In Bleach’s latest episode, Yhwach’s horse sparks confusion and intrigue by resisting his overwhelming reiatsu, defying his unparalleled powers.

SUMMARY

Yhwach, the Quincy King, is the most powerful antagonist in Bleach, surpassing even Sōsuke Aizen in strength and influence.
As the progenitor of the Quincy, Yhwach radiates overwhelming spiritual power that can transform and dominate those around him.
Yhwach’s horse mysteriously resists his reiatsu and crushing spiritual power, sparking fan debates about its significance.

Bleach made its highly anticipated return to the airwaves in October 2022, bringing the iconic Big Three anime franchise back into the spotlight. From mind-boggling animations to terrific action scenes, TYBW brought several veteran fans back to the show.

Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War‘s return after an 8-month hiatus has been nothing but exciting for the fandom. Though Ichigo’s comeback was met with positive feedback, the story has been anything but happy for the Soul Society.

Yhwach’s Almighty Eyes in Thousand-Year Blood War [Credit: Studio Pierrot]

After Sōsuke Aizen, Yhwach rises as a vengeful new threat to the Soul Society. Yhwach is the primary antagonist of the TYBW arc and one of the most terrifying villains in the Bleach storyline. Interestingly, Bleach fans are puzzled by a major misunderstanding about Yhwach’s horse, sparked by his recently revealed backstory.

Yhwach’s horse sparks confusion and criticism among Bleach fans

With the return of the Thousand-Year Blood War, Tite Kubo has unveiled numerous secrets about the Soul Society and shed light on many sidelined characters from classic Bleach.

Yet, Yhwach stands as the ultimate force, having defeated every opponent and effortlessly pushing Ichigo to his limits, leaving him with no real chance of victory.

Yhwach in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War. [Credit: Studio Pierrot]

Yhwach devastated the Soul Society, defeating the strongest captain and Gotei 13 leader, Genryūsai Yamamoto and even killing the Soul King for his plans to plunge the world into chaos. Undoubtedly, Yhwach is the most powerful antagonist in the Bleach universe, surpassing even Aizen.

Yhwach was the leader and progenitor of the Quincy; a race of humans with spiritual abilities. Born over a thousand years ago, much of his early history is a mystery. Episode 38 delves into Yhwach’s past and the founding of the 12 Sternritters, created to devastate the Soul Society.

Yhwach and Uryu from Thousand Year Blood War | Credits: Studio Pierrot

Indeed, Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War Episode 38 was a cinematic experience. While the episode focused on the tragic bond and deepening affection between Bazz and Jugo, it also revealed that Yhwach had been scheming against the Soul Society for decades.

Although it’s unclear exactly when Jugram Haschwalth met Yhwach for the first time, it can be assumed that the event occurred over one thousand years ago.

Yhwach riding a horse in the flashback | Credits: Studio Pierrot

One key scene left many fans puzzled, centered around Yhwach’s horse. In the episode, viewers saw Yhwach riding a horse before meeting Jugo and making him his right-hand man.

Yhwach possesses the ability to transform anything he touches into a Quincy while naturally radiating power to those around him. However, his horse appears unaffected by this, seeming to resist the Almighty power, which has led many fans to question Tite Kubo.

Yhwach’s horse remains unaffected by Yhwach’s Reiatsu crushing—a power Aizen had to use to counter Yhwach’s finger attack—suggesting it has withstood this for at least five years while Yhwach has been conquering countries.

Yhwach uses The Almighty in Thousand-Year Blood War. [Credit: Shueisha]

Though nothing has been confirmed, we can assume Yhwach can control his power and use it at will, even on those in his presence. He’s not a mindless villain; he carefully plotted his actions after fully understanding the depth of his abilities.

Why Yhwach is the strongest antagonist in Bleach

The last antagonist of Bleach is the Quincy King, Yhwach, from whose blood the entire lineage and history of the Quincies is said to have risen. Yhwach’s Almighty is arguably the most overpowered ability, turning the tide against Ichigo and his allies and plunging the world into chaos.

Yhwach in TYBW | Credits: Studio Pierrot

Yhwach devastated the Soul Society, defeating the strongest captain and Gotei 13 leader, Genryūsai Yamamoto and even killing the Soul King for his plans to plunge the world into chaos. He stands as the ultimate force, having defeated every opponent and effortlessly pushing Ichigo to his limits, leaving him with no real chance of victory.

All of this is possible thanks to his Almighty ability, which allows Yhwach to reshape any part of reality to his will without limits.

Yhwach Almighty from Bleach manga | Credits: Viz Media

This power lets him set traps, strike before his enemies can react, and create strategies to counter his opponents’ defenses. The Almighty’s greatest power is undoing Yhwach’s death, letting him rewrite events and revive himself, making him nearly invincible.