Chapter 249 of Jujutsu Kaisen depicted an intense battle between Sukuna, the self-proclaimed King of Curses, and Gojo, a powerful jujutsu sorcerer dubbed the Queen of Curses by Sukuna.
Itadori has now joined the fight against Sukuna, tipping the odds in favor of the jujutsu sorcerers.
The chapter also featured a flashback to the earlier confrontation between Yuta and Kenjaku. When Yuta beheaded Kenjaku, his severed head vanished, causing Kenjaku to lose control over the cursed spirits he had manipulated.
This resulted in those dangerous spirits rampaging freely.
Fans have theorized that one particularly threatening spirit named Mahito might have escaped Kenjaku’s control at this time.
Mahito’s potential entry into the current battle could have disastrous consequences, especially as Yuta and Itadori are desperately trying to redeem the soul of their friend. The timing of Mahito’s return could upend their efforts.
The Ominous Resurgence of Mahito
In episode 22 of Jujutsu Kaisen, the climactic battle between protagonist Yuji and the villainous cursed spirit Mahito concluded with Mahito’s decisive defeat. As Yuji pursued Mahito seeking to exorcise him, they encountered the series’ master manipulator, Kenjaku.
With no other options left, Mahito attempted to attack Kenjaku, revealing his true merciless nature as a cursed spirit.
But Kenjaku dodged Mahito’s assault and then absorbed him, adding Mahito’s power to his own as part of his elaborate schemes.
Later in chapter 249, Yuta confronts Kenjaku and manages to behead him. But before Yuta can fully finish off Kenjaku, his severed head mysteriously vanishes.
This causes all of the dangerous cursed spirits that Kenjaku had collected over his long life to break free from his control. The released spirits immediately attack Yuta.
Meanwhile, the fatally injured Kenjaku passes on the authority to initiate the Culling Game ritual to Megumi, who is temporarily possessed by the spirit of Sukuna.
After transferring this power, Kenjaku is stabbed in the head by Yuta, seemingly eliminating this key antagonist at last.
Fans theorize that when Yuta decapitated Kenjaku, the dangerous cursed spirit Mahito may have been among the many malignant entities released from Kenjaku’s control.
Although likely weakened, Mahito’s innate malicious nature suggests he would seize any opportunity to sow further chaos.
Currently, Yuta and Yuji are striving to create an opening against Sukuna so they can free Megumi’s imprisoned soul and restore his human body.
However, if Mahito were to appear now, he could drastically undermine their efforts. Mahito’s signature cursed technique allows him to forcibly transform human souls into cursed spirits.
If Yuta and Yuji do finally manage to rescue Megumi, Mahito could potentially intervene and use Idle Transfiguration to warp Megumi’s soul, permanently converting him into a cursed spirit as he previously did to Junpei.
Since Megumi represents Yuji’s last remaining friend, this tragic outcome could emotionally shatter Yuji.
Mahito’s Potential Return in the Climactic Chapters of Jujutsu Kaisen
Mahito was an unregistered cursed spirit who acted as one of the main antagonists in Jujutsu Kaisen. Given his origins from humanity’s penchant for hatred and conflict, Mahito relished manipulating people and turning them against one another.
He could also employ the advanced jujutsu technique Black Flash.
Mahito’s signature cursed techniques centered on directly interfering with and reshaping human souls. For example, his Transfiguration ability allowed him to freely transform the shape and features of a person’s soul.
His other techniques like Body Repel, Soul Multiplicity, and Polymorphic Soul Isomer operated on similar principles of distorting souls for use in battle.
Mahito’s domain expansion, Self-Embodiment of Perfection, amplified his soul-based techniques even further.
By enveloping a locale in his domain, Mahito could freely modify the souls of anyone trapped inside without needing to touch them.
Given that the Jujutsu Kaisen manga is expected to conclude in 2024, the pace of the story is likely to accelerate dramatically going forward.
This lends further credibility to the disturbing theory that the villainous spirit Mahito could reappear at the worst possible moment.
With major story developments happening rapidly, longtime fans may brace themselves emotionally for some tragic twists ahead.
However, it bears emphasizing again that this remains speculative.
Predictions, no matter how plausible, are not definitive until explicitly confirmed by the source material. Readers would be wise to maintain some healthy skepticism until concrete evidence emerges one way or another.
Still, the stakes feel palpably high, and heartbreaking reversals can never be ruled out as the manga races toward its finale. Buckling up for a turbulent ride may prove prudent.