To say the Arrancar get thoroughly stomped in the Bleach Thousand Year Blood war anime would be an understatement. Used to show off how much stronger the Quincies are, the once nearly unstoppable Hollow-born adversaries are made to look like ants beneath this new threat’s feet. One in particular – the third-ranked Tier Harribel – is even seen imprisoned by the Quincy leader Yhwach, only to never be shown again in the series. This begs the question: Does Harribel die in Bleach TYBW?
Fortunately for you, we’ve got the answers you’re looking for. Do be warned though: There are *Massive Spoilers Ahead.*
What Happens to Harribel in Bleach TYBW? Answered
The good news is that Harribel doesn’t die in Bleach TYBW. However, this isn’t something that is ever shown in the Bleach Manga proper.
Instead, her fate is revealed in the Can’t Fear Your Own World novels made for the extended Bleach universe. In the first novel, it’s revealed that Nel and Grimmjow rescued her from the Quincy stronghold in Hueco Mundo following Yhwach’s defeat at Ichigo’s hands. She then returns to being Hueco Mundo’s ruler alongside Nel and works to restore peace while also making the Hollow’s realm a safer place for Arrancar to live.
Though this hits a snag due to an artificial soul running rampant, Harribel manages to make great strides in this pursuit when she meets Shunsui Kyōraku, the new leader of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Having both known and sympathized with Coyote Starrk, the most powerful Arrancar who ever lived, they share the notion that peace between their factions is the best possible route for everyone and tentatively agree to work together moving forward.
Harribel then goes on to continue leading Hueco Mundo toward her desired peace with an ironclad truce in place between the Arrancar and the Soul Reapers, and that peace persists thanks to the understanding she reached with Shunsui.
Is Harribel Still the Most Powerful Arrancar?
It’s also worth noting that Harribel continues to rule despite no longer being the most powerful Arrancar in the series.
Though the aforementioned Artificial Soul ends up manifesting itself as something akin to an Arrancar – and proves itself to be exponentially more powerful than almost anyone else in the series – Harribel remains in control of Hueco Mundo.
She does so by working together with Nel and other surviving members of Aizen’s original Arrancar forces, including her Tres Bestias and Grimmjow. Together, they are able to guide their home toward a better future and start to move away from the more stringent laws and practices held before they took control. As such, Harribel doesn’t find herself at risk of being usurped and potentially killed by a power-hungry Arrancar throughout the rest of the known series.
Hopefully, this cleared up whether or not Harribel dies in Bleach TYBW. For more on the series, check out any of the related articles down below. We’ve also got plenty of other anime content to peruse, including lists of the best anime fights, the best anime senseis and the best anime villains.
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