Jujutsu Kaisen: Sakurajima arc proves Maki's feelings about her actions with the Zenin Clan

One of the most exciting moments of Jujutsu Kaisen’s Culling Games saga was Maki Zenin’s unadulterated and merciless massacre of the rest of the Zenin Clan. Despite its suddenness, the event felt like something the series had been subtly working towards for a long time, given how integral the Zenin Clan’s treatment of Maki was to her character development.

Maki herself certainly seemed to revel in her actions in the immediate aftermath as well, with subsequent Jujutsu Kaisen chapters showing her calmly killing her entire family. While she doesn’t show any regret in the moment, fans suspect that she may have had at least some thoughts about having handled the situation differently.

In fact, as Jujutsu Kaisen fans now realize upon rereading the Sakurajima Colony arc, she does say as much to Noritoshi Kamo during the arc’s final scenes. While she may not say that she regrets her choice, it’s clear that she recognizes how there may have been an alternative means of resolving the situation.

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Jujutsu Kaisen’s Maki Zenin learned violence isn’t always the answer from her Zenin Clan massacre

Maki’s mindset after Zenin Clan massacre

Following the massacre of the Zenin Clan, Jujutsu Kaisen fans were ecstatic to see Maki finally break free from the curse her family had inflicted on her. While the Grade 4 Sorcerer title canonically doesn’t bother Maki, fans were always miffed at her having the title, despite being one of the strongest in the series. Given that the Zenin Clan is to be blamed for this, their ecstasy is understandable.

At first, it seemed as though Maki was satisfied as well. This was heavily indicated by the way in which she eliminated members of the Zenin Clan, as particularly seen with the murder of her father and of Naoya Zenin. While her final words with her mother suggested that she had some doubts about killing her mother specifically, most other evidence suggested Maki was satisfied with her choices.

While this was speculative at the time, fans have recently begun discussing how Jujutsu Kaisen’s Sakurajima Colony arc may confirm said speculation. A panel within sees Maki question if she made the right decision, suggesting that she should’ve talked more to figure out what her mother really was to both her and sister Mai. She even warns Noritoshi Kamo not to make the same mistakes she herself did.

As Twitter user and series fan @hizuknows (Indigo) points out, it’s the first time Maki’s personal thoughts on her actions have been shared with readers. This is emphasized by her advising Kamo not to follow the path she has taken, and also shows Maki’s maturity. Likewise, Indigo also points out how such words demonstrate Maki’s character development in the time she’s had to understand the consequences of her actions.

Likewise, it also provides some closure to the massacre section of her character arc. By establishing that she’s not just thinking about her actions but even questioning what she could’ve done differently or better, it allows the series to move on from this event smoothly.

With this, Maki is ready to move into the series’ final stages, expected to begin with the release of chapter 222 of Jujutsu Kaisen on Monday, May 14, 2023 at 12 am Japanese Standard Time.

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