Power is one of the recurring characters in Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Chainsaw Man, which just had a recent anime adaptation that went viral overnight. This begs the question, is this article a spoiler? Of course not; if you’re here, you already decided to read ahead. But as a fair warning: spoilers ahead. Now that that’s out of the way…
In truth, I did not expect Power to die. I consider Power a part of the shonen manga protagonist triangle in the series, the female main character like Sakura from Naruto or Nobara from JJK. So having her killed by Makima this early in the series is a shock. With all the brutal fights in this series, you would expect her to drop as a warrior in battle. Who would expect her demise to be so sad? Not the wrong kind of sad, but a more heartbreaking variety.
What Chapter Does Power Die in Chainsaw Man?
The current run of the manga shows Power’s death twice. First, in Chapter 81, Makima shoots her with a Rei Gun (Yu Yu Hakusho reference). And later in Chapter 91, she allows Denji to consume her. She effectively ends her own life, a sacrifice that turns the tide of battle.
How Exactly Does Power Die in Chainsaw Man?
At Makima’s apartment, Denji divulges his regrets about his life. Including how his judgments led to people dying. He condemns himself for all deaths he caused, including people close to him. Denji doesn’t want to take responsibility for everything that happened. Even though he was not to blame, he considered his indecisiveness the root of the problem. He pleads with Makima to rid him of these feelings. Makima offers him comfort and tells him that she can help; all he needs to do is to be her dog. For her, dogs don’t think; they only obey. Swayed by his affection for her, Denji submits to her.
The doorbell rings as Makima orders Denji to follow her as a dog. Makima clasps his hand and stands up. She guides him to the doorway, saying he should be the one to answer it. Makima then suddenly jokes about killing whoever is behind that door, which confuses Denji. Denji feels a memory rush through his head of a locked door that looks eerily familiar. Makima orders him to unlock the door while, at the same time, a voice warns him not to unlock it. As Denji opens it, we see Power holding a birthday cake.
Makima Kills Power
Before Denji could speak, he hears Makima behind him whisper, “Bang”. A loud burst crashes through the door, leaving a significant mark on the wall as if someone shot a cannon from the rear.
In a split second, Power’s torso is gone. Her lower half collapses backward as her head and shoulders fly upwards. It lands near her lower half. Shocked, Denji turns and sees an emotionless Makima holding a finger gun towards the door, indicating she pulled the trigger.
Why Does Makima Kill Power?
Makima obsesses over the Chainsaw Devil, so much so that she wants him for herself. She sees him as the only devil greater than her. Because of this, she wants to be greater by being the one who defeats him. Once victorious, she will control him and his power.
Makima constructs an elaborate plan to control Denji and Pochita. She becomes his good samaritan. She gave him all he needed, even creating a family to support him, which he calls his own. She does this to take it away and destroy it one day. Makima believes that once Denji shatters, Pochita will renounce him for her. She would sacrifice everything and everyone for him. In her twisted desire to have him, she will even end Denji. This is so she can have a Pochita of her own.
Can Power Come Back to Life in Chainsaw Man?
In Chapter 90, Pochita wakes up Power, seen lying in a bed of intestines. He begs Power to save Denji and not let him die. Power responds that she is already dead and can no longer be of help. Pochita assures her that she is not and asks again if she will help Denji. Power says yes because he is her partner.
Power bursts out from the Chainsaw Man’s mouth in an incomplete hybrid Blood Devil body. With a finger flick, she creates weapons inside Makima and her army. The blades shoot outwards, impaling them from within. We later find out that a fraction of the Blood Fiend blood that Denji drank before survived. It absorbed some of Pochita’s flesh to create the hybrid body.
Power can influence her essence to reconstitute herself from a measly vile of blood, an ability unknown to anyone, even her. Considering the proper conditions, the Blood Devil can keep her memories and experiences at the point of complete restoration. A later chapter said that the only way for a Devil to reincarnate is by being reborn in hell. This means she is the only Devil with a loophole for death.
How Does Power Come Back to Life?
The power of the Blood Devil preserved Power’s personality and soul since Denji drank her blood and stored some of it inside him. With the help of Pochita, she came back to life as a full hybrid Devil.
But this also creates the question. If Power could recreate herself with a few drops of her blood, does that mean Power is still alive inside Denji since he reabsorbed her? That the exact process which resurrected her in the first place happened again, only in reverse. If this holds true, then her return would be inevitable.
How Does Power Become the Blood Devil?
Although the Blood Devil can recreate the body, it still requires sustenance to grow. This means she needs to feed off her host. It means Power can still survive if she is in another Devil, like the Katana Devil. However, it will be uncertain if she will turn into a hybrid or return as a fiend. This is because Denji is in a primal Chainsaw Man mode at the time she resurrects herself, though the manga never confirms the process of it being a factor.
What Happens To Power in Chainsaw Man?
Power and Makima
In Chapter 91, Power tries to make a deal with Makima. As Makima orders her to leave Denji, memories wake her from Makima’s control. Impaling her once again, Power runs as she carries Denji’s almost lifeless body.
She faces many enemies along the way. She even goes against her co-workers under Makima’s influence. She could not believe that she was running away. She wonders if it is the right decision not to turn Denji over to Makima. In the midst of all this, Power’s memories keep on replaying in her mind. She thinks that all life is insignificant, even her own. That everyone dies, but not Denji. Because he is her first-ever friend, she can never permit him to perish. Although gravely wounded, she manages to hide in a dumpster for safety.
Power and Denji
As Denji wakes up, he sees Power on top of him. Feeling relieved, she hugs him and says she saved him. With his spirit broken, Denji tells her he is okay. And that he’s glad to have experienced life. No longer willing to fight, he settles on the fact that death is not bad. He can no longer be happy and has accepted his role in the grand scheme of Makima.
Power lashes out at Denji, asking him if it was that easy for him to throw her away, to which he replies yes. Power then tells him that all devils are reborn in hell. She wants Denji to promise her that when she dies, he will find her and be her friend again. She asks for him to do all he can so she can be Power again. She enters a contract with Denji and seals it with a kiss.
In her last words, she says, “Come find me, Denji.” With that, she sacrifices herself to heal Denji back from death. Denji shouts her name as he wakes, but Power is nowhere. Only an ache in his heart was there to greet him, and tears flowed from his eyes.
Bottom Line
And with that, her story comes full circle. Say what you want about Power, but you cannot deny that her growth is, so far, one of the best in the series. From a meathead who thinks only of herself to literally sacrificing her life for the greater good. In the end, Power gained a victory she had never achieved before, the triumph of helping a friend.
Trivia
- The dumpster scene of Power and Denji calls back to how Pochita and Denji made their contract—allowing both of them to sacrifice themselves to help him improve.
- Spoilers! Thanks to Power’s blood, Denji defeats Makima.
- Power’s horns have doubled in Chapter 90. It coincides with what Makima said in Chapter 39 because Power drank too much blood.
- Power’s pupils are designed to have pupils looking like crosses. It is an homage to one of the world’s most prominent health organizations, the Red Cross.
- In Chapter 90, when Makima says, “100 years lifespan,” she uses the Angel Devil’s power of creation. Power counters using “Thousand Year Blood Rain.” She proves her technique is better because it’s a higher number.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Power gone from Chainsaw Man?
I would say no. Power noted that devils are reborn in hell. So we can assume that there is a way for Power to come back.
How can Power return in Chainsaw Man?
I can think of at least two ways Power can return. She can return as a part of Denji since he reabsorbed her, allowing her personality to remain intact. She can also come back as an enemy devil without a memory of being Power. A brand new Blood Devil with no relation to Denji.
Can Power be Denji’s love interest?
They can, but I would say no. Their love is platonic, just like a brother loves his annoying little sister.