1) Hyorinmaru didn't exactly beat Jakka. The ice just bought some time for Ichigo to escape the flame prison. This is also likely the move Yamamoto pulled on Aizen and co. initially, so it's not like it's without precedent.
2) The less clothes Yoruichi runs around in, the better.
3) Orihime's behavior didn't catch me be surprise. Reference to arrancar puts some possible timing on this arc, and it may even be a bit of an easter egg for future manga development. People have been expecting Grimmy to go Vegeta, after all.
4) Muramasa's wielder being sealed away offers a bit of explanation on his bouts of weakness if we're to at all take the link between a shinigami and their zanpakuto seriously.
5) Downside of this episode is next week means we get to suffer through Chad and Uuryu getting beat up until Ichigo shows up just in time for Muramasa to free his wielder, everyone getting pwned, and then Byakuya saving things at the last moment.