Chapter 233: The World's Greatest Power

Arc: Jaya · Saga: Sky Island · Released: 2002

Summary

At Mock Town, Luffy has flattened the Bellamy Pirates’ captain Bellamy with a single punch and reclaimed the gold the Saruyama Alliance entrusted to him (the 100 / 60 million combined bounty of Luffy and Zoro mocked moments earlier). Luffy retrieves the bag of gold, declares the Straw Hats are going “to the sky,” and rejoins Nami and the others, leaving Sarquiss raging behind him. The scene cuts back a day to a Grand Line island where the Buggy Pirates and Alvida are digging for legendary pirate “Bloody” Captain John’s treasure. Buggy is hunting Luffy to boost his own reputation off the Straw Hats’ rising bounties. Ace crashes their celebration party in search of food and is recognized as “Fire Fist Ace,” the Whitebeard Pirates’ Second Division Commander — Buggy warns his crew never to harass a Whitebeard man, recounting that he once met Whitebeard on the Grand Line long ago. The chapter then cuts to Mariejois, where World Government authorities and finally the Five Elders (Gorosei) discuss alarming developments: “Red-Haired” Shanks has sent out envoys, and any contact between Whitebeard and Shanks would be catastrophic. They resolve to find a new Warlord to replace the deposed Crocodile and note the nuisance of “this Monkey D. Luffy fellow.” Navy High Command announces the arrival of the summoned Warlords at Mariejois — Bartholomew Kuma and Donquixote Doflamingo appear on-page for the first time.

New reveals

• Luffy KO’d Bellamy in a single blow (off-page, aftermath shown p. 3-5) and reclaimed Cricket’s gold; announces the destination is “the sky” (p. 7).
• The Buggy Pirates have formally allied with Alvida (now in her slim Sube-Sube form) and are excavating for “Bloody” Captain John’s legendary treasure on a Grand Line island (p. 8-11).
• Buggy intends to raise his own fame by hunting Luffy as the Straw Hats’ bounties climb (p. 10-11).
• Ace is named on-page as “Fire Fist Ace,” the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates (p. 12), and described as the man closest to the One Piece / aboard the crew of the world’s most powerful pirate (p. 13).
• Whitebeard is described as the only man who ever fought Gold Roger and lived, and who never forgives anyone who kills one of his men (p. 13).
• Buggy met Whitebeard on the Grand Line “a long time ago” (p. 14) — a hook to Buggy’s Roger-Pirates past.
• First appearance of the Five Elders (Gorosei), named on-page as “The Five Elders — Supreme Leaders of the World Government” (p. 17).
• Shanks has sent out envoys; the WG fears a Whitebeard–Shanks contact would be “catastrophic” (p. 15-16). Shanks “could do a lot of damage” but his ambitions are not thought to include world conquest (p. 16).
• The Seven Warlords are summoned to Mariejois to replace Crocodile’s vacated seat; Luffy is flagged as the rookie who toppled Crocodile (p. 18). First on-page appearances of Warlords Bartholomew Kuma and Donquixote Doflamingo (p. 19).

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Mentions / appearances

• Characters: Luffy, Nami, Zoro (bounty referenced), Bellamy (beaten), Sarquiss, Buggy, Alvida, Mohji, Cabaji, Richie, Ace, Whitebeard (named, off-page), Shanks (named, off-page), Crocodile (named), Kuma (first appearance), Doflamingo (first appearance), Roger (named as “Gold Roger”), the Five Elders / Gorosei (first appearance, unnamed individuals)
• Locations: Mock Town (Jaya), the Grand Line island of Captain John’s treasure dig, Mariejois
• Groups: Buggy Pirates, Alvida Pirates, Whitebeard Pirates, Seven Warlords of the Sea, the World Government / Five Elders, Navy High Command
• Referenced: “Bloody” Captain John (legendary deceased pirate, treasure-holder), the One Piece, Gold Roger

Notable panels

• Page 1 (cover): Standalone cover illustration — a large bear/ape-like character in a “follow” T-shirt with a tennis racket, playing/scattering acorns by a riverbank. Decorative one-shot cover (no ongoing cover-serial this chapter).
• Page 7: Iconic close-up of Luffy pointing skyward — “THE SKY.” — full-page declaration of the Skypiea destination.
• Page 11-12: Alvida’s slim “Iron Mace Alvida” reveal pose; Ace crashes the Buggy/Alvida party.
• Page 12-13: Ace named as “Fire Fist Ace,” Whitebeard’s Second Division Commander.
• Page 15: Scene-transition to “Sacred Land Marijoa” splash with the Mariejois skyline.
• Page 16-17: First reveal of the Five Elders in shadow; named caption “The Five Elders — Supreme Leaders of the World Government.” The single collective nameplate is cashed as a per-member roster Ch. 1086 — see Five Elders Named-Roster Reveal Restages The Antagonist Officer-Roster Label-Card Grammar.
• Page 19: Full-page Warlord-arrival splash — first on-page Bartholomew Kuma and Donquixote Doflamingo, flanked by jolly-roger-bearing officials.
• Page 20: SBS column (Question Corner) — amusement-park compatibility test.

Open questions raised

• How does Buggy know Whitebeard personally, and what was his Grand-Line history “a long time ago”? (Roger-Pirates past, not yet stated.)
• Who are the Five Elders individually, and what is the apex authority above the Marines?
• What are Shanks’s “strange movements,” and what envoys did he send?
• Who is “Bloody” Captain John, and where is his treasure? (Buggy is digging the wrong island.)
• Will Kuma and Doflamingo accept the summons, and which one fills Crocodile’s seat?