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| “ | How tenacious, so there were some still hanging on. But with your wounded bodies I doubt you can even take a step from there. But if you want to come after me, then come. I will leave this gate here. If you come after me, out of respect for your bravery, I will give you a magnificent death. I shall single out the moment of your greatest happiness in the coming future and kill you then. From now on, every time you feel joy, you will recall my words. And each time, you will taste the fear of death you’ve been promised. Forever. | „ |
| ~ Yhwach to Renji, Rukia, and Ichigo – Bleach chapter 680. |
| “ | How do I feel, you ask? Do I look like I am in poor spirits? Division Zero reign supreme over all other Shinigami, and even you, their leader, fear my power so greatly that you saw fit to strip me of half of it. Could anything be more satisfying? However, I am afraid you may be disappointed. For even that half of my power which you have stripped away, I can quite easily grant to myself once more. If you cannot understand it, then allow me to explain. Nobody can take anything away from me, even with the power you hold, Hyōsube Ichibē. If you were unaware, then it is time for you to learn. Everything in this world exists to be taken by me! | „ |
| ~ Yhwach to Ichibē Hyōsube. |
Yhwach (in Japanese: ユーハバッハ, Yūhabahha), often referred to simply as "Your Majesty" (in Japanese: 陛下, heika) by his underlings, is the overarching antagonist of the Bleach franchise, being the main antagonist of the Thousand Year Blood War Arc and its 2022 anime adaptation.
He is the monarch of the Wandenreich and Father of the Quincy, as well as the son of the Soul King. He possesses the designation "A"—"The Almighty", which allows him to give and take power, negate every harmful ability once he understands it, and can see and change the future. He seeks to destroy the three worlds' barriers and recreate them in his own image.
Being the creator of the Quincy, he is indirectly responsible for various events that have occurred throughout the series, most notably the birth of Ichigo Kurosaki and his access to his Quincy powers, Zangetsu, the death of his mother Masaki, and the Quincy massacres.
He is voiced by Takayuki Sugō (who also voiced Sweyn in Vinland Saga) in Japanese and Richard Epcar in English.
His Evil Ranking[]
What Makes Him Close to Pure Evil?[]
In General[]
- Despite seemingly being a great ruler of the Quincies, he has a twisted morality on how he treats his own kind, as he is shown to be genuinely grateful towards his subordinates' service towards him but yet has no qualms on sacrificing them or stealing their powers to empower himself, resulting in their deaths. When questioned by Liltotto of this, he stated that sacrificing lower ranks for the higher ranks is an act of camaraderie and comrades helping each other.
- He is shown to have strong negative views towards the Soul Reapers and the Arrancars, the former he sees as natural enemies towards the Quincies and the latter he treats as sacrificial soldiers. He is also shown to have negative views towards mixed-blood Quincies, as he intentionally wiped them all out in a purge six years ago before the events of the series.
- Despite his claims of being a peace-lover and disliking war, it is shown that he thrives on warfare and violence, proving himself to be a complete hypocrite.
- He is by far, one of the most destructive and genocidal villains in the franchise, as he sought to destroy every world in the series, which would mean countless deaths as a result. In fact, he is so ruthless and vile that his threat brought nearly everyone together to stop him, even including the likes of Sōsuke Aizen and some of the Sternritters like Bazz-B and Liltotto, who sought to kill him for his betrayal.
Background[]
- Although he was born as a disabled baby who couldn't do anything, this isn't really that much of a tragedy because he didn't feel any fear or sadness. More than that, he makes everyone who receives his soul pieces heal their bodies, and souls die very quickly to absorb their power back to him and increase his body functions.
- While he needs to continue to absorb souls to retain his body functions, he willingly waging war to make more people get killed so he can absorb their power which is beyond necessary to keep himself alive, make him unsympathetic.
- Although he later developed fear of Death as a result of absorbing Quincy souls, he still decide to wage wars that would result in death anyway, more than that he seemingly losing care for his people in 1000 years time span after losing for the first time. Making his goal become less noble and a little more selfish.
- He created a kingdom of Quincy known as the Lichtreich, then started a war to conquer many lands and force all Quincy to live under his kingdom, which included Jugram Haschwalth and Bazz-B's village and forest, that he burned down. This resulted in Bazz-B wanting to kill Yhwach and wanting Haschwalth to help him.
- By using Almighty, he knows Haschwalth is also a Quincy that has the power to share a soul piece with other people like him. He made Haschwalth his right-hand man, grooming him to be his loyal right hand and straining his friendship with Bazz-B as a result. He also claims Haschwalth to be his other half when in reality he just a useful tool for him.
- 1,000 years ago, he started the first Quincy and Shinigami war, resulting in many deaths on both sides.
- Before the war started, Ichibe came to his Kingdom for peace talking. Yhwach refused the peace treaty claim that he wants to create a world without death, while he himself is the one that cause many needless deaths. Forcing Ichibe to seal Yhwach's Almighty using the Soul King's left arm to possess him.
- Sometime later before Thousand-Year Blood War arc, he was able to convince the Soul King's left arm to join his side.
- Before the war started, Ichibe came to his Kingdom for peace talking. Yhwach refused the peace treaty claim that he wants to create a world without death, while he himself is the one that cause many needless deaths. Forcing Ichibe to seal Yhwach's Almighty using the Soul King's left arm to possess him.
- Nine years ago, before Thousand-Year Blood War arc, he used his technique, Auswählen, on a large scale, to kill off all Quincy he considered impure. The result of his technique left many dead including Uryu's mother Kanae, and it also resulted in Ichigo's mother Masaki's death, which would ultimately lead to his own downfall as it led to the actions taken by Ichigo as well as both Uryu and his father Ryuken to avenge both Masaki and Kanae's respective deaths.
The Thousand-Year Blood War Arc[]
- He sent his subordinates to attack Hueco Mundo, resulting in the deaths of many Arrancar. In addition, he personally defeated and captured the queen of this world, Tier Harribel.
- Why he didn't kill her is unknown, but some fans speculate that he did this either because he might have some use for her, to humiliate her, or possibly even planned to rape her once he completes his plans.
- While Asguiaro Ebern was giving his report, he killed Luders Friegen, just because the latter annoyed him with his behavior and did not perform very well in his task, and then mercilessly murdered Ebern, claiming that he could neither praise nor blame him for failure to complete the task, say that he will be a foundation of peace as his role is now over.
- He lead a massive attack on the Seireitei and the Gotei 13, which resulted in the Wandenreich killing hundreds of Shinigami and destroying the Seireitei, stealing several captains' Bankai in the process.
- When Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto was fighting Royd Lloyd who had taken the form of Yhwach, including his personality and emotions, the real Yhwach meanwhile blew up the main building of the 1st Division, killing Genshirō Okikiba in the process. In addition, he entered Muken to propose to the imprisoned Sōsuke Aizen to join his army, as they share the common goal of overthrowing Soul Society, which ultimately failed.
- While it's debatable that Royd Lloyd impersonate Yhwach cries when Yamamoto use Zanka no Tachi to revive Yhwach soldiers as skeleton corpse can be use as evident that real Yhwach care for his people, he subverts this redeemable quality in the moment he uses Auswählen a second time on his soldiers in Seiretei.
- When Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto was fighting Royd Lloyd who had taken the form of Yhwach, including his personality and emotions, the real Yhwach meanwhile blew up the main building of the 1st Division, killing Genshirō Okikiba in the process. In addition, he entered Muken to propose to the imprisoned Sōsuke Aizen to join his army, as they share the common goal of overthrowing Soul Society, which ultimately failed.
- After Yamamoto's battle with Royd Lloyd ended, Yhwach stole his Bankai and blackmailed him, saying that maybe he should now use his technique to summon the skeletons of his dead people. Finally, Yhwach split Yamamoto in half with his Reishi Sword, then completely disintegrated his body as he tried to stop him with the remnants of his consciousness.
- Just before killing Yamamoto, Yhwach told the dying Royd that he had done well, then mercilessly disintegrated him, not even allowing him to finish his sentence without showing any remorse.
- During the confrontation with Ichigo, who managed to break free from the prison created by Quilge and reach the destroyed Seireitei, when asked angrily by the Substitute Shinigami if he was the leader of the aggressors responsible for the destruction of Soul Society, Yhwach with a nasty smile on his face replied that he was, provoking thus greatly weakening Ichigo to fight.
- When Yhwach defeated Ichigo, he wanted to take him, barely alive, to Wanderreich, and then indoctrinate him and integrate him into his ranks, which he would have managed to do if Ichigo had not (unknowingly) activated Blud Vene, blocking Yhwach's attack and, if it was not accelerated, due to the illusion cast by the imprisoned Aizen, the time during which the Quincy could stay outside the Wanderreich.
- During the ceremony introducing Uryū Ishida as his successor, Yhwach mentioned the events of 1000 years ago in such a way that it looked as if the Shinigami attacked first and the Quincy were the usual victims of their aggression, when in fact the latter were the main aggressors. This can be considered a method of indoctrination on the part of Yhwach, who wants to strengthen the loyalty of his subjects and increase their devotion to his cause.
- He lead a second attack on the Seireitei, resulting in more casualties.
- During the fight with Ichibē Hyōsube, when the latter had a large advantage over him and took half of his power, Yhwach used Auswählen a second time to regain his power and resurrect the fallen Schutzstaffels, freeing their Vollständig in the process, at the cost of the lives of almost all Sternritters fighting against Shinigami in the Seireitei. Claiming that they are comrade thus shold willing to sacrifice themselves for others.
- Additionally, as a result of this act, Sternritters such as Liltotto and Bazz-B turned on him and began to feel disgusted towards him for treating them as mere tools with which he can do whatever he wants with impunity.
- After Yhwach activated his power "The Almighty", he used it to tear Ichibē's body apart before spitefully reminding him of his own words that he would "take everything from him".
- After he and his top officers infiltrate the Soul King Palace and defeat the Royal Guards, Yhwach impales the Soul King, then manipulated Ichigo with his own sword to force him to cut the Soul King, initiating the destruction of the World of the Living, Soul Society, and Hueco Mundo. After this, Yhwach began to mentally abuse Ichigo, congratulating him that all three worlds would turn to dust at his hands, and that together they would be able to watch the future and the beginning of a new world come to pass.
- When Ukitake tried to maintain order and stop the destruction of all the worlds by replacing the Soul King, Yhwach killed him, took the power of the Soul King and fully absorbed them for himself.
- Before that, he angrily yells at Mimihagi for go against what is supposed to be "his father will", which made him wanting to absorb both Mimihagi and Soul King body, showing that he doesn't care what his father's true will is and only do what he believes is right.
- While absorbing the Soul King's power, Yhwach spread a gigantic swarm of small, fanged creatures throughout Seireitei that caused even more destruction and killed several Shinigami. There likely would have been many more casualties if Aizen had not wiped them out with Kurohitsugi.
- Although Haschwalth in Manga claim these swarm of black creatures attack Shinigami because Five Nobel Family betrayed Reio, it's also possible that Reio reiatsu was infused by Yhwach own hatred for Shinigami. As Reio true goals are ambiguous consider he has perfect Almighty.
- He expressed interest in seeing Ichigo in despair when he fought against him, telling Ichigo to fight as hard as he could so Yhwach can crush him into despair and entertain himself.
- After defeating and psychologically breaking Ichigo, he absorbs both his Quincy and Hollow powers, incapacitating him. He then proceeds to laugh manically, displaying his sadistic side and reveling in his victory.
- He then used Auswählen to steal the power from his loyal right-hand man, Jugram Haschwalth right before he was able to kill Uryū Ishida, leaving him to die, as well as from Gerard Valkyrie and his other loyal followers killing them.
- This later karmically backfired when Ishida used Silver Arrowhead to depowered Yhwach give Ichigo opportunity to kill him. Had Yhwach not absorb Jugram power back to himself, he would have killed Ishida and there will be nobody left to stop him because only Antithesis is a treat to Yhwach.
- He created the portal returned to the Seireitei one last time and attempted to destroy everything. Even leave the portal open so Ichigo and his friends can come tried to stop him and fail in the process.
- During his final battle against Ichigo, Renji, Aizen and Uryū, he sent a portion of himself into the future in one last attempt to destroy everything. As he promise to kill them in their happiest moments. However it failed and his power dissappear completely either because he was defeated in the past and seal by Ichibei and/or Kazui Kurosaki absorb his power.
- As reveal in Can't Fear Your Own World light novel, Ichibei turned his corpse being turned into new Soul King because he absorbed the old one. While his fate is horrible, it was brought to him by himself by absorbing his father and Mimihagi and start the war to bring back the Old World.
What Prevents Him From Being Pure Evil?[]
- Despite his extreme and personal vile acts, Yhwach is genuinely a well-intentioned extremist who honestly believed his actions were for the betterment of the world by ridding away fear, and without fear, there would be no worry at all. Though this is called into question when Soken has him condemned as a false savior and the implications his goal is more selfish than beneficial to others, making this a minor prevention.
- He genuinely cares about his late father, as he tried to save him from the fate he was inflicted with. The anime adaptation reinforces that as he looks horrified of what happened to him.
- It also possible he also felt insecure and betrayed by his father Reio who has a strongest Almighty, which mean he should know what Shinigami will do to him and Quincies yet allow it to happen anyway.
- Despite his defeat and final fate of being used as the new Soul King being a consequence of his own actions, it is still treated in a sympathetic light, with Tier Harribel even feeling bad for him.
Trivia[]
- It's possible that Ichibei is the reason why Yhwach was reincarnated into a black baby after the world spilt, and he presumably had to have been reincarnated many times before he was able to survive long enough to absorb soul by pure change. If this is true, this would make him actually tragic and more sympathetic.
- He and Giselle Gewelle are the only two Bleach villains to be approved for Near Pure Evil.
External Links[]
- Yhwach on the Bleach Wiki
- Yhwach on the Villains Wiki
- Yhwach on the Ultimate Evil Wiki
- Yhwach on the Entertainingly Detestable Wiki
- Yhwach on the VS Battles Wiki