

In episode 12 of Jujutsu Kaisen, Yuji snapped after Junpei's death and punched
Mahito. We see him contemplate that

> "Yuji Itadori isn't concerned about his own life, but Geto forbade me from
> forcing him to an external pact using hostages. So, if he has a foe he hates
> so much he longs to kill them but still can't, he will probably turn to
> Sukuna"

Now, why does Geto not want the use of hostages?


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jujutsu-kaisen
Why did Kenjaku (Pseudo Geto) force Mahito not to use hostages to force a pact between Sukuna and Yuji?


This is answered by Geto near the start of episode 14 "Kyoto Sister School
Exchange Event—Group Battle 0—" (Transcription: "Kyōto Shimai-kō Kōryū-
kai—Dantai-sen ⓪—"; Japanese: 京都姉妹校交流会—団体戦⓪—). Basically, a Binding Vow needs
to be initiated of one's own volition. Externally pressuring someone into a
pact does not count, and tricking someone into accepting a Binding Vow is
extremely difficult. So, it would be a waste of effort to try and force
Itadori into a Binding Vow with Sukuna by taking a hostage.

This is the conversation between Mahito and Geto in episode 14:

> Mahito: The game started when I met my new toy, but it didn't go well. It
> wasn't bad at first, though. I should have taken the toy hostage, and forced
> Itadori to make a Binding Vow.
>

>> Mahito (speaking to Itadori in his imagination, while holding Junpei
hostage): If you don't want him to die, hand over your body to Sukuna.

>
> Geto: No, a Binding Vow can only be done by himself. It's not that simple to
> initiate a Binding Vow through intervention.

* * *

It is interesting to compare this with how Sukuna manages to get Itadori to
accept a Binding Vow as per Sukuna's conditions in episode 6 "After Rain"
(Transcription: "Ugo"; Japanese: 雨後). Sukuna obviously understands that he
needs Itadori to agree to it of his own free will, and he manages to get
Itadori to do so by adding a small additional condition: _if_ Itadori defeats
him in a battle, then Sukuna will revive him unconditionally; _else_ Sukuna
will revive him as per the conditions of his Binding Vow. Goof that he is,
Itadori promptly agrees to this, and is just as promptly defeated.


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