Marco is dropped off to Whitebeard’s homeland Sphinx by the Red Hair Pirates. Marco tells Shanks that he’s “too old” for babysitting pirates and it up the next generation. In a brief flashback, Luffy finally thanks Marco for saving him during the Summit War. Meanwhile, on Amazon Lily, Boa Hancock and the other Amazon are reeling from being invaded by Marines. We get the first glimpse of the Marines new weapons, the Pacifistas: Seraphim. I’ve been eager to see what the Special Science Group (SSG) and Vegapunk produced and judging from their appearance in this chapter they’re going to be a problem. We only get partial looks at them but it seems like they’re modeled after child versions of the Seven Warlords. Furthermore, according to Blackbeard they resemble Lunarians, an extinct race which King is the last surviving member. King was experimented on by the World Government to test his “endurance.” It’s possible that the Seraphim possess some Lunarian’s DNA.
If the Seraphim weren’t bad enough Blackbeard arrives to steal Hancock’s Mero Mero no Mi devil fruit. Blackbeard blows past the Marines, demanding Hancock show herself. Kody pleads with her to surrender. She refuses, instead confronting both the Marines and Blackbeard pirates herself. However, Blackbeard nullifies her powers but not before Hancock petrifies the Marines, Devon, and Shot. Blackbeard tells her that “he’s had his eye on her Devil Fruit for a long time.” She responds in typical Hancock manner, she says her “beauty is what makes her powers formidable.” Kody witnesses the entire encounter. Hancock tells them that if she’s killed all the petrified people will remain so.
Rayleigh to the rescue
Blackbeard doesn’t trust her word and decides to kill her. Suddenly, Silvers Rayleigh appears saving Hancock from her doom. He tells Blackbeard that he “doesn’t like him.” Rayleigh unsheathes his sword and tells Hancock that “he makes sure nothing de-escalates and that everyone leaves the island.” In the present, Shakuyaku is the former empress of Amazon Lily and former Captain of the Kuja Pirates two generations prior to Boa Hancock. She states that with Vegapunk’s modification of Marine ships the “Calm Belt is no longer safe.” Rayleigh admits that his reputation is what saved them and if he had to fight Blackbeard he would lose due to his age. Apparently, during the conflict Blackbeard kidnapped Kody.
The dynamics in One Piece are shifting between the Marines, the new Yonko, the Revolutionary Army, and the former Warlords. Blackbeard has been on the sideline for a while and now that he’s taken Kody I think he’ll attract conflict with Luffy. However, it’s possible that Garp would interfere and get himself killed in the process, increasing Luffy’s hatred of Blackbeard. While the four major groups have changed they still seem balanced. One Piece continues to reveal some of the events that happened off screen. Apparently, Kody was involved in the Rocky Port Incident, that was caused by Law during the two year time skip. The details aren’t made clear but Blackbeard thanks Kody for his “help.” I’m enjoying the reveals so far.