Tengen could have gotten his Demon Slayer mark, and Gyutaro's poison stopped him

Modified Jun 14, 2024 10:30 GMT

Fan theory explains why Tengen Uzui couldn't activate his Demon Slayer Mark (Image via Ufotable)

Tengen Uzui from the Demon Slayer series became a major topic of discussion upon his return to the show for what would be his final appearance. The former Sound Hashira decided to retire from the Corps after losing an arm and sustaining injuries from his fight against Gyutaro and Daki. His role in defeating the Upper Moon 6 demons was crucial, yet he decided to retire, valuing time with his wives over risking his life further.

During that fight, Tengen Uzui was far stronger than Tanjiro. However, the latter managed to activate the Demon Slayer Mark, while Tengen Uzui failed to do so. This was quite surprising, and fans decided to break down this fight to understand why this was the case. There is one theory that attempts to explain why Tengen Uzui could not awaken the Mark.

The crux of the theory revolves around the circumstances in which Tengen had to fight. These circumstances were affected by the Upper Moon demon’s ability to use poison through their Blood Demon Art.

Disclaimer: This article contains the writer's opinion. Reader's discretion is advised.

Fan theory explains why Tengen Uzui couldn’t awaken his Demon Slayer Mark

Tengen Uzui as seen in the anime series (Image via Ufotable)

As stated earlier, one of the primary reasons Tengen Uzui couldn’t awaken his Mark was due to the circumstances of the fight. The opponent was such that he utilized poison, which was mixed in his blood. This could later be solidified and used as projectiles and weapons that could kill human beings with just a scratch.

Uzui couldn’t dodge every single attack that Gyutaro threw at him. Naturally, the poison was being circulated in Tengen’s body, which he attempted to slow down as much as he could.

To slow down the circulation of the poison, Tengen needed to lower his heart rate. While this may have prolonged the effects of the poison, it certainly stopped him from reaching his true potential. One of the conditions for accessing the Mark is increasing the heart rate to over 200 beats per minute. Other such factors include raising one’s body temperature to over 102 degrees Fahrenheit.

Gyutaro as seen in the anime series (Image via Ufotable)

These conditions could kill a person. However, the ones that manage to survive in these situations unlock the Mark and gain access to powers that would turn the tides against a demon. If Gyutaro’s poison wasn’t inside Tengen’s body, there is a very high chance that the former Sound Hahsira could have unlocked the Mark in that fight.

Given that he had years’ worth of shinobi training, his physical conditioning was unmatched. He was also one of the quickest Hashiras in the organization. He had enough talent to unlock the Mark. However, the conditions weren’t met, which is why Tengen Uzui couldn’t access the Mark. This fan theory circulating online is one of the most plausible explanations for Tengen Uzui's failure to activate the Mark.

Stay tuned for more anime and manga news as 2024 progresses.

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