Muzan is more responsible for his failures in Demon Slayer than fans think
Kibutsuji Muzan is one of those characters in Demon Slayer that the entire fanbase detests unanimously. There aren’t any redeeming qualities in him. He is evil because his thirst for power cannot be quenched. Whatever he does is for his gain, and he treats everyone as mere objects to be used to achieve his true goal — to achieve immunity from the sun and become an immortal being on this planet.
Those who have read the manga know his fate in the series. One of the most striking features of humanity is their willingness to push through, even in the face of adversity. Their persistence granted them the win, showing why Muzan was doomed from the beginning.
However, what fans don’t realize is that the Demon King was responsible for his death. There were many things that he did or could have done to survive. Let’s take a look at certain things in the manga that ultimately tipped the scales in favor of the demon hunters.
Disclaimer: This article reflects the author's opinions and contains massive spoilers from the manga chapters.
Demon Slayer: Mistakes that cost Muzan his life at the end of the manga series
There are plenty of things that Muzan did that ended up giving the demon hunters an advantage. In the manga series, Gotouge emphasizes teamwork and how every little thing adds to Muzan’s death. There wasn’t a single character that was strong enough to beat him; it took the combined efforts of all members of the Demon Slayer Corps. This implies that Muzan’s careless mistakes could have benefitted the demon hunters.
The first mistake was killing the Lower Moon demons. Muzan is an egotistical maniac with anger issues. He killed the Lower Moon demons when Rui died to demon hunters. These Lower Moon demons were an added layer of protection and could have killed a few demon hunters in the organization.
His biggest mistake was killing the doctor from the Heian period. The doctor was treating Muzan, but incomplete medication led to Muzan becoming the first-ever demon in the series.
Since Muzan didn’t see any improvements, he killed the doctor in a fit of rage. Had he not done this, he would have become a demon who would be immune to the effects of the sun. This would make him truly immortal, leaving no chance for humanity to kill him.
When he first encountered Tanjiro Kamado, he sent two rather weak demons, highlighting Muzan’s poor decision-making skills again. Not only did he know about Tanjiro’s ancestry, but he also knew that Tanjiro would be a potential Sun Breathing user. Instead of sending Susamaru and Yahaba, he should have sent an Upper Moon demon to finish the job immediately. Tanjiro’s Sun Breathing played an important role in his defeat in the anime and manga series.
He knew that Tamayo would betray at the first opportunity she got. She even screamed his name out loud when he fled from Yoriichi. That’s when she realized that the curse no longer affected her. Muzan should have hunted down Tamayo and killed her when he had the chance. Instead, she lived and worked with the Demon Slayer Corps to create a multi-stage drug that played an important role in his demise.
Conclusion
Muzan made numerous errors that tipped the scales in the demon hunters' favor. His biggest mistake in Demon Slayer is that he undermined the human spirit. Human beings have the determination and faith that can move mountains. He failed to understand this, and his misplaced confidence ultimately led to his demise. His inability to perceive them as a threat led to bad calls, which cost him his life.
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