Satoru Gojo's Powers From Jujutsu Kaisen Explained
In Episode 6 of "Jujutsu Kaisen," a group of monstrous supernatural entities, called Cursed Spirits (or Curses), discuss how they might seal off the powers of Satoru Gojo. They aim to reshape the Earth such that Cursed Spirits become the dominant lifeform and humans are subject to their rule. They posit Gojo is the biggest obstacle in achieving this goal, given that he's arguably the most powerful Jujutsu Sorcerer of all.
In the parlance of "Jujutsu Kaisen," a Jujutsu Sorcerer is a human capable of supernatural feats in combat. In effect, humans trained in Jujutsu Sorcery either manipulate a resource called Cursed Energy or wield supernaturally powerful weapons called Cursed Tools. This is the case for Maki Zenin, who possesses little Cursed Energy but can nevertheless battle Cursed Spirits thanks to a high weapon proficiency. Gojo is a teacher at Tokyo Prefectural Jujutsu High School, instructing young Jujutsu Sorcerers on how to grow stronger. As seemingly the most powerful Jujutsu Sorcerer himself, arguably no other character in the series is in a better position to do so.
Given that he's a mentor figure, Gojo is more often than not acting behind-the-scenes rather than participating in fights directly. Nevertheless, a few scenes throughout the first season of "Jujutsu Kaisen" provide audiences glimpses of just what makes Gojo so powerful.
Gojo is skilled in hand-to-hand combat
Gojo first appears in the flash-forward opening scene of "Jujutsu Kaisen" Episode 1 in conversation with series protagonist Yuji Itadori, whose life seems to be in Gojo's hands. Episode 2 ultimately explains how they end up in that situation — in short, Yuji consumes the finger of Ryomen Sukuna, historically the most powerful of all Cursed Spirits. Somehow, Yuji can withstand Sukuna's influence and retain his personhood, despite Sukuna now taking up spiritual residence within his body.
When Gojo first confronts Yuji/Sukuna, he tells Yuji to allow Sukuna to take over his body. This is something of a dual test, through which Gojo aims to determine whether or not Yuji can control Sukuna's influence and the extent of the threat posed by Sukuna's resurgence. This is also the first time viewers witness Gojo in combat, moving at what appears to be near-lightspeed. Gojo overpowers Sukuna with ease through manual combat only, leading to his detention of Yuji in the series' opening.
Much later in "Jujutsu Kaisen" Season 1, Gojo showcases his proficiency at hand-to-hand combat yet again after joining in on a battle between Jujutsu High principal Gakuganji and evil Jujutsu Sorcerer Juzo, when, immediately upon his arrival, Gojo severs all four of Juzo's limbs. Befitting, then, of a character described as the most powerful Jujutsu Sorcerer, Gojo's physical skills alone seem to be almost limitless.
Gojo is capable of an impenetrable defense
In battle with Sukuna in Episode 2, Gojo reveals one additional combat proficiency beyond his physical capabilities when defending against a large blast of Cursed Energy fired his way. Though Sukuna's energy attack leaves the building in its path obliterated, Gojo stands in what was the blast's direct path unscathed, revealing an ironclad defense.
Gojo utilizes an impenetrable guard again in Episode 7, during his fight against the volcano-headed Cursed Spirit Jogo. Their fight begins when Jogo surprise-attacks Gojo, who's on the way to meet with the Kyoto Branch of Jujutsu High's principal. Jogo manifests a volcano on the side of the road aimed in Gojo's direction, seemingly before Gojo has time to realize he's in a battle against a formidable Cursed Spirit. Nevertheless, Gojo can manifest a bubble of energy around himself, repelling the lava entirely, even on such short notice. In total, Gojo's opponents remain unable to land even a single hit in battle against him throughout the entirety of "Jujutsu Kaisen" Season 1, thanks to his high defensive capabilities.
Gojo's techniques draw on the concept of infinity
After he withstands a few additional attacks, like how he repelled the volcanic blast at the start of their fight, Jogo questions how Gojo is capable of nullifying his attacks entirely. Gojo then reveals that his approach to combat revolves around the concept of infinity.
Students often learn that 0.999... equals 1 (via The Math Doctors) in math class. Gojo, however, operates on an inverse principle. His powers function such that the technically infinite distance between him and his opponent — infinite in the same sense that another nine can always be tacked on to the end of the repeating decimal 0.999... before reaching 1 — is impassable.
The idea of infinity likewise factors into his signature Cursed Techniques. Against Jogo, he deploys an attack he calls Cursed Technique Reversal: Red, and later, in Episode 20, Gojo uses an ability called Hollow Technique: Purple. These both rely on the manipulation of the concept of infinity to manifest huge blasts of energy. Given that getting into the mathematical weeds of how infinity can create large balls of power is likely a fruitless task, understanding Gojo's technique implicitly requires the viewer to suspend some disbelief. Nevertheless, access to infinity is the general basis for Gojo's immense power.
Gojo can power up through his Domain expansion
After handily avoiding and repelling Jogo's attacks and deploying his counterattack, Gojo briefly disappears from the battlefield and returns with Yuji in tow. He intends to teach Yuji about a Domain Expansion, which is essentially a trump card in battle for those adept at wielding Cursed Energy. First, Jogo activates his Domain Expansion, meaning that he creates an area around himself, Gojo, and Yuji in which his volcano-based powers are amplified.
Gojo explains that this is best countered with a Domain Expansion of his own, so he uses an ability called Unlimited Void. In the same manner as Jogo's, Gojo's Domain Expansion amplifies his infinity-based powers, which in practice means that Jogo is forced to confront the limitlessness of the universe in its entirety. As such an experience would to virtually anyone with a conscious mind, this freezes Jogo in place, leaving him prone to beheading by Gojo. Though Gojo fights alongside his Jujutsu High allies later in the season during the Kyoto Goodwill Event Arc, his Domain Expansion remains the peak of his powers exhibited during the entirety of "Jujutsu Kaisen" Season 1.
Gojo is a teacher and a leader
While Gojo is described as the most powerful fighter in the entirety of the fictional universe in which "Jujutsu Kaisen" takes place, his strength in battle is not the be-all and end-all of his wide range of abilities. Perhaps equally important to his formidability is his strength as a leader.
Throughout "Jujutsu Kaisen" Season 1, Gojo is depicted as key to the developments of both Yuji and Shikigami user Megumi Fushiguro as fighters, and to a lesser but not insignificant extent, Nobara Kugisaki too. Furthermore, Gojo is something of an accelerationist, revealing in Episode 6 that his involvement in the Tokyo Branch of Jujutsu High is predicated upon pushing against its stodgy administration and teaching a newer, stronger generation of Jujutsu Sorcerers.
Gojo's legacy, then, extends beyond merely his capabilities, manifesting too through whatever Yuji, Megumi, Nobara, and the others he mentors at Jujutsu High might likewise accomplish in their respective futures.