Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Season 3 is currently airing in the anime lineup for Fall 2024. The latest episode of the series has revealed some crucial information about the Soul King. Since Yhwach and the Quincies infiltrated the Soul Society, their aims have escalated to a much larger target.
Although it is clear that Yhwach intends to eradicate all Soul Reapers, he has set his sights on an even higher objective. By the end of the second part, Yhwach and one of the most powerful Sternritter have advanced towards the realm of the Soul King. Yhwach’s goal is to eliminate the Soul King to pave the way for the complete annihilation of all forces that currently maintain a balance in the world.
The Soul King is one of the most captivating elements of the Bleach universe.
Despite the fact that viewers have seen a lot about the Soul Society up to this point, it is not until the end of Tite Kubo’s original manga that we truly begin to understand this character.
Who is the Soul King in Bleach?
As revealed in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Episode 28, Yhwach’s overwhelming power allows him to perceive all past, present, and future events simultaneously, including the very essence of the Soul King. The Soul King, whose real name is Adnyeus, is a foundational being responsible for maintaining the balance between the worlds of humans, Soul Reapers, and Hollows. He has been kept in a state of stasis to ensure these realms are properly maintained, and he has a direct connection with Yhwach.
Before his demise, Yhwach made it clear that his own body was a vessel that was forged upon his birth, ultimately granting him immense strength that connects him with all Quincy. As the son of the Soul King (a fact that explains why Yhwach possesses such formidable powers when in his strongest state), Yhwach feels compelled to eliminate the Soul King to manifest his reality of destroying the Soul Society. However, he requires Ichigo’s assistance to break the seal surrounding the Soul King.
How does Ichigo obtain the Soul King’s power?
In Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, the story escalates to new heights as Ichigo inadvertently acquires the Soul King’s powers. After witnessing Yhwach’s sword pierce his own body, Ichigo instinctively draws it out, even though he initially did not want to. Following this encounter with the sword, Ichigo’s body begins to transform.
Yhwach clarifies that the only way to truly seize the Soul King’s power is to break the seal surrounding him. The only one who can accomplish this is someone with a connection to all forces involved. Ichigo not only embodies the essence of a human but also possesses attributes of Soul Reapers, Quincies, and Hollows. He is the only one capable of obtaining the Soul King’s power. This implies that during this time, Yhwach has been plotting to send Ichigo to the Soul King’s palace solely to enable him to be the one to acquire the king’s powers and ultimately bring about the downfall of the Soul Society.
