In Chainsaw Man Episode 9, Makima baffled fans with her wild powers. So, what is Makima's devil contract and what powers does she have?
Not only did Makima survive a fatal shooting and claim that the blood on her clothes wasn't her own, but she also single-handedly killed a number of men without even being in the same location.
To make things even spicier, there's no visible devil supporting her! No wonder anime fans are going wild with theories about Makima's contract.
Spoiler Warning: The section below discusses Makima's power in the anime, but we also delve into major Chainsaw Man manga spoilers, so proceed with caution if you haven't read it.
What Are Makima's Powers in the Anime (So Far)?
The most important power Makima has demonstrated so far is the ability to resurrect.
In Episode 8, a shooting in the Kyoto-bound train she was on left her for dead.
However, an episode later, she rose perfectly healthy, claiming the blood on her clothes wasn't hers, even though it was very clear that she had been shot not long ago.
This might cause some fans to think that she might be contracted with the Death Devil, especially given what she does next.
When Makima finally arrives in Kyoto and meets her Public Safety colleagues who live there, a number of death-row inmates are brought before her.
Makima instructs her subordinates to blindfold themselves as they are not high-ranking enough, thus they aren't permitted to see which devil she is in a contract with. However, no devil ever appears.
Instead, Makima performs a strange ritual in which she instructs each prisoner to say the name of one of Katana Man's subordinates.
When the prisoners do so, Makima somehow manages to make said subordinates spontaneously combust, while the prisoner who said the respective names also dies.
Given that Makima uses her powers to restore herself after a fatal attack and kill others without even touching them, the Death Devil would be a fair assumption at this point.
But is it so simple? If you have only watched the anime, it would be best for you to proceed with caution.
Otherwise, venture into the darkness of the manga with us.
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Makima's Devil Contract Explained
The latter chapters of Chainsaw Man Part 1 feature a wild plot twist. Makima isn't in a contract with a devil because she herself is a devil.
Makima turns out to be one of the Four Horsemen, specifically the Control Devil.
Re-watching or re-reading Chainsaw Man with that in mind actually clarifies a lot of baffling moments and answers a lot of questions.
For instance, many fans were confused as to why the fiercely independent and self-motivated Power would be afraid of Makima and follow her instructions to a T when she was a menace to literally anyone else who tried to order her around.
Aki's devotion to her can also be seen in a new light, given that, unlike Denji, Aki doesn't seem like a guy who would so easily become infatuated with an attractive woman or overlook the fact that something was always off about her.
Makima's Powers Explained
While, at first glance, the Control Devil might seem less dramatic than, say, the Gun Devil, the War Devil, or the Death Devil, Makima's powers make her one of the most impossible enemies to defeat.
Other devils in the series are a greater physical threat, but Makima is literally capable of taking her victims' free will away, forcing them to do anything she asks.
Her power to kill people from afar seems to be an incredibly precise type of control as opposed to something related to death per se.
Apart from the ability to manipulate others, Makima is shown to have superhuman strength, a keen sense of smell, unprecedented alcohol tolerance, and the ability to regenerate if she is harmed.
However, her power of manipulation is by far the scariest. Chainsaw Man has demonstrated all sorts of body horror and grotesque devil design.
Even so, there's something particularly uncanny about a beautiful, normal-looking character who is able to mess with others so badly that she can completely destroy who they are.
Without spoiling too much at this stage, Makima's powers kill many characters and nearly break Denji.
Fans are now curious to see how Makima's abilities will be navigated for the remainder of the anime.
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