Biggest Betrayals In The Series, Ranked

Key Takeaways

• Betrayals in Bleach are shocking and emotional, showcasing unexpected turns in character dynamics.
• Characters like Giselle, Barragan, and Renji show complex motives and loyalties through unexpected betrayals.
• Betrayals add depth to the storyline, leading to character growth and shifting alliances within the world of Bleach.

Bleach is a series that features a plethora of plot twists within its long-running narrative, but by far the most memorable kind of unexpected turn is a sudden betrayal. While the world of Bleach is made up of many unique factions, from Soul Reapers to Espada, all the way to Fullbringers, it doesn’t necessarily mean all of their members get along, or even have the same goals.

This has resulted in a handful of shocking betrayals which shook viewers to their core upon witnessing them for the first time, and since author Tite Kubo is a master at foreshadowing, it causes people to ponder whether they should have expected it all along. When it comes down to emotional impact and the element of surprise though, these betrayals are by far the most memorable in the series.

7 Giselle Betrays Bambietta

Seeing How Giselle Treats Her ‘Friends’ Makes Her All The More Creepy

It could technically be argued whether Giselle’s zombification of Bambietta is considered a betrayal or not. However, out of all the Sternritter, the Bambies did seem to be the ones who were the closest to being friends, despite how much they may bicker with one another. There was at least some semblance of comradery between them, but once Bambiettea met her fate, rather than letting her rest, Giselle decides to resurrect her.

Not only that, but Giselle shows no mercy towards her new puppet, constantly beating her to the ground and even eating her own flesh. Giselle’s a disturbing character, to say the least, but seeing how willingly she would turn on her own friends really takes this to a whole new level.

6 Barragan Betrays Aizen

Barragan Reminds Aizen Of His Royal Prestige In One Final Act Of Defiance

In order for someone to be classed as an Espada, they must swear their loyalty to Aizen. For most of the Arrancar, this was pretty easy to do, but not so for Barragan, the former king of Huecon Mundo. Though he begrudgingly followed the orders given to him by his new master, it was clear Barragan was never comfortable sacrificing his power and status to become a lowly grunt of Aizen’s army.

Therefore, just as he is fading away after a fierce battle, Barragan launches his axe at Aizen in a moment of defiance. Unfortunately for the Soul Reapers, Barragan’s last ditch effort to stop Aizen fails, and while short-lived, it’s a betrayal that says a lot about Barragan’s character and implies not all the Espada are as loyal as fans may have initially thought.

5 Renji Betrays Byakuya

Renji Decides To Stand Up For His Beliefs By Facing His Captain Head On

Deep down, Renji knew he didn’t want Rukia to be executed, but he couldn’t bring himself to disobey the orders from his captain, Byakuya. However, this all changed when Renji went head-to-head with Ichigo, who snapped him out of his rut and made him realize that, if he wants to make a change, then he needs to stand up for what he believes in.

Renji took this advice to heart, as not long after that duel, he confronts his own captain and even unleashes his Bankai in an attempt to stop him in his tracks. While the two do reconcile later in the story, this was a moment that implied the Soul Society was on the brink of a civil war, and that Byakuya was still a malicious villain who had to be taken down, even if it was by his own lieutenant.

4 Ginjo Betrays Ichigo

Ginjo Was The Last Person Ichigo Could Rely On, And The Last Person He Thought Would Betray Him

Fans are initially led to believe that the main villain of the Fullbring arc is Tsukishima, and while this is technically true, there was someone just as sinister who had been working with Tsukishima from the shadows, that being Ginjo. As Tsukishima turns each of Ichigo’s friends and family members against him, for a while it seemed like Ginjo was the only one who had his back. After all, Ichigo had lost his Soul Reaper powers by this point, so Ginjo was technically his only hope of taking down Tsukishima for good.

It’s therefore heartbreaking when Ginjo too reveals he was simply training Ichigo to eventually steal his Soul Reaper powers for himself. The betrayal causes Ichigo to break down in a rare moment of vulnerability, but lucky for him, Rukia and the other Soul reapers managed to show up just at the right time to help get him back to his feet.

3 Gin Betrays Aizen

Gin Had Been Biding His Time Until He Was Able To Confront Aizen

For much of Bleach’s story, Gin, who was initially a Captain of the Gotei 13, comes across as little more than one of Aizen’s lackeys. However, Gin’s shifty persona did indicate that maybe he knew a little more than he was letting on, resulting in one of the most unexpected turns in the series when Gin finally plunges his dagger into Aizen.

Even Aizen, who at this point was almost god-like in power and intellect, didn’t see Gin’s turn coming, but what makes this moment so memorable is the fact that Gin fails to achieve his objective of achieving the Hogyoku to sap Aizen from his power. In fact, this reckless act led to Gin’s death, but while he may be gone, many fans have come to admire just how smart Gin was, being able to bide his time for so long, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

2 Uryu Betrays Ichigo

Uryu’s Dedication To The Quincy’s Cause Puts Him At Odds With Ichigo

When it was revealed that the latest group of enemies Ichigo and the gang would be facing in the final arc were Quincies, there was definitely some skepticism as to whether Uryu would join their ranks or not. Despite starting the story being adamantly opposed to the Soul Reapers, after working with Ichigo, and even saving his life on numerous occasions, Uryu comes to put his grievances aside, at least, until Yhwach shows up.

After learning more about the history of the two groups, Uryu not only joins the Sternritter but willingly attacks his old comrade Ichigo, going as far as to blow a hole through his chest in the anime. Uryu’s true intentions are a little more complicated than this, as is revealed later on, but for this chunk of the story, it was truly hard to watch an old friend seemingly turning on his friends due to his own ideology.

1 Aizen Betrays The Soul Society

A Shocking Betrayal That Sets Up Aizen As The Main Villain Of The Series

No one reading or watching Bleach for the first time could have ever suspected Aizen would turn out to be the main villain of the series. During the Soul Society arc, he presents himself as a calm and considerate captain who seems to be more of a passive researcher than a fighter. It turns out though that this was all a front, and Aizen was simply orchestrating everything from behind the scenes in order to get his hands on the immensely powerful Hogyoku.

Just as the arc is about to finish, Aizen blocks Ichigo’s sword with a single finger, slicks back his hair, and rises to the heavens in a shocking betrayal that sets him up as the big baddie for the rest of the series. Kubo did an outstanding job at drawing attention away from Aizen, making him the last captain people would suspect to be a secret villain.