Bleach 241. One clue to Byakuya’s behaviour: he is not breaking any rules

I think I have one clue to Byakuya’s behaviour.

In short: He is not breaking any rules.

It’s simple. His commander – Yamamoto – is absent. Other captains do not have official authority over him (just informal seniority). This means nobody can order him around now. He can act as he sees fit.

I think he decided that “joining” the rebellion is the most efficient way to squash it (free Yamamoto?). Nobody has the right to stop him. And by acting single-handedly against the judgement of everybody else, he does display his immense sense of pride: “I will solve it all by myself, even if you stand in my way…”

When he talks to Renji, they translate it as “Please. You cannot stand up to me”. But actually he says something like this “Give it up. You are not my opponent now”. This is ambigous – it can mean “you’re not worthy to be my opponent” (as Renji takes it); but may also mean that they are not really enemies.

Still, it is refreshing to see Ichigo on the side of the establishment and Byakuya being the rebellious one.

~ by aquinis on October 15, 2009.