Jujutsu Kaisen: Why Maki should be the one to defeat Sukuna, explored through their character arcs so far

Jujutsu Kaisen has turned out to be one of the most beloved series in recent years. Mangaka Gege Akutami's creation has garnered immense popularity in the manga and anime communities alike. Recent developments in the manga have riled up readers with Maki and Sukuna’s ongoing showdown following the epic confrontation between Yuji and Yuta against the King of Curses.

The latest manga chapter 253 sees Maki Zen’in taking center stage in the struggle against this formidable adversary. She showcases her overpowering strength by putting up an even more impressive fight than all the previous challengers who faced Sukuna. As seen in the narrative of chapter 253, Maki's exceptional skills are acknowledged by Sukuna himself.

This brings up the debate among fans as to why Maki Zen’in should be the one to ultimately defeat Sukuna, and how the narrative itself supports this notion.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Jujutsu Kaisen manga.

Understanding why Maki holds the most potential to bring down Sukuna in Jujutsu Kaisen

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Maki Zen’in, as Jujutsu Kaisen fans are well aware, is an anomaly within the Jujutsu society, much like Toji Zen’in before her. Both Maki and Toji achieved remarkable heights in a manner that defies the conventional way of jujutsu, using the power of Heavenly Restrictions instead.

The strength, perception, and superhuman physical abilities they acquired through restrictions are unparalleled, capable of rivaling even the strongest of jujutsu sorcerers such as Satoru Gojo or Sukuna.

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Whether it's Toji's epic confrontation with Gojo or Maki's ongoing battle with Sukuna, these Zen’in anomalies consistently demonstrate the power of restrictions through their extraordinary displays of strength. Being anomalies, both Maki and Toji possess formidable inhuman strength despite lacking any trace of Cursed Energy.

Their existence serves as a stark contrast to the norms of jujutsu society and sorcery itself. This unique aspect is a compelling reason why Maki, above all others, should be the one to defeat Sukuna, the strongest jujutsu user.

The contrast between Sukuna and Maki: Sorcery vs. Power of Restrictions

Maki vs. Sukuna in chapter 253 (Image via Akutami Gege/Shueisha)

As seen in the latest Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 253, Sukuna himself acknowledges Maki as an anomaly who challenges the fundamentals of sorcery. Prior to facing Maki, Sukuna fought a number of talented sorcerers of exceptional skill, including Satoru Gojo, Hajime Kashimo, Hiromi Higuruma, and Yuta Okkotsu.

However, Sukuna finds Maki, someone who has forsaken jujutsu and chosen a path to acquiring strength only through Heavenly Restrictions, particularly intriguing. Maki's decision to forsake traditional jujutsu and pursue strength solely through Heavenly Restrictions piqued Sukuna's interest.

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He sees Maki as someone who has stripped away everything else to focus solely on gaining strength, ultimately becoming what he describes as a "True Void." In Sukuna's own words, if jujutsu is based on flesh and blood, then Maki embodies bone and marrow, drifting from the traditional foundations of sorcery.

Maki and Toji both defied their expected fate through Heavenly Restrictions. Being born with minimal Cursed Energy, their destiny, as per the jujutsu society, was not to stand among the powerful ones. Despite that, both of them changed their destinies by completely eliminating all Cursed Energy from their bodies.

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This not only rejected the foundation of sorcery but also granted them superhuman strength. As such, they hold the ability to alter or even destroy their destinies. Therefore, if Sukuna is destined to become the strongest of all sorcerers, Maki should possess the ability to alter that fate.

Moreover, given that Sukuna stands as the epitome of sorcery, Maki's powers, derived from rejecting sorcery, naturally oppose him and his principles. Consequently, she becomes a natural prey for the King of Curses, much like the clash between Yuji and Mahito, whose principles and ideologies were at odds.

Thus, the clash between Maki and Sukuna stands as a critical moment in Jujutsu Kaisen's narrative, which would determine the superiority between sorcery and Heavenly Restrictions.

Narrative developments in chapter 253 support why Maki should be the one to defeat Sukuna

Maki and Sukuna in Jujutsu Kaisen (Image via Akutami Gege/Shueisha)

In Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 253, the narrative focuses on Maki Zen’in’s intense faceoff with the King of Curses, Ryomen Sukuna, following her surprise attack on him in the previous chapter. This ambush was made possible through careful planning on their part, as well as Yuta Okkotsu's decisive actions, but it was ultimately Maki who executed the offense with remarkable precision.

Despite facing Kasukabe and Ino alongside Maki in chapter 253 of Jujutsu Kaisen, Sukuna singles out Maki as his primary target for the aforementioned reasons. As Sukuna himself acknowledged, Maki is the first to present him with something to prove – which is worth honing to acquire strength, flesh, or jujutsu.

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Therefore, Maki defeating Sukuna would not only demonstrate that sorcery isn't inherently superior, but also showcase the immense power that can be attained through properly honing the physical body.

This pivotal moment in the plot could potentially advance the jujutsu society toward the goal of completely removing Cursed Energy from humanity, an idea Yuki Tsukumo envisioned to free humanity from Cursed Spirits.