Wrath as a Lightning

Through the planted Tsūdentō, Rin Tsubokura tells the Gotei 13 that Ichigo is on his way with an unstealable Bankai, briefly lifting spirits. The hope collapses when Ichigo's Reiatsu vanishes inside the Garganta, caged by Quilge Opie's The Jail, and a mind-controlled Jidanbō smashes into the Research Institute under PePe Waccabrada's influence. In Hueco Mundo, Quilge moves to finish off Sado, Orihime, and Nel, only to be cut clean in half from behind, after which a blade is leveled at Urahara's throat.

Elsewhere in the city, Byakuya duels Äs Nödt, whose Reishi Thorns flood him with a fear he has not felt in ages. Äs explains that true fear has no cause and cannot be escaped, then uses a Medallion to turn Byakuya's own stolen Senbonzakura Kageyoshi against him, burying him under a torrent of blade petals. Renji intervenes but is dropkicked across the Seireitei by Mask De Masculine, Byakuya's shattered blade falls, and Meninas ambushes a rushing Rukia. Meanwhile Kenpachi, having slain three Sternritter, confronts the false Yhwach and Haschwalth and strikes.

Facing the Overkill-powered Driscoll Berci, who boasts of killing Chōjirō Sasakibe, Hisagi is helpless until Yamamoto arrives and deflects the incoming arrow. Driscoll activates Chōjirō's stolen Bankai, prompting a flashback to a young Chōjirō earning the scar that renamed Yamamoto and vowing to serve as his right hand. Enraged by the dishonor, Yamamoto reduces Driscoll to ash with Ryūjin Jakka, bids his old aide farewell, and hurtles across the Seireitei like a comet to rally the captains before confronting Yhwach over the fallen Zaraki.

Ichigo is sealed inside the Garganta by The Jail, and the Research Institute falls under attack. Quilge Opie is cut in half from behind in Hueco Mundo. Äs Nödt overwhelms Byakuya with fear and his own stolen Senbonzakura Kageyoshi, gravely wounding him, while Renji, Rukia, and others are cut down. Kenpachi kills three Sternritter and attacks Yhwach. Yamamoto saves Hisagi and incinerates Driscoll with Ryūjin Jakka after Driscoll defiles Chōjirō's Bankai, then advances to face Yhwach.

This episode belongs to the Thousand-Year Blood War arc and adapts chapters 500 through 505. It carries an extended flashback detailing how Chōjirō came to serve Yamamoto and how a training scar led the Captain-Commander to take the name Genryūsai. Notably, the flashback's inclusion of the anime-original Kōga Kuchiki marks the first time earlier anime-only material surfaces within the Blood War adaptation.