So, Ichigo needed to use the mask to beat this random underling enemy. Or actually he didn't even beat him, he just needed to use the mask not to lose before the dude got eaten by his own sword. Whatever hope I once had for this filler arc is fast evaporating.

At least the new captain story line joined this one finally. Maybe something will still come out of it. It's just too sad to watch how pitiful Ichigo has been made in this filler. He has had his low moments in the canon material as well but too much is too much; we aren't talking about arrancars here but some dudes who aren't even shinigami.