Chainsaw Man has no shortage of mysteries, brutality, or even unsettling imagery due to the nature of its characters, and the Devils which they hunt. However, the biggest mystery fans are asking right now surround one important individual, the one who brought Denji into Public Safety. Makima. Especially after recent events, her mysterious resurrection and her abnormal feats that have been demonstrated proved to create a deeper, but unsettling mystery surrounding Makima. The brutality and mysterious abilities she has shown in episode 9, "FROM KYOTO" seem to imply a darker side to one of the main characters of Chainsaw Man.
In episode 8, "GUNFIRE" Makima was shot down by a mysterious group who was after Denji, or rather Chainsaw Man as their main objective. For many viewers this was a shock, as the assault on Public Safety wasn't foretold or even foreshadowed, but rather appeared out of nowhere. This left a good majority of characters previously established out of the picture, and suddenly at that. However, in the next episode, Makima somehow is resurrected with no explanation; and presumably manages to leave her assailants just as dead as the rest. Not long after, she requested for criminals with life sentences so that she could use them to somehow obliterate the rest of the attackers one by one. Done in gruesome fashion, and with seemingly no remorse from Makima, who didn't even flinch.
The Mystery In Question
From the beginning of the series, it's easy to see where Makima's personality and way of persuasiveness can be engaging to the audience. She provides Denji a chance to fight for a comfortable life, her words are enough to make even Power listen and obey her orders (which is surprising), and she seems to be well-respected among her peers and the Devil Hunters working under her. However, recent events and Makima's brutal counter-attack leave the audience reeling in shock, mystery, and a sense of unease. As if Makima wasn't mysterious already, now the viewers have more reason to suspect that Makima is hiding something that she doesn't want to let anybody know.
Makima, in a counter-attack to the enemy which had presumably killed her, uses what seems like a simple hand gesture to crush the assailants that were allied with Katana Man. The brutality of the attack is just as quick, as she asks for a name from one of the convicts before doing the gesture that results in death.
After the job is done, Makima begins to head back to Tokyo from the train station; but before she leaves a fellow Devil Hunter arrives to give her the news of what happened to Special Divisions 1-4, giving Makima reason to believe the Gun Devil is involved. By default, and by rank, Makima is given authority over Special Division 4, followed by a letter of resignation from the co-worker. However, he asked Makima if she anticipated this to happen as much as possible, a blunt question loaded with suspicion. Soon however, she states that she can't disclose that Public Safety Intel to private citizens.
Who Is Makima?
After all is said and done, this leaves many fans with a greater mystery, one that could hint at Makima's underlying motivations. However, the idea that she could have anticipated an attack that's related to the Gun Devil, a significant deal considering the Gun Devil's influence on the world of Chainsaw Man, is disturbing to say the least. This seems to imply that Makima didn't worry whether the rest of the Devil Hunters died or not.
In addition, Makima's resurrection is unnaturally played off as it never happened in the episode, despite the fact that it was plain to see she was shot down at first. What this means? Makima was already mysterious, if somewhat endearing due to the good and her actions that have benefited Denji's life. However, with Makima's recent brutality and off-putting behavior and calmness, it doesn't change the truth that now the audience knows less about Makima than they did before. Who was Makima before Public Safety, what is the reason behind her actions, and what 'intel' does she have that she can't share to somebody who not so long ago was just part of Public Safety?
Whether Makima used a Devil's power through a contract to pull off what she did, or whether that power was something else is a question everybody is asking. All the audience knows from the Devil Hunters, who needed to be blindfolded as well, is that it could be a Devil's Contract, but that since Makima reports directly to the Chief Cabinet Secretary, rank-and-file Devil Hunters don't really have the clearance to know what her Devil Contracts are. However, this vague explanation allows for more mystery surrounding what Makima can do. Up until now, we haven't seen Makima use any abilities or even Devil Contracts in a fight as she's mostly in a position to issue orders and authority. We may see Makima in the future become more involved, as she's in a greater position of authority now, and it's most likely she will retaliate in a more personal and direct manner against the enemy. We may also see Makima in a different light due to her unsettling actions, as well as her haunting words at the end of the episode. Needless to say, the mystery has become deeper, darker, and much more confusing. Who Makima exactly is, the fans will have to wait for that answer for a while before everything becomes clear.