After witnessing Kuma’s tragic memories, Bonney is overcome with emotion. She emerges from the room and apologizes to Vegapunk for her outburst. In a touching gesture, Vegapunk gives Bonney a sapphire sun necklace that was intended as Kuma’s 10th birthday gift.
In the present-day battle, Bonney attempts to utilize a Nika-style attack on Saturn similar to Luffy’s abilities. However, the technique fails and Bonney feels drained of energy.
Saturn deduces that the Nika Bonney knows must be different than the true Joyboy. As a result, Bonney can only mimic the basic rubber properties. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew remains immobilized by Saturn’s immense power.
The story then shifts to the Kamabakka Kingdom where Dragon converses with Emporio Ivankov. He inquires where Kuma would naturally be inclined to go based purely on instinct. Ivankov responds that he would return to Marijoa, but emphasizes that Kuma is now a completely changed man.
Back on Egghead, Luffy begins eating scraps of food found on the floor despite being mid-battle. Witnessing this lapse in focus, Saturn orders his subordinates to restrain Luffy in the sea prism stone.
We also uncover that Bonney originally gained her age manipulation abilities from the Toshi Toshi no Mi Devil Fruit that was artificially engineered by Saturn.
Apparently, he has a long history of conducting human experiments to gift powers without requiring the consumption of real fruit.
This all connects back to the potential insight that many readers overlooked during the initial release. Oda subtly interweaves critical backstory alongside the chaotic action.
Kuma Used Haki, The Theory About Free Will
It is revealed that Saturn had previously given Bonney the Toshi Toshi no Mi Devil Fruit through experimental medicine.
However, as an unintended consequence, she also contracted the devastating Sapphire Scale Disease. Shockingly, Saturn failed to anticipate that both the power and illness could be hereditarily passed to Bonney.
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He further explains that Bonney’s abilities enable her to transform into any potential future self she can envision. However, as she uncovers more of the disturbing truths surrounding her origins, her range of possibilities becomes increasingly constrained by despair.
Overwhelmed with grief, Bonney begins doubting the existence of Nika itself. As a result, her Nika-inspired techniques manifest as weaker imitations.
She breaks down apologizing to Kuma, feeling hopeless that she will die despite his selfless sacrifice on her behalf.
Just as Saturn prepares to strike down Bonney, Kuma suddenly appears on Egghead Island. He swiftly attacks the Marines surrounding the Straw Hats and shields Bonney by taking Saturn’s blow directly to his back.
In an astonishing display of agency, Kuma then forcefully grabs hold of Saturn’s leg with his bare hand. Visibly enraged, Kuma winds up a punch with Haki-imbued fury directed at Saturn as the chapter concludes on a cliffhanger.
This scene indicates that despite Vegapunk’s modifications, Kuma retained traces of his past identity and willpower. The utilization of Haki and raw emotion are defining human qualities that were never exhibited by Kuma as a Pacifista.
Therefore, many readers may have too quickly assumed him to be fully robotic rather than speculating on the possibility of regained memories. Oda masterfully subverts expectations once again!
What Fans Think About This Theory
Since the start of the Egghead arc, Oda has repeatedly emphasized how Vegapunk struggles to ever fully eliminate the intrinsic “will” or personality from his creations, no matter how advanced the modifications.
We observed this with the defiant sea beasts mechs. We saw glimpses of it in S-Snake’s behavior. And now again prominently with Kuma.
Many believe Kuma is simply reverting to act on encoded instincts – namely, his undying devotion to protecting Bonney based on their paternal bond.
Looking even further back, the concept of persisting free will defying scientific control reappears in Thriller Bark with Cindry’s lingering facets of humanity.
In this latest chapter, Oda seems to once more drive home the recurring motif that no matter what extremes Vegapunk resorts to in his research, autonomous “willpower” prevails as an indestructible force of nature.
The tragedy of Kuma’s character arc culminates around this core tension between a human soul and technology.
Although physically transformed into a human weapon, Kuma’s intrinsic love for Bonney could never be truly erased or restrained.
His act of sacrificial protection stems from the same profound paternal instincts that define his uncontainable humanity.
Many fans feel Oda has brilliantly built up this thematic payoff. It’s immensely gratifying to witness the narrative threads connect back to key ideas first planted during the early stages of Egghead.
