It’s Official: Kuma is a Saint

One Piece Chapter 1099 Review/Recap

At this point in One Piece, anyone has not suffered as much or given as much as Bartholomew Kuma. The Celestial Dragons took his parents, his freedom, and his best friend and love, Ginny. To add salt to the wounds, Ginny’s daughter, Bonney, got the same disease that killed her mother. To find the cure for his adoptive daughter, Kuma looked all over the world for someone to cure her, leading him to Vegapunk. What happens results in the birth of something meant to help people until the World Government turns them into weapons. The origins of the Pacifista revealed at last!

Recap

Years after being overthrown by the revolutionaries, King Bekori returned to the Sorbet Kingdom, worse than ever. Inspired by what Goa Kingdom did to Gray Terminal, the former King decided to burn the southern half of the kingdom to the ground. 

Beyond livid at this, Kuma storms the castle and single-handedly overthrows the government. Thus, Kuma became the new king at the people’s urging, though he kept living in the church. The king before Bekori, Bulldog, ruled on his behalf. 

It was also around this time that Bonney ate her Devil Fruit that let her change her age, to everyone’s surprise. 

This new status was cut short, though. Thanks to the World Government’s backing, Bekori got another fleet to retake Sorbet Kingdom. Worse, they spread lies about Kuma to the world, calling him a tyrant. Reluctantly, Kuma left Sorbet and Bonney in Bulldog’s hands as he dealt with Bekori for good.

Meeting Vegapunk

Kuma traveled worldwide looking for a cure for Bonney’s disease, to no avail. Eventually, though, he reunites with Dragon and the Revolutionaries, who give him a lead. Dr. Vegapunk is soon moving labs from Punk Hazard to Egghead Island, giving Kuma a chance to meet with the genius. Kuma leaps at the opportunity, and to his joy, Vegapunk can cure her using a stem cell transplant. However, he’s also shocked to learn Kuma’s a Buccaneer and makes him an offer. If Kuma gives him his blood to use as a basis for an army of clones to protect the people, he’ll cure Bonney for free. Kuma agrees, calling himself a pacifist who loves keeping the peace. That inspired Vegapunk to name his creations the Pacifista. 

However, Jaygarcia Saturn was eavesdropping on their conversation, and he had other plans for the Pacifista.

Review

I don’t care what Kuma says. At this point, if he were a real person, I would petition to have him canonized as a saint. His actions in this chapter prove why he deserves such a title.

Firstly, there’s the fact that he single-handedly stopped Bekori from retaking Sorbet Kingdom not once, but twice. I am confused why Dragon and Ivankov let him live the first time, though. Given the crimes he committed, one would think that Dragon would think it best to have him killed, or at least locked up where he couldn’t hurt anyone else. However, Kuma seemed to learn that lesson by the third time, as while we don’t see if he survived the attack on his fleet, I’m hoping he didn’t. Someone who treats their people badly doesn’t deserve to be king of anything.

In contrast, we have Kuma, everything you’d want from a king. He’s kind, modest, humble, and thinks about others before himself. He’d be hailed as a hero in a more just world while Bekori would get locked up. In addition to him fighting for his people so they wouldn’t have to, this chapter puts a fresh perspective on why he sent the Straw Hats to where he did. He visited all the places he’d send them to after the events at Sabaody, so he knew they’d be safe there and able to get stronger. The man didn’t stop finding ways to defy the World Government, and I doubt he’s done yet.

The World Government Ruined the Pacifista’s

This chapter also explained why a man affiliated with Dragon let his likeness be used for the Pacifistas. He and Vegapunk genuinely wanted them to be use to protect people, which is something I’m behind. Not every pirate is as nice as the Straw Hats are, so having a shield to protect them is reasonable. It’s a testament to how corrupt they are that the Celestial Dragons ruined this.

Lastly, and most importantly, this chapter revealed how Bonney’s still alive today. Whereas Law eating his Devil Fruit saved his life, Bonney eating hers failed to do so. However, I think the reveal that Vegapunk will use stem cell research to save Bonney is just as cool a solution. It’s a not-so-subtle nod to how real-life science can save lives in the right hands. At the same time, it also sets us up for Kuma’s eventual transformation into a cyborg. 

The World Government Turned the Pacifista’s into a Weapon

Many fans already speculated that the World Government would hold Bonney hostage to use as leverage over her father. While this chapter doesn’t confirm it yet, the fact that Saturn overheard everything implies that this is what eventually happened. I only hope we manage to see it in the upcoming 1100th chapter.

These flashbacks, and the Egghead Island arc as a whole, have turned Kuma into one of my favorite characters outside of the Straw Hats. Despite knowing his ultimate fate, I still hope we see Kuma kick Saturn’s butt before we say goodbye to Egghead. That monster deserves a butt-whooping!

I Give “Pacifist” a 4.5/5

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