Warning: Contains spoilers for chapter #261 of Jujutsu Kaisen.
Summary
Yuta took over Gojo's body using Kenjaku's Cursed Technique and may finally be able to defeat Sukuna. Yuji lost relevance when Gojo's return left him out of the final battle with Sukuna. Gojo's return invalidates the passing of the torch to the younger generation, while using the same body as Geto's makes his character more tragic.
Jujutsu Kaisen has left fans reeling once again by bringing back Gojo Satoru when fans least expected him to return and in the most unexpected way possible. The latest chapter revealed that Yuta took over Gojo's body using Kenjaku's Curse Technique. However, Gojo's return even in such a manner does not bode well for series protagonist Yuji Itadori, who could have his precious glory stolen once again.
Chapter #261 pushes Gojo, or rather Yuta, back into battle against Sukuna, both of them simultaneously using their territories at the end of the chapter. As things stand, it appears that Gojo has the key to winning the domain clash against Sukuna, which Yuta also discovered after retrieving all of Gojo's memories. So, Yuta may be ready to defeat Sukuna or at least bring him the closest to defeat since Gojo's death.
That said, Gojo's return, even with Yuta's manipulation of his body, effectively sidelines Yuji both metaphorically and literally. The latest chapter shows Sukuna immediately throwing Yuji aside when Gojo entered the battlefield, which literally means Yuji may have lost all relevance to Sukuna. With the final battle and the series coming to an end, Yuji may not have another chance to regain the spotlight.
Gojo's return sidelines Yuji once again
Jujutsu Kaisen Created by Gege Akutami, Chapter #261, “Makyo Shinjuku's Inhuman Struggle, Part 33”
Although he spent most of the series on the sidelines, the final battle, especially the latest chapters since Gojo's defeat saw Yuji finally prove himself to Sukuna and eventually re-establishes himself as the main protagonist of the series. Yuji finally showed the fruits of his hard work and showing off Sukuna's Cursed Technique was just the cherry on top. The dynamic duo of Yuji and Todo also seems capable of overwhelming Sukuna even if his cursed energy reserves are a bit of a concern.
Gojo's return has a part nullified the meaning of his death which was to pass the torch to the younger generation of witches. Like Gojo's first battle with Sukuna, Yuji and Todo only become obstacles in Gojo's path and likely won't be able to contribute much until the last possible moment. At best, Yuji might have a chance to deal the final blow to Sukuna, that is, unless the witches have another elaborate yet-to-be-revealed plan to save Megumi.
It's true that Yuji or Todo may have no other way to deal with Sukuna's domain if Yuta doesn't use Gojo's body. Still, it's hard to believe that there really isn't a credible alternative other than bringing Gojo back in such a terrible and tragic way. The series has only scratched the surface of what Yuji can do, especially since awakening the Temple of Malice, which itself holds a world of possibilities.
Gojo's controversial return makes his character even more tragic
Besides Yuji, Gojo's return also paints his character in a much more tragic light, bearing similarities to Geto. Both Gojo and Geto meet eerily similar tragic fates. ironically Gojo ends up being a tool used for his abilities after being defined by them all my life. Gege's handling of the character Gojo has been a controversial topic among fans since his death in chapter #236, with many expecting him to return from the dead in a short time due to his Many hints point to Gojo's return, and the latest chapter has only fueled these criticisms and discussions.
However, Jujutsu KaisenThe anime's story is definitely coming to an end, and while there are many plot points like the merger with Tengen that remain unresolved, it may not be long before the battle of Shinjuku is decided. Gojo's return certainly sped up the process but at the expense of the precious development of Itadori Yuji, who had only recently wowed readers with his newfound determination and strength. Hopefully Yuji will find another chance to shine in the near future as his fate is too closely tied to Sukuna's to be pushed aside for too long.
Jujutsu Kaisen available from Manga Plus and Viz Media.
