Chainsaw Man chapter 197 teases Fami's true plan for the Death Devil (& its perfect results)
Chainsaw Man chapter 197, although very oddly surprising, might have just revealed something cryptic thus far. The series' latest installment featured the Death Devil going up against Fakesaw Man. As many would expect to witness someone as powerful as the former seize victory effortlessly, the exact opposite happened.
Fakesaw Man easily chopped her up several times, to the extent that even she herself was taken aback. In other words, Fakesaw Man may be proving too difficult for the likes of Lady Death to handle. This could result from something building up over time, much prior to the Death Devil's arrival. Moreover, it looks like Fami may be the one behind Death, who is this unsteady.
Disclaimer: This article is a speculative theory and reflects the writer's opinions.
Chainsaw Man chapter 197 showcases the fruits of Fami's likely plan for the Death Devil
Before delving in, reference must be made to chapter 122 in Chainsaw Man. It was the chapter that featured an interaction between Fami and Hirofumi Yoshida. The latter spoke, for the first time, about the Nostradamus Prophecy. He also suspected Fami of planning something, knowing that she was aware of it, and concealing something related to it.
Recently, following the Aging Devil incident, Fami once again met with Yoshida and Fumiko Mifune. The pair wanted help from her in preparing for the coming of the "Great King of Terror" or the Death Devil. However, she declined, stating that she needed to prepare for a "school festival" planned on the same day as the Death Devil's arrival.
Now, linking this to the current discussion, Fami's intentions were likely to prepare for her sister's coming, but in her own way. In essence, by creating a kind of awareness regarding the Death Devil's arrival, fear was reduced, and an air of anticipation/preparation was born. Due to this, fewer and fewer people began to fear Death's coming and rather prepare for it.
Since Devils grow stronger as the more the concept they embody is feared, Lady Death's power likely starts to diminish. This probably fed into why she was unable to fight back against Fakesaw Man in Chainsaw Man chapter 197. His attacks damaged her severely, and despite absorbing her fellow student's life force, she sustained damage that decapitated her by the chapter's end.
This chain of events hints at what Fami was truly planning when she mentioned that she needed to make her own preparations. The apocalypse being "normalized" and plans being put into motion to prepare for it took away from the fear of death. With many already knowing of a likely future, fighting back to prevent didn't seem abysmal or hopeless.
Such could also feed into something else - now that Death looks to be truly weakened, however the Fakesaw Man fight turns out; she can be taken down comparatively easier. Again, this may serve as a testament to the fact that having extreme power doesn't translate into superior fighting ability, i.e., Death isn't necessarily the best fighter just because she is potentially the strongest.
Final thoughts
Chainsaw Man chapter 197 puts forth a surprising turn of events as the Death Devil struggles against Fakesaw Man.
Despite expectations of an easy victory given the kind of entity she is, Death was easily overpowered. This could have been due to Fami’s indirect intervention, as hinted at in previous chapters. By subtly reducing fear around Death’s arrival - likely through the normalization of the impending apocalypse - Fami may have worked to weaken her sister.
With Devils being powered by fear, a lack of it diminishes their power, i.e., makes the Death Devil possibly weaker and vulnerable. Thus, this is a nod to sheer strength not always guaranteeing dominance in battle.
Furthermore, the revelation raises questions about Fami’s ultimate intentions - what was the reason behind her weakening her sister, and/or what else is she aiming for? Whatever the case may be, Chainsaw Man chapter 197 highlights the series' complex power dynamics.
As seen often, strategic manipulation can offer an edge in the face of raw power when determining the result of a battle.
Related links:
- Chainsaw Man chapter 197 highlights
- This Primal Fear Devil all but disproves the weakened Death Devil theory in Chainsaw Man
- Chainsaw Man chapter 198 release details