Warning: The following contains major spoilers from the Shinjuku Showdown Arc from Jujutsu Kaisen manga!!!
While Jujutsu Kaisen‘s final stretch has received some criticism for how it handled some characters, there’s no doubt that Sukuna will go down in history, even if it is just for the sheer effort that it took to beat him. Sukuna faced off against almost the whole cast of the series, a feat that had only been achieved by a few villains in anime, like Madara Uchiha in Naruto and Father in Fullmetal Alchemist. However, of all the Jujutsu Kaisen characters that contributed to Sukuna’s defeat, some stand out from the rest.
Sukuna was everything a final boss is supposed to be; he not only fought directly with more than 10 sorcerers, besides those who participated indirectly in the fight, like Hakari, Utahime, Gakuganji, Inumaki, Ui Ui, and Mei Mei, he also withstood multiple black flashes, hollow purple, domain expansions, 2 Jacob’s Ladders, and countless physical attacks.
Sukuna’s demise was a group effort, so in the epic fights during the Shinjuku Showdown Arc, many characters did their parts to ensure the King of Curses’ defeat, but needless to say, some were more effective than others.
10 Nobara Kugisaki
The Female Protagonist Was The Key of a Long-Term Plan To Guaranteed Sukuna’s Defeat.
Nobara Kugisaki, despite being part of the protagonist trio, was missing from the story ever since her apparent death during the Shibuya Arc in chapter 125, making a surprising return in JJK’s chapter 267, where she managed to make an important contribution during the final stage of Sukuna and Yuji’s battle. One of the reasons for Sukuna’s defeat was that he was hit by Nobara’s cursed technique, Resonance, which was capable of dealing soul damage by using Sukuna’s last finger as a medium.
As a result, the domain that Sukuna was about to open failed, and Yuji could land his final blow to separate Sukuna and Megumi’s souls and defeat the King of Curses once and for all. This was possible thanks to the concealment of Nobara’s condition from Yuji and Megumi, as Sukuna possessed the ability to gather information through his soul resonance. Nobara’s resonance was hinted at in chapter 259, and her return also uplifted Yuji and helped him concentrate on his last attack.
9 Atsuya Kusakabe
The Grade 1 Sorcerer Was a Combatant and a Coordinator
Grade 1 Sorcerer Atsuya Kusakabe’s role shouldn’t be underestimated. Kusakabe soul swapped once with Yuji in their month of training so he could learn from his cursed energy manipulation and simple domain; he was also one of the people who led the strategy during the prep time and had an important role in coordinating the sorcerers during the Shinjuku Showdown arc.
Even though he didn’t seriously injure Sukuna, Kusakabe managed to buy time when all the major fighters were down, as Yuji was still injured and Maki couldn’t move due to the Black Flash she received. Kusakabe held his ground during his fight with Sukuna despite the clear difference in strength and was defeated just in time for the additional help, Miguel and Larue, to arrive.
8 Choso
Sacrificed Himself To Save His Brother
Choso didn’t engage much in battle against Sukuna, and when he did, he was unable to inflict any fatal injuries on him, as his biggest role was supporting his brother. Choso suggested that Yuji should eat their other brothers (the remaining Cursed Womb Death Painting) so he could learn a curse technique and use Reverse Cursed Technique, and in chapter 252, when Itadori couldn’t use properly heal his internal wounds, he helped calm himself down and guide him to find his injuries.
Choso also selflessly sacrificed himself, creating a barrier to protect Yuji from the heat of the Divine Flame after Sukuna opened an incomplete Malevolent Shrine and intended to kill everyone inside. By saving his younger brother, Choso protected the one who would be the key to victory in the end.
7 Hiromi Higuruma
The Attorney Sorcerer Took Sukuna’s Powerful Tool
Hiromi Higuruma was the key to freeing Megumi by using his trial curse technique, Deadly Sentencing, since his execution sword can target the criminal’s soul directly without harming the host body. Unfortunately, the plan failed, as this was anticipated by Sukuna. Additionally, even though Higuruma didn’t leave any lasting damage on Sukuna and also couldn’t neutralize his cursed energy as planned, he was able to confiscate the King of Curses’ curse tool, Kamutoke.
This was an important feat, since it eased the fight for the other sorcerers and protected them from being struck by Sukuna’s powerful lighting attacks. Higuruma also demonstrated that domain amplification could lessen the damage caused by dismantling, so his contributions are something that deserves recognition.
6 Ui Ui
Mei Mei’s Little Brother Was the Best Supporting Character
Despite his young age, Ui Ui’s role in the Shinjuku Showdown arc shouldn’t be looked down upon. Ui Ui isn’t a fighter, not engaging in battle himself, but his curse technique, Spatial Transference, was really helpful on the battlefield by extracting the bodies of the fallen sorcerers. Ui Ui secured Gojo’s body, transporting him to Shoko’s location, and did the same with Yuta, Higuruma, and Kusakabe.
This made possible the success of the plan of Yuta switching bodies with Gojo so he could return to battle with the six eyes and his barrier technique. However, Ui Ui’s biggest contribution was to the heroes’ training, as his cursed technique can also swap souls. Ui Ui assisted in the soul exchange training between Yuji and Kusakabe and Gojo and Yuta during the month of preparation before the fight, which proved to be invaluable.
5 Maki Zenin
Toji’s Successor Jumped Into Action After the Fall of Both Special Grades
Maki Zenin, who had reached Toji’s level, had the strength to match Sukuna in physical combat. Maki didn’t lose time after Yuta’s defeat, charging in a surprise attack on Sukuna and managing to stab the King of Curses in the heart with her split soul katana, forcing him to use more curse energy to keep his heart pumping.
Maki also gained Yuji time to recover and worked with him to land relentless attacks on Sukuna. Additionally, thanks to Maki’s special weapon damaging his soul, Sukuna’s connection to Megumi’s soul debilitated even more. Although she was hit with two black flashes of Sukuna, which allowed him to recover part of his RCT and regain his domain expansion, she was an important asset in battle because she cut one of his arms and inflicted injuries difficult to heal.
4 Aoi Todo
Pressured Sukuna With His Improved Cursed Technique
Aoi Todo, who was believed to have lost his cursed technique, returned during chapter 259 with a renovated and more effective Boogie Woogie by replacing his missing left hand with a vibra slap device. Although some fans could argue that he should have entered the fight earlier, Todo is one of the most valuable players in the Shinjuku Showdown. Not only did he manage to swap every sorcerer, except Yuji and Choso, with Mei-Mei’s crows to save them from Sukuna’s divine flame, but it’s also hinted that Todo contributed to Kenjaku’s defeat by swapping Yuta.
Todo also arrived at the moment that Yuji needed him most, when he was mourning Choso’s death, boosting his morale and assisting him in landing several blows at Sukuna. In chapter 264, Todo helps Hana launch her Jacob’s Ladder to Sukuna, distracting him while Yuji activates his domain, and intervenes to protect her when she almost gets hit by the Black Flash of the King of curses. Because of this, Todo was a force to be reckoned with.
3 Yuta Okkotsu
The Mastermind Behind the Multiple Contingency Plans To Kill Sukuna.
Yuta Okkotsu not only succeeded in killing the other major threat, Kenjaku, and getting rid of his curses; he could keep up with the King of Curses thanks to his domain expansion, synchronization with Yuji, and his tactics using different copies to trick Sukuna, even using his technique, Cleave. Yuta was able to connect several attacks, cutting both of Sukuna’s tongues and two arms, severely weakening him before striking with Jacob’s ladder so Yuji could separate him from Fushiguro, a strategy that could have worked if it weren’t for his damaged mental state.
Although Yuta was cut down by the King of Curses’ world-splitting dismantle, he returns after swapping bodies with Gojo. In their second round, Yuta was able to activate Unlimited Void, saving Todo and Yuji from Malevolent Shrine and injuring Sukuna with his Hollow Purple. Yuta also helped Todo train his new technique and fooled Sukuna by lying that he swallowed his last finger so he didn’t anticipate the plan of Nobara’s resonance, paving the way for Yuji’s victory.
2 Yuji Itadori
Jujutsu Kaisen’s Protagonist Is Arguably the MVP of the Shinjuku Showdown
Yuji is arguably the character who made the most important contribution to the fight against Sukuna. The experience of sharing a body with the King of Curses gave Yuji a special skill that allowed him to inflict soul damage with his punches. Yuji’s blows keep weakening Sukuna’s cursed energy output and his control on Megumi’s soul. Although his plan with Yuta failed, he almost succeeded in rescuing Megumi after Sukuna was hit with Jacob’s ladder.
Yuji also awakened his potential thanks to the consecutive black flashes he released and had the biggest growth over the entire fight, opening his domain expansion and hitting Sukuna with a last black flash that separated him from Megumi’s body, finally defeating him.
1 Gojo Satoru
He Dealt the Most Damage to Sukuna and Set Everything in Motion
Sukuna’s ultimate defeat wouldn’t have been possible without Gojo Satoru, as he managed to significantly reduce his condition compared to his prime. Gojo made Sukuna unable to use his domain expansion by affecting his brain with the effects of Unlimited Void, decreasing his cursed energy and reverse cursed technique output, and cutting one of his arms. Gojo also destroyed the shikigami Agito so that it was no longer a threat and hit Sukuna with a hollow purple, disintegrating Mahoraga and its wheel, effectively taking away the 10 Shadows Technique.
Although he said that he doesn’t believe he could have defeated Sukuna even without Mahoraga, there’s no doubt that Gojo was the strongest sorcerer alive, and his contribution by dealing the most damage to Sukuna allowed the other sorcerers to fight with the King of Curses, as otherwise they wouldn’t have stood a chance against any of his attacks. Therefore, Gojo Satoru played a major role in the final fight against Sukuna.