Bleach TYBW (Thousand-Year Blood War) Part 3 premiered on October 5th, 2024, and honestly, nobody was prepared for what and how everything unfolded.
Prologue
I thought the new season would take its time easing back into things, connecting to the previous part, and slowly building up the story. But nope—TYBW is on a whole different level when it comes to pacing episodes.
The first eight minutes of Episode 1 were literally the same footage from the end of the last episode of TYBW Part 2, but then things escalated fast. We found what happened in the fight between Squad Zero and Wandenreich, and by the time the first episode wrapped up, I was sitting there, stunned, trying to process what just happened.
Read On!
Why do the Wandenreich want to kill the Soul King and what are they fighting for?
Let me try to keep this short!
History
Soul Reapers are responsible for maintaining the balance between the Human World, Soul Society and Hueco Mundo. They purify Hollows which sends their souls to the Soul Society. Quincy completely destroy Hollows, which in turn destroys their very souls. This creates an imbalance between the Worlds, and as Kuchiki Rukia hinted, it would cause them to merge, plunging all of existence into chaos.
To address the problem, the Soul Society urged the Quincies to leave the governance of Hollows and Souls to the Soul Reapers. After multiple failed attempts, the Soul Society chose to eliminate the Quincies, and during the same battle, Yhwach—the Quincy King—lost all his powers.
It’s also essential to understand that the Human World, Soul Society, and Hueco Mundo were originally one, until they were divided by the Soul King, Adnyeus.
The Present
Quincy folklore states, “After 900 years, the Quincy King will regain his heartbeat; 90 years later, his intellect; and after 9 more years, his true power.” This prophecy came true with Yhwach’s return.
Now, he and the Wandenreich seek revenge for past events and strive to restore the world’s original order by uniting all realms. Their ultimate goal is to kill the Soul King, which is believed to merge the three worlds.
As it happened in the first two episodes!
The battle between Ichibei and Yhwach resumed from where it last left off. You may recall Ichibei had the upper hand, but everything shifted in an instant.
As Yhwach was being beaten and reflecting on his apparent defeat, he awakened a new ability called “The Almighty”. This power, inherited from his father, the Soul King Adnyeus, allows him to foresee and alter the future.
With this newfound strength, Yhwach quickly overwhelms Ichibei, showcasing his immense power.
Meanwhile, the fight between the remaining members of Squad Zero and the Wandenreich also concluded, with the Quincies emerging victorious, thanks to Uryuu Ishida.
By the end of the first episode, things look grim for the Soul Reapers.
Honestly, this outcome was expected. Squad Zero had to lose for Ichigo to assert his role as the main protagonist, but the manner in which they were defeated was nothing short of extraordinary. After defeating Ichibei, Yhwach confronts the Sealed Soul King and drives a sword through his chest.
When Ichigo and his friends finally reach the Soul King’s palace, they confront Yhwach, noticing the strange new appearance of his eye. The battle between Ichigo and Yhwach begins, with Ichigo initially gaining the upper hand thanks to the strength he gained from training with Squad Zero. However, much to his surprise, Yhwach was only testing Ichigo’s power without using “The Almighty,” his ability to foresee everything. Once Yhwach activates it, he easily overpowers Ichigo, who loses consciousness after a brief exchange. Even with help from Yoruichi Shihōin, their efforts to stop Yhwach are in vain.
It is soon revealed to Ichigo and his friends that Yhwach has stabbed the Soul King. In a desperate attempt, Ichigo jumps in to pull the sword out, but this had all been foreseen and orchestrated by Yhwach. When Ichigo removes the sword, his Quincy blood activates, forcing him to strike the Soul King, slicing him in two.
Later, Yhwach reveals that to completely destroy the Soul King’s seal, one must possess Quincy, Human, Soul Reaper, Fullbringer, and Hollow powers simultaneously—powers that Ichigo held. And the rest, as you know, follows from there.
What to expect next?
We still don’t know for sure if the Soul King is truly dead, but one thing’s clear from how things have unfolded—Urahara Keisuke, Yoruichi Shihōin, and the Vizards are definitely gearing up for more screen time and attention. Fans of these characters are in for a treat!
Just like the first two parts of Thousand-Year Blood War, the third cour is set to run for 13 episodes. And from the looks of it, there’s likely one more cour of 13 episodes after this, which should wrap up this incredible journey.
So, stay tuned, folks—things are about to get even more intense!
Bleach Thousand Year Blood War Part 3 Trailer
