Fumiko may actually be the Death Devil, and Chainsaw Man chapter 189 completes the theory

Chainsaw Man chapter 189 serves as another nail-biting addition to the main narrative. With all due respect to the battle between the Aging Devil and Denji/Chainsaw Man, Asa Mitaka/Yoru, and Hirofumi Yoshida/Octopus Devil, all eyes are now on Fumiko Mifune. A second Fumiko appearing in the chapter has thrown the fandom a buzz, which has led to massive speculation.

Even prior to Fumiko's mysterious character, a number of theories had been formed about her true identity. Now, with chapter 189, a recent theory emerges that convincingly labels her as the Death Devil. It draws inferences from Fumiko's double appearance, past scenes involving Fumiko, and her overall bipolar behavior in the series.

Disclaimer: This article is speculative in nature.

Chainsaw Man chapter 189 might finally place Fumiko as the Death Devil

Diving straight in, this theory surfaces after the events of Chainsaw Man chapter 189 take place. Specifically, it builds on the presence of Fumiko's double. To begin with, it refuses the speculations that Fumiko is hallucinating or that this is some sort of Devil power. It begins by establishing that Fumiko is clearly not human, and given the double, the "first" one is subservient to the "second."

It backs this by stating that the "first" Fumiko, despite lying on the floor on the verge of death, seemingly obeys the "second" to side with the likely winner. Considering the present scenario, that is not something she would normally do. Again, the theory pushes that each Fumiko has a different personality, similar to what Asa and Yoru have.

The real Fumiko is the one dying in Chainsaw Man chapter 189, and the second is the Devil possessing her. Fumiko mirrors Asa and Yoru's encounter, breathing her last and promising herself to side with the likely winner. Asa wished she could have been more selfish, thus unknowingly contracting with Yoru. Similarly, Asa and Yoru seem like partners, but reality speaks otherwise.

The two Fumikos in Chainsaw Man chapter 189 (Image via Viz Media)

To put it plainly, Yoru clearly holds the authority in their arrangement and plays the "trust" card to bring Asa back in line (like when she destroyed Asa's city). The theory then proceeds to further evidence of Fumiko sharing her body with Death via the Ear and Mouth Devil incident and her overall behavior. For Ear and Mouth, Public Safety had seemingly worked backward for "EAR" despite being erased.

Just as Yoru was instinctively able to tell something was amiss when Pochita consumed the Ear Devil, Fumiko did too, visibly sweating. Even when Mouth was erased, Fumiko realized it. This only happens in the story (so far) if one is a Horseman or Primal Devil. Thus, this points to Fumiko being Death's host. Again, Fumiko's behavior throughout the story has been unpredictable.

At one point, she puts on a cold, non-concerned face. The next minute, she behaves normally and reasonably before suddenly switching back to being odd. Such can be seen when she first claims to be a Chainsaw Man fan, then a Denji fan, and finally a Chainsaw Man fan once more. So, if Fumiko's case is akin to Asa/Yoru, her behavior makes more sense.

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She behaves as if she has two distinct personalities because she likely does. The theory lines it up with Asa/Yoru, adding that the difference is that fans never receive Fumiko's perspective. To the characters in the story, Asa appears as a teenage girl who suddenly morphs into an acrobatic killing machine. However, to the readers, it makes sense, as the story shows her perspective.

So, to conclude, the theory ties all this in by reiterating that Fumiko shares an Asa/Yoru-esque bond with Death. Death likely contracted with Fumiko in a dire situation and took over, thus even gaining access to her memories. Furthermore, Death had been pulling the strings to use Fumiko to cement her victory when the apocalypse came.

Lastly, as she was in control, Death didn't seem concerned about Fumiko dying in Chainsaw Man chapter 189 (losing her innards to the Aging Devil). In other words, Fumiko can't die unless Death allows her to.

In conclusion

All in all, the theory stemming from Chainsaw Man chapter 189 is a very plausible one. It carefully explains almost all of Fumiko's mysterious points so far. This isn't the first bit of speculation labeling Fumiko as the Death Devil, and it is definitely not the last, either. However, this one in particular holds substantial backing to evidence the claims made.

In truth, Fumiko could very well be Death's host, similar to Asa/Yoru. After all, it is unknown exactly what Asa/Yoru is in terms of being a Hybrid, a Fiend, etc. Death contracting with Fumiko could be fitting as it would be highly unexpected. Further, as more theories form, it becomes increasingly evident that Fumiko wasn't hallucinating in Chainsaw Man chapter 189 about a body double and there be something more sinister at work.