Highlights
- In the latest episode of BLEACH, Rukia reveals her Bankai for the first time, showcasing her growth and power.
- Ichigo prepares to leave the Royal Palace to join the battle and realizes that things must be dire since Urahara didn't give him any details.
- As Nödt, a terrifying Quincy, confronts Rukia and she unveils her true power, reaching Absolute Zero and defeating him with her Bankai.
The following contains spoilers for BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2, Episode 6, "The White Haze", available for streaming on Hulu and Disney+.
The 6th episode of the second cours of BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War, titled "The White Haze" was an exceptional episode and stands out as one of the series' best-ever for its brilliant sound direction, visuals and the reveal of perhaps the series' most influential character's ultimate technique. Rukia Kuchiki's centrality to the BLEACH narrative and headstrong nature have made her a fan-favourite; however, as enemies have grown in strength, she has found herself more and more reliant on Ichigo like the many other allies he has made over the course BLEACH.
"The White Haze" is an episode named for Rukia's first-ever exhibition of her Bankai, and this development was given the attention it deserved, with the Bankai disrupting what would usually be the standard ending sequence. As an adaptation of the original manga, "The White Haze" is yet another triumph for BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War, which continues to impress week after week.
Strawberry Returns
Dressed in garb made for him by Shutara herself, Ichigo prepares to leave the Royal Palace. The new threads are to protect him as he passes through the 72-layer barrier between it and the Seireitei. He will have to embark on the journey back on foot, a trip that is estimated to take a week at the very least if Ichigo uses Shunpo. He was hoping to arrive before the invasion took place; however, having been told that it began three hours prior, Ichigo forgoes descending down the stairs laid out for him and freefalls towards the Seireitei.
On the way down, he rings up Urahara and asks him to forgive him for the hubris he may be displaying in asking the forces on the ground to stay put until he arrives, even if things get dire. After hanging up, Ichigo notes that Urahara didn't divulge any information about what's happening on the battlefield, which must mean things are pretty bad.
Royal Secret
After Uryu witnesses Yhwach's absorption of Mask De Masculine and subsequent "transformation" into Haschwalth himself, the Quincy Grandmaster reveals a few things about Yhwach. It appears that the two exist as one on some level, and after reabsorbing the power he once doled out, Yhwach requires some time to rest. Haschwalth takes Uryu to the execution spire within Silbern, where Sternritter I – The Iron, Cang Du and Sternritter K, BG9 await their deaths. An interesting glimpse into Haschwalth's abilities is shown as he tries to decapitate Cang Du the first time. He tells him that all the fortune that kept him alive will now be turned into misfortune similar in magnitude, with the visuals of a Libra scale tipping against Cang Du being used to communicate this misfortune.
Uryū winces at the deaths of his comrades and wonders why powerful assets such as themselves had to be tossed away. Haschwalth responds to that thought by letting Uryū know that Yhwach's true goal is not the Seireitei, so he decides what is and isn't necessary. He tells Uryū that all of Yhwach's soldiers face the same fate: when a Sternritter dies, Yhwach reabsorbs the power he doled out to them, and has to continue absorbing souls; or else... Haschwalth's words are not heard, but Uryū appeared shocked and confused by what Haschwalth told him.
Phobos, Deimos
Rukia lands on a building to get a good look at the hellish landscape. Before she can decide what to do next, she feels the cold sensation of bony fingers wrapping around her wrist. She flinches, wondering what that feeling was, and the threat comes close once more, this time, whispering into her ear, "Are you scared?" Äs Nödt shows himself and eerily approaches Rukia talking about how lonely he feels without "his" Senbonzakura. He is looking for Byakuya, and wonders if killing Rukia would prompt him to come for a rematch. Äs Nödt unleashes his fear-inducing thorns, which Rukia blocks with a wall of ice. However, the fear is able of moving through ice, entering Rukia through her Zanpakutō. As she reels from the sensation of fear coursing through her body, she drops her sword but remains calm. She asks Äs Nödt what he fears, wondering if his fear is something incapable of experiencing fear in the first place. He rejects the thought – all things experience fear.
She catches one of his attacks with her bare hand, and it freezes in place before. She explains that even as she is now able to draw out Sode no Shirayuki's true power, it takes her a while for her body to grow accustomed. Äs Nödt reiterates that his fear cannot be blocked by ice – the smallest contact is enough to allow the fear to seep in from the wound. Äs Nödt belives that every person has objects of safety and fear, and as he explains, an unsettling animation sequence depicting the spread of the fear from the wound shows Rukia as she is overcome by the fear. Äs Nödt tells her about the centrality of fear to all living things as their avoidance of death is effectively a fear of it. "As long as you're alive, fear will always have an effect".
Absolute Zero
Rukia confirms that it is for that reason that fear can no longer work – in her current state, Rukia is not alive. Sode no Shirayuki was initially believed to be a Zanpakuto that emits freezing air from its tip; however, Rukia discovered that it actually reduces the body temperature of its user, with the blade acting as an extension. Rukia tells Äs Nödt that reishi manipulation has enabled her to temporarily kill her body. She begins to display the effects at different extremes as she lowers her temperature, gracefully attacking the enemy before reaching −273.15°C – Absolute Zero.
Because of its delicate nature, Rukia must slowly thaw herself out to avoid incurring damage. A terrifying image pops into view for a split-second before Äs Nödt's tragic past as a patient on life support struggling to breathe as the fear of death encroached. As he remembers being offered power by Yhwach, Äs Nödt is angered by the idea that he could be scared by Rukia. The only thing he fears is being rebuked by Yhwach himself, inspiring a terrifying sequence in which his rapidly oscillating irises are replaced by a Quincy cross and blood leaks from his eyes as he activates what is possibly the BLEACH series' most viscerally terrifying transformation, the Quincy: Vollständig – Tatar Foras.
The Fear of God
Äs Nödt's transformation was pure nightmare fuel, with a terrifying toothy grin exposed by the skin around his mouth appearing to have been peeled away. His sickly frame is completely visible and a long incision along his entire torso goes up to his throat – during the transformation sequence, his internal organs start spilling out and an unholy sound is heard as they are held in place by the zipping of the sutures. Blood pours from his eyes. Yoshitsugu Matsuoka is to be commended for his performance of this role, which was ever more terrifying given the gravel-like drawl of Äs Nödt's voice, further enhanced by the sutures keeping his throat from gaping. As he surrounds Rukia with the enhanced effect of his Fear, which is now effective once one lays eyes on him, Byakuya arrives to help his sister.
Äs Nödt unleashes a barrage of horrors and assumes an even more horrifying form as he reacts to Byakuya's indifference. One of the most important moments of the series takes place as Byakuya tells Rukia that she's gotten stronger and entrusts her to defeat this enemy that not even he could. With fear gone, Rukia unleashes her Bankai: Hakka no Togame, defeating Äs Nödt as the end credits rolled. As the frozen monstrosity falls apart, Rukia stands gracefully in her new form, pure white and almost glass-like in her appearance. Byakuya tells her it was a gorgeous Bankai, advises her not to overdo it because no power is worth exchanging one's life and as she thaws, he prompts her to advance with him.
Vanishing Point
During the post-credits, 4th Squad Lieutenant Isane Kotetsu is administering first aid at the barracks as 11th Squad Lieutenant Yachiru Kusajishi brings bedding and supplies. Just as Isane was about to ask how she navigates the battlefield without being caught, a Quincy named Guenael Lee appears out of thin air, vanishing in and out of perception as both Lieutenants try to make sense of the situation. Yachiru lands a punch on him despite his invisibility, but the two are now in extreme danger as the unseen enemy proclaims that his presence will be completely gone just as they think they're getting the upper hand. The next episode, "I Am the Edge" stands to be another intense battle in the Seireitei.