Does Gon Freecs die in Hunter x Hunter?

When you think you know what will happen, Yoshihiro Togashi pulls a fixer-upper on you and subverts your expectations. 🤯 Today, allow me to explain whether Gon survived his battle with the notorious Neferpitou (“Pitou”).

Disclaimer: There will be spoilers from the anime and manga here onwards.

Gon created a gigantic Jajanken and defeated Pitou, but in the process, was swallowed by the explosion.

1. Does Gon Die?

No, Gon does not die. He may be burnt to a crisp because it was too late when he realized that his Jajanken blast was swallowing the forest and him; but he was revived thanks to Nanika.

Does Gon die in Hunter x Hunter?
Gon Freecs | Source: Fandom

Gon willingly sacrificed his own life energy. He overconsumed Nen to the point of aging his physical body to defeat Pitou. His body instantaneously took a muscular shape at that pivotal moment.

The transformation was accompanied with an overwhelming aura because he gave up the ability to use Nen forever. With this resolve, he acquired the power to defeat Pitou so he can avenge Kite then and there.

2. Nanika and Killua

Nanika possess the body of Alluka, Killua’s little sister. As a vengeful spirit of the Dark Continent, Nanika can grant anybody limitless and infinite wishes.

But the requester must fulfill three of Nanika’s demands first. The more significant the requester’s wish is (such as resurrection), the harder its next three requests will be. When Nanika’s demands were denied four times once, Nanika caused 67 people’s deaths.

Does Gon die in Hunter x Hunter?
Nanika | Source: Fandom

But Killua was determined to save his friend; so, he wished that Nanika resurrects Gon. Nanika conceded, but only after Killua fulfilled its three conditions: playing “dead”; playing Shiritori (a Japanese word game); and patting its head.

When the spirit took Gon’s hand, Nanika activated its power via a burst of white light. Gon was healed and revived but no renewed Nen abilities were transferred to him.

3. Will Gon Ever Use Nen Again?

Gon cannot use Nen again because his aura nodes closed after the revival. As of Chapter 390, there are no signs of Gon being able to use Nen.

He made this life-changing decision during his battle with Pitou. During his adult transformation, he thought, “If this is the end, I’ll use everything.”

Gon can use Nen again Hunter x Hunter (English sub)
Gon Can Use Nen Again

Pitou claimed that his enemy’s powers are now equal to the Chimera Ant King’s power levels. And because Gon wanted to avenge Kite’s death, he used this anger as the driving force to pummel Pitou to a pulp.

By the time Killua reached their battlefield, Pitou’s face became indistinguishable. He only saw the silhouette of a man whose face he doesn’t recognize (implying that Nen drastically changed Gon’s appearance and power levels).

4. How Strong is Gon?

In the Hunter x Hunter character data book, Gon’s power statistics are as follows during the palace invasion (Chimera Ant arc):

Skill / Intelligence – 3/5

Body / Mind / Nen – 4/5

Ingenuity or Talent – 5/5

His power stats vary of course on every arc, but as seen above, Gon is strongest when he was seeking vengeance for Kite.

Does Gon die in Hunter x Hunter?
Gon Freecs | Source: Fandom

His strength powered up twenty times more compared to his power level during the Yorknew City arc because:

  1. he utilized a massive amount of Nen to surpass a Royal Guard’s level (Pitou); and
  2. he wanted to match the strength of the Chimera Ant’s King.

When comparing Gon (without Nen) to his best friend, Killua would likely win in a fight. After all, Gon is not exposed to Nen battles unlike him.

Gon’s ingenuity or talent reaching 5/5 shows promise however (hence, the massive aura emitting from his body, which is already fueled by his hunger for vengeance).

And by the time they acquire fighting experience in the Nen World (probably beyond Chapter 390 if Togashi decides to go in that direction), Gon will have been exposed to multiple Nen battles that he may even defeat Killua!

Without Nen, Gon had to rely on his resourcefulness many times to compensate being inexperienced. We can see him showcasing his intelligence when:

  • He was playing a game against Netero – He had many ideas on the near-successful retrieval of the ball to increase his range (e.g., the shoe launching).
  • Green Island arc – When he battled Razor, Gon had a brilliant idea to make a special form in order to stop the launch.
  • His sacrificial tendencies are also obvious just so he can win (he got injured in the battle arena, when he battled the Bomber, etc.)

In the un-adapted chapters of the manga, Gon is not as strong as before. His Nen abilities only linger around on his reformed and normalized body even if they are useless to him. 😩

Does Gon die in Hunter x Hunter?
Gon Freecs | Source: Fandom

Nanika may have healed him, but it didn’t return his Nen abilities. So, at this point, it’s difficult to pinpoint where his physical strength lies.

5. Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed reading this quick recap about Gon’s power levels and the events that took place during the palace invasion. I’ll be looking forward along with you guys to Togashi’s future Hunter x Hunter manga chapters. 😀

6. About Hunter x Hunter

Hunter x Hunter is a Shōnen anime adapted from the manga of the same name. The story follows the adventures of a young boy, Gon, who discovers that his father wasn’t really dead but a legendary “Hunter”.

Instead of feeling dejected, Gon decides to follow the footsteps of his father and become a great “Hunter” himself.

However, the job of a “Hunter” isn’t an easy one, and Gon needs to pass an exam to become an official one. He makes friends on this journey, and they all must help each other overcome any obs

Epic Dope Staff

Epic Dope Staff

Our talented team of Freelance writers - Always on the lookout - pour their energies into a wide range of topics bringing to our audience what they crave - fun up-to-date news, reviews, fan theories and much much more.

Comments

Leave a Reply