Ishida・Chad, the Quickening of a New Power

Bursting out of the Garganta into Hueco Mundo, Ichigo, Sado, and Uryu set off in search of Orihime. Ichigo insists on shouting to lure out an Arrancar for questioning, and the trio bumbles through a string of crude booby traps, a collapsing floor, and a giant rolling boulder, before the hulking Demoura Zodd and the crafty Aisslinger Wernarr corner them in a pillared chamber. When Ichigo tries to take charge, Sado and Uryu shove him back and tell him to conserve his strength until Orihime is found.

Uryu explains the Arrancar hierarchy that Urahara described, noting that lower Menos who become Arrancar often keep beastly shapes. He and Sado struggle at first, Uryu dodging Demoura's crushing blows while Sado weathers Aisslinger's rapid energy bullets, until Uryu realizes the smarter move is to trade opponents. Sado's punch shatters Demoura's mask and sends him flying, and Uryu forms his upgraded bow, Ginrei Kojaku, turning to take on the swift Aisslinger.

Matching Aisslinger's Sonido with his own Hirenkyaku, Uryu answers a barrage of over a hundred energy shots by revealing that Ginrei Kojaku can loose twelve hundred arrows at once, overwhelming the Arrancar completely. Sado, meanwhile, catches Demoura's last-ditch tongue attack with Brazo Derecha de Gigante and, apologizing for finishing a foe who has lost the will to fight, powers up El Directo to end the bout.

The rescue party breaches Hueco Mundo and probes an underground fortress. Sado and Uryu step in front of Ichigo and prove their growth, switching opponents to gain the advantage. Uryu overwhelms Aisslinger with the massed firepower of Ginrei Kojaku, while Sado prepares to finish Demoura with El Directo.

Drawing from chapters 241 through 243, the episode opens the first part of the Hueco Mundo arc. It showcases the reworked abilities Sado and Uryu gained after Soul Society, with Uryu's bow renamed and vastly expanded. The anime pads the sequence, adding the trap-filled exploration and extra flashbacks to earlier Arrancar releases. After Dark serves as the opening and Tane wo Maku Hibi as the ending, with a comedic Omaeda family segment tacked on at the end.