The recent release of Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 episode 17, has set the anime community abuzz with one of the most epic showdowns of the series finally being animated. All thanks to mangaka Akutami Gege and Mappa’s talented animators for delivering these outstanding fight sequences that have truly enriched the anime universe.
Fans are thrilled to witness the big bad antagonist of the series, the King of Curses Sukuna, taking center stage in the latest episodes. As the intense face-off between Sukuna and Mahoraga concludes in Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 episode 17, viewers are left speculating about the lasting consequences it might have on Megumi Fushiguro’s strongest shinigami.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from Jujutsu Kaisen manga.
What happens to Mahoraga in Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 episode 17?
Mahoraga, otherwise known as the Eight-Handled Sword Divergent Sila Divine General Mahoraga, stands as one of the ten shikigamis within the Ten Shadows Technique, a hereditary technique that only a few of the Zen’in Clan members inherit. Presently, Megumi Fushiguro is the sole user of this rare Cursed Technique.
Mahoraga is an immensely powerful shinigami, making controlling it an extremely challenging. Throughout the history of the Zen’in Clan, no Ten Shadow Techniques users have succeeded in taming and commanding Mahoraga, and so far in the series, it’s the same for Megumi.
Does Mahoraga die in its battle against Sukuna?
In Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 episode 17, the sensational showdown between Mahoraga and Sukuna unfolds during the Shibuya Arc. Undoubtedly, this stands as one of the most thrilling fight scenes in the entire series (it comes closely after the Gojo vs Sukuna battle that takes place later in the story).
At the onset of the fight, Sukuna engages Mahoraga, where he eventually understands the true nature of shikigami’s powers and the function of its wheel.
Intrigued by this revelation, Sukuna uses his Domain Expansion, the Malevolent Shrine that employs both Fillet and Dismantle Cursed Techniques to slash through all living and non-living objects within the domain’s set range. However, realizing that the Divine General has adapted to his slashes, Sukuna understands that his Domain alone won’t be sufficient to defeat this formidable shikigami.
Hence, he employs his fire Cursed Technique (yes, the same one he used in defeating Jogo!), the fire arrow (Fuuga/open as mentioned by Sukuna in Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 episode 17), to disintegrate Mahoraga instantly before it can adapt. Post-battle, all that remains of Mahoraga is its wheel, which, upon falling to the ground, turns into a substance resembling dark sludge.
What fate awaits Mahoraga?
This battle’s aftermath leaves the viewers pondering - does Mahoraga die? What is the fate of the uncontrollable, invincible Shikigami after getting a taste of defeat at the hands of the King of Curses? The answer is no; Mahoraga does not meet its end in Shibuya.
Following Sukuna’s understanding of Mahoraga’s technique in Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 episode 17, he finds a way to defeat Gojo. The Divine General makes a comeback later in the story. In chapter 229 of the manga, during Sukuna’s face-off with Gojo, Sukuna, after acquiring Megumi’s body, summons Mahoraga.
Thoughts on how Mahoraga survived the battle with Sukuna
During the Sukuna vs. Gojo showdown, Mahoraga gets blasted off by Gojo’s Cursed Technique Purple, leaving behind the wheel, which appears to be disintegrating. Yet, this wasn’t the outcome after its battle with Sukuna, where the wheel transformed into a black gooey substance, possibly indicating its return to the shadow.
Two possibilities emerge from this observation: either one of the untamed shikigamis, when exorcised by someone other than the Ten Shadows user, returns into the shadows, or it could be that Sukuna, realizing Mahoraga’s usefulness in defeating Gojo, only partially exorcised it during their Shibuya battle as shown in Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 episode 17.
Thus, while Mahoraga survived against Sukuna, it can be assumed that after encountering Gojo’s hollow purple, the shikigami won’t make another comeback.