Wrath as a Lightning (episode)

For the chapter of the same name, see Wrath as a Lightning.

Wrath as a Lightning is the fifth episode of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War and the three hundred and seventy-first episode of the Bleach anime overall.

Summary
With Tsūdentō being thrown into the ground and walls near the captains, lieutenants, and seated officers of the Gotei 13 across the Seireitei, Rin Tsubokura speaks to them from within the Shinigami Research and Development Institute and reveals that Ichigo Kurosaki is on his way to Soul Society with his Bankai unable to be stolen by the Quincy, shocking and elating those listening, though 12th Division Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi is merely annoyed by his 3rd Seat, Akon, acting without permission.

However, as one of the researchers asserts that the tide of battle will turn in their favor once Ichigo arrives, a startled Akon draws his attention to the fact that Ichigo's Reiatsu has disappeared within the Garganta and they have lost contact with him altogether. After Akon orders the researchers to look into it and send the Riteitai to the exit of the Garganta as well, Jidanbō Ikkanzaka suddenly smashes through the ceiling and nearby wall of the SRDI, to their shock, and begins attacking the researchers with blank eyes while PePe Waccabrada watches from afar and chuckles maliciously with his Love Stick, Beshanul.

Meanwhile, within the Garganta, Ichigo repeatedly attacks the Reishi cage enveloping him and questions what it is prior to being reconnected to Akon's terminal. Upon answering the call and beginning to explain what happened to him, Ichigo instead hears the screams of agony and panic from the SRDI and the Shinigami near the Tsūdentō across the Seireitei, leaving him mortified. With Rukia telling those around her that they just need to hold out until he gets here, an enraged Ichigo attacks the cage with a Getsuga Tenshō. Simultaneously, in Hueco Mundo, Quilge Opie observes that Ichigo is on a rampage.

However, Quilge proclaims that it does not matter because Yhwach granted him the letter "J" for The Jail, which means that Ichigo will never escape this prison, and turns to Yasutora Sado, Orihime Inoue, and Nel Tu lying on the sand nearby, whom he decides to finish off before the power he gained from absorbing Ayon disappears. Suddenly, with Kisuke Urahara begging him to wait, Quilge is cut vertically in half on his left side by a slash from behind, leaving his two halves to fall to the ground in different directions, and as a stunned Urahara wonders who could have done that, someone holds a Zanpakutō to his neck.

Simultaneously, within the Garganta, a panting and sweating Ichigo expresses frustration at being unable to break through the cage even with his Getsuga Tenshō while in the Seireitei, 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki is cut on his right shoulder, sending a spray of blood high into the air, and slides back as his lieutenant, Renji Abarai, expresses concern for him, though Byakuya merely asserts that Renji should be watching him fight in order to figure out Äs Nödt's abilities. When Renji suggests that he go first instead, Byakuya counters that Renji's Bankai is their last hope now that his own has been stolen.

Promising to draw out Äs' abilities, Byakuya notices his hands trembling as they grip his Zanpakutō and wonders why his limbs feel like they are freezing. With Byakuya theorizing the Reishi Thorns surrounding Äs are coated in some kind of poison, Äs infers this and clarifies that it is not poison, but instead something Byakuya lost long ago, prior to asking Byakuya to retrace his memories and recall how he became strong enough to overpower his enemies as a captain. Concluding that he has not felt this sensation in a long time and that it is most important for survival, Äs informs Byakuya that he is feeling fear.

While Renji expresses disbelief at this, Äs explains that anyone struck by his Reishi Thorns experiences fear over many things, such as the consideration of drawing and swinging their sword or breathing in and out, leading to something fatal, which makes it impossible to even think straight since anything and everything is suspicious, though he observes that Byakuya is resisting it by sheer force of will so far. Admitting that Byakuya is a threat, Äs dismisses him because a threat is nothing compared to fear and the core of Byakuya's soul is already consumed by fear of Äs, whom Byakuya rushes forward to slash at, only for Äs to dodge backward.

Internally, Byakuya ridicules the idea that he has been battling without fear since that is impossible and asserts that he has overcome and accepted his fear of battle, but suddenly envisions a smiling Rukia rotting into a decaying corpse in front of him, to his alarm, just before Äs shoves his hand through Byakuya's chest. With Byakuya coughing up blood, Äs notes that the preconception of experience allowing one to conquer fear is easier to believe when one is strong and experienced and details how fear with a cause is easy to deal with since removing the cause also removes what one believes to be fear, only to clarify that true fear has no cause.

As Äs concludes that true fear is an instinct rather than an emotion with no limits that crawls up one's body like an endless horde of flies, making it something they cannot escape, a screaming Byakuya rapidly slashes at him several times, but Äs easily evades him, leaps back, and uses his Medallion to activate Senbonzakura Kageyoshi, astonishing Byakuya and Renji, before attacking Byakuya with it. After Rukia notices a cherry blossom falling through the air near her face and realizing something has happened to him, Byakuya falls before Äs with a large amount of blood spurting from wounds on his chest.

Byakuya struggles to stay on his hands and knees while Äs approaches him and asserts that Byakuya cannot win with just his Shikai against his own Bankai, only to be interrupted when Renji proclaims that Senbonzakura Kageyoshi does not belong to him and furiously attacks Äs. Upon seeing the explosion of force at Byakuya's location, a concerned Rukia begins rushing toward it, but Meninas McAllon claims to feel offended by Rukia turning her back on her opponent and rushes after Rukia to attack her, resulting in a fountain of blood spurting into the air. Back at Byakuya's location, Äs blocks Renji's Shikai, Zabimaru, with Blut Vene.

When Renji attempts to ensnare him within an extending Zabimaru, Äs jumps into the air, activates Senbonzakura Kageyoshi once more, and blasts a stream of blade petals at Renji, who is forced to block them with the broad side of Zabimaru. Upon seeing Byakuya getting to his feet, Äs redirects Senbonzakura Kageyoshi to instead engulf Byakuya in a massive torrent of blade petals, slashing him all across his body and leaving him nearly unconscious, and when Byakuya begins to collapse once the torrent ceases, Äs resumes the torrent, which quickly slams Byakuya into a nearby wall with enough force to crater it.

Enraged by this, Renji runs toward Äs and attempts to activate his Bankai, only to be interrupted when Mask De Masculine grabs Zabimaru by the blade and dropkicks Renji with enough force to send him flying through several buildings and across the Seireitei. Though Mask is pleased by this result and tosses away the severed segment of Zabimaru in his hand, Äs chastises him for not allowing Renji to use his Bankai so Mask could steal it, prompting a startled Mask to admit that he thought only captains had Bankai while Äs tells him to reread Yhwach's Daten. Nearby, Byakuya asks Rukia and Renji to forgive him while his Zanpakutō shatters.

Meanwhile, at the Blue Stream Gate, Yhwach and Jugram Haschwalth stand over dozens of slaughtered Shinigami, where they are confronted by 11th Division Captain Kenpachi Zaraki, who stands before them with Berenice Gabrielli, Jerome Guizbatt, and Loyd Lloyd impaled on his Zanpakutō and slung over his shoulder while inquiring if Yhwach is their boss. While Haschwalth expresses disbelief at him killing three Sternritter, Kenpachi casts their corpses onto the ground and asserts that it was not too hard, as Jerome simply turned into a giant ape who could attack people with his voice and Kenpachi cut him in two.

After recounting how he could not hear Berenice explaining his ability to object to the existence of others due to his ears ringing from Jerome's yelling and chose to rip out his throat with his hand, Kenpachi admits that Loyd was not bad since he transformed into Kenpachi and gave him a decent battle, but concludes that he simply had to become stronger than Loyd's impression of him. With Haschwalth stating that he now understands why Kenpachi is considered a monster, Kenpachi flicks the blood off his blade and proclaims that he came here to kill Yhwach rather than talk to Haschwalth before attacking a smiling Yhwach.

Despite Haschwalth's concern for him, Yhwach scoffs and blocks Kenpachi's slash with his forearm, generating a powerful explosion of force around them. Simultaneously, within the Garganta, Ichigo curses after hearing Byakuya, Renji, and Rukia's defeats and repeatedly attacks the cage with more Getsuga Tenshōs as he refuses to let any of the Shinigami die. Back in the Seireitei, the SRDI researchers set up a side aperture in the air to reconnect to the Garganta and struggle to do so, though they are told not to give up by Akon and Hiyosu, the latter of whom supports the former on his shoulder while they enter with bloody wounds.

In the Seireitei below, 9th Division Lieutenant Shūhei Hisagi slams into the side of a building within his division's barracks, causing Driscoll Berci to laugh and declare that it sucks to be weak like Hisagi is. With Hisagi realizing that he is hopelessly outmatched, Driscoll wonders if the former is afraid of his strength and explains that his Schrift, The Overkill, allows him to grow stronger with each person he kills before noting that he has already killed a hundred people today and killed just as many the last time he was in the Seireitei, including a lieutenant just like Hisagi, who gasps upon realizing that he is the one who impaled Chōjirō Sasakibe.

Suddenly, with Driscoll forming a javelin-like Heilig Pfeil between his Reishi Tekkō and throwing it at Hisagi to demonstrate how he killed Chōjirō, Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto appears in front of Hisagi and deflects the Heilig Pfeil with his hand, leaving it to crash into another building. Initially startled by this alongside Hisagi, Driscoll laughs maniacally and calls himself lucky since he came here for Yamamoto prior to proclaiming that he will be killing the latter with his own subordinate's Bankai and using his Medallion to activate Chōjirō's Bankai, Kōkō Gonryō Rikyū.

As Yamamoto recalls seeing Chōjirō use it and closes his eyes in sorrow, a large energy disc forms above Driscoll and pours down columns of lightning while he claims that Yamamoto should be thanking him since Chōjirō apparently had not used his Bankai in over 2,000 years. Watching this in astonishment, Hisagi mentally admits that he had no idea there was a Zanpakutō other than 10th Division Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya's Hyōrinmaru that could control the weather just before Driscoll blasts Yamamoto with a large bolt of lightning. In the past, a young Chōjirō calls out to a middle-aged Yamamoto, who turns to face him.

Having been called "Eijisai" due to the scar on his forehead resembling the "Ei" character, Yamamoto yells at Chōjirō for calling him this and ruminates on how this nickname became more widespread each time he distinguished himself in battle, to his chagrin. However, Chōjirō apologizes and refuses to call Yamamoto by his given name since it would be too audacious, and when Yamamoto questions why he keeps hanging around here despite not even being a student, Chōjirō explains that he wants to be Yamamoto's right-hand man, which prompts Yamamoto to assert that this is only another reason he should become a student so he can rise to the rank of master.

In turn, Chōjirō counters that a student would be forced to imitate Yamamoto and declares that his role as a right-hand man would be to compensate for everything Yamamoto cannot do or handle. Though Yamamoto dismisses this, Chōjirō clarifies that he has not been coming here every day and is here for the first time in a month because he has acquired a Bankai, which leads a bemused Yamamoto to challenge Chōjirō to defeat him with this Bankai. Shortly afterward, in the Ryūgon district of the Rukongai, Yamamoto stands across from Chōjirō, who activates Kōkō Gonryō Rikyū, gathers the lightning onto Gonryōmaru, and charges at Yamamoto.

Having been wounded on his forehead by this attack, Yamamoto observes that it left a permanent scar intersecting with his existing one despite not being enough to defeat him and describes Kōkō Gonryō Rikyū as being akin to a newborn baby, only for Chōjirō to readily concur with this and promise to spend the rest of his life honing his Bankai so he can be of use to Yamamoto. After recounting how Chōjirō did not lie and came to be known by all of Soul Society through years of grueling training, Yamamoto muses that people began calling him "Jujisai" following this because the new scar shape on his forehead resembled the character "Ju".

With Chōjirō continuing to call him "Eijisai" since he does not want his actions to change Yamamoto's name, Yamamoto notices a willow tree in the garden nearby and decides to take on the name Genryūsai for Chōjirō's sake. In the present, Driscoll continues to blast a motionless Yamamoto with lightning, to Hisagi's concern, and questions if he has lost the strength to retaliate after being struck by his subordinate's Bankai prior to intensifying the lightning striking him. When the lightning ceases, a grinning Driscoll is unnerved by Yamamoto simply asserting that he understands Chōjirō's frustration and walking forward as his haori falls off.

After proclaiming that Chōjirō's Bankai was not this weak when he used it, Yamamoto releases his Shikai, Ryūjin Jakka, and unleashes a massive blast of flame that incinerates Driscoll, reducing him to a skeleton that crumbles into ashes while Yamamoto notes that he has finally given Chōjirō a proper sendoff and bids him farewell. Approaching a stunned Hisagi, Yamamoto promises that he will kill every last member of the Wandenreich himself and bursts into the air in a scorching trail of flame. With Yamamoto hurtling across the Seireitei like a comet, the other captains are alarmed and impressed by his rage.

As they run down a street, 5th Division Lieutenant Momo Hinamori observes that she has never felt Yamamoto get this angry before and her captain, Shinji Hirako, confirms that he has not seen this or Yamamoto fighting on the front lines. Elsewhere, Hitsugaya points out how hard Yamamoto is fighting and tells his lieutenant, Rangiku Matsumoto, that they cannot let themselves be defeated, which she concurs with as Cang Du raises his Reishi Claws in response. Simultaneously, 7th Division Captain Sajin Komamura rouses his subordinates by declaring that it would be disgraceful for them to lie down while Yamamoto still stands.

With 7th Division Lieutenant Tetsuzaemon Iba and the other Shinigami standing up and loudly affirming this, Bambietta Basterbine stands opposite Komamura and expresses confusion at how they are doing this when they were almost dead moments ago. During this, 8th Division Captain Shunsui Kyōraku gets to his feet and observes that Yamamoto's Reiatsu is reverberating across the Seireitei as though he is telling Shunsui that he does not recall raising a coward who would struggle against someone of Robert Accutrone's level prior to readying his Shikai, Katen Kyōkotsu, and rushing toward the latter while attacking.

Shortly afterward, Yhwach holds an unconscious Kenpachi aloft by the throat, identifies him as a Special War Power, and questions if this is the best he can do prior to assuming that he has overestimated the Shinigami and telling Kenpachi to go to sleep as he tightens his grip. Suddenly, Yamamoto slams into the ground behind Yhwach and notes that it has been a thousand years since they last met before proclaiming that he has come to annihilate Yhwach, who grins at this.

Fights & Events

 * Byakuya Kuchiki vs. Äs Nödt (concluded)
 * Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto vs. Driscoll Berci (concluded)
 * Fall of the Seireitei

Powers and Techniques Used
Zanpakutō Techniques:
 * (flashback)
 * (flashback)

Hohō Techniques:

Quincy Techniques:



Zanpakutō released:

Shikai:
 * (flashback)
 * (flashback)
 * (flashback)

Bankai:
 * (stolen)
 * (stolen)
 * (stolen)

Spirit Weapons:
 * Reishi Sword
 * Reishi Thorns
 * Reishi Tekkō
 * Reishi Claws
 * Reishi Sword

Schrifts:
 * The Fear
 * The Fear
 * The Fear

Anime Notes
Removed Content= Added/Expanded Content= Censorship= Changes= Trivia=
 * The Riteitai explaining that they will be embedding a Tsudento at each battlefield and departing so Rin Tsubokura can communicate to all the combatants at once.
 * Robert Accutrone shooting down a Riteitai that appears behind him.
 * Ryūnosuke Yuki expressing relief at Ichigo Kurosaki coming to Soul Society.
 * Hiyosu attempting to stop Jidanbō Ikkanzaka with Kidō and telling Akon to run, only for Rin to suddenly stab him.
 * Ichigo wondering why he is hearing the voices of Shinigami who should not be at the Shinigami Research and Development Institute.
 * Ichigo realizing that he has been disconnected from Kisuke Urahara too.
 * Byakuya Kuchiki telling Renji Abarai that attacking an unfamiliar enemy all at once is a foolish way to lose the advantage of numbers.
 * Äs Nödt commending Byakuya's endurance of The Fear since ordinary Shinigami only need one strike to die from fear as they scream in terror.
 * Äs mentioning the possibility of the enemy casting a terrible spell on oneself as a fear created by The Fear.
 * Jugram Haschwalth observing that Byakuya has died, prompting Royd Lloyd to note that it took longer than expected because the Sternritter are not ruthless enough.
 * Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto musing that Chōjirō Sasakibe would never stop calling him "Eijisai" no matter how many times he apologized.
 * Shūhei Hisagi assuming that Yamamoto has lost consciousness and attempting to intervene, only for Yamamoto to tell him to wait, prompting Driscoll to blast him with more lightning out of annoyance at him still being alive.
 * Marechiyo Ōmaeda asking Suì-Fēng about what the sensation of Yamamoto's Reiatsu means, prompting Suì-Fēng to observe that Yamamoto is furious.
 * Shinji Hirako warning Momo Hinamori that Yamamoto will have all the fun if they do not hurry.
 * Robert Accutrone being shocked by Shunsui Kyōraku's sudden attack.
 * Royd declaring that Soul Society is doomed.
 * A shot of PePe Waccabrada's Beshanul.
 * A flashback to Byakuya using Shūkei: Hakuteiken against Kōga Kuchiki.
 * Dozens of large blades rising out of the ground around Äs, then separating into blade petals once he activates Senbonzakura Kageyoshi.
 * Meninas McAllon appearing as she chastises Rukia Kuchiki for running away.
 * Berenice Gabrielli beginning to explain how The Question works.
 * Kenpachi and Loyd Lloyd directly clashing with fierce grins.
 * Chōjirō demonstrating and using his Bankai against Yamamoto in Ryugon.
 * Yamamoto noticing a willow tree in a garden prior to renaming himself.
 * Royd tightening his grip on Kenpachi's throat as he tells the latter to sleep.
 * Byakuya does not have his ribcage exposed by Äs's onslaught and the blood around him is less visible.
 * Driscoll's ribs do not become visible when Yamamoto incinerates him.
 * Bambietta Basterbine's Reishi Sword does not have blood on its blade.
 * In the manga, Ichigo's one-way connection to Akon is established before the SRDI is attacked by Jidanbō, with Akon noticing that Ichigo is not responding and Ichigo realizing that Akon cannot hear him; here, it is instead established after Jidanbō begins his attack, with Ichigo not realizing the other Shinigami cannot hear him.
 * In the manga, Akon orders that the Riteitai head to the Senkaimon exit that leads directly to Hueco Mundo; here, he instead orders them to head to the Garganta exit.
 * In the manga, Byakuya responds to Renji requesting to fight Äs first by asserting that he does not expect Renji to have the wisdom needed to expose the entirety of Äs's ability, which Renji reluctantly admits is true; here, he instead asserts that Renji's Bankai is now their last hope now that his own has been stolen.
 * In the manga, when Byakuya attacks Äs during the latter's explanation of The Fear, his slash connects and is blocked by Blut Vene; here, Äs instead dodges it.
 * In the manga, Äs impales Byakuya with his left hand; here, he instead does so with his right.
 * In the manga, Äs attacks Renji with Senbonzakura Kageyoshi while still entangled within Zabimaru, with Renji unable to defend himself; here, he instead evades Renji's attempt to wrap Zabimaru around him, then attacks with Senbonzakura Kageyoshi, which Renji blocks with Zabimaru.
 * In the manga, Haschwalth questions how Kenpachi killed three Sternritter after the latter dumps their corpses on the ground; here, he instead does so beforehand.
 * In the manga, when using The Roar, Jerome Guizbatt takes on an ape-like appearance; here, he instead retains a humanoid form as he grows larger and hairier.
 * In the manga, Yamamoto's recollection of how he garnered the nickname "Eijisai" comes after he reprimands Chōjirō for using it; here, it instead comes before that.
 * In the manga, Yamamoto's dismissal of the distinction between a student and a right-hand man is mental; here, it is instead verbal.
 * In the manga, Yamamoto telling Chōjirō that his Bankai is like a newborn infant and Chōjirō agreeing with him is presented as a recollection; here, it instead happens in real time.
 * In the manga, Yamamoto's haori falling off occurs after he incinerates Driscoll; here, it instead occurs beforehand.
 * Kōga's inclusion in the flashbacks to Byakuya's previous battles is the first instance of prior anime-only material being shown or mentioned during the Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War anime.