Akutami brings back the most controversial Gojo panel through Kusakabe in Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 254

Jujutsu Kaisen spoilers for chapter 254 revealed Atsuya Kusakabe's fate, which mirrored Gojo Satoru's. A few chapters prior, the special-grade jujutsu sorcerer fought Ryomen Sukuna in an epic battle that saw the former slashed in half.

Several chapters later, Kusakabe was left as the last man standing after Maki Zenin was hit with a sudden Black Flash. Incapacitated for the time being, Maki was nowhere to be seen, leaving the Jujutsu High instructor to fend off the Demon King by himself.

With his opponent being Sukuna, Jujutsu Kaisen fans could guess the outcome. However, events unfolding in the way that they did, as per the spoilers, was unexpected as Gege Akutami brought back the controversial Gojo panel.

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Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 254 features Atsuya Kusakabe in the same position as Gojo

The context

Atsuya Kusakabe vs Ryomen Sukuna in Jujutsu Kaisen (Image via Gege Akutami, Sheuisha)

Chapter 252 witnessed Sukuna defeat Yuta Okkotsu with a series of slashes, substantially injuring him. At this moment, Maki joined the fight. Thanks to Kusakabe's quick thinking, Maki's lack of Cursed Energy allowed her to sneak up on Sukuna and attack him.

What ensued was a fast-paced, intense, and destructive battle between Maki and the King of Curses. But a well-timed Black Flash blew her back, rendering her incapable of continuing, at least for the time being. Kusakabe entered the battleground at this point, realizing that he was the only one remaining.

Moving to the Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 254 spoilers, Kusakabe is seen treading carefully against Sukuna. Using his Simple Domain, he is able to deflect the villain's slashes and even launch a counter at him, managing to damage him too. His sword breaks, but he continues his assault, resorting to hand-to-hand combat.

But there is a point where Kusakabe infuses his broken Katana with Cursed Energy and targets Sukuna's damaged heart. The latter figures it out and catches the incoming attack with two fingers. The next panel then shows Kusakabe laying on the ground with large slashes across his torso.

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Gojo's panel controversy explained

Atsuya Kusakabe in Jujutsu Kaisen (Image via Sheuisha/Gege Akutami)

The fans were expecting something spectacular from Kusakabe. Granted, he was not tipped to beat Sukuna, but expectations were high following the hype built up by previous chapters. Not to be mistaken, the Jujutsu High instructor did put in a decent fight, showcasing just how effective even the simplest technique can be.

However, he suffered the exact same fate as Gojo. In essence, Gojo fought Sukuna for about 14 or so chapters before suddenly being killed. He was shown lying on the ground with a bloody face and being slashed at the waist with absolutely no context when he was previously seen seemingly enjoying battling Sukuna.

Kusakabe put up a good fight in the same manner. But his time in the limelight lasted just a chapter, from the looks of the spoilers. Out of nowhere, a panel shows him being hit with a major slash. There was no setup or actual demonstration when Sukuna abruptly turned the tide of the battle.

Now, while the scene is less jarring compared to Gojo's one, it is still considerably irksome. By doing this once more, Gege Akutami has established the Demon King as invincible.

The current spoilers paint Sukuna as a terrifying villain capable of impossible feats, which makes the chapter a bit of a vexing read.

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Final Thoughts

Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 254 drops soon, and more should become clear as time passes. But for now, according to the spoilers, we know that Kusakabe has been put out of commission (not dead) and a new face is about to get in on the action.

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Related links:

Jujutsu Kaisen: Why Gege Akutami is setting up Kusakabe as the next Gojo, explained

Jujutsu Kaisen: How is Kusakabe strong without an Innate Technique? The second-year teacher's abilities, explained

Jujutsu Kaisen: Kusakabe vs. Sukuna hints that Gege Akutami knows what he is doing