Suguru Geto’s descent into villainy in Jujutsu Kaisen is one of anime’s most compelling and heartbreaking character arcs. The question of why Geto, once a righteous jujutsu sorcerer, turned to darkness and seemingly betrayed his best friend Gojo Satoru is central to the series’ narrative. This article explores the pivotal moments and accumulated pressures that led Geto down a path of no return, transforming him into the curse user we see in Jujutsu Kaisen 0 and Season 2.
The Foundation of Justice: Geto’s Early Ideals
In the “Gojo’s Past” arc, we are introduced to Geto as a student with a strong moral compass. He is portrayed as calm, collected, and deeply committed to his role as a jujutsu sorcerer. In stark contrast to the often arrogant and impulsive Gojo, Geto embodies a sense of responsibility and duty. He lectures Gojo on his disrespectful attitude and firmly believes in the core tenet of their profession: the strong must protect the weak. For Geto, jujutsu sorcerers existed to safeguard non-sorcerers from the threat of curses, a conviction he held with unwavering sincerity.
The First Cracks: Riko Amanai and the Seeds of Doubt
The mission to protect Riko Amanai, the Star Plasma Vessel, marks a significant turning point for Geto. Riko’s assassination by a non-sorcerer, coupled with the disturbing scene of non-sorcerers cheering upon their return with her body, deeply shakes Geto’s faith. While Gojo, in his raw anger, contemplates killing the onlookers, it is Geto who initially restrains him. However, this event plants the first seeds of doubt in Geto’s mind about the very people he is sworn to protect. He begins to question the value of his efforts and the nature of the jujutsu world itself.
Isolation and the Grueling Reality of Curse Manipulation
As Gojo’s power grows exponentially, he increasingly undertakes missions solo. Geto, too, begins to operate independently, but he grapples with a unique and isolating burden: the constant consumption of cursed spirits. The physical act of swallowing curses, described as disgusting and repulsive, wears on Geto both physically and mentally. This daily struggle, unique to curse users like him, is something even Gojo, with his unmatched strength, cannot fully comprehend. This isolation and the sheer unpleasantness of his cursed spirit manipulation ability further fuel Geto’s growing disillusionment. He starts to question for whom and for what he endures this constant suffering.
Yuki Tsukumo’s Philosophy and a Shift in Perspective
A pivotal conversation with Yuki Tsukumo, a special grade sorcerer researching the origin of curses, offers Geto a new and unsettling perspective. Yuki explains that curses are born from the cursed energy emanating from non-sorcerers. This revelation is profoundly disturbing to Geto. If non-sorcerers are the source of curses, are they not also the root of the problem? This conversation, combined with the mounting stress and disillusionment, pushes Geto closer to the edge, challenging his foundational belief in protecting non-sorcerers.
Haibara’s Death: The Weight of Loss and a Crumbling System
The tragic death of Haibara, Geto’s cheerful and optimistic junior, serves as another devastating blow. Haibara’s loss underscores the inherent dangers of their profession and the failures of the jujutsu system to adequately protect even its own sorcerers. For Geto, already questioning his purpose, Haibara’s death reinforces the idea that their sacrifices are ultimately futile and that the system they serve is flawed. The weight of this loss, coupled with his existing doubts, intensifies his internal turmoil.
The Breaking Point: The Village and the Descent into Darkness
The final catalyst for Geto’s transformation is the horrific mission involving Nanako and Mimiko. He witnesses firsthand the brutal torture and abuse inflicted upon these young cursed spirit users by non-sorcerers in a remote village. This act of extreme cruelty, perpetrated by the very people he was meant to protect, shatters Geto’s remaining resolve. Seeing Nanako and Mimiko’s suffering becomes the ultimate breaking point. In a moment of profound despair and rage, Geto unleashes his cursed technique, massacring the entire village and embracing the path of a curse user. He then takes Nanako and Mimiko under his wing, solidifying his rejection of his former ideals and his descent into what is perceived as evil.
Divergence, Not Betrayal: Geto’s Path Away From Gojo
While Geto’s actions are undeniably villainous, framing his separation from Gojo as a simple betrayal is an oversimplification. Geto and Gojo’s diverging beliefs and moral codes led them down different paths, causing them to grow apart. Even in their final confrontation in Jujutsu Kaisen 0, a sense of camaraderie and deep-seated friendship remains. Geto’s dying words to Gojo, wishing he had cursed him, are not those of a betrayer but of someone who still holds a profound connection to his former best friend. Nanako and Mimiko’s words in Season 2 further emphasize the enduring bond between Gojo and Geto, highlighting that their separation was a tragic divergence rather than a malicious betrayal.
Geto’s transformation is not a sudden shift but a gradual erosion of his ideals under the weight of trauma, isolation, and disillusionment. The jujutsu system, in many ways, failed Geto, a teenager grappling with immense responsibility and horrific realities. His story serves as a stark reminder of the complexities of morality and the devastating consequences of a world riddled with curses and human cruelty.
