Why does Geto eat Curses in Jujutsu Kaisen? Explained

Suguru Geto from Jujutsu Kaisen can rightly be called one of animanga's most intriguing characters. His actions and choices impacted the plot as a whole, especially on his best friend, Gojo Satoru. Geto's experiences as a sorcerer fueled his hatred for non-sorcerers and his desire to reshape the world where only the strong resided.

Part of his bitter experiences stemmed from his own Cursed Technique, i.e., him having to swallow/eat Cursed Spirits. For those wondering why, Geto ate Curses in Jujutsu Kaisen due to his Cursed Spirit Manipulation, absorbing them into small black orbs which he then ingested. Once done, he could control these Curses and use them in multiple different scenarios.

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Jujutsu Kaisen: Suguru Geto's ingestion of Curses

As mentioned, Geto needed to eat/swallow/ingest Curses in Jujutsu Kaisen to use his Cursed Technique, i.e., Cursed Spirit Manipulation. The name itself implies what the technique does - control Curse Spirits. These spirits he captured by defeating them before absorbing them into small black orbs and ingesting them. With that done, they became part of his arsenal that he could call upon.

But there were nuances to this technique - if the Grade difference between the Curse and him was more than two levels, he could absorb them with little consequence. This simply implies that weaker spirits were easier to control, whilst the strongest ones likely took a toll on him when he ingested them. His ability extended to the other sorcerers' Curses, too, as long as the master was killed.

Again, as seen in Jujutsu Kaisen, Geto could release these Curses to do his bidding, like in the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons. He could use them in direct battle, akin to when he fought Toji Fushiguro. In his battle against Yuta Okkotsu, he showcased the capability of combining them into a single, massively powerful and destructive attack, the Uzumaki.

Suguru Geto (Image via MAPPA)

Geto's ability was taken to the next level when Kenjaku took over his body. As seen during the Shibuya Incident, Kenjaku absorbed Mahito and was able to extract his Idle Transfiguration to kick off the Culling Game. The rest of the Cursed Spirit's power was fed into a Maximum: Uzumaki, an even more destructive version of Geto's technique.

Now, while this technique in Jujutsu Kaisen is quite powerful and versatile, it wasn't pleasant for Geto. He describes the taste of consuming these Cursed Spirits as "Like ingesting a rag used to wipe up vomit". The dark-haired man found it meaningless to repeatedly exorcise and consume to protect non-sorcerers after witnessing what they were capable of.

It wouldn't be wrong to call Cursed Spirit Manipulation both a boon and a curse, i.e., granting great strength and ingenuity and feeding the bubbling hate towards non-sorcerers. The technique's twisted nature presented the silent burden he bore as a sorcerer, compelling him to internalize darkness each time he did it. It made him a mirror to his best friend, Gojo.

While Gojo fully accepted being a protector, Geto rejected it and believed that the weak weren't worthy of protection. All in all, Cursed Spirit Manipulation reflected his inner conflict - power serves compassion or domination.

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Final Thoughts

Suguru Geto (Image via MAPPA)

Jujutsu Kaisen expertly showcases Suguru Geto as a tragic yet captivating figure. He stood to realize the dark path a sorcerer could take when burdened by despair and disillusionment. While formidable and unique, Cursed Spirit Manipulation was an ever-present reminder of the murk he was compelled to harbour. As seen, it did nothing but deepen his hatred for non-sorcerers.

Undoubtedly, the technique was powerful and had potential to be stronger still, but it also embodied the moral decay that clawed away at him. Opposite to Gojo, Geto doesn't see any reason to protect the weak and uses his powers to justify superiority. Ultimately, Suguru Geto’s character was an example of the consequences of unchecked conviction.

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