Jujutsu Kaisen manga fans have been through a lot of emotional ups and downs in recent arcs after many of their favorite characters died prematurely. Gege Akutami isn't afraid to kill off characters, which is how Jujutsu Kaisen ended up in the shonen "dark trio" with Chainsaw Man and Hell's Paradise.
Akutami, on the other hand, frequently employs deft foreshadowing to develop Jujutsu Kaisen, sometimes practically spelling out what to expect in future arcs. Many fans have speculated about the deaths of their favorite characters, wondering if they will make a dramatic return. According to one Reddit user, u/Valfin, special-grade sorcerer Yuki Tsukumo was not killed by Kenjaku and is still alive – but not as a human.
Yuki of Jujutsu Kaisen is Said to Have Died While Fighting Kenjaku
Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 205 saw Yuki Tsukumo engage in a ferocious battle with the villain Kenjaku. Her unveiling of the cursed technique was eagerly awaited since this was her first appearance since the "Gojo's Past" storyline, and she did not disappoint. A Star Plasma Vessel would benefit from Yuki's ability to manage mass by applying an infinite amount to herself or her shikigami without altering their outward form.
In their high-stakes war, Yuki was usually successful, forcing Kenjaku to open his realm and even defeating the enemy on several occasions. Yet as the ancient sorceress gained ground, the Star Plasma Vessel made a last-ditch effort by transforming into a black hole. Unknown to Yuki, Kenjaku had a hidden maneuver up his sleeve: the anti-gravity system of his former vessel, Kaori Itadori, which helped him survive the assault.
Since then, it has been presumed that Yuki perished during this melee. She was already seriously hurt when she added so much mass to herself that she turned into a black hole, which is undoubtedly unsurvivable. Kenjaku, who was largely undamaged, encouraged Yuki to "Go die, as a human." All of these facts point to the sorcerer's demise, but Jujutsu Kaisen admirers who lament her untapped potential wish Yuki will come back.
What Characters Are Told Before Death in JJK Is Significant
Jujutsu Kaisen frequently emphasizes the idea that a character's dying words have an impact on the overall storyline. As an illustration, Yuta Okkotsu unintentionally cursed his childhood friend Rika just before she passed away. Due to her dangerously excessive vigilance for the sorcerer, the schoolgirl evolved into the cursed spirit that is seen walking beside Yuta as a result of this. Although the curse he spoke against Rika made him a stronger sorcerer in the series, it also caused it.
Similar to this, Geto Suguru exclaimed, "At least curse me a little at the very end," just before Gojo Satoru was forced to kill his old buddy. This implied that Geto knew that Gojo was dissatisfied in his conduct. In a deeper analogy, it may be said that Geto was expressing his desire to die with Gojo, much as Rika did with Yuta. Even though Gojo didn't truly curse him, Geto's corpse ended up being possessed by Kenjaku and bringing the two back together in the "Shibuya" arc, which resulted in the capture of the most powerful sorcerer.
Kenjaku told Yuki to die as a human before her supposed death, a play on the words Yuki said to Choso. The cursed spirit/human hybrid was dissatisfied with his actions, claiming he took the easy route by living as a cursed spirit rather than a human. In response, Yuki told Choso that he would die as a curse in his battle with Kenjaku, implying that he could now live as a human. If these words have the same meaning as in previous circumstances, Yuki may have died as a human after fighting Kenjaku, but he lives on as a cursed spirit.
Yuki of Jujutsu Kaisen is Capable of Reincarnation
As a Star Plasma Vessel, Yuki in Jujutsu Kaisen is equipped with one of the two reincarnation methods, the other being Gojo's Six Eyes. These vessels typically only use their powers to join with Master Tengen in order to save the legendary sorcerer from turning into a potentially dangerous cursed spirit. Star Plasma Vessels may be able to merge with other entities because it's doubtful that the power is limited to the merging.
u/Valfin's theory on Reddit suggests that Yuki has merged with her dragonfly shikigami, Garuda, who is a cursed spirit but is seen acting as a cursed tool. The shikigami doesn't seem to have a will of its own and is essentially used as an asset to battle, much like the Inverted Spear of Heaven or Playful Cloud. If this is the case, it would explain Garuda's strangely complicit behavior as it wouldn't technically be its own entity, just an extension of Yuki.
This would also explain why the curse can be defeated using the special grade's method. Garuda would already possess her cursed technique; she wouldn't need to impart it. Given that Garuda wasn't visible being destroyed, this would imply Yuki's consciousness is still present inside the aircraft.
Yuki Tsukumo May Still Be Alive as a Cursed Spirit
Yuki might currently be existing as the shikigami if she used her reincarnation powers to unite with Garuda. The special-grade sorcerer would have perished in battle as a human, but instead is continuing to exist as a curse thanks to her shikigami, making Kenjaku's last words to her ring true.
She may be able to return to her human form by using her cursed techniques and healing herself from the outside using the Reverse Curse Technique. Yuta did this in Jujutsu Kaisen 0 to heal Maki and Inumaki. Shoko Ieiri employs the technique to heal injured sorcerers, and Yuki possesses similar abilities, so this is a possibility.
Yuki is still alive, just not in the way you might expect, according to u/Valfin. Gege Akutami isn't afraid to experiment with unconventional approaches in Jujutsu Kaisen, so it wouldn't be surprising if they pushed the envelope even further.
