Warning: Contains spoilers for chapter #1101 of One Piece.
Summary
- Kuma knew Luffy's big secret, that he has eaten the Nika devil fruit, and the connection may have been confirmed when he witnessed Luffy's devil fruit powers a long time ago, before Luffy set sail for the first time.
- Kuma's decision to protect the Straw Hats and their ship may have been influenced by his belief that Luffy is Nika, since the god is an important part of Buccaneers' folklore and Kuma has hoped for his return since his childhood.
- Kuma's backstory has revealed many mysteries and established him as a crucial character in One Piece.
Though One Piece, it seems one surprising character may have known Luffy's big secret all along. The latest chapter reveals Kuma may have known Luffy was Nika before Luffy knew it himself, in turn explaining one of the biggest mysteries involving Kuma and the Straw Hats.
Chapter #1101 of One Piece reveals that Kuma visited Foosha Village many years in the past, where he witnessed Luffy using his devil fruit powers while training in the mountains. Kuma already knew that Nika had a rubber body from his father's tales, as confirmed when he tells Bonney Nika has a body like rubber and fought however he fancied. Thus, Kuma may have made the connection between Luffy and Nika as soon as he saw Luffy's stretchy powers.
Kuma's suspicions may have been further confirmed on Sabaody after Luffy punched a Celestial Dragon. Moreover, this may finally explain Kuma's odd behavior at Sabaody and why he went as far as he did to protect Luffy, his crew, and their ship.
One Piece Finally Explains A Big Mystery About Its Time Skip
One Piece may have finally revealed one of the biggest mysteries about Bartholomew Kuma and his decison to save the Straw Hats at Sabaody.
One Piece Finally Explains Why Kuma Saved The Straw Hats
Chapter #1101 of One Piece suggests that the reason Kuma saved Luffy and the Straw Hats at Sabaody was likely because he believed Luffy was Nika. This would also finally explain why Kuma went as far as to protect the Thousand Sunny for two whole years during the time skip until the Straw Hats returned, which was one of his final wishes to Vegapunk. Having heard all about Nika and hoped for his return since he was a child, it makes sense for Kuma to have done everything in his power to ensure Luffy and that hope survived.
While chapter #1101 also confirms that Kuma knew Luffy was Dragon's son all along, it seems unlikely that Kuma would go this far solely because Luffy was his friend's son, regardless of his loyalty to Dragon and the Revolutionaries. While it is possible that Luffy's relationship with Dragon played a part in influencing his decision, Luffy's similarity to Nika was certainly the deciding factor.
In all, Kuma's backstory has been a goldmine of exposition and has reopened many of the biggest mysteries of the series. The fact that the Buccaneer race worshiped Nika alone is bound to open the way for a long-awaited explanation about this mysterious god that plays a crucial role in the story. As it stands, Kuma is quickly establishing himself as one of the most crucial characters in One Piece, and this newly-revealed connection with Luffy and Nika means he will likely continue to play a central role in the Egghead Arc going forward.
One Piece is available from Viz Media and MANGA Plus.
