Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 251 probably dashes all hopes of Nobara's return

Nobara's return has been discussed by fans since she was seemingly killed in the Shibuya Incident Arc but Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 251 has probably dashed all hopes. While the character of Nobara wasn't addressed throughout the chapter, there was a little moment that ended a lot of theories that people had regarding how she could come back in a somewhat logical way.

Furthermore, the way the story is going in Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 251, there is also a strong argument to be made that Nobara's return will not happen, and truth be told, it is probably for the best. Her character has been loved by a lot of fans in the series but she has been absent for so long that it would be better for the fandom to accept her absence.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 251 and the series as a whole. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda.

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Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 251 has probably ended any hopes of Nobara's return

Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 251 started with Yuta Okkotsu using Cleave against Ryomen Sukuna, only for the former to point out that the latter ate his final finger during the month between Satoru Gojo's return and this battle. It was only a panel in the opening pages but it was enough for a lot of fans to abandon their theories regarding Nobara's return.

A theory held by a lot of people was that Nobara was holding Sukuna's last finger and that she was going to use her Resonance Cursed Technique to wound him from a hidden position. Furthermore, this theory suggested that she remained hidden so when she was "killed" in Shibuya, Sukuna in Yuji Itadori's body wouldn't be aware of her existence and hurt him without any issue.

However, now that there has been a revelation that Sukuna has probably eaten his last remaining finger, it means that Nobara's return will not happen. There is a strong argument to be made that it is too late for the character to make a comeback in the story, and even if she did, it would feel unreal and hurt the story as a whole.

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Nobara's return and her role in the story

Nobara as seen in the anime (Image via MAPPA)

Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 251 has probably confirmed that Nobara will not be returning, something that was never going to happen anyway. Author Gege Akutami has been known for having a lot of casualties in this series and there hasn't been any instance of characters coming back from the dead after being taken out for so long.

Furthermore, there is also the argument that Nobara Kugisaki's coming back to the series would do a lot of damage to the manga. She was one of the most prominent deaths in the series but her coming back would feel like a cop-out. This would cheapen a lot of the story's themes of having a lot of casualties to make the plot feel more realistic.

If anything, perhaps the biggest criticism would be that Nobara was wasted as a character, which could be the cause of a lot of fans wanting her to return. There is the perception that Nobara could have had a much more prominent role in the story but she was ultimately wasted and her journey in the series didn't have connections with the main storyline.

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Final thoughts

Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 251 has probably confirmed that Nobara will not return to the series. Yuta Okkotsu pointed out that Ryomen Sukuna had probably eaten his last remaining finger, thus ending the theory that Nobara was hidden to hurt him through said finger with her Resonance Cursed Technique.

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UPDATE: Chapter 267 of the Jujutsu Kaisen manga has finally revealed that Nobara is alive. Her return marks a decisive turn in the fight against Sukuna. She effectively helps Yuji in changing the tide of the battle and gaining the upper hand. Nobara fans were overjoyed with her return, although only a few chapters are left for the series finale.