Bleach/An Accomplished Oath! Get Back Rukia!

An Accomplished Oath! Get Back Rukia!
Season 3, Episode 13
Airdate	October 18, 2005
Production Number	54
Written by	Genki Yoshimura Masahiro Okubo Masashi Sogo Michiko Yokote Natsuko Takahashi Rika Nakase
Directed by	Noriyuki Abe
← 3x12 Gin Ichimaru's Temptation, Resolution of Destruction	3x14 → The Strongest Shinigami! Ultimate Confrontation Between Teacher and Students
Bleach — Season Three

An Accomplished Oath! Get Back Rukia! is the thirteenth episode of the third season of Bleach, and the fifty-fourth episode overall. Ichigo makes his grand reappearance in the soul society in order to save Rukia, like he promised, and fight off anyone who stands in his way.

Co-Stars: Cindy Robinson (Soi Fong), Lex Lang (Marechiyo Oomaeda) Michael Sorich (Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai), Vic Mignogna (Ikkaku Madarame), Michael Lindsay (Sentarou Kotsubaki), Jeannie Elias (Kiyone Kotetsu), Liam O'Brien (Jushiro Ukitake), Jeannie Elias (Yachiru Kusajishi), Cindy Robinson (Isane Kotetsu), Kate Higgins (Retsu Unohona), Steve Kramer (Shunsui Kyouraku), Kate Higgins (Nanao Ise), Wally Wingert (Renji Abarai)

Plot Overview

Rukia's execution is only moments away, but Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai has given her the opportunity to say a few words before she is, essentially, crucified. The next thing that the soul reapers not in attendance know, a blue energy spike appears on the execution grounds, signaling that the Sōkyoku has been unsealed or is being unsealed. Three different groups, Squad 13, Squad 10 and the band of intruders (along with what remains of Squad 11), all see this as a sign that they need to hurry to the hill and either destroy Sōkyoku, stop the execution or just to find Ichigo.

On the hill, the commander has agreed to Rukia's request; the Ryoka who invaded their fortress will be returned unharmed to their own dimension at dawn after Rukia's execution. Isane Kotetsu sees through the generals promise and immediately assumes that he has no intention of sending the invaders back alive. But, what Isane sees as cruelty, Captain Unohana considers mercy to allow Rukia some peace before death, even if it's under false pretenses. Regardless, the General's promise and Byakuya's coldness towards her has brought her back to feeling complacent with her fate.

Rukia is lifted to the beam above the hill by three white blocks and placed in range of Sōkyoku, a halbred which takes the form of a phoenix after its power is released. She says her final good-byes, although they're all inaudible to the people she's referring to and the bird flies towards her, only to be stopped by Ichigo. She calls him an idiot for coming back to rescue her because she knows that Byakuya will kill him this time, but Ichigo doesn't care. He doesn't even seem to realize that he's effortlessly stopping the soul reapers' ultimate weapon. When it backs up for a second attack, he moves to counter-attack, but the bird is restrained by Squad 13, along with Captain Kyouraku who has apparently been in on the plan to destroy Sōkyoku this entire time. They succeed in dissipating the bird, so Ichigo moves to destroy the gallows that she's stuck to.

Ichigo declares, after destroying the stands, that he's going to save everyone who helped him along the way, even if it means cutting through the captains and running after that. Once Renji shows up, Ichigo literally throws Rukia at him and tells him to escape. Three lieutenants chase after Renji, but Ichigo stops all three in hand-to-hand combat without even trying to use his zanpakutō. After dispatching all three, Ichigo begins his fight with Byakuya.