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Bleach TYBW episode 17 was not only an action-packed episode with stunning visuals but also an episode embedded with gripping questions. Since these questions don't have a proper answer in the manga, it has opened up the possibilities for various theories and in-depth discussions.
Once again, the episode's ending introduced Ichigo Kurosaki as he went about his trial of Irazusando. However, unlike the previous episode, the audience was given much more clarity about Ichigo's trial and the gravity of the situation that Ichibei Hyosube put him into.
According to the visuals of the Bleach TYBW episode 17, it seemed as if the powers of the Soul King rushed inside the body of Ichigo Kurosaki. Therefore, the question arises, did Ichigo Kurosaki absorb the Soul King's powers?
Bleach TYBW episode 17 sees Ichigo completing the Irazusando trial and becoming a vessel for the Soul King's powers
The ending scene of Bleach TYBW episode 17 took the audience back to Ichigo's trial of Irazusando. To surpass being a Soul Reaper, Ichigo had to reach the end of the Unending Path.
Bleach TYBW episode 17 showed the protagonist getting extremely close to the finish line of the trial, but he was overcome with immense pressure. However, he held onto his wooden sword and trudged agonizingly.
Suddenly, Ichibei Hyosube's voice resonated from the outside. He seemed to suggest that the weight that Ichigo Kurosaki felt inside the Unending path was the weight of everything he was trying to protect.
Ichibei added that the visions he confronted during his ordeal were the memories and the revelations, in other words, the powers of the Soul King. The protagonist was then met with a series of visions, and energies began to swirl around him and seemed to be absorbed into his body. These energies of different colors perhaps represent different beings in the World of Bleach.
The Bleachverse consists of The World of the Living, The Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, and Hell. Therefore, the four energies seemed to represent the powers of those realms.
The Royal Guard monk Ichibei wondered whether Ichigo would become a vessel capable of withstanding those powers or shatter like a mere bowl. Absorbing the swirling energies, Ichigo's body exuded clear white energy.
Ichigo then let out a scream of excruciating pain, and his Almighty eyes appeared, once again, just like in the previous episode. His body appeared to be morphing as a result of the immense power flowing inside him.
With a scream of hellish pain, the protagonist lifted up his wooden sword, and a bright light emanated from it. Ichigo's body then restored back to normal. Ichibei's smile suggested that the protagonist had cleared the trial.
The ending of the Bleach TYBW episode 17 has one thing clear - Ichigo has become a vessel capable of holding the Soul King's powers. It seems plausible now that the trial of Irazusando was to become a vessel for the Soul King.
The hybrid nature of Ichigo's powers, i.e., his powers of Soul Reaper, Hollow, and Quincy, only made him 'eligible' to become a vessel for the Soul King. However, in order to become an actual vessel, he had to complete the test.
Ichigo Kurosaki has absorbed the essence of the Soul King through the trial
Now, the question is, did Ichigo absorb the powers of the Soul King? From the visuals of Bleach TYBW episode 17, he was definitely given a taste of the Soul King's actual powers.
Ichibei might have been testing Ichigo to see whether he was compatible to become the Soul King and contain the powers. As a result, he put him on a trial where the overwhelming powers of the Soul King flowed through him momentarily.
Bleach TYBW episode 17 showed that Ichigo was able to withstand the burden of knowledge. The essence of what he absorbed into his body was the sheer knowledge of the past, the knowledge of the Soul King's powers.
He could finally realize the weight of everything he was trying to protect. As a result, his eyes appeared as the Almighty eyes of the Soul King.
It's not clear whether he can harness the powers of the Soul King yet. However, it's clear that Ichigo has surpassed being a Soul Reaper. His body has withstood the weight of the Soul King's powers, and he has ascended into a being far more powerful than Soul Reaper.
Be sure to keep up with more anime news and manga updates as 2023 progresses. Catch up with the highlights of the latest Bleach TYBW episode.
