As is revealed by a flashback in Jujutsu Kaisen, Saori, Nobara, and Fumi formed a relationship that was precious to Nobara. But who is Saori, exactly? Here's what we know about her.
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Who Is Saori?
Saori is a young woman who was a teenager when Nobara and her childhood friend, Fumi, met her in their home village.
When Mahito strikes Nobara, presumably fatally, Nobara's life passes before her eyes, and she recalls her past, including her chance encounter with Saori.
Jujutsu Kaisen: Saori, Nobara, and Fumi's Relationship
As Fumi notes, Nobara's unexpected encounter with Saori, an older girl living in their village, triggered a change in her childhood friend.
Nobara, who always hated life in the village, was enamored with Saori's refinement and tried to talk and act like her.
This encounter, however, proved devastating for Nobara, as Saori, who struggled to fit in, was eventually driven out of the village.
Upon reaching high school age, Nobara was able to escape the stifling life in her village and move to Tokyo. Before leaving, she promised Fumi that they would meet again and that Saori would be there, too.
It seems that Saori embodied all of Nobara's hopes for a more exciting life, different from what the village had to offer.
As it turns out, things were a bit different from Saori's point of view.
Where Is Saori Now in Jujutsu Kaisen?
As the 19th episode of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 reveals, Saori is now a 23-year-old office worker.
At the time of Nobara's death, Saori works overtime past midnight. She considers her life so far, thinking she wasn't meant to end up like this.
She gleefully reminisces her encounter with Nobara, and how she tried to impress the little girl who idolized her.
Saori wonders what Nobara might be doing, and thinks she would probably find her boring if she saw her now.
Unbeknownst to her, Nobara is dying at that very moment.
What Is Saori's Importance? Fan Theories Explained
A few years past, when the Saori flashback appeared in the Jujutsu Kaisen manga, fans theorized that the young woman could be one of the ordinary humans who acquired a Cursed Technique in the Culling Game arc.
If Nobara was really dead, some readers thought that Kenjaku might even bestow Nobara's own technique upon Saori. This, however, did not happen.
While Nobara's death is all but confirmed, some fans remain hopeful that she's alive, if incapacitated.
This is because her dead body is never shown, while Megumi and Yuji communicate about her non-verbally, never spelling out her fate.
With the Jujutsu Kaisen manga in its endgame, some readers believe a heavily injured but alive Nobara might get her desired reunion with Saori.
We would love to see this happening, as it's hard to fathom that such a long flashback would be dedicated to Saori, only for her to never appear again.
Of course, it's possible that the Jujutsu Kaisen Saori, Nobara, and Fumi flashback was only there to demonstrate two different walks of life.
Nobara spent her childhood longing for excitement, only for her to be mortally wounded at the age of 16, having barely lived, while Saori, whom Nobara idolized, seems safe and well, but trapped in a boring job.
Regardless of its purpose, this was a heartfelt flashback, and we'd love to see Saori again.
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