Summary
TheSoul Kingis the enigmatic, eerie character behind the creation of the world ofBleach. A being of incomprehensible power that is responsible for life as we know it in the series. But still, there’s still so much that hasn’tbeen revealed about this mysterious being. For years, authorTite Kuboslowly revealed more and more information about him. First starting in the originalBleachmanga, then in the light novelsCan’t Fear Your Own World, and finally with the added content in theThousand-Year Blood Waranime.
Rei-Oh is the supposed ruler of the Bleach universe, but he’s actually a tragic and dark figure who shows the underlying cruelty of the Shinigami. His existence has influenced many aspects and characters of the series. Here’s all we know so far ofSoul King Adnyeus.
The God of Bleach, Adnyeus
Who is the Man in the Crystal?
The Soul King is an ancestral man of undefined features and motivation. His name is Adnyeus, and he is the perfect natural hybrid of all the races in the universe. Adnyeus is a Human, Soul/Shinigami, Quincy, Hollow, and Fullbringer. He is the progenitor of all the major races and the Three Worlds that these living beings inhabit. Contrary to popular belief, Adnyeus is not a fighter.When Yhwach killed him, he had no way of defending himself.Adnyeus is mostly a divine being with almost infinite Reiatsu. He is in no way someone with fighting ability like the Shinigami or the Quincy.
Furthermore, sealed into his crystal, Adnyeus has no real agency or even a say in what happens around him. He is no ruler or God. Adnyeus is, in reality, a divine object that holds the Three Worlds separate but together. His existence maintains the balance of souls and the Cycle of Rebirth. Adnyeus is in a perpetual catatonic state; he is merely a linchpin, a keystone of the Bleach universe.
Adnyeus is held in the Royal Palace far above the Soul Society.He’s guarded by five extremely powerful Shinigami, Squad 0. Entrance into the Royal Palace is strictly prohibited to any Shinigami unless authorized by the leader of Squad 0, Ichibe Hyosube. Members of the Gotei 13 can also be promoted to Squad 0, as was the case for Kirio Hikifune, former captain of Squad 12. Usually, the members of Squad 0 are Shinigami, who greatly contributed to the Soul Society. Ichibe Hyosube is the oldest Shinigami, and he named everything in Soul Society. O-Etsu Nimaiya invented the Zanpakutou. Tenjirou Kirinji invented healing Kidou. Kirio Hikifune invented Mod Souls. Senjumaru Shutara invented the Shinigami official uniform, the Shihakushou.
It is believed that two Shinigami were somehow able to see Adnyeus, although it is unknown how they managed to do this without facing the consequences of such an act. Kisuke Urahara saw him during his endless research. And Sousuke Aizen did so as well.The truth about the Soul King was the turning point in Aizen’s personal quest, seeking to usurp and destroy Adnyeus and the status quo as he deemed it was unacceptable to be ruled by a “thing” like the Soul King.
Without the Soul King, Soul Society would fall apart. The “Soul King” is the “linchpin”. Without the linchpin, the entire structure would crumble. That is simply the way of this world.
Adnyeus' name likely originates from the Gnostic Archon: Adonaios. It represents the sun and is often used as the name of God. It is said to be the creator of the known universe. It also refers to Adonai, which, in the Abrahamic Religions, is one of the Seven Names of God. This etymology further ties Adnyeus to the idea of being the one true God of Bleach.
Adnyeus' Mutilation, The Original Sin
The Ultimate Cruelty of the Shinigami
Once, eons ago, there was only one world. A vast, hazy place called the Primordial World. Here, there was no real distinction between life and death, and the beings living here existed in perpetual torment. People were constantly hunted down by Hollows. The massive Menos Grande-class devoured people in mass.In this world, a man of insurmountable power was born,someone who was the perfect hybrid of all the races in the world: Adnyeus. He was benevolent and kind, he cared deeply for the people in this world, and he wanted to save them from their torment. Adnyeus was effectively a Messiah, and as such, he sacrificed himself for the people.
Adnyeus was targeted by five powerful beings who wanted to change the status quo. They then performed a ritualistic mutilation of him, by using a ceremonial sword, and they tore Adnyeus' body apart. They severed his arms and legs, mutilated and tore out his organs, put restraints on him, and sealed him in a crystal for eternity. Through this process, the Primordial World is separated into three: the World of the Living, inhabited by Humans, Quincy, and Fullbringers, Soul Society, inhabited by the souls of the dead and some reincarnated as Shinigami, andHueco Mundo, inhabited by the monstrous Hollows. And thus, they created the cycle of life and death and the balance of souls.
During this horrific ritual, Adnyeus did not resist or complain, he was fully cooperative. This disturbed the five beings, and yet, they did not trust him. They knew Adnyeus possessed a power they couldn’t even comprehend: The Almighty. Adnyeus was able to see every possible future into millions of years in the future. He knew that one day,someone would come to him and end his suffering: his son, Yhwach.
The Soul King’s Limbs
Beings Created Out of Suffering
When Adnyeus was mutilated, some of his body parts were cast aside by these five beings. Two of these gained sentience and their own identity. Some others bonded with other beings, granting them immense power. While others were used for other purposes. His right arm, which represents stillness, fell down to Soul Society and eventually became the deity known as Mimihagi. His left arm, which represented progress, was found by the Quincy, and sided with them,he became Sternritter C - Pernida Parnkgjas. His heart was also with the Quincy, and it bonded with Sternritter M - Gerard Valkyrie, granting him the power of The Miracle.
The Binding Chain of Soul King bonded with a human, making her the most powerful Fullbringer. That was Aura Michibane. Adnyeus nails bonded with several humans, making them into Fullbringers. Some of them were used by Tokinada Tsunayashiro,who used them to create Hikone Ubuginu. Finally, others were found by Sousuke Aizen and were used to feed his incomplete Hogyouku. One of these was bound to a teenage Rangiku Matsumoto, who lost it when Aizen’s followers tore it out of her to feed the Hogyouku. This was the incident that motivated Gin Ichimaru to kill Aizen.
Adnyeus and Ichigo, A Possible Successor
A New Messiah
Ichigo Kurosaki is a human born from Shinigami using a perfect Gigai, turning him human, Isshin Shiba,and a pure-blood Quincy, Masaki Kurosaki.His mother was also infected with the Reiatsu of a powerful Hollow called White. This union caused Ichigo to be born as a perfect hybrid of all the races. Ichigo’s awakened Shinigami power manifested as a Hollow named Zangetsu, as well as a portion of his Quincy powers manifesting as a younger Yhwach. After millions of years, a new potential Soul King was born.
Ichibe Hyosube made Ichigo enter the Irazu Sando, where he was tested as a potential replacement for the Soul King. Ichibe knew Yhwach’s intentions, and he prepared for it by turningIchigo into a second Soul King. In the case Adnyeus was killed, Ichigo would take his place as the linchpin of the Three Worlds. Ichigo being a Soul King is not a good thing by any means. Ichigo wouldn’t become divine and powerful, he would become an object to maintain balance just like Adnyeus.
Soul King Adnyeus is the most cryptic being inBleach, but Tite Kubo has thankfully revealed a lot of information about him throughout the years. This is all there is to know about him so far, but new information may come in the future.
