Chainsaw Man fans already know about the Death Devil's powers

Modified Nov 05, 2024 15:30 GMT

Chainsaw Man's Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse stands as one of the series' most interesting character groups. Shown to be quite powerful, they embody the fears of Conquest/Control (Control Devil), War (War Devil), Famine (Famine Devil), and Death (Death Devil).

Among the four, the first three have already been revealed: Makima as Control Devil, Yoru as War Devil, and Fami as Famine Devil. The fourth and final Horseman has been prophesied to arrive and bring with her the extinction of humanity and usher in the "Age of Devils."

While there is a lot of murmur around what the Death Devil might be like and her abilities, Chainsaw Man might have already given us a hint to those questions.

Disclaimer: This article is speculative in nature.

Chainsaw Man: The Death Devil's powers might have already been hinted at

Nothing is known of the Death Devil, apart from her likely being female and the fourth sister to Control, War, and Famine. The plot first introduced Makima, the Control Devil, and following her defeat, the Control Devil returned as Nayuta. Next came the War Devil Yoru, who forged a contract with Asa Mitaka and now resides within her. Finally, Fami was introduced, but details about her were minimal.

Speaking of abilities, there seems to be a trend in the way creator Tatsuki Fujimoto structured these characters. Their powers seem to intrumentalize those around in unique ways. Beginning with Makima, she can exert control and influence those she views as inferior. It works the other way as well, i.e., those who believe themselves to be below her are susceptible to her control.

Next, Yoru or War Devil can turn nearly anything that she owns into a weapon. Essentially, she must touch the object/living being and say its name. When more powerful, she needn't even touch or speak its name to weaponize it. Finally, in Fami's case, though the extent of her abilities is unclear, she can "enslave" the "hungry." To put it simply, she can fully control those thirsting for something.

According to this trend, the Death Devil's abilities can be guessed. Her powers could likely be rooted in control over life-ending forces. Since the Four Horsemen possess abilities in tandem with fundamental human instincts, the Death Devil may embody the concept of mortality itself. Thus, her powers would be something related to the manipulation of the death or life iself of her targets.

One possibility could involve inciting an overwhelming fear or acceptance of death. This might immobilize or even psychologically "kill" her targets. Such an ability would be in conjunction with her sisters' powers. Moreover, she would not need physical contact to activate this since it would originate from within the target. Another possibility is her "aging" her targets, i.e., speeding the years for them.

On physical objects, it might increase the rate of decay, and with people, they would face their worst fears about death, thus urging self-destructive behavior. Finally, the Death Devil could possess the power to "reclaim" or summon souls. She could act as a sort of Grim Reaper, collecting and commanding souls of the dead as she pleases.

Final Thoughts

To conclude, the Death Devil’s powers aligning with the abilities of the other Four Horsemen in Chainsaw Man reflect the inevitable nature of death. It is a deep-seated fear in the human psyche, which is what makes her so terrifying. Fujimoto has expertly modeled each Horseman to mirror the crucial aspects of human existence.

Makima’s control centers on dominance and conquest, Yoru’s weapons center on possession, and Fami’s control focuses on hunger/desire. The Death Devil may, therefore, play on mortality itself, perhaps inciting a petrifying acceptance in her victims. Her potential abilities could give her autonomy over the souls of the dead, i.e., an army bound by death itself. These established her as the ultimate threat, the physical form of humanity’s greatest and most unavoidable fear.