Was Nobara used as a deus ex machina in Jujutsu Kaisen? Explored

Jujutsu Kaisen might be over, but due to the story’s might, the series still generates a lot of conversations. Jujutsu Kaisen’s conversations are usually character-centered, with many fans looking back at the roles major and minor characters played. While Gege Akutami created some of the most remarkable characters manga has ever seen, he also underutilized many of these characters. One of those characters he underutilized was Nobara.

Nobara was a student of Gojo and a classmate/friend to the main characters Megumi and Itadori. She was Jujutsu Kaisen’s first prominent female character before the likes of Maki made their appearance. She played an important role for a long time in Jujutsu Kaisen, but all that changed during the Shibuya Arc.

Nobara's battle with Mahito ended with her character presumed to be dead. This was the consensus among fans who saw the damage done to her, and in the Jujutsu Kaisen world, where Yuji assumed she was dead. However, this wasn’t the case, as she made a return in the series final arc. This has led fans to ask whether Nobara was used as Deus Ex Machina.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s views and may contain spoilers.

---

What is deus ex machina and has it been used in Jujutsu Kaisen?

Yuji's survival in Jujutsu Kaisen has been a result of Deus Ex Machina (Image via Shueisha)

To understand whether Nobara was used as Deus Ex Machina, one needs to understand what the term means. Deus Ex Machina is simply an unexpected action or event that saves characters from a hopeless situation. A Deus Ex Machina can happen to any character, whether they are good or bad, they just need to be in a hopeless situation.

Deus Ex Machina has been used in fiction with the most notable examples being Fawkes the Phoenix giving Harry Potter the Gryffindor sword in Chamber of Secrets, Melisandre knowing how to revive another human in Game of Thrones, and Harry Osborne choosing to help Peter Parker in Spider-Man 3.

Anime is also not immune to Deus Ex Machinas as various anime are full of them. For example, In Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, the Baryon mode is an example of a Deus Ex Machina that was introduced to beat Isshiki. This was an ability that was never mentioned throughout the entire Narutoverse, and all of a sudden Kurama knew about it.

Another notable Deus Ex Machina in anime is in Demon Slayer. Throughout Season 1 of Demon Slayer, Tanjiro only uses one breathing technique, the Water Breathing Technique, taught by Urokodaki. During a fight with Rui, where he is pushed to the brink of death, Tanjiro suddenly remembers his father's dance, accompanied by a certain breathing style, and uses it against the demon.

Jujutsu Kaisen is also fond of Deus Ex Machina, which has been used in several cases. When Choso is about to deliver the lasting blow to Itadori, a false memory of them prevents him from doing so. Another Deus Ex Machina involves the villains reviving Toji for battle in Shibuya, giving him the ability to do whatever he wants, and saving his son's life by committing suicide after killing the people who revived him.

---

Was Nobara used as a deus ex machina?

Nobara's return was not really essential to the plot of Jujutsu Kaisen (Image via MAPPA)

Nobara’s return is both Deus Ex Machina and abysmal writing from Gege Akutami. He first uses her death as shock value and an emotional boost to help Yuji defeat Mahito. Furthermore, he heavily implies that Nobara is dead, through her last words to Yuji, and Megumi’s reaction to Itadori discussing her.

What compounds the Nobara debacle is how she appears stronger. It is implied that she has been in a coma, so her having the strength to perform Resonance on Sukuna is also an issue.

Her return doesn’t do justice to her character as fans never see her develop the way other major characters have. This is a problem seen throughout JJK. Characters that have also been given this same treatment are Todo and Toge, who were sidelined after the Shibuya arc and brought back abruptly to fight Sukuna.

---

Final Thoughts

While many view Deus Ex Machina negatively, it is not always bad. Yes, it can be a sign of lazy writing, but it could also be used to introduce a new concept to a story.

Nobara’s return in JJK might be Deus Ex Machina, but it doesn’t affect JJK's plot heavily. Sukuna’s end was certain as there was no way he was going to survive the combined might of all the sorcerers, especially after his fight with Gojo Satoru.

---