The first four episodes of Bleach had come to an end.
The most recent episode closed on an unsettling silence, sustained by a single narrative hook: the mysterious death of Sōsuke Aizen, a character portrayed by Alex.
Even so, sleep felt like a distant idea for a large portion of the audience.
Perhaps the only blessing that night was the calendar. It was the middle of summer. Otherwise, classrooms the next morning would have been filled with students sporting dark circles, scattered attention, and absolutely no regret.
Bleach followed a strict release schedule: one episode every two days.
In other words, the next episode would only arrive after three long, agonizing days.
The outcome was predictable.
Social media-especially Alex's and Mark's profiles-burst into spontaneous combustion:
[So Alex decided to quit acting and become a director instead? Created a brand-new character just to kill him off in the same episode?]
[Four episodes, ten plot twists. I haven't seen something this interesting in years.]
[Does anyone know where to buy those clothes? Because that shihakushō with a captain's haori is criminally stylish.]
[@AlexV you narrative criminal! Just tell us who killed Aizen already!]
[It was Gin Ichimaru, obviously. That smile is basically a confession.]
[Not necessarily. In shows like this, the most obvious suspect is usually the most innocent.]
[Then it has to be Hitsugaya. Prodigy genius-always suspicious.]
[Stop it! Gin-chan is way too pretty to be guilty.]
[I'm betting on Yoruichi and Urahara. They help way too much for people who supposedly don't owe anyone anything. Don't they have that "seems perfect at first, turns rotten later" vibe? Like Thawne from The Flash.]
Within hours, Bleach occupied three spots among the trending topics.
And among them all, one stood out by a wide margin:
"Who killed Sōsuke Aizen?"
Curiously, Aizen had appeared for only a single episode.
And yet, it was enough.
Alex's presence, combined with his restrained and precise performance, transformed that calm, polite, almost excessively gentle man into something unforgettable-the kind of character who, in any other story, would have been a pillar of the main cast.
But not here.
Here, in less than one episode, Alex made sure to eliminate his own role-without warning, without mercy, and without giving the audience time to truly grow attached.
A… bold choice.
And an extremely effective one.
Throughout the night, theories multiplied. Every viewer seemed suddenly convinced that they had figured everything out.
Most pointed to Gin Ichimaru.
After all, from the very first moment, that narrow, constant smile felt less like a personality trait and more like a warning.
Still, part of the audience disagreed.
Bleach had barely begun, and it was already abusing expectation reversals. Perhaps because of that, the most obvious culprit was the least likely.
That was when another name began to surface more frequently: Kisuke Urahara.
Always laughing. Always relaxed. Always… a little too much.
Behind his carefree demeanor was something hard to define. A sense that he knew more than he let on-and that he helped the main group not out of kindness, but convenience.
After all, no one does that much for nothing.
- Update this already… - viewers across the country complained, sprawled on their couches, staring at the screen as if it might crack under psychological pressure. - Two days like this is torture.
Among those people was Rebeca Verne, who had turned down a role in Bleach.
And at that moment, she was seriously beginning to question that decision.
It was true that the refusal hadn't come entirely from her-her mother had been quite firm about it. And in a way, Rebeca also believed that her career should move toward cinema, where productions were bigger, more prestigious… more "appropriate."
Still, that didn't stop her from being completely hooked on the series.
Already in bed, lights off, she caught herself thinking about the same question for the tenth time:
Who killed Aizen?
With a quiet sigh, she picked up her phone and stared at Alex's contact.
For a moment, she considered calling.
An official spoiler wouldn't hurt anyone.
…
…
In the end, however, all that uproar had only one real explanation: the script.
Shinigami, Hollows, Quincy, Zanpakutō, the Thirteen Court Guard Squads…
Alex had built a world so cohesive that it didn't feel fictional-just unfamiliar.
- Samantha! Do you realize what's happening? You're about to explode!
At the agency, Samantha Burnes's manager could barely contain her excitement.
The girl, freshly out of elementary school, watched in silence as positive comments piled up and the view count on the platform climbed: ninety million… and rising.
A hundred million wasn't far away.
She swallowed hard.
- Alex… you're incredible - she said, clutching his arm, unable to contain her joy.
It was true that she had acted before, but nothing even came close to this.
Especially when she remembered that another actress from the same generation had tried-and failed-to secure the role of Rukia Kuchiki.
Her agent had personally approached Alex.
Even so, he had chosen Samantha.
That had made her happy… and absurdly pressured.
Now, seeing that her performance had been well received, the relief was almost physical.
Alex gently withdrew his arm, careful to avoid any possible misunderstanding.
With a serene smile-the same calm, faintly indulgent smile Aizen wore-he placed a hand on her head and said naturally:
- This is only the beginning. If it depends on me, you'll reach the top one day.