Not only does Part 2 of Chainsaw Man excel in character writing and heart-wrenching storytelling, but it also raises the stakes by introducing even more formidable devilish threats that Denji and Asa Mitaka must face. While several new Horsemen Devils have emerged, none have matched the immediate power of the second Primal Fear, the Falling Devil. Even the combined might of Chainsaw Man and the War Devil proves ineffective against this terrifying entity.
In Chapter 122, Part 2 unveils an unsettling doomsday prediction known as the Nostradamus Prophecy. Hirofumi Yoshida, a mysterious Devil Hunter affiliated with Public Safety, explains that the prophecy foretells the return of a "Great King of Terror" in July 1999 within the series' timeline. Before this ominous event, the Famine Devil, Fami, informs Yoshida that several mighty devils will visit Earth to bring about ultimate terror. The Falling Devil becomes the first of these devilish harbingers, and based on its abilities, humanity may not even survive long enough to witness the Great King's arrival.
Who Is Chainsaw Man's Falling Devil and What Was Its Goal?
In the world of Chainsaw Man, the strength of devils is directly proportional to the fear that humanity collectively holds towards the concepts they represent. Throughout the series, we have been introduced to various tiers of devils, ranging from lower-tier ones like the Tomato Devil to mid-tier entities such as the Bat and Leech Devils, as well as powerhouses like the Gun and Control Devils. However, the Falling Devil surpasses them all in terms of sheer power. With every human instinctively fearing heights or falling from great heights, the Falling Devil draws upon a vast well of fear to empower itself. It belongs to a select group of devils known as the Primal, who have never been killed or escaped from Hell. These devils earned their name because they embody fears deeply ingrained in humanity.
In Part 1, we encountered the first Primal Fear, the Darkness Devil, which had no long-term agenda aside from obliterating anyone who trespassed upon its territory. In contrast, the Falling Devil arrives on Earth with a distinct and peculiar purpose. Taking on the guise of a chef, it claims its sole desire is to prepare a meal for the denizens of Hell, with Asa Mitaka as the final course. Being a devil, it cares little for human casualties in pursuit of its goal. Numerous innocent civilians and Devil Hunters lost their lives merely as collateral damage while the Falling Devil attempted to "cook" Asa. Even its physical manifestation required several humans to sacrifice themselves, allowing the Primal Devil to manipulate their corpses.
After failing to deliver Asa to the inhabitants of Hell, it is revealed that the Falling Devil came to Earth at the behest of the Famine Devil. While the fact that its appearance was not a random event tied to the Nostradamus Prophecy offers some solace, an alliance with the Famine Devil brings its own set of concerns. If Fami so desires, she can potentially wield the terrifying power of the Falling Devil once again, forcing Asa and Yoru into submission. However, it seems unlikely that Fami will play the same card twice. Denji and Asa may not possess enough raw power to confront the Falling Devil directly, but they have already managed to escape its clutches once and have become wise to its tactics.
What are Falling Devil's Abilities in Chainsaw Man?
As the devilish embodiment of the primal fear of falling, it stands to reason that the Falling Devil's powers are connected to gravity, but it hides a sinister secret related to how its ability affects humans. The Falling Devil's most dangerous power is its psychic abilities, which allow it to implant thoughts and suggestions into the minds of humans. In the case of weaker-willed humans, the Falling Devil can even compel them to obey its instructions, no matter the cost to them. When it first appeared, the Falling Devil used this power to force an entire apartment full of people to jump off their balconies just so it could construct an avatar out of their corpses.
The Falling Devil has telekinetic powers over inanimate objects and has no trouble uprooting obstacles as large as apartment buildings with no visible signs of fatigue or stress. The Falling Devil also seems to have fine control over every object caught under the effects of its gravity manipulation powers. While in pursuit of Denji and Asa, each obstacle they encountered moved to block their way exactly as the Falling Devil wished. Even the motorbike they were riding on bent to its will once they got airborne. As it stands, there hasn't been any way to resist the Falling Devil's influence over non-living things.
When it comes to humans, the Falling Devil needs to satisfy some conditions before its gravity effect can work on them. It uses its psychic abilities in tandem with its telekinesis, forcing its victims to relive their most sorrowful memories in order to break their spirits. Then, as they fall deeper into despair, their bodies continue to levitate upward until they pass through a doorway in the sky that transports them into Hell. The Falling Devil is capable of dragging all who are unaware of how its ability works straight into the devils' own realm, which makes it one of the most dangerous devils revealed so far. Since it can't fabricate memories — it can only cause them to resurface — the Falling Devil's ability is especially potent against those with severe trauma in their past. It is possible for humans to resist the Falling Devil's telekinesis by focusing exclusively on happy memories, but if this train of thought is broken, the victim will continue to float into the sky until they disappear into Hell.
How Strong is The Falling Devil in Chainsaw Man?
As a Primal Fear, the Falling Devil is among the strongest Devils in existence and is far more powerful than any of the devils revealed so far. It manifested in Japan and activated its Gravity technique only on Asa Mitaka and her immediate surroundings, but the repercussions were felt worldwide. The fluctuations caused cave-ins, landslides, and terrible national disasters. If the Falling Devil was willing to, it's not hard to imagine it triggering the forthcoming apocalypse single-handedly.
In addition to its nigh-omnipotent supernatural abilities, the Falling Devil also possesses a regeneration factor that isn't dependent on the blood of humans to activate like other devils. When it was targeted by Public Safety Devil Hunters with heavy-duty artillery, the Primal Fear simply put itself back together without much trouble and quickly dispatched of its would-be assassins. Even Denji's chainsaws, which have proven a formidable weapon against every other devil encountered thus far, were unable to inflict any lasting wounds upon the devil. If the Famine Devil hadn't recalled it, it's hard to imagine any of the series' main characters defeating the Falling Devil.
