Death as a Soul - Bleach Style

[Knighthammer]

I can't find the thread this was talked in (it was a sub topic anyway in the thread).

In one of the Bleach Threads, we were debating what happens precisely when someone dies in Soul Society.

It was mentioned that their Chain of Destiny isn't seemingly present in Soul Society as Ichigo's dissolved during his training.

However, we have two references now that it is:


Tonight, Byakuya stated that in two blows he broke Ichigo's Zanpaktou and destroyed his soul chain.
In the previous thread, someone mentioned that Aizen's death was caused from his "soul chain" being shattered.
This seems to be something important that came up in Bleach tonight that might be purely from the dub.

So what significance does this have (assuming its not simply added in the dub).

Does the "soul chain" dissolving simply mean there is no longer anything to contain the hollow inside or is there something else behind it?

[Captain Highwind]

I also heard Byakuya saying something about breaking Ichigo's 'soul sleep.' Is that just a different word for Soul Chain?

Ug, Kubo's so vague with this stuff! ><

[Malex]

The Soul Chain is the primary source of a Soul Reaper's Soul Reaper powers. Without the Soul Chain, a Soul Reaper becomes a normal soul. The Soul Sleep is the source of spiritual energy for every soul. Byakuya destroyed both Ichigo's Soul Sleep and Soul Chain to turn him into a soul with no powers which worked. Destroying the Soul Chain in regular death just reverts the Soul Reaper back to a human soul for reincarnation.

Both the Soul Sleep and Soul Chain are internal and the Chain of Destiny is external and separate from these two things.

[Knighthammer]

The Soul Chain is the primary source of a Soul Reaper's Soul Reaper powers. Without the Soul Chain, a Soul Reaper becomes a normal soul. The Soul Sleep is the source of spiritual energy for every soul. Byakuya destroyed both Ichigo's Soul Sleep and Soul Chain to turn him into a soul with no powers which worked. Destroying the Soul Chain in regular death just reverts the Soul Reaper back to a human soul for reincarnation.

Both the Soul Sleep and Soul Chain are internal and the Chain of Destiny is external and separate from these two things.

Well I actually looked around for something to call BS as that doesn't sound quiet right. However, I can't find any contradicting evidence, however, I will point out that Byakuya absolutely said "Zanpakdou". The other thing is up for grabs a little as I can't be sure without re-watching the episode. Of course all of this is from a Dub meaning we can't trust anything to be correctly translated.

[Malex]

I remember from the dub and the sub Byakuya mentioning something along the lines of "I destroyed your Soul Chain and Soul Sleep. If you manage to live, you will no longer be a Shinigami/Soul Reaper." Urahara mentions it again and the reconstruction of the Soul Chain and Soul Sleep were the purpose behind the first two lessons. Lesson One involved regaining Spiritual power (Soul Sleep) while Lesson Two, Shattered Shaft, was regaining Soul Reaper powers (Soul Sleep). A broken Zanpakto != lost powers or Kenpachi would be not be bloodied up right now in the AS run.

EDIT: I remember Ishida mentioning destroying the Soul Chain and Soul Sleep when he defeated Jidanbou and said "he will live but not be a Soul Reaper anymore". Jidanbou would be alive, but not be a Soul Reaper so the Soul Chain is not necessarily connected to death.

[Kurokawa41]

Thank you, and here I was thinking that the Soul Chain was the same thing as the Chain of Fate which would make several enormous plotholes.

[Beefy]

A broken Zanpakto != lost powers or Kenpachi would be not be bloodied up right now in the AS run.
True.
We've already seen a few people's Zanpakto get broken (Ichigo, Kenny, Renji) only to have them fixed in the next episode.