why did maki kill her clan

Maki Zenin killed her clan in Jujutsu Kaisen as an act of revenge, liberation, and fulfillment of a promise tied to her sister Mai’s death and years of abuse from the Zenin family system.

Quick Scoop: What Happened?

• Maki and her twin sister Mai grew up in the Zenin Clan, one of the big three sorcerer families, where they were treated as “failures” because of their lack of cursed energy and status.

• After the Shibuya Incident, Maki returns to the clan estate to collect cursed tools, only to walk into a trap set by her own father, Ogi Zenin, who intends to kill her and Mai because he views them as worthless.

• In the fallout of this, Mai sacrifices her life for Maki, giving up all her remaining life and cursed energy so that Maki can reach her full physical potential, on the condition that Maki will “destroy everything.”

In simple terms: years of systemic abuse + a lethal betrayal by her own family + her sister’s final wish = Maki’s decision to wipe out the Zenin Clan.

Why Did Maki Kill Her Clan?

1. Lifelong Abuse and Oppression

From childhood, Maki was constantly humiliated and held back by the Zenin Clan.

• The clan:
  • Blocked her promotions as a sorcerer.
  • Used her as proof of “failure” due to her almost nonexistent cursed energy.
  • Forced Mai into sorcery against Mai’s will, while still looking down on both sisters.

• Maki left the clan at first because staying meant living as a tool under people who despised her; she says she would have “hated herself” if she stayed there with Mai.

This set up a deep, long-term resentment toward the Zenin system itself, not just a few individuals.

2. The Father’s Betrayal and Attempted Murder

The turning point is Ogi Zenin’s attempt to kill his own daughters.

• Ogi lures Maki and Mai into a secluded training chamber and attacks them, explaining that he was passed over as clan head because his daughters are “worthless.”

• Both are severely injured; Mai is on the brink of death, and the scene makes it clear the clan values its status and cursed power over basic humanity and family bonds.

This moment transforms the old emotional abuse into direct, lethal betrayal, essentially showing Maki that her clan will never accept her as a person.

3. Mai’s Sacrifice and Final Request

Inside a dreamlike space between life and death, the twins share their final conversation.

• Mai chooses to die, taking all the lingering potential and cursed energy for herself, then “gives” that power to Maki in the form of a created weapon and a complete awakening of Maki’s body.

• In exchange, Mai’s condition is that Maki “destroy everything” — not just Ogi, but the oppressive clan structure and those who uphold it.

Maki’s subsequent actions are not just revenge; they are the direct fulfillment of her sister’s dying wish.

4. Maki’s Awakening and “Toji-Level” Power

After Mai’s death, Maki’s body becomes similar to Toji Fushiguro’s: a human with almost no cursed energy but overwhelming physical abilities and perception.

• She:
  • Kills Ogi immediately and effortlessly.
  • Moves through the Zenin estate, slaughtering elite units like the Hei and Kukuru, who once enforced the clan’s cruel hierarchy.

• Commentators and fans often compare this to an Itachi-style clan massacre, but where Itachi was acting under hidden political orders, Maki is acting as an avenger and liberator.

Her new strength makes it physically possible to do what she and Mai emotionally could never do before: tear down the clan that crushed them.

5. Revenge, Liberation, and Moral Ambiguity

Maki’s motives are layered and morally gray, which is why fans still argue about her.

• As revenge:
  • She punishes those who abused or enabled abuse inside the clan, including enforcers and elders.

• As liberation:
  • She effectively erases the existing Zenin power structure, freeing future Zenin descendants from that toxic hierarchy, which is why Megumi survives and people note that “Zenin blood is fine, the clan isn’t.”

• As tragedy:
  • She kills her own mother after trying to see if her mother ever tried to protect her or warn her; when the answer disappoints her, Maki’s last thread of hope in family snaps.

This mix of justified rage, systemic violence, and collateral tragedy is why the Zenin Clan massacre is one of the most controversial arcs in current discussion.

How Fans and Discussions Frame It (Forums & Videos)

Recent discussions (up through early 2026) keep circling a few key angles:

• Was it “right” or just “necessary”?
  • Some argue that, narratively, the massacre “had to happen” to complete Maki’s arc and break the old sorcerer family system.

* Others say that, in-universe, mass killing — even of abusers — is still morally and legally shaky, pointing to debates about why Geto was condemned but Maki wasn’t.

• Parallels to other series/characters
  • Many call Maki “the Itachi of the Zenin Clan,” comparing her to Itachi Uchiha: the lone survivor who kills their own clan, but for very different reasons and circumstances.

• Power-scaling hype vs. ethical discomfort
  • Some fans focus on how “Toji-level Maki” changes the JJK power scale, while others highlight that the story never fully “absolves” her; it just shows how deeply broken the system is.

These forum-style debates keep the phrase “why did Maki kill her clan” trending, because the answer is emotional and thematic, not just factual.

In Short: The Core Reasons

If you condense it all down, Maki killed her clan because:

1. The Zenin system abused, oppressed, and tried to erase her and Mai for their entire lives.

2. Her own father attempted to murder them to protect his pride and status.

3. Mai sacrificed herself and asked Maki to “destroy everything,” making the massacre a fulfillment of a final promise.

4. Maki’s new strength made her capable of erasing the clan that had become a symbol of corruption in the Jujutsu world.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.