Bleach: Is BG9 a Robot or a Human? How Did He Become a Sternritter?
Due to Kubo not having enough time to complete the Bleach manga like he wanted, most of the Sternritter never really got their moment in the spotlight, which is a bit sad because some of them had a lot of potential for a good story. BG9 is definitely one of them, and in this article, we will talk about one of the most enigmatic Sternritter in the whole series, as you will find out what exactly he is and how he became a Sternritter in the first place.
The true nature of BG9 has never been revealed, although he is certainly not human. He could be anything from a robot or an android to a cyborg, but Kubo has never cleared this up. In the series, Soi Fon called him a cyborg, and he did not object, and it was later made clear that he is a machine, especially since his “blood” was actually shown to be black (which probably means that it was simply oil). His origins are, sadly, also unknown, so it is not known how and why Yhwach would actually use a machine as his underling, but BG9 was nevertheless quite powerful.
The rest of this article is going to discuss BG9 and his role in Bleach. BG9 is a very intriguing character, and even among the Sternritter (some of which were quite peculiar), he definitely stands out. We are going to present his story here and tell you his true nature, as well as everything that is known about his origins and his story from the anime and the manga. This article is going to be filled with various spoilers and theories, so if you’re not fully up-to-date with what is going on in Bleach, you should be careful how you approach the article.
BG9 is definitely not human, but his true nature is still a mystery
BG9 is a peculiar Sternritter. He is the only one who does not have a proper name but a simple alphanumeric designation. He is also the only Sternritter who was always hidden behind an armor, and the only one, aside from Pernida (and the true form of Gremmy), who did not have a fully human(oid) appearance; but, unlike Pernida, which was a hand, BG9 looked like an empty suit of armor.
In addition to the usual Sternritter uniform, which hides his non-human appearance, BG9 seemingly wears a helmet resembling a knight’s. Below his cloak, you can see that he is wearing heavy armor with several cannons underneath. But, upon closer inspection, you see that it seems to be built like that, i.e., that his armor is one composite unit, which suggests that the armor is actually his body and not just a piece of attire.
Personality-wise, BG9 is rather silent. When he speaks, however, he is extremely analytical and serious. Throughout the series, he can hardly show any feelings and thus always appears cold, jaded, and conscious of logic. However, he is also quite cruel, holding Marechiyo Ōmaeda’s little sister hostage, seriously wounding her, and threatening to kill the rest of his family if he doesn’t answer his question about Soi Fon.
As you can see, the true nature of BG9 is quite an enigma. It is clear, though, that he is not human, as his appearance and personality indicate that he could not be a human. This was first confirmed when he showed only one glowing eye behind his mask, but there is other evidence as well.
The structure of his suit and the fact that he can alter it to create weapons and other shapes also point to him not being human. On top of that, when Soi Fon’s attack shattered his armor, it was revealed that there was absolutely nothing underneath it, pointing to the conclusion that the armor was BG9’s body. On top of that, when Jugram executed him in the anime, a dark, thick liquid came out of him instead of blood, suggesting that it was actually oil, i.e., that he was a machine. He also talks like one.
So, this confirms – more or less – that he is not human, but what is he then? Based on what we know, he could be either a cyborg, a robot, or an android. To help you understand, we are first going to define the three terms:
- “A robot is a machine—especially one programmable by a computer—capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically.” (Source)
- “An android is a humanoid robot or other artificial being often made from a flesh-like material.” (Source)
- “A cyborg —a portmanteau of cybernetic and organism—is a being with both organic and biomechatronic body parts.” (Source)
So, as you can see, all three definitions fit BG9 in some way, but let us analyze the arguments.
Calling BG9 a robot would make sense, as he seems to be completely mechanical and runs on oil. He could’ve been built using some Quincy equipment and then programmed to be a Sternritter. He is quite analytical, and his mind seems to function like a computer, which actually suggests that he could be a robot. On the other hand, he seems to be quite conscious and has a will of his own, which is an argument against the theory that he is a robot.
As far as the android theory is concerned, we have to say that it makes sense from the perspective of part of his armor being flesh-like and from the fact that he does actually behave like a human being, so it could be that he was, in a former life, a human Quincy transformed into an android at one point, using some advanced Quincy technology. On the other hand, save for his behavior and body parts, there is nothing human or humanoid about BG9, which is a strong argument against the theory that he could be an android.
The cyborg theory makes sense from the perspective of BG9 looking like an animate piece of armor with a human will. This theory makes the most sense and would be wrong only if BG9 was a human before, but that is something we don’t know. It makes more sense that he is simply an animated armor given some human traits (will, ability to speak and think like a human), and we honestly think that this description fits him best. Kubo hasn’t confirmed this anywhere, but in the series, Soi Fon does call him a cyborg, and he has no objection to that remark, which points to him being a cyborg more than anything else.
His story is known, but his backstory is a complete mystery to everyone
In the story, we know what happened to BG9, but what is his backstory? Does he have one? Sadly, no. Kubo never had the time to work on the final arc as much as he did, and BG9 is one of the many Sternritter without a backstory (some have received one, even if only a short one), so it is not actually known how he became a Sternritter, but the answer to that question would probably solve the dilemma about his true nature as well.