The fifth episode of Season 2 of Netflix’s Jujutsu Kaisen was released today, and it’s one of the most bittersweet episodes of this season. In the previous episode, Gojo Satoru awakened his ultimate ability and killed Toji Fushiguro with his Hollow Purple, but this episode brought a harder challenge, one Gojo wasn’t prepared for. The episode marked the departure of the friendship that Gojo and his best friend Geto Suguru shared, and they’d walk away after this episode.

Spoilers Ahead

How Did Geto Suguru Change As A Person?

There had been a sense of moroseness in Geto Suguru for a while that kept growing slowly. Gojo Satoru noticed his best friend becoming more reserved and refusing to participate in their usual games. With dark circles around his eyes and having lost a lot of weight, Geto was suffering for some reason that he couldn’t understand. However, he chalked it up to the constant need to exorcize and absorb cursed spirits, which left a gross taste in his mouth and an even bigger dislike for the humans he’d have to save by the exorcism. One day, during his usual musings, his junior Haibara comes to see him, and the kid’s blithe spirit makes Geto reminisce about the times when Gojo, Shoko, and he used to be as carefree and joyous. After Haibara leaves, Yuki Tsukomo, a special-grade jujutsu sorcerer, sits down beside Geto and discusses her thoughts on how to deal with curses.

Tsukomo feels there are two ways to deal with the problem of cursed spirits: the sorcerers could train every non-sorcerer to develop Cursed Energy because sorcerers don’t release cursed energy. The other method, which she immediately clarifies is too insane for her to subscribe to, is that of killing every non-sorcerer so that they have no choice but to learn sorcery. Tsukomo makes it clear that she has no intention of using the second method because it’s just genocide, but Geto is somehow struck by the idea because it happens to be exactly what he has been thinking of for a while. Before leaving, Tsukomo informed Geto that even though Riko Amanai had been killed, Master Tengen had assimilated himself with another body, and stabilization had been reached; otherwise,  the whole world would’ve been destroyed by then.

Why Did Geto Go On A Rampage?

When looking into the body of Haibara in the Jujutsu High morgue, as Nanami raged and cursed out of anger, Geto made up his mind about what he needed to do. The next time he was summoned to exorcize the curses of two little girls who could manipulate cursed energy, Geto quickly started disliking the complaints of the humans, whom he considered “stinking monkeys.” Strangely, though, there was no more confusion and doubt etched on his face, and he smiled widely at the people who wanted him to get rid of the cursed children, inviting them outside. We only get to see Geto’s face in close-up as bolts of cursed energy flow through him, and the screams of an entire village are heard.

Later, as Gojo’s teacher Masamichi handed him the report that listed Geto Suguru, a sorcerer who was at large after killing 112 people, including his own parents, Gojo was shaking with disbelief. We remember Gojo as the carefree and fun-loving man who’s too cool for anyone. But this is the real Gojo, who couldn’t believe that his best friend, who was more of a brother to him, had committed mass murder. Shoko was standing in the streets, busy on her phone, when Geto came and stood by her, and they started conversing as if nothing had happened. Casually, Geto announced that he’d indeed killed all the people, and Shoko called Gojo to arrive immediately.

Why Couldn’t Gojo Stop Geto?

This was their final confrontation as best friends, where Gojo demanded to know why Geto went on such a rampage. Geto instead asked a question to a man he considered his brother. Wouldn’t it be a lot easier for Gojo to achieve Geto’s dream of eliminating every non-sorcerer because Gojo was the supreme being when it came to sorcery? Gojo was stunned, knowing his best friend was right but also knowing that there was no way he’d ever kill innocents to rid the world of curses. Geto parted, and Gojo stood there helplessly, and later, when Masamichi asked why he didn’t get after the mass murderer, Gojo asked him if he truly wanted to hear the answer to that question. Gojo didn’t pursue Geto because he knew very well that if he did, the only way to stop him was to kill his brother, and Gojo wasn’t ready.

However, that didn’t stop Geto from working towards his dreams. He had already draped himself in the robe that we see him wearing in Season 1, and he was gathering followers, as the two little girls had already become his devotees. Geto met with a group of rich people and asked for their support, but the majority of them immediately refused. Still wearing that smile that he had on before killing 112 people, Geto invited Mr. Sonoda to the stage—probably the same man who’d paid Toji for killing the Star Vessel—and crushed him into mincemeat. His next ask was a demand; the wealthy needed to give in to his demands if they didn’t want to be crushed into jelly. Soon, Geto had earned himself quite a following, and his headquarters was the former Star Plasma Vessel Association.

What Was Gojo’s Next Priority?

Gojo, however, hadn’t forgotten the words of the dying Toji. He walked up to a child with a heavy schoolbag and introduced himself. This was Megumi Fushiguro, the son of Toji Zen’in, and Gojo was surprised at how similar he looked to his killer father. Megumi was extremely mature for his age and spoke with a very serious tone. In class 1, his whole concern about going with Gojo to train as a Jujutsu sorcerer was the fact that the little girl he lived with would be left alone without him. Megumi possessed sufficient cursed energy and was already able to see the spirits, but he didn’t care what Gojo trained him for as long as the girl was taken care of. Realizing the child’s adamant demand, the six-eyed sorcerer gave in and promised to take care of the child.

Did Gojo Succeed In Being A Good Teacher?

Years later, this little boy, along with two of his friends, Yuji Itadori and Nobara Kugisaki, were shaking the sleeping Gojo awake. Megumi, now a strapping young man, had come a long way from the child Gojo had met, but seeing him with his friends, playing and learning about sorcery, Gojo smiled to himself. Megumi questioned their teacher about why he was laughing, but Gojo smiled because these three children were his way of making up for not being able to save Geto. In his heart, Gojo still had brotherly love for the man who’d parted ways with righteous sorcery and taken up horrible deeds for power and money, but he regretted failing to stop Geto all those years ago. Thus, in his heart, Gojo hoped these three students would be strong enough to walk in his path and not stray from the righteous sorcery that stood to protect the weak humans and not against them.