In Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3, Ichigo Kurosaki—our beloved yet tragically fated hero—unwittingly unleashed catastrophe. Lured into Emperor Yhwach’s cunning trap, Ichigo, against his will, killed the Soul King—the sacred lynchpin that kept the delicate balance between the realms: the Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, and the world of the Living. In a cruel twist of fate, Ichigo’s immense power, which so often saves the day, became the very tool used to set the world on the path to ruin.
As the previous episode, aptly titled “Kill the King,” drew to a close, the very fabric of reality began to unravel. Ichigo, horrified, realized too late that Yhwach had weaponized his own strength against him. The world was crumbling before his eyes, spiritually and physically, as the ground quaked beneath the weight of the Soul King’s demise.
What Happened After the Soul King’s Death
The Soul King’s death sent shockwaves across all three realms. With the lynchpin gone, the foundations that held the Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, and the world of the Living together were now teetering on the edge of collapse. Tremors spread across the realms, and panic ensued. Kisuke Urahara, ever the calculating genius, along with other key figures at the Seireitei, could foresee the impending doom. They knew the clock was ticking—if a new Soul King wasn’t found soon, everything would cease to exist.
The question arose: who would take on this monumental role? The answer wasn’t to be found in the anime itself but in Ryogo Narita’s Can’t Fear Your Own World light novel series, which explores the aftermath of the Thousand-Year Blood War. The answer was as dark and twisted as the war itself.
Yhwach Becomes the New Soul King
In a dark twist of fate, Yhwach, the very man who orchestrated the Soul King’s demise, became the next Soul King. After Yhwach’s defeat, his body—infused with the essence of the Soul King and Mimihagi—was used by the Soul Society to prevent the collapse of the realms.
But why Yhwach? During the final moments of the Thousand-Year Blood War, Yhwach had forced Ichigo to slay the Soul King. Jushiro Ukitake, in a desperate attempt to salvage what was left, had sacrificed his own life in the Kamikake ritual. His body was consumed by the right arm of the Soul King—Mimihagi—who briefly held the realms together. Yet, Yhwach soon absorbed both Mimihagi and the Soul King, merging their powers with his own.
Though Ichigo eventually severed Yhwach in half, ending his reign of terror, the world still hung by a thread. With the lynchpin of the realms gone, the Soul Society had no choice but to use Yhwach’s body, infused with the essence of the Soul King, to stabilize the realms. Ironically, the man who sought to destroy everything became the very keystone that prevented the world’s collapse.
Why Not Ichigo?
One question lingered—why not make Ichigo, the hero who had saved the world time and time again, the new Soul King? The answer lies in Can’t Fear Your Own World. Ichibe Hyosube, the enigmatic Manako Osho, had indeed considered using Ichigo as the next Soul King, a failsafe should the situation spiral further out of control. He was willing to do whatever it took to protect the realms, even if it meant betraying the hero who had just saved them all.
However, with Yhwach’s remnants available, Ichigo was spared from this grim fate. But had Yhwach not been there, Ichigo might have been forced to become the world’s next lynchpin, bound to an existence far beyond what anyone could comprehend.
The Ironic Legacy of Yhwach
The death of the Soul King Adyneus was one of the most significant moments in Bleach, sending the world into chaos. Yet, in the end, the Soul Society found a way to restore the balance, albeit in the most ironic way possible. Yhwach—the one who sought to annihilate the realms and recreate the world in his image—became the very key to their salvation.
Though it was far from a perfect solution, using Yhwach’s body to replace the Soul King was the only way to prevent the world’s destruction. It was a cruel irony, yet also a fitting end for the Quincy King, whose ambition to reshape the world ultimately left him as nothing more than a tool to preserve it.
About Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War is the final arc of the Bleach franchise. It premiered on October 11, 2022, and its 52 episodes are streamed by Hulu.
The arc deals with Yhwach, the leader of the Quincies, who has declared war on the Soul Society. Ichigo and the Soul Reapers will face this despicable enemy.
Hollows and Soul Society residents are disappearing, and Ichigo needs to defeat Yhwach before he lays waste to the entire universe.
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