March of the StarCross (episode)

For the chapter of the same name, see March of the StarCross. For the volume, see MARCH OF THE STARCROSS.

March of the StarCross is the third episode of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War and the three hundred and sixty-ninth episode of the Bleach anime overall.

Ichigo Kurosaki begins battling Sternritter "J" Quilge Opie while the Gotei 13 prepares for war against the Wandenreich.

Summary
With Quilge Opie having effortlessly defeated Emilou Apacci, Franceska Mila Rose, and Cyan Sung-Sun, Nel Tu peers over Ichigo Kurosaki's shoulder and expresses shock at the Tres Bestias being incapacitated as Quilge comments on the unusual sight of a Shinigami with an Arrancar on his back. Suddenly, Quilge reveals that he knows all about Ichigo due to the Daten provided by Yhwach listing him as a Special War Power whose defeat must be prioritized before his subordinates surround Ichigo.

Picking up on his label, Ichigo notices the Jagdarmee soldiers moving through the air around him with Hirenkyaku and aiming Heilig Bogen that they fire Heilig Pfeil at him from just like Uryū Ishida does, creating a powerful explosion once they all slam into Ichigo. When Ichigo emerges unscathed from this with Nel and begins to realize what the Wandenreich are, Quilge is left incredulous at Ichigo engaging them without knowing what they are and confirms that they are Quincy while manifesting his Reishi Sword, creating a Heilig Bogen on the hilt, and firing his own Heilig Pfeil at an astonished Ichigo.

Simultaneously, in the First Division barracks' meeting room in the Seireitei, 8th Division Captain Shunsui Kyōraku stands with his fellow captains in a meeting and admits that their enemy being Quincy is troublesome even if it was expected prior to Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto demanding to know where the Wandenreich's base of operations is. Once a hesitant 12th Division Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi admits that they have not determined this yet, Yamamoto concludes that they have no way to attack the Wandenreich yet and orders the captains to prepare for battle immediately.

After noting that they have no reason to trust the declaration that the battle will begin in five days when the same faction dared to mount a surprise attack, Yamamoto proclaims the Gotei 13 must ready themselves for war right now so as to not let the Wandenreich get the upper hand again. Back in Hueco Mundo, Quilge observes that all the Heilig Pfeil hit their mark and tells Ichigo that he can do better, only for Ichigo to drop his Shikai, Zangetsu, out of the plume of smoke engulfing him and muse on how he was told Quincy only use bows as the smoke clears to reveal him holding Quilge's Heilig Pfeil with his bare hand.

Throwing the Heilig Pfeil back at a stunned Quilge, who is engulfed in a strong explosion upon impact, Ichigo drops to the sands below, and when Orihime Inoue runs toward him with Yasutora Sado, Ichigo throws a motionless Nel to her so Orihime can look after her prior to turning around and firing a Getsuga Tenshō into the cloud of sand surrounding Quilge when six more Heilig Pfeil are fired at him from within it, with the Getsuga Tenshō intercepting all of them and disappearing into the cloud. From within the sand cloud, Quilge commends Ichigo's performance and emerges while admitting shame at his own lack of skill.

However, Ichigo assures Quilge that his Heilig Pfeil are much stronger than Uryū's are, though he clarifies that it has been a while since he has been hit by one of the latter's, prompting a surprised Quilge to assert that Uryū's Heilig Pfeil being weaker than his own is impossible, to Ichigo's confusion. When Ichigo questions what he means, Quilge realizes that he has said too much and apologizes while sheathing his Reishi Sword. Upon receiving an alert from his communication device, Quilge declares that it is time to stop fooling around since he has received a message from Yhwach, who Ichigo asks him about the identity of.

While declining to answer this, Quilge invites a startled Ichigo to take a good look at the power he must have heard about, the Quincy: Letzt Stil, and pulls off his right glove to reveal a Leiden Hant with the emblem of the Wandenreich emblazoned on the back, which creates a massive Reishi cross around him as Ichigo recognizes the technique that Uryū once used. Upon shattering, the Reishi cross falls apart to reveal Quilge, who has gained two large wings, gloves with large wristguards, large boots, and a large Heiligenschein all composed of Reishi, which he identifies as being properly called a Quincy: Vollständig.

Meanwhile, in Silbern, Yhwach is informed of Quilge battling Ichigo in Hueco Mundo and decides to move out, to his subordinate's surprise. The Sternritter are ordered to equip themselves and gather at the Gate of the Sun, where Jugram Haschwalth stands before the others while the doors before them open and Yhwach proclaims that they will be invading Soul Society. During this, in Hueco Mundo, Orihime crouches next to Loly Aivirrne and Menoly Mallia, whom she heals with Sōten Kisshun as she remains inside the barrier with Nel and Sado to watch Ichigo stand across from Quilge in a battle stance.

Wondering if Ichigo can feel the pulsation of his power, Quilge appears behind Ichigo faster than the latter can react, manifests his Reishi Sword, and declares that he will punish Ichigo before bringing his sword down, creating an explosion of force upon impact. As he leaps out of the resulting sand cloud, Ichigo mentally questions if this is the same power that Kisuke Urahara told him about and turns around to defend himself from Quilge, who soars out of the cloud as well and crosses swords with Ichigo. Upon noticing Ichigo's confusion, Quilge realizes what he is thinking and clarifies that this is a wholly different power from Quincy: Letzt Stil.

With his sword managing to graze Ichigo's cheek once they separate, Quilge begins repeatedly clashing with Ichigo and explains that the Quincy: Letzt Stil is a relic of the past which died out 200 years ago due to its fragile nature, with Sōken Ishida being the only one to cling to it due to his rejection of the Wandenreich's research and evolution. While Ichigo blocks an overhead strike with both hands on Zangetsu, Quilge concludes that the difference between this and the Quincy: Letzt Stil is like that of heaven and earth, but Ichigo merely notes he is glad this is not the power Uryū used because it would make him look creepy.

Upon seeing an upset Quilge recoil slightly at this, Ichigo notes that he has eased the pressure on his blade, moves back, and fires a point-blank Getsuga Tenshō that rips through the landscape before him, only for the clearing sand to reveal Quilge unharmed despite having Zangetsu pressed against his neck. Advising Ichigo to aim his strikes as the former leaps back, Quilge brushes off his damaged suit and claims that Ichigo would not find any weaknesses even if he did before proclaiming that Ichigo finding his form creepy is the correct response since the atrocious Shinigami should find their executioners horrifying and eerie.

Quilge holds his sword aloft and begins forming a cross-shaped mass of Reishi at the tip by absorbing Reishi from his surroundings with Sklaverei, causing Sōten Kisshun to be torn apart before a stunned Orihime's eyes, while he names his Quincy: Vollständig as Piskiel. Suddenly, before Quilge can attack, he is punched several dozen meters away by Ayon, to Orihime's shock. With Quilge wondering what this monster is, Mila Rose infers that Quilge let down his guard once he believed they could no longer fight, Sung-Sun reminds him that he should not have underestimated them, and Apacci tells Ayon to show Quilge his power.

While Ayon roars loudly, generating waves of force that radiate across the desert, Apacci explains to Ichigo that Ayon is a being born from the fusion of the severed left arms of the Tres Bestias who possesses great power and an unpredictable nature prior to Ayon lunging toward Quilge, who asserts that the former cannot overcome his Quincy: Vollständig, and punching Quilge hard enough to make him cough up blood. Meanwhile, at the archives of the Ishida family in Karakura Town, Uryū closes a book and sighs at not having found any of the information he was seeking before Ryūken Ishida confronts him over this from the nearby staircase.

Though Ryūken reminds him that he is not supposed to come in here without permission, Uryū counters that Hueco Mundo and Soul Society are being invaded by a group most likely composed of Quincy and reminds Ryūken that there should not be any left other than the two of them, but when Uryū questions if he knows something about this, Ryūken simply claims it has nothing to do with him and tells Uryū to get out. However, an angered Uryū demands to know if Ryūken will simply avoid him again and insists he has a right to know as the Last Quincy, but Ryūken clarifies that the answer he seeks cannot be found here and departs.

Simultaneously, at the Blue Stream Gate in the Seireitei, dozens of Shinigami gather and discuss the situation as Ryūnosuke Yuki stands to the side with Shino Madarame, whom he asks about the reason that Shinigami and Quincy are at odds with each other to begin with when they share the goal of destroying Hollows. With Shino unable to answer this despite initially berating Yuki for not knowing, 13th Division 6th Seat Hidetomo Kajōmaru approaches them and brings up how Shinigami were known as Balancers in ancient times, prompting an awestruck Shino to bow to him alongside Yuki and claim that it is an honor to meet him.

In response, Kajōmaru notes they have time to talk since the alarms have not rung yet and asks Yuki and Shino if they understand the cycle of Souls that maintains the balance between Soul Society and the Human World. Once they confirm this, Kajōmaru elaborates that Souls who become Hollows cannot return to Soul Society and reenter the cycle of Souls until they are purified by Shinigami, but Quincy completely destroy Hollows and prevent those Souls from ever reentering the cycle, which Shino realizes would lead to an imbalance between the Human World and Soul Society as Souls are depleted.

Kajōmaru concludes that this would eventually lead to the balance between the two realms being ruined and both being destroyed simultaneously, to Yuki and Shino's shock, as Uryū sets down another book in the archives and muses that there is not much written down about the Quincy at all prior to looking at his Quincy Cross and thinking of Sōken. Suddenly, Uryū recalls Ryūken specifying that his answer cannot be found in the archives and walks to his father's office, where he looks through the drawers of Ryūken's desk until he finds a journal marked with the emblem of the Wandenreich, which he recognizes as belonging to Sōken.

With Uryū reading through the journal intently, Kajōmaru recounts how the Shinigami had approached the Quincy for a dialogue in order to prevent this destruction, only to be rejected each time, which eventually led to the Quincy extermination being carried out 200 years ago to prevent the encroaching destruction of the world after endless debate within Soul Society. After observing that their goals do not mesh and the grudge born of that genocide will never fade, Kajōmaru concludes that the Shinigami and Quincy have no choice other than fighting and asks Yuki if he understands, though Yuki insists that he has a single question to ask.

When Yuki questions if the Shinigami are fighting for the sake of justice, Kajōmaru observes that self-defense or conquest take place when one side is justice, but muses that this war is occurring because both sides are just. During this, in his damaged office in the First Division barracks, Yamamoto stands before Mayuri, who deduces that he has been summoned over his decision to mobilize the Twelfth Division to expunge 28,000 Souls living in the Rukongai in order to correct the balance of Souls. In turn, Yamamoto inquires about why Mayuri did not request permission since he would have received it in such a dire situation.

Mayuri asserts that the recent spate of Hollow disappearances in the Human World was enacted by the Wandenreich to intentionally disrupt the balance between the realms and claims that the loss of the Rukongai villagers is not significant when weighed against stabilizing the two worlds, with an escalation of the situation that could have occurred while he was waiting for permission being something he could not take responsibility for, though Yamamoto counters that the Shinigami Research and Development Institute could have prevented this entire situation by reporting the matter and promptly dealing with it much earlier than they did.

However, Mayuri declares that Yamamoto is wrong and reminds the latter of how he warned Yamamoto of this possibility when Uryū infiltrated the Seireitei as a Ryoka, though Yamamoto disregarded this, prior to angrily concluding that everything which has transpired falls on Yamamoto for his failure to kill Yhwach 1,000 years ago. Back in Hueco Mundo, Ayon brutally pounds Quilge into the desert sand over and over with his fists, leaving Orihime horrified within her rebuilt Sōten Kisshun. Eventually, Quilge is left embedded upside-down in the sand with only his legs and parts of his wings remaining visible, to the delight of the Tres Bestias.

Despite this, when Apacci admits her surprise at Quilge remaining intact even after this beating and approaches him, she is stabbed through the chest by his Reishi Sword, to her, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun's shock. With Apacci collapsing, Quilge stands up and notes that this level of power was not reported to him as he pushes his broken neck back into place and muses that he must ask Yhwach to adjust the strength of their Blut. Promising that they will all die here first, Quilge begins repairing Piskiel with Sklaverei, causing Sōten Kisshun to be torn apart once more while Sado's cheek is wounded as well.

As a roaring Ayon rushes toward him despite Mila Rose's warning, Quilge clarifies that they will be living here instead and tears the flesh off Ayon's bones with Sklaverei as well, causing him to collapse while elements of his appearance are integrated into Quilge's body and Piskiel, which results in two large eyes appearing on Quilge's wings, his teeth growing large and lipless, and his left arm gaining a huge amount of muscle mass. During this process, Quilge details how Sklaverei is the basic Quincy ability of Reishi absorption taken to its limit to become Reishi subjugation and admits that he did not want to use it since it makes him unsightly.

When Mila Rose picks up Apacci and leaps away alongside Sung-Sun, Quilge praises this as the wise decision, only to claim that she failed to take their difference in power into account and initiate Sklaverei once more, resulting in Mila Rose and Sung-Sun collapsing as their skin is ripped off in pieces as Reishi. Seeing the same phenomenon occur on her hand, Orihime desperately shields Nel, Loly, and Menoly prior to Sado standing over them with his Fullbring, Brazo Derecha de Gigante, though it also has chunks of it taken off as Reishi. Seeing this, Quilge observes that such struggles always reaffirm his beliefs.

Suddenly, with Quilge lamenting how unsightly the deaths of the weak are and coldly telling those before him to die, a black Getsuga Tenshō from behind him shatters his Heiligenschein while Ichigo comes down on Quilge with his Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu, and forces him into a blade lock as the Getsuga Tenshō explodes in the distance. Ichigo notes that Quilge cannot use Sklaverei anymore once his Heiligenschein is destroyed, and after admitting that it takes courage to actually act on this beyond just realizing it, Quilge expresses annoyance at how difficult it is to deal with Ichigo before their clash kicks up a huge cloud of sand.

Upon seeing this in the distance from several hundred meters away, Pesche Guatiche tells Kisuke Urahara to hurry, though the latter reminds Pesche that he is the one who suggested they save Dondochakka Birstanne while Ichigo is distracting the enemy as he carries an upside-down Dondochakka on his back. With Dondochakka musing on how close this was, Pesche explains that he did not think it would be so difficult and kicks Dondochakka in the back for choosing to hide in the sand on top of being heavy. Suddenly, Urahara looks behind them in alarm as Yhwach stands calmly in the air above the Seireitei.

Back in Karakura Town, Ryūken finds Uryū reading the journal in his office and admonishes the latter for entering a restricted area without permission for the second time, but an aggravated Uryū demands to know if what he has read is true and if Ryūken knows about the Wandenreich, Yhwach, and even Uryū's mother. Despite this, Ryūken merely reiterates that this has nothing to do with Uryū, who runs out of the office in frustration. Simultaneously, in front of the Blue Stream Gate, Kajōmaru assures Yuki and Shino that there is no need to be tense since the Eleventh Division is standing guard as well.

Suddenly, a gigantic pillar of blue, fiery Reishi explodes in front of the gate, sending dozens of Shinigami flying into the air and alarming those present. Above them, Yhwach watches several more pillars erupt and muses that conflict is such a bitter affair. With over a dozen more such pillars erupting around the Seireitei, 8th Division Lieutenant Nanao Ise, 9th Division Lieutenant Shūhei Hisagi, 3rd Division Lieutenant Izuru Kira, 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai, and 13th Division Lieutenant Rukia Kuchiki are astonished by the sight while 1st Division 3rd Seat Genshirō Okikiba kneels beside Yamamoto.

Near the Third Division barracks, Izuru stands before one of the pillars with 3rd Seat Rikū Togakushi, 5th Seat Taketsuna Gori, and 6th Seat Asuka Katakura, where he demands to know how much longer the Reishi identification team behind him will take. Once the technician confirms that the individual before them is a Quincy with a 93% match, Bazz-B fires a concentrated beam of flame from within the Reishi that blows off Izuru's right arm and leaves a large hole in the side of his torso, leaving him to collapse as the other Shinigami scream in horror. In response, Rikū, Taketsuna, and Asuka all prepare to release their Shikai.

However, Bazz-B interrupts them by moving forward with Hirenkyaku, grabbing Taketsuna and Asuka's heads, and driving them into the ground with enough force to crush them prior to aiming his finger back at a stunned Rikū and destroying his head with Burner Finger 1. After Bazz-B apologetically announces to the Shinigami that he must kill them all, Driscoll Berci, Askin Nakk Le Vaar, Robert Accutrone, Bambietta Basterbine, and Äs Nödt stand within other pillars of Reishi across the Seireitei as Haschwalth stands in the air above them and declares that the Sternritter have come to purge the Shinigami.

Fights & Events

 * Ichigo Kurosaki & Ayon vs. Quilge Opie
 * Fall of the Seireitei

Powers and Techniques Used
Zanpakutō Techniques:

Arrancar Techniques:

Quincy Techniques:



Other Techniques:

Zanpakutō released:

Shikai:

Bankai:

Fullbring:

Spirit Weapons:
 * (flashback)
 * Reishi Sword
 * (flashback)
 * (flashback)

Schrifts:

Other Powers:

Anime Notes
Removed Content= Added/Expanded Content= Censorship= Changes=
 * Mayuri Kurotsuchi noting that the Gotei 13 currently does not know how the Quincy survived the massacre from 200 years ago and expanded their forces, how they can pass through the Shakonmaku, and how they can seal Bankai before Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto asserts that he has shared enough information.
 * The Gotei 13 lieutenants waiting anxiously for the captains meeting to end and discussing the reports of missing villagers in the Rukongai among themselves.
 * Ichigo Kurosaki remembering that Asguiaro Ebern came for him and admitting that it is not surprising for the rest of the Wandenreich to know about him too.
 * Yhwach noting that Ichigo should be busy fighting Quilge Opie for some time and that there is no better opportunity to trample Soul Society.
 * An announcer informing the Sternritter of Ichigo engaging their forces in Hueco Mundo.
 * Quilge verbally recognizing Ichigo's Zanpakutō when it drops onto the sand before him.
 * Quilge noting that there is no point in Ichigo gaining information on the Wandenreich.
 * Orihime Inoue observing that she cannot feel a Reishi shockwave or any Reiatsu from Quilge.
 * Ichigo recalling Kisuke Urahara explaining the loss of Uryū Ishida's powers through usage of the Quincy: Letzt Stil to him.
 * Yasutora Sado pointing out that everything in Hueco Mundo that is made of Reishi is converging toward Quilge.
 * Orihime realizing that she did not feel a shockwave earlier because Reishi is absorbed by Quincy rather than emitted.
 * Emilou Apacci telling Ayon to attack Quilge rather than worry about them.
 * Apacci recommending that Ichigo and his friends leave if they do not want to be killed by Ayon.
 * Ryūnosuke Yuki and Shino Madarame being reprimanded for how late they are and ordered to find Hidetomo Kajōmaru, where Shino berates Yuki for taking so long in the bathroom.
 * A disturbed Sado asserting that Ayon is out of control.
 * Quilge asserting that Ayon will be the first to die.
 * Cyan Sung-Sun hiding herself, the other Tres Bestias, Orihime, and Sado inside Muda, which Quilge calls beastlike, and explaining that she is only doing so to prevent Quilge from absorbing their power as well while they move to Ichigo's location.
 * Yhwach claiming that it would make sense for the Wandenreich to breach one of the four gates and Kajōmaru frantically assuring the other Shinigami that he cannot harm them because he is outside the Shakonmaku, only for a terrified Yuki to point out that he is already inside the Shakonmaku.
 * The Shinigami realizing that the pillars erupting around the Seireitei are composed of blue Reishi fire.
 * Rukia Kuchiki informing Sentarō Kotsubaki and Kiyone Kotetsu that she is headed to the base of one of the pillars since the enemy leaders should be there.
 * Yamamoto ordering Genshirō Okikiba to guard the 1st Division barracks while he steps out.
 * Izuru Kira discussing the situation with Rikū Togakushi, Taketsuna Gori, and Asuka Katakura as they wait in front of one of the Reishi pillars.
 * Izuru ordering his subordinates to attack once Bazz-B becomes visible.
 * Shunsui Kyōraku musing that the enemy being Quincy is troublesome even though it was expected.
 * Ichigo recognizing the Quincy: Vollständig as the Quincy: Letzt Stil that Uryū used.
 * Uryū searching through his family's archives for information on the Wandenreich, only to find nothing and be told by Ryūken Ishida that what he seeks is not here.
 * Uryū finding a journal belonging to Sōken Ishida in Ryūken's desk and discovering information on the Wandenreich, Yhwach, and his mother within, causing him to lash out at Ryūken for not telling him when the latter confronts him again and eventually running off.
 * Yamamoto inquiring about whether Mayuri knows why he has been summoned to Yamamoto's office.
 * Mayuri asserting that the deaths of the villagers are insignificant compared to the maintenance of the balance between worlds.
 * Sado noticing his cheek being wounded when Quilge initiates Sklaverei for a second time.
 * Sado attempting to protect Orihime from Sklaverei with Brazo Derecha de Gigante, only for that to be affected by the Reishi subjugation as well.
 * Quilge absorbing Reishi from the surrounding environment and Sōten Kisshun a second time to restore himself.
 * Bazz-B destroying Rikū's head with Burner Finger 1.
 * After part of his face and arm are absorbed by Sklaverei, reducing his head and upper body to a skeleton, Ayon's collapse is depicted from behind rather than the front to hide this.
 * Mila Rose, Sung-Sun, Orihime, and Sado having their bodies partially absorbed by Sklaverei is depicted as them losing parts of their skin as blue specks of Reishi instead of as large drops of blood.
 * In a reversal of previous censorship, Ayon's creation in this episode is in line with the manga (requiring the Tres Bestias to remove parts of their left arms). In the original series, this was originally changed to depict the three Arrancar emitting a beam of light from their arms.
 * In the manga, Yhwach is informed of Ichigo's confrontation with Quilge and decides to invade Soul Society after Quilge confirms that they are Quincy to Ichigo; here, he instead does so after Quilge activates his Quincy: Vollständig.
 * In the manga, Yamamoto and Mayuri's discussion about the missing Rukongai villagers takes place after Yhwach decides to invade Soul Society; here, it instead takes place after Hidetomo Kajōmaru explains the conflict between the Shinigami and Quincy to Ryūnosuke Yuki and Shino Madarame.
 * In the manga, after realizing he has said too much, Quilge muses that he will have much to report to Yhwach after this battle, and Ichigo questions who Yhwach is immediately afterward; here, he instead silently holds his hand to his ear as he receives a message from Yhwach, and Ichigo only questions who Yhwach is once Quilge mentions this.
 * In the manga, Pesche Guatiche and Kisuke Urahara running toward the battlefield with Dondochakka Birstanne in tow and Yhwach standing in the air above the Seireitei occur after Quilge activates his Quincy: Vollständig; here, it instead occurs after Ichigo activates his Bankai and destroys Quilge's halo.
 * In the manga, Shino reacts to Yuki questioning why the Shinigami must fight the Quincy by angrily reminding him that the Quincy declared war on them and is prevented from answering his clarifying question of why they are not on the same side against the Hollows; here, she instead remains calm and admits that she does not know why they are not on the same side.
 * In the manga, when approaching Yuki and Shino, Kajōmaru notes that the rumors of the Shin'ō Academy keeping information on the war against the Quincy out of their classes was true; here, he instead asks Yuki and Shino if they know that Shinigami were once known as Balancers.
 * In the manga, Shino apologizes to Kajōmaru for being late to deploy; here, she instead asserts that it is an honor to meet him.
 * In the manga, Kajōmaru's explanation of how Soul Society or the Human World could flow into each other and ultimately collapse if their balance is disrupted is illustrated by a dish separated by a dividing line in the middle with two fluids on either side; here, it is instead illustrated by him clasping his hands together.
 * In the manga, Kajōmaru tells Yuki that the enemy will be entering through one of the four gates surrounding the Seireitei since they did so during the incursion, which will let the Gotei 13 be updated on their actions when they do; here, he instead tells Yuki that the Eleventh Division is stationed on the other side of the Blue Stream Gate in front of them, which will afford extra protection.
 * In the manga, Rikū, Taketsuna, and Asuka all finish releasing their Shikai before Bazz-B attacks them; here, only Rikū finishes, with Taketsuna and Asuka holding sealed Zanpakutō when Bazz-B drives their heads into the pavement.