Bleach/Tragedy of Dawn

Tragedy of Dawn
Season 2, Episode 14
Airdate	June 1, 2005
Production Number	34
Written by	Genki Yoshimura Masahiro Okubo Masashi Sogo Michiko Yokote Natsuko Takahashi Rika Nakase
Directed by	Noriyuki Abe
ADR Writer(s)	Mark Ryan
ADR Director(s)	Kirk Thornton Wendee Lee
← 2x13 Miracle! The Mysterious New Hero	2x15 → Assassination of Aizen! The Darkness Which Approaches
Bleach — Season Two

Tragedy of Dawn is the fourteenth episode of the second season of Bleach and the thirty-fourth episode overall. Ichigo and Renji heal from their battles, leaving the soul society in state of chaos that can only be quelled by the general allowing for wartime conditions.

Co-Stars: Wally Wingert (Renji Abarai), Kyle Hebert (Ganju Shiba), Spike Spencer (Hanataro Yamada), Grant George (Izuru Kira), Colleen O'Shaughnessey (Momo Hinamori), Dan Woren (Byakuya Kuchiki), Doug Erholtz (Gin Ichimaru), Lisa Edelstein (Susan Morrison), Steve Staley (Toshiro Hitsugaya), Kyle Hebert (Sosuke Aizen), Michael Sorich (Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai), J.B. Blanc (Kaname Tosen), David Lodge (Kenpachi Zaraki), Terrence Stone (Mayuri Kurotsuchi)

Plot Overview

Both Ichigo and Renji have collapsed from the wounds they've received in battle. When a squad of soul reapers starts to close on their position, Ganju and Hanataro escape back into the sewers with Ichigo's body and sword. The unit discovers Renji's body and gives up search momentarily to take care of his injuries and send for a stretcher. Hanataro, as a member of the fourth division (a non-combat group), can use his spirit energy to heal his wounds. He needs a night to work his magic to heal Ichigo, however.

Renji has been transported back to the barracks where Momo and Izuru are watching over him and are concerned about whether or not he'll recover. His captain, on the other hand, tells them that the sight of him defeated yet alive offends him and that he belongs in prison, not a hospital room. Gin Ichimaru appears shortly after Captain Kuchiki leaves and tells Momo that he'll call Squad 4 and heal Renji in his jail cell. He takes Izuru and leaves, allowing Toshiro to sneak in behind her. He came to warn her against dealing with Squad 3, particularly Ichimaru. Toshiro overheard Ichimaru's exchange with Aizen, who believes that something is wrong.

The captains are all asked to meet with the general, who tells them that because of Renji's injuries, he's sanctioning all senior officers to use their swords at full wartime power in all areas against the intruders. He also decides against punishing Ichimaru for his earlier indiscretions. Also decided was that Renji shouldn't be discharged, even though Byakuya was angry with him.

Ichigo wakes up while healing and tries to leave to find Chad and the others, but Ganju knocks him out before he can go an open up his wounds any further. Hanataro considers Ichigo's wounds and wonders if the hollow-like mask he found absorbed some of the impact of Renji's sword. He wakes up a little later and is told that he should rest a little longer to let his wounds heal.

Later on, Renji's wrists are shackled, but the squad four member is still trying to heal him as best he can. Momo flashes back to their days in the academy when she was training with Renji and Izuru. She recalls him stopping his sparring with Izuru to talk to Rukia. Her daydreaming is stopped so that she can receive the same wartime orders that the Captains were given earlier. She questions the wisdom of these orders and decides to ask Captain Aizen about both the orders and Ichimaru. She stays with him for a while, but falls asleep in his room. While she's out, Aizen gets up and leaves his room at dawn.

Momo awakens at 10:00, she races to the meeting room to get there on time, but while running, she discovers Captain Aizen murdered—impaled on his own blade near the top of a building.

Trivia

The Show

• Closing Credits: The closing credits animation of this episode features Sōsuke Aizen, the now deceased captain of Squad 5, and his lieutenant Momo Hinamori.