With the Jujutsu Kaisen manga created by Gege Akutami ending in less than a week (at the time of this writing) and only a chapter left, there are still plenty of unanswered questions. However, the final chapter must answer one burning question to give the series a proper ending.
Why Did Yuji Master Black Flash?
At the center of almost every single climactic battle involving Yuji Itadori is the technique known as “Black Flash.” The move was introduced early on in the series as a phenomenon that can occur during combat. Black Flash happens when cursed energy is applied to a physical attack within “one-millionth” of a second. When a strike as rare as this is achieved, cursed energy, which is usually displayed as blue in the anime, turns black, and the destructive power is increased exponentially. This ability is considered one of the most powerful in Jujutsu Sorcery. However, as the Jujutsu Kaisen manga clearly states, it cannot be done at will.
The rules behind Black Flash make Yuji’s mastery of it all the more impressive (and confusing). The manga has even gone so far as to state that Satrou Gojo, the strongest sorcerer of the modern day, cannot do it at will and doesn’t fully understand the phenomenon himself despite being blessed by the six-eyes, which allow him to see cursed energy in its purest form. While the technique is hardly used by most characters in Jujutsu Kaisen, the Black Flash move seems natural to Yuji Itadori in the most intense fights he’s had in the series. So, why is that? What about Yuji makes Black Flash seem natural to the character?
Jujutsu Kaisen and the Mystery of Black Flash
One of the first instances in which Itadori uses Black Flash is during the Kyoto Goodwill Event, where he and Aoi Todo face off against the Special Grade Cursed Spirit Hanami. This was one of Yuji’s first big fights in the series, where Todo talked him through harnessing cursed energy throughout his body. The fact that Yuji was able to achieve the mysterious ability without much practice shows how there is something special about Yuji’s body and heritage, as hinted at at the beginning of the series when he ate Sukuna’s finger and was able to keep the King of Curses trapped in his body.
Still, despite the explanations that would come later towards the end of the series, it was never revealed why Yuji Itadori could seemingly use Black Flash at will whenever the need arose. Jujutsu Kaisen, much like Bleach (one of the manga that deeply inspired JJK), is an incredibly spiritual story that personifies abstract concepts and makes it almost seem divine in the case of Black Flash. This is especially evident in The Shibuya Incident arc, the next big story beat for Yuji that would deepen the mythos behind the mysterious technique.
Related: It Feels Like Jujutsu Kaisen Is Ending Too Soon
Why Was Yuji Itadori Chosen By the Black Sparks?
At the climax of the Shibuya Incident arc, Yuji would face off against the Special Grade Cursed Spirit Mahito for the final time. Having broken Yuji’s spirit by seemingly killing Nobara Kugisaki, Mahito is able to hit a Black Flash against Yuji. With this instance, it’s reinforced that the phenomenon known as Black Flash is indiscriminate in who it “chooses.” Yuji was previously mentioned as being “chosen” by the “black sparks” in Jujutsu Kaisen, giving the move a sort of spiritual personification. Eventually, Yuji bounces back from his suffering and returns the favor with Black Flashes of his own, defeating and nearly killing Mahito.
Once again, in yet another climactic end to another story arc, Yuji Itadori is said to have been chosen by the black spark. The word choice feels too intentional for it not to be answered later in the story. Why has Yuji Itadori been chosen by this mysterious force of nature in the world of Jujutsu Sorcery? What is it, besides his incredible physical prowess, that allows him to use the move when he needs it most? The closest thing we get to an answer is in the final battle against Sukuna.
In the final arc of the series, Shinjuku Showdown, every Jujutsu Sorcerer joins the fray in an attempt to kill the King of Curses. In the process, Sukuna shows mastery over cursed energy by hitting Black Flash after Black Flash, incapacitating multiple fighters, such as Maki, Todo, Miguel, and others. However, once again, Yuji is called “blessed” as he hits nine Black Flashes on Sukuna. Here, the King of Curses notes that Yuji seems to be doing this “at will,” which confounds Sukuna, who eventually falls to Yuji’s fist while he is in Itadori’s Domain Expansion.
After this final battle, the last few chapters of Jujutsu Kaisen mostly expounded on what went right and wrong in the cast’s plan to defeat Sukuna. There’s been self-reflection regarding what more could have been done to make the fight more efficient. In all the pondering and exposition-filled dialogue, Yuji’s record amount of consecutive Black Flashes has not been brought up. However, there’s still a chance that the last chapter of the series can rectify this and give Jujutsu Kaisen a proper ending.
The penultimate chapter of the series teased the central trio of Itadori, Megumi, and Kugisaki going on another Jujutsu High mission. The ending feels like it is headed toward a low-key and subtle approach, ending things not with a giant battle against Sukuna but with a low-stakes mission that feels like a call back to the camaraderie and calm at the beginning of the series. If Gege Akutami can somehow implement another fight, there’s a chance Yuji can demonstrate Black Flash one more time and have our characters or an unnamed narrator explain what exactly it is about Yuji, both mentally and physically, that makes him the character chosen to use Black Flash at will.
Jujutsu Kaisen has had a phenomenal run, but in this writer’s opinion, the lingering mystery surrounding Black Flash and Yuji Itadori’s excellence at using it must be addressed to help properly end the story and do justice to the character at the center of it all.
Jujutsu Kaisen is available to read on VIZ and other platforms.
Published: Sep 24, 2024 07:38 am