Barbelith Underground > Film, TV & Theatre

How's that download doing Matt?

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Spoilers
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So Kariya was just being a bastard after all, and despite the similarities between the lower Soul Society caste and the Bound's history he really only cares about his own. Or seems to... maybe even the other Bound are his pawns.

I have to admit, this is slightly disappointing for me. It also lets the Shinigami off the squirming moral hook of having to deal with the uprising, as Kariya's already done that. Even if he were playing them he could have played it out a while longer, although he might have actually been merciful in his own way in dumping them on their asses.

As ever it has to be remembered that we're in a holding pattern right now, no matter how compelling the story might still be at times. Ishida's powers are almost certainly going to be stripped from him again by the end of the arc due to the maguffin of the unstable Quincy weapon. There will be no major character deaths or revelations.

I'm slightly surprised that they're playing up Ichigo's Hollow side so much in the opening credits, and I suspect there's a large part of that we don't know anything about yet. Who has seen this so far, though? Byakuya's seen it, the bearded Bound with the headphones and the ball bearing doll has seen it. Yoruichi and Hana (bloked from 4th Division, can't remember his name) have seen the mask. Urahara was there when Ichigo became Hollowised and may have even engineered the whole thing.

Zangetsu seems to have some kind of relationship with the Hollow persona, I can't recall their conversation but he introduced Ichigo to it in that sideways skyscraper astral plane and had a brief conversation with it relating to... I can't totally recall the conversation. I think this scene happens when Ichigo is having that amazing four episode fight with Zaraki Kenpachi. I'm not wholly sure, but I think this conversation may have made some kind of reference to the Hollow persona having some kind of root back further than Urahara's training. I guess I'll have to rewatch those episodes.

I'm surprised they're playing it up because a) this is a holding narrative, and we can't have movement on this plot thread, and b) again, because this is a holding narrative we can't have too many characters witnessing Ichigo going Mr Hyde. Otherwise they might start to put two and two together with Aizen's objective... so I'm betting that only the Bounds will see Ichigo allowing his Hollow persona to take over, and that they won't be around after this story arc (they'll either be dead or in a similar narrative limbo to Aizen, Gin and Tousen).

Interesting that Byakuya has seen that side of Ichigo and chosen to do nothing with the knowledge. Also interesting that in the scene in which Ichigo shows some kind of resolve to use those powers he alludes to it in conversation with Urahara without mentioning specifics, but you're still left with the impression that Urahara knows or suspects. I think it's part of Urahara's plan.

Bleach