Episode 184

Magatsuhi's Evil Will is the 17th episode of InuYasha: The Final Act.

Summary
Tired of his plots failing, Naraku decides to seek help from the evil half of the Shikon Jewel. Teaming up with Magatsuhi, can Naraku accomplish his goal of taking Kohaku's shard and complete the jewel?

Plot
Inuyasha's group returns to Kaede's village, where he's finished telling her of Kikyō's death. Kaede is saddened by the news, but is happy that her sister has been released by her continued agony; she then believes they have to focus on Kagome now, as she is the only who can finish what Kikyō started. However, Inuyasha informs her that Hitomiko revealed something is sealing Kagome's true spiritual power; she originally believed Kikyō was responsible, but Kaede says the idea is preposterous as Kikyō even left her bow to Kagome and thus it wouldn't make sense for her to seal Kagome's powers. Inuyasha is left confused, until Kaede guesses that it was Magatsuhi, the evil will of the Shikon Jewel; it may have feared Kagome's enormously strong spiritual powers enough to seal them.

Elsewhere, Sesshōmaru's group has encountered two demons who have heard of him losing his weapon. Rin asks Jaken why so many demons have been challenging Sesshōmaru lately; it's because that they believe they will win prestige for defeating a weaponless Sesshōmaru. The demons say that Kohaku will be theirs once they win, only for Sesshōmaru to quickly dispatch them and say they're moving on. Jaken asks Kohaku if he knew what the demons meant; he does, knowing the demons have all been after his jewel shard.

Meanwhile, Byakuya of the Dreams rides his origami crane to a cave, which is emanating a black light. He lands and looks inside to see Naraku face-to-face with the Shikon Jewel. Naraku tells the jewel that if it does nothing, Midoriko will very soon take control and all the evil they worked so hard to amass will be purified. He then says if it's flesh the jewel needs, it can borrow some of his to manifest and eliminate the sacred light. A tornado of purple energy spirals out of the jewel and burrows into Naraku; his back explodes with violent light as a figure emerges and flies off with other demon body parts attached to it. Byakuya is left surprised as he enters the cave to see Naraku grabbing the jewel; he asks if it was another incarnation. Naraku explains "not exactly," it came from within the Shikon Jewel.

The demon appears before Sesshōmaru's group as an armored warrior, being mistaken for "another incarnation." Sesshōmaru fights him as Kohaku, Rin and Jaken take off on A-Un. Sesshōmaru pierces the demon's chest, but his hand doesn't go through him; Kohaku notices it looks like Sesshōmaru's hand is being swallowed. Sesshōmaru pulls back, revealing his hand to have been burned by a poison far stronger than his own. The demon calls Sesshōmaru weak, wounding his pride. Kohaku decides to lend assistance, reasoning a Naraku incarnation will not be able to touch his shard; however, the demon successfully grabs Kohaku with its tentacles and defile his shard till it turns black. Sesshōmaru attempts to rescue Kohaku, but has his arm pierced by three of the demon's tentacles.

Inuyasha's group arrives and Inuyasha frees Kohaku by chopping off the tentacles. He guesses the demon is "Naraku's latest incarnation," only for him to say he's not to be lumped together with a weakling like Naraku. Kagome attempts to purify Kohaku's shard; she wonders if the demon was able to defile it so badly. He turns around and gives her a glare, making Kagome fall unconscious. Inuyasha tells Sesshōmaru to back off as he's wounded; however, Sesshōmaru heals his injuries through sheer will power before transforming into his true form and biting off the demon's head. Jaken gloats that it what one deserves for belittling a great demon like Sesshōmaru. However, its body sends out tentacles and a cloud of miasma. Everyone boards Kirara and A-Un to get a safe distance above the poison. The demon laughs, wrapping its body around Sesshōmaru; he says he's only borrowing the body. Inuyasha demands to know who his foe is, learning he's facing Magatsuhi.

Everyone is shocked by this reveal; Miroku correctly guesses that Magatsuhi was somehow able to leave the Shikon Jewel and manifest as a demon. Inuyasha threatens to destroy Magatsuhi, only for him taunt that he'll take Sesshōmaru with him. Jaken is shocked Sesshōmaru cannot break free with all his power released in his true form, but then thinks it would be easy for to escape if he reversed his transformation; however, he then thinks because Sesshōmaru is in the form of a dog, he must have the brain of one and isn't very bright. Magatushi completely envelops Sesshōmaru before a burst of light breaks him apart and Sesshōmaru emerges in his human form. Jaken cheers in joy until Sesshōmaru glares at him, making Jaken claim to not have been thinking anything. Knowing Jaken well, Rin says he was thinking something; Miroku guesses that Sesshōmaru and Jaken are somehow linked.

Inuyasha decides to use Meidō Zangetsuha to get rid of Magatsuhi's parts, but he quickly scatters them around the group; he's preventing Inuyasha from swinging as it would mean he could accidentally hit his friends. Sesshōmaru leads everyone close to Inuyasha to keep them safe before heading straight for Magatushi's head; his very pride is at stake, and he cannot allow someone else to take his prey. At the same time, Tōtōsai notices pieces of metal in his workshop vibrate; he's shocked that it's sooner that he expected for Sesshōmaru. As Sesshōmaru continues heading for Magatsuhi, he draws Tenseiga, confusing everyone; however, Inuyasha knows that it can cut anything that isn't from the World of the Living. Sesshōmaru thinks to himself about a scent mixed in with Naraku's and strikes the air next to Magatsuhi's head. A pale face with red eyes appears, with a slash down its right eye thanks to Tenseiga; this is Magatsuhi's true form, having never been inside his borrowed body.

Magatsuhi impales Sesshōmaru with his tentacles before swallowing him inside his body. Rin cries, but Jaken tells her not to as it would dishonor his memory; Sesshōmaru fought with pride, even if it cost him his life. Inuyasha jumps on top Magatsuhi and begins hacking away to free Sesshōmaru. However, Magatsuhi grabs him and asks why he isn't trying to blow up his body, even though it will not cause him any pain due to being immaterial. If Inuyasha does so, Sesshōmaru will be blown to bits, but restored as a part of Naraku's body. He begins pulling Inuyasha in next, but a burst of light breaks apart Magatsuhi's body. Sesshōmaru is revealed to still be alive, with a cracking lime energy at his left shoulder; everyone is shocked by this. Tōtōsai appears above, watching; Sesshōmaru realizes "this is it!' He swings his left side and a burst of light scatters Magatsuhi's body parts Sesshōmaru lands, and to everyone's surprise, is holding a new sword in his regenerated left arm!

Tōtōsai calls it Bakusaiga, making Sesshōmaru examine the blade. Magatsuhi's body begins gathering its parts, making Shippō worry that they'll combine again. However, all the parts begin exploding! Miroku theorizes that anybody cut by Bakusaiga cannot regenerate, and if Naraku ate any demon touched by this blade, the damage would likely kill him as well. Magatsuhi admits things have been entertaining, but since it's not his body, they've done him no harm. Sesshōmaru then destroys Magatsuhi's head, leaving Inuyasha to question where Magatsuhi's true form is. However, the skies clear, meaning Magatsuhi has fled for his life.

Tōtōsai asks to see Bakusaiga, going on to explain that the blade was always a part of Sesshōmaru, but he needed to be a great demon who could stand on his own. Jaken yells at Tōtōsai for insulting Sesshōmaru, only to be silence. Inuyasha realizes Bakusaiga's test was Sesshōmaru getting over his obsession with their father's swords. Tōtōsai then goes on the say that Sesshōmaru lost his left arm in an attempt to take Tessaiga, but now that he has proven himself worthy of his own blade, it has appeared to him along with a new left arm. A weakened Kagome opens her eyes, with Shippō asking if she's okay. A bit confused, Kagome says she is.

Trivia

 * When Magatsuhi comes out of Naraku in his borrowed body, only Naraku's back was open; however, when seen afterwards, Naraku is seen with a complete hole in his chest.