Was the Soul King a god,a prisoner or a sacrifice?

The more we learn about the Soul King, the more disturbing the foundation of the Bleach universe becomes.

He was central to maintaining the worlds, but his body was divided and his existence was treated as a means of preserving the current order.

How do you interpret the Soul King's role?

Was he an active divine figure, a victim of the original world's rulers, or something more complicated?

And do you think the story should have explored his own perspective more deeply?