Tier

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Tier (缇鲁蒂)
Species/Race	Arrancar; formerly an Adjuchas-class Hollow 138
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Hueco Mundo; formerly associated with Las Noches and the Espada 257
Occupation/Role	Duan Mu's Hollow Crest research collaborator and first successful experimental subject 138 139
Status	Active 327
First Appearance	Chapter 136 136

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Adjuchas	Prior to the story 138	Before becoming an Arrancar, Tier had a sparrow-like appearance and strength comparable to a weaker Lieutenant Captain.
Arrancar	Prior to the story 138	Arrancarization raised both her upper and lower limits; in base form, she possessed Spiritual Pressure comparable to a top-tier Lieutenant Captain.
Second Resurrección	139	Duan Mu's newly created Hollow Crest enabled her unprecedented second release; she used it to eliminate the Hollows and Gillian drawn by its Spiritual Particle surge.
Hollow Crest synchronization	265, 277	Her Hollow Crest became active during Duan Mu's recovery, increasing the harmony between her Soul Reaper and Hollow powers. Her Second Resurrección later manifested a markedly stronger, altered form with purple branch-like patterns.

Background / History

Before becoming an Arrancar, Tier was an Adjuchas with a sparrow-like form. Arrancarization gave her a Zanpakutō-like sealed power and elevated her Spiritual Pressure to the level of a top-tier Lieutenant Captain even without release 138.

After an exceptionally powerful Soul Reaper appeared in Hueco Mundo, Tier spent five days searching for him without being able to track his Spiritual Pressure or aura 136. She ultimately aided Duan Mu during his Hollow research, repeatedly capturing Hollows for his experiments despite feeling uneasy about assisting a Soul Reaper. She regarded unintelligent Hollows as tools or prey, but still recognized the implications of her actions 138.

Duan Mu's month of experimentation produced the Hollow Crest, which he tested on Tier. As his first successful subject, she gained the ability to perform a Second Resurrección; the resulting Spiritual Particle outburst alerted nearby Hollows and Las Noches alike 139. Tier later helped Duan Mu conceal the ability and agreed to teach him Hollow-exclusive techniques before his return to the Human World 139.

Tier also secretly sheltered the Picaro after accidentally releasing them during Zanpakutō research. She subdued them with her Second Resurrección, then falsely claimed to have killed them to avoid suspicion within Las Noches 156. Although she returned to the Espada ranks due to Duan Mu's intervention, she continued to keep a low profile to avoid drawing Aizen's attention 255 257.

Appearance

Tier is a female Arrancar with purple wavy hair, teardrop-shaped facial markings, and deep-purple lips 261.

• Base form — Purple wavy hair; teardrop-shaped facial markings; deep-purple lips 261.
• First Resurrección — Manifests feather-like blade wings, antennae, and altered arms; Nnoitra likens the form to a giant moth 261.
• Second Resurrección — Her hair becomes waist-length, her facial marking becomes flame-shaped, and bone armor forms around her legs. She gains wings taller than herself and purple branch-like patterns across her body 277.

Personality

Tier is calculating, ruthless, and willing to use extreme methods to achieve victory or gain strength. She has little inherent camaraderie with other Arrancar and previously captured even her own subordinates for Duan Mu's research 255.

Her restraint around Las Noches stems from caution rather than loyalty: Aizen is the only person she is stated to fear. Even so, she betrayed him without hesitation when it conflicted with her priorities 255 263.

Despite her cruelty toward enemies, Tier is protective of those she accepts as her own. She shelters the Picaro, defends Rukia and Orihime, guides Roga's development, and takes visible pride in Duan Mu's strength 156 258 261 327.

Abilities & Skills

Second Resurrección

Duan Mu's Hollow Crest granted Tier a Second Resurrección, an ability she had believed impossible even for Aizen 139.

• Its activation produces an enormous Spiritual Particle surge capable of attracting nearby Hollows and alerting Las Noches 139.
• Her released state was strong enough to subdue the Picaro and later defeat Nnoitra 156 268.
• Her altered Second Resurrección manifests purple, tree-branch-like patterns and a flame-shaped mask marking 277.
• Although often compared to a hypothetical “third” release, later discussion distinguishes such transformations as root-level evolution rather than a true Third Resurrección 311.

Vibration Manipulation

Tier transmits destructive vibrations through sound waves during her Second Resurrección 278.

• The vibrations affect a target's spiritual body, blood, Spiritual Pressure, and soul 278.
• Covering one's ears does not stop the effect; sound acts as a transmission medium rather than the attack's sole source 278.
• She can disrupt the Picaro's shared Spiritual Pressure communication, preventing them from pooling power and forcing them into obedience 278.
• Her vibration-based force can immobilize targets, sever their bodily coordination, and amplify pain 255.

Hollow Crest Research and Modification

As Duan Mu's first Hollow Crest subject, Tier gained practical knowledge of the crest system and its effects on Arrancar 139 258.

• She can temporarily condense Hollow Crests to perform basic modifications on other Arrancar 258.
• She tailored guidance and modifications for her subordinate Roga based on her own experience 258.
• Her research later progressed far enough to create a Hollow Crest for Nelly 268.
• Her own Crest is uniquely compatible with her because it was originally designed specifically for her 311.

Spiritual Pressure Barriers

Tier can form Spiritual Pressure barriers to protect allies from battlefield effects 265 267.

• She shielded Rukia, Orihime, and Roga while withdrawing from Barragan and Picaro's battle 267.
• Her barrier remained active against falling debris and the spatial disturbance created above the battlefield 267.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Zanpakutō — Her sealed Arrancar power is stored in a Zanpakutō-like weapon, as with other Arrancar 138.
• “Wheel Iron Swallow” — Her release is invoked with the command, “Sever him, Wheel Iron Swallow!” and produces spinning, blade-like Spirit Particle constructs 261.
• Hollow Crest — Duan Mu's experimental crest within her body; it enabled her Second Resurrección and later strengthened the harmony of her Hollow and Soul Reaper aspects 139 265.

Relationships

• Duan Mu — Research partner and creator of the Hollow Crest used on Tier. She trusted him enough to become his first test subject and later took pride in his power 138 139 327.
• Picaro — Secretly sheltered group whom Tier subdued with her Second Resurrección; she continues to protect them 156 265.
• Roga — Subordinate whom Tier personally guides and modifies using temporary Hollow Crests 258 268.
• Orihime Inoue — An ally under Tier's protection in Hueco Mundo; Tier allowed Orihime to continue treating the injured Rukia 261.
• Kuchiki Rukia — Protected by Tier during the conflict with Nnoitra and later during the Picaro–Barragan battle 261 267.
• Nnoitra — Hostile Espada whom Tier confronts and defeats after protecting Rukia, Orihime, and Roga 261 268.
• Aizen — Former superior and the only person Tier is known to fear; she nevertheless acted against him when necessary 255 263.
• Stark — Opponent during Tier's Second Resurrección; her vibration attacks injured and pressured him before Aizen interrupted the battle 278.
• Halibel — Fellow Arrancar with whom Tier later discusses the limits and possibilities of Duan Mu's modifications 311.