Espada (Cataclysm)

The Espada (十刃, (エスパーダ), Esupāda; Spanish for "Sword", Japanese for "Ten Blades") are the top-ranked members of Averian's new army. The membership, and organization, is thus far unknown, though the group itself seems to be made up of thirteen fiercely powerful individuals. The group have their headquarters in Dunamar,, which is protected behind a massive sandstorm-like curtain. Averian's Espada was generally considered to be the successor to Tier Harribel's Espada, whom were all but mysteriously destroyed during the violent events of The Collapse. With only one known survivor, Averian swooped in during the power vacuum and restored order to the land of.

Overview
Averian's Espada where first formed sometime following the violent upheaval caused by the Collapse, though Averian himself began scouting potential candidates when Tier Harribel's Espada still held power. The group where first introduced into the series during Part IV, and served as tertiary antagonists, but are slated to be the primary antagonistic force of the author's Part V storyline. Throughout Part IV their presence was felt in a number of events directly tied to both Kentaro Hiroshi and his alternate world counterpart Kentaro Shiba.

Synopsis

 * Main article -- Bleach (Kenji Hiroshi).

Part IV

 * Main article -- Bleach: Cataclysm.

Testing the Waters arc
Although the Espada as a group went unseen in the immediate aftermath of the Collapse, Kentaro Hiroshi, upon clashing with Averian in Hueco Mundo, came to the conclusion that he would be a problem in the near future, realizing that Averian was merely bidding his time and that he was going to act soon. Kentaro thus resolved to prepare the Six Directions for war, determining to use the reprieve granted by Averian's inaction to defeat the Imawashī, Gotei Remnant and Kikkashō.

Braving the Waves arc
Kentaro, realizing that Ryan Kuchiki has become a mere pawn of Averian's during the successful defence of Nishiendo, notes that Averian is currently a step ahead and that time is running out. He resolves to send Shūhei Hisagi and Sanada Shirono to Hueco Mundo to gather intelligence, whilst he focuses his efforts on maintaining the Spirit Cycle of Souls whilst simultaneously dealing with the Gotei Remnant and Kikkashō.

Hisagi and Sanada scout out the remains of. Whilst they discover the fortress to be surrounded by a sandstorm-like shield the duo discount it as Averian's base of operations, but before they can continue with their mission they are attacked by a mysterious Arrancar with long white hair and a turquoise fringe. Sanada is successful in fleeing the scene alongside Hisagi.

During the course of their investigation the duo discover Averian's base of operations within Dunamar, with both commenting on the protective sandstorm-like curtain that bars entry. Averian then appears before the duo. He states that they are not welcome here. Hisagi engages Averian in battle as Sanada prepares their escape. When Averian is thrown through the sandstorm by Hisagi the two are subjected to thirteen fiercely powerful spiritual pressures, leading Hisagi to scream at Sanada to hurry. The two are saved by the timely intervention of Ashido Kanō, allowing them to escape. As they leave Averian remarks that Kentaro, like his father before him, has amassed capable followers. He then wonders how they will fair against his Espada.

Associated powers
Averian's Espada, unlike those individuals who made up Tier Harribel's group, are unique in the sense that each individual Arrancar (sans one) have been turned into quasi-Battle Dolls. This phenomenon means that each have been greatly strengthened through assimilation of Averian's own spiritual power and memories. Averian has imparted a number of abilities stolen throughout his own long life to his followers, greatly strengthening their existent abilities, whilst offering them a number of benefits associated with Battle Dolls. These include:


 * Enhanced Spiritual Energy: Kenji Hiroshi once described a mere fraction of Averian's overall power -- which is what was commonly instilled within his Battle Dolls -- as being more powerful than a standard Captain-class combatant. Averian's Espada, as quasi-Battle Dolls themselves, have their natural abilities increased many times over by the addition of Averian's power.


 * Associated abilities: Averian has the unique ability to absorb the spiritual power, techniques and memories of anyone he kills, and subsequently use these techniques himself. He can also impart these abilities to others whilst losing access to them himself. Each member of his Espada have been granted a number of abilities that vary between individuals. Jarrett, for example, gained a number of shark-related techniques, as well as the ability to passively absorb ambient reishi in a manner similar to a.


 * Resurrección: Segunda Etapa (刀剣解放第二階層 (レスレクシオン・セグンダ・エターパ), resurekushion segunda etāpa; Spanish for "Resurrection: Second Stage", Japanese for "Sword's Release: Second Level"): the second stage of Resurrección was granted to all of Averian's Espada, which was originally an ability unique to.

Triumvirate

 * Espada #1. Solaris Pendragon.
 * Espada #2: Takeshi Terashima
 * Espada #3. Nora Casagrande

Espada

 * Espada #4. Juan Álvarez.
 * Espada #5. Gregory Beltrané.
 * Espada #6. Hisao Hisashi.
 * Espada #7.
 * Espada #8. Rozhar.
 * Espada #9. Arturo Plateado.
 * Espada #10. Joel Félix.
 * Espada #11.
 * Espada #12. APS
 * Espada #13. Jarrett.

Trivia

 * Takeshi Terashima was the only Arrancar to have been a previous member of the Espada before becoming a member of Averian's Espada.


 * Additionally, Takeshi was the only Espada not modified to be one of Averian's Quasi-Battle Dolls.


 * Hisao Hisashi was the only known Arrancar to had been a previous member of both 's and Tier Harribel's Arrancar Army.


 * Hisao was a former disciple of Takeshi Terashima, having served as his only Fraccion during Takeshi's time as an Espada during the Tier Harribel Era.


 * Arturo Plateado was the only member of Averian's Espada who was already one of the latter's Battle Dolls prior to his joining the group.


 * Arturo was, in fact, one of Averian's earliest creations, and the first of Averian's Battle Dolls to rebel against him.


 * Jarrett fought on the side of Aizen's Espada during the . He clashed with Anika's vanguard's over Kagamino City.

Behind the Scenes

 * Unlike the group from the canon Bleach storyline this version of the Espada can roughly be divided into two separate groups:


 * The first, which could be considered Averian's personal guard, are numbered one through three, and are known unofficially as the Triumvirate (三頭政治, santouseiji).


 * The second, which is the Espada group proper, are numbered four through thirteen, and it is thus this second group that emphasis the so-called "Ten Blades".


 * The author further notes that, with the sole exception being the Triumvirate, there are none of the Espada more powerful than another.