Summary
Yhwach Bach is the main villain ofBleach’sThousand-Year Blood War arc, and it’s fair to say that this self-proclaimed Quincy King makes quite the debut, instigating an invasion of the Soul Society not long after he first shows up on screen. Since then, Yhwach has grown into a potent and dangerous antagonist who loves nothing more than hearing his voice as part of a grand speech or proclamation.
Whether he’s trying to play mind games on Ichigo, mocking the Soul Reaper captains, or simply psyching up his loyal Schutzstaffel, Yhwach always knows exactly what to say to assert his dominance and level of authority over his enemies, and comrades too. This has led to him letting out plenty of memorable and impactful quotes throughoutBleach’s final arc, with these being some of the very best of the bunch.
There will be major spoilers for the Thousand-Year Blood War arc up until the end of Cour 3 of the anime.
8"Do You Hear It? The Sound Of My Footsteps…They Are The Bells That Toll For The King of The Three Worlds"
Yhwach’s Terrifying Victory Speech Is Said As He’s Approaching The Soul King
NoBleachfan can ever forget the terrifying moment when Yhwach begins ascending a giant staircase to make his way toward the Soul King after having bested his loyal guardians, Squad Zero. While the visual spectacle of this scene would already make it a standout, especially in the anime, this quote acts as the cherry on top of the entire sequence.
This is essentially Yhwach’s victory speech as he talks directly to the Soul King, and asserts that his time ruling over the three worlds is finally over. At the beginning of the arc, nobody could have guessed Yhwach would be able to pull this off, which is why this particular line hits so hard, considering, at this point, there was nobody who could stand in the Quincy King’s way.
7"Conflict Is Such An Unpleasant Affair"
An Unusually Somber Quote From A Man Who Instigated A War
This quote stands out because of how ironic it is given the person who’s saying it, but it also grants some valuable insight into Yhwach’s mindset and even his underlying disdain forthe Soul Reapers. On the one hand, it was Yhwach who instigated the war on the Soul Society, resulting in many innocent soldiers losing their lives in the process. On the other hand, it implies that maybe Yhwach doesn’t enjoy the constant bloodshed as much as some may think, and instead feels as though he has to do it to avenge those Quincy who were massacred all those years ago by the Soul Reapers, though this is debatable given how merciless he acts throughout much of the story.
It’s also quite a thought-provoking quote considering that the whole arc has been based around a war that probably could have been preventable, though clearly, it’s far too late for that once the initial invasion kicks off.
6"The More You Turn Your Blade Against Me, The More You Will Fall Into Despair"
Yhwach Believes That Ichigo’s Quincy Blood Will Bring Him To His Side
Since Ichigo has Quincy blood within him, Yhwach believes that he will, eventually, come to side with the Quincy in their mission to exterminate the Soul Reapers. Despite this never even being a thought in Ichigo’s head, Yhwach often taunts him by suggesting that this could one day happen, such as with this line where he claims that the moreIchigofights Yhwach, the more hopeless he will become.
This was also a subtle bit of foreshadowing for what would come much later on, when Yhwach manages to control Ichigo’s body to slice the Soul King in two, which it’s fair to say causes Ichigo to “fall into despair” before he eventually comes to his senses again, thanks to his friends.
5"These Are The Last Nine Days Of The World"
A Haunting Proclamation That Feeds Into The Memorable Kaiser Gesang Poem
This eerie line is said at the end of Yhwach’s explanation of the Kaiser Gesang, a poem that recites how the Quincy King will reclaim everything that is rightfully his in 900, 90, and 9 years. However, when it comes to ending the world itself, Yhwach says it will take only nine days, as a way to kick off his Soul Society invasion, and to spark fear into the viewers who would ponder what exactly this maniac meant by those words.
Though Yhwach would be biding his time for many years before he could get a chance to take his revenge onthe Soul Society, when he’s finally in the position to do so, he certainly doesn’t waste any time, managing to decimate the entire area, and many of its people, in barely any time at all.
4"If You Cannot Understand It, Allow Me To Explain. Nobody Can Take Anything Away From Me"
Yhwach Believes Nobody Can Stop His Mission Of Eradicating The Three Worlds
Any time Yhwach gets the opportunity to mock or talk down to his opponents, he’s always going to take it, with this quote being a prime example of that. In this instance though, Yhwach also puts his arrogance on full show as he proudly proclaims that nobody, even the mighty Ichibe,who can literally erase worlds, can take anything from him.
There’s a little irony to this quote considering that the majority of Yhwach’s army gets wiped out, partly due to his abilities, meaning he has lost a large bulk of his manpower, but this also just goes to show what Yhwach cares about the most: power. Destroying and absorbing the power of the Soul King is the main objective for Yhwach, and the way he sees it, nobody can take that right away from him.
3"The Almighty"
Yhwach’s Most Epic Moment Which Cemented Him As An Absurdly Powerful Villain
Though Yhwach doesn’t usually enjoy spelling out his abilities to his opponents, he does end up spilling the beans on his absurdly strong main technique during his epic bout with Ichibe, the head of Squad 0. After Haschwalth reveals thatYhwach’s Schriftis linked to the letter “A,” the man himself then utters out the ability in its entirety: The Almighty.
In both the manga and anime, these two words are paired with an immensely detailed image of Yhwach who looks as sinister as ever, adding to the intensity of the moment. The Almighty itself allows Yhwach to see into the future, which is why, from the moment he unleashes it, barely any characters can even land a hit on him, turning him into an unstoppable foe for Ichigo and the others to deal with.
2"I Am Yhwach. The Man Who Will Rob You Of Everything"
A Rare Moment Of Frustration From Yhwach That Sees Him Putting His Powers On Full Display
Though many words could be used to describe Yhwach, one that immediately comes to mind is ruthless. This guy is willing to go to extreme lengths to ensure that he remains the top dog of his Quincy army, and his hatred for the Soul Reapers means that he holds nothing back when taking them head-on, as shown when he orders his Sternritter to brutally murder thousands of Soul Reapers during the invasions.
While this bit of dialogue perfectly sums up this aspect of Yhwach, it’s a line that hits even harder considering it is said to Ichibe, one of Yhwach’s most formidable foes who has sat down with Yhwach in the past. Considering the grizzly way Yhwach would take out Ichibe by the end of their confrontation, the Quincy King certainly meant what he said with this quote a few seconds before.
1"My Son, Born In The Dark"
Yhwach’s Farewell Line To Ichigo Can Be Interpreted In So Many Ways
When Yhwach first appears in front of Ichigo, the latter seems to have no idea who the former is, yet realizes that he also strikes a bearing resemblance to Zangetsu. In contrast, Yhwach knows everything about Ichigo, including the fact he is part-Quincy, and also has splashes ofHollow, Fullbring, and Soul Reaper in his blood.
This quote, which was the last line said by Yhwach to Ichigo before leaving after their first confrontation, not only had Ichigo confused, but also a lot of manga readers. Could Yhwach truly be Ichigo’s father in some roundabout way? The truth is, the quote refers to Ichigo’s identity as a Quincy, with the “Dark” highlighting that Ichigo is still blinded and doesn’t realize who he truly is. It could also be reflecting the Hollow powers that Ichigo has obtained, which have prevented him from becoming a true Quincy.
