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Warning: Spoilers for Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, Part 3, Episode #2
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood Warhit fans with a one-two punch of information in the latest episode, revealing the true name of the Soul King as well as why Ichigo had to be the one to kill him. Both pieces of information were withheld in the manga, and finally offer an explanation for Yhwach’s somewhat confusing actions in the lead up to the death of the Soul King.
The Soul King’s name was revealed to be Adnyeus, seemingly derived from a Hebrew term for God, Adonai, much like Yhwach’s name being derived from Yahweh. The name connection helps further the idea of Yhwach being the son of God, and all the apocalyptic events surrounding his “second coming"duringThousand-Year Blood War. The reveal of the name Adnyeus confirmed that the Soul King’s name was hinted at back in part 2, when the Auswhalen chant mentioned the “Coffin of Adnyeus,” likely referring to the crystal in which the Soul King’s body is trapped.
The Soul King Could Only Be Defeated by Ichigo
One of the more confusing moments in theBleachmanga is when Yhwach reveals he has already stabbed the Soul King, and Ichigo pulls out the blade, only to be compelled to attack again, this time bisecting the Soul King’s body and ensuring his demise. It’s never explained why Yhwach had Ichigo do this, and to many fans, it seemed like it was an action done out of cruelty, not necessity. However, the anime version of the scene added some explanation from Yhwach, revealing that in reality, it was only Ichigo who could’ve killed the Soul King.
Yhwach states that the Soul King can only truly be killed by a being who wields the power of a human, a Quincy, a Soul Reaper, a Hollow, and a Fullbringer–all powers which Ichigo is known to possess. These five types of beings represent basically all the lifeforms that exist withinBleach’s universe, and soIchigo, as a member of all groups, is the ultimate representative of the world. Why exactly such a being is needed to kill the Soul King, and how Yhwach knew about this detail, still remains a mystery, but it at least offers some explanation as to why Yhwach had Ichigo do it.
Yhwach claims that all of Ichigo’s battles and struggles were to bring him to this very moment, to ensure that he unlocked and gained access to the abilities of each of the groups listed above. If Yhwach is to be believed, Ichigo’s entire life existed solely to allow him to be the one to kill the Soul King on Yhwach’s behalf, explaining why Yhwach already had an interest in Ichigo even before his invasion of the Soul Society, and why he went easy on Ichigo when they had their first confrontation.
Ichigo Was Used by Yhwach from the Beginning
Yhwach Has Treated Ichigo as a Tool Whose Purpose is Now Fulfilled
Yhwach clearly couldn’t have had a hand in actually shaping Ichigo’s life, due to being sealed away and recovering for much of it.In many ways, Ichigo’s life was actually shaped by Sosuke Aizen, of all people; Aizen released the Hollow White, which attacked his mother, leading to the development of his own Hollow powers, and which led to his mother meeting his father, giving him access to Soul Reaper powers. His mother, of course, was a Quincy, bringing Quincy blood into the equation, and Fullbringers are said to be born when a mother is attacked by a Hollow before the birth of her child.
Yhwach’s claim seems to be more about fate playing in his favor, rather than a declaration of a plan of his coming to fruition. Yhwach clearly had a lot of intel on what was going on in the Soul Society before he awakened the Wandenreich, and may have had some understanding of the powers that Ichigo possessed, realizing they were perfect for his own ambitions. However, one can’t help but wonder if Aizen had plans that involved the Soul King as well, since he–intentionally or not–is the one whoset Ichigo up for this rolethe most.
Now that Ichigo has done what Yhwach needed him to do, there’s a very real risk that he immediately tries to take Ichigo out of the picture. Of course, with the death of the Soul King Adnyeus, the foundation of the three worlds are already crumbling, leading to rumbling and shaking akin to an earthquake throughout the realms. Killing Ichigo at this point may seem unnecessary, since everyone and everything is already set to be destroyed. Things are looking incredibly dark forBleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, and hopefully Ichigo can recover from what’s happened enough to take action.
Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War
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Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War is a sequel series to the popular anime from creator Tite Kubo. This anime follows Ichigo and his friends as they investigate why people are disappearing while trouble arises in the Soul Society. The first season was released in 2022 and has been critically acclaimed since its beginning.
