Episode 22

The Origin of Obedience is the twenty-second episode of the Jujutsu Kaisen anime adaptation.

Summary
Tokyo Jujutsu High first-years Megumi, Nobara, and Yuji are sent out to investigate the mysterious deaths connected to the former's alma matter, Saitama Urami East Junior High. Meanwhile, Mahito and Geto continue their schemes, incarnating one of the Cursed Womb: Death Paintings.

Plot Details
After coming home and finding that the auto lock doors to his apartment is open, Taichi complains to the building manager about it. While angrily complaining over the phone, Taichi fails to notice the cursed spirit looming behind him. He ends up being stabbed to death with his profile being added to Tokyo Jujutsu High.

Akari Nitta, the Auxiliary Manager for Jujutsu High drives the first years, Megumi, Nobara and Yuji to their mission site while explaining to them about a tread that connects their deaths. They all attended the same junior high for two years. The most likely explanation is that the three of them were cursed and it took all these years to manifest. Megumi also points out that all the dates and locations were different and questions the idea that the same cursed spirit have traveled so far. They arrive at funeral, where they were planning to question some classmates who knew the three victims. Akari was unaware there was going to be a funeral and reveals that this means he died the same way as the other three. He was killed on his front entrance where his door wouldn't open.

They set off to investigate Saitama Urami East Junior High, where Nobara spot some punks smoking and says they should beat them up and question them. The boys notice the group and bows in respect while apologizing for not greeting them properly, Yuji and Nobara both smirk, proud of themselves for having a strong aura. However, the boys are actually bowing to Megumi who they haven't seen since graduation. Upon hearing of this, both Yuji and Nobara are left in shock as Megumi looks away and only states that he gone here for middle school. Yuji and Nobara are angry at Megumi for not telling them about it as Nobara confronts the boys about what Megumi did during his time at Saitama Urami East Junior High. The boys tell them that Megumi beat up all the punks in the general area.

One of the school faculty staff members appear and question why's there strangers on school grounds. Akari steps up and explains that they have a permit to be there, Takeda notices Megumi and happily says hello as Megumi talks to him. It has been twenty years since the four victims graduated and Megumi wonders if they had any karma coming to them. The punks from earlier ask if bungee jumping from Yasohachi Bridge would qualify. Yasohachi Bridge is a place known for suicides and is a hot spot for paranormal activity.

Takeda also recalls that Junior High students like to test its merit by bungee jumping from it. The boys claim it was an older generation thing that the kids don't do anymore, but they still hear the stories. One day, four students who didn't show up to school or return home the previous night were found unconscious below the bridge. Megumi has been there before since Jujutsu High goes to paranormal hot spots often. There was nothing special last time he went, but Nobara and Akari agree they should head there anyway.

Before the sorcerers depart, Takeda asks Megumi how Tsumiki is. He replies that she's fine as Yuji asks who she is. Megumi reveals that Tsumiki is his older sister and Nobara is annoyed that he never tells them anything about himself, something that Yuji also agrees with.

Meanwhile, Mahito and Geto meet with each other about their recently obtained new cursed objects: Death Painting Wombs 1-3. Mahito inquires about why Jujutsu High don't destroy the objects as Geto explains that they are unable do it when the cursed object is special grade. The most they can do is halt its lifestream and prevent it from doing further damage, thus preserving it's existence. Sukuna's fingers are an exception as they can still attract curses after all this time and choose its vessel. On the contrary, the Death Painting Wombs can manifest in anyone.

A normal human unable to see curses even in this life-threatening situation is chosen to manifest one of the wombs. Mahito does so by forcing the womb down his throat, transforming him into a cursed spirit. Mahito apologizes and asks the newly incarnated curse if they can run some errands for him. At the same time, the three Jujutsu High first-years arrive at Yasohachi Bridge.

After investigating the bridge, the first years end up not finding any traces of the curse. The trio meets up with Akari and tells her about it. Nobara suggests maybe they need to start over but Yuji doesn't want to waste anymore time as there is a 100% death rate in this instance and they can't allow this curse to claim any more victims. Akari suggests it perhaps has something to do with the act of jumping down but they tested that already.

One of the punks from earlier in the investigation arrives to talk to Megumi on his bike. His older sister, an old classmate of Megumi's, comes as well. She too went to the bridge at night and now when she arrives home at night the automatic doors were wide open. She felt that something was there and she felt the need to tell Megumi because his sister Tsumiki went with her that night.

Megumi is shocked by this information and tries to play it off until the Fujinuma siblings leave. Yuji notices how shaken Megumi actually is and asks to check on his sister. Instead, Megumi calls Ijichi and tries to request backup, However, Ijichi can't spare the sorcerers and suggests they retreat if the threat is larger than expected. Megumi knows he can't afford to wait and hangs up. He tells his peers that the mission is more dangerous now and tells them to go home while he goes back to the bridge alone.

In reality, Megumi goes off alone to Yasohachi Bridge during the nighttime because he doesn't want to put his peers in danger. He recalls Akari mentioning something about the test of mettle below the bridge, so jumping makes no difference. If the curse is within a barrier, the only way to encounter it would be by clearing certain conditions. It's impossible to have a Domain with a sustainable expanded cursed technique, which means the curse's Domain is similar to the one at the Detention Center and there is no need for a Curtain.

Yuji and Nobara then suddenly appear behind Megumi, disappointed that he never shares anything about himself. He was so lost in thought that he didn't even notice them. They tell Megumi that he doesn't need to share everything, but he can trust them since they their friends. He explains that Tsumiki is stuck in a suspended state of sleep and that the cursed spirit could kill her, so he needs to exorcise it now. He tries to add that the mission is more dangerous now but his friends don't care about that, making Megumi smile.

To cross through the barrier, they must move at night, from below, and over the small river. The act of doing so also has significant meaning in jujutsu. The three first-years cross over into the curses' Domain where they confront the mole like cursed spirit inside. However, one of the cursed spirit from the Cursed Womb: Death Painting appears as well, who comments on how someone had already arrived. Both sides are confused, but Yuji steps up to face the new threat while Megumi and Nobara deal with the curse in the Domain.

Locations

 * Saitama Urami East Junior High
 * Koinokuchi Canyon, Yasohachi Bridge

Jujutsu
Cursed Objects
 * Cursed Womb: Death Painting