even tho he's, as you nicely put it, almost perfect by any ancient society's definition it's not something he ever talks about or brags about, which I personally always found interesting. that's why my fav moment of sukuna showcasing his skills is when yuuji takes him to archery and yuuji states how it's no fun to compete with sukuna after he gets a perfect 10. he basically compliments sukuna skills but then sukuna, instead of saying something along the lines of "well ofc I'm better than you" he says "I have more experience at this". this is a very teacher like approach tbh. he doesn't boast about his skills, but rather gives a sense of motivation and encouragement by showcasing his skills. and I think one of the reasons we never really see him give much thought to his skills and knowledge in arts and all is because he doesn't care about those things. those things didn't make him "special" in the end. they weren't enough to gain acceptance and approval of others. none of those things made them... acknowledge him in the end. people only ever wanted HIS strength and HIS approval... and there's something really sad about that (or I'm the one who's just making myself sad so pls ignore me lol)

[hermitw]

I think Sukuna might be the best representation of DID in fiction.

after rereading the manga again, I might have a longer analysis [edit to add: check my Sukuna's DID or 4th manga read tags for more] on Sukuna's DID (dissociative identity disorder / multiple personalities). this post is going to have some manga spoilers, but focus mostly on what's been animated.

there are a lot of in-depth analysis on Sukuna's trauma and what they could have been, so I won't speculate about it here [this post linked some that still rotate in my brain]. but what is clear is that Sukuna has severe trauma, which is what causes DID. You can't be born with multiple personalities. it's like a mirror breaking, the mind compartmentalizes in order to survive. your reflection is still yours, but the pieces reflect your face at different angles. (I hope this makes sense, I'll reply to comments / asks if anything needs to be clarified.)

I'm not an expert in this, I just have 9 years of coming to understand and work with my own, and while I'm down to answer questions about DID, for the sake of this post, let's focus on Sukuna with a bit of background knowledge.

Here’s a short little glossary of terms that will come up:

alter: the word “alter” can be controversial to them. I use the word “alter” typically to describe one that we don’t know much about, or to generalize.

Headmate: an alter with familiarity, camaraderie, one who is easier to understand and work with. “Headmate” tends to be the preferred term for themselves.

personality: a vague term that I use if I'm not sure whether the personality is an alter, or just a way of behaving.

(this is just so I have clarity when speaking about alters/headmates/personalities, this is not an official guide.)

In the end, every alter/headmate is like a roommate, just sharing the same body instead of the same apartment.

System: this includes all of someone’s alters/headmates.

Multiple: someone who has DID.

Fronting: the alter in the driver’s seat/front of the car - if they’re the one moving around, speaking to another person, going for a walk, etc, they’re the one fronting.

Co-fronting: Two or more alters/headmates are in the front. Working together on the same task, or having disagreements, trying to do different things. Just meaning that they are both in the front of the car.

I hesitated to write this, thinking that I needed to reread JJK and pay close attention to Sukuna, the expression in all his eyes, etc. and take lots of notes to be able to identify and share profiles on each alter, how many, etc. (and bc we are so often misrepresented, dramatized and demonized in stories but at this point I think Sukuna's like the most innocent jjk character so)

I’m not sure if that’s possible, and that’s part of what makes Sukuna the best representation of dissociative identity disorder in fiction.

DID is called the hidden disorder for a reason. It’s there in order to survive, and survival means to not let the disorder be noticed. Even for the person who has DID, they can be in denial about it for years despite suspecting it, and it can be a thing where some alters are aware and accepting of the condition, while others in the system are not. I get the impression of this calm, emotional awareness from Sukuna at times, but not since waking up in the modern era.

we aren't like Jekyll and Hyde, the changes can be visible but there's also a lot of masking so it's arrogant to think anyone can look at a multiple and identify who is fronting. our physical differences are largely attributed to differences in muscle tension, resting vocals, etc.

I’d also like to note the co-fronting phenomenon, which is when it isn’t just one alter who is in control, but several who are driving the car together, so to speak. Sometimes it can feel like you’re driving, or in the passenger seat, but others are climbing over the backseat and trying to mess with the controls.

and the misconception that every alter has a name and appearance - they don't always come that way. often, they already exist long before coming across some piece of art, a fictional character or a photoshoot and look at it like that's me, sometimes adopting the name as well. but until having that sort of mirror, there often isn't a visual form. alters aren't necessarily human, btw. they can be extraterrestrial or angels or, maybe in sukuna's case, a curse.

[side note: sukuna's disbelief in (or rejection of) his own humanity could be for lots of reasons, not due to an alter, but more like comorbid with DID. things like blacked out medical trauma, religious trauma, growing up queer but without being exposed to any representation or language for it - same could go for undiagnosed disability, physical or mental, not ever seeing another human who looks like him or seems relatable - these can all contribute to that. even if all Sukuna's alters are human, or never specify an identity with anything. Sukuna could also feel like a curse after being called that growing up and internalizing the sentiment - but it isn't realistic with the constant use of RCT that would exorcise a curse. it's common for autistic people to feel inhuman, like we're missing a soul or more closely aligned with robots or aliens or clones etc, and it's even projected onto us (changelings etc). every multiple that I know personally has a very visible physical disability, autism, or both (I'm sure that there are many of us out there without these, but the fact that all these elements easily apply to Sukuna is just. thrashing in my brain). so when Sukuna says "I am a curse", you could argue that it's an alter who believes themselves to be a cursed spirit, but I don't think he means it that way.]

often when you ask a multiple how many their system has, you'll hear something like “it depends on who you ask.” we don't even have all the answers. so how could anyone from the outside looking in?

recently I've learned about subsystems, which would make identifying alters in another person even harder. think of a system like a solar system with the alters as planets, but if a system has subsystems, then that's like a galaxy with its own solar systems which can switch out. that's the best way to describe it, from my understanding.

For a system to work harmoniously, or even integrate, i think the key is awareness, acceptance, and autonomy. To listen and understand the other alters/headmates, even if you don’t share their tastes, to let them have their outlets and expression. If they aren’t given the chance to work together like this, then there’s a better chance of acting out when they do front. Which will be less in control, because the thing that got them to that place was dissociation, the other alters stepping back and now they have the driver’s seat, unsupervised.

DID is different for everyone, each system and alter has their idiosyncrasies while a lot of experience can be relatable between them. In some cases, one (the host, if you'd like to use that term) can feel like a hollow shell, but assumes that whatever nearby alters’ opinions, religion, hobbies, etc. are their own - until those headmates step back, and then it’s like… you can remember spending whatever amount of time working on whatever project, but you also don’t know who did that. it's common for handwriting to change, you won't recognize your own even though you clearly wrote it, friends will say “remember when you did this?” and it doesn't even sound like something you would do. for someone who hasn't spent a lot of time becoming aware of and communicating with their alters, missing time is going to be there. when alters switch, it isn't as smooth of a transition from fronting to co-fronting, but far more dissociative. this can include depersonalization/derealization. or it can even mean watching yourself get dressed (maybe you can tell who is in control by what they put on) and go for a walk while other alters are scared and begging to turn back, but they can't control the body.

for the sake of this post, I'm not going to discuss Heian Sukuna (but if sukuna had reached integration, it would have been 1,000 years ago. integration isn't permanent) much until I've reread the manga again.

DID in JJK

episode 1

so I'll go in chronological order: we first see Sukuna acting crazy with that fish bowl effect, rambling about edgelord villain shit.

we see this same thing later in Shibuya, when Sukuna's putting on some theatrical king type character.

we can view these personalities as alters, if you'd like to. I see them as masks (which can go hand in hand, no mutually inclusive, I'm not confident with separating sukuna into identifiable alters). every time Sukuna wakes up, around strangers, that's vulnerability that he cannot cope with. which can fly someone into dissociation, unable to accept that they have been seen unconscious.

so he overcompensates for it with edgy speeches. acting unhinged or composed, it's all the same to me. DID is the hidden disorder because we adapt to survive in different environments.

overcompensating appears in even more ways in shibuya, which… I have a lot to say about.

but first, let's start with Sukuna's innate domain. this is Sukuna's safe place to go when he isn't fronting. Sukuna might be able to listen in, but prefers not to.

first time at school

and Sukuna speaking through the mouth on Yuuji's face or hand? that's just like co-fronting. it's like when one alter wants to have this conversation but doesn't know how to shut up, Yuuji tries to cover it but that doesn't work. sometimes all you can do is walk away (in this case, from Gojo).

Sukuna and Yuuji's co-fronting is always one of conflict. they could have had a symbiotic relationship (which is like DID after gaining awareness, acceptance, regular communication etc). but Yuuji never listened to Sukuna, just called him annoying to Gojo. Sukuna tried to communicate. this is like DID for someone in denial that they have it, shutting out things that are “crazy” or “not real” (assuming that Yuuji saw his body like a haunted house, because Sukuna was a “cursed object” and not a soul).

Detention Center

Sukuna and Yuuji fighting for autonomy when they share a body is also so early DID to me. they don't get along, so Sukuna can only truly front when the other is dissociating, stepping back and letting him take over.

Yuuji tries to call Sukuna out, but only to make demands and ask for help. which is… not great, and Sukuna (everything Sukuna's ever done was in a desperate attempt to claw for his own autonomy, imo) feels so uncomfortable being manipulated like this, just a puppet, a tool, toyed with and rejected.

Sukuna tries to make up for this, again with his edgelord stuff, threatening Yuuji's classmates. like, yeah i can exorcise the spirit but I'll kill people too.

Sukuna tortured and mocked the cursed spirit that had his own finger in it. this is the only time Sukuna ever tortures anything. (whether it has something to do with his self-image, I'll let go of now but it rotates in my brain.) we could argue that he's just taking his time to drag out this moment of freedom. or to feel as powerful as he can. or even to intimidate Yuuji, in case he's watching.

when Sukuna says “come on, switch back already,” that's so DID. Usually when a body is sick, no one wants to front so one of the headmates just gets stuck there. it's so funny to me bc this is practically a meme among multiples. (not evidence for Sukuna's DID, unless you feel like he's done this before).

then Sukuna goes outside and is in teacher mode. trying to understand Fushiguro's technique and train him. say what you want about brutality of it, but Todo's introduction was so much worse. it took me 5 times through jjk to forgive him for that. and every time, Sukuna just looks more harmless. not to mention that Sukuna has such RCT that he could easily heal Fushiguro. I feel like sukuna's main inherent trait is this caretaking mentor thing, but you could argue adaptability here. like, oh, here's a student without competent supervision. he needs to be taught how to survive and exorcise curses better. I can do that. it's also part of Sukuna begging to be seen.

and ripping out Yuuji's heart… that was an act of desperation. of “if you won't work together with me, then I have no other choice.” but looking at Sukuna's face there, that expression is so conflicted. he doesn't want to do that. he's in such an awful position. Sukuna could have been asking Yuuji to bring him another body, something like a cursed corpse to transfer into. we just don't know, because only Yuuji heard Sukuna's voice then. the first episode shows us they are capable of speaking internally. but Yuuji won't listen unless sukuna speaks audibly. even then he isn't listening to understand.

Sukuna was able to keep Yuuji alive enough (no pulse without a heart, but sukuna doesn't need one) from within his innate domain. Just like Yuuji not being frozen solid in Shibuya, when Sukuna was dissociating hard.

part of me keeps asking if sukuna offered Yuuji another chance at life because he was so uncomfortable in a medical setting. if that's why he disappeared for a second in shibuya, too.

last mission of season 1

when Fushiguro uses his domain for the first time, kills the curse who absorbed Sukuna's finger, and then curls up on the ground with it. we see Sukuna there, giving approval within his innate domain. why?

I think that Sukuna wants Fushiguro to have his own innate domain. that they could have been symbiotic from the start. Sukuna sees himself in Fushiguro, they both crave a lot of personal space, and Sukuna wants him to at least have that. someone without their own domain might be lost when used as a vessel - like the death painting wombs’, like Yuuji if he weren't designed to be this perfect cage.

Shibuya

so much happens here.

Yuuji is trying to rescue Gojo, who sukuna wants to fight more than anything (though maybe Yuuji doesn't recognize this is a love language to those two), but never thinks to ask Sukuna for help. Sukuna who has motivation to unseal Gojo. Sukuna who could easily heal Yuuji's liver.

Yuuji chose to take Sukuna to the grave, no deals to be considered. In the most desperate time. he's just ignoring sukuna completely (a bad sign. alters who are given no acceptance, acknowledgement, or chance of expression will find their own catharsis. they will front when no one else is. and they might be prone to lashing out. not being allowed a healthy outlet? they'll find another).

Nanako, Mimiko, Jogo

first, we get Sukuna waking up with his face being held. it doesn't matter that he'd already accepted death - this is unacceptable. how can hypervigilance live with that? I mean, look at Sukuna's face. we can often find hidden emotions behind the mask by looking at Sukuna's lower eyes. we can use this, and the way they can move independently, as more DID evidence. different alters controlling the eyes? I've heard cases irl where alters seem to reside in different parts of the body.

so sukuna puts on this theatrical appearance, all composed and “bow to me” type shit.

we can watch this mask break, his fronting alter freeze for a few seconds.

when mimiko's head explodes.

first, this is not Sukuna's CT (the explosion thing against mahoraga was a long process, this was sudden and unintentional). Sukuna has some trauma involving Kenjaku, more than just being put into the custom-made cage of Yuuji. I'm not sure what exactly it is, but “stitches in his forehead” was enough for him to know. The twins were asking Sukuna to kill Kenjaku - the one thing that he couldn't do, because of a pact (I'm assuming).

think back to when Gojo explained CE vs CT to Yuuji. those two soda cans. it struck me as weird that it never seemed to come up again, when everything in jjk seems to be on a cycle or parallel of some sort. until finally I realized. Nanako and Mimiko are the soda cans.

Mimiko was killed by Sukuna's uncontrolled cursed energy. her death was an accident. I meant to also write a post on age regression in jjk, especially on this moment and Tengen but idk if I'm the best person to do that. it just seems like there's something there, with kids not being able to control their CT and people dying because of that (inumaki toge, for example). and the many times where Sukuna's face, eyes especially, appear more childlike.

you could argue that Nanako's death was simply self-defense. I see it as overcompensating. Sukuna slipped up, Sukuna watched himself regress in front of witnesses, and he needs to appear in control. so to take back that image, Sukuna cubes Nanako. Cursed Technique.

they didn't know that the freak inside their late parent's body was such a trigger for sukuna. they just wanted sukuna to kill him - I think Sukuna wanted the same thing. oh, they make me so sad.

Sukuna entertains Jogo for a while, and remains in his edgelord era. a few of Geto's family didn't survive when he showed up and said they aren't allowed to move until he says so. not killing anyone directly, but putting on a show of power.

this is the only time I remember sukuna acting so weird, it feels out of character, even. (DID is looking back at memories you have of not being in control and getting mad at whoever was fronting for acting out of character lmfao)

Uraume

Sukuna not recognizing Uraume at first isn't necessarily DID evidence. Uraume's in a different body, Sukuna hadn't come across them since the Heian era. but speaking of Uraume. Sukuna is distant, even with them. partly because he recognizes that Uraume got the please tell me what to do anxiety, and fills the role that they need (another DID trait is filling whatever role you need to in whatever context).

But Uraume didn't know sukuna had a twin (or maybe sukuna felt like it was obvious, considering they met when he had two faces and four arms). it's around this time when we find out Sukuna doesn't seem to remember his childhood. Just guesses that maybe his mother was starving. that he must have been a creepy kid.

there's also the way that he doesn't seem to remember his own death, despite it being from self-mummification which is a lengthy process, and not an impulsive decision.

I have to wonder if Sukuna died integrated. at least, the first time that I reached integration was when I was doing Buddhist meditations, breathing techniques, etc. several times a day every day. studying that was really helpful, life-changing even. and after abandoning integration, it mostly feels like a forgotten past life.

Mahoraga

Sukuna pointing his hand like a gun at the camera to see himself like that on the screens?? he was trying to comfort himself (maybe be recorded, too, but I think it was really just to feel better, to see himself weild power).

THE SWITCH after defeating Mahoraga, it's like that entity of Sukuna stepped back. Yuuji appears for a second (no tattoos, tired numb looking face, not present, in both manga and anime so it isn’t just someone forgor), but he isn't ready to front, and Sukuna's time in control (from eating so many fingers at once) isn't up yet.

Then Sukuna is back, taking Fushiguro to Shoko, and killing Haruta, and telling Yuuji to savor this feeling (which imo was sincere. Sukuna had the time of his life. Mahoraga saw him so small in comparison. The feeling Sukuna was talking about was not hurting people - this only happened on accident. Mahoraga threw sukuna into a train, and the train into a building. and then came after him, so rly, mahoraga's fault you know?

Sukuna dissociating at the thought of taking Fushiguro to medical attention…?

Mahito (junpei flashback)

at first, they seemed to get along, right?...not really. Sukuna was laughing at Yuuji, whose orders he was sick of, before Mahito joined in. suddenly making demands was the only interaction that kid ever offered him.

Sukuna wasn't paying attention to anything until being called up like that. it didn't take long for him to feel disturbed by Mahito [if you want your skin to crawl, Mahito analysis is here]

the laugh sukuna had was an obnoxious hollow mask. maybe I'm projecting (that's what this whole post is, isn't it?) but it reminds me of the first alter I gained awareness (and 10 years of denial over DID despite that) of. they would come out at school, some class clown type despite the way (without them fronting) my face would turn red at the thought of being perceived. I would often know that I was missing time while joking. I'd be standing next to my mother, face feeling weird from smiling, and no memory of what I said. Just find myself there, not knowing what to do, so I would just leave the room.

that's what I see in sukuna's laugh with Mahito. even before then, the facial expression etc. is all such a mask.

and Sukuna disappeared quickly and quietly. retreated back to his innate domain. took no interest in Mahito (who I think of all people, Sukuna might be most disturbed by).

the first few times through jjk, I didn't expect sukuna to have depth of character, because he seemed to be so random and impossible to pin down. like he really didn't get to be a character. which all makes sense now.

Mahito in Shibuya

Sukuna mostly dissociates in their innate domain, but undeniably was aware of Mahito after the 0.2 second domain expansion.

If sukuna were such a prideful, arrogant, selfish prick, they might have stolen the show, obliterated Mahito easily to piss Yuuji off. Sukuna had already killed Jogo, who Kenjaku wanted to absorb, so while there's a chance that Mahito was explicitly off-limits, it isn't what I'm thinking.

Every time I see sukuna faced with Mahito, I see age regression. Look at those eyes. They're drawn bigger, more child-like, even glassy, which we only see when Mahito touches sukuna (manga and anime, both times).

Mahito certainly found the time to talk to Sukuna then, but there was no reply. Just this nonverbal stare.

Sukuna didn't appear for the rest of the Shibuya arc. Not when Kenjaku said “are you listening, Sukuna? Heian era. I said your favorite word. Jingle jingle” (ok so im paraphrasing but Kenjaku rly is such an abusive parent like, be so grateful I'm creating the golden age of jujutsu for you, even tho that time was hell for you and I brought u back to life in a cage :) Uraume was there defending Sukuna, and there wasn't even the opening of an eye or the appearance of an extra mouth. just absence.

even more evidence?

Sukuna seems to be inspired by Lucy from Elfen Lied. iirc she only has 2 alters (which is common in fiction, easier to show, I don't know any irl cases like that but still like it tbh). the baby diclonius look just like Yuuji, same hair and color. same technique, I at this point suspect sukuna has medical trauma also (kenjaku's Meiji era experiments, the way Kaori's pregnancy was carried - how was Yuuji born with a sealed finger in him?? and the way Kenjaku felt seen by Yuki's concept for the culling games, forcing people to adapt, and Sukuna's constantly running RCT even feels a bit suspicious. maybe too much of a reach, idk).

anyway the last time I watched elfen lied I noticed this in the first episode. JJK reference? the worm cut in half and Mahito's snail head?? I lost it. Gege I see what you've done and ily.

[milkshakestogo]

Hello new friend 🙌 I hope you don't mind me dropping into your inbox! I recently read a great post of yours then lost it, but I wanted to say that I love your break down about Sukuna being a hollow loser being.

I love fanon Sukuna but I loath canon Sukuna, I think he's a fantastic villain and I realized after reading your post that the reason I find him so antagonizing is because the best reason he can come up with for doing anything is 'self interest' and maybe he isn't capable of or is avoiding any further introspection of his actions. I've never read Hell's Paradise but you've convinced me that seeing him just give up would be so satisfying. A little regret and self loathing on his part would bring me immeasurable peace 🙏

Oh my gosh, thank you so much! This is the first ask I've gotten and it made me smile.

I love Sukuna, both fanon and canon, but I totally get what you mean about his canon version. The endless dread that follows whenever he enters a scene is not a vibe at least not a pleasant one

He's such a good interpretation of a psychopath, which I think is what really unsettles people. Like your average serial killer, he picks eating and murdering people rather than idk being really good at collecting stamps or a CEO.

this is why I'm writing a fic where he realizes you can feel the void by actually fucking enjoying life but who knows when that'll be done.

And we're so used to the tragic backstory trope for villains that we think there must be something more to him and there just...isn't. There's only one brief throwaway line about him being an "unwanted child." He's quite literally just evil 😭

Despite his claims, he's nowhere near peak self-awareness. Filling the hollowness is his ideal, one that he's clung to for a thousand years. Him realizing this in the middle of a fight is the only chance anyone stands. Plus, I want to wake up to the headline, "Evil Cannibal Psycopath Struck By Consciousness Deletes Himself From the Narrative." 🙏🏿I want him to stare down the last thousand years and realize what an utter waste it was.

Also yes, read Hell's Paradise! It's perfect for JJK fans who like great character designs and endless suffering.

[lxmelle]

I have just been thinking about Sukuna’s 2 choices, since I came across some debate over it. It got me wondering…

Idk, I guess I just I felt the urge to write out my thoughts and it’s become this reflective piece about themes and the parallels that exist between some of the characters.

I think there are some salient themes in the series… namely, Pure Love and what it means to be human. JJK is really an incredibly thought-provoking masterpiece.

Please feel welcome to give it a read if you wish. And then you can make up your own mind - it’s totally ok to disagee.

Respectful Discourse welcome.

Spoilers for 271 and some overall thoughts about the end - I guess this is part 2!

And just a disclaimer: these are just my personal thoughts as a reader. Apologies if my tone forms across a bit blunt at times - I get a little bit overzealous.

First off, I guess souls are real after all. The afterlife is real. It’s mysterious, leaves you guessing, and I gather that it’s meant to be up for interpretation.

As a reader, we are allowed a glimpse of continuity for the characters we grieve for and miss dearly… like a “maybe next time...” or “maybe now they will be allowed happiness”.

For me, personally, it’s a relief because it means satosugu in the afterlife is real 🥹 the brainrot is also real

I digress. Sorry I do that a lot.

Sukuna was shown in an unknown realm, facing Mahito. He is alone at first with nobody else beside him.

As they talk, he recalls having had two paths he could’ve walked on relating to two individuals.

Most of us recognise Uraume immediately, in what was probably their original form. The other person dons what looks like a Miko/priestess outfit and a hairdo that is equally befitting of that role.

I personally think it’s Yorozu due to the defining features and relevance to Sukuna’s story. Other speculations have included his mother and Kenjaku or even Tengen.

Personally? I don’t think it’s his mum. And I don’t think it’s Kenjaku. Not Tengen either.

Just going to attempt to go through the options as a process of elimination here. Take it with a pinch of salt because it’s just an interpretation out of many out there.

First off… mother? Imho, it wouldn’t be a “choice” he could make if it was his mum - you can’t “choose” your mother. It’s not a path... his mentioning of her was apathetic at best and was in passing on the grand scheme of how he was depicted. He seemed to have sympathy for her due to the impoverished nature of her pregnancy, and while it is true that he could have benefitted from a much better childhood / parental circumstances, I don’t think, in the context of having choice of paths to traverse, it is relevant here for it to be his mother.

Second… Kenjaku. Well… He already chose a path with Kenjaku. That’s why he became cursed objects? He already took that path. And it diverged. There was no other possible attachment to Kenjaku. Kenjaku also already used his twin’s soul as a means to his own end, which Sukuna found gross. So yes. Not Kenjaku, imho. They were not friends nor did they have unfinished business to explore. They were a means to an end for one another, as far as i understand. It’s done.

Third: Tengen. Hmm, sorry but it isn’t plausible. The two were in their Heian form. Tengen was pictured to have had fair-coloured hair.

The most likely candidate is Yorozu. Imho, for what it’s worth. The timeline fits. She and Uraume lived in, and were pictured to have been around together, with Sukuna, at the same time in the Heian flashback.

In terms of appearance, too. Everyone there in that unknown realm is wearing something befitting.

The clothes from the era. Hairstyle - like that of a priestess or noble. It’s a woman. And Kenjaku’s defining feature are his stitches. Gege would be sure to emphasise them if it was Kenjaku. Dark hair, not Tengen. Unlikely to be his mum (never been pictured and it’s kinda too late to introduce someone new in the last chapter).

Most notably: The bangs. The bangs. The defining feature of Yorozu are her cropped & stylised bangs. When Yorozu incarnated in Tsumiki that was one of the things that was specifically defined.

Yorozu was strong. She was feared, revered and probably worshipped as a result. She may have had the priestess-like hairdo even if she was from a rural area and drawn to prefer being unconventionally-dressed undressed.

He recognised Yorozu’s presence and accepted her challenge. There was a promise that if he lost he would marry her. If he was dead he would be bound to her in a ritual. But he would never allow himself to willingly succumb to “love” or be bound to anyone in this lifetime. That was what he chose. So it seems logical to me that it was Yorozu is the one there in the image because there existed a choice with both options that he didn’t take in this lifetime. To love her and give her his solitude.

She saw his loneliness. She said it was love. She wanted to give him love. She wanted his solitude (so she said). She wanted him to witness the love that was in her flesh.

So for that reason I think she was equal to Uraume in terms of being a possible choice out of 2 choices that Sukuna could have chosen to walk a path with.

It’s perhaps only fair that I voice my reflections over Uraume.

With Uraume he allowed them to follow him and serve a function, respecting their skill & talent for preparing human flesh as well as a sorcerer. But the boundary of him showing emotion for Uraume was never crossed. It was always Uraume -> Kenjaku (feelings arrow).

For Sukuna in the afterlife to show more than an, “ah, I recognise you” (like he did in the manga) when Uraume appeared before him. Especially since in their incarnated life, when Uraume was injured by Gojo he barely flinched (in fact, he dodged). Plus, during the entirety of the final battle he spared no thought for Uraume.

I can easily headcanon that when he saw Uraume give up their life after he did, the thought of “to think you’d go so far for the likes of me.” For the first time, for Sukuna to acknowledge Uraume as a choice and to physically lead them to go with him, the feelings arrow is now Sukuna -> Uraume & Uraume <- Sukuna. It’s probably the first time Sukuna ever attached himself to anyone but himself.

And to conjure Uraume’s soul (as we recall from above: he was standing alone at first) and physically demonstrate that he was comforting / treasuring them / bringing them along with him - to me, this was him making a choice that he didn’t make in his lifetime.

Sukuna had a choice between love (to be witnessed) with Yorozu and pure love symbolised with sincerity & selflessness with Uraume.

These are THEMES IN JJK.

Like, there are obvious parallels here.

Gojo. Gojo and Geto’s shared solitude. Gojo wanted to be witnessed as a sorcerer. Geto too, in a way. Gojo wanted that big all-out fight that he could do with meaning in it where he could give it his all. He got it from Sukuna and lost.

Gojo wanted/embodied the loyalty and pure love - the only kind he ever got - from Geto. They were willing to sacrifice themselves for the other, for a shared reason. Someone who understood him. Accepted him. Someone he reciprocated these same feelings with. Gojo had embraced humanity.

They died on the same day, one year apart.

He arrived and sat there in the afterlife with his one and only.

His person, Geto, wept in the afterlife after being acknowledged by their beloved. This to me symbolises belonging and being found.

They died on the same day.

Parallels, Parallels, Parallels.

Sukuna had solitude. It was his own. Yorozu saw it and he accepted the battle & fought with Yorozu. The opposite to Gojo was experienced, where he witnessed Yorozu (just as Gojo was witnessed) and he won. He also continued to defeat and reign supreme, just by being the way he’s always been, as if confirming to himself it was the right choice after 1000s of years — and after all those battles, he was repeatedly shown what it was to be witnessed as a monster. At his end, he gave every single challenger his all & to be given what Yuji tried to give him... he rejected it and died (as he wished) when he lost. In his reflections on the afterlife, well, what do you know: he already had it with Uraume. He already had loyalty and pure love and someone to fight with him until the very end. Someone who understood him. Accepted him. (Sukuna would now attempt to embrace his humanity - kinda symbolised with his arm around Uraume).

They then died on the same day.

He arrived and walked off into the afterlife with Uraume.

His person, Uraume, wept in the afterlife after being acknowledged by their beloved. This to me symbolises belonging and being found.

——

So yeah, I get that “it’s possible” for it to be Kenjaku. It’s possible. Maybe. But... imho, he already chose that path. Kenjaku was the only one who knew how to create cursed objects. So who do you think gave consent for that to happen? Kenjaku already went down that path and reached the end... and that was what we saw.

As for other threads...

There are some salient themes like how sacrifice and meaning in life & death were portrayed as “leaving a legacy”. Take Yuki who told Choso to stop living as a curse and now live on as a human, dying in the process of getting the “back” of the prison realm from Kenjaku. It’s like Maki drawing a line under the massacre and living as a sorcerer. And take Kamo who was willing to die and “let his companions lives burn brightly on my ashes” because he didn’t think he had anyone to return home to. And take Geto who made sure Gojo pursued a better path and asked his family to run away after the parade. And take Gojo who believed the world was better off without him if they had a bunch of powerful allies who wouldn’t leave each other behind.

Sukuna lived a life with nobody to mourn him, but he at least had Uraume and Yuji used the last remaining fragment of him as a talisman.

So I think it’s fitting that he looked away from Mahito and carried on.

Mahito was the mirror for humanity. Sukuna faced that mirror. In this life, he was afraid that the curse as a wretched child would only continue, so he relied solely upon himself and it was imho like a retaliation of the cruelty of the world presented to him.

Sound familiar?

How someone who is human and turn? And the core of the other person was love, but the core of Sukuna was power/strength. Funny how they both were referred to as curses. Exorcised on 24th December.

Anyway, Sukuna was more human than he let himself believe, and he refused to stay with Mahito. Without needing to carry that self-imposed title any longer, having lost and died, he was free to choose something he never got to choose: love.

Symbolically, facing Mahito and the two choices facing away was an interesting choice too. And through the essence of what he was reflecting on, he pondered on a better life (with love?) that was facing away from Mahito, the symbol of hate and wrath.

Again: if Mahito was the mirror of hatred (facing Sukuna) then the other two with their backs to Mahito not only signifies past choices, but possible also love.

So we return to the theme of love. The opposite of hate is love. He was afraid of the curse as a wretched being/rejected/unwanted/hated that might immolate him. He wasn’t able to be anything else in this lifetime. He didn’t know how to. He was not willing to, with the element of fear over the risk of making that choice.

I tentatively interpret it as him not having necessarily embodying hate, but having apathy for connection, due to his blind acceptance that the world represented rejection and hate of him. He ended up being caught in a loop of deep-seated fear over his cursed existence - of thinking he was unwanted, and actively denied himself of any opportunity to absolve this belief. A vicious circle and self fulfilling prophecy of sorts. He just sought to dominate and communicate in a singular way through fighting.

And we know so well of the theme from the origins of jjk 0. Gojo’s anecdotal belief that Love is the most twisted curse. Love makes you weak. Sukuna was afraid to love. If there is a next time, it would be nice to choose pure love that wasn’t tied to being killed or killing or solitude that comes with strength. Just to be loved for who he was. Thus, Uraume over Yorozu.

Love, Attachment. What it means to be human. To taste that life means through feelings and emotions. With others as companions. Sukuna always had that capacity in him, as I kind of pointed out before. Albeit selectively, he offered objective praise and affirmation to others; acknowledging their efforts and seeing it as a form of “love” through wanting to prove their existence and challenging him, The Strongest. Seeing their efforts as “love” he gave it back to them in a safe way he knew that didn’t provide any emotional risk to him. A simple “I acknowledge you” was the extend of his love that was shared through fighting. This was probably a product of his life within the Heian times.

I’d like to think he was heading North to become someone new. He always had it in him after all. There were people who believed in him (Gojo, Yuji, Yorozu, Uraume) even if he didn’t believe in himself. It’s poetic and powerful personal / character development.

Speaking of souls; I found it somewhat interesting how curses have souls. Since, presumably, Mahito was presented as a soul? Or was this a part of Mahito’s CT as a cursed spirit who can touch souls? Hmm!

He should be a soul though, since he got absorbed by Kenjaku and should’ve been eliminated by Rika when they all ran amok in his death. The relevance of cursed spirits possibly having souls and having human-like features has always been at the back of my mind.

Gege inserted yet another moral dilemma for us to chew on: if humans and curses share the same traits and value: demonstrating individuality, emotions, hopes, dreams… then are Humans and Curses not so different after all? What of the 127 people Geto killed at the village? What of countless curses killed by sorcerers? Are they considered exorcisms? Sin is sin? Life is life? Karma is karma? Meaning is meaning?

This was already something I yapped about over direct and indirect harm, perspective/frame of reference being one of the biggest things we ought to appreciate in reading a piece of fiction like jjk. It’s so very true that there is no clear right or wrong, and this mimics real life.

Nevertheless, I personally think the overlapping themes, the parallels, the depth... they were all woven really well. I’ve enjoyed examining it.

Am I satisfied? Overall, yes.

Do I wish for more satosugu? Haha. I’m human. I’m greedy! 🤪 So pin that on me! I have been known to plead in jest that Gege will insert more stsg, and I say it while upholding utmost respect for him as an artist and writer. I... don’t think I feel the same respect or reverence for him as a creator when I read some of the comments against him. Criticism is one thing, but I wish people would keep it inoffensive. Even if it’s said in jest, sometimes it is just distasteful? Or even downright disrespectful...

Pieces of good fiction are meant to make you think. All things considered, this series ended rather gently. It was an overall happy end. Peaceful.

Even theoretically & logically: There are parallels with how the world was a cyclical system akin to the karmic cycle. Humans generate bad karma. In the series, karma is like curses. Those who practice the dharma can purify themselves. Sorcerers who can see them exorcise and purify the curses. So the “new world” was actually impossible unless humans were exorcised. And we know that’s not a plausible conclusion. So the real best option was what we got: peace and hope that the new generation of sorcerers can continue influencing a healthy cycle in the world they live in.

I’m not trying to minimise others’ interpretations of what happened and I’m sure all of us have things are are stuck with trying to digest.

As a creator, Gege can giveth and he can taketh.

Please have some gratitude for the person who created the very series that got you in the brainrot to begin with.

As difficult as it is, lean into what made you feel uncomfortable about what you’re dissatisfied with. It might not be about the author. He doesn’t owe you an ending you’re satisfied with. It’s his vision, so we have to process it in a way that makes sense in the lore.

Sometimes it’s referred to as: radical acceptance. We don’t have to agree. But we must find a way to come to terms with how we feel about it. Or not - but that’s on you. The onus is on you.

As a reader we should not be able to control how an author writes out their vision. I have been appalled by how toxic and entitled some “fans” are. Death threats, “when I catch you GG”, a petition for Gojo to be handled by someone else, etc.

Seriously. It’s one thing to have an outpouring of grief or dissatisfaction, but to react like that is just shameful and unhealthy. Do they really think Gege should give in?

Go write fanfiction, for goodness sake... :(