The popular manga series Jujutsu Kaisen recently featured a shocking event – the apparent death of Satoru Gojo, one of the most powerful and beloved characters. His demise came at the hands of the series’ main antagonist, Sukuna.
This development has sparked intense debate within the passionate Jujutsu Kaisen fandom. Many fans argue that killing off Gojo was a narrative misstep by author Gege Akutami, as Gojo was the strongest warrior defending humanity.
Without his mighty abilities to keep Sukuna in check, some feel there is now no one left who can stop the villain.
However, the theories continue to swirl. Despite Gojo’s death appearing quite definitive, some fans refuse to accept it as permanent.
A new popular theory suggests Gojo may return empowered by an unprecedented technique. While unlikely, proponents argue there are legitimate grounds for a comeback based on Gojo’s immense power and unresolved character arc.
The discussion remains heated. But regardless of varying perspectives on the writing choices, Gojo’s absence has clearly created a dangerous power vacuum, heightening threats facing the characters.
How and whether the story addresses this without its strongest hero stays fiercely debated among the engaged Jujutsu Kaisen fanbase.
Jujutsu Kaisen Introduced A Character That Can Replace Gojo Satoru
Yuta Okkotsu is portrayed as an extraordinarily talented young sorcerer in Jujutsu Kaisen with the potential to follow in the footsteps of the powerful Satoru Gojo one day.
Despite his youth, Yuta has already reached the elite status of “special-grade” sorcerer, indicating that his cursed energy reserves and jujutsu abilities far surpass most others.
Some of Yuta’s notable talents help explain his rapid rise to prominence. He can use the Reverse Cursed Technique, a very rare skill that enables him to heal injuries and illness by reversing curses.
Yuta also displays an intuitive ability to copy and use the jujutsu techniques of other sorcerers once he sees them in action. Additionally, he possesses impressive physical capabilities, such as immense strength and speed well beyond ordinary humans
A large part of Yuta Okkotsu’s exceptional abilities stems from his partnership with his childhood friend, Rika Orimoto. Rika has become a special-grade cursed spirit bound to Yuta after her death.
This allows them to combine Rika’s cursed energy and skills with Yuta’s own impressive powers.
Fighting together, Yuta and Rika display masterful close-quarters combat abilities, employing punches, kicks, and jujutsu techniques in a dangerous dance.
Rika also grants Yuta much greater cursed energy reserves to fuel his sorcery and physical gifts. Additionally, Rika can act independently as an ally in battle who watches Yuta’s blindspots.
Beyond Rika, Yuta possesses an unusual lineage, giving him extreme baseline potential. Some speculate he could eventually surpass even the Jedi-like Satoru Gojo as the most powerful jujutsu sorcerer alive.
Between Rika’s boosts, his bloodline, and prodigy-like talents, Yuta establishes himself as an intimidating warrior and mystical protector within Jujutsu Kaisen’s secret world.
The Overall Skill Level of Yuta Okkotsu
Yuta holds the distinction of being one of only four active jujutsu sorcerers recognized as the maximum special grade rank by Jujutsu High School.
This exceptionally rare rank was granted immediately upon discovering Yuta due to the immense cursed power provided by Rika Orimoto’s vengeful spirit that resides within him.
When Yuta first began training under Satoru Gojo, he had zero fighting experience or control over his mystical abilities.
Yuta’s Unconventional Journey to Special Grade
However, Gojo threw Yuta directly into his first dangerous mission rather than waste time preparing. During this mission, Yuta had to rely completely on his temporary partner, Maki, to survive initially.
The pair found themselves swallowed by a powerful curse where others were trapped. With no options left, it was up to a shocked Yuta to tap into Rika’s power and save Maki along with the other hostages.
Through overwhelming emotion, Yuta unleashed Rika’s full wrath that tore the curse apart from within, allowing everyone to escape.
Exhausted both physically and mentally, Yuta persevered through pain and fatigue to carry the survivors out past the mission barrier through sheer force of will.
This trial by fire awakened Yuta’s dormant potential and gave first glimpses of his prospects as a rare special-grade sorcerer.
After his trial by fire first mission, Yuta realized just how weak and unprepared he still was as a jujutsu sorcerer.
So, for the next three months, his classmate Maki rigorously trained Yuta in fundamental armed combat to build his physical skills.
Though never able to land a single hit on the vastly more experienced Maki, Yuta tirelessly applied himself to improve his swordsmanship and agility through their intense sessions.
However, when Yuta was assigned his second mission, an exorcism with another classmate named Toge, he still found himself dependent on his teammates’ superior abilities when the stakes were high.
Yuta’s Strive for Mastery Beyond Rika’s Power
As a semi-grade 1 curse ambushed the pair, Toge suffered injuries while protecting the less capable Yuta.
Spurred by Toge’s sacrifice, Yuta resolved to step up and fight the curse without relying completely on Rika’s power, as usual.
Thanks to his martial training under Maki, Yuta adequately evaded most of the attacks, even managing to counterattack and land a slash of his own due to better footwork and reactions.
However, due to Yuta’s still underdeveloped cursed energy manipulation, the attack only inflicted a shallow wound before Toge finished the exorcism.
Nonetheless, this mission marked clear growth for Yuta as he applied his combat training to survive and contribute in the field while also gaining confidence in his own skills rather than just Rika’s formidable strength.
Sometime in 2017, Jujutsu High School participated in a goodwill joint training event against their Kyoto rival school.
During this event, Yuta apparently dominated all the opponents from the other school, including their formidable third-year Aoi Todo.
Despite no confirmed full-manifested use of Rika herself, Yuta’s classmate Maki noted Rika was clearly still amplifying Yuta’s power to secure his victory in the competition.
Through consistent training in the months that followed, Yuta built up his abilities and rounded out his skills as a rising star jujutsu sorcerer.
Yuta’s Dominance and Mysterious Power
However, a critical incident occurred on December 24, 2017, when the sinister Suguru Geto infiltrated Jujutsu High School, attacking a group of Yuta’s friends.
Witnessing the injuries inflicted upon his classmates unleashed tremendous rage and protective instinct within Yuta, flooding his body with extraordinary levels of cursed energy.
This surge of power enhanced Yuta’s physical stats even further and fine-tuned his sensory capabilities. After this incident, Yuta’s true potential as an elite jujutsu sorcerer has continued to unfold rapidly.
When forced to confront the infamous Suguru Geto one-on-one, Yuta proved himself capable of matching the sinister sorcerer alongside Rika’s manifested power.
During their intense duel, Yuta displayed proficiency with the extremely rare Reverse Cursed Technique to heal wounds. He also mimicked Geto’s own Cursed Speech technique on the fly, showing skill at analyzing and replicating complex spells.
Observing Yuta’s rapid growth, Geto ominously claimed it was fortunate his attack came before Yuta truly mastered channeling Rika’s ultimate strength.
With neither gaining a decisive advantage, Yuta took the desperate vow to sacrifice his own life, releasing all of Rika’s power limiters.
Yuta’s Confrontation with Geto and Self-Discovery
Unleashing Rika’s boundless reserves afforded Yuta the boost to finally overpower Geto’s Maximum Uzumaki and Tamamo-no-Mae Incarnate techniques.
The key factor was Yuta’s willingness to give his life to protect others, contrasted by Geto selfishly preserving himself rather than utilizing the thousands of curses stored within the Night Parade.
This resolve allowed Yuta and Rika to defeat a formidable foe despite remaining partially unrefined.
In the aftermath, Yuta learned some shocking truths – he was the one who originally cursed Rika as a child, not the reverse as long believed.
Furthermore, Yuta descends from the legendary sorcerer Michizane Sugawara, making him a distant Satoru Gojo clan relative.
With this context, Yuta willingly severed Rika’s binding curse that once tied master and servant. No longer desiring vengeance on Yuta, Rika’s soul was finally freed and able to pass on in peace.
Initially afraid he’d lose his powers without Rika, Yuta came to understand his immense cursed energy and mimetic abilities derived from his own bloodline rather than detaining Rika’s soul.
In fact, despite no longer utilizing her direct power, Gojo has reiterated in no uncertain terms that Yuta still harbors enough innate potential to eventually surpass even the strongest modern sorcerer.
Amazingly, just three months after defeating Geto and releasing Rika, Yuta requalified for special grade status in March 2018, affirming his prodigious talents.
Yuta’s Formidable Presence
With immensity cursed energy reserves and unusual techniques second only to Gojo, Yuta is considered a generational genius.
Seeking to further accelerate his development, Gojo forced Geto’s former ally, Miguel, to mentor Yuta overseas personally.
Together, they investigated the mysterious Binding Vow while Yuta was trained. Upon returning to Tokyo after the catastrophic Shibuya Incident, Yuta displayed the fruits of his efforts, effortlessly defeating curses other sorcerers would struggle with.
When Yuta arrived in the Tokyo colonies seeking to execute Yuji Itadori, his fearsome power was immediately recognized. His ominous cursed energy presence unsettled even talented sorcerers like Yuji, Choso, and Naoya.
The prideful Naoya swiftly chose to appease Yuta rather than risk confrontation. Meanwhile, Choso warned Yuji that Yuta’s overwhelming strength resembles Gojo’s, advising Yuji to flee rather than face certain death.
Despite no longer having Rika’s backing, Yuta’s rapid growth into an elite sorcerer commands fear and respect.
