Jujutsu Kaisen Knows Sacrifice, But One Sorcerer's Death Saved the World Without Us Noticing

One of the most shocking aspects of Gege Akutami's Jujutsu Kaisen is its high sorcerer mortality rate. Throughout the story, Jujutsu sorcerers perish more frequently than cursed spirits. Even more devastating for readers and fans, these deaths often involve key or beloved characters who seemed too important to die. Given that Jujutsu sorcerers largely serve as the protagonists, the sheer frequency of their deaths places Jujutsu Kaisen in a unique category of manga.

Indeed, this grim reality aligns Jujutsu Kaisen with iconic series like Attack on Titan, Berserk, and Devilman, where mortality knows no bounds, regardless of alignment. While Jujutsu Kaisen fans may have grown accustomed to – even anticipating – the loss of beloved characters, the demise of Yuki Tsukumo remains a particularly poignant and shocking event. This incredibly powerful sorcerer, with immense potential, was tragically cut down before her legend ever lived, leaving a profound impact on the narrative and the readers.

Who is Yuki Tsumuko? The Special Grade Sorcerer Explained

One of the Series' Most Powerful Characters You've Hardly Heard of

Yuki Tsukumo was one of the rarest Jujutsu sorcerers to have ever lived, though this distinction may have gone unnoticed by many. Before becoming a full-fledged sorcerer, Yuki was discovered to be a Star Plasma Vessel – a human with a special biological composition allowing seamless integration with Master Tengen, an ancient yet immortal Jujutsu sorcerer. Master Tengen plays a crucial role in balancing Jujutsu sorcery's power dynamics. However, his immense power requires a new human host every few hundred years. Without this transfer, his abilities would become uncontrollable, posing significant threats to global stability.

Star Plasma Vessels are extremely rare and highly coveted by both allies and enemies of Master Tengen. Unlike Rika, who accepted what was essentially a sacrificial role, Yuki refused. She was deeply offended by the notion that young girls should sacrifice their lives to further Master Tengen’s evolution. To her, it was a broken tradition that desperately needed to be abolished. Yuki also grew to believe that the entire administration of the Jujutsu sorcery community was fundamentally flawed, with leaders unwilling to implement the necessary reforms. As a result, she turned away from the community, choosing to pursue her own path free from the constraints imposed by its rigid structure.

Yuki Tsukumo was not only a former Star Plasma Vessel but also a Special Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer, possessing the power to single-handedly destroy a nation. Her innate technique, known as Star Rage, allowed her to manipulate the mass of her body at will. This meant she could, for example, make her arms incredibly light for swift strikes, yet increase their density upon impact, delivering blows with the force of a mountain. Opponents faced an overwhelming barrage of punches, each strike as devastating as being hit by a colossal force.

Yuki Made the Ultimate Sacrifce in Jujutsu Kaisen

With Satoru Gojo trapped in the Prison Realm, the prominent Jujutsu sorcery clans in disarray, and the Jujutsu community's administration paralyzed, Yuki emerged as the sole "adult in the room" when Kenjaku launched the Culling Game. Despite her disagreements with the community's leaders, Yuki recognized the catastrophic threat posed by Kenjaku's violent agenda, which prioritized change over human cost. Compelled to act, she ended her self-imposed exile and joined forces with Master Tengen to stop Kenjaku's destructive plans once and for all.

Their plan was nothing short of ingenious. The battle began with Choso —Kenjaku's son— taking the lead. The goal was to make Kenjaku believe Choso was his sole opponent and, in doing so, provoke him into revealing the full extent of his Cursed Technique. Once achieved, Yuki joined the fight, starting with a simple Domain Expansion rather than her more powerful innate Domain Expansion. This strategy aimed to bait Kenjaku into deploying his own innate Domain Expansion, which would force him to expend a significant amount of cursed energy. At that critical moment, Master Tengen would analyze and dispel Kenjaku's Domain Expansion, creating the perfect opening for Yuki to deliver a decisive blow.

Kenjaku's Domain presented a unique challenge. Unlike most Domains, which create a confined space where the user's innate technique reigns supreme, Kenjaku's allowed him to utilize his gravity-manipulating technique across a vast and unrestricted area. This effectively negated Yuki's ability to manipulate her own mass, as Kenjaku's gravity interference hindered her control. Despite inflicting damage on Kenjaku, she sustained significant injuries in the ensuing struggle.

Recognizing the danger, Choso attempted to rejoin the fight, but Yuki, in a selfless act, intervened. Working in tandem with Tengen, she ensured Choso's escape from the battlefield, sacrificing herself in the process. This ultimate act of courage provided Choso with the crucial time needed to escape and continue the fight another day. Crucially, Choso's own sacrifice in the final battle against Sukuna allowed Yuji to survive and ultimately claim victory.

Why Many Fans Believe That Yuki's Sacrifice Was a Waste

From a fan's perspective, Yuki's sacrifice felt wasteful on multiple levels. Most notably, it prematurely eliminated one of the story's most intriguing characters, leaving fans with unanswered questions about her. As a contemporary of Gojo and Geto, albeit slightly older, Yuki has always been one of the world's most powerful sorcerers. Her knowledge of pivotal events, such as Riko Amanai's assassination, was hinted at – she even spoke with Geto shortly after, potentially influencing his descent into darkness. Furthermore, her battle with Kenjaku subtly suggested she might surpass Gojo's abilities. Unfortunately, these threads were left unexplored, denying fans a deeper understanding of Yuki's character.

Choso, this is where you died a curse so you must live this time as a human. - Yuki Tsukumo

Second, as revealed in Chapter #205, Yuki's selfless sacrifice aimed to spare Choso from rejoining the battle, granting him the chance to finally experience humanity. Initially, this sacrifice seemed justified, but -as noted by @Darkcroos on the JuJutsuKaisen subReddit thread - its impact was ultimately undone when Choso fell to Sukuna's Divine Flames technique in Chapter #259's Shinjuku Showdown arc while protecting Yuji Itadori. The poignancy of Choso's death and Yuki's sacrifice lies in their conversation in Chapter #209, where Yuki understood Choso's desire for humanity stemmed from his wish to support Yuji in becoming the best sorcerer and person possible.

On one hand, some fans —like @Darkcroos— argue that Yuki's sacrifice was ultimately meaningless. Her premature death squandered the opportunity to face Sukuna or potentially challenge Kenjaku again in the final battle. Engaging Kenjaku at that moment not only failed to derail his plans but may have even accelerated them. Her death removed a major threat and allowed Kenjaku to seize control of Master Tengen. Had Yuki waited, the argument goes, she might have achieved greater success by joining forces with the other sorcerers. The sheer devastation of a Gojo-Yuki tag team is almost unimaginable — a combination that even Kenjaku or Sukuna would have struggled to counter. The waste is that fans will never see that played out in the story.

More realistically, Yuki's sacrifice was an act of legendary heroism. It provided Yuji, Yuta, and the other sorcerers with crucial time to devise a plan to free Gojo. Furthermore, it granted Choso precious time with Yuji, ultimately enabling him to save the individual who would eventually defeat Sukuna. Despite the profound impact of her sacrifice, her contribution remains largely unacknowledged within the Jujutsu Kaisen universe and even among many fans. This tragic reality underscores the ultimate waste of Yuki Tsukumo's immense potential. She died far too soon and senselessly, a loss that continues to reverberate throughout Jujutsu Kaisen fandom.

Sources: @Darkcroos