It’s been around ten chapters or so in One Piece that we’ve relived the life of Bartholomew Kuma. Now with chapter 1102, those flashbacks come to an end, putting a cap on the life of a warrior constantly fighting for peace. This isn’t just one of the most poignant chapters in One Piece, but one of the best damn character stories ever told in all of manga. So, before the tears start falling, time to get into One Piece chapter 1102 with all it brings.
This article contains massive spoilers for One Piece through chapter 1102. Catch up on Viz or MangaPlus before reading further to avoid spoilers!
What Happens in One Piece Chapter 1102?
This chapter might not just seem like a recap of events up until Marineford from Kuma’s perspective. It’s so much more though, showing the insight into a character that was originally thought an enemy, with everyone now knowing his heroics. We see Kuma’s inner reactions as he finds out about Luffy’s growing bounty, and as he keeps an eye on Bonney while she sails with the Bonney Pirates. There are a lot of really cool nods and background shots of other characters throughout this time too, from Ace to Smoker and Sabo.
Revelations about Kuma’s part in Thriller Bark and Sabaody, first showing that he was testing the crew, are great too. There’s been a long-running understanding that Kuma was really helping the Straw Hats, but until now it wasn’t clear entirely why. Turns out, Kuma witnessed Luffy’s attack on Saint Charlos in Sabaody, and that was the last selling point he needed to see Luffy was the one he was waiting for.
Bonney Sets Sail
Jewelry Bonney sets out from the Sorbet Kingdom with a crew made up of her father’s old parishioners. Her rules for piracy aren’t quite up to what a typical pirate crew tries for, but it works for what they want anyway. Kuma is keeping an eye on her as well and ends up oddly proud of how she’s growing up. Honestly, finding out in hindsight that Bonney was only ten years old at the time of the Sabaody Incident is a wild revelation. She straight up stabs herself to save Zoro from a Celestial Dragon, despite her rules about helping nobody. Pretty badass for a kid.
This also gives a better idea of why Bonney is a member of the Worst Generation. She earns a damn high bounty for herself because of her Devil Fruit abilities, leaving a wake of babies and the elderly wherever she goes. The Marines just don’t realize that they were injured before Bonney used her Fruit, and think that she’s just indiscriminately attacking. Now we know why she has such a stupidly high bounty as a young kid.
Luffy’s Infamy Grows
The last chapter looked at Kuma peeking in at the Goa Kingdom to see how Luffy was training up. This chapter sees Luffy take off to sea, becoming a pirate himself. Meanwhile Kuma hears the occasional story of his feats. The first bounty Luffy gets for taking out Arlong makes waves across the Grand Line, reaching Kuma among others. There’s also an entertaining scene of Ace bragging to Jimbei about his little brother. It’s even funnier now with Jimbei in total shock that Arlong was defeated. No doubt it was that news that played into Jimbei joining the Straw Hat Pirates.
The ripples grow from there, with Kuma hearing news of Luffy’s feats in Arabasta before the Enies Lobby Incident happens. Luffy declares war on the World Government, and Kuma is starting to believe Luffy could be the one. The signs of Nika have been lining up pretty consistently, after all. Kuma even begins to explain everything to Vegapunk, before the scientist takes all his memories.
Hints of Nika
Everything that Luffy does leads Kuma to see the hints of his god Nika in the young Straw Hat Pirate. When he defeats Arlong, that’s just the start. Yhe Enies Lobby declaration is the first real sign that Luffy could be Nika. Kuma is taking note of all this freedom that he’s bringing, all while stretching his rubbery limbs to fight. Even noticing after the Thriller Bark Incident. Kuma is told to bring in the entire crew, but he makes it a point to test them instead. He knows that massive paw of pain and agony Zoro takes could make Kuma himself faint. The man is even more impressed when the Pirate Hunter stands tall through everything. It’s just reinforcing his beliefs about Luffy.
Kuma is on Sabaody when the Worst Generation converges, keeping an eye on Bonney before saying goodbye. Then he hears a huge racket coming from the auction house and witnesses the aftermath of Luffy punching Charlos. This is it, the entire moment that makes Kuma realize Nika could be back to save them all. The sheer audacity of Luffy punching a Celestial Dragon to save a Fishman is everything that Nika stands for. Now that’s where Kuma decides to stake his bet for the future of the Grand Line.
A Revolutionary Bet
Kuma knows immediately that Luffy is the one who could save them all. He also knows that the Straw Hat Pirates are all dead if they stay and fight Kizaru. Even more if they fight him along with Pacifistas. It’s an amazing testament to the storytelling of Eiichiro Oda that the Sabaody Archipelago was the darkest moment in One Piece for quite some time. The only time the Straw Hats were truly defeated was when Kuma separated them all. Little did anyone know at the time that this was actually the turning point.
Kuma knew that they weren’t ready for the New World, and his quick thinking saved them all. Luffy’s moment of defeat, mourning that he couldn’t save his friends, is seen in a different light now. With Kuma’s narration in chapter 1102, we finally have confirmation. He definitely was saving them from something they were nowhere near prepared for. It’s his greatest gift to the Straw Hats and shows that he’s willing to stake everything on their strength. With this in mind, he requests that Vegapunk program him with one last mission after Marineford. Now, he’ll protect the Straw Hats’ home, Thousand Sunny, until they return from training.
Kuma’s Run to Freedom
One Piece has had numerous peaks over the years, but this might be the highest. Seeing Kuma run in the same style as Nika, aging through his stages, is peak. Intercutting that with characters the flashback passing by, is pure freakin’ art. The Buccaneer who sacrifices everything in the name of hope and liberation. Now, running toward that light as he remembers everyone he loves. Seeing Kuma grow through his life while seeing the faces of Ginny and Bonney, is heartbreaking. Whatever future he’s running to, it’s going to be an all-time great scene once it hits the anime.
This man dedicated himself to the pursuit of freedom, focusing on the next generation in particular. Kuma is someone that’s constantly looking forward, seeing that peace is meaningless if it doesn’t set up future generations for prosperity. He’s finally found the answer in that future generation, seeing Luffy press through the worst of timers all in hopes of seeing the world dance to the Drums of Liberation. The chapter finishes out with Kuma telling Vegapunk that he thinks Luffy is the one to do it, as Vegapunk pulls the lever to erase his will. Despite arguing with Saturn to allow him just a little bit of his will, Vegapunk can only program the final mission. He calls Kuma a hero, and Kuma says to give Bonney a message for him- “Happy tenth birthday”. The last panel is Bonney crying, witnessing the memories of her father firsthand from the Paw-Paw Bubble.
Theories
Now that the flashback is over, it’s time to come back to the present on Egghead Island. Kuma is likely about to arrive from his rampage across the Red Line, and that means Saturn is in trouble. After seeing everything in the last few chapters, we’re set up for Saint Jay Garcia Saturn to get the most cathartic beatdown ever. Everyone wants to see the man dead at this point, and it’s going to be such sweet justice if Kuma is the one to bring him down. That leads to the big question of Jewelry Bonney joining the Straw Hat Pirates, but nothing is set in stone yet.
Many are speculating that Kuma will die in his fight with Saturn, but there are theories that he could transfer his conscience into the S-Bear Seraphim. It’s a long shot of course, but maybe there’s hope. If anything, he’ll at least get to see Nika before he’s taken down, and he’ll know that what he went through wasn’t wasted. Nika is alive in Luffy, and Kuma will finally hear the Drums of Liberation first-hand.
One Piece Chapter 1102 ends on one of. the most melancholy yet hopeful notes of the series. The “death” of a great man is always a loss for the world, but Bartholomew Kuma is truly the prophet of Nika when it comes to this story. His form of death, losing all of himself to see that others are safe, is one of the most selfless sacrifices not just in One Piece, but manga as a whole. Kuma’s life will probably end soon, but his legacy is going to live on long beyond chapter 1102.
