Sukuna's True Power Explained: The King of Curses at Full Strength

⚠️ SPOILER WARNING: This article contains major spoilers for the Jujutsu Kaisen manga, including the Shinjuku Showdown Arc. Proceed with caution.

For over a thousand years, one name has inspired terror in the jujutsu world: Ryomen Sukuna, the King of Curses. Even in death, his power was so immense that it persisted across twenty indestructible fingers, each one capable of creating disasters. But what happens when all that power comes together? What is Sukuna truly capable of at his full, unrestrained might?

The answer, as the manga demonstrated, is nothing short of apocalyptic.

Who Is Ryomen Sukuna?

Before diving into his abilities, we need to understand who Sukuna actually was. Unlike most cursed spirits who are born from human fear, Sukuna was originally human—a sorcerer of the Heian Era (794-1185 AD), often called the Golden Age of Jujutsu.

The Heian Era Legend

During this period, cursed spirits roamed freely and jujutsu sorcerers engaged in constant battle for survival. Among them, Sukuna stood supreme. Historical records within the manga describe him as a “natural disaster” rather than a person—something that killed indiscriminately and could not be reasoned with.

The most terrifying aspect? Sukuna wasn’t a curse user gone mad or a sorcerer corrupted by power. He was simply a being who chose violence and domination because he could. There was no tragic backstory, no sympathetic motivation. Sukuna killed because he enjoyed it, ruled because he was capable of it.

The Four-Armed Demon

Sukuna’s original form featured:

Four arms: Allowing him to perform complex hand signs instantly and attack from multiple angles simultaneously
Two faces: Granting him 360-degree awareness and the ability to use techniques from either face
Immense physical form: Described as towering and built for combat
Distinctive markings: The same patterns that appear on Yuji when Sukuna takes control

When the sorcerers of the Heian Era finally managed to “kill” Sukuna, his power was so great that even death couldn’t fully claim him. His essence survived across twenty severed fingers, each becoming a special-grade cursed object of unimaginable potency.

Power Progression: From One Finger to Twenty

One of the most fascinating aspects of Sukuna’s character is watching his power scale throughout the series as he accumulates more fingers.

Initial State (1-3 Fingers)

When Yuji first consumed a finger, Sukuna at his weakest was still strong enough to effortlessly defeat a special-grade curse. At this level, he demonstrated:

Overwhelming physical strength
Basic use of Cleave and Dismantle
Casual attitude toward all opponents
Complete immunity to fear or intimidation

Even “weakened,” one-finger Sukuna was already stronger than most sorcerers would ever become.

Mid-Power (4-10 Fingers)

As Sukuna accumulated more fingers, his power grew exponentially rather than linearly. At this stage:

His cursed energy reserves became virtually unlimited
Domain Expansion became accessible
His techniques gained significant range and power
He could perceive threats that even special-grade sorcerers couldn’t sense

Near-Complete (11-19 Fingers)

During the Shibuya Incident, Sukuna reached 15 fingers—enough power to utterly devastate a significant portion of Shibuya in seconds. His fight against Mahoraga demonstrated capabilities that seemed almost reality-breaking:

The unveiling of his fire-based technique
Adapting mid-battle to counter Mahoraga’s adaptation
Casual destruction of city blocks as collateral damage
Simultaneous engagement of multiple special-grade threats

Full Power (20 Fingers)

The complete Sukuna, especially after incarnating into Megumi’s body and gaining access to the Ten Shadows Technique, became something beyond classification. This is the Sukuna who fought and ultimately killed Gojo Satoru—a being so powerful that even “the strongest modern sorcerer” wasn’t enough.

Sukuna’s Techniques: The Tools of a King

Cleave and Dismantle

These two slashing techniques form the foundation of Sukuna’s combat style:

Dismantle is the default slashing attack—an invisible blade that can be deployed instantly and cut through virtually anything non-living. It requires no adjustment and can be spammed indefinitely given Sukuna’s cursed energy reserves.

Cleave is the adaptive technique. It automatically adjusts its power based on the target’s toughness and cursed energy. Against weak opponents, it uses minimal energy. Against beings like Gojo, it channels immense power to cut through even the most durable defenses.

The genius of this dual-technique system is efficiency. Sukuna never wastes energy—Dismantle handles objects and weak opponents, while Cleave reserves maximum power for worthy targets.

The Fire Arrow (Unnamed Flame Technique)

Perhaps the most unexpected aspect of Sukuna’s arsenal is his fire technique, first revealed during the Shibuya Incident. This was shocking because:

His cutting techniques were already overwhelmingly powerful
Fire seems thematically different from his slashing motif
It demonstrated that Sukuna’s full abilities had never been revealed

The fire arrow technique creates devastating beams of flame that can level buildings and incinerate targets from long range. Its exact classification and full capabilities remain somewhat mysterious, adding to Sukuna’s terrifying mystique.

World-Cutting Slash

This technique represents the pinnacle of Sukuna’s slashing abilities. Unlike Cleave and Dismantle, which cut physical matter, the World-Cutting Slash severs concepts themselves. It can cut:

Space (creating dimensional rifts)
The “world” (bypassing any defensive ability, including Infinity)
Reality itself in limited ways

This was the technique that killed Gojo Satoru. By cutting the “world,” Sukuna bypassed Infinity entirely—the first and only time this supposedly absolute defense was defeated.

Malevolent Shrine: The Supreme Domain

Domain Expansion represents the pinnacle of jujutsu technique, and Sukuna’s Malevolent Shrine is considered the most refined Domain in history.

Unique Properties

Unlike standard Domains that create enclosed barrier spaces, Malevolent Shrine manifests in reality itself. This seemingly small difference has massive implications:

No barrier to break: Most Domain counters involve destroying or escaping the barrier. Malevolent Shrine has no such weakness.

Binding Vow advantage: By not trapping opponents (giving them an “escape route”), Sukuna receives a significant boost to his guaranteed-hit effect’s power and range.

Reality manifestation: The shrine appears in the real world, meaning environmental destruction is real and persistent.

The Guaranteed Hit

Within Malevolent Shrine’s range, Sukuna’s Cleave and Dismantle activate automatically against all targets. This isn’t rapid attacking—it’s guaranteed cutting that happens simply because you exist within the Domain.

Non-living objects receive constant Dismantle. Living beings with cursed energy receive adaptive Cleave.

The result? Total annihilation of everything within range, calculated at approximately 140 meters by default but expandable to roughly 200 meters.

Domain Supremacy

During his fight with Gojo, Sukuna’s Domain repeatedly clashed with Unlimited Void. This is one of the only recorded instances of two complete Domains fighting for supremacy. The battles demonstrated:

Sukuna’s ability to rapidly reconstruct his Domain after it was broken
His tactical genius in using Domain Expansion strategically rather than as a simple trump card
The immense cursed energy required to maintain Domain conflicts

Heian Era Sukuna: The Original Monster

Understanding modern Sukuna requires understanding what he was like during the Heian Era, when he ruled as an unchallenged king.

The Golden Age Context

The Heian Era of jujutsu was fundamentally different from the modern day:

Cursed spirits were far more numerous and powerful
Jujutsu techniques were more developed and deadly
The strongest sorcerers of that age would dwarf most modern special-grades
Binding Vows and cursed technique usage were more sophisticated

In this environment of incredible power, Sukuna stood alone at the apex. He wasn’t just the strongest sorcerer—he was so far beyond everyone else that challenging him was considered suicide.

Contemporary Rivals

Despite his supremacy, Sukuna did encounter worthy opponents during the Heian Era:

The Angel (Hana’s current incarnation): Possessed techniques specifically designed to counter cursed techniques, potentially created as an anti-Sukuna measure.

Kenjaku: The brain-hopping sorcerer who witnessed Sukuna’s era and has spent a thousand years orchestrating plans that account for his power.

Unknown Sorcerers: References suggest other powerful individuals existed who could at least survive encountering Sukuna, though none could defeat him.

Why Did He “Die”?

The circumstances of Sukuna’s original death remain partially mysterious. Given his overwhelming power, several theories exist:

He allowed himself to die out of boredom after conquering everything
A coalition of the era’s strongest sorcerers sacrificed everything to wound him
Natural causes (though this seems unlikely given cursed energy’s life-extending properties)
A deliberate choice to await a more interesting future

Whatever the cause, his death wasn’t complete—twenty fingers remained, each waiting to restore him.

Sukuna vs. Gojo: The Ultimate Comparison

The long-awaited battle between Sukuna and Gojo Satoru answered the question fans had debated for years: Who is truly the strongest?

The Verdict

Sukuna won. But the victory was far from one-sided:

Gojo pushed Sukuna harder than anyone had in a millennium
The battle required Sukuna’s absolute best, including techniques he’d kept hidden
Without Megumi’s Ten Shadows Technique and Mahoraga, the outcome might have differed
Sukuna acknowledged Gojo as a worthy opponent—something he’s never done for anyone else

What Made the Difference

Several factors contributed to Sukuna’s victory:

Megumi’s body: Access to the Ten Shadows Technique gave Sukuna additional tools, particularly Mahoraga’s adaptation ability
The World-Cutting Slash: This technique was specifically effective against Infinity
Combat experience: Over a thousand years of battle versus Gojo’s mere 28 years
Adaptation: Sukuna could counter everything Gojo used; Gojo couldn’t counter the World-Cutting Slash

Power Scaling: Where Does Sukuna Rank?

In the context of all anime, where does full-power Sukuna fall?

Within Jujutsu Kaisen

#1: Undisputed. Even Gojo at full power lost to him.

Among Shonen Antagonists

Comparable to all-time greats like Madara Uchiha, Meruem, and Yhwach
His Domain Expansion ranks among the most broken abilities in anime
His adaptability and combat intelligence rival any antagonist in the medium

Limitations

Despite his immense power, Sukuna isn’t omnipotent:

He can be damaged and killed (eventually, in the manga)
His arrogance sometimes blinds him to creative tactics
He requires a physical vessel to exist in the modern age
Coalition attacks from multiple powerful sorcerers can eventually overwhelm him

How to Experience Sukuna’s Full Power

For those wanting to witness Sukuna at his most terrifying:

Manga: Jujutsu Kaisen manga volumes on Amazon – The Shinjuku Showdown Arc showcases Sukuna’s complete abilities

Anime: Seasons 1-2 on Crunchyroll show Sukuna’s gradual power accumulation, with future seasons covering his full-power battles

Key Chapters: The Shibuya Incident (Chapters 110-136) and Shinjuku Showdown (Chapters 222-269) contain Sukuna’s most impressive feats

Conclusion

Ryomen Sukuna represents something rare in anime: a villain whose strength isn’t exaggerated or inconsistent. Every ability he displays is earned through ancient mastery. Every victory is convincing. When he defeats Gojo Satoru—the benchmark for power in modern jujutsu—it feels both devastating and logical.

At twenty fingers, with a millennium of experience and techniques that can cut reality itself, Sukuna stands as one of the most well-crafted and terrifying antagonists in shonen history. He’s not evil because of tragedy or circumstance—he’s evil because that’s simply what he is, and he’s powerful enough that no one can tell him otherwise.

The King of Curses didn’t earn his title through propaganda or fear alone. He earned it by being exactly as terrible as the legends claimed. And that’s what makes him unforgettable.