Jujutsu Kaisen's most crucial Yuji plotline is pointless after the Shinjuku arc, and that's perfectly fine

One of the most crucial of the many Yuji plotlines present in author and illustrator Gege Akutami’s Jujutsu Kaisen manga series is that of Yuji Itadori’s execution by jujutsu society. This plotline is essentially the driving narrative of the series, as it’s what sees Yuji get involved in the jujtusu world in the first place and dedicate himself to helping people via his eventual death.

However, as Jujutsu Kaisen has progressed, this Yuji plotline has become something of an afterthought, with his eventual fate receiving several stays of execution thanks to Satoru Gojo and other circumstances. This eventually culminates in the currently ongoing Shinjuku arc, where in the arc’s setup, it's disclosed that all of the jujutsu world Higher Ups have been killed.

Likewise, assuming he and his allies are able to survive their encounter with and defeat Ryomen Sukuna by Jujutsu Kaisen’s end, he has no one enforcing his execution in this aftermath. In other worlds, there’s almost no chance Yuji Itadori’s execution happens after these events, meaning that the most crucial plotline for his character in the series is now pointless. However, this is far from a bad thing with respect to the character development of Yuji Itadori.

Disclaimer: The following article contains spoilers for Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 259. Readers’ discretion is requested.

Why Yuji Itadori’s execution is pointless after Jujutsu Kaisen’s Shinjuku arc, explained

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As briefly touched on above, Jujutsu Kaisen’s main driving force in its plot has been Yuji collecting and eating the Sukuna fingers due to his status as a compatible vessel. While his compatibility was unknown upon eating the first Sukuna finger, Satoru Gojo quickly realized this potential and struck a deal with the jujutsu Higher Ups. Likewise, this resulted in a stay of Yuji’s execution until he could eat all 20 Sukuna fingers, thus killing Sukuna with him in execution.

However, if Sukuna is killed during the Shinjuku arc while outside of Yuji’s body, then there’s no point in Yuji being executed anymore. Furthermore, even if there was a point, it’s unlikely anyone would actually enforce this death sentence with those Higher Ups who initially ordered it dead. Even if new Higher Ups are instilled, it’s unlikely that anyone from this current generation of sorcerers who’d be eligible for the title will actually kill Yuji.

Likewise, the plotline has become somewhat pointless, with Yuji no longer facing certain death in virtually any possible ending scenario for the Shinjuku arc and the series. This is especially significant since this eventual role has also been central to his character, with his journey up to this point being one of wanting to help other people in any way he can. However, with this plotline now being pointless, fans are curious to see if Yuji’s character will likewise suffer.

Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 259 proves Yuji Itadori's execution is no longer needed

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By nature of this role thrust upon him, Yuji has always viewed his role as a cog in the machine, playing a role which he may not know or see the final results of. He even says so to nemesis Mahito during their final fight, claiming he’s certain that as long as he plays his role of being a cog, the “meaning behind [his] actions will become apparent” at some point in the future. He even says he’s fine if it takes a hundred years for this meaning to make itself apparent.

This embodies Yuji’s mentality for essentially the entirety of the series through the ongoing Shinjuku arc. While he may not understand how his actions will help people, he’s nevertheless determined to play his role and trust that his actions will eventually have meaning. However, chapter 259 sees something in Yuji break with the death of his older brother Choso, with Choso sacrificing himself to protect Yuji.

This is quite literally said by Jujutsu Kaisen’s narrator to shake the foundation of Yuji’s resolve, which is his faith that no matter what, he was meant to fulfill his role as a cog in the machine. Yet with Choso’s death, Yuji realizes that he no longer wants to play the role of a cog, and instead desires to live for himself and his friends. In other words, the plotline of Yuji Itadori’s execution is one which his character has now fully grown past.

While this Yuji plotline was incredibly helpful in getting him to this point, chapter 259’s spoilers outright confirm that it’s fine for the execution plotline to bow out. Yuji has grown beyond being a cog in the machine, clearly wanting something more from his life than what he previously convinced himself of. With Sukuna’s death seemingly in reach and a new life on the horizon, it’s an exciting time to see this Yuji plotline come to an end and be replaced by whatever’s next.