Eiichiro Oda has officially recontextualized the legacy of Gecko Moria, revealing that the disgraced former Warlord possessed a level of loyalty to Wano that far surpassed even the legendary Whitebeard.
New SBS data confirms that Moria, long dismissed as a loser of the old era, was an honorary member of the Kozuki family who risked his life and crew to save the country while others remained on the sidelines.
The revelation stems from a young Moria drifting ashore in Wano, where he was taken in by the residents of the Ringo region. These citizens cherished him and bestowed the prestigious name Kozuki upon him in honor of his immense strength.
Despite having already established himself as a pirate on the high seas, Moria’s bond with the people of Ringo was so profound that he returned to the isolated nation specifically to challenge Kaido. His invasion was not a simple grab for power, but a desperate attempt to save the people who raised him from the Emperor’s tyranny.
“When Moria was a young boy, he drifted ashore in Wano. The people of the Ringo region took him in warmly. Because they cherished him and gave him the name ‘Kozuki’ in honor of his strength, Moria, who had already set out to sea as a pirate, returned to fight Kaido in an attempt to save the people of Wano from his attack.”
Moria’s Action vs Whitebeard’s Inaction
This piece of lore creates a jarring contrast with Edward Newgate. While Whitebeard considered Kozuki Oden his sworn brother, he famously chose not to invade Wano after Oden’s death to avoid a massive war that would result in countless casualties.
Moria, however, acted despite knowing he might lose. After his crushing defeat, Moria was so overcome by shame that he fled the country in silence, leading the people of Ringo to build a grave in honor of the man they believed died protecting them.
| Character | Connection to Wano | Action Taken Against Kaido |
| Gecko Moria | Honorary Kozuki member of Ringo | Invaded Wano to save the people who raised him |
| Whitebeard | Sworn Brother to Kozuki Oden | Opted for inaction to prevent further global bloodshed |
| Kozuki Oden | Rightful Shogun of Wano | Executed by Kaido and Orochi |
The trauma of this failure is what ultimately turned the heroic Kozuki Moria into the villainous master of Thriller Bark. His obsession with a zombie army was a direct response to losing his living comrades in the attempt to save Wano. This is a history that Oda admitted he wanted to include in the main story but could not find the right opening for.
