Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 253: Did Sukuna defeat Maki? Explained

Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 253 has recently been leaked, and most of the chapter is focused on the battle between Ryomen Sukuna and Maki Zen'in. While it is true that Maki is a fan-favorite in the community, there were not a lot of expectations regarding her going up against Sukuna, with the King of Curses making quick work of the last remaining Zen'in.

Furthermore, Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 253 ended with a cliffhanger, leaving readers uncertain of whether Sukuna fully defeated Maki or not. Of course, the events in the chapter seem to indicate Maki was defeated. However, there wasn't a panel showing her body after being hit by Sukuna's Black Flash, which has even led to discussions about her current state of affairs.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 253. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda.

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Explaining if Ryomen Sukuna defeated Maki Zen'in in Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 253

Everything in Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 253 seems to suggest that Sukuna defeated Maki. However, that was only confirmed by Kusakabe, and there haven't been any panels showing her current state of affairs. However, it would make a lot of sense considering the difference in power between Maki and Sukuna and how the latter hit the former with a Black Flash, which should be enough to defeat and even kill her.

There is also the angle that Maki should be durable and resistant enough to withstand a Black Flash, even if it was Sukuna dealing with it. After all, she has a Heavenly Restriction, which means that her body is a lot stronger than normal, and that could help in this situation, although the manga has not been very clear in that regard.

Another counterpoint could be that Sukuna has returned to his best after the effects of the Black Flash, which means that his attack was even stronger than usual. The final pages of the manga seem to suggest that he has moved away from where Maki is, which wouldn't make sense if she wasn't defeated, especially considering that Sukuna would have checked to see if she is dead. Hence, there is no confirmation of Maki's state.

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What can happen in the upcoming chapters?

Kusakabe, Sukuna, and Maki in the anime (Image via MAPPA)

Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 253 ended with a notorious cliffhanger in the sense that there is no clear confirmation of Maki's state after being hit by a Black Flash and the fact that Kusakabe is the last man standing against Sukuna. This could play out in many ways, especially considering how other sorcerers seem to be removed from the battlefield.

Kusakabe's running gag of him being scared to fight and trying to run away is probably going to remain intact, and there is a chance that people like Yuji Itadori, Choso, and Yuta Okkotsu are going to come back to the battlefield after being healed. There is also the angle of the battle between Uraume and Kinji Hakari, which hasn't been resolved.

If Maki has not been killed yet, there is also the possibility that the focus could turn back to her and then step in to aid Kusakabe. The next chapter has the potential to explore many different directions.

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Final thoughts

Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 253 seems to have suggested that Ryomen Sukuna has defeated Maki Zen'in after hitting the latter with a Black Flash. However, there is no confirmation of Maki's state, and only Kusakabe mentions her being defeated in the story. This could be his point of view rather than a confirmed fact.

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