Yuji Itadori and Ryomen Sukuna are an unlikely pair brought together by circumstances. When Yuji swallowed the cursed object known as Sukuna’s finger, the King of Curses was reincarnated and possessed his body. But to everyone’s surprise, Yuji can suppress Sukuna and still have full control over his body. Sukuna was naturally annoyed by the situation, so when Yuji died temporarily, he took the opportunity to establish a pact with him. But what pact did Yuji make with Sukuna exactly? Read along to find out.
What is a Binding Vow?
A binding vow or shibari refers to an unbreakable pact made by an individual with themselves or with others. It is a contract created through cursed energy, and it is often used to attain greater power or achieve a specific goal. A binding vow made with another person is far more complicated and dangerous than a binding vow imposed on oneself.
The reason is that the penalty for breaking a binding vow with others is unknown, whereas when breaking a binding vow with oneself, the worst that could happen is losing what was gained through the contract. This is why Kenjaku convinced Mahito not to break their binding vow with Mechamaru (Kokichi Muta) since they didn’t know what kind of retribution they might receive.
Binding Vows with Oneself
This type of binding vow is extremely risky for the person who imposed it upon themselves since the restriction usually involves limiting the amount of cursed energy that they can use for a certain period of time. So far, there are only a few individuals with known vows to themselves.
Nanami Kento’s Binding Vow
Nanami’s binding vow with himself called Overtime restricts the amount of cursed energy that he can use to about 80-90% while on the clock working for Jujutsu High. Once his normal shift ends and he begins working overtime, Nanami’s cursed energy increases drastically for up to 110-120% of his maximum power.
Sorcerers and Cursed Spirits
Sorcerers and cursed spirits usually have a binding vow with themselves that amplifies their cursed energy every time they reveal how their technique works to their opponents. This can increase the effectiveness of their cursed technique as well as mislead their opponents on how it works.
Kokichi Muta and Mahito’s Binding Vow
Mahito agreed to heal Muta’s body using Idle Transfiguration, and in exchange, Muta will serve as a double agent and provide them with information about Tokyo Jujutsu High. The conditions of their contract also prohibited Mahito from hurting anyone from Kyoto Jujutsu High. Muta claimed that Mahito broke their binding vow, but Mahito argued that it was Hanami who hurt the students from Kyoto Jujutsu High, so technically, he didn’t break the terms of their contract. Once Muta’s role was over, Mahito fulfilled his end of the contract and healed Muta’s body through Idle Transfiguration.
Binding Vows with Others
Vows created between two or more individuals are bound by cursed energy. The people involved must agree to a particular set of conditions beneficial for all of them. The penalty for breaking a binding vow with others is far more severe than a binding vow with oneself.
Ui Ui and Mei Mei’s Binding Vow
Ui Ui’s binding vow with his sister Mei Mei limits the amount of cursed energy that he can use until she gives him permission to use jujutsu. It is due to his strong desire to please his older sister.
Yuta Okkotsu and Higher-ups’ Binding Vow
Yuta agreed on a binding vow with the higher-ups where he had sworn to kill Yuji Itadori. However, he does not really intend to kill Yuji, so he uses the reverse cursed technique to heal him right away after he is killed. So, technically, he didn’t break the binding vow with the higher-ups since he actually did kill Yuji and only resurrected him afterward using the reverse cursed technique.
What Pact Did Yuji Make With Sukuna?
The most well-known contract in the series is that of Yuji and Sukuna. When Yuji died after his heart was ripped out by Sukuna, he found himself in Sukuna’s domain where he had a conversation with the King of Curses. Sukuna offered to fix his heart and bring him back to life if he accepted his set of conditions. The first condition is that when Sukuna utters the keyword “extension,” Yuji must allow him to take control of the body for one minute. Sukuna, being the cunning person he is, also gave the second condition in which Yuji will forget that they ever had that agreement.
Obviously, Yuji refuses to accept the contract since he knows how evil Sukuna can be. To convince him further, Sukuna added the third condition wherein he swore not to hurt anyone within that one minute. Still, Yuji was stubborn and continued to refuse. Ultimately, Sukuna suggested that they fight to death one-on-one, and if Yuji wins, he will fix his heart and revive him without any conditions. But if Sukuna wins, Yuji will accept the contract under the conditions that were mentioned earlier. Yuji immediately agreed, but before he could even finish his sentence, Sukuna already killed him. As of the agreement, Yuji was brought back to life, but he did not have any recollection of his conversation with Sukuna.
Why Did Sukuna Make a Pact With Yuji?
The reason why Sukuna made a pact with Yuji definitely has something to do with Megumi. When he saw Megumi’s Ten Shadows Technique, he realized its potential and planned to use it for his own benefit. One of the most popular theories is that Sukuna was planning to acquire a body of his own through Megumi’s technique, which is why he also saved him during the Shibuya Incident. Another theory as to why Sukuna made a pact with Yuji is that he is planning to use the one minute to find ways to free himself from Yuji.
Did Sukuna Break the Binding Vow?
Some of you might be wondering about this question since it seemed like Sukuna broke his binding vow with Yuji during the Shibuya Incident, and yet he didn’t suffer any kind of penalty. Yes, he did kill Nanako and Mimiko when he took over Yuji’s body but remember that he didn’t ask to come out willingly. Instead, Jogo forced Sukuna to take over by feeding Yuji several fingers. Sukuna did not use the keyword “extension” to take over, so technically, the time spent by Sukuna was not under the conditions of their contract.