Mahito's final attack on Kenjaku makes more sense than Jujutsu Kaisen fans think

Jujutsu Kaisen fans still have debates regarding what Mahito's thought process was during his final moments in the Shibuya Incident arc when he decided to attack Kenjaku. That is because the Curse was greatly weakened after having fought the likes of Yuji Itadori and Aoi Todo, and wouldn't have much of a difference, but the real reason is that he simply was desperate.

Mahito knew that the writing was on the wall for him when Kenjaku betrayed him in Jujutsu Kaisen and made a last-ditch effort to save his life, but that didn't prove to be the case. While his use of Idle Transfiguration on the centuries-old sorcerer would have given him a chance to escape from Shibuya, there wasn't much of a strategy behind these actions.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the manga/anime and reflects the opinions of the writer.

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Explaining Mahito's last attack on Kenjaku before dying in Jujutsu Kaisen

Kenjaku waited for Yuji to weaken Mahito to absorb him (Image via MAPPA)

As most fans of the series know, Yuji Itadori and Aoi Todo fought Mahito during the events of the Shibuya Incident arc, and the latter was severely weakened during their battle, which resulted in Kenjaku seizing the opportunity to absorb him and get his Idle Transfiguration ability for his merger plan. However, a lot of fans tend to ask why Mahito decided to attack him when they were allies for so long, but the answer is quite clear, and it is survival.

Mahito was certain that his time was up, and was going to either be absorbed by Kenjaku or be exorcised by the likes of Yuji and Todo, which means that his only choice was to use Idle Transfiguration on his former ally. There wasn't much thought put into this and was only a last-ditch effort to keep himself alive, which fits with the nature of the character.

It is likely that, if any thought was put into it, Mahito rationalized that he could transfigure Kenjaku and use his Curses to escape from Shibuya to live and fight another day. It would be a logical plan, but it is unlikely that he would have time to think that through, given the circumstances.

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What this meant for Mahito and the story

Mahito in his final moments (Image via MAPPA)

The death of Mahito was a major moment in Jujutsu Kaisen since it gave Kenjaku his Idle Transfiguration ability, thus allowing him to begin the Culling Games, which would become a part of the story's endgame. Furthermore, it also represented the conclusion of one of Yuji Itadori's finest subplots as a protagonist, which included his rivalry with this Curse.

Mahito took the lives of several of Yuji's friends, such as Junpei Yoshino, Nanami Kento, and, seemingly, Nobara Kugisaki, which led to a personal rivalry between them. There was also an ideological conflict, with the two of them representing how sorcerers and Curses are bound to face each other for the foreseeable future.

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Final thoughts

There is no denying that Mahito's conclusion in Jujutsu Kaisen was one the most fitting for his character and his attack on Kenjaku was a desperate attempt to survive. It makes sense given the context and was his only option given how he was surrounded and weakened at the time.

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