One Piece is no stranger to flashbacks. The series has made it an art to give all types of characters, including incredibly ridiculous ones, some of the saddest anime backstories of all time. Author Eiichiro Oda finds the emotional core of most of his characters, constructing these beautiful flashbacks that help elevate the story. Only Oda could discover the inherent pathos of a villain that looks as silly as Senor Pink. Episode 1128 of the One Piece anime has begun setting up one of the series’ most popular yet tragic flashbacks. Manga readers already know what to expect with the flashback, but anime-only watchers should expect some major revelations with one former Warlord of the Sea.
Bartholomew Kuma has always been one of the less popular recurring characters. While he was one of the original Seven Warlords who drew fear across the oceans, his enigmatic personality has never endeared him to fans the same way as other warlords like Crocodile or Doflamingo. His emotionless personality made him a difficult character for fans to read, especially since he would act as a friend and foe to the Straw Hat Pirates at different points in the story. However, Kuma’s flashback completely recontextualizes Kuma’s role in the story and develops him into a tragic figure.
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Who is Bartholomew Kuma from One Piece?
Bartholomew Kuma was one of the earliest Warlords to be introduced in One Piece, first appearing alongside Donquixote Doflamingo in Chapter 233. The Warlords were seven pirates who worked for the World Government by eliminating other pirates. They were typically feared by lesser pirates and served as the main antagonists for several sagas. From the beginning, Kuma was portrayed as unexpressive and loyal to the World Government. He wouldn’t show his true power until the end of the Thriller Bark arc when he confronts the Straw Hat Pirates and stragglers. His Paw-Paw Fruit powers allow him to push or repel things from his palms. He’s even able to compress air with his powers to create air pockets for impact attacks.
He can also make a miniature bomb by constantly repelling his two palms together, creating a large air pocket that eventually shrinks to a small explosion. He’s even able to repel a person’s pain and injuries from their body into a giant balloon. He easily took care of the tired Straw Hats, who were barely recovering from a fight with another Warlord, Gecko Moria. He spared everyone, including Luffy, when Zorro chose to take in all of Luffy’s pain.
From there, Kuma became an enigmatic figure in the One Piece world, with his motivations seeming like contradictions to one another. He initially appeared deeply loyal to the World Government, yet he used to work for the Revolutionary Army, with whom he still keeps in contact. Kuma is also considered a pirate, but he was a “Tyrant” king of the Sorbet Kingdom. He has helped the Straw Hat Pirates on multiple occasions, including guarding their ship during their two-year training. He’s a full Pacifista cyborg and doesn’t appear to have much motivation, yet his daughter, Jewelry Bonney, talks fondly about him. He’s a character with multitudes, and his flashback will bring to light all his seemingly contradictory.
Kuma’s Flashback Will Be One of the Most Personal
Oda often one-ups himself when constructing new backstories, yet his work on Kuma’s flashbacks seems the most personal. Oda is the father of two daughters, an aspect of his personal life that seems reflected in Kuma. Even though it’s unknown how inner-reflective Oda was when coming up with Kuma’s backstory, there is something deeply personal about how the author chose to represent Kuma’s and Bonney’s relationship. Their relationship feels like it comes from a sincere place, something Oda has had personal experience with.
Kuma has never been one of the most popular One Piece characters. Kuma barely cracked the top 100 in the last character poll, only getting to 98. His flashback puts him in a new light and will likely make him a fan favorite. Anime-only watchers should be excited to view the high point of the Egghead Island Arc.
The post What to Know for One Piece’s Next Big Flashback Arc appeared first on ComicBook.com.
