Depressed Geto: Unraveling the Sorcerer's Tragic Fall

Before the darkness, there was light. Suguru Geto, in his youth at Tokyo Jujutsu High, was an embodiment of idealism and a staunch moral compass. He was known for his calm, collected demeanor, often tempering Gojo's more brash and arrogant tendencies. Geto genuinely believed in the duty of the strong to protect the weak, a fundamental principle of jujutsu sorcery. He saw jujutsu as a means to shield non-sorcerers from the malevolent curses born of human negativity, dedicating his life to this noble cause. He was not just Gojo's best friend but also a critical grounding force, helping Gojo to value the less powerful and understand his responsibilities. This early Geto was ethical, principled, and outwardly composed, even in the face of intense emotion. The bond between Geto and Gojo was central to this period, a dynamic that many fans analyze for its complexity and emotional depth. They were "the strongest" duo, their camaraderie and playful banter masking a deep understanding and respect for each other. Geto's belief that sorcerers had a moral obligation to protect ordinary people was deeply rooted in his compassion. He was the "yin to Gojo's yang," a figure who genuinely sought to make the world a better place by eliminating curses.

However, the world of jujutsu is inherently brutal, and the constant exposure to its grim realities began to chip away at Geto's resolve. His role as a sorcerer meant an "endless cycle of exorcism and consumption" of cursed spirits, a taste that was utterly repulsive and a burden no one else truly understood. This unique struggle, hidden from even Gojo, planted the first seeds of his internal turmoil. Several pivotal events served as catalysts for his escalating disillusionment, gradually pushing him towards the profound state of "depressed Geto": The mission to protect Riko Amanai, the Star Plasma Vessel, was a monumental turning point. Geto and Gojo, despite their formidable strength, failed to protect the young girl, who was brutally killed in front of them by Toji Fushiguro, a non-sorcerer. This traumatic event deeply shook Geto's worldview. The most crushing blow came not just from Riko's death itself, but from witnessing the Star Religious Group, non-sorcerers, applaud her demise. This moment gnawed at Geto's conscience, creating a widening wedge between his ideals and the harsh reality he faced. Gojo, enraged, wanted to kill the applauding crowd, but it was Geto who initially held him back, emphasizing the need for a sorcerer to have a "good reason to kill." Yet, the hypocrisy and apparent lack of gratitude from those they protected left a bitter taste. As Gojo awakened to his full power and became "the strongest," undertaking more dangerous missions alone, Geto found himself increasingly isolated. He was left to bear the "unpleasantness of absorbing cursed spirits all on his own," a physically and mentally draining process. The consumption of cursed spirits, described as tasting "disgusting," became a symbol of the vile nature of the world he was forced to interact with. This ceaseless cycle, coupled with the lingering trauma of Riko's death, led to significant mental and physical fatigue. Geto's exhaustion was less physical and more psychological, accelerating the damage to an already fracturing mind. He began to question for whom he was enduring this suffering, finding no joy in the exhausting cycle of exorcism and loss. A conversation with Yuki Tsukumo, a senior sorcerer, further solidified Geto's emerging radical ideology. Yuki's revelation that curses are born from the negative emotions of non-sorcerers planted a dangerous seed in Geto's mind. While Yuki's intention was to find a solution to prevent curses by teaching humans to control their cursed energy, Geto twisted this insight into a justification for his genocidal vision: eliminate the source, eliminate the problem. This provided a seemingly logical, albeit horrifying, answer to his burgeoning despair and the contradiction of protecting those who were the very cause of the curses. The tragic death of his enthusiastic junior, Yu Haibara, served as yet another devastating blow. Haibara's death, coupled with the earlier events, further fueled Geto's anger and the realization that he would continue to lose friends due to the flawed jujutsu system.

The cumulative effect of these traumas, the moral contradictions, and the relentless, disgusting duty of a sorcerer plunged Geto into a profound state of depression and nihilism. While his transformation was swift in the anime's portrayal, it was a gradual process of internal decay. Symptoms of "depressed Geto" became visibly apparent: * Physical Decline: He started losing weight and developed heavy eye bags, indicative of disrupted sleep or excessive sleep. * Apathy and Slowed Responses: He hunched over, seemingly lacking the energy to sit upright, and his responses to others became slow and delayed, as if even basic interaction required immense effort. * Emotional Detachment: His "inner turmoil" and "growing resentment" festered beneath his calm exterior. He struggled to reconcile his actions with his original purpose, questioning whether non-sorcerers were truly worth the effort. * Dehumanization of Non-Sorcerers: The most striking manifestation of his psychological breakdown was his increasing disdain for non-sorcerers, whom he began to refer to as "monkeys." This dehumanization was a coping mechanism, a way to justify the suffering and death he witnessed and endured, and to rationalize his eventual goal of their extermination. If they were merely "monkeys," their lives held less value, making the burden of protecting them, and the disgust of consuming curses born from them, more bearable. This stark shift symbolized his complete detachment from his earlier ideals of protection and service. * Loss of Genuine Happiness: A poignant line from Jujutsu Kaisen 0 reveals the depth of his despair: "I just couldn't wear a heartfelt smile in this world." This indicates a perpetual lack of genuine happiness, even before his radical decision. He smiled to please Gojo, not for himself. * Search for Self-Affirmation: At his core, Geto was driven by a need for self-affirmation. His shift towards eliminating non-sorcerers was, in a twisted way, an attempt to find meaning and validate his existence in a world that had seemingly broken him. He clung to this new purpose, however extreme, as a way to keep living.

The final straw for Geto was a mission to a remote village where he discovered two young sorcerer girls, Nanako and Mimiko, being brutally mistreated and blamed for a curse by non-sorcerers. Witnessing this extreme cruelty and the blatant injustice inflicted upon fellow sorcerers pushed him past his breaking point. In a horrifying act that cemented his villainous turn, Geto massacred over a hundred civilians in that village, freeing the girls whom he then adopted. He even went as far as to kill his own parents, non-sorcerers themselves, to solidify his commitment to his new, extremist ideology. This act was a point of no return, severing his ties to the old world and proving the depth of his conviction to himself. This transformation was so sudden and drastic in its on-screen depiction that some critics argue it felt rushed, leaving audiences puzzled rather than fully understanding the depth of his fall. However, the narrative implies a long, painful internal struggle that merely culminated in this explosive event.

With his depression twisting into a radical conviction, Geto abandoned his past life and became a self-proclaimed "worst of all curse users." He adopted a messianic complex, believing himself to be the "saviour" who would cleanse the world of non-sorcerers and create a world where only sorcerers could thrive. He saw sorcerers as the superior race, humanity's next stage of evolution, and their survival depended on the extermination of those who generated curses. This ideology, while rooted in a twisted sense of justice, was ultimately self-destructive and deeply flawed. He recognized the "selfish miasma emanating from the human heart" that created curses, but his solution was extreme and unrealistic given the minority status of sorcerers. His plan to eradicate 90% of humanity was "stupid" and "not entirely thought through," as acknowledged even by some fans. Yet, for Geto, it provided a concrete goal, a purpose that had been eroded by despair. He genuinely believed he was doing the right thing, which makes him all the more compelling as an antagonist.

The breakdown of Geto's mental state is inextricably linked to his relationships, particularly with Satoru Gojo. Their bond was once the foundation of Geto's support system. As Gojo became stronger and more isolated by his power, Geto felt increasingly alone, unable to share the unique burden of his cursed technique and the psychological toll it took. The "gulf" that grew between them, perceived by Geto, contributed to his silent suffering. Gojo, despite his power, was deeply affected by Geto's defection, bearing a "burden, grief, and depression" from the loss of his best friend. The breakup scene, where Geto intentionally avoided eye contact and used harsh words, was a deliberate act to deter Gojo and solidify his own resolve, even if it meant causing immense pain to the one person he still cared for. Even as a villain, Geto's final moments in Jujutsu Kaisen 0, where he is killed by Gojo, show a hint of longing for their past friendship, a smile on his face, suggesting a complex emotional landscape even at the very end. The narrative also highlights the contrast between Geto's response to trauma and Gojo's. While Gojo chose to grow personally and refused to be shaped by the past, Geto spiraled into darkness. This divergence underscores the differing coping mechanisms for intense trauma within the series.

Geto's arc serves as a stark commentary on the mental toll of being a jujutsu sorcerer. The constant exposure to horrific curses, the sacrifice, and the inherent loneliness of their existence can lead to severe psychological distress. Some analyses suggest that the jujutsu system itself failed Geto, a teenager burdened with immense responsibility and trauma without adequate support. The idea that sorcerers need to be "a little crazy" to handle their work, as Gojo himself states, highlights the inherent psychological fragility of their world. Geto's inability to open up about his struggles and Gojo's obliviousness to the depth of his friend's suffering resonate with real-world issues of mental health and the importance of support systems. Just as medical professionals in the real world require therapy to process the trauma they witness, the argument is made that jujutsu sorcerers desperately need psychological support to prevent a similar descent into madness.

Suguru Geto remains one of Jujutsu Kaisen's most compelling and tragic characters. His journey from idealistic protector to genocidal extremist is driven not by simple malice or greed, but by a deep-seated disillusionment and profound depression that twisted his noble intentions into a terrifying vision. The complexity of his character, particularly the emotional and psychological depth of "depressed Geto," continues to resonate with audiences and analysts in 2025, sparking discussions about morality, the nature of evil, and the human cost of idealism. His impact on the narrative is undeniable, his actions profoundly shaping the lives of Gojo and other characters, and influencing major events like the Shibuya Incident. The very presence of Kenjaku inhabiting his corpse in the main storyline only amplifies the tragedy, making his legacy a constant, haunting presence. Geto's arc is a powerful reminder that even the strongest individuals can be broken by sustained trauma and moral compromise, and that true strength often lies not just in power, but in resilience, connection, and the ability to navigate despair without succumbing to it. His story challenges viewers to look beyond the villain and understand the shattered ideals and profound sadness that led to the "depressed Geto" we ultimately come to know.

Geto's tragic arc extends beyond mere character development; it delves into profound philosophical questions that underpin the Jujutsu Kaisen universe. His radical belief in eliminating non-sorcerers is an extreme response to what he perceives as a fundamental flaw in existence: the endless cycle of curses born from humanity's negative emotions. This is not simply a power grab; it's an ideological crusade. One could argue that Geto's disillusionment stems from a rigid adherence to an idealized "absolute good." When the reality of his duty—exorcising curses only for more to be born from the very people he protected—contradicted this ideal, his moral compass shattered. He saw the world as fundamentally "irreconcilably corrupt" and believed that the only way to achieve true peace was to remove the perceived "source" of the problem. This reflects a utilitarian calculus taken to its darkest extreme: sacrificing the many (non-sorcerers) for the perceived greater good of the few (sorcerers). His transformation also explores the concept of inherited suffering and the burden of perception. Geto's unique ability to consume curses, literally taking the "vile" essence of human negativity into his own body, made him acutely aware of the ugliness of the world in a way Gojo, with his limitless power, never could truly understand. This physical and spiritual burden intensified his psychological distress, making the "monkeys" philosophy a desperate attempt to find meaning in his repulsive duty. Furthermore, Geto's fall can be seen as a critique of elitism and the dangers of superiority complexes, even when masked by benevolent intentions. His initial belief that sorcerers were superior by default, even while advocating for the protection of the weak, made the leap to outright disdain and the call for "sorcerer supremacy" a chillingly logical, albeit abhorrent, progression. This subtle bias, present even in his youth, foreshadows the eventual radicalization of his ideals.

The story of Geto Suguru, the "depressed Geto," finds echoes in classic literature and real-world psychological phenomena. His journey mirrors that of characters who, faced with insurmountable trauma or moral contradictions, undergo a profound transformation from idealists to disillusioned figures. The "one bad day" theory, famously explored in Batman's Joker origin, finds resonance in Geto's catastrophic experience with Riko Amanai and the subsequent cascade of despair. While Geto's descent wasn't a single event, the accumulation of "bad days" ultimately pushed him over the edge. From a psychological perspective, Geto's arc can be interpreted through the lens of moral injury. This phenomenon occurs when individuals witness or perpetrate acts that transgress their deeply held moral beliefs, leading to profound psychological distress, guilt, and alienation. Geto's initial commitment to protecting non-sorcerers, followed by witnessing their cruelty, their celebration of Riko's death, and his own horrifying act of massacring them, could all contribute to such an injury. The resulting "depressed Geto" is a person grappling with an unresolvable moral conflict, leading to a radical redefinition of his values to align with his actions. His increasing isolation and his failure to communicate his internal struggles, even to his closest friend Gojo, are critical aspects of his decline. In many real-world cases of depression and mental health crises, the inability or unwillingness to seek support can exacerbate suffering and lead to catastrophic outcomes. The unspoken words, the silent burden of consuming curses, and the growing chasm between him and the rest of humanity, including Gojo, illustrate the profound dangers of unaddressed psychological trauma.

Despite his villainous actions, the character of Suguru Geto holds a unique and enduring appeal for Jujutsu Kaisen fans. This isn't merely because he is a compelling antagonist, but because his tragedy is deeply relatable on a human level. Many can understand the feeling of disillusionment when faced with the harsh realities of the world, or the despair that arises when one's ideals clash irrevocably with experience. The nuance in his portrayal, moving beyond a simple "evil" label to explore the roots of his brokenness, makes him a profoundly "beautifully written character." The fact that his original body is later possessed by Kenjaku adds another layer of tragic irony and complexity. It means that even after his death, Geto's physical form continues to be used for malevolent purposes, preventing any true peace or redemption for the original soul. This further cements his status as a character whose suffering extends even beyond his physical demise. In 2025, as Jujutsu Kaisen continues to be a global phenomenon, the discussions surrounding Geto's mental state, his motivations, and the philosophical underpinnings of his fall remain vibrant. He serves as a powerful reminder of the intricate interplay between ideals, power, morality, and the profound importance of mental well-being in the face of overwhelming adversity. The story of "depressed Geto" is not just about a fictional sorcerer's descent; it's a poignant reflection on the human condition itself.