Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Episodes 25 and 26 Recap and Ending Explained: Can Yhwach and his Royal Guards defeat Squad Zero? Was Yhwach defeated by Ichibē Hyōsube?

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War released the final episodes of its Cour 2 together. Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Episodes 25 and 26 marked the end of Cour 2 of the series with the defeat of Yhwach and his Royal Guards at the hands of Squad Zero. It is expected that Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War will have two more parts before the whole story is concluded. 

In this article, we will provide you with an explanation of the ending of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Episodes 25 and 26. We will also answer all the questions that the fans might have after watching Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Episodes 25 and 26: Can Yhwach and his Royal Guards defeat Squad Zero? Was Yhwach defeated by Ichibē Hyōsube? The names of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Episodes 25 and 26 were “The Master” and “Black” respectively. 

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Episode 25 Ending Recap: Can Yhwach and his Royal Guards defeat Squad Zero? 

The episode starts with Kisuke Urahara having a conversation with the Visored and Yoruichi Shihouin’s sister about Ichigo and his friends going to the Royal Palace. 

Inside the Royal Palace Ichibē Hyōsube, the Monk who calls the Real Names and Squad Zero are ready to fight against Yhwach and his Royal Guards. Ichibē Hyōsube constructs a seal named “Senri Tsutensho” that can blast away anything it strikes for 1,000 ri and hits Yhwach with it. Yhwach also loses his voice because of Ichibē. Ichibē hits Yhwach with another blast of “Senri Tsutensho”.

Yhwach gives himself a voice by controlling his vocal cords and uses “Sankt Bogen” which shoots an arrow through himself to stop him from falling. Ichibē determines that he will kill Yhwach. Jugram Haschwalth tries to break the Womb Prison but Kirio Hikifune, the Ruler of Grain repairs the Womb Prison. Tenjirō Kirinji, the Hot Spring Demon starts attacking Jugram Haschwalth and Uryū Ishida.

Uryū Ishida comes in front of Senjumaru Shutara, the Great Weave Guard and starts fighting her while Jugram Haschwalth is fighting against Tenjirō Kirinji. Ōetsu Nimaiya, the God of the Sword finds himself stuck with the ability of Stern Ritter “D: The Death Dealing” who can accurately calculate the lethal dose of a particular substance and adjust the amount at will.

The Death Dealing starts lowering the lethal dosage of the blood in Nimaiya’s body and Nimaiya falls down on the ground. Uryū Ishida uses “Lict Regen” against Senjumaru Shutara but the attack is completely ineffective against her. On the other hand, Tenjirō Kirinji is also able to slash Jugram Haschwalth. Ōetsu Nimaiya slashes his throat to reduce the lethal dose in his blood.

The Death Dealing explains that if Nimaiya loses a large amount of blood, he will die anyway. Nimaiya calls Tenjirō for help whose Red Hot Spring can replace lost blood with new. Ōetsu Nimaiya then slashes the Death Dealing while Senjumaru Shutara also defeats Uryū Ishida with relative ease. 

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Episode 25 Ending Explained: What happened to all the Quincies inside the Seireitei?

At the top of the Royal Palace, Ichibē Hyōsube and Yhwach are fighting with all their might. Ichibē explains that his brush does not cut flesh. It cut names. Yhwach loses his arms as the name of his arm was just been sliced in two and all he is left is an “ar”. Due to this, Yhwach’s arms’ strength has been saved and so has its ability. Ichibē then split Yhwach’s name in two naming him “Yhw”. 

Inside the Seireitei, Giselle Gewelle is sucking Bambietta Basterbine’s blood when Liltotto Lamperd finds her and updated her on the current situation. 

Inside the Royal Palace, as Ichibē was about to land the finishing blow on Yhwach (now known as Yhw), Yhwach started uttering something. He says “Raise them! Silver emblems, ashen meadows, circular path buried in light. Eye of agate, tongue of gold, skull cup, coffin of Adnyeus.” and activates his power known as “Auswählen” which completely destroys the Womb Prison.

This power allowed Yhwach to collect the lives and powers of unnecessary Quincies and redistribute them to those who need them. Those that lose it, die. Those who receive it, gain additional power and come back to life. 

In the post-credit scene of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Episode 25 we see Shunsui Kyōraku meeting with Captain Jūshirō Ukitake. They are discussing that Squad Zero allowed Yhwach to invade the Royal Palace and that “The Kamikake” was in anticipation of that. We then see a huge shadow with two extended arms and an eye emerge from Captain Jūshirō Ukitake. 

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Episode 26 Recap: Can Squad Zero fight against the Re-awakened Quincies?

All the Quencies who gained power from “Auswählen” show their wings and Yhwach determines that he will take the life of Soul King. Lille Barro, one of Yhwach’s Royal Guards then shoots Ōetsu Nimaiya which makes a hole in his shoulder. He then shoots another round. Kirio Hikifune and Tenjirō Kirinji try to protect Ōetsu Nimaiya but are unable to do so.  

Lille Barro’s power is called the “X-axis”. There are no bullets in his attack. It uniformly penetrates everything in between the muzzle of his gun and the target. Senjumaru Shutara then heals Ōetsu Nimaiya.

Kirio Hikifune constructs another Womb Prison and everyone starts fighting again. Senjumaru Shutara is fighting Gerard Valkyrie. Kirio Hikifune is fighting Pernida Parnkgjas. Tenjirō Kirinji is fighting Askin Nakk Le Vaar. Ōetsu Nimaiya is fighting Lille Barro. While Ichibē Hyōsube is fighting Yhwach.

Ichibē Hyōsube uses “Hyapporankan” against Yhwach and Yhwach defends himself with “Blut Vene Aufheben”. Ichibē Hyōsube then uses “Secret Hado Number 3: Teppusatsu” to obliterate Yhwach’s defence and then grabs Ichibē grabs Yhwach’s neck.

Yhwach tries to take over Ichibē but is unsuccessful in doing so. Ichibē then activates his Shikai by saying “Paint in Black Ichimonji” and Yhwach cannot tell if he is seeing a blade or a brush. Yhwach starts fighting Ichibē with his sword.

Yhwach claims that he can restore names and powers that Ichibē has cut in half through the use of his own power. But then Yhwach forgets the name of his own sword because now Yhwach’s sword has no name. Anything painted over by Ichimonji loses its name. That without a name has no power and now yhwach’s sword and cross have no names. 

The other members of Squad Zero are having a hard time against the Quincies and their newly found powers. The Royal Guards were quickly able to defeat the Squad Zero members this time. Yhwach also steals Ichibē’s power with his power called “Sankt Altar” and Ichibē’s hair turns from Black to White. Then Yhwach hits Ichibē with that power. 

It looks like the whole Squad Zero is being defeated by Yhwach and his Royal Guards. Ōetsu Nimaiya tells Senjumaru Shutara that she’ll be the one to kill all those Quincies. With that, everyone from Squad Zero except Senjumaru Shutara kills themselves.

Senjumaru Shutara explains that even the slightest use of their power would cause the heaven and earth of the three worlds to tremble. Because of that, the four of them linked their lives to one another to seal away their true swords and now, in exchange for three of their lives, the blood oath seal has been broken. Senjumaru Shutara then activates her Bankai “Shatatsu Karagara Shigaraminotsuji” and the whole world starts to tremble. 

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Episode 26 Ending Explained: Was Yhwach defeated by Ichibē Hyōsube?

Senjumaru Shutara then starts defeating everyone with her Bankai. Senjumaru defeats Lillie Baro by saying “Unravle one hank, Abundant Blooming of Eyes. Sightless be to any who gaze upon their might” and Lillie Baro who shot by his own attacks.

Senjumaru defeats Askin Nakk Le Vaar by saying “Unravel two hanks, Armor of Blade Steel. And you, unable to bear its weight, are forever sealed” and Askin Nakk Le Vaar is sealed within a box full of spikes.

Senjumaru defeats Pernida Parnkgjas by saying “Unravel three hanks, Bowels of Black Sand. Pulled in by those hands you meet your end” and Pernida Parnkgjas gets defeated by being pulled inside a sand-like ground.

Senjumaru defeats Gerard Valkyrie by saying “Unravel four hanks, Freezing Bed Linens. Succumb to their slumber and never stir again” and Gerard Valkyrie gets defeated by getting frozen.

Senjumaru defeats Jugram Haschwalth by saying “Unravel five hanks, Burning Field. Until you turn to ash there is no escape” and Jugram Haschwalth gets defeated by a huge blaze of fire.

Senjumaru defeats Uryū Ishida by saying “Unravel six hanks, Star of the Dark Night. Absorbed by its abyss and led into the afterlife” Uryū Ishida gets defeated by losing himself into abyss.

Senjumaru then uses “Shidenorokushikiukimonnohata” to finalise her Bankai and trap all the Quincies within. 

Yhwach’s attack also did not affect Ichibē Hyōsube. Ichibē explains that his power is “Black” Once he unleashes Ichimonji Soul Reapers, Quincies, the dead and the living, All the “Black” in this world becomes Ichibē’s. I

chibē then uses his Ichimonji on Yhwach and Yhwach loses his name and all the powers along with it. Ichibē then uses his Bankai “Shinuchi Shirafude Ichimonji” that can etch a new name on whatever is painted over by Ichimonji. Ichibē then gives the name “Black Ant” to Yhwach and throws Yhwach down from the Royal Palace by crushing Yhwach under his foot and then in between his hands. 

With this, the finale of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Cour 2 ended with the victory of Squad Zero against Yhwach and his Royal Guards. 

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Cour 3 is set to release in 2024. The exact date of release is not confirmed yet but you can watch the trailer of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Cour 3 on YouTube.