Bleach/Rukia's Nightmare

Rukia's Nightmare
Season 3, Episode 8
Airdate	September 13, 2005
Production Number	49
Written by	Genki Yoshimura Masahiro Okubo Masashi Sogo Michiko Yokote Natsuko Takahashi Rika Nakase
Directed by	Noriyuki Abe
← 3x07 Hitsugaya, Roar!	3x09 → The Awakening Lion
Bleach — Season Three

Rukia's Nightmare is the eighth episode of the third season of Bleach and the forty-ninth episode overall. Rukia recalls Kaien Shiba's death and her involvement in it, a moment which she considers to be the penance she's paying in her execution.

Co-Stars: Dan Woren (Byakuya Kuchiki), Cindy Robinson (Isane Kotetsu), Michael Lindsay (Sentarou Kotsubaki), Liam O'Brien (Jushiro Ukitake)

Plot Overview

When she was first starting out as a member of the 13 court guard squads, Rukia was despised by many because of the perception that she lucked into her position thanks to being adopted into a noble family. She resents being treated differently, but the lieutenant of her squad, Kaien Shiba, treats her as just a regular person. Despite finally finding someone who treats her with a more familiar tone, Byakuya still treats her poorly because she didn't get assigned to a ranked seat immediately following squad entrance.

Despite the coldness she receives from her adoptive family, Rukia finds some comfort in her squad, which includes Isane Kotetsu, Sentarou Kotsubaki and Kaien's wife Miyako. One day Miyako is sent on a reconnaissance mission to scout out an unknown hollow, but the entire group is killed (with the exception of Miyako, who is comatose). She awakens later and kills several members of the squad, without explanation. Kaien stops her from killing Rukia and several other members, but she bounds away to kill others. Kaien realizes that the hollow from before has possessed her and he's the one who must stop her before she kills again. Accompanying him are his captain and Rukia, but they are asked to allow him to fight the hollow on his own. They reluctantly agree, seeing as how the hollow killed his wife, and remain behind to protect his pride. But, the battle doesn't go well for Kaien. His zanpakutō is shattered as a side-effect of him touching the hollow and, after some time in battle, he too is possessed by the hollow.

The creature attempts to force him to kill Rukia and his captain, but Jushiro stops him before he can kill Rukia. Captain Jushiro tries to figure a way to separate Kaien from the hollow, but eventually comes to grips with the realization that he must kill Kaien's body to destroy the hollow. Before he can strike the killing blow, Jushiro's disease overcomes him and the hollow chases towards Rukia. Briefly, Kaien regains control of his body and impales himself on Rukia's sword. Looking back on this moment, Rukia decides that she isn't worth saving and perhaps deserves execution.