Thread by @cactuzzshash

the burdens of the past

thread on uzui tengen & the messages of demon slayer

the first scene at the grave is essentially showing the burden uzui carries with him, the death of his siblings and his past as a shinobi. he leads a ‘flashy’ life to directly reject the shinobi ideals that took their lives, as shinobi should be discreet. +

it all ties to a major theme throughout ds where the struggles of the past actively influence the hashira’s sense of ‘duty’. it was the same with rengoku due to his mother’s words and that’s why uzui is shown alongside him visually so often. +

ultimately whether you view these motivations as selfish or altruistic is kind of besides of the point, the sense of purpose gained from saving others doesn’t negate the fact that they are in fact saving people. uzui still thinks he is going to hell, the price of his actions +

is too high to pay back even by saving others. the karmic cycle will end up punishing him for what he perceives as unforgivable actions. this is when his wives come into the picture. the wind blows the petals from the tree which serves as a metaphor for life. +

we are born, we ‘bloom’ and eventually fall away (die). the petal still serves as proof of existence which lands in makios hair, it directly ‘affects’ her. that’s why she asks for the petal back, beyond everything it’s proof of their bond and the meaning that holds. +

even if uzui thinks he cannot be forgiven, he has bonds and love that themselves also hold incredible value. it’s emphasised in the second scene where makio suggests that they return to an ordinary life once they have defeated an upper moon. it’s important because this implies +

a ‘regular’ life is the goal, that there could be nothing more valuable than merely living with the people you love. being a hashira, power, importance, everything is secondary to that. it’s also why they’re standing in the field of dragonflies. +

along with enlightenment, dragonflies symbolise:

‘going last self created illusions that limit our growth and ability to change… hope, change and love’.

uzuis burden is that self created illusion, something he feels he must pay back due to his own guilt. +

his heroism is of course a ‘good’ thing, it helps others in need, but it also stunts his ability to change and leads the ones he truly loves into danger, as shown by all 3 wives getting hurt in the fight (directly caused by his duties as a hashira). +

this is the price of ‘duty’ but just living and cherishing the bonds you have, rather than living your life informed by the bonds you have lost, may ultimately be far more fulfilling.

these are just my thoughts from watching the news season, feel free to add anything