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This article contains spoilers from Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War which is currently streaming on Hulu. Ebern is the first major antagonist that Ichigo personally faces in the debut of Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War, however, he leaves viewers (and Ichigo) with more questions than answers. He first enters the scene through Ichigo's bedroom window and receives a swift kick to the face and leaves puzzled expressions on everybody else's.

Due to the fragmented Hollow mask affixed to his left eye, Asguiaro Ebern is surely an Arrancar, and yet he evidently somehow also has ties to the Quincy Clan too. Although Ichigo appears to be more annoyed than concerned at the new foe's presence, it becomes clear that he shouldn't take the whole matter so lightly.

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Who and What is Ebern?

Bleach: Everything You Need To Know About The Wandenreich's Ebern Quincy Arrancar  Thousand Year Blood War

The egotistical Ebern is a proud member of the Wandenreich and seems to have great admiration for his leader, the almighty Yhwach. Although Yhwach would prefer for the Wandenreich to consist predominantly of pure-blooded Quincy, he has had to recruit other powerful warriors to bulk up his ranks with even more brute force. Although it seems that the Quincy hold superior statuses, the Arrancar subordinates are still entrusted with crucial tasks, such as threatening the Captain Commander, Yamamoto with a foreboding message or stealing the Bankai from the most powerful Substitute Shinigami around.

Yhwach clearly depends on his Hollow helpers, but not enough to value their lives in any way and treats them as disposable, replaceable sources of vexation. When Ebern and Luders Friegen starts arguing in front of their master, Luders (who technically started it) subsequently lost an arm as punishment, and a little while later his life followed suit, simply because Yhwach allegedly does "not like conflict." Other Arrancar's lives also come to an abrupt end once their objective has been accomplished; as if they have a "one time only" tag sewn into their genetics. Quincy are well known for its hatred for Hollows, and it seems that bigotry is still in place regarding Yhwach's allies, regardless of how useful they may be.

When the Arrancar join the Wandenreich forces, they subsequently surrender their Zanpakuto over, officially cutting ties with their Hollow/Shinigami connection. In return, each soldier is gifted a quintessential Quincy Cross which grants them the ability to use Spirit Weapons, and, considering they are already veteran warriors, they need little training before being battle-ready. Not much is known about Ebern's life before his loyalties were reassigned, but there is evidently no love lost between the redhead and his Arrancar brethren, as he refuses to acknowledge any association to them and reacts with disgust at just hearing the name mentioned.

The Arrancar's Quincy Capabilities

Bleach: Everything You Need To Know About The Wandenreich's Ebern Weaponry  Thousand Year Blood War

This obnoxious Arrancar has traded his blade in for a colossal cannon, which he can create by utilizing the surrounding spirit energy, also called Reiryoku or Reishi, thanks to his nifty Quincy Cross. This oversized Spirit Weapon can fire balls of concentrated spirit energy from four different points in its crescent-shaped arch, granting Ebern additional range and unpredictability. The bright blue projectiles are shot randomly from the individual openings, seeming to follow no pattern or formula, and it is unclear if Ebern can fire four blasts simultaneously or not. However, he suffers from the same restrictions as any Quincy and is only able to use his Spirit Weapon if he can adequately absorb and convert any nearby Reishi, so his capabilities all depend on the current situation.

Ebern's most interesting possession is the mysterious medallion, embellished with a Wandenreich symbol, which he clearly couldn't wait to use! Deep black energy emerges from the medallion when activated with a German phrase, forming a forboding "X" as it gets ready to swallow its unsuspecting prey whole.

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It then shoots beams of potent energy toward its target as it prepares to take their Bankai, but it is thankfully ineffective against Ichigo. A Shinigami without their Bankai is surely a sorry state indeed. Just because he has forsaken the Arrancar and Zanpakuto, Ebern's body has not lost its Hollow roots and he still has his hard Hierro epidermis as a result. His durable, virtually impenetrable skin can withstand the Substitute Shinigami's attacks, and Ebern manages to survive a direct hit from Ichigo's Getsuga Tenshō (injured, but still alive.)

However, although all Arrancar are able to travel through realms using private pathways called Garganta, this Wandenreich warrior still makes use of the "Shadows" to escape back to the safety of Silbern. Luders and his troops used the same method of transportation after giving Yamamoto a lecture, which suggests that Yhwach may insist they travel by Shadow instead of Garganta, perhaps so that he can have greater control of their movements.

Willing and Able

Bleach: Everything You Need To Know About The Wandenreich's Ebern and Yhwach  Thousand Year Blood War

Considering that the Quincy and Hollows have been at war for centuries, it is unlikely that all of Yhwach's Arrancar troops willingly joined their oppressors. Most were likely given no choice but to hand over their Zanpakuto and fall into line, but it seems that Ebern is quite content with his fate. He showers his new leader with respectful gestures and happily bows down before him, eager to impress (and subsequently keep his body parts intact, too.) It appears that Ebern and Yhwach's relationship is mutually beneficial, although that doesn't guarantee it will be a long-lived one, so long as the temperamental tyrant is in charge.

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