Chapters · Summit War › Marineford

Chapter 559: Destiny

Arc: Marineford · Saga: Summit War · Released: 2009-08-24

Summary

As the Marineford war erupts, the bound Ace resolves to accept his fate (“I’m sorry, everyone. I won’t fight it anymore.”) while Luffy and the Impel-Down breakout charge to save him. Whitebeard recognizes Buggy as the red-nosed kid from Roger’s old crew and effortlessly manipulates him into “allying,” neutralizing the dangerous escapees, then springs his own counter-trap: seeing through Sengoku’s bait, he splits the New World allied fleet to crush the Marine warships from both sides. On the battlefield, Jinbe (now openly against the Navy) brawls with fellow Warlord Gecko Moria, who tries and fails to steal his shadow; Luffy clashes with Smoker, whose sea-prism jitte saps his strength and who realizes Luffy is Dragon’s son; Boa Hancock blasts Smoker off Luffy in a jealous fury; and Luffy charges the silent, obedient Bartholomew Kuma — just as a Marine-side voice tells Ivankov the real Kuma is “already dead.” The cover opens Zolo’s solo cover-serial “Where Are They? What a Pain,” Vol. 1.

New reveals

• Buggy = Roger-crew alumnus, on-page from a third party. Whitebeard takes one look at Buggy and calls him “that kid from Roger’s crew,” corroborating Buggy’s pre-East-Blue past (p. 5).
• Whitebeard manipulates the escapees. Internally judging Buggy “so easy to manipulate” and his powerful followers “a nuisance if they attacked us now,” Whitebeard flatters Buggy into joining him — turning a wildcard into an asset (pp. 6-7).
• Whitebeard’s counter-trap. He didn’t take Sengoku’s bait; the allied New World captains split port/starboard and attack the Marine fleet in a pincer. Sengoku: “He didn’t take the bait. I suppose my ruse was a bit clumsy” (pp. 8-9).
• Jinbe vs Moria. Two Warlords fight on opposite sides — Jinbe defends with Fish-Man Karate (Shark Brick, Shark-Skin Palm Thrust, Fist) while Moria tries to steal his shadow (pp. 10-11).
• Smoker connects Luffy to Dragon. Sea-prism jitte weakening Luffy, Smoker recalls “Dragon saved you back in Rogue Town, Straw Hat… Now I know why” (p. 14).
• Hancock protects Luffy openly. The Pirate Empress strikes Smoker off Luffy (“How dare you try to capture the man I love!!”); the Kuja Haki is named (p. 15).
• “The real Kuma is already dead.” A grinning Marine-side figure tells Ivankov that the real “Tyrant” Bartholomew Kuma is “already dead” (pp. 16-17).
• Squard is missing. A Whitebeard pirate reports Captain Squard vanished from the bayside; Whitebeard cannot raise him by Den Den Mushi (p. 7).

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

(No full payoffs land this chapter; the seeds above are corroborated/advanced but their full reveals remain forward.)

Mentions / appearances

• Characters: Ace, Luffy, Whitebeard, Buggy, Sengoku, Jinbe, Gecko Moria, Smoker, Tashigi, Hancock, Bartholomew Kuma, Emporio Ivankov, Dragon (referenced), Squard (named/heard), Decalvan Brothers (named), Roger (referenced)
• Cover: Zoro (solo cover-serial, Vol. 1)
• Groups / crews: Whitebeard Pirates, Buggy Pirates, Roger Pirates, Marines, Kuja Pirates, Revolutionary Army, Seven Warlords of the Sea, Fish-Men
• Locations: Marineford
• Devil Fruits / powers: Moku Moku no Mi (Smoker), Kage-Kage no Mi (Moria’s shadow theft), Fish-Man Karate (Jinbe), Gum-Gum Jet Gatling / Gear Second (Luffy)

Notable panels

• Page 1 (cover): Limited Cover Series No. 18 — Zolo’s “Where Are They? What a Pain” Vol. 1: “The Giant Tombstone on the Outskirts of the Ruins.” Zoro stands amid overgrown ruins before a colossal cross-shaped tombstone; a small figure drifts in the air at upper-left. (Opens a Zoro solo cover-serial — defer to cover-tracker.)
• Page 2: Ace’s “destiny” monologue intercut with Luffy/crew screaming “We’re coming to save you!!” — Ace blinks, hearing them.
• Page 3: Ace bows his head over the burning bay — “I’m sorry, everyone. I won’t fight it anymore.”
• Pages 8-9: The allied New World captains split port/starboard; the fleet pincers the Marine warships (“They’re attacking our warships!!”).
• Page 11: Jinbe’s ”…FIST!!” drops Moria.
• Page 13-14: Luffy’s Jet Gatling vs Smoker’s sea-prism jitte; “Now I know why…”
• Page 15: Hancock blasts Smoker off Luffy — “Let him go!!”
• Pages 16-17: Luffy charges Kuma; a grinning Marine-side figure tells Ivankov the real Kuma “is… already dead.”
• Page 18: SBS Question Corner (Vol. 57) — horns in the world, why Oda always writes “Straw Hats,” a mushroom gag. (SBS — defer to SBS archivist.)

Open questions raised

• What does “the real ‘Tyrant’ Kuma is already dead” mean — what has been done to Bartholomew Kuma, and by whom?
• Why did Captain Squard disappear from the bayside, and where did he go?
• How far will the defecting Warlords (Jinbe, Hancock) go against the Navy, and at what cost to their titles?