JuJutsu Kaisen: Execution condenses the Shibuya arc into a single compilation film that functions as a bridge into season 3, which will adapt the Itadori Extermination arc. The feature follows the fallout from Shibuya and probes Yuji Itadori’s emotional state after Sukuna’s rampage through his body. While many viewers may not have needed another recap of season 2, the movie raises fresh questions — chiefly, what drives Yuta Okkotsu (the protagonist of Jujutsu Kaisen 0) to turn on Yuji. Once that revelation lands, the film’s abrupt tonal shift in the finale can feel jarring; below we unpack who Yuta is acting like an antagonist, whether his actions succeed, and how this sets up season 3.
Ed note: Spoilers ahead for the ending of JuJutsu Kaisen: Execution.
JuJutsu Kaisen: Execution’s ending, explained
Image: GKIDSAfter roughly 45 minutes of Shibuya recap, JuJutsu Kaisen: Execution segues into the opening episodes of season 3, slated to debut on Jan. 8. The story finds Yuji despondent and tasked with cleanup alongside Choso, weighed down by guilt over the devastation he caused while Sukuna occupied his body. Their quiet is shattered by an assault from two sorcerers: Yuja and Naoya Zenin (the latter being related to Megumi Fushiguro). Naoya’s motives are self-serving, but Yuta’s actions are driven by the JuJutsu Council’s demand that Yuji be eliminated after Shibuya.
Choso quickly neutralizes Naoya, while Yuji attempts to flee from Yuta. Even after witnessing Yuji’s terrifying power under Sukuna and his subsequent growth, Yuta pursues him with unnerving precision and soon overpowers him with minimal strain.
Yuta then appears to stab Yuji through the chest, seemingly killing him in front of witnesses. But the apparent assassination is a staged gambit: the faux-death is intended to divert the Council’s manhunt and the widespread retaliation brewing after Shibuya. Yuta reveals that Gojo — their shared mentor — had entrusted him with Yuji’s safety before the Shibuya incident. With Gojo sealed and unable to shield Yuta from the Council’s pressure, Yuta takes responsibility. Crucially, Yuta can manipulate cursed energy to heal, and because Yuji survived Sukuna’s occupation, Yuta is able to resurrect him.
What’s next in JuJutsu Kaisen season 3?
Image: GKIDS/MappaIn truth, Yuta’s hostile posture was a deliberate performance to convince observers that Yuji had been eliminated. Following the staged event, both characters appear to enter the Culling Games — a brutal, last-man-standing tournament that forces sorcerers and civilians into lethal combat. The stakes and motives behind their involvement will unfold across season 3. If you want a deeper handle on Yuta’s history before the new episodes, revisit JJK: 0, and consider catching up with these recommended episodes.
Source: Polygon
