Introduction
Bleach is a popular manga and anime series created by Tite Kubo that follows the adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki, a teenager who can see ghosts and becomes a Soul Reaper, a warrior who protects the human world from evil spirits called Hollows. Along the way, he meets many allies and enemies, including the Quincies, a race of humans who can manipulate spiritual energy and are the sworn enemies of the Soul Reapers.
One of the most intriguing and mysterious characters in Bleach is Yhwach, the leader of the Wandenreich, a secret organization of Quincies who plan to invade and destroy the Soul Society, the home of the Soul Reapers. Yhwach is not only a powerful and ruthless Quincy, but also the progenitor of all Quincies, as he claims to have created them by sharing his blood with them. He also has a special interest in Ichigo, whom he calls his “son born in the darkness”. But what does this mean? Is Yhwach really related to Ichigo? And if so, how?
In this article, we will explore the relationship between Yhwach and Ichigo, and reveal the truth behind the Quincy King’s claim. We will also look at how this affects Ichigo’s identity and destiny, as well as the fate of the world.
Yhwach’s Bloodline and Ichigo’s Heritage
To understand the connection between Yhwach and Ichigo, we need to go back to the origins of the Quincies. According to the legend, Yhwach was born as a powerless and blind baby, who could not even breathe or hear. However, he had a unique ability: he could give a part of his soul to anyone who touched him, granting them a fragment of his power and a piece of his vision. In return, he would receive a part of their soul and their experiences when they died. This way, he gradually gained strength, sight, and knowledge, becoming the first Quincy.
Yhwach shared his blood with many people, creating more Quincies who revered him as their king and father. He also gave them a special power called Schrift, which allowed them to manifest a unique ability based on a letter of the alphabet. However, Yhwach also had a hidden motive: he wanted to reclaim his soul fragments from his children, and use them to restore his original power and reshape the world according to his will. To do this, he devised a ritual called the Auswahlen, which allowed him to take back his blood and power from the Quincies he deemed unworthy, killing them in the process.
This is where Ichigo’s heritage comes into play. Ichigo is the son of Isshin Kurosaki, a former Soul Reaper captain who gave up his powers to save Masaki Kurosaki, a pure-blooded Quincy who was attacked by a Hollow. Masaki was one of the victims of the Auswahlen, which robbed her of her Quincy abilities and made her vulnerable to the Hollow. Isshin used a forbidden technique to bond his soul with Masaki’s, stabilizing her condition and preventing the Hollow from taking over. However, this also meant that he had to live in the human world as a normal human, and that their children would inherit a mix of Soul Reaper, Quincy, and Hollow powers.
Ichigo is the eldest of their three children, and the one who inherited the most of their spiritual potential. He also inherited a special Schrift from Yhwach, the letter A, which stands for “The Almighty”. This is the same power that Yhwach possesses, and it allows him to see and change the future, as well as to understand and counter any ability he encounters. This makes Ichigo a very rare and valuable Quincy, and one that Yhwach wants to have on his side.
Yhwach’s Claim and Ichigo’s Choice
Yhwach first met Ichigo during his invasion of the Soul Society, where he killed the Soul Reaper leader, Yamamoto Genryusai. He recognized Ichigo as a Quincy, and called him his son born in the darkness. He explained that this meant that Ichigo was born with a dormant Quincy power, which was awakened by Yhwach’s presence. He also revealed that he was the one who orchestrated Ichigo’s birth, by manipulating the events that led to Isshin and Masaki’s union. He then invited Ichigo to join him, and to learn the truth about himself and his destiny.
Ichigo refused to believe Yhwach, and fought against him, but was easily overpowered. Yhwach then left him, saying that he would come back for him later, and that he would make him understand his true nature. He also branded Ichigo with a mark that allowed him to monitor and influence his actions, as well as to take his power when the time was right.
Ichigo later learned more about his past from his father and from the Soul King’s guards, who took him to the Soul King’s palace to train him and prepare him for the final battle with Yhwach. He also learned that he had a true Zanpakuto, a sword that reflects his soul and grants him Soul Reaper powers, which he had to forge from his own soul. He succeeded in doing so, and obtained a new dual-bladed Zanpakuto that represented his Soul Reaper and Quincy powers. He also gained a new Hollow form, which was a manifestation of his Hollow power that fused with his Zanpakuto.
With his new powers, Ichigo returned to the Soul Society, where he confronted Yhwach again. Yhwach congratulated him for achieving his true potential, and told him that he was proud of him as his son. He also revealed his ultimate plan: to kill the Soul King, the god-like being who maintains the balance of the world, and to take his place as the new god. He said that he wanted to create a perfect world, where there would be no death, no fear, and no suffering, and that he wanted Ichigo to be his successor and heir.
Ichigo was shocked and horrified by Yhwach’s plan, and tried to stop him, but was once again outmatched by his power. Yhwach used the Auswahlen to steal Ichigo’s Quincy and Hollow powers, leaving him with only his Soul Reaper power. He then stabbed him with his sword, and proceeded to kill the Soul King.
However, Ichigo was not ready to give up. He was healed by Orihime Inoue, his friend and love interest, who had the ability to reject reality and restore anything to its original state. He was also aided by Uryu Ishida, his friend and rival, who was a Quincy and the son of Ryuken Ishida, Masaki’s cousin. Uryu had joined Yhwach’s army as a spy, and had obtained a special arrowhead that could temporarily disable Yhwach’s power. He shot Yhwach with the arrow, giving Ichigo a chance to strike him with his Zanpakuto.
Ichigo managed to cut Yhwach in half, seemingly killing him. However, Yhwach’s power soon returned, and he tried to kill Ichigo and his friends with a massive blast of energy. Ichigo then used the last of his strength to unleash his final attack, a powerful slash that completely obliterated Yhwach, ending his threat once and for all.
Conclusion
Yhwach and Ichigo are related by blood, as Yhwach is the ancestor and creator of all Quincies, and Ichigo is the son of a Quincy mother. However, they are not directly related, as Yhwach is not Ichigo’s biological father, nor does he have any paternal feelings for him. Yhwach only sees Ichigo as a tool, a vessel, and a pawn, who he can use to achieve his goals and to inherit his legacy. He also sees Ichigo as a reflection of himself, as they both have the same power and the same potential.
Ichigo, on the other hand, rejects Yhwach’s claim and his vision, and chooses to follow his own path and his own values. He values his friends, his family, and his world, and he fights to protect them from Yhwach’s tyranny and madness. He also embraces his diverse and complex heritage, and uses his Soul Reaper, Quincy, and Hollow powers to their fullest extent. He is not a son of the darkness, but a hero of the light.