What are the fiends in Chainsaw Man and how are they different from devils and hybrids? Below, we explain everything you need to know about this obscure Chainsaw Man creature category.
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What Is a Fiend in Chainsaw Man?
In a few words, a fiend is a devil that has taken over a human corpse, resulting in a fusion of powers and abilities.
But why would a devil take a human corpse, given that most devils hate and attack humans unless they get into contracts with them to gain something in return?
On some occasions, a devil will take over a corpse as a last resort to survive if they are wounded and otherwise close to death.
While a devil who dies on earth gets reincarnated in hell and vice versa, a devil can sometimes cling to their earthly life by becoming a fiend.
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Are Fiends Stronger Than Devils?
Fiends are considerably less strong than devils. To merge with a human corpse, a devil loses a significant portion of its abilities.
Their powers and abilities are still associated with those of the devil they originally used to be, and they can still be formidable opponents, but full devils are ultimately much stronger.
Moreover, fiends cannot form contracts with humans, so they're limited to the human body they inhabit.
Do Fiends Have Their Own Personalities?
Regarding the personality of a fiend, there are a number of possibilities. Many fiends' personalities are those of the devil in control, especially if the human corpse they took over is in a more advanced state of decay.
In other cases, the personality of the human whose corpse the devil takes over and the personality of the devil might merge.
This seems to be the case with Power, who maintains a high level of intelligence.
While many of her behaviors and mannerisms mark her as non-human, she's still ultimately capable of forming friendships and working with others.
Another notable example is the Violence Fiend, who ironically chooses non-violence whenever possible, which means that some of the former human's personality can shine through.
What Is the Relationship Between a Fiend and Its Devil?
In some rare cases, a devil who takes over a human corpse might decide to leave half of the human's brain intact.
In this situation, the human will retain their faculties and personality but the devil could communicate with them and take over their body at will.
This rare case is seen in Part 2 of the Chainsaw Man manga. Specifically, when Asa Mitaka died, her body was taken over by Yoru the War Devil.
Since Yoru wanted to be able to navigate human society easily, she allowed Asa's personality to remain, taking over only when she wishes.
However, this can limit the devil's power even further because, depending on the human's feelings, taking over completely might not be possible at all times.
How Are Fiends Different From Devils and Hybrids?
Fiends are easy to tell apart from devils because they are much more human-like, but they do have distinctive characteristics on their heads or faces.
Think of Power's horns, Asa's scars (when the War Devil takes over), or the Shark Fiend's head.
However, they are not to be confused with hybrids, such as Denji, whereby a devil has merged with a human without any compromising contract.
In the case of hybrids, the human can take a lead role and transform into the devil at will, without the devil's intentions ever taking over.
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