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Chapter 763: Declaration of Humanity

Arc: Dressrosa · Saga: Dressrosa · Released: 2014-10-06

Summary

The Corazon flashback deepens into the origin of Doflamingo. Thirty-three years ago at Sacred Mariejoa, the World Noble St. Don Quixote Homing shocked his fellow Celestial Dragons by renouncing his “divine” status to live as a human — a “Declaration of Humanity” the other Dragons brand heresy and treason. The Marines resettle the family in a non-World-Government kingdom far to the north and confiscate their Celestial Dragon I.D. chips. But the common people, recognizing the fallen Dragons, exact centuries of pent-up vengeance: the family’s home is burned, Homing is beaten and tortured, the mother sickens and dies, and the Dragons of Mariejoa refuse Homing’s plea to take his wife and sons back. The chapter then jumps to the Donquixote Pirates era: the captured child Law — who stabbed Corazon and tried to flee to the port — is brought before Doflamingo, who, rather than punishing him, makes Law an official Family member and vows to groom him as his future right-hand. Trebol prizes the “dirty glare” in Law’s eyes; the crew’s black-market devil-fruit dealings dangle a possible cure for Law’s terminal Amber Lead disease. Aboard ship the child officers Baby 5 and Buffalo pester Law for his real name, and Law finally gives it: Trafalgar D. Water Law. The instant Corazon hears the “D.”, he hauls Law off in alarm and — for the first time — speaks, warning him to get away from Doflamingo immediately.

New reveals

• Homing’s “Declaration of Humanity”: a World Noble can voluntarily renounce Celestial Dragon status to “descend to the level of a human” — surrendering the family’s Celestial Dragon I.D. chips to the Marines, who then exile them to a kingdom “unaffiliated with the World Government, far, far to the north” (p.5–6).
• The Donquixote family’s downfall: recognized as fallen Dragons, the family is hunted by the populace; their home burned, Homing tortured, the mother dead of illness/poverty (p.7–9).
• The Celestial Dragons of Mariejoa refuse to take the family back — “Don’t ever call me again, human. You chose this life for yourself. What is discarded cannot be returned.” (p.8).
• Doflamingo and Rosinante are named as Homing’s two sons; young Doflamingo retains the Celestial Dragon entitlement (demanding people prostrate, asking to buy slaves) even after the family is stripped of rank (p.6–7).
• Doflamingo makes child-Law an official member of the Don Quixote Family and names him his intended right-hand man “ten years from now” (p.10–11).
• The Donquixote Pirates deal devil fruits on the black market; some powers “surpass human understanding,” and one might cure Law’s condition (p.11).
• Law has ~3 years to live from Amber Lead Syndrome; the white patches are spreading and “happening quicker than expected” (p.11, p.15).
• Law’s full name: “Trafalgar D. Water Law.” The “D.” is an alias; “Water” is a secret family name his family has carried “for generations” (p.16).
• Corazon is not mute. His silence is a deliberate act; on hearing Law’s “D.” he speaks for the first time and orders Law to leave Doflamingo (p.17).

Foreshadowing seeds planted

Payoffs (seeds from earlier chapters that resolve here)

Mentions / appearances

• Characters: Doflamingo (and as a child), Trafalgar Law (child, full name revealed), Corazon (= the grown Rosinante; speaks), Donquixote Homing (first on-page, p.5), Trebol, Baby 5, Buffalo; Doflamingo’s unnamed mother (dies).
• Groups: Donquixote Pirates, Donquixote, Celestial Dragons.
• Concepts: Amber Lead Syndrome (Law’s terminal disease, white patches), the Will of the “D.” → Will of D.
• Locations: Mariejois (“Sacred Mariejoa”, 33 years ago); an unnamed northern non-WG kingdom and its port town.
• Cover: “The Solitary Journey of Jinbei, First Son of the Sea, Vol. 12 — ‘The Ruins atop the Port are the Sea-Kitten’s Town’” (Jinbei cover-story B-plot).

Notable panels

• p.1 — Title splash “Declaration of Humanity” + Jinbei cover-story panel (Jinbei in a small boat passing port-top ruins, a weeping sea-kitten alongside). B&W, not a color spread.
• p.5 — “33 years ago, Sacred Marijoa”: St. Don Quixote Homing’s caption panel — “World Noble (Celestial Dragon) St. Don Quixote Homing” — flanked by his wife; declares “We always have been [humans]. But we ARE humans.”
• p.7–8 — The family hunted and Homing tortured by a mob carrying centuries of hatred; Homing’s plea to return his wife and sons is refused.
• p.10 — Doflamingo to Law: “I want to make you an official member… of the Don Quixote Family!!!”
• p.13–14 — Donquixote Pirates montage: the crew at sea, child-Law in his spotted hat among Baby 5, Buffalo, Trebol and a clumsy, self-immolating Corazon — visually mirror-worthy as the “found family” beat that the flashback’s tragedy will invert.
• p.16 — Law: “Trafalgar D. Water Law.” — the “D.” reveal panel.
• p.17 — Corazon seizes Law’s head and speaks for the first time: “YOU CAN’T BE AROUND HIM!!! LISTEN TO ME, LAW!!”

Open questions raised

• Why does Corazon — Doflamingo’s own brother and Heart executive — fear the “D.” and want Law away from Doffy? (Answered by the reveal of his true allegiance in the chapters to come.)
• What is the “Water” family name, and what makes Law’s “D.” worth keeping secret “for generations”?
• Did Doflamingo’s father’s “Declaration of Humanity” — and the family’s destruction — directly forge Doflamingo’s worldview and hatred of the world?