Chapters · Four Emperors (Yonko) › Wano Country

Chapter 1022: The Stars Take the Stage

Arc: Wano Country · Saga: Four Emperors (Yonko) · Released: 2021-08-29

Summary

With the Tobi Roppo (Black Maria, Page One, Who’s-Who, Ulti, Sasaki) down and Otama’s dumpling strategy having closed the numbers gap, the raid’s many floor-fights press on while Onigashima sails over the Wano mainland — only 15 minutes from the Flower Capital. On the third floor, the Kozuki ninja Raizo clashes with the Oniwabanshu chief Fukurokuju over loyalty: Raizo declares he and the Scabbards fight of their own free will to crown Momonosuke shogun, having laughed, cried, and died with Oden, while Fukurokuju insists shinobi serve “the shogun, whomever he is.” Nearby, Killer vs Hawkins: Hawkins reveals he has pinned his own life to Kid via a straw doll — the only way Killer can kill him is to personally, fatally wound his own captain — and on the second floor Kid abruptly suffers wounds mid-fight with Big Mom (Law also present). On the Performance/Live Floor, a gravely wounded Zoro (“Zolojuro”) is being kept alive by Chopper and Miyagi while Marco, at his stamina limit, and Sanji (“Sangoro”) fend off Beasts Pirates hunting him; Perospero attacks Sanji as “Germa’s biggest failure,” and a sulong Mink (Carrot) strikes Perospero crying “This is for Pedro!!” King descends on Marco, who recognizes him as one of a near-extinct flame-people who lived atop the Red Wall — unsettling King — before bowing out exhausted. Zoro rises, bandages ripping, and he and Sanji launch a tag-team combo (Diable Jambe / Mouton / Mallet + Three-Sword-Style Purgatory Onigiri) into King and Queen, vowing to win and watch Luffy become Pirate King.

New reveals

• King’s heritage described on-page: Marco identifies King as belonging to a near-extinct race of people who lived atop the Red Wall (Red Line) and “could burst into flames” — tales he heard “from long, long ago.” King is visibly rattled that Marco knows. (The race’s name is not given here.)
• Hawkins’ life-link mechanic: Hawkins has tied his own life-force to Kid through a straw doll — to kill Hawkins, Killer must personally inflict the killing wound on Kid. Hawkins has already burned through nearly all his other captive “lives.”
• Perospero is at Onigashima, fighting on the Performance Floor — last seen presumed dead/absent at Whole Cake Island.
• Onigashima is airborne over the Wano mainland and ~15 minutes from the Flower Capital.

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Mentions / appearances

• Characters: Zoro, Sanji, Marco, King, Queen, Raizo, Fukurokuju, Basil Hawkins, Killer, Eustass Kid, Trafalgar Law, Big Mom, Charlotte Perospero, Carrot (Mink), Tony Tony Chopper, Miyagi, Pedro (invoked), Otama (referenced — dumpling strategy), Momonosuke (referenced), Orochi (referenced), Kaido (referenced), and the downed Tobi Roppo Black Maria, Page One, Who’s-Who, Ulti, Sasaki.
• Locations: Onigashima, Skull Dome (Performance/Live Floor, second & third floors), Wano Country (Wano mainland), Flower Capital (target).
• Crews / groups: Animal Kingdom Pirates, Straw Hat Pirates, Orochi Oniwabanshu, Akazaya Nine.
• Devil Fruits: Wara Wara no Mi (Hawkins).
• Lore: New Onigashima Project (island aloft, 15-min countdown).

Notable panels

• Page 1 — Chapter title page. Reader-request illustration: “A frog playing hide-and-seek with the Tontattas in a bunch of hydrangea flowers” by Yofushiyofu (Chopper-centered art). (One-off title-page art, not a cover serial.)
• Page 2 — Recap montage: the Tobi Roppo (Black Maria, Page One, Who’s-Who, Ulti, Sasaki) all X-marked as defeated; Otama’s millet-dumpling strategy credited with closing the 5,400-vs-30,000 gap.
• Page 3 — “Above the Wano Mainland — Onigashima.” The flying island grinds toward the Flower Capital; “Time left until it reaches the Flower Capital… only 15 minutes!!”
• Pages 4-6 — Raizo vs Fukurokuju (third floor): Ninpo Clone Jutsu / Earlobe Crackers; Raizo’s free-will-and-emotion creed vs Fukurokuju’s “serve the shogun, whomever he is.”
• Pages 7-9 — Killer vs Hawkins; the straw-doll-linked-to-Kid reveal (“the only way you can finish me off… is by personally killing your own captain!!”).
• Pages 14-15 — Marco vs King; the Red-Wall flame-race reveal.
• Pages 16-17 — Zoro rises (“It’s time for the stars to take the stage!!”); Zoro + Sanji tag-team combo lands on King and Queen.

Open questions raised

• What is the name and history of King’s near-extinct flame-people of the Red Wall — and why does King conceal himself?
• Can the Kid Pirates break Hawkins’ life-link without killing Kid?
• Will Big Mom realize the source of the sudden stab wounds, and how does the Kid/Law fight resolve?
• Can the raid stop Onigashima before it reaches the Flower Capital with only 15 minutes left?