User blog comment:Godisme/belIEve/@comment-1268838-20111123025444

Not quite ground shattering, but it is a pretty interesting revelation. At least in the context of Ichigo, who values his power to protect his comrades, and who despises being tricked or lied to. He is essentially not only being kept on a leash, but he's being used as a guinea pig. If it limited his reiatsu during some of his fights in Shinigami form, it might have affected the outcome. However, in the context of a villain being created by this revelation, the only way I see it being feasible is if the badge somehow limited Kugo's power during a time he needed it the most.