Bleach: Aizen’s Plans for the Soul Society Were Flawed But Not Wrong
- Aizen is an iconic villain with many misdeeds under his name.
- But his goals stemmed from his wish to change the world.
- Aizen lost because he wanted to lose.
Sosuke Aizen is hands down one of the most iconic villains of Shonen to ever exist for some very good reasons. Not only is he an exceptional genius, but he is also a master manipulator who knows how to get things done at the expense of others.
His immense popularity also stems from the fact that, unlike many, he does not have a tragic backstory. The things that he did were not because society treated him in a bad way but because he believed in his ideas.
However, are his views downright evil, or is there some sense to them? After the secret of Soul Society is revealed in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, the truth seems more inclined toward the opinion that Aizen was not entirely wrong.
Aizen’s true motives stem from good intentions
Describing Aizen as purely villainous is incorrect, as his mindset almost resembles that of a hero who wants to change the world for the better. The only thing that separates them is that a hero does not want to sacrifice a single life for the betterment of many, and Aizen is willing to do that.
Growing up as a genius, he also grew an ego that refused to bow down to anything less than perfect. Hence, after he discovered the tragic fate of the Soul King, it was only natural that he felt a weak and incapable being was ruling over him.
Aizen is conscious of the responsibilities that come with great power. Thus, knowing that the Soul King is nothing but a puppet who cannot save himself and is getting sacrificed every day for the betterment of others, Aizen wanted a change. In the new world, he saw himself as the king because, in his egotistical yet logical mind, anyone else was just not good enough.
We also witness him being disgusted with other soul reapers for staying quiet even after knowing about the Original Sin against the Soul King. He blames Kisuke Urahara in his last battle with Ichigo for having a weak mindset, claiming,
a winner will always think of how the world should be and not just accept it as what it is.
This proves that in his mind, Aizen wanted a world that fit his idea of better. The greed of the royals and the vulnerability of Central 46 also expose the faults that Aizen wanted to correct more explicitly when Yhwach Bach attacked.
A mindless dictator or a lonely soul?
Aizen’s visions were indeed flawed from the very beginning because even though he wanted a change in the world, he wanted to achieve it by sacrificing many. Plus, thinking that he is the only one capable of being the new God points towards his notorious god complex.
He might think he could have been a very good leader, but his authoritarian rule in Hueco Mundo reveals the situation would not have been ideal under his thumb. But, perhaps his twisted personality and vision originate from the isolation he felt as the best.
It was lonely at the top for Aizen, and his desire to meet someone on the same level was clear. When Ichigo fought with Aizen, he claimed
there was nothing but loneliness
in Aizen’s words. It is also possible that Hogyoku did not betray Aizen, and he himself was the one who wanted to lose to Ichigo. He manifested his desire to find someone equal and ultimately lost so he would not be alone anymore.
Aizen saw the flaws in Soul Society but refused to do the same with his mind. This definitely showcases that his approach was absolutely the worst, but his heart might have been in the right place.
Watch all episodes of Bleach on Netflix.
