The Demon Slayer season 4 finale was an explosive episode, to say the least.
Fans have plenty of questions after watching season 4 episode 8, particularly about Kagaya Ubuyashiki’s plan.
Did the head of the Demon Slayers cross the line in his quest to defeat the Demon King Muzan Kibutsuji, and what did his plan ultimately accomplish?
By examining the season 4 finale, we’ll attempt to unravel the thought process behind Ubuyashiki’s ultimate sacrifice and whether it was justified.
Warning: Minor spoilers for those who haven’t read the Demon Slayer manga.
Did Kagaya Ubuyashiki’s plan in the Demon Slayer season 4 finale go too far?
Kagaya‘s hatred for Muzan reached a boiling point in the season 4 finale of the Demon Slayer anime. In a desperate gamble, the head of the Demon Slayers sacrificed his own life, along with the lives of his wife, Amane, and daughters, Hinaki and Nichika, to weaken the Demon King.
There is no going around it: Kagaya went too far. While Kagaya was already at death’s door because of the Ubuyashiki curse, which significantly lessened the lifespan of those in his family, involving his family was just wrong.
Kagaya’s plan to blow up the Ubuyashiki mansion provided their demon ally, Tamayo, the chance to inject Muzan with a poison that turns demons back into humans.
In season 4, episode 8, the Stone Hashira, Gyomei Himejima, explained that he and Kagaya believed the only way to defeat Muzan was to expose him to sunlight.
Although the poison proved effective in the final moments of a crucial battle, the trade-off between what was sacrificed and its impact on Muzan was far from an equivalent exchange.
An argument can be made that Kagaya’s family might have volunteered to sacrifice themselves even if the head of the demon hunters had chosen not to involve them. This topic was never discussed in the manga or anime.
We know that, according to Muzan, Kagaya went to great lengths to ensure nothing seemed suspicious when Muzan arrived at the Ubuyashiki mansion, which Muzan saw as a sign of Kagaya’s desperation.
Kagaya also suggested that his death would further motivate the Hashira to eliminate Muzan and the other demons. However, the Hashira are already deeply committed to eradicating all demons. Making such a significant sacrifice solely to boost morale doesn’t seem logical.
The Hashira have shown their unwavering devotion to Kagaya, the head of the Demon Slayers. None of the Pillars would hesitate to save him, even at the cost of their own lives. Kagaya’s family could have felt the same way.
Despite this, the plan only weakened Muzan temporarily, and they still needed to keep fighting him until sunrise.
If Kagaya had involved all the Hashira in the planning and set a similar trap where all the Pillars attacked simultaneously, the outcome would have been the same. Most of the Demon Slayers would still have fallen into the Infinity Castle.
Kagaya’s move actually weakened the Demon Slayer organization during the Infinity Castle battle. After his death, his son Kiriya became the leader of the demon hunters. If Kagaya’s wife, Amane, had still been alive, her extensive experience would have greatly helped Kiriya organize the demon hunters.
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