Chainsaw Man's Devil families concept all but confirms Aging's true role

Modified Nov 13, 2024 12:57 GMT

Makima in Chainsaw Man (Image via MAPPA)

Chainsaw Man's introduction to the Devil families, specifically the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and their "children," likely hints at a compelling structure behind how certain Devils operate and grow stronger. The theory explored in this feature will delve into the Aging Devil’s potential connection to the Death Devil.

It speculates that Aging might be Death's “child,” akin to what Gun and Tank are to Yoru, the War Devil. This theory suggests that Devils like Aging might coexist with the Four Horsemen while also amplifying their powers/abilities. Here's a closer look at the theory, stemming from the Chainsaw Man community on Reddit.

Disclaimer: This article is speculative in nature.

Aging Devil's true role might have already been hinted at by Chainsaw Man's Devil families idea

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The theory explored in this feature may sound familiar to many, as iterations of it have been surfacing in the community. It begins by establishing the speculation that similar to the Gun Devil and the Tank Devil being "children of War," the Aging Devil is a "child" of the Death Devil.

The theory suggests that one of the Four Horsemen becomes a Mother to a specific Devil when that Devil particularly enhances that Horseman's powers. To elaborate, before her power-up, Yoru was being pushed by Chainsaw Man in a head-on battle. However, when she weaponized her "children," War Devil and Tank Devil, she became levels stronger, thus making War more terrifying.

In the case of the Aging Devil, it can considered Death's child, as aging brings one closer to death. It cannot be stopped or reversed, and the eternal clock continues ticking. Similarly, the theory also believes that the Falling Devil could also be Death's child, as falling from a substantial height can quite literally take one's life. Now, needless to mention, Yoru didn't actually birth Gun and Tank.

The Aging Devil (Image via Tatsuki Fujimoto, Viz Media)

Furthermore, it is known that Public Safety wants Chainsaw Man to consume or erase the Aging Devil. If successful, the aging concept will be erased. Hence, this may affect Death and weaken her considerably. However, it's speculated that the Death Devil would not allow this to happen, suggesting we might see her appear sooner than expected.

If there is indeed a link, she will know that Aging is no more, i.e., she has lost something. The theory backs this argument by referring to how different characters affect the Horsemen. For instance, Yoru comments that something was wiped out when Chainsaw Man ate the Ear Devil. Similarly, Makima speaks of a number of concepts that have been erased in the past.

According to this evidence, it can be said that the Horsemen are aware of what exists and what has been erased. Thus, if the Aging Devil were to be consumed and Death arrived, it would likely know something was amiss.

In conclusion

Yoru (Image via Tatsuki Fujimoto, Viz Media)

While this theory seems compelling, several points pose complications. To begin with, Chainsaw Man lore states that fear powers Devils, and each Devil embodies distinct fears rather than being "born" from each other. Yoru’s "connection" to Gun and Tank might actually be indicating a thematic resonance, i.e., they are feared objects of dispute, not necessarily "children" of War.

Moreover, the concept that erasing the Aging Devil would somehow weaken Death is purely speculative. If doing so actually affects the concept of death, it could ironically feed into a different kind of terror - immortality without cessation. As such, Death might just grow stronger if humanity dreaded living forever or experiencing endless physical and mental decay with no release.

Lastly, Chainsaw Man has portrayed the Four Horsemen as quite powerful and self-contained. They haven't exhibited a dependence on other Devils to amplify their abilities (Yoru's case stands distinct). Death is the ultimate end, a Primal fear that likely relies on no singular concept to maintain its potency. So, even if Aging were to be erased, Death would likely continue and be largely uninhabited.