Makima's speech is finally elaborated on in Chainsaw Man chapter 185

Modified Dec 16, 2024 10:07 GMT

Makima's speech is finally elaborated on in Chainsaw Man chapter 185 (Image via MAPPA Studios)

With the official release of Chainsaw Man chapter 185 earlier this week, fans saw the opening stages of Denji’s plan play out in as shocking and unpredictable a fashion as was expected. Although his plan for escape isn’t fully completed yet, it’s clear that the next step forward is in Pochita’s hands as he heads to fight the Aging Devil once again.

However, Chainsaw Man chapter 185 also saw Aging Devil speak with Denji throughout its early issues, revealing some significant lore and worldbuilding information resultantly. What’s particularly significant about these revelations is the relevance they seem to have to one of Control Devil Makima’s most infamous speeches in part 1.

Chainsaw Man chapter 185 introduces the first of the Four Conclusion Devils Makima once mentioned

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In Chainsaw Man chapter 185, fans see the Aging Devil explain the rules of its world to Denji. It claims it added no exit to the world, furthering that every tree in it was once a human who wanted to escape. However, Aging reveals that it isn’t responsible for humans turning into trees here, asserting that it’s the result of “a mechanism innate to humans.” He theorizes that “when they reach the culmination of thought, they turn into trees.”

Immediately, this brings to mind Control Devil Makima’s words to Kishibe during chapter 84. Here, she explains Pochita’s powers of erasure to Kishibe, further proving her point by naming concepts like Nazis and World War II, which Kishibe should be familiar with, but isn’t. She continues naming Devils either by name or concept, eventually referencing “four possible conclusions other than death at the end of living beings’ life spans.”

With this in mind, Chainsaw Man chapter 185 is clearly giving fans their first look at one of these four possible conclusions, which were erased by Pochita pre-series. Further supporting this interpretation is the fact that human blood and intestines burst out of the tree Denji chopped down. The presence of such human anatomical features would suggest that this transformation into a tree isn’t death, but another path life can take after a certain point.

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While obviously significant for expanding on a key lore/worldbuilding point, this reveal in and of itself may speak to what one of the other conclusions could be. Chapter 181 saw the Devil Hunter whom Asa Mitaka and War Devil Yoru first met in Aging’s world explain that there were other humans there, but they had lost their minds. It’s possible that this insanity is one of the remaining three other conclusions, representing a spiritual death rather than a physical one.

However, this is purely speculative, with no significant evidence speaking to this otherwise. That being said, it is clear that Chainsaw Man chapter 185 reveals this tree transformation as one of the four ultimate fates living creatures once had laid out before them. While certainly possible that another of these four is revealed before Denji and Asa/Yoru leave Aging Devil’s world, this is purely speculative at this time.

Final thoughts

Makima's words could be further elaborated on in the weeks and chapters to come (Image via MAPPA Studios)

While certainly one of the more subtle aspects of chapter 185, such a reveal is nevertheless exciting. Likewise, it also teases additional expansion on Makima’s words in the near future, especially with Pochita set to fight again and potentially free other Devils during the battle. However, it’ll be some time before fans know what’s next for the series, with Fujimoto taking a one-week break before returning on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, in Japan.