Wake up to reality Jujutsu Kaisen fans, Gege wouldn't have resorted to "Tunnel effect" for Gojo

Jujutsu Kaisen's Gojo Satoru has made an impact across the globe and is the series' most popular character. Dubbed "The Strongest Sorcerer of the Modern Day," Gojo served as mentor to the protagonist trio of Yuji Itadori, Megumi Fushiguro, and Nobara Kugisaki. His fight with the ultimate antagonist, Ryomen Sukuna, was heavily teased and delivered brilliantly when it came to it.

However, the white-haired man did not survive the bout, getting sliced in half at the waist by the Demon King. Beyond that, Team Jujutsu High sent its fighters one by one to face Sukuna, but they couldn't best him until the very end. Amidst all this, many were hopeful that Gojo would return. But looking back at it now, it is unlikely that Akutami had the "Tunnel Effect" in mind for Gojo's return.

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Jujutsu Kaisen: Akutami never had the "Tunnel Effect" in mind for Gojo

Before delving in, it is worth discussing what the "Tunnel Effect" is. It is a concept in quantum physics that speaks of a situation where a particle passes through a barrier containing more energy than its own. In reality, this isn't supposed to happen unless the particle can overcome the barrier's energy, i.e., the chances of success are infinitesimally low.

However, it does happen, since the chances are not zero. This is what was being hoped would happen with Gojo— he would survive through Akutami using the effect. But as it stands, that wasn't even on the cards to begin with. To elaborate, the particles of Gojo's body and Sukuna's Dismantle would never collide, giving the illusion that they did, whereas nothing of the sort happened.

This would result in Gojo surviving. An instance of this can be seen in the Sakamoto Days manga, chapter 216. Kei Uzuki's sword "slashed" through Shin Asakura's neck. However, given the "Tunnel Effect," the particles in the sword and those in Shin's neck didn't collide, hence allowing the blade to pass through with minimal damage to Shin.

Gojo Satoru in Jujutsu Kaisen (Image via MAPPA)

But in Jujutsu Kaisen, this likely wasn't going to happen with Gojo. His death was already on the cards and, contrary to popular opinion, with good reason. For one, Gojo was too strong for the plot to progress. His abilities, like the Limitless and Six Eyes, were too overpowering to allow him to lose in battle. Through them, he would technically never run out of Cursed Energy.

Again, it is after his demise that his students' true development took place. This includes the characters in the limelight, i.e., Yuji, Yuta, Megumi, and Nobara. Yuji was compelled to evolve and exhibited explosive growth, while Yuta took an infinitely dangerous call. Elsewhere, Megumi found the will to fight back, and Nobara was the trump card that Sukuna never saw coming.

All in all, Gojo needed to bow out for the plot to progress. If it weren't so, he could have gone on fighting in a 3v1, whereas it took a lot from Team Jujutsu High to battle one Sukuna. This, by no means, downplays Sukuna as the final villain, but simply acknowledges Gojo's strength as a sorcerer. Not to mention, he wanted to pass on the torch to the next generation, and this was the best way to do so.

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Final thoughts

Gojo Satoru in Jujutsu Kaisen (Image via MAPPA)

Jujutsu Kaisen choosing to remove Gojo Satoru from the story wasn’t just a narrative shock— it was imperative for evolving the story. As the “Strongest Sorcerer of the Modern Day,” his power was near-limitless, which risked stagnating the plot.

Though the "Tunnel Effect" could have been a convincing tool for his return, it is evident that Gege Akutami wasn't considering it. Rather, Sukuna grabbing victory was a major turning point. The Six Eyes user's absence afforded space for his pupils to grow into true successors.

Filled with loss, hopelessness, and a resolve to win, their growth contributed greatly to the story’s emotional and thematic weight. Gojo’s exit was a well-planned narrative move, symbolizing that the past must be let go of for the future to be empowered. Gojo’s death ushered in a new generation to lead the Jujutsu Society.

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