Summary
- Kenjaku's unexpected defeat opens up the possibility of finally unraveling the mystery behind Yuji's mother, Kaori.
- Kenjaku's backup plan may involve using Yuji as a vessel for his own return, and it sheds light on his lifelong interest in human-curse hybrids.
- The death of Kenjaku presents an opportunity for Jujutsu Kaisen to dive deeper into Yuji's past and origins, which has been a major point of intrigue in the series.
Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Jujutsu Kaisen #243The unexpected defeat of Kenjaku in Jujutsu Kaisen, and his cryptic final words, could be the chance for the series to finally explain the mystery of Yuji's mother, Kaori. Whatever one might think of Kenjaku's morality, sinfulness, and genocidal tendencies, there's no denying he is a genius planner and manipulator, and his final scheme may involve Yuji himself.
Kenjaku's sudden death at the hands of Yuta Okkotsu caught the Jujutsu Kaisen fan community off guard. Even those who detested him felt that his "end" was more than a little anticlimactic. Indeed, the fans - much like Kenjaku - were so caught up in the zany, and oftentimes confusing comedy skit story with Takaba that they failed to foresee the conclusion of that battle.
However, as the saying goes, evil never truly dies, and as Kenjaku hinted with his final words, he may have a backup plan. While it lessens the shock finality of his demise, it should not be surprising: outside a few setbacks, Kenjaku has orchestrated his centuries-long plan to near perfection.
Kenjaku's Backup Plan May Be His "Son", Yuji
Kenjaku Has Had A Lifelong Interest In Human-Curse Hybrids
There are a lot of theories as to what plans Kenjaku has cooked up - from taking over Gojo's body to reanimating Takaba. However, based on the wording of his dying statement, it seems more likely that his plan involves something a bit more personal. If this turns out to be true, it solves one of the story's most confusing mysteries by answering the question of if, and why, Kenjaku really took possession of Kaori Itadori, got pregnant, and then gave birth to Yuji. A popular theory concerning this is that Kenjaku, having made a binding contract with Sukuna hundreds of years prior, birthed Yuji to prepare a vessel for Sukuna's return. But it makes even more sense that he did so to prepare a vessel for his own return if he should ever need it.
A plan involving Yuji as Kenjaku's offspring also gives context to his experimentation back in the 1800s. This was done to satisfy his interest in a human woman bearing a human-curse child. The results of those experiments produced the Death Painting Wombs which when consumed by a person, transform into hybrid beings who look identical to humans but are actually cursed spirits. Choso - who calls Kenjaku his father - is the last known remaining Death Painting Womb. "ing on his will" must then involve the only other person with a genetic connection to Kenjaku.
Jujutsu Kaisen Will Finally Address Yuji's Past And Origins
Even assuming that Kenjaku's contingency plan involves Yuji, it is unclear what the plan entails. Clearly, it won't involve him swapping brains as is his customary way to stay alive - Yuta will certainly see to it that the brain ends with Kenjaku. Perhaps Kenjaku implanted or genetically transferred "his will" - whatever that is - into Yuji such that, under certain conditions, it will manifest and take possession of him. Another possibility is that Yuji will be made to ingest a part of Kenjaku, much like he swallowed Sukuna's finger. Still further, there's the possibility of spiritual transference, an ability that Kenjaku has shown interest in previously.
The mystery of Kaori Itadori has always been one of the most intriguing ones in the series. The unexpected development of Kenjaku's death gives Jujutsu Kaisen the chance to finally address the past of its protagonist Yuji, so fans can truly look forward to how the story will develop.
Jujutsu Kaisen is available from Viz Media and Manga Plus.
