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- "Her ability allows her to choose a target, and subsequently limit, reject, and deny that it ever happened. No matter what event happens, she can return the target to a previous state. And that, is the "time reversal" or "spatial reversal" I referred to earlier. She can easily supersede any event God has designated to occur on the ground level. This power violates the realm of God."
- —Sōsuke Aizen revealing Orihime Inoue as an Aberration of Fate
The former Soul King: the Aberration of Fate within the highest class.
An Aberration of Fate (神地への侵入者 , Shinji e no Shin'nyū-sha, lit; Intruder into Divine Territory) is a special term used to refer to something which does not conform to the laws of reality which govern the world. The Three Great Realms (三大世界, Sandai Seikai, lit; Three Great Worlds) — the Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, and the Present World — all operate within similar boundaries, and these rules cannot be broken by ordinary beings. Mundane Humans and Shinigami, as well as any class of Hollow all conform to the bindings of fate.
An Aberration of Fate, however, is someone with the "power to rewrite fate". The entities are individuals with the power to trample over the rules that bind the Three Great Realms, bending it to their will in various ways; some minor, some utterly fantastical. Aberrations of Fate are considered those who have the power to shape the world, and can change the world for better or worse depending on their intentions. The most notorious examples of an Aberration of Fate are creatures who are tied in some way to the former Soul King — who himself is an Aberration — and can manipulate aspects of the world. On a lesser scale is Fullbring, which is considered to be what humans would call "reality warping"; these unique Humans are also Aberrations of Fate, able to manipulate the physical and spiritual worlds with their powers.
A commonality among all Aberrations is their ability to 'shape the world'.
Aberration Classifications[]
Aberrations of Fate can be broadly cast into two categories; Aspects of the Soul King, and Humans who possess the ability of Fullbring. Aura Michibane is the only entity to meld both categories together, being the "chain" of the Soul King who uses Fullbring. With her as the primary exception, no other Aberration strays from these two classifications. The former Soul King himself is second exception; as the apparent origin of these entities, the Soul King is in a separate class, and the Shinigami of ancient history long since bound this entity's power.
Aspects of the Soul King[]
- "It is said that Pernida-san's true identity is the Soul King's 'Left Hand', while Gerard-san is the Soul King's 'Heart'. I don't even know how the rumours began about them being the Soul King's anything, especially with them being Quincies and all...but one look at that absurd power they wield, and it's no wonder those mysterious rumours and theories began to take hold."
- —Askin Nakk Le Vaar explains the concept of the Aspects to Ichigo.
The current Soul King, Yhwach, the son of the former Soul King.
The strongest known Aberration of Fate is the progenitor of the Quincy, known as Yhwach. Being the son of the Soul King, he is an Aberration of the same class as his father, and his entire set of abilities are fall under this class. Yhwach is able to manipulate his soul, bestowing portions of it onto other beings and giving them unique abilities, or healing some defect. Furthermore, his strongest strength, known as The Almighty (全知全能 (ジ・オールマイティ), Ji Ōrumaiti, lit; All-Knowing"), allows Yhwach to perceive all possible futures, and them to an outcome he finds favourable. This is an ability he shares with his father, the Soul King.
Gerard Valkyrie, Pernida Parnkgjas, Mimihagi, and Aura Michibane are Aberrations of Fate that represent parts of the Soul King. They are the heart, left hand, right hand, and "chain" of the Soul King respectively, and abilities are afforded to them that surpasses those of normal spiritual beings. Gerard's The Miracle (奇跡 (ザ・ミラクル), Za Mirakuru, lit; Miracle) is an ability he possessed due to his connection with the Soul King, giving him the ability to manifest "miracles" upon himself by giving form to the thoughts, feelings, and desires of himself and those around him. Pernida was a being who governed evolution, while Mimihagi governed stagnation. Aura Michibane is unique among the Aberrations, as she is the "chain" of the Soul King, as well as a second-generation Fullbringer, bringing her ability to use Fullbring to a near god-like level.
While it is unknown if Gerard, Pernida, or Aura meet the qualifications, both Yhwach and Mimihagi were temporarily or permanently able to become the Soul King. In the case of Mimihagi, he was able to connect with his former body, and using his powers of stagnation, stabilise the world in the aftermath of the former Soul King's death. Yhwach, on the other hand, absorbed his father's body and powers, completely removing the limits the Shinigami placed on him and becoming the new Soul King. When Ichigo — himself an Aberration — killed Yhwach, the Royal Guard has since used Yhwach's corpse as the new Soul King. The method in which he was sealed are never described, as Yhwach is only ever referred to as 'the thing' from this point, but the process is horrifying enough that Tier Harribel began to sympathise with Sōsuke Aizen.
Fullbring[]
- "It can be said that this ability partially warps the root of the 'way of the world', rather than an 'exaggerated legend'. It was as if they could challenge the very system of the world that was decided by others."
- —Kisuke Urahara describes Fullbring
Kūgo Ginjō, a Fullbringer.
All Fullbringers are Aberrations of Fate. The skill of Fullbring is what humans consider the ability to 'warp reality', and this is by no means an exaggeration of the description. By manipulating the souls of inanimate objects, a Human exerts their will over something which exists in the world, and changes its composition or properties to suit their desires. At their height, a Fullbringer develops unique abilities by forming an attachment to an object, pulling on that soul and transforming it completely. Orihime Inoue, whose Shun Shun Rikka (盾舜六花, Six Flowers of the Hibiscus Shield) is considered within the same class as Fullbring by Kisuke Urahara, is the strongest known example of this. Sōsuke Aizen identifies her unique abilities as trespassing into the territory of the gods, labeling her as an Aberration of Fate. With the Sōten Kisshun (双天帰盾, Twin Sacred Return Shield) subset of her abilities, Orihime is able to reject phenomena, restoring anything within the confines of her barrier to a previous state. While she does possess multiple limitations — willpower and time between damage and restoration being two of them — her abilities are in a class above "normal" Fullbring.
Tsukushima's Book of the End (ブック · オブ · ジ · エンド, Bukku obu ji Endo) is a Fullbring in a class nearly similar to Orihime's. His power is the ability to insert his presence into the past of other entities. This is not mere mind manipulation. Tsukishima once compared it to time travel and for all intents and purposes, Book of the End allows him to change the past. Once a target is stabbed with his sword, Tsukushima creates another timeline, where Tsukushima's manipulations had come to past. This, rather dangerously, makes it a limited, reversed version of Yhwach's The Almighty.
Similar Cases[]
Main article: Transcendent
Sōsuke Aizen, a Transcendent.
While not Aberrations of Fate in the technical definition of the term, there have been similar entities within the recent history of the Three Great Realms' existence. The most notable, however, is the man known as Sōsuke Aizen. Aizen displays unnatural talent for the four basic forms of Shinigami combat — Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō. Furthermore, he is implied to not be a natural existence, having been referred to as an "envoy sent to fulfill the sublime purpose", though the meaning behind this vague wording remains unclear, but is implied to be the reason he was chosen by the Hōgyoku (崩玉, Crumbling Orb) for his evolution. Aizen remains the only person, alongside Ichigo Kurosaki — himself an Aberration of Fate — to have become Transcendent (超越者, Chōetsu-sha; literally "Transcendental Being"). His final evolution was the form of a God, completely unrelated from Shinigami and Hollows. This form is implied to be similar to entities from the Original Realm (実勢の世界, Jissei no Sekai; literally meaning "True World") that existed prior to the creation of the Three Great Realms.
Kazui Kurosaki is the only known case of two Aberrations conceiving a child. As such, his abilities are currently and largely unknown. However, he has shown the ability to generate a Shinigami-like form over a physical body, a feat that is impossible for even the most experienced Shinigami wielding their powers within a gigai. Furthermore, it is uknown if his abilities are Fullbring, like his parents, or how similar he will be to Aura Michibane, a fellow second-generation Fullbringer. Overall, Kazui is a being with immense future potential.
Trivia[]
- The vast majority of individuals classified as an Aberration of Fate have been a Quincy or a Human — and these two often overlap. Furthermore, each Quincy Aberration — Yhwach, Gerard, and Pernida — have been related to the Soul King in some manner, hinting at a connection between the Soul King and this phenomenon. Other examples, such as Fullbringers, are exclusively Human, and the two examples with Shinigami powers, such as Ichigo Kurosaki and Kūgo Ginjō, are Quincy, and thus related to the Soul King through Yhwach.
- Aura Michibane and the Mimihagi are the only Aberrations directly related to the Soul King that have not been shown to be Quincy; they are the Soul King's "chain" and right hand respectively.