What made Sukuna evil?

Sukuna, the King of Curses in Jujutsu Kaisen, is one of the most sinister and powerful entities in the series. His evil nature is as legendary as his overwhelming strength, and his actions have left a trail of destruction throughout history. But what exactly turned Sukuna into the malevolent force we know today? Was he always evil, or did something push him down this dark path?

In this post, we’ll dive into the key factors that contributed to Sukuna’s descent into evil, exploring his backstory, personality, and the forces that shaped him into the terrifying figure fans have come to fear and respect.

1. Sukuna’s Origins: A Sorcerer with Boundless Ambition

Before Sukuna became the King of Curses, he was an extraordinarily powerful sorcerer in his human life. His origins, while largely shrouded in mystery, suggest that Sukuna was a being of immense ability, likely even surpassing most of the great sorcerers of his time. He had an insatiable desire for power and control, which is a trait that often drives characters toward darkness in the world of Jujutsu Kaisen.

In his human form, Sukuna was not just a sorcerer; he was a conqueror, using his abilities to dominate and manipulate others. He built a cult of followers around him, not because he sought to protect or serve them, but because he sought to assert his superiority over all living beings. His arrogance and pride were central to his personality, and they set the stage for his eventual transformation into a curse.

2. His Lust for Destruction and Chaos

Sukuna’s cruelty wasn’t born out of any specific tragedy, but rather from his innate desire for destruction and chaos. As a sorcerer, he reveled in the suffering of others and had no regard for life, either human or curse. His lust for destruction was so profound that he was willing to destroy everything in his path, regardless of whether it was a sorcerer, a curse, or a helpless victim.

This unrelenting desire to cause pain and suffering reflected his complete detachment from any moral compass. Sukuna didn’t just want power for its own sake—he wanted to destroy the natural order, to break down everything in his path, and to assert his dominance over the world itself. This made him not just a powerful being but an agent of pure chaos.

3. The Corruption of Power: Becoming a Curse

In many ways, Sukuna’s transformation from sorcerer to curse can be seen as the logical culmination of his greed for power. Cursed spirits in the Jujutsu Kaisen universe are born from the negative emotions, fears, and desires of humans. Sukuna was so filled with malevolence and arrogance that upon his death, his cursed spirit became more than just a lingering trace of his former self—it became an incredibly powerful and malicious curse.

His human form was already twisted by his arrogance and desire for power, but as a curse, he became the embodiment of evil and malice. The sheer amount of negative energy he accumulated throughout his life allowed him to transcend his mortal limitations, turning him into the King of Curses—the most feared and powerful cursed spirit of all. As a curse, Sukuna's thirst for destruction only intensified, as he sought to wreak havoc on both the living and the cursed world.

4. The Influence of His Environment: Lack of Moral Boundaries

Another factor that likely shaped Sukuna’s evil nature is the lack of moral boundaries in the world he inhabited. Sorcerers and curses alike live in a world where power often trumps morality, and the law of survival is one of the strongest guiding principles. In this environment, Sukuna’s natural predilection for cruelty and power would have been reinforced by a culture that rewards strength and ruthlessness.

It’s also worth noting that Sukuna’s behavior might have been influenced by the absence of significant emotional bonds. He didn’t form deep relationships with others, nor did he seek companionship or understanding. As a result, Sukuna’s worldview became increasingly nihilistic—he saw people and curses alike as mere tools to be used for his own pleasure or discarded when no longer needed. This detachment from empathy further solidified his path toward evil.

5. The Curse of Immortality: His Growing Loneliness

Once Sukuna died and became a curse, he became virtually immortal, existing in a fragmented state for hundreds of years. Despite his power, Sukuna was trapped within his own body, cursed to exist in a decaying form as nothing more than a powerful artifact sealed within cursed objects. During this period, Sukuna’s isolation only deepened his hatred and resentment toward the world. This solitude made him even more dangerous, as his hatred for humanity grew unchecked.

The curse of immortality is a central theme in Sukuna’s existence. He is forever bound to his past, unable to move forward or to form meaningful connections. This eternal cycle of frustration and bitterness contributes to his ever-deepening malice, making him even more intent on achieving total domination over the living world.

6. Sukuna’s Desire for Control and Rebirth

Finally, Sukuna’s ultimate goal is to regain his full power and freedom. This ambition is at the core of his evil nature. He is willing to manipulate, deceive, and destroy anyone who stands in his way, including Yuji Itadori, the protagonist who becomes his unwilling vessel. Sukuna’s desire to reawaken his full form, by reclaiming all of his lost fingers, shows how deeply ingrained his thirst for dominance is.

Unlike most villains who are motivated by revenge or tragedy, Sukuna’s drive is purely self-serving. His evil is a result of a combination of inherent traits—greed, arrogance, and a lack of empathy—and the opportunities he seized to increase his power. He is a being driven by the pursuit of complete control, and no matter the cost, he will stop at nothing to achieve it.

Conclusion: Sukuna’s Evil Nature—A Product of Power and Pride

In the end, Sukuna’s evil nature is a combination of his uncontrolled ambition, unchecked power, and lack of empathy. While his transformation from a sorcerer to a curse may have been a natural progression of his malicious personality, his evil was also nurtured by the world around him—a world where power is the ultimate currency, and those without moral boundaries often thrive.

Sukuna’s story is one of excess, arrogance, and a constant hunger for destruction. His evil isn’t born from a single event but from a lifetime (and afterlife) of choices that prioritized his own supremacy above all else. Whether he was human or curse, Sukuna has always been a being driven by one core principle: to dominate.

Do you agree with this take on Sukuna’s descent into evil? Or do you think there are other factors at play in his journey? Let me know in the comments below!