Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Episode 5, titled Wrath as a Lightning, featured the intense fight between Byakuya Kuchiki and Äs Nödt, the powerful Quincy and member of the Wandenreich's Sternritter. Unfortunately, for the Captain of the 6th Division, the villain was able to steal his Bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi, so Byakuya is unable to defend himself against Äs Nödt, whose designation "F" means "Fear".
Äs Nödt was able to torment Byakuya with the fear-inducing ability of his Spirit weapon, which causes victims to doubt everything and lose control of all rational thought. Äs declared that Byakuya's heart was already stricken by fear towards him despite the Shinigami's remarkable willpower. The villain explained that, unlike fear which comes from reason, true fear is instinctive, and so cannot be escaped. After evading Byakuya's attack, Äs attacks him with the stolen Bankai's storm of blades that sends Byakuya crashing into a nearby wall. As Byakuya asks Rukia and Renji to forgive him, his Zanpakutō shatters into pieces, and he passes out from his wounds.
After seeing Byakuya defeated in the battle against the Sternritter, fans are wondering if Rukiya's brother actually died. Of course, many readers of Tite Kubo's Bleach manga series already know what happens to Byakuya, and we will share the details below, but note that there are major spoilers ahead, so consider this a warning.
Did Byakuya die in Bleach?
All Byakuya fans can rest assured, the captain didn't die in this fight, despite his injuries. In fact, Byakuya is one of the characters who survived the entirety of the story and is present in the final chapters of the manga series.
After the battle for Soul Society ends, the captain was reported to have narrowly escaped death, despite being left in a comatose state. Byakuya was taken to the Royal Guard's Tenchūren along with Renji and Rukia, so he can be taken to the Soul Kingdom Palace, where he stayed for quite a long time.
Thanks to a place called "Blood Hell Pond" in the Soul Kingdom Palace, Byakuya and the other wounded were able to full heal even though it took him a long time. Even after he woke up, Byakuya remained both physically and mentally weak for a while but he was able to recover. However, Byakuya eventually returned to Soul Society to fight Äs once again.
Did Byakuya defeat Äs Nödt in Bleach?
Now that we know that Byakuya survived his first fight against Äs Nödt, you're probably wondering if he will ever defeat the powerful Quincy in the future of the anime.
In Bleach Chapter 569, Byakuya and Rukia fought Äs Nodt in their final battle, and in the final moments of the fight, Äs transformed into his monstrous final form called "The Fear", and he declared that he will not kill Byakuya but rather make him experience such terror he will wish to die. The Quincy told Byakuya that the end has come, but after being frozen, he is killed by Rukia's Bankai, Hakka no Togame, his body breaking and falling apart.
Although Byakuya didn't deliver the finishing blow, Äs Nödt was ultimately defeated.
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