Highlights
- "I Am The Edge" focuses on the intense battle between the 11th Squad Captain and Lieutenant and an enemy with incredible power.
- Yachiru's Zanpakutō reveals a unique ability, allowing her to manifest creatures that copy her every move and attack.
- Kenpachi, now bearing the title of the strongest, faces off against Gremmy, the strongest Sternritter, and showcases his immense power and ability to cut anything.
The following contains spoilers for BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2, Episode 7, "I Am The Edge", available for streaming on Hulu and Disney+.
The 7th episode of the second cours of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War was an epic affair. This episode, titled, "I Am The Edge" focuses mostly on the battle of the 11th Squad Captain and Lieutenant as they face an enemy with incredible power.
The main event is The Kenpachi's battle against Sternritter V – The Visionary, and the epic significance of the former finally learning the name of his Zanpakutō. Packed with interesting themes and a huge power boost for a fan-favorite character, "I Am The Edge" is yet another triumph for the series.
The Manifested
11th Squad Lieutenant Yachiru Kusajishi faces off against an opponent she isn't even completely sure even exists, Sternritter V – The Vanishing Point, Guenael Lee. His ability enables him to manipulate perception to varying degrees, vanishing in plain sight; however, he can also remove himself from "existence". Given Yachiru's incredible instincts, she's able to connect several punches. Isane is worried that the fleeting presence might not be an enemy, but Yachiru remembers something Kenpachi taught her about trusting her instincts. Drawing her Zanpakutō for battle, she activates her special ability, Sanpo Kenjū, which manifests two creatures that copy all of her movements and attacks, making it nearly impossible to avoid.
Isane ponders the abilities of Yachiru's Zanpakutō, which hadn't changed at all despite the activation of what could be assumed to be Shikai. The ability is unlike any she has ever seen in a Zanpakutō, and Guenael begins to lose his advantage. Before the battle can continue, another Quincy appears beside the unconscious injured Captains – inside Isane's protective barrier, coldly revealing that he's already killed them. The Quincy reveals that he created Guenael, and no longer has need for him, killing him soon after. He quickly subdues Yachiru before proclamiming that imagination is the strongest power in the world. For the first time ever, we see Yachiru genuinely terrified, but as she begins to despair, Zaraki bursts onto the scene.
The Strongest
Isane asks about the outcome of his training with Unohana, the previous Kenpachi. Zaraki tells Isane that she's free to bear a grudge or avenge her Captain, but despite her clear sadness, she breathes a sigh of relief, knowing that he now bears the title. The Quincy sets the stage for their fight, raising the ground underfoot to make it a grand affair worthy of Kenpachi's reputation. Introducing himself as the strongest Sternritter, Gremmy Thoumeaux explains that his ability is The Visionary, which enables him to turn that which he imagines into reality. Kenpachi attacks Gremmy, but his sword doesn't sink into the target as it should. The Quincy reveals that he imagined having a body stronger than steel, making him impervious to most damage. However, Kenpachi throws his weight into the sword that had been denied entry into Gremmy's shoulder, forcing him to take a knee.
Despite taking a huge hit, Gremmy maintains his usual lifeless yet smiling facial expression. Kenpachi tells the Quincy that he should've explained his hardening earlier – he would have adjusted the weight of his attack accordingly. The low-angle shot of Kenpachi's imposing frame is shown from behind the kneeling Quincy, making it look like he is prostrating. Kenpachi tells Gremmy that there isn't anything that he could conceive of that he wouldn't be able to cut, because he is "The Kenpachi". A dramatic reveal of the episode's title card begins as the words "I AM THE EDGE" appear on-screen, each word followed by a close-up of the serious look in Kenpachi's eye, and the image of the weathered edge of his Zanpakutō reflected therein.
Seeing Red
The blue and red colour contrast that has been central to the visuals this season is overwhelmed by the deep red of the sky above the Seireitei. Red is commonly associated with passion, fire, war and aggression; while blue is associated with calm, intelligence, imagination and peace, so the winning out of the former despite the general balance of the two over the course of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 – The Separation makes sense. Gremmy heals himself from his wounds before unleashing a torrent of magma upon the 11th Squad Captain and Yachiru is almost caught in the crossfire. Trapping Kenpachi in a floating cube of water, Gremmy opens a fissure in the ground below them and Yachiru falls into the gap.
Kenpachi rushes into the open earth together with his water prison and Gremmy closes the fissure to crush both targets. The angles switch between an eye-level shot of the fissure closing, to an aerial shot of Gremmy and a low angle-shot as he boasts. Kenpachi bursts out of the ground and lunges at Gremmy, who had never imagined what it would feel like to fight someone strong because his powers of imagination make battle against him a futile undertaking. As the fight continues, Gremmy realizes how happy he is in the throes of battle.
The Meteor
Gremmy panics as he struggles to imagine a way to win, and the soundtrack "What Can You See in Their Eyes" kicks in as the score. He unleashes a clone of equal power and agency, "doubling" the power of his imagination. Gremmy² then summons a meteor that can't be stopped, even if they are killed. Kenpachi relishes the chance to cut something he has never cut before, addressing his sword by name. Kenpachi leaps at the meteor and activates his Shikai for the very first time with the command "Drink" as Yachiru watches below. The music cuts as she remembers her first meeting with Kenpachi. Using the Zanpakutō now known to be called Nozarashi, Kenpachi cleaves the meteor in two, and as he approaches, he noticeably sports a two-handed grip of his sword.
The build-up frames show Kenpachi regress back to his childhood form as he makes impact. After the explosion, the music returns full-force as Kenpachi is revealed, wielding a gigantic cleaver. Throughout the fight, flashes of true emotion from Gremmy are seen as he is genuinely moved by Kenpachi, who reiterates his main sentiment: there's nothing he can't cut. Gremmy duplicates himself several times and sends Kenpachi into a vacuum, but is cleaved while prematurely celebrating his victory. Kenpachi emerges from huge crack in the sky like a Menos Grande.
Monstrosity
Despite all his efforts, Gremmy can't kill Kenpachi, which has major psychological consequences. He tries to assume a form that rivals Kenpachi's might while soundtrack "Never Meant to Belong" plays. Gremmy ponders his new feelings of wanting to win and prove his strength to someone, but falls short as his augmented crumbles. In the post-credits, Gremmy wonders if he was his own undoing, but it's actually that his imagination of Kenpachi's strength was too accurate – he couldn't imagine anyone but Kenpachi being able to wield such might.
Gremmy laments not being able to win before showing his true form: a brain in a glass container. Throughout the episode, low-angle and high-angle shots were used, such as Gremmy kneeling in front of Kenpachi after taking the first blow, and the subsequent shots of Kenpachi taken from a low-angle, or from a higher perspective than Gremmy at times, all serving as visual markers of what came to be Gremmy's undoing – his own lofty opinion of Kenpachi Zaraki.