Angel (2024)

The Angel (天 (てん) 使 (し) Tenshi^?) is a character in Jujutsu Kaisen. She is a sorcerer from the Heian Era who has been incarnated by Kenjaku to participate in the Culling Game, having come to possess Hana Kurusu's body. She aims to wipe out all other incarnated players and chiefly the Disgraced One, Sukuna. Rather than suppress Hana's consciousness like most incarnates, the Angel lives symbiotically within her.^[2][3]

Appearance

The Angel's original appearance is unknown. Under her influence, Hana has permanently manifested a pair of feathered, bluish-white wings on her back along with a yellow halo of light over her head, suggesting that those are traits inherited from the Angel.^[2]

Personality

The Angel is a well-mannered, straightforward, and reasonable individual who seems to want what is best for the world at large. Since incarnating, she has made it her goal to wipe out all her fellow incarnated Culling Game players, as she deems them possessing humans and killing their egos in the process, whether intentionally or not, to "violate God's Law" (神 (かみ) の理 (ことわり) に反 (はん) する Kami no Kotowari ni hansuru^?); when Megumi asks for clarification, the Angel tells him that "God's Law" is merely her giving a name to her credo, implying that it is not meant to reflect a theistic outlook.^[4] At the same time, while the Angel did strike a deal with the malefic Kenjaku for a chance to incarnate, she has since dedicated her time to actively opposing both him and Sukuna, the latter of whom the Angel calls "Disgraced One" (堕 (だ) 天 (てん) Daten^?) and most strongly desires to kill.^[5]

Being pragmatic, the Angel was quick to ally herself with present-day sorcerers whose objective of stopping Kenjaku and his faction aligned with hers. The Angel immediately deduced that, if her newfound allies were seeking her out, they must have learned of her abilities, and proved business-minded by demanding help in killing Sukuna before she would fulfill what was hoped from her, using her power as a bargaining chip.^[6] Since joining forces with Megumi, Yuji and co., the Angel has been forthcoming in disclosing information and offering personal judgment on situations so as to prove herself trustworthy and further their collective goal.^[7][8][9] Even following Hana's defeat by Sukuna, the Angel was thankful for her and Hana's lives being saved and remained willing to uphold her end of the aforesaid deal: using her power to unseal Satoru Gojo.^[10][11] Even beyond that point, the Angel and Hana remained willing to aid their allies in opposing Kenjaku and Sukuna.^[12]

How the Angel's relationship with Hana began is unknown, but the latter has never expressed an issue with the ancient sorcerer possessing her, as the Angel (most likely so as not go against her own credo) chose to coexist with her, leaving Hana with default control of their shared body. The Angel is aware of Hana's past and her secret feelings for Megumi (presumably due to access to the girl's memories) and has teased her host about them in a light-hearted manner, though when Hana expressed her want to not yet reveal her feelings to Megumi, the Angel respected her privacy.^[13] Hana, in turn, showed indignation on the Angel's behalf when Yuji spoke to her rudely over a disagreement.^[14] The Angel has been shown to prioritize Hana's protection over saving the innocent, though was open about the reason being their symbiotic relationship, due to which putting Hana at risk means endangering the Angel too.^[15] When an overemotional Hana was being fooled by Sukuna into letting her guard down, the Angel tried unsuccessfully to stop her from falling prey to the Disgraced One.^[16] Yet, even after she and Hana had paid the price for the latter's mistake that led to them failing to purge Sukuna and being critically injured, Hana's relationship with the Angel appeared to remain the same.^[10][12]

Synopsis

History

During the Heian Era a thousand years ago, the Angel was part of the so-called Desshi Pacification Squad (涅 (でっ) 漆 (し) 鎮 (ちん) 撫 (ぶ) 隊 (たい) Desshi Chinbu-tai^?), the Abe Clan's elite forces that also included the Sugawara Clan's remnants. At some point, the squad made an attack on Sukuna, but they were repelled by the King of Curses wielding his two weapons.^[17] The Angel developed enough of an animosity towards Sukuna to maintain a desire to kill him a thousand years later.^[5]

At some point, the Angel accepted an invitation from Kenjaku to undergo incarnation after death, like many other sorcerers over the centuries, due to not having or knowing the means to become a cursed object on her own.^[18] She ultimately came to inhabit the body of a young girl, Hana Kurusu, in the present day. Unlike most incarnations, the Angel allowed Hana to remain in control of herself, hence forming a symbiotic relationship of incarnate and vessel. Some time after the incarnation, Angel and Hana entered the Culling Game started by Kenjaku.^[19][13]

Perfect Preparation Arc

Tengen first makes reference to the Angel during the Culling Game's early stages, citing the ancient sorcerer's ability to "extinguish" any and all cursed techniques and that she ought to be found so that she may help them unseal Satoru Gojo.^[2]

Culling Game Arc

Through Hana's ability to cross Colony borders via the Angel's ability, the pair travels from Tokyo's No. 2 to the No. 1 Colony where Hana finds a collapsed Megumi Fushiguro, carries him away,^[20] and gathers with him, Yuji Itadori, and Fumihiko Takaba in a hotel. On the night of November 14, the group comes to talk, and the Angel reveals herself through a manifested mouth on Hana. Deducing that Megumi and co. must have sought her out for her ability to negate all jujutsu, including barriers and seals, she lays out her goal to hunt down and kill all incarnated Culling Game players, believing their possession (and overriding the consciousness) of living humans to violate "God's Law". The Angel goes on to say that could probably unseal the Prison Realm (thus freeing Gojo) but that, before does so, the others shall first aid her in finding and killing one incarnation specifically: the "Disgraced One" (Sukuna).^[3] Shortly thereafter, the Angel notes how odd it is that a large number of people seem to be entering the Colony, which she can tell is happening thanks to Kogane.^[21]

With a large number US Army soldiers having begun invading the Colonies, the Angel rightly suspects that this must be due to Kenjaku's machinations, aimed at the mass slaughter of non-sorcerers by curses to fill the Colonies with more cursed energy.^[7] When the Angel infers that this is meant to serve the completion of the ritual preceding Tengen's merger with the Japanese populace, Yuji insists that they should save the soldiers. The Angel tells him not to bother as saving all non-sorcerers was unlikely to stop the ritual outright, and that she would rather not see Hana placed in danger, which would imperil herself too. When Yuji notes that he takes no orders from someone he does not trust, the Angel stays silent while Hana notes the boy's crudeness to be unpleasant.^[22]

On the 16th, at noon, Hana and co. meet with Maki Zenin, discussing what is to be done now that Tengen has been captured by Kenjaku. When Maki brings up that Culling Game players cannot cross Colony borders, Hana mentions that she can, and the Angel expounds that while Hana alone can move between Colonies, outright destroying their barriers to allow everyone free traversal would require that they find and destroy the barriers' foundation. Megumi then uses his points to add a rule to let players leave the Culling Game by expending 100 points to invite new players as substitutes. At around 3 PM, the group reaches a rooftop where they meet up with Megumi's sister, who reveals herself to be another incarnated sorcerer and flies away. Sukuna then unexpectedly exploits a prior-made binding vow with Yuji to forcibly seize control of the boy, incapacitates Hana, and forcibly takes possession of Megumi by feeding him a finger of his.^[23][24] Hana quickly regains consciousness thanks to the power of the Angel who, immediately recognizing the Disgraced One within Megumi, unleashes her power, telling a distressed Hana that, though they are bound to harm Megumi, there is no other way to purge Sukuna before the latter achieves a stronger hold over his vessel. Thus, Hana casts "Jacob's Ladder" at maximum cursed energy output to strip Sukuna away from Megumi. Before she can succeed, the King of Curses pretends to be Megumi to lure Hana into an embrace, with the Angel trying to tell her to stop but to no avail.^[25] Consequently, Sukuna brutally injures the angelic pair and throws them off the rooftop they were on.^[26]

Shinjuku Showdown Arc

Hana was later healed by Yuta Okkotsu and Shoko Ieiri after being saved earlier by Rin Amai and possibly Takaba. The Angel notes that without their help they would have died, then when Yuta asks if the Angel can switch hosts like Sukuna, explains that such a feat is impossible for anyone other than the King of Curses, who must have learned how to divide his own soul among multiple cursed objects. With Hana no longer in a condition to fight, the Angel still agrees to let her power be used to unseal Gojo from within the Prison Realm,^[10] with Hana doing so at Jujutsu High's Training Ground No. 4 (on the Angel's recommendation to do it not in a confined space in case Gojo snaps after a being sealed for so long).^[11]

After Gojo's release, sometime prior to the Shinjuku Showdown, the Angel offers advice on how to deal with Sukuna and Kenjaku, stating that they ought to attack Kenjaku before Sukuna's and Gojo's fight ends, as beating the King of Curses would mean nothing if Kenjaku achieves his goal of merging all humans in Japan with Tengen. The Angel nominates Takaba as a fighter fit to engage Kenjaku, consequently explaining his cursed technique.^[12] On December 24, a month after his unsealing, Gojo is prepped for his fight against Sukuna in Shinjuku, and Hana is present alongside the others to see him off.^[27] Once the fight is underway, Hana, the Angel, and their allies are in some building a safe distance away, using Mei Mei's crows to view a broadcast of the fight. At several points, the Angel and Hana comment on and are shocked by the events of the battle as they unfold.^[28][29][30] During the raid on Sukuna, Angel and Hana, with the help of Todo join the battle and attempt to fire a Jacob's Ladder on the King of Curses.^[31] However, due to Hana's prior injury the output was weakened giving Sukuna time to propel enough debris to travel along the light. Despite Angel warning Hana to gain distance, Sukuna caught up to them and attempted to strike Hana with a Black Flash, though Todo took the hit in her place as the impact launched both of them into a building leaving Angel, Hana, and Todo out of commission.^[32]

Abilities and Powers

Overall Abilities: The Angel was a notable sorcerer during the Heian Era, the golden age of jujutsu, and served as part of the Abe Clan's elite force, though she and her comrades were eventually defeated by Sukuna wielding his two signature cursed tools.^[17] Still, due to her experience and holding an innate technique that counters any and all jujutsu without prejudice, the Angel is a formidable force. She is fatally dangerous to fellow incarnated sorcerers who (being cursed objects fused with living flesh) are susceptible to her technique.^[3]

The Angel's capabilities are made evident through Hana who, despite being a young girl with no formal sorcerer training, was sufficiently empowered by the ancient sorcerer to easily survive the Culling Game, wherein the Angel's ability made her the only player capable of crossing Colony borders freely.^[33][34] Ultimately, Hana cast "Jacob's Ladder" to nearly succeed in purging Sukuna, albeit the King of Curses had not yet achieved a strong hold over his new host, Megumi, nor was he at full strength. Hana failed to eliminate the Disgraced One only because he exploited the girl's love for Megumi to fool her into deactivating her technique halfway through casting it.^[35] Later, the Angel's and Hana's greatest contribution to their sorcerer allies would be when they used Jacob's Ladder on the "Back" the Prison Realm, unsealing Satoru Gojo.^[36]

Incarnation (受 (じゅ) 肉 (にく) Juniku^?): Like many past sorcerers, the Angel struck a deal with Kenjaku to effectively bind her soul to a cursed object, allowing her to incarnate post-mortem and possess Hana. Unlike most incarnates, the Angel has formed a symbiotic relationship that leaves Hana in control of her body, with the Angel able to speak by manifesting a second mouth on the girl's body, usually her cheek or hand (much like Sukuna could while inhabiting Yuji). However, this condition leaves the Angel unable to physically interfere in the event that Hana takes a fatal misstep during combat.^[3][37][38] Moreover, unlike Sukuna, the Angel cannot switch hosts, lacking the King of Curse's knowledge on how to divide her own soul.^[18]

Flight: While possessing Hana, the Angel grants her the ability to levitate and fly.^[2]

Great Intellect: The Angel has repeatedly proven herself to be shrewd, perceptive, and knowledgeable on jujutsu, which has made her a major asset to her and Hana's present-day allies. She immediately inferred that Megumi and Yuji, claiming to have sought her out, must have learned of her technique and then used that as leverage to gain her newfound allies' favor and (seeming) willingness to aid her in her goal: killing Sukuna.^[6] When the first Tokyo Colony was flooded with over a thousand foreigners of non-sorcerer status, the Angel correctly ascertained that the responsible party was Kenjaku, who was seeking a fail-safe in case the Culling Game players do not sufficiently raise the Colonies' ambient cursed energy (for the ritual to merge Tengen with Japan's populace).^[7][39]

Perhaps most impressively, the Angel was the only one to realize the true nature and potential of Takaba's innate technique, despite the man's unassuming, frivolous demeanor. She initially realized that it may have helped Hana survive Sukuna^[40] and later recommended that Takaba be sent after Kenjaku.^[12] Otherwise, the Angel's jujutsu knowledge extends to the workings of Domain Amplification, the dynamics involved in a domain clash, and the potential recovery of a burnt-out technique using Reverse Cursed Technique.^[28][29][30]

Cursed Technique

Innate Technique

Technique Extinguishment (術 (じゅつ) 式 (しき) の消 (しょう) 滅 (めつ) Jutsushiki no Shōmetsu?):[41] The Angel's technique, inherited by Hana, allows for the "extinguishment" (消滅 shōmetsu?) of any and all other cursed techniques, negating them. Barriers, seals, and cursed objects alike are susceptible, including special grades like the Prison Realm. However, the Angel admits that it is nearly impossible for her to split incarnated sorcerers from their hosts without killing both, as incarnations are fusions of cursed objects with living flesh.[2][42]

Maximum Output: Jacob's Ladder (出 (しゅつ) 力 (りょく) 最 (さい) 大 (だい) 「邪 (や) 去 (こ) 悔 (ぶ) の梯 (はし) 子 (ご) 」 Shutsuryoku Saidai: Yakobu no Hashigo?): An extension technique through which the Angel conjures a four-winged trumpet made of light in her hands, then an immense circle of light in the sky above her. Said circle resembles a magic array and features a heptagram in its middle, plus several crosses along its periphery. By sounding the trumpet, a pillar of light descends from middle of the circle to engulf whatever is below. Thus, any curse will be "extinguished" under the light of Jacob's Ladder.[35][36]

Trivia

• In their overall motif, the Angel and by extension Hana are based on the portrayal of angels in the Abrahamic religions, especially Christianity:
  • Hana is distinguished by her feathered wings and halo of light that she inherited from the Angel.
  • The Angel has described her personal creed as undoing that which "violates God's Law";^[43] this reflects how angels, in the Abrahamic faiths, are believed to not only be God's messengers but also enforcers of his will on Earth.
  • The Angel's innate technique, which counters anything to do with curses, and her desire to kill Sukuna at all costs (the King of Curses who himself has a demonic motif) seem to reflect the essence of anti-demonic exorcism. Additionally, the Angel's epithet for Sukuna, "Disgraced One" (堕 (だ) 天 (てん) Daten^?, lit. "Fallen One"), is most likely derived from the Japanese word for "Fallen Angel" (堕 (だ) 天 (てん) 使 (し) Datenshi^?).
  • The "Jacob's Ladder" technique is named after the ladder seen by the biblical patriarch Jacob in the Book of Genesis. The technique's use comes with a prayer-like chant, involves the creation of all-purifying light meant to "erase sin", and spawns a trumpet of light for Hana to sound (possibly based on the seven trumpets of Revelation), as well as cross-like shapes and small cherubic beings that fly around the target.
  • A particular scene where Hana saves a US soldier from a curse^[44] is an obvious allusion to the famous fresco painting The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo.
• The Angel's rankings in the Popularity Polls are as follows:
  • Angel ranked 69th in the third Popularity Poll with 7 votes.
  • Angel ranked 127th in the fourth Popularity Poll with 2 votes.

References

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