Why couldn't Orihime heal Soul King in Bleach TYBW? explored

One of the most puzzling moments in Bleach TYBW was when Orihime Inoue failed to heal the Soul King using her Soten Kisshun ability. After Yhwach used Ichigo Kurosaki to severe the Soul King in half, Yoruichi, Chad, and Ganju demonstrated their powers to halt Yhwach, providing Orihime with an opening to use her powers to heal the revered being.

While it seemed Orihime was successful in her attempt, her spell broke shortly after. As fans would know, Orihime's abilities allow her to "reject" an outcome. She can either heal someone by rejecting the phenomenon or damage by rejecting an area within her opponent.

The question of why Orihime Inoue couldn't heal Soul King in Bleach TYBW remains. Although her powers would have worked on any other person, it wasn't the ideal technique to use on a transcendental being as the Soul King.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from Bleach TYBW arc.

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Exploring why Orihime Inoue couldn't save the Soul King in Bleach TYBW

According to Bleach TYBW, the abilities of Orihime Inoue's Shun Shun Rika, including Soten Kisshun (primarily used for healing), work on the same plane as Causality manipulation. In other words, she can use her spirits to remove the cause of an event, ensuring it never happened.

That's how she can reject a tragic phenomenon that has already happened to heal someone. Therefore, one could say that Orihime's abilities transcend the concept of space and time. However, the Soul King, Adyneus, has Acausality. His existence in Bleach TYBW resists Orihime's Causality manipulation, thereby rendering her powers useless to him. That's why Orihime couldn't heal the Soul King.

Characters who have irregular Causality or Acausality operate on a different spectrum than regular Causality. As the lynchpin of the three realms, Soul King belongs to this level, which is why Orihime's powers cannot work on him.

Orihime's powers fail on the Soul King (Image via Pierrot Films)

At the same time, fans must note that only Ichigo had the prerequisites to kill the Soul King, owing to his unique origin. As such, If Orihime Inoue had been a Soul King candidate, with the powers of a Soul Reaper, Quincy, Hollow, and Fullbringer coursing through her body, she could have perhaps saved the Soul King.

That's why Mimihagi, who was the Right Arm of the Soul King, could momentarily save the Soul King. Mimihagi's Stillness works on the level of Temporal Singularity. It's a state where a character can choose their fates yet remain vulnerable at a time in which they exist.

Unfortunately, Orihime Inoue didn't have powers that defied reason. If she had powers like Mimihagi, she could have helped the Soul King. At any rate, Orihime's failure to save the Soul King in Bleach TYBW doesn't take away the fact that she possesses one of the most formidable skills in the series.

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Conclusion

Orihime and Yoruichi (Image via Pierrot Films)

Orihime Inoue's Causal Manipulation in Bleach TYBW was no match for Soul King, who rejected such powers owing to his Acausual existence. Undoubtedly, it was a significant moment in the series, showcasing the difference between the Soul King and other characters.

In some way, the scene added complexity to Ichigo Kurosaki's character, who could kill such a transcendental being. As for Orihime, although she couldn't reject the Soul King's fate, she showcased her resilience in the moment of despair.

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